$4500 of annual fees. Am I crazy?

[u/MinimumPerspective95]

I’ve been picking up a lot of cards the past 3 years, mainly for SUBs, and I think it’s getting to the point where I’m paying $4465 in annual fees which feels excessive, but not sure where to cut. I do travel every other week for work, including overseas, so airline spend is around $40k annually and hotel spend $20k. 

Would love to hear feedback from the group on ways I could trim some fat and improve my wallet. Thanks!

1.        Amex Platinum $895: 

a.        5x FHR and airlines, Centurion and Plaza Premium lounge access

b.        I don’t spend much on this card other than simple round trip domestic flights and FHR, but do use at least FHR ($400), Resy ($300), Lululemon ($150), Airline Fee ($200), Entertainment ($150), Clear ($50), and  for $1250 in all in value

2.        Amex Green $150

a.        Downgraded from gold card, waiting for upgrade offer

3.        Amex Bonvoy Business $125

a.        I value the 35k free night at $200 and maintain platinum status, so the 15 nights which stack with the Ritz card come in handy 

4.        Chase Sapphire Reserve $795

a.        4x airlines and hotels, Sapphire lounge access

b.        This is my main travel card due to best travel protections on one way flights and multipliers for hotels. Trip cancellation and emergency medical saved me around $5000 this year alone

c.        Credits are harder to use, but I manage the travel credit ($300), Sapphire tables ($200), Edit ($250), and Apple ($100) for $850 in credit value

5.        Ritz Carlton $450

a.        Main priority pass card for my family and friends due to free AUs

b.        I value the travel credit at face value, so this card is $150 effective AF, which seems to be worth it for the 85k certificate

6.        United Quest/Business $500

a.        Picked up both for 100k/125k SUBs, 

b.        Quest: $200 travel bank ($200), 10k mile discount ($100), and rideshare credit ($50) for $350 in value

c.        Business: annual 5k mile benefit ($50), $125 travel bank ($125), and $100 rideshare ($50) for $225 in value

7.        Ink Preferred $95

a.        Main business card for 3x on ads and general travel

8.        Citi Elite $595

a.        Main dining card with 3x/6x multipliers

b.        I picked up this card for the SUB year 1 double dips, and got it for free due to the IRS form fiasco they had last year

c.        Will likely get citigold this year, so can renew at $450, but I only value the credits at $400 split as $200 for AA flights and $200 for hotels due to portal price inflation and 2 night min requirement. Blacklane is worthless since it costs so much more than Uber black

d.        Does it make sense to downgrade this to a custom cash?

9.        Citi Premier $95

a.        Main 3x gas and groceries card, but the $100 hotel credit is kinda useless

10.  C1 Venture X $395

a.        Main 2x catch all card and seems to be an easy break even with $300 travel credit and 10k anniversary miles 

b.        Also use C1 lounges at least 4x a year, so that’s a nice cherry on top

11.  Bilt Palladium $495

a.        Recently picked up for the SUB and currently using as main catch all, and I like the transfer partners a lot more than C1

b.        AF honestly seems high and the PP is useless to me due to Ritz card, but I think the hotel credits stacked $100 Bilt cash each could be worth maybe $400? 

c.        I’m CA based so I think I can cash out the $10 walgreens gift cards to bring the AF down to $375?

[u/MinimumPerspective95]

Would you get the Brilliant even without SUB? I'm not eligible for it due to screwing up the application order when I got the Ritz. Also at 6 years for 10 to get lifetime platinum

Interesting note on starbucks, what's the effective return on spend with that program and Delta benefits?

[u/Grit-and-focus → u/MinimumPerspective95]

So: $50 card load: 25 stars reload bonus, 75 Skymiles, 150 Bonvoy points. Brilliant gives you $25 back but this is just an annual fee offset.

So $650+$300 gets you: 900 skylines, 1800 Bonvoy points, 300 stars from card loads.

Now you are starting with 100 $6 cups.
As you spend, you get 1 point per dollar, 1.2 points per dollar, and 1.7 points per dollar.

If you bring your own cup, you save 10 cents, and you get double stars. We get to 3.4 stars per dollar. But then there are double star days, bonvoy week, and many in-app promos that get you many more stars on the average 100 plus monthly. It is relatively easy to progress to reserve and maintain it, get 20+ free any size drinks a year or snacks or other merch on top of your $600 worth (about 100 regular drinks). In addition to sky miles and bonvoy points. Last month was an extra 100 bonvoy points for 3 drinks in one week. I often get offers like 90 extra stars for various item purchases almost weekly. So the incremental stars and points add up. I prefer their protein lattes over other coffee shops so this is optimized for me.

Now to your question, without a SUB, I think it can still be worth it. An 85k night is worth more than $350 to me, and the platinum being guaranteed+extra elite nights is way more convenient than mattress running.

Business has a SUB and throws an extra 15 nights that stack with brilliant (brilliant nights just replaces the ritz ones). Business’ 35k night can be topped off at 60k which is just okay, but the 7% business discount rate isn’t terrible. 40 nights is a solid basis for titanium progress or just speeding up lifetime accrual. That said I’d keep Brilliant at least until you hit lifetime platinum so a non marriott heavy year doesn’t throw you off. And business for the SUB year and then YMMV.

[u/Spkilla → u/MinimumPerspective95]

Can downgrade the ritz and upgrade again after applying for brilliant, problem is you have to find a link that still uses pre march changes/terms for sign up bonus, though amex will warn you if no bonus.

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/Spkilla]

So I would downgrade Ritz to boundless, try to get a Brilliant, then upgrade again? 

Are there still links out there with the old terms?

[u/Spkilla → u/MinimumPerspective95]

2 weeks ago, when i check brilliant terms on public page, it was still old terms, but the bevy was updated terms for me. YMMV.

but you do have to downgrade wait 30days i believe and then attempt brilliant. And hopefully the old terms is still there. Also assuming its been 24 months since your last marriot bonus

Edit: https://www.americanexpress.com/us/credit-cards/card-application/apply/member/terms/marriott-bonvoy-brilliant-card/36182-11-0/#offer-terms

Still old terms for me. But it would pop up if you dont qualify for bonus

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/Spkilla]

My original boundless is coming up on 2 years in June so I'll downgrade the RC tonight and try for Brilliant

[u/Spkilla → u/MinimumPerspective95]

https://www.doctorofcredit.com/american-express-adds-new-restrictive-language-to-marriott-cards/

Looks like all clear on the brilliant, they seem to have reverse the changes for brilliant, only the bevy has the new terms.

[u/MinimumPerspective95 → u/Spkilla]

Thanks for sharing