They took it a step further and provided a quick blurb about the cuisine, if a restaurant was card-only, its atmosphere and more. This is especially true if you like to travel frequently and enjoy the finer things in terms of dining, accommodations, and other travel expenses. Creating the right "experiment" was tricky here. The Visa Platinum is the second tier of the four Visa credit card types. This means that virtually anywhere that accepts credit cards will accept Mastercard. That means your 60,000 points could be worth $900 instead of $600. I finally got a reply with all the answers on June 18 -- nine days later -- but it's unclear whether Citi would have responded if it weren't for my follow-up email. Theres just not as wide a selection of cards issued by American Express compared to the number of cards that hold the Visa or Mastercard logo. While there were so many options to choose from, I appreciated that each description was concise yet informative. Theres a 50,000 point welcome bonus (worth $750 on travel) when you spend $4,500 in the first 90 days of account opening. The Reflex Mastercard is a secured credit card designed for those trying to build or rebuild their credit. Earn 1 reward point for every INR 150 spent on all other categories. The annual fee is $650 per year. The welcome bonus consists of 50,000 American Airlines points when you spend $2,500 in the first three months. WebWinner: Platinum Card Concierge wins even if they provided the same number of recommendations as Visa Infinite Concierge. Does refinancing lower your house payment? The card awards 3x points for commercial air travel, 2x points for gas and groceries, and 1 point for all other eligible purchases. Banks and other card issuers can set these levels independently and arent as stringent with their requirements. On the other hand, if youre okay with semi-frequent travel and more mainstream dining and other purchases, youll do just fine with one of the other alternative cards mentioned here. Topics included museums and retail reopening, masks, capacity limits and other pandemic restrictions. You wont pay any foreign transaction fees when you make a purchase outside of the U.S., and you can use your Venture rewards miles on hotels, flights, and more. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Each of these three concierge services offered something that the others did not, so if you hold multiple premium credit cards and have access to multiple concierge services, I'd encourage you to utilize them all (provided you have ample time to do so). In February 2020, Nilson reported that Visa and Mastercard swipe fees had a weighted average of 2.26% compared to American Expresss average fee of 2.3% making this only a 0.04% difference. The UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card * offers a solid but lesser-known premium travel rewards card. Where can I store my luggage (carry-on and backpack) at ATH? 2. Does refinancing lower your house payment? However, there are two different phone numbers one dedicated for Visa Signature cardholders and another for Visa Infinite cardholders. No Foreign Transaction Fees. The Capital One Venture Rewards card doesnt have the high-end benefits that the Platinum card does. Why was my car loan removed from credit report? This is because Visa and Mastercard arent the issuers, thus they dont control the minimum requirements. For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here. Terms Apply. Any and all options, reviews, comments and analyses are the responsibility of the author(s) and not any Advertiser or credit card issuer. The UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card * offers a solid but lesser-known premium travel rewards card. We may be compensated when you click on links from one or more of our advertising partners. Most Visa Platinum cards require a credit score in the 600s. Get cash when you need it. Visa and Mastercard are accepted at roughly the same number of retailers domestically (99% for both) and internationally (210+ countries and territories for Visa vs. 200+ for Mastercard). Rather than standard credit limits and customer service hotlines, elite invite-only cards can come with unlimited credit lines and personal shoppers willing to track down just about anything. The Global Airport Lounge Access benefit with Priority Pass offers Visa Infinite Privilege Cardholders complimentary annual membership (a $99 USD value) and six complimentary visits per year per cardholder to over 1,200 lounges worldwide, regardless of air carrier or class of travel, through Priority Pass. However, despite the sizable annual fee, it is one of the best cards out there for heavy travelers. If you travel oversea every year, this card is worth the money because it comes with medical insurance and travel insurance lounge access. Editors note: This post has been updated with new information. Points earnings as a whole are better with the Platinum card. Global ATM network. Jim has a B.S. The main difference between American Express and Visa is that American Express is both a card issuer and a payment network. Additional visits are $27. While its easier to find places in countries like Canada or Australia that accept American Express, it is harder across Europe and Asia. Most cards allow you to apply your earnings as a statement credit, purchase gift cards and other merchandise, and receive cash payments via a check or bank account deposit. Obviously, the Citi AAdvantage card is best for those who prefer to travel with American Airlines. Platinum Card Concierge provided an incredibly robust number of activities (and even a photo gallery of these recommendations) for my 12-hour layover in Athens. I received one email with luggage storage and transportation information and a second email with a more complete city guide. Check out the list of features for each one to determine which would be best for your needs. International, land and ferry travel requirements. All this with a first-year annual fee rebate! My favorite part, though, was the inclusion of tips and resources. Luckily, her husband worked at Southwest Airlines, so they were introduced to the exciting world of non-rev travel. Contact: 800-953-7392. If youre looking for a business card that earns high cashback rates, you may want to compare the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite and the Gold American Express. Examples of other companies that use the American Express payment network include Bank of America, BBVA Compass, Citigroup, U.S. Bank, USAA, and Wells Fargo. All three of these major premium credit cards also offer a concierge service to their cardholders. join our free newsletter and join 25,000+ subscribers learning how to make more money, invest better, enjoy more of life with our 100% free newsletter. I could see how useful consulting a concierge service is, especially regarding the ever-changing requirements for vaccinated travelers and international travel. The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Card offers several great travel benefits and a lower annual fee. Contact: 800-953-7392. The card issuer is the one that actually extends credit to consumers. It's worth nothing that the Visa card gets you 6 visits per year, but they can be used on guests as well as yourself. This would certainly be my best option since I would have minimal luggage with me. U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card. For a Visa Infinite credit card, in order to qualify, you need an income of at least $60,000 personal or $100,000 household. If you want a card specific to the hotel or airline you frequently use, you might be restricted to certain networks. The U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve card is somewhat competitive with the Platinum card in terms of points rewards. With Visa and Mastercard, you wont interact with Visa or Mastercard for customer service issues. And with the current welcome bonus off, youll get 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in purchases within your first six months. Almost all Canadian credit cards impose a hefty 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in currencies other than the Canadian dollar. Winner: Platinum Card Concierge wins even if they provided the same number of recommendations as Visa Infinite Concierge. The Infinite card offers accelerated cash back rates: 4% for grocery store purchases, 2% for gas, and 1% for daily transit purchases. As far as points go, youll get 5x points on flights when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards. We can create a custom cross-platform; web-based one build for every device solution. It's better than a Visa Classic but less luxurious than a Visa Signature or Visa Infinite. Other benefits include access to charter services, room upgrades, premium car rentals, and 24/7 access to Luxury Card Concierge, a concierge service dedicated to taking your travel experience to the next level. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. This card is geared for clients who like to fly American Airlines. American Express Gold Card: See Rates and Fees. There are also some lounges that you can access via the Plat directly, like Delta SkyClubs. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Card or any of the Additional Cards on your Platinum Card account. But it comes with cell phone insurance, a minor perk. Your cards network offers benefits based on the service level of your card, though not every card is guaranteed to include every benefit by level and issuers could offer any combination of available benefits across levels. It's better than a Visa Classic but less luxurious than a Visa Signature or Visa Infinite. 2. Visa is only a payment network and has cards issued by other banks, like Chase, Bank of America, etc. Score: 4.4/5 ( 20 votes ) The RBC Visa Platinum Avion ($120 annual fee) lets you earn 1 RBC Rewards point per $1 spent on the card and comes with a 15,000-point credit card sign-up bonus. Therefore, you will get more points with it than with the 1.5 points of the TD card. How does this compare to the American Express Platinum card? Thats significantly lower than the Amex Platinum offer, though the spending requirement to earn the bonus is also lower. Visa Signature Concierge Service. The UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 25,000 points when you make $3,000 in eligible purchases during the first three months from card account approval. You can redeem any earned rewards instantly using your mobile device. For instance, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card, which has a $95 fee, is a Visa Signature card; the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, with a $550 fee, is a Visa Infinite card. Recently, he's invested in a few pieces of art on Masterworks too. As luck would have it, my own laziness created the perfect opening. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Partnerships with other retailers like HBC and Petro-Canada, excellent travel insurance, and the 35,000 bonus points on sign-up sweeten the pot. How does this compare to the American Express Platinum card? However, would an American Express Platinum Alternative be better for you? At first, they suggested that I take an Uber and recommended that I use the Amex Platinum's $15 monthly Uber Cash credit. However, internationally, American Express cards are accepted in 160 countries worldwide, compared to Visa and Mastercard that are both accepted in more than 200 countries. The Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection benefit provides for additional benefits at select hotels and resorts, such as early check-in and late check-out. Youll also receive a $100 annual statement credit toward qualifying airline purchases. What matters is how long it took for each concierge service to complete my full request. However, the biggest budget items like groceries, gas and travel (hotels, etc) are at 1.5 points for the TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege* Credit Card. The first is a Welcome Bonus of 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of opening the account, equal to $750 in travel. How can I pay my mortgage off without refinancing? You might be able to qualify for some with a score in the very high 500s. 4. Choosing a credit card based on the credit card issuer along with the. These high-end credit cards are available only to people who receive an invitation to apply, which millionaires have the best chance of getting. At a minimum, it might be a good idea to keep cards with different networks to cover you in all circumstances. Box 323 Discover hundreds of deals, discounts and privileges. Other benefits include Global Entry or TSA Precheck credit of up to $100 every four years. Two of the most popular credit card families are AMEX and Chase, and both are known for their reward points. They also offer financial planning, such as a Retirement Planning Tool that can tell you if you're on track to retire when you want. Theres no lounge access, credits for designated retail purchases, or access to features like early check-in at higher end hotels. Here's the rundown. The Visa Platinum is the second tier of the four Visa credit card types. For an all-in-one solution towards many of lifes common expenses, the Scotiabank Passport Visa Infinite Card packs quite a punch. There are a few cards that can be counted as competitors to the Platinum card. The 2% redemption value on airfare with the Black Card is nice, but the Platinum card 5x points on airfare purchases edges the Black Card out. How does this compare to the American Express Platinum card? Winner: The Amex Platinum takes the lead in this first category, especially if you are targeted for an elevated offer through CardMatch. The Platinum card gets you double the welcome points for less than twice the annual fee, however. It has also done well consistently year over year. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. What Is Your Credit Score, How Does It Work & Why Is It Important? The "up to" is key here. 4. Additional visits are $27. The Citi Premier Card is one option, and it comes with a $95 annual fee. The Visa Platinum is the second tier of the four Visa credit card types. We decided to put them to the test and see which concierge service is best equipped to handle your needs. Today, I will be comparing the American Express AeroplanPlus Platinum Card, CIBC Aerogold Visa Infinite Privilege and TD Aeroplan Visa Infinite Privilege Card. 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