You want to have a good air miles credit card if you travel a lot and use airlines as your main way to get around. If you know how to choose the right credit card, you can save a lot of money with it and even get free flights. Here are some things to think about when choosing an air miles credit card.
The first thing you need to think about is which airlines are available at the airports you will most likely use. Be sure to think about both ends of where you want to go. If you get a credit card from an airline, the best deals for that card will only be available on that airline. That will work well for you if that airline has flights to the places you go most often, including the airport closest to you. If not, you will need to get your air miles credit card from a bank.
Next, look at the credit card's introductory offer and see what it has to offer. Usually, you have anywhere from 3 to 15 months to take advantage of an introductory offer. This will usually give you 0% APR on any new purchases, but it might or might not do the same for balance transfers. Balance transfers on many credit cards with air miles come with a fee, if they are even possible.
Think about the different rewards the card gives you. Check not only how many air miles you get right away, but also how many you need for your first free flight. Check to see if your air miles have a date by which they must be used. Many of these will lose their value after a year or so, but some cards will let you keep your air miles forever.
You might also get something in return for what you buy. These vary from card to card, but in general, for every dollar you spend on purchases, you get one air mile. Some of them will give you up to two air miles for every dollar you spend. The best credit cards for air miles let you use your points for things like hotels, car rentals, name-brand goods, and more.
Check the interest rate on the credit card with air miles as well. When the introductory offer is over, you will pay this rate. You want to get the lowest rate possible, unless you always pay your credit card and other card bills on time, like if you have an air miles credit card. After the first year, some of these credit cards may charge an annual fee and/or other fees. Make sure you know if there are any other fees and if there is a limit to how many points you can earn in a year.
