Best credit card to use for frequent flyer miles

[brucecz Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close brucecz]

We would like to get a new credit card, hopefully a platinum, to use for airline purchases that offer points for flying on all airlines, and possibly bonus pints for joining. I am considering American Express and Capital One? Does any one have any suggestions?

JUDY and Bruce

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

I have used Amex Rewards so I can transfer my points to many airlines. The bad is that now the airline FF programs have devalued these FF miles so much that you might just be better off using your Amex points to buy gifts from the Amex catalog.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I have used Amex Rewards so I can transfer my points to many airlines. The bad is that now the airline FF programs have devalued these FF miles so much that you might just be better off using your Amex points to buy gifts from the Amex catalog.

How depressing......I'd also be interested in knowing which card gives you the best deal, these days.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

We have Capital One No Hassle Rewards and we've been very happy with it. It's very easy to redeem the rewards b/c you buy the airfare, book the hotel, just as you would normally, and you pay with the Capital One card. Then within 90 days, you go to the Capital One website and get a refund for the purchase price.

I can even get the money back for the maintenance fee on one of my timeshares!

[MargeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MargeS]

What is the annual fee for your capitol one?

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

We have Capital One No Hassle Rewards and we've been very happy with it. It's very easy to redeem the rewards b/c you buy the airfare, book the hotel, just as you would normally, and you pay with the Capital One card. Then within 90 days, you go to the Capital One website and get a refund for the purchase price.

I can even get the money back for the maintenance fee on one of my timeshares!

COOL! but I have a Capital One card and the 'normal' rebate amount is 1% sometimes on specific types of items it may be more. I have a CC with my CU that gives me 2.5% back in airline tickets, it's the best I've found so check out any CU you might have access to.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

I think my Capital One is 1.25 percent. It's not fantastic, but I love not having to deal with the whole frequent-flyer thing. I can just find a good deal, book it, and claim the money back.

No annual fee on the Capital One. They also have a small business card that they offer me periodically, and that has a better rate of return, but it might have an annual fee? I can't remember, but there's some reason I haven't jumped over to that one.

[Elan Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Elan]

I have the Amex/Costco card. It is a cashback card. Minimum of 1% on everything and up to 3% on some things (like gas!). It does have an annual fee, but if you are already paying for a Costco membership, it's kind of a wash there. If you're not interested in a Costco membership it may not be such a good deal.

I really like the fact that it pays back cash, and not "reward points" or "miles". At least for the time being US dollars are still accepted most places.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

At one time the DL Amex was the best out there, but since then both DL and Amex have gone south. DL and US are the two airlines leading the race to the bottom in ff programs, and Amex just ended most of their ''always double miles'' bonuses. I did not renew my DL Amex last year when it came up.

You need to pick one of the better ff programs - AA, CO, or UA and get a card affiliated with it, or simply use a cash back card and buy your airline ticket.

[mdurette Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mdurette]

Doesn't apply to all airlines - but some of you might find this interesting. Just this week my eyes have been opened to just how easy it is to earn a free flight with Southwest.

Normally you need 16 credits in 2 years to get a free flight. Well we are close so I started to research.

Well here are some examples without a credit card:
Alamo - get 1.5 credits for every car rental (even for one day).
Dining - get credits for simply eating out at the places you do all the time.

With the credit card signup:
8 free upfront credits (half way to a free flight)
1 credit for every $1,200 you balance transfer.
1 credit for every $1,200 you charge per month or $600 spent with SWA.

For me - I typically charge about $3,500 on my Discover every and pay it off. Heck - just with my normal usage that is a free ticket for me every 5-6 months!

[MargeS Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MargeS]

We use the SouthWest Visa card. Charge everything over $5, and pay off monthly. Earn about 3 free tix each year. SW is so easy to work with, and requires less points for free airfare than any other program I have looked at.
$50 annual charge, but worth it.
Still, I always keep my eyes open.....

[PigsDad Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PigsDad]

If you are planning to travel overseas and stay in a hotel anytime soon, you might consider getting a card that racks up hotel points instead. You can get a lot more value from your card than w/ airline miles.

For example, I just reserved a Hilton in Venice, Italy for 4 nights for 125,000 HHonors points (special Amex "VIP" reward). The HHonors Amex earns between 3 and 5 points per dollar spent (I am averaging 3.9 points per dollar). The rate on the Hilton website for that hotel room in Venice was 475 Euros / night. Doing the conversion, that is $2440 for the stay!

By spending ~$32,000 on my Amex, I earned that 125,000 HHonors points. If I would have spent that same $32K on an airline card, all I would have is 32,000 miles -- enough for a one domestic ticket w/ 7K miles left over. I think the $2440 in hotel rooms is a much better deal!

Kurt

[Dori Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dori]

I would love to have a SW card, but, because we live in Canada, it is not open to non-US residents. We often fly SW out of Buffalo, and just love them.

Dori

[davhu1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close davhu1]

I gave on airline credit cards. Add the annual fees, other charges required for reservation, number of point required and the difficulty of getting a ticket; no longer worth much.

I use multiple cards with no annual fees. I rather get cash and buy the ticket. Ones I have:

Capital One cash back is 1%; 2% for grocery/gas; no foreign transaction fees.

American Express Blue Cash 1/2% for 1st $6,500 and 1.5% >$6,500; 1%-5% for grocery/gas/drugstore.

American Express Business Costco Rebate of 3% gas/restaurants, 2% travel, 1% all others.

Discover cash back is 5% that varies every quarter for travel, restaurant, gas, grocery, etc. All other times is 1%.

[jamstew Member Find all posts View Profile Close jamstew]

We have Capital One No Hassle Rewards and we've been very happy with it. It's very easy to redeem the rewards b/c you buy the airfare, book the hotel, just as you would normally, and you pay with the Capital One card. Then within 90 days, you go to the Capital One website and get a refund for the purchase price.

I can even get the money back for the maintenance fee on one of my timeshares!

I second Capital One. I use it for everything!