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ARE YOU NEW TO MILES & POINTS CREDIT CARDS? READ MY NEWBIE GUIDE TO LEARN HOW TO USE THEM TO FULL ADVANTAGE!
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This is simply a list of which travel credit cards (airlines, hotels, travel points) cards are in existence and where you can look for more information.
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This is not a list of current best deals on offer.
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Do not apply for any of these cards until you have checked all resources to make sure you are getting the best deal.
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You should also check on the airline or hotel’s website and FlyerTalk to see if there are any better offers going.
- Cash back cards are not included in this list.
- The links are to the bank’s page and are not affiliate links.
- I’m not going to list cruise cards as they are such a bad deal, you are better off with a cash back card.
- The figures may have changed by the time you read this.
- Cards will be listed by bank issuing them in alphabetical order.
- Although some cards may be “churnable”, meaning you can get the same card more than once, it is best to assume they are one-time only bonuses and keep you eye on FlyerTalk to see if others are currently churning a card.
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I am only listing the name of the card, sign up bonus, minimum spend and annual fee (waived or not) for each card. Some cards will have extra benefits such as category bonuses, free checked bags, priority boarding, elite benefits, lounge passes. To see these, click on the card’s link. Some cards also have business versions, please click on the respective links for details.
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AMERICAN EXPRESS (MEMBERSHIP REWARDS & CO-BRANDED TRAVEL CARDS)
THESE CARDS EARN MEMBERSHIP REWARDS
Amex Platinum Card – 25,000 sign up – $2000 minimum spend – Annual fee $450, not waived
Amex PRG (Premier Rewards Gold) – $25,000 sign up – $2000 minimum spend – Annual fee $175, waived first year
Mercedes Benz – 10,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $95, not waived
Most people wouldn’t sign up for the next two but downgrade an existing card to avoid the annual fee and keep collecting Membership Rewards.
Amex Gold Card – No sign up bonus/minimum spend – Annual fee $125, waived first year.
Amex Green Card – No sign up bonus/minimum spend – Annual fee $125, waived first year.
CO-BRANDED CARDS: POINTS POST DIRECTLY TO PARTNER’S PROGRAM
Gold Delta SkyMiles – 30,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $95, waived first year.
Platinum Delta SkyMiles – 35,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $150, not waived.
Delta Reserve – 10,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $450, not waived.
Jet Blue – 20,000 sign up – $2000 minimum spend – Annual fee $40, waived first year.
Hilton HHonors – 40,000 sign up – $750 minimum spend – No Annual fee.
Hilton HHonors Surpass – 60,000 sign up – $3000 minimum spend – Annual fee $75, not waived.
Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) – 25,000 sign up – $5000 minimum spend – Annual fee $65, waived first year.
BUSINESS CARDS AVAILABLE: PLATINUM, GOLD, DELTA, SPG
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BANK OF AMERICA
Alaska Airlines – 25,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $35-75, not waived.
Asiana Airlines – 10,000 sign up – First purchase – Annual fee $99, not waived
Spirit Airlines – 15,000 sign up – First purchase – Annual fee $19-59, not waived.
Virgin Atlantic – 20,000 sign up – First purchase – Annual fee $90, not waived
BankAmericard Travel Rewards – 10,000 sign up – $500 minimum spend – No annual fee. Points can be used to pay any travel expense on your statement, not transferable to airlines.
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BARCLAYS
Be careful with this bank. They will deny you if you have what they deem to be “too many recent inquiries” or “sufficient credit with them”. They have a lot of partners (see link above), most of which don’t represent a good deal. I wouldn’t waste an inquiry on Aer Lingus, Best Western, Choice, China Airlines, Iceland Air, Wyndham unless they come out with a major sign up promo. They do have a couple good partners such as US Airways but this card will likely disappear once the merger is final. Barclays is also fond of bait & switch. You apply for a signature card and get a gold card for example. They also advertise what looks like good sign up bonuses, then in the fine print, you need to do a balance transfer to get a lot of it.
Balance transfer points are not included below. Check on FlyerTalk before applying as this Bank is constantly changing bonuses and terms.
Frontier– 40,000 sign up – $500 minimum spend – Annual fee $69, not waived. No fee card available with lesser bonus.
Hawaiian Airlines (new) –
Lufthansa Miles & More – 20,000 sign up – First purchase – Annual fee $79, not waived unless elite with LH.
US Airways – 30,000 sign up – First purchase – Annual fee $89, not waived.
BarclayCard Arrival – 40,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend, $89, waived first year. Points can be used to pay any travel expense on your statement, not transferable to airlines.
