So you want to use air miles to travel and are looking for the best airline credit card? Well, as with any card, different parts of the card will be important to you. Things like the APR, the billing cycle, the credit limit, and how it can be used. You may not have thought of these three things to look for in an airline credit card, though:
- What airlines fly in your area? * How quickly can you use the miles you've earned? * How do you...
So you want to use air miles to travel and are looking for the best airline credit card? Well, as with any card, different parts of the card will be important to you. Things like the APR, the billing cycle, the credit limit, and how it can be used. You may not have thought of these three things to look for in an airline credit card, though:
- How quickly can you use the miles you've earned?
- What do you do with your credit card?
- Which airlines fly in your area?
Which card is best for you will depend a lot on the airlines that fly in your area. If you live near a major hub like Los Angeles, California, or Dallas, Texas, you can pretty much use any airline you want. Smaller airports will have fewer flights, and you should call ahead to find out which airlines fly there and where you can go.
Most of the time, the more airline miles you earn, the faster you can use them. This means that you can't turn in your miles for travel until you've earned a certain number of miles. This number can be different, and there are usually ways to get more miles in less time. For example, when you buy a flight with an American Airlines air miles card, the number of miles you earn is often doubled. Often, you get double miles on your first purchase, so make it a good one. Keep in mind that you can also lose miles (this is from the terms and conditions of an American Airlines Reward Card):
"Miles may never expire as long as I you fly on American Airlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, or another airline that is part of the AAdvantage programme at least once every three years, or (ii) you have qualifying AAdvantage participant account activity at least once every three years."
Check the terms and conditions of any air miles card you're thinking about getting to see what you have to do to keep the rewards you've earned.
If you have a balance on your credit card, you will be charged interest. This is true for any card and for airline cards as well. As you can see here, the interest rates on airline credit cards are often higher than those on other cards. This isn't always true, and in the end, your credit score will determine your APR, but rewards cards tend to have slightly higher APRs. So, make sure that the fees and interest you pay don't take away from the value of the miles you earn. It might be better to get a regular card and save up enough money, for example, to buy the tickets. Watch your interest payments closely and pay off your balance as quickly as you can.
In the end, there is no one "best airline credit card" for everyone. By doing careful research and knowing how you spend your money, you will be able to figure out what is best for you.
