Travelers experienced in the ways of finding cheap travel options, whether cheap airplane tickets and discount hotel rooms or cheap vacation packages know that future trips can be made even more affordable by using traveler friendly credit cards.
The following are credit cards recommended by Budget Travel for frequent travelers:
Citi Gold/AAdvantage Visa Signature Card is often best for domestic travelers who frequently fly to the same destination. This Visa card comes with a Reduced Mileage Awards program that allows cardholders to fly to specific American Airlines destinations for 7,500 fewer miles on a round trip ticket. Spending $750 the first four months after being issued a card earns 20,000 bonus miles.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is ideal for people who travel abroad because it does not charge any foreign transaction fees. This card allows holders to trade points for miles at a 1 to 1 exchange rate into Continental/United Airlines and British Airways frequent flier programs.
Starwood Preferred Guest/American Express Card is particularly attractive to hotel connoisseurs and travelers to Latin America. Starpoints earned with this card can be redeemed at over 1,000 hotels in almost 100 countries. First use of the card earns 10,000 Starpoints which can be redeemed for a free night at a 4 star property. Starpoints can be exchanged on a 1 to 1 basis into over 30 frequent flier programs. Starpoints are doubled when transferred into LANs frequent flier program.
American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card is best suited for travelers who charge large sums. Holders earn three points on airline tickets and double points on gas and groceries. Given that the annual fee is expensive ($175) and is fee free first year, this card only makes sense for big spenders. Points never expire and can be used to purchase tickets on any airline anytime by making reservations through American Express Travel. Points can also be transferred to card holders preferred frequent flier programs.
Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Chase MasterCard is designed for Continental/United frequent fliers. This frequent flier program is one of the easiest to redeem travel on and frequently charges fewer miles to qualify for free tickets than other programs and comes with fewer blackout dates. OnePass Plus cardholders are allowed a free checked bag on any flight in the system, and offers the flexibility of changing reward travel dates for free up to three weeks prior to scheduled travel dates. www.cheapfares.com