Questions and Answers

Hi Ben,

I want to earn 100,000 Alaska miles to fly Emirates first class. What different credit cards can I sign up for to earn 100,000 Alaska miles without flying? Is this even a possibility?

BTW: Im working with your PointsPros staff right now on a trip and they are WONDERFUL. I am so impressed with the work they are doing and how helpful they are.

Thanks,
Jordan

[USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER]

To get you started sign up for the Alaska Airlines Visa in both private and business version.
[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/best-current-credit-card-offers/airline-credit-cards/[/URL]
If you can get both that is 50K points after first purchase.

Then get the Starwood Preferred Guest Amex in private and business version.
[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/best-current-credit-card-offers/hotel-credit-cards/[/URL]
Will earn 50K Starpoints after meeting minimum spend of $8K that can be transferred to Alaska points.

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 13368, member: 268″][USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER]

To get you started sign up for the Alaska Airlines Visa in both private and business version.
[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/best-current-credit-card-offers/airline-credit-cards/[/URL]
If you can get both that is 50K points after first purchase.

Then get the Starwood Preferred Guest Amex in private and business version.
[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/best-current-credit-card-offers/hotel-credit-cards/[/URL]
Will earn 50K Starpoints after meeting minimum spend of $8K that can be transferred to Alaska points.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your response!!
Is it possible to cancel and reapply for the Alaskan Visa cards and get the rewards again? Or can you only receive the bonus once?

You can churn the Alaska card yes.
[URL]http://www.doctorofcredit.com/list-of-churnable-credit-cards/[/URL]

But there are limits to doing this.

[USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER], yes it is but don’t go overboard. Two a year is what I would do. You don’t need to cancel the first to get the second but I’d cancel them on annual basis before you have to pay the second year AF.

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 13372, member: 268″]You can churn the Alaska card yes.
[URL]http://www.doctorofcredit.com/list-of-churnable-credit-cards/[/URL]

But there are limits to doing this.[/QUOTE]
If you signed up for both cards as you suggested… could you cancel both and re apply for both in a short period of time? Therefore earning 100k miles?

[USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER]

See what [USER=79]@Gaurav[/USER] wrote above.

Yes but I wouldn’t cancel until the next year’s annual fee is due. Banks typically don’t like it if you apply, earn the bonus and then cancel right away.

[QUOTE=”MidSouth Skier, post: 13378, member: 184″]Yes but I wouldn’t cancel until the next year’s annual fee is due. Banks typically don’t like it if you apply, earn the bonus and then cancel right away.[/QUOTE]
I would like 100k miles to use this summer for a FC ticket. Could I apply for both Alaska personal and business then cancel and reapply for a second time a few weeks later?

I
[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 13373, member: 79″][USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER], yes it is but don’t go overboard. Two a year is what I would do. You don’t need to cancel the first to get the second but I’d cancel them on annual basis before you have to pay the second year AF.[/QUOTE]

Is that two times per card for a total of 100k miles?

[QUOTE=”MidSouth Skier, post: 13378, member: 184″]Yes but I wouldn’t cancel until the next year’s annual fee is due. Banks typically don’t like it if you apply, earn the bonus and then cancel right away.[/QUOTE]

Don’t you have to pay the fee on sign up though?

[QUOTE=”Jordan Parker, post: 13379, member: 1553″]I would like 100k miles to use this summer for a FC ticket. Could I apply for both Alaska personal and business then cancel and reapply for a second time a few weeks later?[/QUOTE]

That is highly likely to get you shut down.

[QUOTE=”Jordan Parker, post: 13380, member: 1553″]
Is that two times per card for a total of 100k miles?[/QUOTE]
Yes if you get approved for both types of cards.

[USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER]

One thing that might work is applying for multiple business card if you have more than one company, you might get a bank to consider this if you say that you want to keep expenses separate.

I have not tried this so no guaranty, you would probably have to speak with the bank either in person or on the phone.

Have you considered buying the extra 50K miles from Alaska if you need it for this summer? They are on sale at the moment
[URL]https://t.co/ICX1zQu4PG[/URL]

Miles and points are a long distance sport, not a sprint. Be careful so you don’t burn out early (aka get banned by the banks).

[QUOTE=”Jordan Parker, post: 13381, member: 1553″]Don’t you have to pay the fee on sign up though?[/QUOTE]
Yes but there are versions floating around that offer a rebate that covers the AF with $1k spend.

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 13385, member: 79″]Yes but there are versions floating around that offer a rebate that covers the AF with $1k spend.[/QUOTE]
Its not the fee that the problem its just that if you payed it on sign up why would they be mad if you cancelled it before the second fee seeing as you already payed them.

What are the MS opportunities in your area? You could try to generate it via spend on the SPG cards at 1.25miles per $.

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 13383, member: 268″][USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER]

One thing that might work is applying for multiple business card if you have more than one company, you might get a bank to consider this if you say that you want to keep expenses separate.

I have not tried this so no guaranty, you would probably have to speak with the bank either in person or on the phone.

