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During my last round of cards I decided to pickup the Citi Expedia+ card. Now I know a ~$200 new card bonus is truly nothing to get excited about and some might say not even worth the credit pull. For most I would agree, but not for everyone.
You see I got this card because, after the $100 travel credit, it really ends up costing me minus $5 per year to hold. To me this makes it a net no annual fee card (those I like very much). I got this card for the perks and future bonus points. Like what?
The main one is Expedia+ Gold status is awarded free if you hold the Expedia+ Citi card. Thus, not only do I earn 2x points for my cruise bookings, I also get a 30% bump in points with my gifted status.
I am taking a number of cruises over the next two years and they are not inexpensive ones (in a suite most sailings). But I am mostly paying for them with points so not really expensive out of pocket. I am also getting ~12% back by starting my booking via TopCashBack and when I cash out I select an Amex gift card for another 3-6% bonus cash (on top of other savings and offers with NCL). When I add the Expedia+ bonus points it will mean a nice additional bump in points for me.
This is just one more tiny component of my travel card portfolio – that is, holding cards for a specific purpose and the right purpose as well as using a card(s) almost exclusively for the card perks not for regular spending (other than the spend for the new card bonus, clearly). Next year the only spend I will put on this Citi card is again buying 2x$50 Delta e-Gift cards to again offset the annual fee. – René
Advertiser Disclosure: Eye of the Flyer, a division of Chatterbox Entertainment, Inc., is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact how and where card products appear on the site. This site does not include all card companies or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities. Some of the links on this page are affiliate or referral links. We may receive a commission or referral bonus for purchases or successful applications made during shopping sessions or signups initiated from clicking those links.
Responses are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser's responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
How long did the reimbursement take to post? Was it with the statement?
Also, can you elaborate on the scheme you’re using? You go through TopCashBack to Expedia? What’s the deal with the gift cards, and where do you obtain them?
@Miles – Credit posted when statment generated. Yes started at TCB then Expedia from TCB. Once you get cash back you can often request TCB payment in form of Amex GC and get 3-6% extra bonus.
I usually spend my Amex Platinum $200 Travel Credit for Relative’s bag fees. But this year, I went to see them.
What Denomination Delta Gift Card can I buy to use my travel credit?
@Fred – See link in post. 4x$50 each it’s own pirchase / transaction.
@rene. Probably a dumb question, but if you use the Delta egift cards to pay for travel do you still earn MQMs and MQDs?
@Kathy B – There are no dumb questions. Yes. Spending Delta e-gift cards (or real cards from say Office Depot etc) earn full points just like “cash”. Even spending Delta bump vouchers / dollars earn full points.