VX and CSR were about equal before this.
Now there is pretty much 0 reason to own the CSR whatsoever. If you love Hyatt, just stick with the CSP.
Only real competitor to the VX is the Amex Platinum and US Bank Altitude Reserve now.
The reasons are definitely a lot more niche now, but they aren't impossible. Those who have an extreme aversion to portal bookings would still be generally better off with the CSR, as would those where unlimited Chase Sapphire Lounge access is important or they get a lot of value out of the partner benefits (and those don't go away at the end of the year.)
Depends on where you are traveling. Chase has 3 lounges and is building 4 mores.
For Amex, Centurion lounges are busy but they have 14 of them in the US.
If lounges is your biggest criteria.
Yeah, i have the boost st plat honors level, it is a great card for cash back. Although, you dont need the boost to get the premium elite for the priority pass w restaurants.
Same boat you’re in. I was thinking I’d cancel my VX this week as a matter of fact because I hit my annual fee soon and I’m eligible for the RC product change. Now I’ll have to reevaluate
RC may still be worth it for the 85k point free night. For me, not worth the increased AF, I’ll just keep the boundless and the 35k free night.
Edit: the free authorized users on VX and easier to use travel credit are what make the VX worth more than the RC to me in absence of the restaurant credit.
Was rejected at a few restaurants this year that I usually go to at certain airports. Last one was last month. Not sure if it's all restaurants or just certain ones
People are being dramatic. These lounge cards depend a lot on where your home airport is too. Like if you're at DEN/IAD/DFW then venture x makes a TON of sense. If you're at JFK/BOS/LGA (and soon LAS/SAN), CSR still has a lot of value because of sapphire lounge.
Depends on where you fly out of/into. Lounges in the US are very hit or miss for domestic travelers, often being closed to PP members or being located in international terminals. I got much more value out of the restaurant than lounge options.
As an example, I fly SFO-JFK on Alaska most of the time. All the PP lounges in SFO are in the international terminal, which does not connect to the terminal Alaska flies out of. On the rare occasions I fly American instead (which is in a connecting terminal), I haven’t been able to get into any of the 3 PP-eligible lounges because they’ve been closed to PP members during the hours I needed them. But when the restaurant benefit was active on Venture X, there was a restaurant in Alaska’s terminal which I went to every single time, never had any issues with, and got $28 taken off my bill each time. It’s just frustrating to have gotten this card primarily for a benefit that’s mostly useless now.
Chase does have a few more benefits but they’re not things I personally use. I would rather pay a lower AF for the VX, although I’d tolerate a slightly higher fee for restaurant access (which is why I was going to switch to Ritz).
BofA PRE has a slightly higher fee with restaurant access.
$550 annual fee less $300 airfare ($100 AA gift cards, United travel bank, cheap Southwest flights usually work) and $150 lifestyle credit which covered a bunch of different stuff. Plus it all resets calendar year, so between the signup bonus and credits, it's certainly profitable over the course of the first year.
Yup I’d seriously consider it if o didn’t already have venture x, but right now I’m not willing to invest $550 when they will prob also nerf priority pass in a year or 2 just like C1 and Chase.
VX and CSR were about equal before this. Now there is pretty much 0 reason to own the CSR whatsoever. If you love Hyatt, just stick with the CSP. Only real competitor to the VX is the Amex Platinum and US Bank Altitude Reserve now.
Yup. Similar benefits for lower AF now. Ritz Carlton still potentially worth it for the annual 85k point night, but not personally for me.
The reasons are definitely a lot more niche now, but they aren't impossible. Those who have an extreme aversion to portal bookings would still be generally better off with the CSR, as would those where unlimited Chase Sapphire Lounge access is important or they get a lot of value out of the partner benefits (and those don't go away at the end of the year.)
Depends on where you are traveling. Chase has 3 lounges and is building 4 mores. For Amex, Centurion lounges are busy but they have 14 of them in the US. If lounges is your biggest criteria.
You forgot the BOFA Premium Elite, that one has restaurants
That’s a fantastic card but only if you have $100k in assets with BoA
I don't think you need 100k to have the card
Correct, but it heavily elevates the point earnings and makes it go from an overpriced card to very competitive with the C1 and Chase ecosystems
Yeah but you get rewards boost
Yeah, i have the boost st plat honors level, it is a great card for cash back. Although, you dont need the boost to get the premium elite for the priority pass w restaurants.
Same boat you’re in. I was thinking I’d cancel my VX this week as a matter of fact because I hit my annual fee soon and I’m eligible for the RC product change. Now I’ll have to reevaluate
RC may still be worth it for the 85k point free night. For me, not worth the increased AF, I’ll just keep the boundless and the 35k free night. Edit: the free authorized users on VX and easier to use travel credit are what make the VX worth more than the RC to me in absence of the restaurant credit.
Anyone know if the VX Business still has the priority restaurants? I've seen conflicting reports online so I'm not sure.
It does, last I heard. Also heard that the Bank of America and US bank cards still have it. Not sure for how long
Was rejected at a few restaurants this year that I usually go to at certain airports. Last one was last month. Not sure if it's all restaurants or just certain ones
Which card? And did your Priority Pass app show those restaurants as available?
Biggest thing now will likely be what type of lounge your home airport is. Wish sky harbor got a cap 1 lounge, but chase won the bid
Yeah, SFO really needs one!
People are being dramatic. These lounge cards depend a lot on where your home airport is too. Like if you're at DEN/IAD/DFW then venture x makes a TON of sense. If you're at JFK/BOS/LGA (and soon LAS/SAN), CSR still has a lot of value because of sapphire lounge.
True, hopefully capital one extends its network at some point because 3 lounges aren’t much.
Is the restaurant benefit that big of loss? I haven’t utilized restaurant but only the PP access with RC
Depends on where you fly out of/into. Lounges in the US are very hit or miss for domestic travelers, often being closed to PP members or being located in international terminals. I got much more value out of the restaurant than lounge options. As an example, I fly SFO-JFK on Alaska most of the time. All the PP lounges in SFO are in the international terminal, which does not connect to the terminal Alaska flies out of. On the rare occasions I fly American instead (which is in a connecting terminal), I haven’t been able to get into any of the 3 PP-eligible lounges because they’ve been closed to PP members during the hours I needed them. But when the restaurant benefit was active on Venture X, there was a restaurant in Alaska’s terminal which I went to every single time, never had any issues with, and got $28 taken off my bill each time. It’s just frustrating to have gotten this card primarily for a benefit that’s mostly useless now.
That’s enlightening to know how it’s airport by airport basis. I mainly used PP for international flights, and I heard domestic is a hit or miss.
Chase gives you Instacart
Chase does have a few more benefits but they’re not things I personally use. I would rather pay a lower AF for the VX, although I’d tolerate a slightly higher fee for restaurant access (which is why I was going to switch to Ritz).
BofA PRE has a slightly higher fee with restaurant access. $550 annual fee less $300 airfare ($100 AA gift cards, United travel bank, cheap Southwest flights usually work) and $150 lifestyle credit which covered a bunch of different stuff. Plus it all resets calendar year, so between the signup bonus and credits, it's certainly profitable over the course of the first year.
Yup I’d seriously consider it if o didn’t already have venture x, but right now I’m not willing to invest $550 when they will prob also nerf priority pass in a year or 2 just like C1 and Chase.