Are AIRLINE CREDIT CARDS Worth It?
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- čas přidán 1. 06. 2024
- Are airline credit cards worth getting? If you’re looking for a good travel credit card to earn points and miles for a future trip, the answer may seriously surprise you! Click “Show More” to see Ad Disclosure.
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QUESTION: Are airline credit cards worth it?
ANSWER: YES! But only for specific situations.
TOPIC #1: AIRLINE CREDIT CARDS ARE GENERALLY BAD FOR EARNING TRAVEL REWARDS ON EVERYDAY SPEND
Examples…
Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard
(Avg. value of 1 mile = 1.4¢)
2X American Airlines = 2.8% return
2X Restaurants = 2.8% return
2X Gas Stations = 2.8% return
1X Other Purchases = 1.4% return
Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card
(Avg. value of 1 mile = 1.1¢)
2X Delta Air Lines = 2.2% return
2X Dining = 2.2% return
2X Groceries = 2.2% return
1X Other Purchases = 1.1% return
United Explorer Card
(Avg. value of 1 mile = 1.4¢)
2X United Airlines = 2.8% return
2X Dining = 2.8% return
2X Hotels = 2.8% return
1X Other Purchases = 1.4% return
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card
(Avg. value of 1 point = 1.3¢)
3X Southwest Airlines = 3.9% return
2X Rapid Rewards Hotel & Car Rental Partners = 2.6% return
2X Transit & Commuting = 2.6% return
2X Internet, Cable, Phone, Select Streaming = 2.6% return
1X Other Purchases = 1.3% return
COMPARISON TO GENERAL TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS
Citi Premier Card
(Avg. value of 1 point = 1.7¢)
3X Restaurants = 5.1% return
3X Supermarkets = 5.1% return
3X Gas Stations = 5.1% return
3X Air Travel & Hotels = 5.1% return
1X Other Purchases = 1.7% return
American Express Gold Card
(Avg. value of 1 point = 1.8¢)
4X Dining = 7.2% return
4X U.S. Supermarkets (up to $25K spent) = 7.2% return
3X Flights = 5.4% return
1X Other Purchases = 1.8% return
Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card
(Avg. value of 1 point = 1.8¢)
5X Travel (portal) = 9.0% return
3X Dining = 5.4% return
3X Online Grocery = 5.4% return
3X Select Streaming = 5.4% return
2X Other Travel = 3.6% return
1X Other Purchases = 1.8% return
TOPIC #2: AIRLINE CREDIT CARDS ARE GENERALLY BAD FOR EARNING MILES ON YOUR PREFERRED AIRLINE
1. If you have a credit card that earns…
- Amex Membership Rewards points
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points
- Citi ThankYou points (currently only Citi Premier Card)
- Capital One Venture / Spark miles
…then you can transfer points to other airline programs, including Delta SkyMiles, United MileagePlus, Southwest RapidRewards, and others, many at a 1:1 ratio (e.g. 10,000 points = 10,000 miles)
2. Cards like the Amex Gold Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and Citi Premier can transfer points into other airline programs, so using these general travel cards can often earn more miles, faster than airline credit cards.
TOPIC #3: AIRLINE CREDIT CARDS ARE GENERALLY BAD FOR FLEXIBILITY
- The miles you earn are only valuable for FLIGHTS on ONE primary airline and its partners.
- Contrast that with general travel credit cards, which earn points that can be used on virtually any airline, hotel, car rental, cruise, etc.
TOPICS 4, 5, & 6: AIRLINE CREDIT CARDS ARE GENERALLY GREAT FOR:
1. Earning miles quickly via welcome offers (e.g. big signup bonuses)
2. Earning elite status through spend (i.e. earn status from home while not traveling)
3. Perks & benefits (e.g. priority boarding, free checked bags, inflight discounts, etc.)
Disclosure: This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. The content in this video is accurate as of the posting date. Some of the offers mentioned may no longer be available. Mark Reese is not a financial advisor.
#travelcreditcards #airlinecreditcards #bestcreditcards - Jak na to + styl
✍️ *CORRECTION!* I dug through the Offer Details for the United credit cards, and they CAN help you earn towards elite status 😃✈️ Here's the breakdown...
