Frequent Flyer Credit Card

When looking for a frequent flyer credit card, it pays to understand some of the options that are available right now. These airline rewards cards offer sky miles to those individuals who do a lot of shopping, and they can prove valuable for individuals who travel a lot. Choosing from among all of the different frequent flyer credit cards can be a bit of a challenge, given the crowded industry. The best credit cards for a frequent flyer will offer not only miles and other rewards, but also flexibility in how those miles are used during the year.

The base sky miles offer
Each frequent flyer credit card will offer a base number of miles for each dollar spent. This is standard across the industry and it serves as the primary incentive for shopping with a credit card. The best cards offer two miles per dollar spent. The Capital One Venture Rewards card has been the gold standard in this industry over the last couple of years, and it set the bar high with the two mile offer. Cards like the American Express Blue Sky offer only one point per dollar spent, so it’s easy to see how the miles would add up with either choice.

Introductory bonus offers
When you shop around for frequent flyer credit cards, be on the lookout for the best introductory offers. Card providers need to entice people, so they use large mile bonuses in the beginning. A good example of this is once again provided by the Capital One Venture Rewards card, as it offers 10,000 bonus miles for customers who spend $1,000 in their first three months. Other cards are more generous and stretch their offers out for a longer period. The Escape Card from Discover, for instance, offers 25,000 bonus miles spread over 25 months if a customer makes a purchase in every month.

Finding the best introductory offers is important, as this can give frequent flyers a free trip right off the bat and it can also get them started on a nice collection of sky miles.

Acknowledging restrictions
It is important to recognize that certain restrictions exist with a few of the frequent flyer credit cards. Hidden in the fine print of many cards are conditions that restrict how these miles can be used. When looking for the best card, you will want to choose one that offers the following things:

• No restrictions on how many miles you can accumulate in a year
• Miles roll over from one year to the next
• Miles can be applied to premium dates and destinations
• No restrictions on seat location or airline

Capital One’s lot of cards offers these things, as does the Bank of America Power Reward card. With fewer restrictions, you will be able to conveniently and realistically take advantage of the offers you receive.

In addition to these things, a good frequent flyer credit card will include other rewards that can be claimed during the course of the year. Many cards offer cash back, as well as hotel and merchandise discounts. With so much competition in the market, it’s important to hold out for a card that offers many incentives.