The cc leverages the loyalty points though - it starts you at a higher tier and (I think it’s) 7x spending at the hotel chain converts into points. I just looked, we’ve already had 2 free nights this year and have another 9 nights free booked plus 2 more where we got a discount using points .. and I still have one free night award and points left, with more to come imminently as our last international air fare purchase goes through. (And I only use this card for hotels and air fares. My other card I use for everyday and just put the rewards as cash back into the card.)
Maybe someone has already said this…but the best credit card for miles is probably the credit card affiliated with the airline on which you fly most frequently. And being loyal to that airline will net you the best results.
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Sorry my hotel card posts were not meant to be off topic. I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth getting an airline card as well as the hotel one or better to stick with one type to maximize reward points.
It depends. Do you get more benefit for a certain spend ? For example on Southwest you’d get a companion pass at 135k points plus a free bag from the get go. If you don’t fly Southwest, likely not.
If Marriott have you 125k points, that could be 6 nights or more. 40k for Hyatt could be 8 nights. Both are worth the fee - just for the start up.
But day to day a 2% is better.
That’s why many jump around - for the start up bonus. It’s often well worth the annual fee.
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I’m dropping my SW card in June at the end of my anniversary year. The fee went to $239 and it isn’t worth it. I’ll become like everyone else and have just a carry on bag if I fly on SW. I have a United card too but that may be the next to go.
Of course, if Congress passes the 10% limit on credit card interest, we’ll all be making other choices as none of these cards will exist.
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Or any card will require an 800+ FICO score to get.
We have a United/Chase Explorer Unitedplus credit card. It has some nice perks like free checked bag, boarding group 2, two United club passes annually. A nuance we’ve just discovered is that the baggage / boarding perks only work if primary card holder is traveling. At first I thought the issue was no United Chase card on my frequent flier account, but I fixed that after last trip. Not a biggie since I’ve gotten to like gate checking my large-ish carry-on roller bag.
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I do think that’s ridiculous but all the cards do it. Only the primary cardholder gets a checked bag and those on the same reservation. My friend argues this EVERY TIME at the check in counter with United and usually they’ll check her bag for free. My daughter just told me that Capital One changed their policy too, as her husband is the primary and she used to get the same benefits, but now she doesn’t. Cardholders also got to go to the clubs in Dallas, Dulles, and Denver (the D airports) and one in NYC (I think it’s LGA), and could each bring 2 guests, and those clubs are really nice. She MIGHT get her own card, it is $395/yr but they give you a $300 travel credit so net is only $95/yr. And you can use the club no matter which airline you are flying.
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They also give you 10K miles every year on your anniversary, so that negates the final $95 - unless they changed that recently as well.
We are thinking about getting H his own card. On one hand he doesn’t really need it, unless something happens to me. His one card only has a $5K limit
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Curious… if my husband/primary cardholder books my ticket, would I get the free checked bag? For today’s trip it is a moot point - I plan to gate check. (I actually am traveling with him this time but booked my own ticket since there is good likelihood I will change my return leg. But wondering about future solo trips.)
If the primary cardholder books a ticket for themselves and a companion on the same reservation, I believe both get the bag benefit (unless it was changed very recently. ) Edited to note that’s for United. (When DH and I travel, I usually handle the reservations, and we never pay for bags.)
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On SW this is the case.
But if I understand the question- if the primary card holder books for you, say they use points. But you are solo, you will pay.
If you are on the same flight but he booked you separately so you’re not on the same reservation, you pay.
Gate check only works on a near full flight.
I flew to Las Vegas from Nashville or Wed. No gate check offered on either segment - planes were both 60+ empty.
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You are correct; Cap 1 Venture X still awards 10,000 points on the card anniversary plus the $300 travel portal credit, so the card pays for itself each year. However, if he does not yet hold the Cap 1 Venture card, he should apply for that first, earn the sign-up bonus, and then 6 to 12 months later apply for the Venture X. Cap 1 recently changed their sign-up bonus rules so that you cannot earn the bonus on the regular venture after earning the bonus on the venture X.
Also, the current bonus on the regular venture is 75,000 points Plus an extra $250 one time in the travel portal. You can earn points by sending your husband a referral link.
