Best Credit Card for Airfare

[Droogie2799]

I am looking at a few different credit cards to use throughout the year to accumulate air miles. What do you guys suggest is a good card?

 

[DaveNV]

Depends on where you live, and how you travel. You'll have to shop around a bit.

Alaska Airlines VISA is a good one, gives decent miles for purchases, and every year you get a $99 travel voucher that matches any purchased airfare. We use it to get two tickets r/t First Class to Hawaii for the price of one fare plus $99.

Dave

 

[Passepartout]

We use the card for the airline we use the most. Southwest. If you fly Delta, or United/Continental, use theirs, it at least gives you the first bag checked free for your party- plus miles. if you aren't airline loyal, Capitol One lets you use any of 'em, PLUS no foreign exchange fee on overseas purchases and debit card withdrawals.

I'm sure there are other perks with other cards. Several here use Starwood or Marriott cards for points with their TS outfits. So it depends on what goodies you want to accumulate.

I use one with darn few and shallow perks (Citi), but a guarantee of no annual fee for life and a low interest rate which I don't use. Go figure.

Jim

 

[SuzanneSLO]

Another option if you are not loyal to anyone program is Chase Sapphire Preferred. You earn 2 point per $ when booking travel or at restaurants. You earn an annual bonus of 7%. Points can be tranferred to United Continental, BA, Southwest and Korean Air, as well as Amtrak, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club and Ritz Carlton.

I think that the sign up bonus of 50,000 points for $3,000 spend just expired. Not sure what the current best offer is. -- Suzanne

 

[MichaelColey]

If you're just looking to earn FF miles for credit card spending, many people consider the Starwood AmEx to be the best choice. You earn 1 Starpoint per dollar, but you can transfer 20k Starpoints to get 25k miles in many different airlines (including American Airlines). That means you effectively earn 1.25 miles per dollar spent.

What works best for you, though, would depend on what airline you prefer, how much you would be spending, what categories you spend in, and many other factors. There's not one card that's best for everyone.

 

[am1]

It is hard for any of us to go wrong with earning %3 when spending on travel. I will second capital one.

 

[Droogie2799]

It is hard for any of us to go wrong with earning %3 when spending on travel. I will second capital one.

i was looking at capital one because they give you two points per dollar when you pay the fee of 65 a year. its hard for me to single in on an airline because living in rochester ny there are a different airlines that have the cheapest fair at any one time. i am almosy gold on delta but a recent search of cheap flights to florida had delta at 600 a ticket. i think the best for this area is to generic miles.

 

[gnipgnop]

Here is another vote for Capitol One. We usually look for the airline with the best price to our destination. We use our Cap. One for most of our purchases and earn miles that can be used on any airline with no blackout dates. Plus their customer service is exceptional.

 

[akp]

Agree that your flying patterns make a huge difference

For day-to-day spend, Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Amex SPG card are the best. They have a great list of transfer partners.

Chase Sapphire preferred gives 2 points per dollar on all travel and dining. Timeshare maintenance fees are considered travel expenses by Chase

The US Air Mastercard (issued by Barclay) gets a measly 1 point per dollar spent, but it comes with 2 $99 domestic companion fares annually (coach only). This is a great card for a family for whom a US Airways hub is convenient. I believe the annual fee is $75 but if you use those companion fares each year, it is a great deal.

I don't use this card for my day-to-day spend, but I use it for small expenses at least once a month to keep Barclay's happy with me because the companion fares are worthwhile.

The Alaska Airlines Visa also has a great companion fare.

Anita

 

[momeason]

Love Capital One. 2%. Use any airline, no blackout. Easiest Redemption ever. Travel is separated out on your monthly statement.

Great customer service!

 

[Carolinian]

Airline specific cards usually give double miles on the airline they are affiliated with, so that gives them an advantage. NW used to have some cards with US Bank that were no fee but earned miles. Airline specific cards often give other benefits to cardholders like free checked luggage, so make sure you check those out, too. Keeping all your travel on the same airline or at least in the same alliance gives you the chance to earn elite status in the ff program which carries some real benefits, too.

I use European LCC's a lot, and there some cards carry no processing fees, whie using other cards may incurr a credit card fee for buying a ticket of ~$9, so I have always tried to keep one of those cards in my wallet that avoids the fees. Usually that has been any banks Visa Electron card, which is usually for poor people but can be issued attached to your regular Visa card, as I have done. Unfortunately, that is changing, with EasyJet the latest airline to end the fee-free status of Visa Electron cards. For WizzAir, I have a WizzAir visa from the Commercial Bank of Romania, that avoids the extra card fees, and Wizz has another card from a Hungarian bank that does the same thing. RyanAir has a rechargable card based in the UK that does the same, but I have not gotten one of those.

 

[x3 skier]

I have been looking for a Chip and PIN card for some time. I just got a British Airways Visa that has no foreign exchange fees, 50000 Avios Points with the first spend and a Chip and PIN.

I expect to use it just for trips to Europe or other places requiring a Chip and PIN and keeping my AA Master Card to keep my miles alive along with my MR Amex.

Cheers

 

[WinniWoman]

I have been looking for a Chip and PIN card for some time. I just got a British Airways Visa that has no foreign exchange fees, 50000 Avios Points with the first spend and a Chip and PIN.

I expect to use it just for trips to Europe or other places requiring a Chip and PIN and keeping my AA Master Card to keep my miles alive along with my MR Amex.

