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Before we knew it, 2017 had arrived. This space changes by the minute, and good Deals come and go. I hope this year brings more new cards and new ways to play. While enjoying cards and deals, don’t forget your day job—do your job well, and play only when you have time. Don’t put the cart before the horse.

With the start of a new year, a lot of annual perks can be claimed again. Below are some New Year benefits you can take advantage of, as a reminder and reference. Feel free to leave a comment and add other things that can be done.

Review of 2016

2016 was an unusual year. Banks began tightening credit card policies and rolled out terms aimed at card enthusiasts; more and more airline manufactured spending methods stopped working, and the golden age is over; deal-hunting also got harder and harder. Fortunately, competition among credit card issuers is still going strong, new products keep coming out, and there are always new ways to earn rewards.

Looking back at the top ten events of 2016 can also offer some ideas for applying for cards and playing the game in 2017.

Airline incidental fee reimbursement

Many credit cards offer airline incidental fee reimbursement, ranging from $100 to $250. In general, these reimbursement limits are based on the calendar year. So when a new year begins, a new round of reimbursements is naturally available. Used properly, this can be a big reward. If you have any of the cards listed below, you can follow the tips in the parentheses to get the airline credit. If you’re interested in applying, just click the card name to view the introduction:

  • AMEX Premier Rewards Gold (reimburses $100; MPX is dead; for other methods, see: AMEX airline reimbursement guide)
  • AMEX Platinum Card series (reimburses $200; MPX is dead; for other methods, see: AMEX airline reimbursement guide)
  • Citi Prestige (reimburses $250; works for direct airfare purchases and airline gift cards)
  • Chase Ritz Carlton (reimburses $300; for baggage fees and other incidental charges; if you buy gift cards, smaller amounts are easier to get through)
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve (reimburses $300; any travel-related purchase works; airline and hotel gift cards are included)
  • City National Bank Crystal Visa Infinite credit card (reimburses $250; each authorized user is counted separately; small gift cards may get through)

Note: a) Among these, only the Chase Ritz Carlton credit card requires you to contact customer service after the airline incidental charge has posted in order to receive the reimbursement; the others are automatic. So for Chase reimbursements, if you’re using non-standard airline gift cards, it’s best to keep a low profile—smaller amounts are easier to get through. b) Citi Prestige and Chase Sapphire Reserve officially reimburse airfare, so if you have upcoming travel plans, there’s no need to rush. c) For AMEX reimbursements, remember that you must first select a specific airline. Don’t forget to choose the airline. Of course, if you already selected one last year, this year it will still follow last year’s selection. You get one chance to change the airline each new year.

In short, if you are using normal methods to get airline incidental fees reimbursed and still haven’t received the credit after some time, you can safely contact customer service. If you used unofficial methods such as buying airline gift cards, MPX (now dead), etc., and still haven’t received anything after some time, do not contact customer service, because you were not supposed to get it in the first place. You can keep an eye on the latest updates from blogs and forums to find methods that still work.

If you were planning to close these cards anyway, you may want to wait until you receive the 2016 reimbursements before closing them.

Activate first-quarter 5%/5x cash back

With the new year, credit card issuers have announced new quarterly bonus categories. So before using them, it’s best to activate the first quarter (January–March) 5% or 5x bonus first, then start spending. At the same time, you can get familiar with the new categories so you can use category swaps to earn high multipliers across the board. The cards that require quarterly activation are:

Note: a) For Discover it and Chase Freedom, only the first $1,500 each quarter earns 5% cash back or 5x rewards, so plan carefully and don’t go over. Citi Dividend, however, is based on an annual cash-back cap of $300, so if you like the first quarter’s bonus categories, you can spend $6,000 to earn the full $300 in one go and not worry about the other quarters. c) Discover it, Chase Freedom, and Citi Dividend can all be activated for the quarterly 5%/5x bonus through their online banking portals. If you can’t find the button, call them or use online chat/secure message. d) Cash+ 5% categories can be chosen freely, so it’s best to pick categories that other cards don’t have. If you’re not interested in these multiplier bonus categories, you can refer to this article: Credit card tips — category swaps to earn 5% cash back in other categories.

Annual caps for multiplier rewards reset

Some credit cards have multiplier rewards capped by calendar year, so with the new year here, you can once again earn high rewards and points on the first $xxx of spending. Here are a few typical cards:

Note: a) Under normal circumstances, AMEX Everyday and Everyday Preferred earn 2x and 3x rewards on supermarket spending, and only after the total number of purchases in a month exceeds 20/30 times do you get the extra 20% and 50% point bonus. If you plan to hit the $6,000 cap in the first month, just make sure you make more than 20/30 purchases in that first month. After that, you can put the card in the drawer for the rest of the year.

Likewise, if you’re not interested in these supermarket bonus categories, you can refer to this article: Credit card tips — category swaps to earn higher rewards and cash back in other categories. If you plan to close the cards above, you may want to use this method, max out the annual bonus cap, and then close the card only after you’ve confirmed the cash back and rewards have posted.

Annual Reset for High-Spend Card Bonuses


Some credit cards offer an extra bonus if you spend a certain amount in a calendar year. A new year has started, so it’s time to work on those spending requirements again. Here are a few common cards with annual spending bonuses:

If you need to work on these spending requirements, you can get started now. Personally, I don’t think these high-spend bonuses are all that worthwhile. In fact, opening a few more credit cards and shifting that spending to sign-up bonuses can often produce better returns.

Mileage Rebate Reset

The AA co-branded cards issued by Citi and Barclays rebate 10% of the first 100,000 miles redeemed each year. So if you have multiple AA accounts and AA credit cards, it’s best to make sure each account redeems no more than 100,000 miles per year. Details below:

Annual Reset for Referral Bonuses on Credit Cards

Many credit cards now let you earn cash back or points by referring other people to apply. In general, the referral bonus cap for each card is usually within $600 per year. With the start of a new year, these referral bonus limits have reset as well. The main cards that offer referrals include:

Note: a) For AMEX cards, the bonus for referring someone is often not as good as the offers you can find through incognito mode or prequalification. If you’re helping a friend apply, don’t shortchange them—you can read How to find the best AMEX credit card offer to get the application link with the best bonus. b) Discover referral links also give the applicant a $50 sign-up bonus, which is not available through the official website. So if you want to apply, you can apply here or ask a friend for a referral link. c) Chase referral bonuses and the bonuses on the official website are generally the same, so we recommend applying here or asking a friend for a referral link.

Last Chance to Quickly Earn the Southwest Companion Pass

The Southwest Companion Pass (CP) is incredibly worthwhile for families or good friends who fly Southwest often. It’s basically like turning points into double value. The easiest way to earn CP is to transfer points to Southwest through the Marriott travel package. Unfortunately, this method will expire after March this year, so anyone who wants to earn CP should hurry. Also, if you get CP now, you can enjoy the companion ticket benefit in both 2017 and 2018, which is still a very good deal.