Capital One Aspire TRAVEL World MC -35,000 Mile welcome bonus worth $350!

[xst1]

Do the points expire?

Would this be worth it if my annual spending is around 10K ?

How would you rate this against the no fee BMO airmiles for value for my kind of spending?

How does it compare with other premium cards like td infinite, rbc avion or cibc aerogold?

thanks

[halflife150]

Is your card the Miles Plus card? If so, can you answer a question about redeeming? If you booked $200 for air, $200 for hotel, and $200 for car as separate transactions, can you redeem 60,000 points at once to pay for them or would you need to redeem 35,000 points 3 times to pay for each of the $200 transactions individually?

Weird that you would ask that, considering in the capone platinum thread it was you who not only stated that you could redeem points for all the travel together, but also being able to use the points for a partial credit to the travel. But someone just said in this thread you can't use partial credit, and now you're asking about stuff you have previously answered. So were you just making up stuff in the platinum thread, or you thinking that since this card is new that it might be different then the how the platinum operates? I don't see why this card would operate differently, so if you were right about how the platinum operates, should be the same for this card. Though we now have 2 different answers regarding using partial credit.

I think this might be better than the SPG Amex for me. Kicker is the fact that it is a Mastercard so I can use it when I am stuck buying crap from Tim Hortons.

Also did anyone notice the Purchase Assurance (protection from damage or theft) on this card is 120 days, not the typical 90? Nice little bonus...

Nice find, didn't realize that, read it over and you missed something that makes this card even better, extended warranty doubles the warranty up to 2 years, which is twice the typical up to 1 year extended coverage on most other cards.

[JWL]

Weird that you would ask that, considering in the capone platinum thread it was you who not only stated that you could redeem points for all the travel together, but also being able to use the points for a partial credit to the travel. But someone just said in this thread you can't use partial credit, and now you're asking about stuff you have previously answered. So were you just making up stuff in the platinum thread, or you thinking that since this card is new that it might be different then the how the platinum operates? I don't see why this card would operate differently, so if you were right about how the platinum operates, should be the same for this card. Though we now have 2 different answers regarding using partial credit.

When I called CapOne yesterday they said different cards operate differently so an answer on one card isn't necessarily the right answer on another card.

When I asked regarding the Plat Miles Plus card, CapOne CSR's did say you could combine them but I was never 100% convinced. If we can find someone with actual experience with the card, that will be a more reliable answer.

Even if that is correct, it doesn't contradict the partial payment answer that Daw received. They are two distinct situations. If you could do partial payment then it would provide the answer to the combined payment issue, but a "no" to partial payment isn't a "no" to combined payments.

[CSIFan29]

Assume $50K spending in 2 years, you can get nights + flights from SPG:
YYZ to YVR w/stop in LAX: $700 x 2
5 night hotel in VAN: $625
AP fees: -$380
Yr fees: -$240
Net: $1405
Return: 2.81%

Aspire:
Travel rewards: $1200 (including anniversary bonus)
Yr fees: -$240
Ins: $240
Net: $1200
Return: 2.4%

So SPG may edge it out a bit, but with the extra insurance and the yearly fee being offset by points it each, this is definately a good backup, especially since it's Mastercard--my favourite restaurant, my insurance company, and Tim's readily accept MC and not AMEX.

[JWL]

Assume $50K spending in 2 years, you can get nights + flights from SPG:
YYZ to YVR w/stop in LAX: $700 x 2
5 night hotel in VAN: $625
AP fees: -$380
Yr fees: -$240
Net: $1405
Return: 2.81%

Aspire:
Travel rewards: $1200 (including anniversary bonus)
Yr fees: -$240
Ins: $240
Net: $1200
Return: 2.4%

So SPG may edge it out a bit, but with the extra insurance and the yearly fee being offset by points it each, this is definately a good backup, especially since it's Mastercard--my favourite restaurant, my insurance company, and Tim's readily accept MC and not AMEX.

I wouldn't draw conclusions based on a single example as individual circumstances and trip circumstances vary so much, but to make your example more accurate:
If you are going to add in the value of differentiating features, you need to add in the value of SPG Gold (free hotel upgrade, tough to value) and a free weekend night stay for each of the 2 years. EDIT: I understand that the above example is $25K spending per year so the SPG bonuses wouldn't be achieved in this example.

[CSIFan29]

I paid $120 for my travel insurance last year, this is based over 2 years.

SPG Gold, you wouldn't hit it spending 25K per year would you?

It's very hard to compare, I must admit--but I like both cards for different reasons. I think SPG you can get a better return, but the Aspire gives you insurance, 2 years warranty, widely accepted, free additional cards, etc.

