Air Mile Credit Card
So you love to travel and you would like to find out how an air mile credit
card can work toward your goal of going away on an amazing vacation. The only
problem is that there are so many to choose from, you don’t know where to start
or what will fit your lifestyle. There are some things to consider before you
can hear “please fasten your seatbelts”. First you want to consider the
airlines that go in and out of your city. You want to probably have an air mile
credit card that is in junction to a carrier that is predominant in your city
and goes to places where you want to go. Also, you want to make sure you can
get the most miles for your buck. Shop for a card that has as many incentives
as you need with the fewest strings attached and if you are really making a
great choice it will also have a low APR (annual percentage rate).
Which Airline Will Work For You
There are a couple of types of air mile credit cards you want to consider.
There are cards that work with one specific airline (Southwest, Continental,
etc.) and there are other cards that earn you non-specific airline miles that
you can use on an airline of your choice as long as the airline accepts those
type of miles. A good rule of thumb is to ask yourself if your airport is a hub
for a specific airline. If it is, it may be more beneficial for you to have a
credit card that earns you air miles for that specific airline. If there are
multiple carries that go in and out of your airport, but there is not one
predominant airline, you may go with a card that lets you choose which airline
you want. Just make sure you understand the restrictions and try to get a card
that has no or a low amount of black out dates (times of the year when you
can’t redeem your miles because it is a popular flying time).
Air Mile Incentives
Not all air miles are created equal. After you decided that you want to go with
one specific carrier or a general air mile reward card, shop around for the
best incentive. Most cards give you bonus miles for signing up. See which card
best works for you and has the highest bonus miles. Also, you want to look for
a card that not only gives you a 1:1 ratio (one mile for every dollar spent),
but also, ways that you can earn more points per one dollar spent. Some cards
have deals with certain restaurants that earn you 11 points per one dollar
spent at that specific establishment or you may have a card that earns you
bonus miles for staying at a certain hotel chain. You want to know exactly how
many air mile points it takes to earn a free ticket and you want to make sure
that it is a reasonable and earnable amount. Finally, you want to make sure the
card has no or low annual fees and has a low interest rate. This way you will
get a good deal all around.