Best 5 Frequent Flyer Credit Cards Offering Bonus Miles Promotion

[LL_Travelfan]

In another post the best credit card ever, the Hyatt Card, was mentioned. Here is an article that talks about the Best 5 Frequent Flyer Credit Cards Offering Bonus Miles Promotion
By Katrina Gutierrez on November 19, 2011 http://www.dailymarkets.com/creditca...g-bonus-miles/


Are you looking for a credit card that gives you airline miles or points whenever you use your card so that you can get rolling with your frequent flyer account or simply to get free air tickets when you have enough miles or points? If so, you should consider getting rewards credit cards which offer bonus miles/points promotion for new sign-ups so that you can get a headstart in your miles rewards!

Many of these miles or points can also be redeemed for hotel accommodations, car rentals, cash, or merchandise, in addition to air tickets.

Here’s a list of the top 5 best credit cards that offer bonus miles to new sign-ups which you’ll earn either after making your first purchase with your card, or after spending a certain amount within the first few months.

Continental Airlines OnePass Plus Credit Card is one of the best airline miles credit card in the U.S. Issued by JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM), this card gives you 25,000 bonus miles after you make your first purchase with the card. These 25,000 miles are redeemable for a round-trip air ticket within the U.S., which is really an unbeatable offer for new sign-ups! If you spend at least $25,000 on your card, you will receive 10,000 bonus miles yearly. When you add an authorized user to your card, you earn an extra 5,000 miles. This Continental credit card also lets you earn miles when you make purchases. You earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on a ticket purchase from Continental Airlines, and 1 mile for every dollar you spend on all other purchases with your card. There is no limit to the miles you can earn, they do not expire and can be redeemed for air tickets, hotel stays and car rentals. To pamper you further, you’ll get 2 travel certificates and 2 complimentary passes to the Continental Presidents Club, Continental’s airport lounge, or to United’s Red Carpet Club lounge every year. You also get your first bag checked in for free! The annual fee of $95 is waived for the first year, so you pay nothing for the first year!

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is a great travel rewards credit card that offers you 50,000 bonus points worth $625 in travel credit and are redeemable for two flights, worth up to $312.50 each – when you spend just $3,000 during the first 3 months. You earn up to 10 miles per dollar spent on purchases made through their online mall, 2 points per dollar for travel purchases through their online mall, and 1 point per dollar for everything else. The points you earn are unlimited and do not expire. You can redeem them for airline tickets which are good for any airline, hotel stays, cash, merchandise and other rewards. There are no travel restrictions or blackout dates when redeeming for travel. The annual fee of $95 is waived for the first year.

Gold Delta SkyMiles Credit Card from American Express offers you 30,000 bonus miles after you spend $500 in 3 months and 2,500 miles for each cardholder you add to your account. When making purchases with this American Express (NYSE:AXP) card, you earn 2 miles per dollar spent on Delta purchases and 1 miles for all other purchases. Miles never expire. When traveling on Delta, the first bag you check in is free as long as your ticket is purchased with your card (save up to $50 per person round-trip), and this extends to up to 9 people on the same reservation. This card has an annual fee of $95, which is waived for the first year.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is an excellent miles card issued by Capital One (NYSE:COF). It gives you 10,000 bonus miles after you spend at least $1,000 in your first 3 months, and these 10,000 bonus miles equal $100 which you can use towards any future travel purchases. You will earn 2 miles per dollar spent on any purchase, which means that your mileage will increase twice as fast! This card comes with many Visa Signature privileges such as advanced ticket sales to entertainment events, 24/7 concierge service, etc. The annual fee of $59 is waived for the first year, so you pay nothing for the first year!

United Mileage Plus Explorer Card is a great miles credit card. You will receive up to 40,000 miles as a signing bonus: 25,000 when you make your first purchase, 10,000 miles when you spend $25,000 yearly and 5,000 points when adding an additional cardholder to your account. Earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on Continental and United purchases and 1 mile for every other dollar you spend. When you fly your first checked in bag will be free. Enjoy 2 passes to the United Club VIP Lounge every year. $95 annual fee waived the first year.

[affordableweb]

United Mileage Plus Explorer Card is a great miles credit card. You will receive up to 40,000 miles as a signing bonus: 25,000 when you make your first purchase, 10,000 miles when you spend $25,000 yearly and 5,000 points when adding an additional cardholder to your account. Earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on Continental and United purchases and 1 mile for every other dollar you spend. When you fly your first checked in bag will be free. Enjoy 2 passes to the United Club VIP Lounge every year. $95 annual fee waived the first year.

