Frequent fliers can certainly use the benefits that you can get from having an air miles credit card. Of course, the credit card itself makes it easier to book your travel arrangements, but other features on the card even make it more interesting. Here are some tips about how you can choose the right air miles credit card for your needs.
Look At Free Miles Last
Probably a number of you thought that you should look at the number of miles being offered as the main thing - actually it is not. You need to look at other features of the card before you let the number of air miles sway you into getting the card. This is advertising at its best - you were grabbed by the large number of air miles and almost forgot about the small print - possibly the part that they did not want you to see.
Consider The Type of Card
There are two types of issuers of air miles credit cards. The airlines offer them, and so do a number of banks. The airlines cards will focus on the services of that particular airline. Its discounts apply to it and the air miles can only be used on their airline. This could be great for you if that airline can easily be used from your location and from most of the places you travel to. On the other hand, a bank issued air miles credit card can be used on most airlines that takes your card and the air miles are also applicable to just about any airline.
Rate For Air Miles Earned
This feature will vary quite a bit on your air miles card. Some cards will only give you one air mile for every twenty dollars charged to the card. Other cards will give you one air mile for every dollar. If you use this credit card a lot - one obviously makes more sense than the other. You will also want to see how you can use your air miles. Find out if you must apply them only to airline tickets or can they also be used as points toward the purchase of things from the credit card stores? Also find out how many miles you need to accumulate in order to get your first free trip, and see how long before you air miles expire.
Balance Transfers And Other Goodies
This feature is really necessary, especially if you have a balance on other credit cards. With it, you can put your balances on the new card and pay 0% APR interest for the life of the introductory offer. Some cards may even allow you to enjoy the 0% APR for balance transfers for the life of the transfer. Make sure, though, that there is not a balance transfer fee attached to the air miles credit card for doing this.
Other Options You Want to Look For
Ask yourself what is the rate of interest on the card. Remember that the introductory offer (if it has one) only lasts for a while - as much as 15 months, and some as few as three months. Some air miles credit cards will also give you discounts towards hotels, car rentals, cruises, restaurants, and more.
Now, you can look at the air miles offered. Then, after you have looked at all of the above, compare it with five or six other cards, and see which one will best suit your needs, and give you the most.
You may not know that a credit card offering flying mileage only allows you to earn it from one airline. If the largest available airline in your area has many detinations you'll have a lot of options you can enjoy. Some don't realize if you choose a credit card sponsored by a banking institution, you have even more freedom. You're wondering why that is so? With bank cards you can use the miles are more airlines. This is especially important if you live in an area where there is no major airline that you can go almost wherever you'd like. An additional important fact is the minimum number of miles needed prior to using them to travel is much less than a credit card sponsored by an airline. Be wary, the bank cards can have an awful bunch of restrictions you wouldn't expect.
Membership and annual fees can vary greatly for different types of cards. Most major credit card companies offer standard, gold and platinum air miles credit cards. Keep in mind that the better the option, the higher the fees. Gold and platinum cards offer high credit limits but membership and annual fees are also higher and these add up quickly. Most major credit card companies offer introductory air miles cards with 0 % interest. Why? Because they want your credit card business. If interest rates are of concern for you, an air miles card should not be the card you choose because interest rates tend to be very high. Many air miles credit cards have a minimum number of miles that have to accumulate before you receive a free or discounted trip. Be sure to read the fine print and then read it again. Be sure you understand all of the stipulations.
Do you travel quite often for pleasure? For business? If this is you, these air miles can be a wonderful benefit. Remember you can use these cards to buy everything. Groceries, gasoline, clothing, you name it. For doing so you get miles and can have greatly discounted tickets to wherever you would like to travel. Also, you can often get extra miles went you spend at certain locations or selected flight destinations. It is also nice that you usually receive extra bonus miles when you get started with a new card.
Believe it or not there can be some down sides to owning such a credit card. You will often have to deal with higher interest rates. However, if you pay them off regularly and use it wisely to bank miles, it can really be worth it. Many find it tempting to spend money they really don't need to just so they can rack up miles, feeling they supposedly saved money in the end. You can see the flawed logic in that, I'm sure. You really need to be sure to use these types of air miles cards with a clear heas so you can benefit from their positive attributes.
Both Joseph Kenny & Paul Johnson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Joseph Kenny has sinced written about articles on various topics from Credit Cards, Debt Consolidation and Credit Cards. Joseph Kenny writes for the Credit Card Guide, offering views on in the UK, visit them today for some great. Joseph Kenny's top article generates over 550000 views. to your Favourites.