Those new card offers are here! And there are surprises.
Some good (very good!), some bad (very bad!) and an intro to "pop up jail" 😬
A reminder that due to affiliate rules, I can’t mention the names of cards or banks so if you’re confused at all, just message me or reply to this post and I will tell you exactly which cards I am talking about.
The names aren’t left out to gate keep, I’m just following the rules 🤓
Before I get into the news, a reminder that the class on how to wisely spend 100K points is available as a replay here!
This class could truly change the way you travel. The reviews I’ve gotten from it have been 10/10.
Please register here:
Here’s what you’ll see in today’s post:
My thoughts on the new offers
The new premium personal card details
The new premium business card details
What is Pop Up Jail?
Are annual fees worth it?
Don’t forget to apply using the Brooklyn Family Travelers links! 😇
And in case you want to just get right to it, know what you want to do and don’t have time to read a whole email, you can apply for the new card offers by selecting the FIRST card in the FAVORITE card buttons here:
I really, truly appreciate your support in using my links when you apply. It doesn’t cost you anything and does SO much to support my small business!
The #1 travel card’s premium version got a refresh… and they added a premium business card as well.
The bottom line
The #1 travel card’s older sister got a total revamp and now has a $795 annual fee.
Eligibility rules for this card “family” changed
They added a premium business card which also has a steep fee and a steep minimum spend but a HUGE bonus.
My thoughts on the personal card (BONUS: 100K/ $5K spend in 3 months):
It’s really (really!) disappointing that they’ve done away with the 4 year rule (ugh!)
It’s a major bummer that they aren’t allowing folks to carry both the lower tier and higher tier card at the same time.
The annual fee is really high but can be easily offset by the credits and perks of the card.
The bonus isn’t as high as I’d hoped but 100K is still at least $2K in travel. It’s worth it for the first year (at the very least) if you are eligible.
If you don’t already have this card, THIS IS GREAT FOR YOU!
If you have the lower tier version, you should be able to downgrade, wait 2 weeks or so and then apply for this card (IMPORTANT: message me for details and specifics!!)
If you have this exact card already, you’re out of luck sadly!!
If you recently downgraded — it may be worth trying to see if you can get approved (will know more about this in the coming days).
To apply, click “our favorite cards” and it’s the first card there (thank you for supporting Brooklyn Family Travelers by using my links!):
My thoughts on the business card (BONUS: 200K/$30K spend 6 months):
$30K spend over 6 months is a lot of spend but at least it’s 6 months and not 3!
200K points is a crazy high amount of points which does make this card worth it for at least the first year
This bank has been strict in the past about not allowing anyone over 4/24 (meaning anyone who’s opened more than 4 personal cards from ANY bank in 24 months) get approved for their business cards. There seem to be some murmurs that they aren’t following this strictly right now and people over 5/24 (and beyond) are still getting approved. We don’t know for sure, but that would be amazing news!
To apply, click the first card in the link below under business cards - thank you so much for your support!
The Personal Card:
What changed (not a complete list of changes):
The annual fee went from $550 to $795
The authorized user fee went up from $75 to $195 per user.
Some of the benefits changed
4x on hotels and flights if booked directly (was 3x)
5x on Lyft (through September 2027)
8x on travel bookings through the portal (was 5x-10x)
1.5x redemption in the portal discontinued
Removed the 3x on general travel outside of the portal
Current cardholders will get the new benefits beginning 10/26/25. Fees go up on your card anniversary!
The $300 travel credit stayed (phew!)
Added statement credits (see card offer for complete details):
$500 “The Edit” credit
$300 Dining credit
$300 StubHub credit
$300 DoorDash credit
$250 Apple TV+/Apple Music credit
$120 Lyft Credit
$120 Pelotin credit
$120 Global Entry credit (every 4 years)
New Points Boost program which theoretically can help make portal bookings a little more affordable (though there are still many reasons I don’t like using the portal!)
Lounge access
$500 promo credit
The Business Card
Perks:
3x on social media and search engine advertising (without a cap which could be huge for many business owners)
Extra perks after spending $120K/yr
A host of credits ($200 Google Workspace, $400 ZipRecruiter, $100 gift cards.com, Lyft credits, etc)
Eligibility:
You should be eligible for this even if you have any of the other business cards
You should be able to get this even if you have the personal version
The breakdown: good news or bad news?
