We are getting rid of our United credit card. We have had it for years and it keeps getting harder and harder to redeem miles for flights on our dates of travel. We have a cash back credit card that we are using in the interim, but would like to get a new credit card which is easy to use for air travel, preferably without an annual fee. Any recommendations?
This is a great resource for comparing travel credit cards. http://thepointsguy.com
The points guy has made me thousands of dollars in cash back, and gotten me many free tickets due to special bonus offers over the years. My husbands favorite was the Amex card that gave him 100,000 points for signing up, which equated to a $1,000 REI gift card.
There are probably better deals if you are willing to play games and track useage closely (Some cards give higher cash back for certain categories of purchases, others have high cash back % but have annual limmits), but we have been very happy with our Fidelity Amex that gives us 2% cash back for all purchases and the cash is automatically deposited into our Fidelity brokerage account. I think 2% hard cash is far better than the equivalent in “points” that are difficult to redeem for airline travel and create the illusion of free flights.
Two percent cash is a great deal. We never use the points for flights, because as you say, they are hard to use. We use the free points to get a check sent to us, or a gift card, which we consider to be hard cash. However, two percent is hard to beat. We are more interested in getting large signing bonuses for free cards, cashing in the bonus and then cancelling the cards. Though it is exhausting keeping up, and I don’t think those offers are out there for kids.
My youngest asked me why he couldn’t sign up for one of those big bonus cards, so he could get a $650 check sent to him. I think his credit score is higher than ours. However, I think you actually have to have income to get those deals!
We’ve been happy with our Marriott Visa, because points count for status, and there are ways to leverage rewards points. It does mean staying mostly in Marriott properties.
I’ll tell you one card for your kid not to bother with…the Discover card. Many places don’t take it, and they offer a pathetically low credit limit. This thread just reminded me to call them to apply for this great balance transfer offer (0% interest, 0 fees, 0 balance transfer cost). I really didn’t want any more cards, but this offer was hard to resist. Before I applied, the agent told me there was no limit on this card, so it could be for a high balance. After all was said and done, they approved me for a card, with a 4K credit limit. We have good credit, high income, and a credit limit fit for a student is laughable. I turned it down. Just worthless, can’t believe I gave them so much information, ugh. Now I’m wondering if I was just scammed for so much personal information, what an idiot.
We’ve been using a Capital One Venture card for years. 2 points for every dollar spent. We then redeem the points for previous travel purchases. Could have a check cut instead but it’s easier to just ‘erase’ a previous purchase.
But, I’d had trouble getting Capital One to issue a chip and pin card. And, when they did it wasn’t a true chip and pin. We need one that is accepted at seamlessly when traveling.
We now use a Barclays Arrival+ card with true chip and pin technology. Thank goodness for Barclays because we would have been stuck in a European train station overnight. Their unattended kiosks would not have accepted the Capital One card but require the EMV technology
We get 2 points for each dollar spent and no foreign transaction fees. It does carry an annual fee of about $80. Well worth it for us since all of our (sometimes rather high) business expenses go on the card.
The only thing I don’t like about the Barclays card is their online interface. Capital One
Hunt, we use Marriott card, too. The perks are pretty good, and Marriott hotels are all over the planet; when the acquisition of Starwood is complete, your Marriott points could take you even further.
I like Chase and it’s UPromise points. D redeems them so she can get last minute flights between CA & HI for very few points. It can also be transferred one for one to other programs or redeemed for gift cards, whatever you want. We have gotten these points for Ink Business cards as well as Sapphire personal card and another Chase card that D uses for everyday purchases. We like the large signing bonuses that are often 50,000 or more. We do tend to cancel the card when the annual fee is due.
My main card is a CapitolOne Spark business credit card that is $59/year but gives 2% cash back with no limit. We have charged tons of things on it, including the photovoltaic system. It also gives extended warranty for no extra charge and is primary for collision so we don’t have to buy insurance when we rent cars. They don’t have that great a signing bonus, but I like the 2% cash and no foreign transaction fee.
I had to call Chase today, and I had one of the best customer service calls I have ever had…with any vendor.
I use both Southwest and American Airlines cards. Southwest often has 50K points for signing up. I have 2 Southwest cards. I also have 2 AA cards, because of points bonuses over time. I’ve done fairly well redeeming miles. 2 trips for 5 to Hawaii from East Coast, and a trip to the Caribbean, plus several trips within the US on Southwest.
I’ve heard of British Airways having a really good points deal too, but have not taken advantage of it.
I’ve had positive experiences with Chase, AmEx and Barclays. I absolutely HATE Citi and think they are awful! They refused to cancel my mom’s account even though we told them she does NOT have the card and never made any of the charges she’s being billed for. I turned it over to an attorney because they wouldn’t listen to me, even tho I have to file a police report and put credit freezes due to fraud on all her accounts.
Is it the Chase United Explorer card you have? I find that one has the best perks of all my cards:
Primary insurance for rental cars
You can always book a domestic frequent flier ticket at the 50,000 mile level. If there’s a seat on the plane you can book it. Where we live, we pretty much have to use 50,000 miles anyway so this availability is a great bonus.
Automatic comprehensive travel insurance if you book any part of a ticket using the card. It can even be travel on another airline.
No foreign fee, extended warranty, first bag free for 2 passengers.
I did recently sign up for the Marriott card because they were offering 80,000 bonus points. A Fairfield Inn airport location where I frequently stay, is 10,000 points for a free night, so that was a great bonus. Point levels do vary dramatically and do not necessarily correlate with cash price.
These are both Chase cards. When I log in to one account I can see the other and easily check it. I find customer service to be good.
We had the Chase Business Ink (closed to avoid $95 annual fee) and now the Chase Sapphire. D has Chase Freedom (in an account I share with her). She’s fine with the card.
@NJres…Fidelity is dropping relationship with AmEx…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-fidelity-banks-creditcards-idUSKBN0UI0BW20160104
We like the Southwest Rapid Rewards card. As noted above, they often offer 50,000 points for signing up. If you book early you can fly cross country for about 10,000 points one way. Two and a half cross country round trips is a pretty nice signing bonus!