Airmiles credit card

ampersat · 09-05-2007, 06:26 PM

I do all of my shopping for the month on my credit card, meticulously record all of my transactions and pay what the spreadsheet says I owe every month. Right now my credit card is a rewards card but I'm considering switching to an air miles card instead. Just curious what others out there in Ifish-land know about these cards. I could spend days researching them myself but figured some of you out there could help shorten the curve for me.

Catching Nemo · 09-05-2007, 07:23 PM

We use the Alaska Airlines card and have been no complaints on earning miles or redeeming them (taken care of a couple trips to Disneyland).

However, most "reward" cards have higher interest rates which might offset any benefit you receive. As a result, we don't carry a balance for very long.

spooner · 09-05-2007, 07:32 PM

i have a alaska air cc but i dont use it enuff to get the air mile to justify the $75 dolar anual fee. it take me years to get 30000 air miles to get a free ticket if i saved $75 bucks ayear i could get a ticket faster.i you spend $30000 a year stay in hotels or travel alot you can build up miles fast. it takes me about three or four years to build up enuf miles for a free ticker and with the fees its about a push.

Thumper · 09-05-2007, 08:02 PM

Air miles cards typically have an interest rate that is about 2% higher, and usually the annual fee is significantly higher too.

Ain't no free lunch.

fish_on · 09-05-2007, 09:23 PM

it costs the merchant more to take a rewards card too.

Bonk · 09-05-2007, 10:28 PM

I like the Alaska air visa. Yes you pay a fee but i get two companion tickets a year which allows a guest to fly for 50 or so dollars with the purchase of a regular ticket. So for a trip to say Alaska or Mexico you can save a ton of money.

Just_learning · 09-06-2007, 04:54 AM

I use the JPMC travel rewards card. I signed up for all the reward bonus incentives online for my FF programs. Just about any time I spend money now at grocery stores, restaurants, and bars I recieve miles. After one year of this I have nearly 35,000 miles. Enough for a RT ticket to Mexico or the Carribean. The best thing to do is just register your number with all those perk programs through the airline.

3riversBob · 09-06-2007, 07:17 AM

I use my Cabela's card. A bit higher interest rate but it is paid off every month. When they get the Cabela's open in Washington I'm going on a shopping spree. Woohoooooooooo. I don't fly often enough and like said above it takes along time to accumulate those air miles so for me the Cabela's card is a bonus.

Bob

mandinga · 09-06-2007, 07:42 AM

I use an AMEX for my credit purchases. The annual fee isn't overwhelming and the points I earn I can redeem at any airline...

Chrome Bumper · 09-06-2007, 07:58 AM

We always pay the bill, so the interest rate doesn't matter. Airt miles used to be much better.

Sue says she wants to use some miles to go see Alaska. That almost floored me, but she says it won't be a fishing trip..... heh,heh, we'll see.

We have bou coup miles but they make it hard to redeem when you want too.
How has redeeming the AMEX card miles been? Our cash back cards hit a annual limit at several hundred dollars kickback too.

Olympic games next year.

Matthewc · 09-06-2007, 10:52 AM

what is the miles conversion? sky miles to real dollars>..

fishbait · 09-06-2007, 01:32 PM

Alaska miles cards for me.

One for work and one for pers, both drive miles to the same air mile account

Most years I can get them to wave the annual fee.

$50 companion fare is a great deal.

Don't care about the rate as if I cant pay for it when the bill comes I don't buy it. I treat my cards like cash........ No credit

my 2 miles worth

Jeremy · 09-06-2007, 01:47 PM

Also use the Alaska Air card, $75 yearly fee, $50 yearly companion fare, always pay off the bill every month, and we get a couple free flights a year with the miles.

Thunnus · 09-06-2007, 10:58 PM

I used to use an Alaska card all the time, then I got a Cabelas card and used that for a couple of years. I always pay it every month so interest rates are moot. They all pay you back the annual fee you pay one way or another. Alaska kept pesting me to get their card again, they gave me enough free miles to take a trip anywhere in Alaska or the lower 48, plus the two $50 companion fare coupons. I got that for $75. Anyway, after the year is up I will go back to Cabelas. You pay their annual fee, but they give you it back in Cabelas bucks.

That is my 2 cents.

bcline76 · 09-07-2007, 06:31 AM

If you are able to travel a few times a year the 'miles' card is the way to go. If you can't take advantage of the $50 companion fare every year then it may make more sense to get a cash back type card w/ no or lower yearly fee. I think right now if you apply for the alaska signature card you'll get 20k bonus miles, not to shabby.

Matthewc · 09-07-2007, 09:05 AM

Again, what is the conversion rate for dollar to miles....???

How many miles do you need for 1 round trip ticket? to say Anchorage?

24 on/ 48 off · 09-07-2007, 09:43 AM

Here is Alaska Airlines reward chart

--spud--

Jeremy · 09-07-2007, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matthewc

Again, what is the conversion rate for dollar to miles....???

How many miles do you need for 1 round trip ticket? to say Anchorage?

Watch out thats kind of liking adding up all of your fishing expenses to see how much your salmon costs. Its usually $1 = 1 mile so it takes about $25,000 to get a free round trip flight in the US. There are a lot of places that will you give you triple miles for every dollar and stuff like that, plus the $50 companion fare is worth a couple hundred bucks depending on where you are flying to.

Flash27 · 09-07-2007, 10:26 AM

I have an Alaska Airlines Card too. I have like 85,000 miles racked up. You can get additional miles very easily. Do all your bookings on-line, web check-ins, etc.

I opened this account up about 6-7 years ago as a work cc that i got reimbursed for. Well I don't work there anymore and this last year I was going to cancel my card, the guy asked me why and I told him I just don't use it anymore and that I did not see the point in paying the $75 for 2000 aniversary miles. He said well what if we wave that fee, so I was like sure.

So this last year I didn't have to pay teh $75.00 and I got my aniversary miles too.

CamoHunter · 09-07-2007, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeremy

Also use the Alaska Air card, $75 yearly fee, $50 yearly companion fare, always pay off the bill every month, and we get a couple free flights a year with the miles.

Wing Locked · 09-07-2007, 11:36 AM

Its a good thing when you treat your credit cards like cash. Most people have a problem with that (debit is the "American Way" right?:shocked

.

I do the same, pay the card off every month so interest rates didn't bother me too much.

I had the AlaskaAir card for quite a while, but don't travel often enough to use it. Whenever I do, I tend to use it on First class upgrades and that's about it. Didn't like th $75/year either.

Switched over to the Cabela's card about 2yrs ago. I looked at what I spent my $ on and alot of it is sporting stuff. So it made sense to get the card. I tend to put all my business expenses on the card and pay them off right away, so it's definately a WIN for me, especially when I take 4 guys to TREO and expense the whole thing!

About to go on a spending spree at Cabelas here pretty soon. :smile:

Motor Mouth · 09-07-2007, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandinga

I use an AMEX for my credit purchases. The annual fee isn't overwhelming and the points I earn I can redeem at any airline...

I use Amex SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest). $30 year fee and can transfer 20,000 SPG points to 25,000 miles on Alaska, American, and a ton more. Alaska Visa is nice if you buy a lot of tickets on AS web site as they give bonus for the purchases.

Clyde · 09-07-2007, 07:48 PM

Whatever you decide stay away from United airlines. I've had such bad experiences with them that I gave my last 2 free tickets to my Mother-in-law. :grin: