Bonus Roundup: Spring 2012

Want a ton of free hotel stays? You’re in luck: the Marriott Rewards Premier offers 50,000 bonus points and a free night. Don’t want to be tied down? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is giving out 40,000 Ultimate Rewards Points worth $500 of travel. Oh, and there are a ton of perks as well. Read on for details on these three lavish travel cards, and tips on how to get the bonus.

Chase Sapphire Preferred: 40,000 Ultimate Rewards Points

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a record of offering noteworthy bonuses. This one gives you 40,000 Ultimate Rewards Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months. Those points are worth $400 if you redeem for gift cards, etc. But if you use them for travel booked through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Tool, they’ll be worth 25% more, bringing the bonus’ total value up to $500.

The Sapphire is a great travel card, earning a base rewards rate of 1 point per $1 spent and 2x points on travel and dining. Plus, it gives an annual 7% points dividend that brings your rewards rate up to 2.14% bonus and 1.07% base. The $95 annual fee is waived the first year, making the card a lot more attractive for bonus-hunters, and there’s no foreign transaction fee. And it’s a far sight better than many airline cards, who won’t give you bonus miles when you travel with non-affiliates.

Chase Sapphire Preferred®
	40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months - that's $500 toward travel rewards! 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases Get 20% off airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem through Ultimate RewardsSM No foreign transaction fees Receive a 7% Annual Points Dividend on all new points earned on purchases - even on points already redeemed 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs - that means 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points equal 1,000 partner miles/points Direct access to expert service advisors anytime Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95		Pros No foreign transaction fee Cons Has annual fee

Marriott Rewards Premier: 50,000 points + 1 free night

Hotel-goers and bonus-seekers, take note: the Marriott Premier card is offering a substantial bonus of 50,000 bonus points, plus 1 free night. Best of all, you get those 50k points after your first purchase, whereas the Chase Sapphire requires you to spend thousands of dollars. This makes the card ideal for those looking for a bonus and hotel rewards, without wanting to put a lot of money on the card. The Marriott card gives 5x points at the hotel and 2x points on qualifying airlines, dining and rental car purchases, and comes with a number of extra perks:

• Waived foreign transaction fees;
• Automatic Silver elite status, plus a 15-night credit; and
• One free night’s stay every year on your account anniversary.

For travelers looking for a place to lay their heads, the Marriott card offers a great signup bonus with little commitment. Its $85 annual fee is waived the first year, giving you the opportunity to snag the bonus and cancel the card.

Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card
	Enjoy up to 7 Free Nights To Start! New! Smart Chip Technology and No Foreign Transaction Fees! Earn 5 points for every $1 spent at Marriott® locations Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on airline tickets purchased directly with the airline, and at car rental agencies & restaurants Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on other purchases Receive 1 free night stay after account approval and each year upon account anniversary Cardmembers achieve Silver Elite status with 15 nights credit toward Elite status		Pros No foreign transaction fee Cons Has annual fee Needs excellent credit

Which is the best signup bonus of this lovely spring season? It depends…

• Airline and hotel nomads will get value from the Chase Sapphire’s flexibility to choose where you stay and fly.
• Domestic travelers and regular spenders will benefit from the Marriott card’s waived first-year fee and from the fact that you don’t need to spend a certain amount to get the bonus.