What is best Credit Card Frequent Flyer Point Plans

edmund36 · Mar 19, 2006

Can someone let me know, from their experience, what are the better / best credit cards for airfare plans? My primary goal is to seek out airline tickets. I looked at American Express Preferred Priority Gold & just saw in Budget Travel a discussion on Hilton HHonors Platinum, Holiday Inn Rewards Platinum, Intercontinental, MBNA World Points, and Discover Miles. Is someone in the know on these programs? Are they truly worth the added effort just for the sake of the travel miles?

Ed

hibbeln · Mar 19, 2006

You might want to look at if your usual airport is a hub for a specific airline, then get their credit card to use. That way you add together your flights using that airline, plus using their card. This works well for us because we fly out of Detroit, which is a Northwest hub, so they typically have the lowest airfares anyway so we fly them a lot.

huestous · Mar 19, 2006

Starwood AMEX.
Earn 1 point per $1 of purchases.
Points can be directly transferred to ff miles in a number of different programs, i.e. you convert directly to ff miles.
If transferring 20,000 points in a block you are awarded 25,000 miles.

dennisokey · Mar 19, 2006

I use Capitol One "miles reward". Cashing in miles is no hassle. No blackouts. And it has a 15k regional ticket. The best place to find out about credit cards is http://www.bankrate.com/brm/rate/cc_home.asp. It compares all credit card interest rates, and all technical issues with an account. Click on "Airline Miles cards"

camachinist · Mar 19, 2006

If you fly out of PHL, you'll likely do best on *A (UA, US), so consider below:

http://www.firstusa.com/cgi-bin/web...me=united_signature_3_25k&page=cont&mkid=60FW

Free domestic ticket and 5K EQM's out of the box, if you are interested in elite status.

Much depends on spend and how much you fly. If only an occasional flyer, the *wood AMEX is a darned good deal for pure spend, but you are penalized (not as good a ratio as others) when converting to UA miles (IIRC).

We travel a lot domestically and lately to Asia, Oz and Europe, and find *A to work best out of our left coast gateways. YMMV. Personally, I have a number of affinity cards, and nearly all can be negotiated for renewal points/miles comparable to or better than the fee charged. Some folks I know have applied for and received multiple cards and perks and then cancelled them later.

Pat

Christinern · Mar 19, 2006

I use a starwood Am Ex. Most of the frequent flyers think that this is the best card. You can tranfer miles to almost any airline so you aren't locked into flying on just one airline.

I also have a Citi American airlines mastercard for those times I can't use my am ex.

I started aquiring miles this way about 2 yrs ago. It really pays off well. I pay my bills & purchase everything with my cards, then just pay it off every month.

I currently have enough miles to get 7 round trip tickets in the US. My goal is Hawaii & I have enough for 4 RT to Hawaii!!! It's GREAT!!

----------------Christine

camachinist · Mar 19, 2006

This is why it is important for the OP to examine their travel and spending patterns. While one person swears by the *wood AMEX, mine languishes, paying a couple of online recurring subscriptions every month, along with the occasional *wood stay. It just doesn't match my travel/spending parameters best.

Utilizing that strategy (examining travel/spending habits closely), this month I'll earn enough RDM's for 10 free domestic Y tix (about 260K RDM's), as well as shooting for a similar opportunity set for next year. Beware, it's addictive

Pat

JillChang · Mar 19, 2006

what about the regular platinum AmEx? It has free companion ticket for 18 airlines and the reward can be transferred to 18 different airlines?

How does it compare with starwood AmEx?

JillChang · Mar 19, 2006

I just took a look.

Starwood AmEx, 1 point per dollar spend. When transfer to airline miles, 5000 bonus per 20,000 points transfer at 1:1 ration to most airlines.

Regular platinum AmEx, 1 point per dollar spend. 2 points per dollar spent at gas, drug store, mobile phone payment, etc. Points transfer to 18 airlines at 1:1 ratio.

I can't tell the fee for both of these AmEx, I guess they are so similar that the fee should determine the decision.

The biggest difference for me, however, is that the regular Platinum AmEx comes with the International Airline Program, in which your companion can travel free if you pay with AmEx in business/first class. This for me is important because I travel to China a lot and I need business class. And each time I use it is a saving of 3000.00

Fortunately, Canadian AmEx has a similar offer which I plan on switching to from my current Aeroplan platinum American Express. The only drawback for the Canadian AmEx is that Air Canada is then excluded, which is my preferred airline.

