If you are one of those people that often stand in lines at the airport in order to do business as usual, then you may already know the value of an air miles credit card. Not all air miles credit cards are equal, however, but it will take some research in order for you to find the best one for you. Here are some tips for things to look for as you try to get one that you can be proud of.

Airline Card Vs. All-purpose Card

There are two different kinds of air miles credit cards to choose from - ones that are put out by the airline, and those put out by the credit card companies. The airline cards, while possibly offering a better deal when you travel on their airline, may not be as handy overall. This is especially true if you will ever have to fly on another airline. If your destinations are always the same, and the airline operates out of both airports, then this is good. However, if you visit other airports as your business demands, then an all-purpose type of air miles card is the better way to go.

Comparing Up-Front Points

A number of air miles credit cards promise to give you a large number of points up front after you make your first purchase. While any free points are a good thing, 5,000 points on two different cards may represent two entirely different things. The question you need to ask to get a true picture of the value of these points is how many points are needed to get the first free flight? This will indicate the percentage of points that they are actually giving to you.

Check The Interest Rate

Interest rates on your credit card generally do not apply at first - but they will eventually. If you typically leave balances on your credit card then this is a figure you need to be concerned with. These rates will vary anywhere from as low as 7.9% up to around 18.24%. Of course, the actual interest rate you get will depend on your credit rating, but you need to go as low as you can.

Tips On Air Miles

Some air miles credit cards have an expiration date on their air miles. This means that they will only stay on your credit card for so long - after that they are gone if you do not use them. If you are saving them for a big trip later, check into this feature or they may not be there when you need them. The good thing is that on some cards your miles never expire. Be sure to check to see if there are a maximum number of miles that you can earn each year, too. Some cards have blackout dates on which you cannot use your miles for tickets.

Other Rewards

You can get a certain percentage of all your purchases on some air miles credit cards. Know what these things are in order to get even greater savings. Some cards will give one point per dollar spent, and some will give two. Also, find out where these points can be redeemed in the way of stores, products, restaurants, hotels, etc. If you do not normally go to those places, then the card will not do you much good.

Be sure to look at the various fees, too. Some air miles credit cards have an annual fee as well as a high interest rate. If you have balances on any other credit card, then try to get one that allows balance transfers - it will save you more money. Finally, stay away from any card that has a universal default clause.