Best rewards credit card?

I have the gold preferred membership rewards from American Express. 3X points on airfare, 2X points on gas & groceries, 1 point on everything else. I feel like I recently saw an offer for 25,000 points or something for signing up. It also gives me a 15,000 point kicker for putting $30K on it a year.

My backup card is a Continental Rewards Chase master card. It has a 25K mile bonus for signing up as well.

EDIT: 10,000 bonus points and no annual fee for the first year: https://www201.americanexpress.com/cards/Applyfservlet?csi=76/17524/b/223

 

How many points does it typically cost you to get a free domestic flight? I have to use 25,000 points and have a Saturday night stay required (which has never been a big deal to me). I get 1 point for each $1 I spend.

I have a Wachovia (about to change to Wells Fargo) rewards card with no annual fee.

Is this about average?

 

For the most part, rewards points from American Express transfer 1=1 to miles on most airlines. I almost exclusively use my Amex points for Continental miles. The Continental mileage costs then apply (25,000 miles for a domestic flight, etc).

 

I got switched to the "Ultimate Rewards" program a few months ago. Contacted Chase to complain but they could not switch me back to the old rewards program. I used to like the $200 in rewards for $250 check - but thats gone now - it's an all points system, which I hate

 

Somewhere, Dave Ramsey is shedding a tear.

 

I'm going through that battle right now. I keep getting the same reply as well. They tell me that the Freedom card is discontinued for everyone. Then I posted the link from their front page to show the Freedom application. We'll see...

 

I'm a big fan of the Chase Leisure Rewards check card. It's a $20 a year fee, but you earn rewards on it. And it's just a regular check card so the purchases come right out of your account. The last few years I've gotten back an average of $400 cash in rewards, so it's obviously well worth the $20 a year for me.

 

I have that same card, but I was planning on opting out of it. Do you know if I'll still have to pay $20 if it hasn't been a year? I think the last time I paid the fee was in May...

 

Wow that Costco Amex card is pretty sweet. The crappy thing about good CC programs with no annual fees is that they are likely to change the rewards once the card gets popular.

 

Same here. Sweet deal.

 

not to be a debbie downer but something to think about. i had the chase rewards card too and was paying the annual fee. after doing some calculating, this rewards card isn't really that great. it rewards less than 1% on ALL PURCHASES and the annual fee makes it even worse. if i were you, i'd get at least the Chase Amazon Rewards card. it rewards 1% on most purchases, but 2% on gas, restaurants, and drug stores, and 3% on amazon.com purchases AND no annual fee. also, you get DOUBLE the reward points the first 90 days and they give you $30 credit to amazon.com upon approval. it's a credit card but if you pay off your balance every month it shouldn't matter. it's a way better deal.

 

Cool thanks for the info. Will look into it.

 

I also have that card, but I'm not sure if they gave me the double points for the first 90 days. I got the card in December. How can I check that?

 

look at your credit card statement online, click on show rewards, and then rewards history. your points should be at least double the amount of your balance that month.

wow, i just checked my rewards balance for last month and they gave me a 1000 point bonus....doesn't tell me why, but awesome!

 

Most cc statements list how many points or miles you accrued for that billing period. Or you could always call the toll free number.

 

I've charged over $2000 on that card, and I have 2700 pts. Does that sound right?

 

crap, i just looked at the terms on the card at their site. i don't think they're offering it now. it was double your points for a LONG time.

if they did offer you double your rewards, even assuming all your charges only qualify for one point, you should have at least 4000.

 

Well I know I got a little thing in the mail I think in January that said I was supposed to get double points for the first 3 months, but I think I threw it away. I guess I could just call them.