Cheers

Isn't there a high yearly fee for this card?

 

[x3 skier]

Isn't there a high yearly fee for this card?

$95 a year but I figure the 50000 Avios will get me a free flight(s) worth a lot more than that.

If a US Bank or Credit Union I use or want to use issues a Chip and PIN with low or no fees, I will just let the BA Card go. I got the BA card for the Chip and Pin, no Foreign Exchange fee and 50000 Avios and do not expect to get any additional miles for anything useful.

Cheers

 

[jhac007]

I am a Capital One fan and use it on everything. Considering that you get 2 miles per dollar on ALL purchases/ALL the time it's a no brainer and many airlines are available. I have a Delta card but the miles rack up too slowly, however love their first bag (and x number of travelers with you) free. Delta gives a free companion certificate each year but have not used it much.

Jim

 

[Neesie]

I'm so glad to see the positive comments about Capital One. I recently ditched my one and only credit card (of 30 years!) that gave no rewards in favor of Capital One. I am not airline loyal. I have always chosen the cheapest and most convenient airfare. With the high cost of travel these days I really needed a reward system to justify my habit!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

According to Gary Leff, author of the View from the Wing blog, "the top card based on voting by Frequent Traveler University participants was the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express card." The Frequent Traveler University was held in NY last weekend. -- Suzanne

 

[toby9116]

credit card for airline travel

We use Citi for all airline ticket purchases. 1 point/dollar spent + matches airline ff flier points for air travel. Works good for Hawaii. We get points for purchase + 8,000 for each round trip to Lihue.

 

[PClapham]

"I am a Capital One fan and use it on everything. Considering that you get 2 miles per dollar on ALL purchases/ALL the time it's a no brainer and many airlines are available. I have a Delta card but the miles rack up too slowly, however love their first bag (and x number of travelers with you) free. Delta gives a free companion certificate each year but have not used it much.

Jim"

We just contacted Cap One re changing from cash rewards card to the Venture card-the "salesman" said that there is a promotion so that if we change now we will get more miles- does anyone know if this is worthwhile? Or is just a sales ploy?

Thanks

Anitak

 

[x3 skier]

We just contacted Cap One re changing from cash rewards card to the Venture card-the "salesman" said that there is a promotion so that if we change now we will get more miles- does anyone know if this is worthwhile? Or is just a sales ploy?

Thanks

Anitak

All promotions are sales ploys. Wether or not it is worth it to you is something only you can determine. The cash you get back vs the ticket you can redeem (if you can redeem it for a flight you want) for the same amount of spending is the comparison one must make. Some want the cash to buy what they want, some plan to redeem the miles for a higher "priced" ticket.

"Ya pays yer money and ya makes yer cherse."

Cheers

 

[SuzanneSLO]

All promotions are sales ploys. Wether or not it is worth it to you is something only you can determine. The cash you get back vs the ticket you can redeem (if you can redeem it for a flight you want) for the same amount of spending is the comparison one must make. Some want the cash to buy what they want, some plan to redeem the miles for a higher "priced" ticket.

"Ya pays yer money and ya makes yer cherse."

Cheers

Recently, Cap1 Venture had its best promotions in the Spring. Last year, anyone with 100,000 FF miles in an account received an $1000 statement credit for travel after charging $1000. This Spring, Cap1 would give you a statement credit for travel of .02X the amount charged to another rewards card in 2011, up to $1000. If you charged $50,000, you would get $1,000 credit.

I believe the current offer is a $100 statement credit for travel (check to verify it is available for an upgrade). All statement credits were worth only half the amount if you redeemed for something other than a travel credit.

Cap1 has been strict that if you participated in the 2011 promotion, you could not particpate in the 2012 promotion. Of course, no one knwos if there will be a great 2013 promotion that will make it worth it for you to wiat to upgrade.

I jumped at the chance to get the $1000 statement credit in 2011. -- Suzanne

 

[nazclk]

Alaska Air Credit Card

I love my Alaska credit card

 

[x3 skier]

Bait and Switch with BA and Chase?

My British Airways Chip and PIN arrived yesterday. I called to activate it and got a sales pitch which I ignored. After that, I called Customer Service to get a PIN for the card.

That's when I was dismayed to find out the only PIN I can get is for ATM use and NOT for use in Europe as a Chip and PIN Card. There it is used just like any other swipe card. It does have no Foreign Exchange fees but the lack of a PIN for charge use seems like a bit of a Bait and Switch deal by BA and Chase since it was advertised as a Chip and PIN.

Still, 50K Avios points for $95 or $.002 a point is a good deal. I will just trash the card when next asked to pay the annual charge.

Cheers

 

[PStreet1]

Beware the taxes on British Airways flights. My plan for our 200,000 BA miles was to use them in the U.S. on American to avoid British taxes. However, BA seems to get very few seats on American Airlines flights, and seemingly no matter how far ahead I plan or where I plan to go "no seats available on this flight." I wanted to use BA in the U.S., leaving my American Airlines miles (with practically no taxes) for flight to Europe. The taxes on a BA flight from the U.S. to Europe will be about $300.00 EACH way on your "free" trip to Europe.

I figure the miles are virtually useless.

 

[MichaelColey]

I haven't flown to the UK, but my understanding is that it's ALL overseas flights (especially Business/First), not just BA flights, that are charged hefty taxes. It might be cheaper to connect through France or somewhere.