💥 *UPDATE 11.09.2023:* The earning rates below are valid through the end of 2023. Starting on 1.01.2024, the earn rates are changing. Learn more here:
onemileatatime.com/news/united-mileageplus-changes-2024
1. *United Explorer Card:* Earn 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $12,000 in net purchases (including purchases made by authorized users) up to a *maximum of 1,000 PQP in a calendar year.*
2. *United Business Card:* Earn 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $12,000 in net purchases (including purchases made by authorized users) *up to a maximum of 1,000 PQP in a calendar year.*
2. *United Quest Card:* Earn 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $12,000 in net purchases (including purchases made by authorized users) up to a *maximum of 3,000 PQP in a calendar year.*
3. *United Club Infinite Card:* Earn 500 Premier Qualifying Points (PQP) for every $12,000 in net purchases (including purchases made by authorized users) up to a *maximum of 4,000 PQP in a calendar year.*
Thanks for viewer Micah for pointing this out 👍
Sorry how is this related to Avianca? I am bit confused
@@JosueLopezXIX - Both Avianca & United are in the same airline alliance (Star Alliance). There are currently 26 airlines in the Star Alliance, which means you can redeem miles across the different airlines within that alliance. That means you can redeem United miles with Avianca.
I’ve really been loving this channel lately. As a 23 yo who has come from a family that wasn’t the best at finances or understanding credit & highly discouraged getting credit cards its great to find someone go into so much depth about almost every card I’ve had any sort of questions with. Thank you for being that person I can learn from & know how to keep up with my credit as well as teach me how to make my cards work for me.
So glad to hear you've found value in the channel, Kaylee! 😃🏆 Well done on the self-education, too!
this is by far the best video that compares travel credit cards. every video i've watched about this was up to two card comparisons and you quadrupled it AND added more detailed comparisons. amazing work mark
Glad you found it beneficial, Joe!
Great video! I have both the Alaska and Southwest cards and I love their benefits, which is the main reason I got them. But you’re right though, I usually use my CSP for all my travel stuff besides those airlines.
Good call! ✈️
Good stuff. I grabbed the Barclays Aviator Red for the free first checked bag for 4 people, and I have an AA hub nearby.
One trip covers the $99 AF
Great reason to get the card! The bag savings is great ✈️
This is the best video I have watched comparing the travel related cards! You have done an excellent job! Thanks!
Thank you! ✈
Interesting. This is a question that I wondered about as an Amex Gold card holder. I appreciate the research and comparisons you've provided.
Glad it helped, John!
I love this video. Amazing work on showcasing them all and compared them side by side
Thanks BDawg!
Great video as always Mark. I definitely would want to see a similar style video for hotel credit cards as well.
I'll likely do a hotel version of this video in the future 😃👍 Already have a hotel video coming soon, though it will have a different focus.
Great video Mark. Main two airports are United heavy so I have the United Quest. Will be adding AA and delta at some point.
Smart move to get the card that matches the airline you fly most! ✈️
Nice job on outlining and explaining things. If I were trying to decide from the cards mentioned here, I like Chase Sapphire Preferred and AmEx Gold.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Well done, your graphics are great, you've earned a new subscriber.
Thanks so much! 🥇
the single best breakdown of credit cards ive ever seen. thank you.
You're welcome! 🏆
Like your videos, can you include chapter tabs? Just make it easier to navigate, and fast fwd, if I want to
Hey Philbert! I do enable the 'auto chapters' feature to allow CZcams to add them if eligible, but I likely won't do so manually. That requires adding timestamps / titles in the Description, which takes up space (and CZcams has a strict character limit for the Description). I prefer to use the character limit provided to provide helpful summary info about the video content 🤙
So glad I found this video. I've been weighing the pros and cons of co-branded airline cards but after watching this amazing breakdown I really can't justify the need for them *yet*. Given I'm active duty military most airlines already provide free checked bags as well as early boarding, and I know United (for example) offers lounge access with military ID and boarding pass.
I would be curious if you have or would consider doing a video that sort of outlines credit card benefits for military members like the SCRA/MLA, lounge access, etc. I know it's sort of catering to a niche community, but would be interesting to see nonetheless.
Glad it helped, Sean! 😃🇺🇸✈️
Excellent breakdown! Thank you for this information.
Sure thing 😃✈️
Great video. Needed to see this kind of breakdown
Appreciate it!
You're welcome! ✈️
This is great. I just got the Venture X and was wondering if I should pair it with an airline card. Thanks for the awesome breakdown. :) Much appreciated!
You got it! 💯
Now that was a wonderful breakdown! Good job 👏🏼 very
Helpful.
