Credit card choice for (relatively) high spender

[eyeswideshut]

I am very thankful for this thread. I had no idea about JAL lifetime points so I checked and apparently I qualified for JMB Elite which gives 6 Sakura Lounge visits a year. Nice since I only kept my JAL Gold card for the insurance benefits and cause I am too lazy to cancel it. Doubt I will ever accumulate 1500 for JGC but, to be honest, the benefits don't seem that worth it to me as I am not an enthusiastic flyer.

[RetireJapan]

JGC is very valuable to me for (in order of usefulness):

-business class check in (with JAL and One World carriers): this is priceless
-lounge access (with JAL and One World): this is nice
-extra luggage (with JAL and One World): has never come up
-priority boarding (with JAL and One World): meh

[eyeswideshut]

JGC is very valuable to me for (in order of usefulness):

-business class check in (with JAL and One World carriers): this is priceless
-lounge access (with JAL and One World): this is nice
-extra luggage (with JAL and One World): has never come up
-priority boarding (with JAL and One World): meh

Interesting - I am with you on priority boarding - why anyone would want to spend more time on the plane is a mystery to me. I guess if you fly with a lot of carry on it is nice so you can snag the overhead bin space. Agree that business class check in would be nice though.

[zeroshiki]

I fly just enough to barely get JAL Crystal (or OneWorld Ruby) and while I wish I could get JGC (maybe in 10 years?) I do enjoy some of the perks. No lounge access other than the 6 coupons a year from Elite plus but you get to check-in using the business counter as well as priority access to the economy seats that cost money (for example the bulkhead seats).

I do have a Club-A card that I am using as my main card now in place of Rakuten. More than free flights (with the fuel surcharge its not really free anymore), using miles to upgrade to business class is the most efficient usage of them.