Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards for Summer Travel

This guest post was written by Jason Bushey. Jason is a full-time personal finance blogger and he runs the credit card comparison website, Creditnet.com.

Spring has hardly sprung, and yet many of us may already have summer travel on our minds. And who can blame us? Palm trees, crystal clear water and blue skies … It’s best to think warm when the weather refuses to cooperate.

That said, there’s no denying that even a modest summer vacation can put a serious dent in your banking account if don’t plan ahead of time. With summer just a few months away (no, seriously!), it’s officially time to start thinking about how to save as much as possible on your upcoming summer travel.

One answer? A frequent flyer credit card with a great signup bonus.

Airline credit cards are notorious for offering some of the very best credit card signup bonuses, especially if you’re hoping to acquire miles quickly. When used responsibly, there’s no more lucrative way to spend than with a credit card, and airline credit cards can go a long way towards saving you and your family on airfare, hotel rooms, car rentals and even cruises.

That said, not every credit card is created equal, nor will every card fit nicely into your monthly budget. Plus, it’s important to consider what kind of frequent flyer credit card you can benefit most from – a co-branded airline card, or a general travel rewards card.

No matter what kind of summer vacation you had in mind, here are a handful of frequent flyer credit cards that can help cut some of the most expensive costs by a considerable margin.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card – 40,000 Bonus Points

This rewards credit card from Chase is reserved for excellent credit consumers, but if you qualify you can turn your travel purchases into some serious rewards. Cardholders that make $3,000 in purchases in the first three months earn 40,000 bonus points – the equivalent of $500 in travel – and they reward travel and dining purchases with 2x the points.

One of the best features about this card, however, is that it introduces members into the Chase Ultimate Rewards (SM) program, which includes 20% off airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem.

Again, this card is for excellent credit consumers only and is anything but easy to get approved for. Consumers unsure of whether or not they will qualify for the Preferred® version may consider the Chase Sapphire® card, which includes 10,000 bonus points after you spend a more modest $500 in the first three months.

Capital One® Venture(SM) Rewards Credit Card – 10,000 Bonus Miles

This popular travel rewards card from Capital One® offers 10,000 bonus miles when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $100 in travel. This is another card that will reward cardholders with 2 milers per dollar on every purchase, every day. And like the aforementioned Chase credit card, the Capital One® Venture (SM) Rewards Credit Card offers extremely flexible redemption – simply charge the expense to your Venture card, then redeem your miles to pay for the travel expenses.

Chase Sapphire Preferred®  gets the slight nod because of the discounts they offer through their Ultimate Rewards (SM) program, but this is a credit card that can easily chop $100 off your summer travel expenses when you spend $1,000 in the first three months.

Chase United MileagePlus® Explorer Card – 30,000 Bonus Miles

Finally, if you’re partial to flying with United Airlines than this is the card that will help you fund your summer vacation. Members can earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 in the first three months, and they’ll earn double miles on United ticket purchases and one mile per $1 on all other purchases.

There are some United-only perks offered on this credit card, like you and a companion checking your first bag for free each way (up to $100 savings roundtrip), priority boarding privileges and two one-time passes to the United Club (their fancy airport lounge) each year that you’re a cardholder.

In Conclusion…

The biggest thing to remember when using a credit card for miles is to stay within your budget and use it for the purchases that will really make a difference – the double and triple mile opportunities. Make sure to apply for a credit card whose bonus offer fits within your budget, and check your credit score before applying to the above cards as they’re reserved for good-to-excellent credit.

Once all that checks out, then it’s time to strap on the flip flops and get ready to enjoy your summer vacation … for less.

 

Tags: American Express, Capital One, Credit card, Frequent-flyer program, Loyalty program, United Airlines, United Club

Category: Credit Card