Thanks Sharise! Glad it was helpful ✈
Great job on breaking this all down thank you for taking the time to do so.
I got the Southwest card for the Companion Pass which is good for all of next year. This will probably be the biggest money saver for me out of all my cards.
But I booked all my flights with my AmEx Platinum.
Other than to meet the bonus requirements for the Southwest cards I don't use them at all
Smart move, Dave! 👊✈️
I think it’s beneficial for airlines that aren’t easily transferable. Just got approved for the Citi AAdvantage plat select for 80k points after 4k spend. Going to downgrade to no Af mileage up card after first year before fee hits. Needed AA since my CSR and Amex Plat doesnt transfer. Now just need a Turkish credit card lol. Barclays Aviator Red for easy sub is definitely next up.
Good point! You can transfer to Turkish via Citi, Capital One, and Bilt.
This was very helpful - thanks!
You're welcome!
Very helpful info saved me from doing something i would’ve hated later
Glad to help! 💯
I'm so glad I found your site. This is information that I'll need to review several times for complete comprehension
So glad to hear it helped you, Lydia! 💯
L❤️ve your videos, esp this one! Its so colorful, organized, and so easy to understand. Great content too, as always. 👍
Thanks so much! 💯
thorough. thanks
You bet.
This was the very video I was looking for, thank you so much. I was afraid no one made that dollar equivalent comparison between programs.
Glad it helped you!
I usually just book they Amex travel or transfer the point from my gold to the airline program. But dang the chase sapphire is great looking n !
Transfer partners can be a way to get great value! ✈️
Mark, you never disappoint. Thank you for enlightening us with your hard earned wisdom!
You're welcome! Glad you found value in the video!
Wow! This was the BEST EVER CZcams video I've seen explaining Airline Credit Cards. Thanks Mark!
Thanks Frank! Glad to hear your enjoyed it! 💯
Thank you so much for this! This was really helpful!
You're welcome!
Thanks for all the information man! Love your slides and comparisons, they really helpful in understanding all the different cards.
Glad to help, Ben!
The best summary video I have seen on credit cards so far! Very detailed review and concise visual that aided quick decision making. Thank you! I would have gotten the AMEX Gold card for my grocery spend but the AF is steep.
Glad it was helpful, Cynthia! Yep that $250 AF on the Amex Gold Card isn't the best thing ever 😂✌️ Do you have a different grocery card instead?
I don't have any card specifically for groceries but I may consider the Amex blue card preferred instead.
@@MrsCKoya - Fantastic card 💯
Thanks for the helpful comparison! The only thing I don’t hear talked about is the chase portal is a third party booking. So if you book your flight there and your flight gets canceled you are kind of screwed. Same reason I would never book a flight with Expedia, or other travel sites… always directly with the airline! So those 5x points come with a drawback!
Hi Michaela - correct! This video was about the card products themselves, not the portals. Great point nonetheless ✈ I may do a portal-focused video later on.
keep up the good work! you're the only reviewer to do these helpful and informative videos
Glad you find them valuable!
You are forgetting about the benefits on airline credit cards. For example I use my United Explorer card to book United flights instead of my Sapphire Preferred because when I do I get my checked bag for free. You have to book with that card to get the benefit. That saves minimum of $70 per round trip flight with that alone. You also get credit towards elite status
I take it you didn't watch from 11:12 to the end?
(Also re: United elite status, I added a pinned comment to the top about that).
Mark, thank yo so much for breaking this down! I've been beating myself over the head trying to figure out if I should get a airline CC even though I have two travel cards (Premiere & AMEX Green). Two quick questions, would it be worth getting the Delta Reserve or Business Reserve card? What about co-branded Hilton cards?
Hey Steve - it's only worth getting the Delta cards or Hilton cards if they provide you with more value than the cost of their fees. Follow the thought process in the video so you can make the best decision based on your own travel habits 👍
This was really helpful thank you
You're welcome!
Thanks Mike. Really appreciate the review
Glad you liked it! 🤙
Mark,
Great video man. Also some of these come with free companion type passes on airline cards. Terrible return on spend though. Are the business ones a bit better?..
I haven't done side-by-side comparisons of the personal vs. business airline cards yet, so I'm not sure. However, I have little confidence that the business versions can achieve a meaningful higher return on spend compared to general travel cards 😄✌️
One thing that makes me weary of any cards offering miles instead of cash back is that they limit what you can use the miles on. Many times the miles can only be used on “full priced tickets” or economy flights, when I can find a flight on spirit airlines or something that is up to hundreds cheaper, making the true value of these “miles” substantially less then if I were to be using a good cash back card and having the flexibility to choose the cheapest flight possible through kayak etc.
