judybarnes,
Traveling in low season makes it easier to redeem real airline miles, particularly if you can't plan very far in advance.

On the other hand, Cap One redemption is based on the cost of the ticket, so if you're looking for economy class tickets in low season, you probably wouldn't be spending much more, if any, Cap One miles vs miles from an airline FF program. And with Cap One miles, you're not limited by award seat capacity controls or required to fly a particular carrier and/or their partner airlines.

If you try Virgin Atlantic's premium economy and decide you like that, I would investigate what programs allow you to redeem Virgin PE tickets and their affiliated cards. In my limited experience redeeming flights on Virgin, they seem to have good award availability.

Don't forget that BA also has their World Traveller Plus class which is comparable to Virgin's PE. I've never redeemed BA flights so don't know what their award availability is like.

Good luck!

Thank you, Patty! I don't feel so bad about Cap One for awhile anyway. Meanwhile I'll compare the other options.

Like many others, I charge virtually EVERYTHING on my AA card and pay off the balance each month. I've used my miles for several trips to Europe and Hawaii.

I recently had no trouble getting an Aadvantage flight to Ireland -- off season. Every flight I considered was available. But to get the flights I wanted for a summer trip to Hawaii I had to "spend" 70,000 miles -- instead of the lowest advertised redemption of 35,000. And for a summer trip to Rome, I had to be very flexible about my travel dates.

One more tip: I put my property taxes on my card each year, as well. Now, if I could only do my mortgage . . .

Songdoc: Were you charged a convenience fee for paying your real estate taxes with your cc? In VT, I think it's 1% - which nullifies the benefit, in my eyes.

I'm another that pays for <b>everything</b> with citibank aa card - I just recently paid for parking, $1.00! I laughed when I did it, but...a mile is a mile is a mile!

I have citibank automatically charge my checking account for the full balance due on the due date, thereby eliminating any chance of being late and getting zapped with interest and fees.

It's worked well for us - business class tickets to Australia, China, Africa, and upcoming Thailand.

<font color="green">Cyn</font>

I use a Delta American Express card for almost everything except my local garage which doesn't accept it. I get double miles for groceries, gas, drugstores and some other basic stuff. I always sign up for additional promotions for double miles on everything and once was offered triple miles for a few months on all purchases. I have charged everything from a fifty cent box of brown sugar to college tuition. I almost never use cash and rarely have to pull out my Visa card. In the past few years, I have used the miles for flights to Hong Kong, Thailand, Hawaii, Greece, France and the UK.

FYI, I live in Nashville -- and there's no fee to charge property taxes here. Getting those miles is the one benefit to having to pay my property taxes (that have doubled in the past few years)!

I'm not sure I've ever charged $1.00 -- but, hey, that brings you one mile closer to flight!

Lucky you Sondoc - I wish they would do away with the &quot;convenience fee&quot; here!

Re: $1.00 - I really didn't know it was going to be only a dollar when I put in the card - but when I saw it, I figured - what the heck!

Cyn