BUSINESS CARDS AVAILABLE: FRONTIER & US AIRWAYS
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CITIBANK
These cards can be churned, usually by waiting until Citibank thinks you are a “new” customer again. This can take anywhere from 15-24 months. Best advice is in the FlyerTalk thread, where you can usually find much better offers as well. I haven’t listed the “Thank You” series of Citicards as they are more cash back than travel orientated.
AAdvantage Citi Gold – 25,000 sign up – $750 minimum spend, $50, waived first year.
AAdvantage Platinum – 30,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend, $95, waived first year.
CitiBusiness AAdvantage World Mastercard – 30,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend, $95, waived first year.
Hilton HHonors Reserve – 2 weekend nights, $2500 minimum spend – Annual fee $95, not waived.
Hilton HHonors Visa Signature – 40,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend, No annual fee.
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CHASE
Chase is probably the miles & points collectors’ favourite bank. They have a wide variety of Ultimate Rewards cards and Co-branded cards. Ultimate Rewards can transfer to various airlines & hotels or be used to pay for travel or statement credits. You need a card with an annual fee to be able to transfer Ultimate Rewards points out. Co-branded cards directly sweep to the partner’s program after each statement. Using a combination of United Airlines cards and Ultimate Rewards cards it is pretty easy to get enough from a sign up bonus for even long-haul business class awards or several shorter flights.
ULTIMATE REWARDS CARDS
Chase Freedom – 10,000 sign up – $500 minimum spend, No annual fee.
Chase Sapphire – 10,000 sign up – $500 minimum spend, No annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Preferred – 40,000 sign up – $3000 minimum spend, $95, waived first year.
Ink Cash – 20,000 sign up – $3000 minimum spend, No annual fee.
Ink Classic – 20,000 sign up – $3000 minimum spend, No annual fee.
Ink Bold – 50,000 sign up – $5000 minimum spend, $95, waived first year.
Ink Plus – 50,000 sign up – $5000 minimum spend, $95, waived first year.
CO-BRANDED CARDS
British Airways Visa – 50,000 sign up – $2000 minimum spend – Annual fee $95, not waived.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier – 25,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $99, not waived.
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus – 25,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $69, not waived.
United Mileage Plus Explorer – 30,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $95, waived first year.
United Mileage Plus Club Card – $100 Statement credit after first purchase, United Club membership – Annual fee $395, not waived.
Fairmont Visa – 2 free nights, $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $95, waived first year.
Hyatt Credit Card – 2 free nights, $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $75, waived first year.
IHG Rewards Club – 60,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $49, waived first year.
Marriott Rewards Signature Visa – 30,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $45, waived first year.
Marriott Rewards Premier Signature Visa – 50,000 sign up – $1000 minimum spend – Annual fee $85, waived first year.
Ritz-Carlton Visa – 70,000 sign up – $2000 minimum spend – Annual fee $395, not waived.
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US BANK
Although their cards are with foreign airlines, two of them are very useful to eco-tourists: Avianca Lifemiles & LANPass. They also have one of the best hotel cards on the market, the Club Carlson Visa. Most of their cards have anniversary bonuses built in, see card’s web page for details.
U.S. Bank FlexPerks® Travel Rewards Visa – 20,000 sign up – $3500 minimum spend – Annual fee $49, not waived. Award travel starts at just 20,000 FlexPoints (up to a $400 ticket value) on over 150 airlines with no blackout dates or redemption fees.2 List of available airlines.
AeroMexico Visa Card – 15,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $45, waived first year.
AeroMexico Visa Signature Card – 20,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $80, waived first year.
LANPASS Visa – 15,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $45, waived first year.
LANPASS Signature Visa – 20,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $75, waived first year.
Lifemiles Visa – 15,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $45, waived first year.
Lifemiles Signature Visa – 20,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $75, waived first year.
Skypass (Korean Airlines) Visa Classic – 5,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $50, not waived.
SkyBlue Skypass – 5,000 sign up – No minimum spend – No annual fee.
Skypass Visa SIgnature – 15,000 sign up – No minimum spend – Annual fee $80, not waived.
Club Carlson Visa Signature – 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase plus 10,000 points once you spend $1,500 on your card within the first 90 days – Annual fee $50, not waived.
Club Carlson Premier Visa Signature – 50,000 Gold Points after your first purchase plus 35,000 points once you spend $2,500 on your card within the first 90 days. Annual fee $75, not waived.
ALL CLUB CARLSON CARDS -Bonus Award Nights – When you redeem Gold Points for 2 or more consecutive Award Nights, your last night is free. Exclusively for cardmembers!
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In future posts, I will be referring back to this list in showing you how to strategize best use of these credit card sign ups to get the points you need for YOUR trip.