1. The bonuses
The personal card: 100K after spending $5K in 3 months
A little low for such a high fee card considering the lower fee card has now bumped up to 75K points with only a $95 fee. If you can use the benefits to justify the fee, the higher fee card may still be worth it.
The business card: 200K after spending $30K in 6 months
200K is a ton of points, so this one is worth it if you can meet the minimum spend. That said, if you don’t already have business cards from this bank, there are others that have 75K and 90K points and low or NO fees. So, while this is worth it for the elevated bonus, just keep in mind that there are other options out there!
2. You cannot hold the low fee and high fee version of this card at the same time.
If you already have one of the two cards (the one that had that massive 100K bonus or this card, the one that had a $550 fee - now $795), you are likely not eligible for this card.
Being an authorized user does NOT preclude you from getting your own card FYI!
3. The bank changed the rules on how often you can earn the bonus.
Up until today, there has been a rule that you are eligible for the bonus on this card and the lower tier #1 travel card, every 4 years. This means that if you’ve had the card for four years, you have been able to “downgrade and reapply”. Well, today that changed and is no longer the case :(
We don’t know yet if they will allow folks who downgraded in advance of today to be approved for the new card. If you downgraded, you can simply product change back to the higher tier card if not so don’t panic!
I should know more about this over the next couple of days as we see who gets approved and who doesn’t.
4. If you already have business cards with this bank you *should* be eligible for this card
It appears they are allowing people to have other business cards from this bank AND this new card. So, if you can meet the huge spend requirement and can swing the fee, this card should be very worthwhile for you.
5. How do I apply AND support Brooklyn Family Travelers at the same time?
The single best way to support my work with Brooklyn Family Travelers costs you zero dollars :)
Both of these cards are the first card in the links here:
What is “Pop Up Jail”
There is another bank (the other big credit card company - hint: the one that isn’t always accepted abroad!) that has had pop up jail in place for a long time.
Pop Up Jail: when applying for a card a pop-up appears on the screen with a message that says something like: “based on your history with the bank, you are not eligible for the welcome offer associated with the card you're applying for”.
At that point, you can click cancel and it won’t ding your credit, or you can move forward and submit the application without being eligible for the welcome bonus.
With this bank, it’s always been a bit of a black box as to how someone gets into pop-up jail as well as how to break out of it. It can happen when you should be eligible for a bonus and it can feel like there is no rhyme or reason.
Some things that help people break out of pop-up jail:
Putting more spending on current cards with that bank
Spacing out card applications
magic?
Anyway, the bad news is that the bank with the two new card offers that launched today, just added pop up jail to their applications.
Want a clear breakdown of which cards you might be eligible for? Read this!
ICYMI: When is it worth it to pay a high annual fee on a credit card?
TLDR: It’s usually worth it for the first year due to the value of the welcome bonus!
This is a tough one because many people feel allergic to high fees. Which I get, because fees add up and thinking about adding another recurring expense can feel very not worth it.
Let’s look at the personal card’s perks and fee and break down what bonus would be needed to make it worth it:
The cost: $795 (steep, I know!)
The benefits and credits: $2000-$3000ish+
The bonus: 100K
The benefits and credits alone from this card can nearly cover the annual fee even if you only use THREE of them:
$300 Travel credit
$300 Dining credit
$130 Lyft credit
Transferable points from this bank are worth 2 CENTS each if used the way I use points (i.e. transferred out to airlines and hotels).
At 100K, the points from the bonus alone are worth $2000+.
Since the benefits and credits on the card can already offset the fee (and then some if you can use them all!) the bonus will be just that, a bonus!
And remember that after a year, you can always choose to downgrade it to a free or low fee card so you don’t have to continue to pay the high fee.
It’s just for a year that you’re on the hook for the high fee, not in perpetuity.
100K points can get you so much and would be an amazing addition to your point stash.
In this case, getting this card would be like paying someone $795 to get $3000+ in return.
Would you do that?
Let me know what you think in the comments :)
Message me with ANY questions! And please use my links when you apply - I appreciate it so much :)
Thanks for being here 🖤
