Best Credit Card for Travel Rewards
Mar 29th, 2012, 09:27 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Best Credit Card for Travel Rewards
Hi there! There are several forums about this topic but the most recent I have found was 2008. Strange to thing of 2008 as out-dated, but it is. I was wondering which cards you would recommend for travel rewards (flights specifically) I like the idea of no annual fee and have been debating the Venture one card from Capital one. Feedback anyone?
Mar 29th, 2012, 01:56 PM
#2
I am currently using an AA card from Citibank. I got a promotion last year which netted 60,000 miles and no fee for a year. I'll cancel it next month and wait for another good promo. However, I only use that card IN the US. I use Capital One when I travel. I have a card with a 1% cash rebate, but they have cards with travel perks as well.
Mar 29th, 2012, 03:53 PM
#3
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,238
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
AA Citibank also has an additional, unannounced program for certain card holders that add .25 to .5 miles to each mile purchased.
I have an Amex and MC from Citibank, but only pay one annual fee, as that's their policy. It give me flexibility on capturing business expenses on one card and personal expenses on another. Secondly, there is seemingly competition between the Amex division and the MC division. If one card offers .25 miles, often the other will offer .5 miles as an incentive to use that card.
I have an Amex and MC from Citibank, but only pay one annual fee, as that's their policy. It give me flexibility on capturing business expenses on one card and personal expenses on another. Secondly, there is seemingly competition between the Amex division and the MC division. If one card offers .25 miles, often the other will offer .5 miles as an incentive to use that card.
Mar 29th, 2012, 06:02 PM
#4
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 27,868
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
We use Cap One for foreign travel. They have absolutely no fees. They have a great offer right now where they will match miles from other cards you used last year. I also have a checking acct (all done online) with no ATM fees, even in foreign countries. No annual fee either. I use Chase Southwest card for all domestic purchases, as we fly them a lot.
Mar 30th, 2012, 09:58 AM
#5
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 5,943
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There's really no one "best" card for Rewards Travel - just different ones. You have to decide which one works best for YOUR particular situation.
First off, you have to remember there are two basic types of cards - 1) The "Airline Affinity Cards" such as the AMerican AAdvantage Visa or Master Card from Citibank which earn you "Frequent Flyer Miles" on a specific airline that can be redeemed for flights on that airline and in most cases other types of travel related costs like hotel stays and retail cars offered by participating vendors. These work great if you live near a particular airline hub or do the majority of your travel on a specific airline or 2) "Travel Reward Cards" like the Capital One Venture Card where you earn "points" that can be redeemed airline tickets, hotel rooms, etc. at any airline or hotel. These cards offer greater flexibility but you generally need more "points" to get a free ticket or room as the number of points you need is based upon the actual cost of the ticket or room. For example, if an airline ticket costs $400 you'll need 40,000 points to acquire that ticket - with the airline affinity card you might only need 25,000 points to get a free ticket regardless of the actual purchase price for the ticket.
One thing to keep in mind regardless of which type of travel card you get IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to pay the balance of your charges in full every month as the finance charges on any unpaid balances will quickly add up to much more than the value of any free ticket you may earn.
Now, I use a Citibank AAdvantage Visa Card for purchases made in the US because American is my "airline of choice" and I use a Capital One Venture Card for all my foreign purchases in order to avoid paying any foreign transaction fees.
First off, you have to remember there are two basic types of cards - 1) The "Airline Affinity Cards" such as the AMerican AAdvantage Visa or Master Card from Citibank which earn you "Frequent Flyer Miles" on a specific airline that can be redeemed for flights on that airline and in most cases other types of travel related costs like hotel stays and retail cars offered by participating vendors. These work great if you live near a particular airline hub or do the majority of your travel on a specific airline or 2) "Travel Reward Cards" like the Capital One Venture Card where you earn "points" that can be redeemed airline tickets, hotel rooms, etc. at any airline or hotel. These cards offer greater flexibility but you generally need more "points" to get a free ticket or room as the number of points you need is based upon the actual cost of the ticket or room. For example, if an airline ticket costs $400 you'll need 40,000 points to acquire that ticket - with the airline affinity card you might only need 25,000 points to get a free ticket regardless of the actual purchase price for the ticket.
One thing to keep in mind regardless of which type of travel card you get IT IS VERY IMPORTANT to pay the balance of your charges in full every month as the finance charges on any unpaid balances will quickly add up to much more than the value of any free ticket you may earn.
Now, I use a Citibank AAdvantage Visa Card for purchases made in the US because American is my "airline of choice" and I use a Capital One Venture Card for all my foreign purchases in order to avoid paying any foreign transaction fees.
Mar 31st, 2012, 04:28 AM
#6
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 12,269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The answer is it varies. flyertalk.com has the best threads on this. Capitalone.com Venure(double miles on EVERYTHING) and
sort of a tricky 1000,000 mile "matching" promo right now
if you qualify no foreign fee no fee for the first year.
PROBABLY is the best currently to build double miles quickly.
But easy to do more than one open/close build up hundreds of thousands of miles quickly 2 chase.com cards for my wife and myself $1000 cash most recently. aa.com 2 free Europe flights AAdvantage Citi Cards. Amex Open 75000 miles per card good for
free hotels all over. We have saved thousands this year doing thisgreat air hotels all paid for. Most recently Chase sent us $500 each for a Sapphire and Ink Bold business card. That
was sweet.
So shop around...
sort of a tricky 1000,000 mile "matching" promo right now
if you qualify no foreign fee no fee for the first year.
PROBABLY is the best currently to build double miles quickly.
But easy to do more than one open/close build up hundreds of thousands of miles quickly 2 chase.com cards for my wife and myself $1000 cash most recently. aa.com 2 free Europe flights AAdvantage Citi Cards. Amex Open 75000 miles per card good for
free hotels all over. We have saved thousands this year doing thisgreat air hotels all paid for. Most recently Chase sent us $500 each for a Sapphire and Ink Bold business card. That
was sweet.
So shop around...
Apr 1st, 2012, 03:51 PM
#7
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 2,082
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
just read an article that said that some credit cards will
send you a 1099 for the price of miles you get when you open a credit card with them. For example, if you open a credit card and you get 35,000 miles immediately, you might get dinged for taxes on that as income. I think it was Citibank. Something to think about....Thanks for the tip on Capital One Venture Card for International travel. Those transaction fees really add up.
send you a 1099 for the price of miles you get when you open a credit card with them. For example, if you open a credit card and you get 35,000 miles immediately, you might get dinged for taxes on that as income. I think it was Citibank. Something to think about....Thanks for the tip on Capital One Venture Card for International travel. Those transaction fees really add up.