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Not on most airlines. The primary cardholder has to be on the trip then everyone on the same reservation gets the benefit. To me, that’s so complicated. I’m going on a trip next week, flying out SW and back on United. I used miles and money, so didn’t want to book with my travel companions as it was just too complicated. My friend’s husband is primary, she has a card with her name on it, she lives in a community property state so is probably liable on the card, but she has to argue about it every single time and sometimes gets to check the bag for free and other times not.
On SW, the primary can book for up to 8 passengers on his reservation and all get a free checked bag, but primary has to be on the trip.
On United, for the base fare you don’t even get a full size carry on anymore. My daughter paid $40 (round trip) for the next level and only gets a full size carry on, not a checked bag (but did get to pick a seat). She’s only coming for 5 days and can borrow anything she needs from her sister once here.
Problem with gate check is then you have to follow the TSA rules about liquids and stuff. Next week I’m going on vacation and have sunscreen (lots of it, with this lily white Irish skin), trek poles (some TSA agents won’t allow), etc. I just like to check my bag. My carry on includes all the electronics.
On my way back I have shampoo. I LOVE this hotel’s shampoo and get all the little bottles I can every year on this trip and then use it all year at the gym. I just ran out in Jan and am desperate for more. Nice soap too!
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I’ve mentioned several times the benefits I’ve found and been able to book with the airline card I use, b/c we live in the airline hub so lots of flights, and I much prefer, whenever possible, to fly nonstop. While the airline seems to be quietly reducing the card and status benefits (hard to find upgrade options on flights, lower reward benefits values (eg amount of $ one can get back on their cr card with the diamond status) for now its still the best deal for us. And just today they awarded me 5000 extra flying miles in my account (a benefit offered when higher status is achieved) b/c I’d chosen this year’s benefits before they offered this higher # of miles. It was a pleasant surprise b/c I’d chosen chose my benefits before Feb 1 b/c I know they were lowering how much $ you could get back as a choice benefit before (the amount had been equal to the cost of the card so it was worth it).
As for spouse benefits, I get 4 passes for any guest to the lounge each year. Whenever we fly on the same itinerary we get the same benefits (3 free bags with weight up to 70 lbs). He gets some benefits with his status, but not as much as I do (I have the cr card so get the higher status/points applied to me). For an upcoming trip, to get the tickets and upgrades I wanted, I had to book us on two separate tickets but then link the itineraries. So there is possibly a risk I could get something he doesn’t should something happen and they have to make some change in our flights or something, but the way I booked it, the seats are all first and business class for all the flights (booked with points and upgrades) so hopefully that helps should something happen (which hopefully it won’t).
Perhaps that depends on airline? Or judgement call by whoever happens to be at the gate desk.
Most flights I’ve been on have been near-full, requesting gate checks be done proactively to late takeoff. Yesterday I was expecting same, went to the United gate desk to gate-check my roller bag. (In theory I could have asked my husband to take it, in case they did not let me board with him in group 2 - I had booked my own ticket and had group 5. But I’m short, and his back has been bothering him…. and my bag was quite full/bulgy… so figured we’d gate check.) The rep said, “well you could gate check if you like… but there will be plenty of space.” So we decided to just forge ahead doing carry-on.
One thing I do like about gate-check is that I know for sure my bag will get onto my plane.
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Thanks for that comment - it helped me the other day. We had an extra bag coming come (stuff from relatives). So my husband had to check one bag, free for him/primary on our United Chase Visa. I had booked my own card (adjacent seat) on same card, but since not primary had no free option online. During his bag check-in, I mentioned this… and United rep offered to check my carryon rollerbag for free. As long as we were already checking one bag, it was nice not to be unencumbered of my carryon rollerbag.
Once home, there was a flyer in the mail advertising new United Chase Visa cards. The fine print did make it clear that the free bag is generally just for primary and travellers accompanying.
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When I flew home from Mexico (united), I had a free bag because of credit card but was also asked at the kiosk if I had carry on and a personal item (yes) and then asked if I wanted to check my carry on for no charge. I had to say no because my carry on had all my electronics in it (and it was just a backpack, not sturdy enough to check).
If they’d told me in advance…
I think a lot of the back ups at TSA right now is because everyone is carrying on everything, including the kitchen sink! Everyone has a roller bag and another bag, and a purse, and computers and and and. If you look at the lines at TSA, it’s all about the scanners. I think they should have an express lane for only one small bag and the penalty for trying to sneak on another is that you have to go to the regular line and start over again if you break the rule.
When I’m King…
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