I used to do a better job of document what I spent on annual fees (see 2017: What I Spent (And Received) in Annual Fees). I haven’t done that in a few years because the churn game has been severely compromised by banks and their restrictive rules (see We Need Another Recession). With travel halted, I made a point of cancelling all cards that were not essential. Here are the cards that made the cut:
- Radisson Personal: $60
- Radisson Business: $75
- 80k points combined (see Keep vs. Cancel: US Bank Radissons).
- SPG Business: $125: I still call it SPG Business and I still pay for it because one night in NY eventually will be worth more than this annual fee (see Thank You Trump! Best Marriott Anniversary Night Redemption).
- Hyatt: $75: I receive one free night which I will apply for my pursuit of Globalist (see Becoming Hyatt Globalist Again: TPOL’s Masterpiece Strategy).
- Chase Marriott: $95. See above.
- Amex Busines Gold. Definitely kept it and received a $100 credit for doing so (see Keep Vs. Cancel: Amex Business Gold).
- Alaska: I applied for the 65k offer (see Alaska 65k Approved! and paid the $95 fee).
- IHG: $49 for a free night? I’ll take it. But when will I use it?
- SPG Personal: $95. See above.
In total, I spent $744. That’s not free but that’s not crazy. Notice there are no more $595 annual fees for upscale cards. I can and can’t believe I used to pay that much.
