Weekend Triple

We’re going to go short form, followed by long form, followed by short form today because that’s how the wind is blowing. Let’s just call it the churning burger.

1. Staples has fee free $200 Visa gift cards starting Sunday and running through the following Saturday, limit eight per transaction.
   
   These are Pathward gift cards so have a liquidation plan in place.
   
2. American Express’s COO said they’d be refreshing 40 global cards in the next year late last week, and we’ve just seen the first set of updates, all on Delta cards. The changes:
   
   Personal Gold (annual fee: $150, up from $99)
   – $200 flight credit after $10,000 spend
   – $100 Delta Vacations credit for hotel stays
   
   Personal Platinum (annual fee: $350, up from $250)
   – $10 monthly Resy credit
   – $10 monthly rideshare credit
   – $150 Delta Vacations credit for hotel stays
   – Companion certificate now valid for first class and for international trips
   
   Personal Reserve (annual fee: $650, up from $550)
   – $20 monthly Resy credit
   – $10 monthly rideshare credit
   – $200 Delta Vacations credit for hotel stays
   – Companion certificate now valid for international trips
   
   Business Gold (annual fee: $150, up from $99)
   – $200 flight credit after $10,000 spend
   – $150 Delta Vacations credit for hotel stays
   
   Business Platinum (annual fee: $350, up from $250)
   – $10 monthly Resy credit
   – $10 monthly rideshare credit
   – $200 Delta Vacations credit for hotel stays
   – Companion certificate now valid for first class and for international trips
   
   Business Reserve (annual fee: $650, up from $550)
   – $20 monthly Resy credit
   – $10 monthly rideshare credit
   – $200 Delta Vacations credit for hotel stays
   – Companion certificate now valid for international trips
   
   The annual fee increase starts on May 1. There’s a path to Delta status just by holding a set of these cards too, the Platinums and Reserves each have a $2,500 MQD “head-start”, and according to the terms and conditions each card type is eligible (up to $10,000 MQD per card holder per year), which means you’ve got a path to Gold status just by holding the right set of credit cards.
   
   For those keeping track at home, this leaves 36 refreshes left on the AmEx refresh-o-meter, and I think the Resy credits and annual fee increases are a telling sign of what’s to come.
   
3. The Citi Shop Your Way Rewards card, the original MEAB’s Unsung Hero credit card, has a targeted spending bonus for February, March, and April for 15% back on up to $1,200 spend at home improvement stores, once per month. This one arrives either by USPS, email, or both. (Thanks to FlashStash)

Have a nice weekend!

The limited edition churning hamburger gift card; yes, it works on PayPal Bill Pay.