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As one of the smaller hotel chains out there, I ve never had the opportunity to stay at one of the 67 Fairmont hotels around the world. Though the limited footprint isn t the key factor that has kept me from trying out the brand. Instead, the fact that they have historically not offered rental cars in hawaii points only airline miles has been a major turnoff. That being said, the Fairmont President s Club still has some great perks, like free WiFi for all members and significant discounts on spa and dining.
Fairmont recently teamed up with Chase to launch a new Visa Signature card that offers two free nights  at any Fairmont after $1,000 spent within the first three months. The card also awards rental cars in hawaii a new currency, Fairmont points, on all purchases and those points can be redeemed for free nights. This announcement makes me suspect that a point-earning structure will become central to the program and also at some point in the future Fairmont will become a transfer partner of the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.
Overall, this is a great offer considering nights at some Fairmonts like the Plaza in NYC and the Fairmont Orchid on Hawaii can go for well over $500 each, so this sign-up bonus alone can be worth over $1,000. The two free room certificates are pretty flexible they must be used within a year of issue date and they can be used in conjunction rental cars in hawaii with Fairmont President's Club Platinum rental cars in hawaii Room or Suite Upgrade Certificates (but not with the Premier Complimentary Third Night certificate.) If you're rental cars in hawaii already rental cars in hawaii a Fairmont President's Club Platinum member, you can transfer those free nights to immediate family members. Fairmont has a number of honeymoon-worthy properties, so I could see this card being useful for people who want to plan a high-end trip on the cheap.
If you're already a Fairmont President's Club Premier or Platinum member, you also get a yearly Fairmont Gold Upgrade to a Fairmont Gold room (not a suite). One of these certificates is good for one stay up to five nights. If you apply for the card by July 31, you'll also get a "Charter rental cars in hawaii Member Offer" that includes two extra Fairmont Gold Floor upgrade certificates and an extra $150 in dining rental cars in hawaii certificates.
Every year you make $7,500 in net purchases, you will receive 1 stay credit towards the next Fairmont President's Club status level up to 2 stay credits per calendar year. Top tier Platinum status is achieved after only 10 stays/ 30 nights.
One of the other key benefits, Fairmont Premier status, also entitles you to a few extra perks that might make this card worth it to you including 750 bonus airline miles for each stay, credit for stays at Raffles and Swissotel hotels, the choice of four additional benefits such as a year $50 credit in dining or spa services, rental cars in hawaii a complimentary third night on a three-night stay, and complimentary room and suite upgrades.
One of the most interesting facets of this card from a points perspective at least is that it might change the entire structure of Fairmont's loyalty program for cardholders. Right now, the President's Club has no real points system to speak of, and only elite members earn a free night for every 10 paid nights rental cars in hawaii they stay at Fairmont, and all members receive perks like free internet access.
Redemption rates look a bit high, with standard rooms at Collection A (lowest) properties like the Fairmont Royal York in Toronto or the Swissotel Kolkata in India starting at 25,000 points and ranging up to a huge 65,000 points at top-tier Collection rental cars in hawaii D properties like the Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai and the Raffles Hotel Singapore. However, suite upgrades are in 5,000-point increments, so there's potential value there if you value upgrades. You can go from a standard room to a Junior Suite for just 5,000 points more, and from a standard to a Fairmont Gold room or suite with 10,000 extra points so I can see the potential for tremendous value especially at some of those high-end Collection D hotels where suites can be prohibitively expensive. It s nice to be able to confirm upgrades, especially when it matters for special rental cars in hawaii events, like honeymoons.
Now let's just take a quick look at this card in comparison to Chase's other top hotel card offer that offers two free nights (one I personally carry at the moment) the Hyatt Visa . Off the bat, the Hyatt Visa has no spend requirement and a $75 statement credit essentially making rental cars in hawaii the first year free, so that's better than the Fairmont card. (Note: If you ve applied for the card without rental cars in hawaii the $75 credit, rental cars in hawaii send a secure message to ask for it and send a copy of the application link if needed).
The 1 free hotel night on the account anniversary with the Hyatt card also comes without a minimum spending requirement, but is only good at a Category 1-4 property (out of 6 categories), while the anniversary free night at Fairmont can be used at any property.  Plus, Platinum members who apply for the Hyatt Visa get two suite upgrade certificates each good to upgrade rental cars in hawaii a standard room to a suite on paid stays of up to 7 nights each—probably the most valuable part of the whole deal. Diamond members get their two free nights in a suite.
