This document outlines an introduction to earning miles and points from credit cards. It discusses the different types of credit cards including transferable point cards, airline cards, hotel cards, and cash back cards. It highlights top cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Citi ThankYou Premier for their sign-up bonuses and category bonuses. The document also covers strategies for maximizing spending like meeting minimum spend requirements and earning bonuses on common spending categories. Finally, it provides examples of travel goals that can be achieved through earning points from 2-3 credit cards.

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Introduction
to
Miles & Points Credit Cards

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Daraius Dubash

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- 5 Dangers of Credit Cards
- Credit Scores
- Types of Credit Cards
- Evaluating Credit Cards
- Minimum Spending
- Category Bonuses
- Goals
Agenda

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Thanks To Credit Cards!

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How many have rewards
credit cards?
How many?
How many miles did you
earn with them last year?

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- Credit Cards
- Debit Cards
- Shopping
- Dining
- Banking/Investing
- Promotions
- Asking nicely!
- Partners
- Flying
Earning Miles & Points

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1 MILLION+ miles/points in
2011 & 2012

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Million Mile Secrets Credit Score

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Only 240,000 Miles to the Moon

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5 Dangers of Applying for Credit Cards
1. APPLYING FOR LOTS OF CARDS
2. NOT PAYING YOUR BALANCE IN FULL
3. SPENDING MORE
4. YOUR CREDIT SCORE MATTERS
5. BUYING A HOUSE

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Can Not pay your balance in FULL each
month
Do NOT Apply If You…

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…for LOTS of Cards the First Time
Do NOT Apply …

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Have a Low Credit Score

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Have a
mortgage in the
next 2 years
Do NOT Apply If You…

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- How it works
- Sign-up for card and get sign-on
bonus (25,000 miles to 100,000 miles)
- Usually have to spend a minimum
amount, e.g $3,000 in 3 months
Earning Miles & Points – Credit Cards

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Will my credit score
go down?

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3 Credit Bureaus
FICO Score: 700+

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Credit Score

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Free Credit Score

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Banks Are Smart
- Chase lets you get bonus for
different type of card
- United Explorer vs. Southwest
-AMEX cards 1 year after
cancelling
-Bank of America/Barclays

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1) Transferable Points
2) Airline/Hotel Cards
3) Cash Back
3 Types of Credit Cards

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- Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility!
- Sharing points with family/friends
- More Partners = More Options
- Don’t forget about partners of
partners
- Don’t put all of your eggs in one basket
The Case for Transferrable Points

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1a) Chase Ultimate Rewards
Types of Credit Cards -Transferable

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- 1:1 transfer partners with Southwest, United, British
Airways, Korean, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club and
Amtrak, Virgin Atlantic
- You can combine points with spouse/partner
- No fees when transferring to airlines!
- Points post right after statement closes
- No transfer bonuses
Chase Ultimate Rewards

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Transferring to Hyatt

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Transferring to United

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- 40,000 Points after $3,000 within 3 months
- 2X points on Travel & Dining
- Worth $400 Cash Back, $500 in Travel or
More if Transferred to Hotel/Airline Partners
Chase Sapphire Preferred

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1b) American Express Starwood (SPG)
Types of Credit Cards - Transferable

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Starwood Hotel Redemption

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1b) American Express Starwood (SPG)
- 25,000 Points after $5,000 in 6 Months
- 5,000 Point Bonus For Transferring 20,000 Points
- 2.7% Foreign Transaction Fee
American Express Starwood

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1c) American Express Membership Rewards
Types of Credit Cards - Transferable

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- Earn 1 point per $1 spent
- Premier Rewards Gold is 3x on airfare and 2x on
gas & groceries
- Points go into pending status for a
month after statement close
Membership Rewards Basics

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- Transfer to anyone
- Link (not enroll) their account to your account
membershiprewards.com -> Points Summary ->
Bottom Right
Flexibility

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- Recent Bonuses:
Delta: 50% and 25,000 MQMs, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%
British Airways: 50%, 40%, 35%
Virgin Atlantic: 15%
Starwood: 50%
Transfer Bonuses

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4) For The Category Bonuses
-E.g. American Express Premier Rewards Gold
3X Points Airfare; 2X Points Gas/ Groceries
AMEX Premier Rewards Gold

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Types of Credit Cards – Airlines

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Perks :
- Free bags
- Priority boarding
- Less miles for redemptions
Types of Credit Cards – Airlines

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Best Deals (Sign-up Bonus):
- Citi American Airlines cards for 50,000 Miles
- 1 Free Bag & Priority Boarding
Earning Miles & Points – Credit Cards

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Types of Credit Cards – Hotels

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Could be worth paying fee for:
- Free night certificates
- Elite Status
- Discounted award redemptions
Types of Credit Cards –Hotel

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Hotel Credit Cards
- Chase Hyatt
- Citi Hilton Reserve
- Club Carlson

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Types of Credit Cards – Cash Back

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Types of Credit Cards – Cash Back
- 1 to 2% on purchases
- ~5% on categories
- Easy to understand
- Good for coach travel

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Cash Back
$5,000 business class ticket = $250,000
spending (2%)
80,000 points on AMEX SPG = 100,000
American Airlines Miles

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How Many Cards?
Do what you’re comfortable with
OR

