While frequent fliers are always on the lookout for cheap travel options, whether cheap airplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, or cheap vacation packages, they also often try to find credit cards offering the best deals. Frequent travelers stand to benefit from a couple of new credit card programs that eliminate foreign transaction fees and offer lucrative bonus miles.
British Airways has announced a Chase Visa credit card offer touting a sign up bonus of up to 100,000 miles (enough for two coach trans-Atlantic tickets). American Express has enhanced the travel benefits on its Platinum Card to include free entry to over 600 airport lounges in more than 100 countries through Priority Pass Select.
The British Airways Chase Visa card comes with an annual fee of $95, and awards the card holder 50,000 bonus miles after the first purchase and another 50,000 miles if $2,500 is spent on the card during its first three months. A free companion ticket can be earned by spending $30,000 the first year. This card has no foreign transaction fees which will save the average user about 3 percent on overseas purchases.
The only downside of redeeming British Airways points for miles is that members have to pay fuel surcharges that are added onto award tickets. Currently this costs about $450 per person for travel between the US and Europe. It can cost up to $900 per person for flights between London and Africa. British Airways award availability, particularly in its premium cabins, is usually quite good.
The annual fee for the American Express Platinum Card is $450. New perks for the card include airport lounge access and it reimburses membership in Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection membership program that allows pre-screened, low risk travelers returning to the U.S. to bypass the immigration line. Additional benefits include no foreign transaction fees, and $200 in credits toward the cost of checked bags or other fees spent on a designated airline.
For the frequent traveler this card can prove to be quite a deal. The Priority Pass which provides access to over 600 airport lounges worldwide costs either $249 a year for 10 lounge visits, or $399 annually for unlimited visits. If you value a Priority Pass membership at $249, will use Global Entry (which costs $100 annually), and can use the $200 credit to offset airline fees, the card holder gets $549 worth of benefits. www.cheapfares.com