Air miles & hotel points are definitely more limited than regular 'bank points.'
You are always a wealth of information mark, I appreciate it! 😀
Thanks so much, Holly! 🌟
I have the free versions of the Delta, United, and American Airlines cards. They were all originally the mid tier cards with the sole intent of capturing the welcome bonus and then downgrading once the annual fee would kick in. I’m just a casual traveler, but I’ve got about 100k miles in each of the big 3 from spend and the occasional vacation. I’m trying to figure out what to do with them, as I have AMEX plat, AMEX blue cash preferred, and platinum honors BoA unlimited cash and customized cash rewards in my wallet that I primarily use.
Smart move to downgrade if the mid-tier cards didn't make sense to keep long term! ✈️💯
Can you make one of these comparing hotel cards like bonvoy to general cards like Amex gold and chase saphire!
I'll consider it!
This is a really important video for people to see. I was always anti airline cards because I live in philadelphia and it is an American Airlines Hub. I commute back and fourth to Miami which is also an AA hub. So my logic was its not worth getting cards for SW or united since I would have to go way out of my way to use them for that airline. I didn't even think about the transfer partners since I use my points mostly for hotel stays
Glad it widened the perspective a bit! 😃👊
why not get the Citi AAdvantage card?
@@Jiggy609 low earning rates, low average redemption and the only thing decent for me would be the lounge but so many other cards give more benefits where I can get free food on that same AA flight
You omitted discussion of lounge access and companion ticket/pass, both key comparison points, as well as of Alaska Airlines (a major US carrier).
I really liked your conversion table of point values into CPP, allowing for easy apples-to-apples. The value for Southwest was low at 1.3 (I generally get 1.4).
Hi Daniel - good point! However, this video was only meant to use the $95-fee cards as a comparison, most of which which do not have companion passes or yearly lounge access. Even still, my conclusion would be the same: airline cards are best for benefits...general travel cards are best for rewards.
Agreed, same overall conclusion. Rankings likely impacted, depending on value extracted.
Most BofA Alaska cards -- which are at that price point -- come with a single-use companion fare, which can offer good value on transcon, Hawaii, and international flights (Costa Rica, Belize, Mexico, Canada), especially when paired with upgrade options (from status, certificate, mileage, or cash).
Getting personal + biz Southwest cards at that price point can yield a companion pass (multi-use).
@@DanielRall - Correct on both! That Alaska card has some fantastic value, and the Southwest CP is one of the best perks in the entire industry 🏆
Hey Mark I know that this video is a year old but can you (or do you have) a video comparing Citi AAdvantage and Barclay’s AAdvantage Aviator cards. The Aviator Red is interesting to me but it wasn’t featured here.
I don't have a video about comparing AA cards yet.
Excellent video! Thank you!!
Thanks, glad it helped!
You explain everything very well Mark thank you🙏🏾🙏🏾
Thanks Yvens!
@@MarkReese I messed up my credit bad and currently rebuilding. Your videos give me a lot of motivation. I was a 382 score in February, created a secured card for $200 with Navy Fed in September, making on time payments clearing my balance. Now I’m 580 and recently approved for Capital One quicksilver one card with $3,000 limit. Saving the rest of my spots for when I have better credit score and can apply for chase and Amex cards. You and Ben Hedges videos have been helping me alot, only regret I didn’t find you guys sooner lol Keep doing what you’re doing, have a blessed day🙏🏾💪🏾
@@ItsEazzyBabby - Phenomenal progress man, keep it up. Buy the stuff you'd normally buy, get the bill, and pay it off in full. You should feel good about the path you're on now! 👊
Great video Mark! Question, I own American’s Executive World Elite Mastercard for the lounge access as I travel for work. I was recently approved for Chase Sapphire Preferred card as I plan to shift my everyday spending to that card. What kind of purchases would you recommend on the American Executive card? I know you mentioned to keep spending to a minimum.
Hi Mike - up to you. I personally would put no spend on the AA Executive Card with its current rewards structure. The only exception I can think of would be if you want to earn Loyalty Points to spend towards status.
