If affordable travel is one of your objectives, dont thinkyou are done once you have reviewed you cheap traveloptions including cheapairplane tickets, cheapfares, cheapdeals, discount hotel deals, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages.
Using the right credit card to make your travel purchasescan result in rewards, low fees, and hassle-free redemptions. The right travel credit card can unlock manytravel opportunities.
Selecting the right travel card depends on your travelbehavior. You should have a redemptionobjective in mind before signing up with a travel rewards credit card. 100,000miles on airline X earned with credit card sign up bonuses are not worth muchif you have no plans on flying on airline X or any of its partners.
When selecting an airline rewards credit card make certainthat the miles you will earn can get you where you will want to go in thefuture. Similarly, if you are interestedin earning hotel points confirm that there is a participating property at yourintended destination.
International travelers should restrict their credit cardconsiderations to those with no foreign transaction fees. Many cards charge up to a 3 percent onforeign transactions which can effectively wipe out whatever reward points,dollars, or miles you would earn using such cards.
Remember that travel rewards credit cards are not right foreveryone. Rewards credit cards usuallycome with higher interest rates than non-rewards cards. You should not sign up for such cards unlessyou will pay off the balance each month. Because some travel cards come with high annual fees (such as VisasBlack Cards annual $495 fee), these cards may not make sense for infrequenttravelers.
That said, many travelers can save substantial money usinga travel rewards credit card so long as they remember to redeem theirrewards. A recent study determined thatthree in 10 credit card holders have never redeemed their credit card rewards.
The following are the best credit cards for travelers whoare looking for generous rewards as well as low fees and convenient redemptionoptions, according to the editor-at-large of The Points Guy and a creditexpert at the website LowCards:
ChaseSapphire Preferred card holders earn points that can be transferred with easeto a variety of hotel and airline partners. By spending $4,000 in the first 3 months after signing up for this card,card holders earn a 50,000 point sign-up bonus good for two free round tripdomestic flights or multiple nights at a high-end hotel. This card offers free rental carinsurance. There is a $95 annual feeafter the first year.
BarclaycardArrival Plus World Elite Mastercard offers a 40,000 miles sign-up bonus after anew card holder spends $3,000 during the first 90 days. This reward equates to a $400 credit towardsan eligible travel purchase. Cardholders earn 2 miles on every dollar charged and are rewarded 5 percent oftheir miles back every time they are redeemed. There is a $89 annual fee after the first year.
CitiThank You Premier Card awards three points on travel for a variety of travelexpenses, including airfare, car rental agencies, cruises, gas, hotels, parking,public transportation, railways, travel agencies, taxis, and tolls. 2 pointsare awarded on all restaurant and entertainment purchases, with 1 point on allother purchases. There is a $95 annualfee after the first year.
UnitedMileagePlus Explorer card is attractive if you are looking for an airlinespecific credit card and will usually fly via United. New card holders earn 40,000 bonus milesafter spending $2,000 during the first 90 days. 2 miles are earned on every dollar spent on airline tickets purchasedfrom United, with 1 mile earned per dollar spent elsewhere. Special perks, including priority boardingand one free checked bag for you and a companion, accompany this card. There is a $95 fee starting with the cardsfirst year of use.
CapitalOne VentureOne Rewards Credit Card comes with a one-time bonus of 20,000 milesfor new credit card holders who spend $1,000 within the first threemonths. Card holder earn unlimited 1.25miles per dollar spent on all purchases. Rewards can be redeemed to fly on any airline and stay at any hotel atany time. This card has no annual fee.
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