Airline Miles Credit Cards - Survey & Comparison

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Airline Miles Credit Cards - Survey & Comparison

Blog Post Date: Aug 15 2007

Airline Miles Credit Cards - Survey & Comparison

At one time, there were not many airline credit cards available for you to choose from. The first of the airline miles credit cards was the Citi AAdvantage MasterCard, which is still available today. Though this card had plenty to offer, it wasn't necessarily the best airline credit card for everyone.

The Evolution of Airline Credit Cards

Over time, airline miles credit cards began to evolve. Soon after the Citi AAdvantage MasterCard hit the market, the United Airlines Mileage Plus card was offered by through a partnership with United Airlines. Shortly after, Continental Airlines followed suit with the Continental Airlines World MasterCard. These leaders in the airline miles credit card industry started what has become a widespread credit card option for frequent travelers.

Partnering with Airlines

The partnerships formed between credit card companies and airlines put a new face on airline credit cards. Today, there are just as many airline credit cards to choose from as there are airlines. The majority of these airline credit cards pretty much the same, though the subtle nuances can vary from card to card. With all of these cards, the miles you earn are good for use with just the airline named on the card. The only exception to this is if the airline has sister companies. In this case, the miles may be good with the sister airlines as well.

Generic Airline Credit Cards

In addition to the vast number of airline credit cards that are formed in partnership with airlines, there are many generic credit cards. In this case, the word "generic" doesn't stand for off brand or low quality. Rather, these cards allow you to earn airline miles that you can use with any airline of your choice. Usually, these cards work by assigning each airline mile a monetary value, usually 1 or 2 cents per mile. You can then use these miles to purchase a ticket through the credit card company that the company has acquired from the airline at a discounted price.

With generic airline credit cards, you are provided far more freedom in deciding which airline to use. This allows you to select the airline that is running a flight at the time and location that is best for you. It also allows you to take advantage of market fluctuations in ticket prices from one airline to the next.

Additional Perks

In addition to the number of miles it takes to earn free travel with airline credit cards, you should consider the additional perks offered. For example, so airline credit cards only provide special discounts for air travel. On the other hand, some cards allow you to redeem your points for other travel related necessities, such as car rentals, cruises, hotel stays, and vacation packages.

You should also pay attention to the special incentives offered by airline miles credit cards. Some allow you to earn bonus miles through certain purchases. For example, you might be able to earn bonus miles with a credit card that has partnered with a specific airline if you make purchases from that airline on the credit card.

In addition to incentives, some airline credit cards provide sign up bonuses. It is fairly common for an airline credit card to offer 5,000 bonus miles after using the card for the first time. The Gold Delta Skymiles Credit Card and American Express Credit Cards offer 10,000 bonus miles. Of course, you need to look out for how many miles it takes to earn a free ticket. The average number of miles needed with airline credit cards is 25,000, but you should always read all of the fine print first before making a decision.

About the Author: For more discussion on finding the best airline miles credit cards, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com.