The Fairmont card wins out with lounge access rental cars in hawaii the two free visits from The Loung Club are easily worth $50 (depending on how you value lounge access ) and the Hyatt card doesn t have a similar benefit.
On the redemption side of things, even Hyatt's top-tier properties only require 22,000 points for a free night at properties like the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, whereas Fairmont's redemptions will start at 25,000 points per night and go up to 65,000 points for high-end hotels. So for instance, you'd only need 22,000 Gold Passport points to stay at the Park Hyatt Paris Vendome, whereas it would take 65,000 Fairmont Rewards points to stay at the comparable Raffles Le Royal Monceau in Paris. Excluding rental cars in hawaii bonus categories, that s $22,000 in regular spend on the Hyatt card for a top tier night vs $65,000 on the Fairmont card.
Personally, I think the Hyatt card is a better deal overall because it's much easier to qualify for those free nights (all you have to do is get accepted!), there are so many more Hyatt properties around the world where I get those points-earning bonuses and where I can use my free nights rental cars in hawaii (even counting those Raffles and Swissotel properties that you can use Fairmont Rewards points at), and since I already had Diamond status my two free nights rental cars in hawaii are in a suite.
However, since I already have the Hyatt card, it's nice to have another option out there that lets me earn some free nights at fancy hotels without having to lay out a lot of cash. I have a couple more months to go before my next Chase applications (I recently got the Ink Bold and Freedom cards), but this card is definitely on my radar.
If the free night options include The Savoy in London and / or The Royal Pavilion in Barbados, rental cars in hawaii then you are looking at a spectacular result, rental cars in hawaii frankly. And Barbados is only a short hop from Miami for you!
you have waited for too long enough to get the Ink BOld. anybody pls correct me if I am wrong: INKBOLD rental cars in hawaii is a business card decision on it has NOTHING to do with when was the last time you apply for your personal card. Moreover, I have also tested out: you can have back to back approvals on 2 cards : a few friends of mine get Sapphire Preferred and Freedom back to back, my daughter Freedom and followed with United my son in law Sapphire preferred and United. TPG has similar experience as written in his blog a few months ago Debunking rental cars in hawaii Chase Credit card approval Myths(?)
Dhammer3, that s exactly where I m going and it s only while wanting to stay at this ridiculously gorgeous Lake Louise hotel that I found this card as I started to look for deals for that hotel. The problem is that I only have a few weeks left before the vacation to Banff/Lake Louise (12/24 12/31 2012)
Questions (Both; Dhammer3 and TPG, your prompt response to these would be of great help) [Please bear in mind that I have never redeemed points rental cars in hawaii on hotels etc. and whenever I have on an airline it's always rental cars in hawaii been very very sparingly, coz I never have enough points ]:
- If I apply for this card today, assuming I get approved, how long do you think it might take me to get the card? This is critical since I need to be able to put $1,000 on it to get the 2 free nights
- What are the consequences of me getting this card, paying the $95 annual rental cars in hawaii fee, redeeming the 2 nights and then cancelling the card? Can I get the $95 back or are consequences far worse than just the $95 refund, e.g. they ask me to pay for those 2 nights and 2 free breakfasts, reflects poorly on my credit report etc?
Yes, the Fairmont card requires too much spending to earn a night at higher-end hotel. They should reevaluate this. It is a teaser to say free nights begin at 25K miles when those are mostly the lower-end Canadian hotels.
Delta just published a press release that confirms what I wrote about yesterday: rental cars in hawaii starting in 2014, US based Medallion members will need to buck up and either spend $25,000 dollars a year on a Delta... read more
@ThePointsGuy @iruvmattree they usually add a small fee.. Just part of the way they make money since there isn't much profit in selling airfare about 1 hour ago from Twitter for iPhone in reply to iruvmattree rental cars in hawaii Reply Retweet Favorite @habspats18 @yeahthatskosher rental cars in hawaii correct- but an application is still a hard inquiry against your personal credit about 1 hour ago from Twitter for iPhone in reply to habspats18 Reply Retweet Favorite @YeahThatsKosher @habspats18 correct- ink bold may give you greater spend power, but you must pay off in full. Ink plus has set limit about 2 hours ago from Twitter rental cars in hawaii for iPhone in reply to YeahThatsKosher Reply Retweet Favorite @thepointsguy
Disclaimer: rental cars in hawaii Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, rental cars in hawaii airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. This site may be compensated through a credit card Affiliate Program.