Awesome video, Mark! I was searching for myself to see if its worth obtaining an airline card. Since I'm not flying that alot now. I'll just stick with the non airline cards. My next card is going to be the CSP
CSP = great choice 💯
That was very helpful! Thanks
Of course! ✈️
Planning to get the delta platinum. I am still wanting to get the venture x and have to wait 6 months. So much credit card that i want to get. Good thing me and my husband alternately applying for the credit cards we want.🤣🤣🤣
2 Player Mode is great! 🙌
I literally was looking for a video that answered this question as I have Chase Trifecta, plus WOH card for hotels, and most recently got the Amex Gold, and was obsessing over whether I should get an airline card. I live in Detroit area, which has a Delta Hub so I was watching all of the CZcams videos covering Amex Delta cards, and not really getting a clear answer to my question. This video solved everything for me. I don’t care much about airline status so I’ll just stick with Amex Gold and maybe transfer MR points to Delta. Thanks, Mark. The way you explain things really makes things clear for me.
As part of my chase trifecta, I have the CSP. This video helped me see that based on the limited amount of travel (paid) that I do, I think the next change I make to my credit card set-up is to upgrade to CSR so I can have lounge access when I do travel, and for the increased multipliers.
I think I can finally get some rest now. Lol.
Glad to hear this video helped you get some well-deserved rest! 😁👊✈
Hi Mark. You should do a video comparing the WF Autograph with your travel cc’s here: Amex Gold, CSP, and Citi. 🙂 Thank you
Thanks for the suggestion!
This might be your best video.
Glad you think so, Gerry! 🏆
I LOVE THIS VIDEO!
Glad to hear it! 👊
Nice video mmm quick question im thinking for applying amex platinum does it applies towards 5/24 chase? It is a charge card
Yes. The personal Platinum Card will appear on your credit report and count towards your 5/24 status.
Very informative video and really made me think about my credit card strategy going forward!!!
Would you ever consider making a video like this for hotel credit cards?
Glad you found value in it, RaShaun! ✈️ Yes, I do plan to create a hotel-focused version at some point.
Great job! Very helpful! 😃
Thank you, Cecilia! 💯
I have 2 airline cards. Southwest Priority...it pays for its self, and the Delta Platinum the companion pass pays for the annual fee. Also amex has great offers
Great 2 cards! I've got my eyes on that SW Priority 👊
I love my SWA Priority card ! The benefits are really good!
Great advice thanks!
You're welcome!
Mark any plans of making an Alaska Airlines credit card review especially their business card? I am on the fence of getting their card
At some point! But it's not on the priority list at the moment ✌️
4:13 I guess you didn't include the Capital One Venture even though it's a tier 3 card and very similar to the Citi Premier and CSP just because Capital One doesn't have any airline cobranded cards to compare it to right?
Didn't include it due to complexity & video length 😄✌️ Same reason I didn't include a bunch of other airline cards.
It depends. I have the AA cc buynow pay of 6 months without interest since 2009
Nice 👊✈️
It would be great to compare the top end (Reserve v. Plat, CSR, Premier, etc).
Great suggestion, Frank!
Your video has been a great help.
Glad to hear it!
Been waiting for this kind of video
Delivered! 🎬
Great job Mark, I have been getting the mid tier airlines cards that gives me something annual. I wish the emirates gold card gave me the lounge access for as long as you hold the card for that $500 a.f.. However, I will be getting the Air Canada card.
Right on 👊💯 That Aeroplan Card is fantastic.
I commented on the Marriott video you did. Great stuff. Simple and to the point. But I’d like to ask similarly like I did on the Marriott video you did, I have the citi double cash back card earning 2% on every day everything purchased as you already know. I use that cash primarily for flights or hotels. Would the best travel card then perhaps be the Citi Premire or Amex gold? Or would you stick to the straightforward cash back card? I don’t mind being loyal to a brand if that brand gave me perks like room/class upgrades or at best, free rooms/flights.
Hey Eric - when it comes to travel, I almost never recommend using cash back cards (an exception can be domestic travel, especially short-haul flights). That's because points can almost always be worth more than cash back towards travel when used strategically.
There isn't a "best travel card." That's because the best card for you may be different than for me. Credit cards are a tool to help you achieve the goals that are unique to you.
In general, I also don't recommend airline cards or hotels cards for everyday spend as it rarely makes sense to be captive to 1 program.
