Questions and Answers

Hello Lucky
I just started collecting miles and points about a year ago, so i am fairly slow/conservative in applying credit cards. I have a LH senator status, most of my paid flying are in LH, OS and LX.

I have a citi prestige per your recommendation, now I am debating which card should I go next: AA platienum select or thank you premier?

Both of these cards are from citi, both come with 50k bonus points/miles (I got a target offer for 50k mile of AA platinum select) .

AA card seems to be a better value especially with the 10% miles back option. But I wonder if it really worth for me considering the C/F availability and the inflation coming along. I fly most long-haul to/from TLV, the excruciating security process makes me reluctant to book on oneworld partners like royal jordan connecting to qatar. My viable options are BA, airberlin. I wonder if BA has worse surcharge than LH or LX?

The alternative view is that if I get thank you premier with additional 50k TPY, then my TPY will be enough for a round trip asia-europe or transcon virgin america or JFK-FRA roundtrip in SIN, this is valuable as well.

If I am only comfortable with applying 1 new card a couple of months, which one should I get?

Not only does BA have fuel surcharges, there is a departure tax ex-London that contributes to the price and is based on your next stop. So if you’re flying longhaul from London it’s more expensive.

Would you be using your miles on these same ype of flights or would you use them elsewhere? That may be a better indicator of which card to get.

[USER=1284]@loveairborne[/USER] you’ll really have to decide what works best for you. If you are going to use the miles for AA premium cabin travel then get the AA card. Otherwise get the TYP for the flexibility and the bonus spending categories should more than offset your 10k redemption.

[USER=184]@MidSouth Skier[/USER] correct me if I’m wrong but the departure tax only applies if you are spending more than 24 hours in the UK or originating from there right, not if you are just transiting?

Thank you both! I may easily exceed the 10k redemption for my long-haul option. It definitely makes the AA card less attractive.

[USER=79]@Gaurav[/USER]
Unless the rules have changed since Lucky wrote this you are correct.
[URL]http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2015/02/19/difference-between-fuel-surcharges-and-uk-airport-taxes/[/URL]

[USER=79]@Gaurav[/USER] good catch! I didn’t realize that was the case.