Have you considered buying the extra 50K miles from Alaska if you need it for this summer? They are on sale at the moment
[URL]https://t.co/ICX1zQu4PG[/URL]

Miles and points are a long distance sport, not a sprint. Be careful so you don’t burn out early (aka get banned by the banks).[/QUOTE]

Yes, I did look into it but I don’t know that I am ready to spend that money. It is probably better that I use my Delta miles this summer and earn Alaska miles for a Emirates FC ticket for next summer. That way I hopefully don’t have any issues with cancelling and reapplying.

[QUOTE=”Jordan Parker, post: 13386, member: 1553″]Its not the fee that the problem its just that if you payed it on sign up why would they be mad if you cancelled it before the second fee seeing as you already payed them.[/QUOTE]

Because just like you wouldn’t be interested in people who only sign up for your product only for the sign up bonus, neither are they… It is what it is.

I
[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 13389, member: 79″]Because just like you wouldn’t be interested in people who only sign up for your product only for the sign up bonus, neither are they… It is what it is.[/QUOTE]

Is it worth taking a risk and signing up a total of four times(two on each card) over the next month?

[QUOTE=”Jordan Parker, post: 13388, member: 1553″]Yes, I did look into it but I don’t know that I am ready to spend that money. It is probably better that I use my Delta miles this summer and earn Alaska miles for a Emirates FC ticket for next summer. That way I hopefully don’t have any issues with cancelling and reapplying.[/QUOTE]

[USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER] the point of MS is that you are not actually “spending” the money. You might be paying a very small percentage to generate points. It’s fine if you don’t want to do it, just pointing this out.

[QUOTE=”Jordan Parker, post: 13390, member: 1553″]I

Is it worth taking a risk and signing up a total of four times(two on each card) over the next month?[/QUOTE]

I think you can tell the consensus on this thread is pretty clearly NO. Obviously, and ultimately, it’s your decision.

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 13391, member: 79″][USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER] the point of MS is that you are not actually “spending” the money. You might be paying a very small percentage to generate points. It’s fine if you don’t want to do it, just pointing this out.[/QUOTE]
My reply was to another point about purchasing the 50k miles. Sorry for the confusions. What exactly is MS? I am fairly new to the miles thing and am still familiarizing myself with the tips and tricks!

MS is shorthand for manufactured spending. It could be as simple as prepaying for your rent and mortgage to buying gift cards for things like gas you’re likely to use in the future to buying visa gift cards that you can convert into cash to pay your credit cards or buying and selling things just to generate miles. You can get more information on blogs like the Frequent Miler or Travel Codex but there are others as well.

As with CC applications it is important to start slowly and not go hog wild for the more complicated options. If you have DL miles and can use them for this trip, do that and accrue AS for next year.

[USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER]
MS
[URL]http://frequentmiler.boardingarea.com/2016/01/07/manufacturing-spend-in-2016-and-beyond/[/URL]

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 13396, member: 79″]MS is shorthand for manufactured spending. It could be as simple as prepaying for your rent and mortgage to buying gift cards for things like gas you’re likely to use in the future to buying visa gift cards that you can convert into cash to pay your credit cards or buying and selling things just to generate miles. You can get more information on blogs like the Frequent Miler or Travel Codex but there are others as well.

As with CC applications it is important to start slowly and not go hog wild for the more complicated options. If you have DL miles and can use them for this trip, do that and accrue AS for next year.[/QUOTE]
Got it. Thank you so much for your help and clarification!!!! I think I’ll stick
with DL this year and aim for Emirates next year! 🙂

[QUOTE=”Gaurav, post: 13396, member: 79″]MS is shorthand for manufactured spending. It could be as simple as prepaying for your rent and mortgage to buying gift cards for things like gas you’re likely to use in the future to buying visa gift cards that you can convert into cash to pay your credit cards or buying and selling things just to generate miles. You can get more information on blogs like the Frequent Miler or Travel Codex but there are others as well.

As with CC applications it is important to start slowly and not go hog wild for the more complicated options. If you have DL miles and can use them for this trip, do that and accrue AS for next year.[/QUOTE]
Do you have a full list of credit cards that can earn/transfer points to Alaska and have a sign up bonus other than the Alaska CC and the SPG CC

[QUOTE=”Jordan Parker, post: 13423, member: 1553″]Do you have a full list of credit cards that can earn/transfer points to Alaska and have a sign up bonus other than the Alaska CC and the SPG CC[/QUOTE]
Also, is there a fee for transferring from SPG to alaskan and how easy is the process?

[USER=1553]@Jordan Parker[/USER]

The only credit cards that have points that can be transferred to Alaska except for their own Visa is SPG Amex and Dinners club.

The Dinners club card has no sign up bonus that I know of.

As for where you can transfer miles/points, read this article by Frequentmiler. It contains a link to an updated spreadsheet with transfer partners.
[URL]http://frequentmiler.boardingarea.com/2014/06/24/transfer-partner-master-list/?_ga=1.81301278.886473818.1455060131[/URL]

[QUOTE=”Jordan Parker, post: 13424, member: 1553″]Also, is there a fee for transferring from SPG to alaskan and how easy is the process?[/QUOTE]

Article by Lucky
[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/02/24/how-long-do-points-transfers-from-starwood-to-alaska-take/[/URL]

General what to do with your Starpoints from TPG.
[URL]http://thepointsguy.com/2015/04/redeeming-starwood-preferred-guest-points-for-maximum-value/[/URL]