For that reason, the cards that earn flexible / transferrable points are best for travel and can usually achieve the highest value. You'll want to look into cards that earn:
- Chase Ultimate Rewards points
- Amex Membership Rewards points
- Citi ThankYou points
- Capital One Venture / Spark Miles
I’ll move to America soon from Germany and this whole credit card thing is so complicated. I thought an airline card might be a good choice. Probably they still are if you fly at least once pear year but it seem I have to look for a second one for paying every day stuff. At least I learned that.
👍👍
Great video!
Thanks!
This is a great video!
Thanks Amelia!
Only complaint is like based on card fees - I would have thought delta platinum vs Amex gold is the more even card level and delta platinum is better than the gold.
Totally agreed on that; I noticed after completing the video 😂👍
I have two airlines cards (United Explorer and AAdvantage Aviator) and I found out how they frequently run multiplier promos that make them good for earning miles on everyday spend. From Jan to March this year, United had 5x for dining, groceries, and Amazon (capped at $1500), then from Apr to June it’s 6x for United purchases, plus 5x for travel, gas, and groceries (capped at $1500). The AAdvantage Aviator is currently running a 3x multiplier for dining, groceries, and drug stores (capped at 3600 miles). So they are not always bad for everyday spend.
Correct & great point, William 😃👍
Where do you check that ? I have the exploder card and have never seen those offers
Excellent analysis. Probably if you at the JetBlue card (Barclays Bank) the result will be the same. Another point to consider is that with the airlines cards, you can deduct the baggage fee. In my case, a round trip travel with my wife saves us $120.00 in baggage fees with the Delta card. For everyday purchases is better not to use airline's cards. I'm learning a lot with your videos. Thank you.
Thanks Francisco! Yep, generally speaking, airline cards = worthwhile for perks (e.g. baggage fees as you mentioned), while the more flexible-currency cards are better for everyday spending.
This is a late comment on an older video so I may not get a reply, but I've decided that priority pass lounges are pretty subpar in the US so I won't be getting a premium travel card like the V1 or CSR. I've been thinking of getting the CSP to work on my trifecta and the United Explorer card (possibly even quest but quest does not have any annual club access like the explorer does). I would transfer UR points to United as it is a travel partner and pay for the taxes and fees with the United card to get the airline perks. Any thoughts?
Do what works best for you! If United is the carrier you fly most often, and if you'd use their Clubs, then it could make sense to get the card.
Hi Mark! In your opinion, where do the JetBlue cards (personal and business) fall in this argument?
The mental exercise is the same. JetBlue points are worth about 1.3¢ each. So for the JetBlue Plus Card:
- 6X JetBlue = 7.8%
- 2X Restaurants & Grocery = 2.6%
- 1X Other Purchases = 1.3%
The card could make sense for purchasing (a) JetBlue flights - provided you want to earn TrueBlue points exclusively instead of a flexible currency - and (b) JetBlue benefits...that's it. I wouldn't use it for Restaurants, Groceries, or anything else.
Your videos always helped me out
Glad to hear it, Jas! 👊
Ima guess there’s gunna be a video about hotel cards too 👀
Indeed 😁 Different angle though. I'll likely do an "Are Hotel Cards Worth It" video at some point, but the upcoming hotel upload will have a unique focus.
I have a delta skymiles platinum card and it pays for itself with a companion certificate. I have traveled delta internationally 4 times in first class and see that its almost 5x return per point.
Awesome Yadnesh! That companion certificate can be very valuable ✈️
Mark, This is a great video. The math I'm having trouble with is the value of the benefits outside of just booking airfare. I do a decent amount of domestic travel for work and to visit parents and friends. I would say I average 1 trip per month. Overwhelmingly, I have been flying frontier just because they seem to have the most direct flights and times for the destinations I need to get to. The frontier card seemed interesting because of the free checked bag and extra leg room upgrade. The idea is that the plane tickets are so cheap to begin with and usually paid by the company, I could earn points quickly to higher status and get these otherwise expensive perks. A checked bag is $50 each way, if I do 4 or 5 leisure trips per year, that would reduce my cost by about $500 just for luggage. For business trips, I'll appreciate the extra leg room with the stretch seating.
If you don't value the added benefits / rewards enough to justify the airline card, then there's no need to get it.
New subscriber 🥰
Thanks Brianna, you rock! 🌟
Aside from Marriott transfers, Alaska airline miles are hard to earn except through spend on their credit card. Some people put everyday spend on their Alaska airlines card because of the value from the miles themselves.
