✈️ Fly to Europe for 12,000 points

Estimated read time: 3 minutes and 56 seconds

Good morning, and welcome back to Daily Drop, the Robin to your Batman, the Bonnie to your Clyde, the Jay-Z to your Beyonce. Seriously though… We make a great team.

Here’s what’s on the docket, y’all:

• 💳 Top Cards Update (April)

• 🇪🇺 Flying Blue Promo Rewards (April)

• 🤔 Should I renew my $700 card this year…?

💳 Top Cards Update (April)

Over the last couple of months, the credit card world has been craaaazy. We saw awesome limited-time offers from co-branded hotel cards, and even a cheeky airline card, the [[ southwest-rapid-rewards-plus-credit-card.name ]], dethrone the [[ capital-one-venture-x-rewards-credit-card.name ]] and the [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.name ]].

Not to worry though, because they’re sitting pretty back on top… for now 👀 

We’re also still seeing this nice elevated offer on one of the most solid hotel cards in the game as our current numero tres. The [[ ihg-rewards-premier-credit-card.name ]], that is.

But…

Sadly, that offer ends today, April 3rd (by the end of the day).

Once that card is kicked out of the “cool cards” club, we’ll have a sort of surprising new #3 card…the [[ ihg-rewards-premier-credit-card.name ]].

It’s the golden mid-tiered card that earns [[ american-express-gold-card.points-program-override.name ]] for all the big foodie boys and girls out there 🤤

In fact, the DD team has deemed it as the best keeper card to have in your wallet. And that’s a strong statement, folks.

The fact that you can earn 4x MR points per $1 spent at U.S. supermarkets and restaurants (including takeout and delivery in the U.S.) is crazy good.

That’s more than ANY other card when it comes to food-related spend (personally, the best type of spend—next to travel of course 😉).

It actually offers a handful of other solid perks and credits, so for a mid-tiered card with a modest annual fee… I think it’s quite deserving to move up to #3.

View our entire Top Cards page for the latest rankings, or read this deep-dive on why we’re excited for what will be our new number three on the list.

🇪🇺 Flying Blue Promo Rewards (April)

I love the beginning of a new month. And no, it’s not because of that “new month” smell.

It’s because Flying Blue, the points program for Air France and KLM, releases new Promo Rewards, which allow us North Americans to fly to Europe at extremely discounted rates.

This month’s awards are jam-packed with great origins and destinations, as you can see from this beautiful, low-res map that Flying Blue published:

You can fly from cities like Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Chicago all the way to Europe for just 15,000 miles each way.

If you want a more premium experience, you can also fly from Quebec City in Premium Economy for 17,500 miles, or from Montreal in Business Class for just 37,500 miles.

That means y’all Canadians have some good opportunities here, too, since this month’s awards include Ottawa, Quebec City, and Montreal. Canadians can also transfer points over to Flying Blue from cards like these ones, FYI.

But there’s something EXTRA special about this month’s rewards…

Remember last month when I told you about the 25% transfer bonus from UR Points to Flying Blue…? 😏

That means the flights from the U.S. that cost 15,000 miles will only cost you 12,000[[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.points-program-override.points-currency ]] [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.points-program-override.points-currency-short ]].

Flying all the way from a city like Atlanta to Europe for just 12,000 points is a steal.

So, theoretically, if you were to open the [[ chase-sapphire-preferred-card.casual-card-name ]] and meet the minimum spend, you’d be able to book FIVE one-way tickets between the U.S. and Europe by combining the transfer bonus with the Promo Rewards.

How’s that for maximizing a $95 credit card? 🤗

Anyway, this is a great month to take advantage of these awards, given the various major U.S. cities along with a generous transfer bonus.

Here are some other details that you should be aware of regarding this deal (and Promo Rewards in general):

• You must book your flights by the end of the month (April 30th)

• You must fly on either KLM or Air France

• Travel can take place through September 30th

See you in Europe!

🤔 Should I renew my $700 card this year…?

Every year, many of us have one day that plunges us into existential crisis mode.

I’m talking, of course, about the day that the nearly $700 annual fee from [[ the-platinum-card-from-american-express.name ]] hits our accounts.

My natural instinct every year is: “No way am I paying that fee again… I’m going to cancel the crap out of the [[ the-platinum-card-from-american-express.casual-card-name ]].”

But then the following things happen:

• I enter dozens of world-class airport lounges

• My Hulu subscription becomes free

• I get free premium seat selection on flights

• I stay in luxury hotels with elite benefits for free

• I earn thousands of extra points on my airfare purchases

All of these things are a result of the various annual perks, credits, and earning rates of the [[ the-platinum-card-from-american-express.casual-card-name ]] and (in my humble opinion) justify continuing to pay the annual fee every year.

But don’t take it from me… Check out this week’s Daily Drop YouTube video, where our in-house credit card whiz, Brendan, deliberates this question for himself.

He’ll break down each of the perks, credits, and features of the card and walk you through all of the necessary calculus you need to decide for yourself. 👇

That’s all for today, my friends!

Before I let you go, I have a question… Given that Flying Blue Promo Rewards are such a good deal and happen every single month, tell me:

Take care, and see you tomorrow ❤️

6.1944° S, 106.8229° E