Since my fiance lives in US, I want the best of both worlds, one US AmEX and one Canadian AmEx

camachinist · Mar 19, 2006

AMEX fee structures....

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5464532&postcount=5

*wood AMEX is still 30.00 per year, IIRC.

Anyone interested in AMEX should take a read here for awhile:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=410

Although everyone's needs and perferences are different, most FT'ers can usually book airfares cheaper than the benefit offered by AMEX for their platinum card holders. We actually have a sub-group of premium fare mileage runners whom bear following on this issue. It all depends on one's needs and what they're willing to do themselves.

There are other ways of getting into the premium cabins

Pat

JillChang · Mar 19, 2006

camachinist said:
There are other ways of getting into the premium cabins

Pat

Pat,

Share the ways....

I just came back from a 2 week trip from China. I booked in January, and searched up and down the web and spoke to several travel agency here in Toronto. Just can not seem to get a decent discount on business/first class fare. Only one I found was Eva Air and I have to route to Taipei, and buy another ticket to Shanghai.

Is it just the China route hard to get discount and easier for Europe business/first class? or is it that I did not find the right website?

Jill

camachinist · Mar 19, 2006

No, you likely did just great.

What I'm talking about are other strategies for getting into premium cabins. Things like buy-ups, elite status upgrades, asking at the ticket counter or gate in the right way, things like that. Our humble administrator here, Dave, is likely a lot better versed in such nuances than I. I did score a 275.00 upgrade into C for SFO-KIX a couple of weeks ago, on a K fare, which was 550.00 r/t. I haven't yet been to PVG or PEK or HKG, so am not well-versed on China, but I do have some FT friends who are, one of whom I met in NRT on the way back.

Try reading the thread below for a start:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=521443&highlight=premium+fare

The requirements for success are much the same as the TUG mantra in timesharing.... Knowledge, and the ability to promulgate it.

Lastly, Asia is hot right now, so targeting the right carrier and travel dates/times can pay big dividends. It takes work, just like putting together the killer exchange.

Pat

JillChang · Mar 20, 2006

camachinist said:
No, you likely did just great.

What I'm talking about are other strategies for getting into premium cabins. Things like buy-ups, elite status upgrades, asking at the ticket counter or gate in the right way, things like that. Our humble administrator here, Dave, is likely a lot better versed in such nuances than I. I did score a 275.00 upgrade into C for SFO-KIX a couple of weeks ago, on a K fare, which was 550.00 r/t. I haven't yet been to PVG or PEK or HKG, so am not well-versed on China, but I do have some FT friends who are, one of whom I met in NRT on the way back.

Try reading the thread below for a start:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=521443&highlight=premium+fare

The requirements for success are much the same as the TUG mantra in timesharing.... Knowledge, and the ability to promulgate it.

Lastly, Asia is hot right now, so targeting the right carrier and travel dates/times can pay big dividends. It takes work, just like putting together the killer exchange.

Pat

I see, I thought I miss some great website to book discount premium class fare. Plus I do need some flexibility in my dates when I travel to China.

Thanks for the flyertalk forum though, I am reading it now, very helpful.

Jimster · Mar 20, 2006

ft or cnb -sfo-kxny obc - oic

While I get the gist of things on flyer talk, I think I need a translator. lol

JillChang · Mar 20, 2006

Back on topic,

looks like *wood AmEx is 30 annual fee, seems better than Plat. AmEx if you don't need the free companion ticket and lounge access.

Any other cards that is good for airline miles?

I am hooked on this airline miles thing. I have a Canadian Aeroplan AmEx and a Canadian CIBC Aeroplan VISA before that. I was able to fly myself and my 2 sons all around Asia last year business class from the miles I collect from my CC.

Since last year I use RBC Avion Platinum, which gives 2 points per 1 CAD dollar spend (last year only), took advantage of the 50% bonus converting points to BA, and the Aeroplan AmEx, which gives 1.65 AC miles per 1 CAD spent, I already have 200k of BA, and 100k of AC. But I just realized the regular Platinum AmEx offers 1.5 points per 1 CAD spent, unlimited free companion ticket, AND transfer of points to several other airlines, except AC of course, and I am considering changing but hesitate because I prefer flying AC out of Toronto. But this is for the Canadian side.

I am looking for a US CC that works just as well. Any other suggestions?