Yep, good point 👍 Alaska miles tend to have a higher average value than most domestic airlines, so it can be worth using their credit card to earn miles for some people who fly the airline 💯
@@MarkReese Those Cathay Pacific First class seats makes it worth it in my opinion
@@natetulchinsky2046 - 100% agreed on that 🌟
In terms of sky miles the gold sky miles card might only give you 2x for flight related purchases you have to remember that sky miles gold card has an annual fee of $99 plus a 40,000 mile bonus for signing up. Whereas the regular gold amex has a annual fee of $250 which gives you 3x miles just like the platinum sky miles card which also has the same annual fee and 3x miles plus a 65,000 miles bonus. And I’m not too sure about the regular Amex cards but I know that delta SkyMiles Amex cards also have a “first year free” so basically no annual fee for the first year and u get those free bonus miles.
Definitely worthwhile to consider the options 👍
I'd argue you're right for these mid-level cards.. but their premium cards offer enough additional perks, I'd argue if you're loyal to an airline, it can pay out, especially for status, which you won't get on Amex Gold or CSP.
Yep! On the whole, airline cards are best for the perks & spending towards status ✈️
Delta is doing a 75k sign up bonus for the Skymiles Gold card after spending 2k in 3 months. And the AF is waived on the first year!
Very strong offer! 💥
Do the other cards also have the separate program like United Mileage X does? For instance I have the app and I don't necessarily have to use the credit card but I earn miles there as I purchase gift cards everywhere! like Starbucks, Marshalls, Cheesecake Factory etc.
Yes / no. The others don't have their own apps, but many have shopping / dining portals to earn miles apart from flying or using their credit cards.
When you look at each card paired with their trifectas, citi is best for most people when it comes to airlines. Chase has good deals on luxury hotels but if you only plan on using your hotel for sleeping then I’d say it’s not worth it.
Hi Bimmer - I didn't understand. What do you mean?
@@MarkReese well when you use the Citi Custom Cash card and the Citi Premier card, odds are you’re getting 5x points on your highest spend category and 3x points on your second highest spend category throughout the year (gas and groceries for a lot of people), plus 2x points on everything else with the Citi Double Cash card. While Citi points may have a little less value with transfer partners per point on average, you can still earn more of them with the higher multipliers. Not to mention the annual fee for the card is much lower than with Amex and I’m not a high spender. Since I don’t really care about luxury hotels as long as my bed is comfortable, I’d rather just find a good deal on a hotel somewhere online rather than redeem them for a super fancy hotel I will only ever use for sleeping. When I’m on vacation the only thing I care about is the destination and exploring it so I’m pretty much never at the hotel. Last summer me and my brother were able to book a week at a hotel in Tampa Florida for just $1,000 for a full week and we had a blast. We hardly spent any time at the hotel but it was pretty nice with a continental breakfast and it had a nice pool. That’s significantly cheaper than Hyatt when redeemed from the chase travel partners. The most practical use I’d have for a travel card setup is for flights and Citi has some pretty good redemption values with some of their partners. I can fly 4 people from the East coast of the US to Hawaii just with the welcome bonus alone on the premier card for example which is an absolute steal.
I am just finishing up on a 75 day deal with my United Explorer Card where I am getting 5x back on Amazon purchases where I topped off my United account for a one way Economy ticket from Europe later this year for 23k points. I will get upgraded automatically to Premium Plus because of my status and be in standby for Business/First.
So definitely yes, the airline cards have great value but we need to hunt for the deals and always have a plan for acquiring and using points and miles along with the cash back. I also don’t like to sit on airline or hotel points.
Well said! Nice deal, too! ✈️😃
Hey Mark, can you get both Barclay and Citi AA cards? Thanks!!!
Yes 👍
Thank you for the video, it’s great information. I’m trying to get into but don’t know much. What credit card would you recommend for someone that wants to earn miles through AA? Thanks
And also sometimes I travel on LATAM.
Hi Priscila - what do you spend on each month?
I have the Amex gold card and love it. I got 80k sign up points. But I just got approved for the citi American Airlines platinum select with 80k sign up miles if I spend 4k in 4 months. How would you recommend using this card? Food is 2x miles on AA but American Express Gold is 4x. I primarily want to use the AA card for gas and some eating out.
Up to you. Personally, I wouldn't use the AA card for any spend (perhaps 1 transaction every 6 months or so to keep it active).