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- Not approved online
- Max out available credit or too
many inquiries
Reconsideration

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- Call Reconsideration Department after applying
- Relationship, Credit Worthiness, Business Info
- Good reason for wanting card
- Show that you’re not a credit risk
- Hang Up and Call Again!
- Write a letter to Citi
Reconsideration

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- Amazon Payments $1,000 per month free
- Pay Rent with William Paid
- Pay Mortgage with Charge Smart
- Charge Everything to Card
- Buy Gift Cards & Use Later
Complete Minimum Spending

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- Retention
- Citi great at offering incentive to keep
card
- I’m thinking of cancelling card
- Annual Fee
- Benefits
Earning Miles & Points – Retention

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- Evaluate after 9 to 10 months
- Any benefits for keeping card?
- Ask for retention
- Worth the fee?
Cancelling Credit Cards

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How to Evaluate Credit Cards?

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Big Sign-Up Bonus!

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1) Big Sign-Up Bonus
- E.g. 40,000 Point Chase Sapphire Preferred
- 50,000 Point American Airlines
4 Reasons to Get a Credit Card

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2) Most Rewarding for Actual Spending
- E.g. American Express Starwood earns 1.25 miles per $1
- E.g United Club Card earns 1.5 miles per $1
4 Reasons to Get a Credit Card

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3) For The Benefits
- E.g. American Express Platinum
- Lounge Access, $200 Travel Expense Reimbursement
4 Reasons to Get a Credit Card

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- Extra Points or Cash Back for
Spending in Certain Categories
What are Category Bonuses?

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4) For The Category Bonuses
-E.g. American Express Premier Rewards Gold
3X Points Airfare; 2X Points Gas/ Groceries
4 Reasons to Get a Credit Card

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- 2X on Travel/Dining on Chase Sapphire Preferred
4 Reasons to Get a Credit Card

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Are Category Bonuses Worth it?

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- Incremental Earning
- 3x on airfare. Actually 2 EXTRA
points (or 1 EXTRA point if you have
Sapphire)
- 2x on groceries. Actually 1 EXTRA
point
- 2x on gas. Actually 1 EXTRA point
Worth It or Not?

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-Annual Fees
- $175 for Premier Rewards Gold
- $95 for Chase Sapphire
Preferred
- $95 for Chase Ink Bold
Worth It or Not?

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- Buy Gift Cards from Grocery Stores/ Gas Station With Category
Bonuses
Amazon Gift Cards Restaurant Gift Cards
Gift Cards at Grocery Stores / Gas Stations

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Use Gas Station Gift Cards at Affiliated Grocery Store
- E.g Kroger/Kwik Trip
Gift Cards at Grocery Stores / Gas Stations

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•2X Travel/Dining
•$95 Annual Fee
•No Forex Fee
•5X Rotating Categories
•Gas/Drugstores/Amazon
•ZERO Annual Fee
And/Or
Chase Ink Bold/Plus/Classic/Cash
• 5X Office Supply Stores, Cable, Internet
• 2X Hotels & Gas
• $95 Annual Fee/ No Annual Fee
Category Bonuses – Simple Solution

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• $200 monthly telecom = 5 X $200 = 1,000 Pts (Ink)
• $300 travel & dining = 2 X $300 = 600 Pts (Sapphire
Preferred)
• $500 monthly Chase Freedom = 5X $500 = 2,500 Pts
Simple Solution - Payoff
= 4,100 Points Monthly or 49,200 Annually

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• ~2 United domestic coach tickets or $821 Southwest
• $615 in travel through Ultimate Rewards portal
• 2 Category 6 Hyatt nights
What to do with 49,200 points?

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Business Cards

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- Don’t need an established business i.e
LLC or incorporated business
- Start-Up Businesses
- Can Apply as a Sole Proprietor
- Use SSN as Tax ID number
- Don’t LIE!
Business Cards

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Chase Ink
- 50,000 Points after $5,000 in 3
Months
- 5X on Telecom & Office Supply Stores
- No Foreign Transaction Fees

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AMEX Business Gold
- 50,000 Points after $5,000 in 3
Months
- 3X on Airfare; 2X on Gas & Shipping
- 2.7% Foreign Transaction Fee

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What Are Your Goals?
Have a Goal!

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Europe

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- 60,000 Coach & 100,000 Business
- Can Book 1-way for 30,000 in Coach &
50,000 Miles in Business
- Subject to Award Seats
Europe…in 2 cards…in Business Class

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- 60,000 Coach & 100,000 Business
Europe…in 2 cards…in Business Class
50,000 Miles Up To 55,000 Miles
40,000 Points 50,000 Points

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The US

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US…in 2 cards…
50,000 Points
or $833 in Flights
40,000 Points or
~$440 in Travel
50,000 Points
or $833 in Flights
Companion
Pass

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Hawaii

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- ~45,000 Coach & 80,000 Business
- Can Book 1-way for Half Miles
- Subject to Award Seats
Hawaii…in 2 cards…in Business Class

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- ~45,000 Coach & 80,000 Business
Hawaii…in 2 cards…in Business Class
50,000 Miles Up To 55,000 Miles
40,000 Points 50,000 Points

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Questions?

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www.millionmilesecrets.com
Email: daraius@millionmilesecrets.com