Scottish Elises

Any tips on the best reward deals on credit cards ?
Both of the cards we have used for the past few years (AA & Capital One/ Vauxhall) are pulling their reward schemes so I'm looking for something that gives a good return on spending. We tend to put everything on cards so spending is ridiculously high but always paid off so not interested in 0% or balance transfer deals.
At first glance AmEx looks to offer good rates and unlimited returns (but concerned that they aren't always accepted by all retailers?).

It depends whether you're looking for cashback, airmiles, or something else. I've got the BA Amex - costs £150 a year but gives you 1.5 Avios per £ plus a 2 for 1 flight voucher if you spend £10k a year. We used the first of these to go First class to New York in March, and have now booked Hong Kong and Singapore in First for next year - you can obviously also get flights in the lower classes but it's better value the higher class you fly. If you go down that route there are multiple other ways of boosting your Avios bundle including Topcashback, Tesco Clubcard and others. If you're interested in the card and I refer you we both get a signup bonus - you'd get 26000 Avios if you spend £3k in the first 3 months - drop me a PM if you want a referral.
Admittedly Amex isn't accepted everywhere but most places I spend money take it. I've also got a Visa card that gives me Lufthansa miles although they take a lot longer to accumulate.

Amex is a good deal. Like Neil we are off to new York business then back first for the grand total of £500 and 120k avios thanks to the 2 for 1 companion voucher. Although I do get a lot of avois from flying which also helps. Apr is nuts if you leave money on the card though. There is one with less rewards but no annual fee too.

One thing, you need to book way in advance and be flexible on dates to get the best flights mind you.

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I have a BA Amex with a love-hate relationship.

The reward flight availability is really patchy and I no longer rate BA's customer service.

So we've had 4 sets of "free" flights in 12 years, but booking the last 3 sets with kids has been too much hard work.

I'm looking to change, but funnily enough the reviews keep bringing me back to Amex [FACE SCREAMING IN FEAR]

The flying does not come into it for me, but there is nobody that can get near Santander 123. 3% on Current accounts between £3K and £20K, we have three which gives £1,800/year, and the same on the C/C 123 for spends on certain Catagories.

tut

I'd agree flight availability can be an issue. Sites like http://www.baredemptionfinder.com/ can be useful though. BA release a lot of the flights 355 days out at 1am GMT (2x business on every flight) so if you're really after something wait up and grab it. Obviously this tends to mean you can only book a 1 way but when availability appears on the return you can phone them up and get it amended to include the return - you might have to phone their Japan office if it's at 1am though.
I've found that rather than looking for a return flight you look for 2 one ways separately then once you've found the availability book it as a return. If you want an open-jaw return (out to one place and back from another) you need to phone up to book but they'll waive the booking fee as you can't do open jaw bookings online. One of the best value uses of Avios appears to be bookings outwith the UK on airlines other than BA as you don't get the taxes and other fees. We've got the Hong Kong Singapore trip on BA with an Avios 2 for 1 voucher but had to book a Hong Kong to Singapore flight separately - this cost either 40000 Avios + £7 or 22000 Avios + £178 which I ended up paying. That was for 2 business class flights on Cathay Pacific that would have been £2.5k each if you'd paid cash so a bit of a bargain.

Great insight, Neil, thanks.

The aspect which f*cks me off most royally is that you can't book online with companion tickets if kids are travelling. Helpful BA Exec Club operatives have suggested the 365 midnight drill too. Then go quiet when they realise the only reason I'm on the phone to them is because I have kids in our party. LOL.

We've refocused most of our spending through a Tesco Clubcard credit card. We spend a small third world debt with them on food to start with, and the Clubcard points are of great value especially in the Boost mode which doubles the value of the points periodically. And you can exchange for Avios should you so wish.

I'm giving serious thought to a Virgin Flying Club black or white card but lost the will to live trying to calculate relative worth of rewards etc for now. Virgin as an airline are now streets ahead of BA (whom I never want to fly with again).

campbell wrote: I no longer rate BA's customer service.

I hear ya!

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Had the exact same dilemma recently as we used to use the Capital One card for all of our spending.

Air miles etc were not really a draw for me so I went with Amex as there really aren't any pure cashback alternatives.

There are a few places which don't take it but I've kept the capital one card and just use that if they don't accept amex.

Santander123 is cashback into your account Steve, 3% on balances between £3K and £20K so £600/annum for each account that you open if you keep it at the top level.

However not so good on the CC side as it is not on total spending per month, just on part upto £100/£300.

tut

You can do some crazy stuff if you've got time on your hands, Tut:

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit ... calculator

If you're really brave you can take this a step further - instead of dumping the money into a 3-5% savings account, invest it on the stock exchange/horses/roulette wheel Of course that leaves you vulnerable to losing the lot and still having to pay off the card - but if you're careful you should be able to minimise the risk of actually losing anything, even if you don't necessarily win anything. For example the FTSE100 dividend yield is 4% and of course that ignores the possibility of making some capital gains too. Only makes sense for people who can afford to lose some cash though.

[Of course I do none of these things because I don't have the time or attention span to make it work]

Cheers,
Robin

I am doing that at present Robin, but did not realise that it is called stoozing, thought that it was me being astute. I always pay my CC off at the end of the month, but after Clare's wedding I had £9K on it and did not want to take it off my Santander123 account and reduce the £20K for which I am getting 3% gross interest. I opened a Tesco CC and transferred the max of £9K over to it with no fee and 0% interest for 24 months, and used the minimum monthly payment of around £90. I will pay the remainder of the balance off after 24 months, in the meantime the £9K sits in my account earning interest.

Two things that are essential. Pick a CC like Tesco which has no fee for balance transfer, most are up to 3% so £270, and DO NOT use the CC at all for purchases, use your normal one or it screws it up. My CC is going to be large this month after the kitchen alterations, so I am taking another Tesco CC in Verian's name, and will do the same again at 19 months this time.

Think that I will opt out of your other suggestions Robin and take the boring route of safe returns.

tut

I'm surprised any card is offering a fee free transfer. Well done.

We apply the general principle with our mortgage. It's interest-only, backed by ISAs, and is not worth paying off when we can secure capital growth on the ISAs at 5-8% above the interest charge rate of the loan.

Battled to extend the term last year. It took months. But we won

campbell wrote:I'm surprised any card is offering a fee free transfer

We got the same deal a while back, thought it too good to be true at the time. I suppose they prey on folk defaulting on payment or forgetting the end of the 0% period, or making a purchase.

Spose I'll get up and watch this GP then