[Vasyl]

Assume $50K spending in 2 years, you can get nights + flights from SPG:
YYZ to YVR w/stop in LAX: $700 x 2
5 night hotel in VAN: $625
AP fees: -$380
Yr fees: -$240
Net: $1405
Return: 2.81%

Aspire:
Travel rewards: $1200 (including anniversary bonus)
Yr fees: -$240
Ins: $240
Net: $1200
Return: 2.4%

So SPG may edge it out a bit, but with the extra insurance and the yearly fee being offset by points it each, this is definately a good backup, especially since it's Mastercard--my favourite restaurant, my insurance company, and Tim's readily accept MC and not AMEX.

I would not use the SPG points for VAN. Try Paris where one night is about 600 Euro.

[JWL]

I paid $120 for my travel insurance last year, this is based over 2 years.

SPG Gold, you wouldn't hit it spending 25K per year would you?

It's very hard to compare, I must admit--but I like both cards for different reasons. I think SPG you can get a better return, but the Aspire gives you insurance, 2 years warranty, widely accepted, free additional cards, etc.

Originally I thought you were saying $50K of spending for each of 2 years.

With the anniversary bonus essentially covering the annual fee I am thinking of replacing my SmartCash MC with this. After using the SmartCash card for a few months in conjunction with the AMEX SPG, I'll have to see shat my return is on it. I use it for all gas and grocery plus whatever I can't use AMEX SPG for.

I would save $160/year in travel insurance for starters (family cost with TD).

[Vasyl]

Originally I thought you were saying $50K of spending for each of 2 years.

With the anniversary bonus essentially covering the annual fee I am thinking of replacing my SmartCash MC with this. After using the SmartCash card for a few months in conjunction with the AMEX SPG, I'll have to see shat my return is on it. I use it for all gas and grocery plus whatever I can't use AMEX SPG for.

I would save $160/year in travel insurance for starters (family cost with TD).

Why to replace your SmartCash? 3% for 600$ a month - very sweet deal.

Here is my setup:

1. Amex SPG for travel points;
2. SmartCash for gas and groceries;
3. NBC Plat - for everything else. This card is only good for people who bank with NBC, I can redeem points toward my All-in-One at 1.36%. Plus - host of insurance perks.

[JWL]

Update: You CANNOT combine purchases when redeeming to get a better return (per info obtained from a US No Hassles Reward customer on another thread).

For example, if you spent $200 on air, $200 on hotel and $200 on car rental, you cannot redeem 60,000 points to cover the $600 total. You would have to redeem 35,000 points for each of the $200 expenditures (= 105,000 points total).

I've added this info to the OP (and added corrections to the previous Capital One thread)

This contradicts what CSR's have told me in the past (even after talking to their managers), but I was never 100% convinced they knew what they were talking about so that's why I've kept asking.

[CSIFan29]

My setup will be Amex SPG for everything that takes it, Aspire for everything else (including add'l cards). Only exception will be when I book travel, if it's not with SPG points, it will be billed to Aspire for insurance.

[JWL]

Regarding foreign currency transactions, CapitalOne charges a 2.5% fee just like everyone else (per CapOne CSR). Apparently their US cards don't charge a fee so I thought I'd check it out, but no good news on that front.

[brunes]

I wouldn't draw conclusions based on a single example as individual circumstances and trip circumstances vary so much, but to make your example more accurate:
If you are going to add in the value of differentiating features, you need to add in the value of SPG Gold (free hotel upgrade, tough to value) and a free weekend night stay for each of the 2 years. EDIT: I understand that the above example is $25K spending per year so the SPG bonuses wouldn't be achieved in this example.

Not to mention I think you are vastly over-valueing the hotels for the N&F. IE since you can use Aspire mile points on Priceline, you should be using priceline prices for your SPG stays - IE 5 nights hotel should be more along the lines of $400 not $675.

[JWL]

Not to mention I think you are vastly over-valueing the hotels for the N&F. IE since you can use Aspire mile points on Priceline, you should be using priceline prices for your SPG stays - IE 5 nights hotel should be more along the lines of $400 not $675.

This is one of the hardest elements to value when comparing cards. For "buy-it-yourself" type cards like this there is always the question of how good a deal you can get. And for the SPG card, getting to stay in a hotel that I would NEVER pay for with my own cash (Westin hotels in Venice and Rome).

Now in the particular circumstances you've noted, that $400 hotel would cost 60,000 points so it isn't nearly as much of an advantage because of the redemption tiers.

If I get this card I just know I am going to spend a bunch of time managing my costs to maximize the tiers.

[Kipoots]

Not available in Quebec ?

pfff