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TPG Staff Picks: What We'd Spend $999 on — Instead of the iPhone X

Sept. 13, 2017
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4 min read
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TPG Staff Picks: What We'd Spend $999 on — Instead of the iPhone X
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This week, Apple released the iPhone X, and while many tech enthusiasts would gladly fork over $999 to upgrade to the new model, TPG staffers thought of some other things — from round-trip flights to London to a beautiful Airbnb stay in Barbados — they'd rather spend a grand on. Here's a look at their ideal product and travel alternatives.

1. "I'd spend the $999 on annual fees for premium travel cards — essentially investing in a great travel card like Chase Sapphire Reserve, The Platinum Card from American Express or the Citi Prestige. — Brian Kelly, The Points Guy

2. "I'd buy a $600 round-trip flight to Paris in economy on a full-service carrier and do a two-night stay in a beautiful Airbnb for $250. That's in addition to oysters, a bottle of Chablis and dinner for two at Brasserie Wepler for $120 — oh, and $29 to ride on the metro." — Alberto Riva, Managing Editor

3. “I'd spend $361 on a round-trip ticket to London on Norwegian in October. Also a one-hour experience in a full-motion BA 747-400 or 777-200ER flight simulator for $593; two meals on each Norwegian flight (four total, so roughly $10 per meal) and plastic aviator wings to celebrate my 'official' pilot status.” — Wallace Cotton, Community Manager

4. "I'd rather spend that money on 10 one-way flights from Newburgh (SWF) to Dublin (DUB), plus a $9 McDonald's breakfast at the airport." — Nick Ellis, Assistant Editor

5. "I'd buy a flight from New York (JFK) to Barbados (BGI) in JetBlue Mint for $633, and spend three nights in this beautiful beachfront property, pictured below." — Brendan Dorsey, Assistant Editor

Image courtesy of Airbnb.

6. "Let's put it this way: For $48 more, I could fly round-trip from New York to Sydney, Australia — which I'd much rather do than have another gadget." — Kaeli Conforti, Senior Editor

7. "For that price, I can purchase a new piece of luggage so I can pack all my stuff away for $525, in addition to a round-trip flight to Stockholm for $303 and a six-day car rental to explore the rest of the country for $171." — Emily McNutt, Associate Editor

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Image courtesy of Tumi.

8. "I'd rather spend four nights at the Westin Maui, using the Citi Prestige Card to get the 4th Night Free for $768 — before taxes and resort fees. And $230 worth of Ahi poke at Foodland Farms around the corner in Lahaina." — Zach Honig, Editor-at-Large

9. “Personally, I'd rather spend that exact amount on a new MacBook Air.” — Cindy Augustine, Freelance Editor

Image courtesy of Apple.

10. "I'd spend that on a round-trip ticket to New Orleans in February, particularly the week before Mardi Gras, for $443. I'd also buy Beats headphones so I can drown out noise on the plane for $299. Then, I'd buy two dozen of the best oysters ever at Luke Oyster Happy Hour for $18 — yes, they are only $0.75 cents each. I'd also buy:

  • Three tickets to see live music at Tipitina's and on Frenchmen Street = $60 (ish)
  • Half-fried oyster and half-fried shrimp po' boy (fully dressed) at Domilise's = $14
  • Pita, hummus, shakshuka, avocado toast, etc. at Shaya = $30
  • Beignets and a frozen café au lait at Café du Monde = $10
  • A Hurricane at Pat O'Brien's = $8.50
  • A mozzarella sandwich at St. James Cheese Company = $8.95
  • Lobster gnocchi at Restaurant R'evolution = $32
  • Fried oysters with brie at Clancy's (yup, that's a thing) = $12.75
  • Two SoulCycle classes to burn it all off when I get back = $64."

— Samantha Rosen, Social Media Editor

What would you spend $999 instead of the new iPhone? Let us know in the comments below.

All prices accurate as of date of publication.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Apply for American Express® Gold Card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees
Best for dining at restaurants

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TPG Editor‘s Rating
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Rewards Rate

4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
4XEarn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
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2XEarn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
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  • Intro Offer

    As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.

  • Annual Fee

    $325

  • Recommended Credit

    Excellent to Good

Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

Pros

  • 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.