Is the United Card really that great of a deal? I've seen many people make a similar comment but I have my doubts. I understand the fees to be rather high and the promo rate does not last as long as some other cards. The mileage is great if you travel alot but otherwise it may not be the best card for all consumers.

[LL_Travelfan]

Hi affordableweb,
The article posted has since been updated as of September 22, 2012. There might have been some changes to the promotions, so please check for yourself.
This article lists the 5 Best Frequent Flyer Credit Cards offering Bonus Miles Promotions. If you are not flying that much, these cards might not be of interest to you at all. Yes, the fees and interest rates are high, but as a rule, the fees for these cards are waved for the first year.

[bonniejoy03]

Hi L...it is great to see this listed periodically on LL community. I love the Chase Sapphire card. No overseas transaction fees, dollar credits to reduce the price of my ticket, and great customer service. The negative is the card is kind of funky looking. In Greece, so many merchants thought it was a scam. The card is very heavy and numbers are not raised. Also, I found AA tickets higher on their site. I was shown that there was only 1 aa ticket left so all other vendors increased the price. By going to AA site directly, I could still get the last lower price seat. Very clever.

[LL_Travelfan]

We are currently using the Sapphire Card in Northern Italy and have encountered no problems. It passes just fine. You are correct, there are no foreign transaction fees which is great since these pesky fees can amount to as much as 3.5% of the purchase price. Furthermore, LL will give you 2 miles for every dollar spent. on LL packages. Other travel related purchases will qualify for 2 miles per dollar as well. So miles will add up quickly and they do transfer 1to1 to United and a number of other participants. Just be sure, you watch your "points earned" on your monthly statement. Call in and have them correct your points if you weren't given double points for travel related items.
Good luck!

[bonniejoy03]

LL-good points. I wasn't aware that LL also gave you double points? Do you have to register or is it just picked up as "travel." Your point with United is excellent and.....United is partners with USAir so you can use it for United for USAir flights.

[kyshel]

LL-good points. I wasn't aware that LL also gave you double points? Do you have to register or is it just picked up as "travel." Your point with United is excellent and.....United is partners with USAir so you can use it for United for USAir flights.

Is that thru a shopping program? We used to do that with DL SkymilesShopping. I miss that. We'll have to find that option thru other programs. Good reminder LLTF.

[thepiranha]

Good point about no foreign transaction fees. Unless you pre-pay for your flights and hotel rooms before leaving home, the 3% fees really add up. Since I'm the one who originally brought up the Hyatt card, I'll stand up for it . I'm taking it with me to Italy because there are no foreign transaction fees. The annual fee was waived the first year and provided me with two free nights at the Hyatt Maui, which wasn't too shabby. My wife also obtained the card, giving us two more nights there. The annual fee is only $75 and you get a free night every year. Here's the link:

https://creditcards.chase.com/credit...yatt-card.aspx

I also like the United Explorer card since United is one of only two major airlines that fly here and I'm able to check my bags for free. I like the pile of frequent flyer miles they gave me when I signed up for the card, too.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card looks enticing as well. Is there a linear correlation between miles and dollars 1:1 (i.e., do 20,000 miles buy you a $200 ticket) or do 20,000 miles (for argument's sake) buy you one domestic roundtrip ticket, for example, regardless of the cost of the ticket?

Here's an offer that I received this week and got very excited about until I contacted issuing company and found out that applicants must be residents of Belgium:

Apply now for your Brussels Airlines Miles & More Credit Card and get a free ticket to a European destination. Just charge 1,500 euros on the card by the end of the year.

I was all over this one until I found out that applicants must be from Belgium and free flights had to originate and end in Europe.

[bonniejoy03]

Hi P...I believe the miles equal approx .0125 cents. However, there are so many promos to receive double miles. This is for the credit to your card. Now, if you transfer points to United it is one for one. Nice. We have used these credits to reduce our air costs when no frequent flier tickets were available.

[LL_Travelfan]

"The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card looks enticing as well. Is there a linear correlation between miles and dollars 1:1 (i.e., do 20,000 miles buy you a $200 ticket) or do 20,000 miles (for argument's sake) buy you one domestic roundtrip ticket, for example, regardless of the cost of the ticket??

Hi P,
The Chases Sapphire card transfers points 1:1 into your United Mileage Plus account. So you can use the United Miles for free tickets wherever United flies regardless of the price.
I also have the United Explorer Card. Unfortunately, the Explorer Card does not wave the foreign exchange fee, so it is no good for us in Europe.