Exception = if you value earning Loyalty Points & you want to spend towards elite status.
I fly budget airlines like Frontier and Spirit 90% of the time. I'm considering getting the Spirit credit card since it doesn't have any transfer partners, and I can get the sign up bonus of 50k miles. I don't value any of the perks that the card gives right now (since I have gold status due to status match) or even in the future (since I don't care about zone 2 boarding or 25% off inflight purchases). The intro annual fee is $0 followed by the $79 annual fee the following year, and I would cancel before then. So essentially $0/$79 for 50k points that retail at $1250. Would you recommend getting the card if my purpose was to increase my points balance or do you suggest something else?
Sounds like a fine way to increase your points balance 👍
Awesome and informative as ALWAYS Mark! 👏🏼-- I personally use the Delta Reserve for that First class companion credit for my wife. Sucks I just learned it's only for the 48 contiguous states (guess no Hawaii first class ha!). I'm debating on maybe doing a different card to get status (Airline or Hotel). If you had to choose between Airline or Hotel Status (Based on brand card spend) which would you pick? 🤔
I am planning to upgrade my Amex delta gold card to the reserve. However, I been reading that it is extremely difficult to redeem the companion certificate because of blackout or sold out results. I have also read the the ticket you need to buy in order to get the companion ticket is more expensive than if buying on the general delta website. Is all this true? Was curious to know your experience since you have the reserve card.
I'd choose hotel status all day long 😁👊
@@Leoprieto74 unfortunately I’m still on year 1 and waiting for the certificate to arrive any day now. So I’ll try to keep you posted! It would be very unfortunate if it is hard to use or is the standard ticket becomes more expensive than usual. Either way $550 is a great deal for a round trip first class (assuming the primary ticket isn’t THAT bad 😅)
Thanks Yamah. Good luck with the companion certificate.
Good info here
One thing they're good for is building credit history when it's currently thin, or fairly new.
Indeed! Approval requirements seem to be easier on some airline cards compared to non-cobranded bank cards.
Hey Mark, you may be noticing I've been going back to some older videos. That's because these are great topics and I was curious what you had to say.
What do you think about revisiting this topic? The United comparisons, for example, might look a lot different when you go higher up to the quest and include mileage plus points for buying united tickets. Not a big stretch to think if you have the United card you would also be in their program? 8x?
I don't have plans to revisit this topic right now. Regardless of how the rewards structures have changed on airline cards, my conclusion is still the same.
@@MarkReese oh ok, I was referring to different cards vs terms of the cards in the video. But with your premise of staying with those cards in the video, I get it. Those terms have probably stayed fairly stable.
@@chriseverydailyshow4164 - Doesn't matter which cards are used. Replace any of them with any others you like.
The problem is more with the currencies themselves.
Airline miles will almost always be less valuable than transferrable bank points because (a) they give you fewer redemption options (b) are subject to more significant & more frequent devaluations and (c) have less favorable expiration policies.
Would've been better to compare Delta Platinum (3x on Delta) vs Amex Gold since they are same AF
Agreed with ya on that 👍
So basically, most ppl should get bank travel cards instead of airline cards. I rlly like the United Explorer card solely bc of the two lounge passes, although I very rarely travel with them, and the CapOne Venture is comparable. A similar video, but for hotel cards, would be very interesting!
Similar video for hotels will likely happen in the future 😃👊 Got a hotel card video coming soon, but it'll have a different focus. The United Explorer Card is great!
I am curious how a person can fly exclusively one company when the airline does not necessarily service everywhere
Sure you can get AA into most major cities but there are instances smaller cities get flown into but have less flights available
Flying internationally also becomes very useless cards
In the Delta/Amex world, a better comparison would have been between the Skymiles Platinum card and the regular Amex Gold. There's sort of a step down in benefits (and annual fees) between unbranded Amex cards and the affinity ones (e.g. an Amex Platinum Card is closer in costs/benefits to a Delta Reserve, Amex Gold to Delta Platinum, and Amex green to Delta Gold).
Agreed! 💯 Conclusion would still be the same: Amex Gold wins for overall return on spend (exception = if you have heavy hotel spend) and Delta Platinum wins for benefits.
@@MarkReese Having said that, I found your review useful and informative. 😀
@@scottr-h - Thank you! Just remembered I made a (brief) comparison of the Delta Plat. vs. Amex Gold in this video: czcams.com/video/3h5Py9kiB2A/video.html