htxag09 said:
62strat said:
You can do amex bonvoy card. It's $450 yearly fee, but you get $25 per month back for restaurant spend, effectively making your yearly fee $150 assuming you eat out at least once or twice a month.
They are in the process of changing to this restaurant credit benefit instead of a yearly $300 marriott spend credit. Effective this september.
It usually has a 100k sign up bonus, you get automatic gold status, plus a free yearly night at 50,000 points (worth easily $250+)
The chase bonvoy is free night at 35k points.
You will also get priority pass membership with amex, which gives you lounge access at many airports.
It may just be me, but in my evaluations, lounge access has lost just about all of it's value. I can't remember the last time I've been to one and it wasn't so crowded it was a pain in the ass. And with the increased crowds, I feel like the food quality has gone down. In most cases, I'd rather just grab a snack from one of the to go shops then deal with them.
At the end of the day, how can a free perk not have value? I look at paying the $150 amex fee ($450 less the $300 restaurant credit) as getting the 50k free room for a good deal (we use ours every year at Gaylord Rockies, about a $400 room), so the priority pass access is simply a free perk. You don't have to use it, if it's overcrowded or whatever the reason.
In the last year or so I've been to united club in denver and MCO, as well as priority pass access to MCO, FLL and VIP lounge in Cabo. The cabo lounge was humongous with all the seating being spread out with big leather chairs and sofas and full size tables.. default pic from website. Way more comfortable than sitting at the gate.
We are loyal to united with a club chase visa, but in the most recent case, my mom was offering to buy a leg of our flights, and she's Southwest, so in that case, it's nice to have an option outside of United club.