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Credit Card Blog Canadian Financial Blog Canadian Credit Blog Mar 03 2010 Blumenthal: Fed Misses Critical Deadline To Roll Back Credit Rates, Fees By KENNETH R. GOSSELIN The Hartford Courant Even as a sum of new protections for credit card users went into effect last Monday, the state attorney general disparage a ke Mar 03 2010 update new credit card regulations allow room for maneuvering UPDATE: New Credit Card Regulations Allow Room For Maneuvering By Meena Thiruvengadam Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES WASHINGTON (Dow Jones)--The credit card game rules have officially changed thanks to new credit card regulations, effective Monday, Mar 03 2010 Report: Interchange Fees Obstructs Economic Growth, Job Creation Report: Interchange Fees Obstructs Economic Growth, Job Creation By Linda Lisanti INDIANAPOLIS -- Less than 20% of the interchange fees charged by credit card companies actually includes the cost of processing transactions, according to a rece Feb 25 2010 Be A Smart Credit Card User Be A Smart Credit Card User •Read the terms and conditions of your card. "The Credit Card Act is there to protect consumers," said Bruce McClary, ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions spokesman. "But the responsibility is still in the hands of th Feb 25 2010 terms of the new credit cards regulations CREDIT CARD ACT TERMS OF THE NEW CREDIT CARDS REGULATIONS 10 things that credit-card issuers can still perform with proper notice: * Alter your fixed-rate card to variable. * Increase your Annual Percentage Rate on future purchases. * Rais Feb 25 2010 CREDIT CARD TRICKS take out cash CREDIT CARD TRICKS By Kate Mansey 50 percent extra to take out cash Credit card companies are utilizing crafty tricks to rip off customers - as shock numbers show Britons owe Ł54.5 billion to our "flexible friends". A Sunday Mirror inves Feb 23 2010 Build Good Credit Without Credit Cards Build Good Credit Without Credit Cards When you are trying to build a good credit history, one often repeated piece of advice is to get a couple of credit cards and pay them off promptly. Credit cards are not the only way to skin the credit cat, t Feb 23 2010 interest rate summary credit cards Interest Rate Summary Credit Cards Here is a look at the state of credit card rates from the weekly national survey of large banks and thrifts conducted Feb. 17, 2010 by Bankrate.com Rates: 13.39% (all fixed); 13.63% (all variable) Credit c Feb 21 2010 clouds parting over credit card troubles Clouds Parting Over Credit Card Troubles Kelsey Swanekamp, With joblessness still hovering at 10 percent and household budget under pressure, credit card issuers and lenders are still taking profits from their loans to consumers. Developmen Feb 21 2010 credit card chargeoffs still troubling Credit Card Charge-Offs Still Troubling February 17, 2010 by Staff Credit card charge-offs – or loans assumed uncollectible and written off – edged higher in January as reported by the major card issuers, although there is some positive expe Blog by Topic (Tags) Low Interest Bad Credit American Express Business Credit Cards Low Interest Cards Credit Cards - General Advanta Credit Cards Advertising & Marketing Prepaid Credit Cards Visa Credit Cards Cash Back Credit Cards Reward Cards March 2010 February 2010 April 2009 March 2009 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 August 2007 July 2007 April 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005	Credit Card Blog & Article Area Link Back to This Post Airline Miles Credit Cards - Survey & Comparison Blog Post Date: Aug 15 2007 Airline Miles Credit Cards - Survey & Comparison At one time, there were not many airline credit cards available for you to choose from. The first of the airline miles credit cards was the Citi AAdvantage MasterCard, which is still available today. Though this card had plenty to offer, it wasn't necessarily the best airline credit card for everyone. The Evolution of Airline Credit Cards Over time, airline miles credit cards began to evolve. Soon after the Citi AAdvantage MasterCard hit the market, the United Airlines Mileage Plus card was offered by through a partnership with United Airlines. Shortly after, Continental Airlines followed suit with the Continental Airlines World MasterCard. These leaders in the airline miles credit card industry started what has become a widespread credit card option for frequent travelers. Partnering with Airlines The partnerships formed between credit card companies and airlines put a new face on airline credit cards. Today, there are just as many airline credit cards to choose from as there are airlines. The majority of these airline credit cards pretty much the same, though the subtle nuances can vary from card to card. With all of these cards, the miles you earn are good for use with just the airline named on the card. The only exception to this is if the airline has sister companies. In this case, the miles may be good with the sister airlines as well. Generic Airline Credit Cards In addition to the vast number of airline credit cards that are formed in partnership with airlines, there are many generic credit cards. In this case, the word "generic" doesn't stand for off brand or low quality. Rather, these cards allow you to earn airline miles that you can use with any airline of your choice. Usually, these cards work by assigning each airline mile a monetary value, usually 1 or 2 cents per mile. You can then use these miles to purchase a ticket through the credit card company that the company has acquired from the airline at a discounted price. With generic airline credit cards, you are provided far more freedom in deciding which airline to use. This allows you to select the airline that is running a flight at the time and location that is best for you. It also allows you to take advantage of market fluctuations in ticket prices from one airline to the next. Additional Perks In addition to the number of miles it takes to earn free travel with airline credit cards, you should consider the additional perks offered. For example, so airline credit cards only provide special discounts for air travel. On the other hand, some cards allow you to redeem your points for other travel related necessities, such as car rentals, cruises, hotel stays, and vacation packages. You should also pay attention to the special incentives offered by airline miles credit cards. Some allow you to earn bonus miles through certain purchases. For example, you might be able to earn bonus miles with a credit card that has partnered with a specific airline if you make purchases from that airline on the credit card. In addition to incentives, some airline credit cards provide sign up bonuses. It is fairly common for an airline credit card to offer 5,000 bonus miles after using the card for the first time. The Gold Delta Skymiles Credit Card and American Express Credit Cards offer 10,000 bonus miles. Of course, you need to look out for how many miles it takes to earn a free ticket. The average number of miles needed with airline credit cards is 25,000, but you should always read all of the fine print first before making a decision. About the Author: For more discussion on finding the best airline miles credit cards, Robert Alan recommends that you visit CreditCardAssist.com. Articles from August 2007 More articles from Year 2007 Comments (0)
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