Travel Reward Credit Cards

[cypher1]

What travel reward credit cards do you recommend/use? I currently have a Costco AMX, and Chase Visa (no rewards for it) but looking for one with frequent flyer miles, fly anywhere, and no expiration. Prefer one without an annual fee unless you can convince me otherwise the advantage to the rewards outweighing the fee. This card would replace my Visa.

[rennigade]

Good luck finding a decent airline rewards card without an annual fee. Where do you want to fly? Not all carriers go everywhere. Different cards/different rewards.

Just find a card that has a high point/mile sign up bonus after meeting the minimum requirements (most will have an annual fee.) Unless you're spending a lot of money...most rewards cards are pretty bust. I usually just stick with my discover card for the cash back unless Im working a sign up bonus.

[disneysteve]

If you travel a lot, rather than an airline card, have you considered a hotel card? It is much easier to use reward points from the hotels than it is from the airlines.

We have a Marriott Visa that we love. It pays 5 points/dollar on Marriott spending, 2 points on airlines, rental cars, and restaurants, and 1 point on everything else. In addition to redeeming points for hotel stays, there is also a connection to use points for air and rental cars but I don't know the details of that as I haven't done it.

There is an annual fee but you get one free hotel night every year on the anniversary of your account so that alone is worth more than the fee.

[cypher1]

Good luck finding a decent airline rewards card without an annual fee. Where do you want to fly? Not all carriers go everywhere. Different cards/different rewards.

Mostly flying within the US but no real preference on carriers at the moment. As for annual fee involved I didn't realize you needed one in order to find better perks or rewards towards the card.

If you travel a lot, rather than an airline card, have you considered a hotel card? It is much easier to use reward points from the hotels than it is from the airlines.

I did consider but since the majority of my travels within US are visiting friends on east and west coast, hotel use is seldom. While I rarely fly out international (hoping to change with new year resolution) , I'd still keep that as another consideration.

[Drake3287]

This is a big topic around here. For years I used the United Airlines Visa card and charged EVERYTHING (I mean everything) and simply paid it in full each month. I was earning enough reward miles for 1 flight to Hawaii each year but it was a pain in the a*s to get the flights I wanted, and when I did I had to to it almost one year out. Who can plan a year out!

Several years ago I also started using the AX card from Costco and with the same yearly charging I make over $1,000 cash back. Thats enough for me to buy 2 tickets to Hawaii when ever I want and which ever airline I want to use.

Because a few places don't take AX, I keep my United card but had them drop me to a lower reward earning level which pays 50% of the miles but doesn't cost me a yearly fee.

The biggest tip in this credit card reward game is charging everything you can. Almost all my monthly bills can be charged, this includes all my different insurance payments, DMV fee's, you name it I charge it. I also charged all my kids college costs until they recently started adding a service charge to it.

[BrokeGirlGetsRich]

I just signed up for the US Airways Dividend Miles card.

I got 50,000 miles after my first purchase (no minimum spend!) and paying the annual fee, which was $89.

I usually try to avoid annual fees too, but this offer was way to good to pass up... 50,000 miles is enough to go Europe in Business Class - or fly at least twice within the US (like you said you do most of the time). I don't think there's any way to argue that's not worth $89.

Also, your first checked bag on domestic flights is free with this card, which you'd have to pay for otherwise. (ETA: And I just got an email saying that there's no foreign transaction fees.)

I'll use the miles to book a round-trip coach flight to Brazil in a couple of months (35,000 miles), and the rest will roll over into my American Airlines account once the merger officially happens.

I'm not sure if the deal is still running, but I'd encourage you to get in on if it is.

[rennigade]

I just signed up for the US Airways Dividend Miles card.

I got 50,000 miles after my first purchase (no minimum spend!) and paying the annual fee, which was $89.

The deal is still going on. I also got in on this offer. Ive made my first purchase/paid annual fee. I should be getting the 50k points after 2nd statement closes which is in 2 weeks...which is slower than most reward cards unfortunately.