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Travel Miles Credit Cards

An airline credit card won’t mean anything if you never fly. A branded hotel credit card is useful only if you’re a loyal guest. A more general travel credit card is versatile, but often gives fewer rewards or charges no foreign transaction fees. The value of your travel credit card depends on your travel patterns, so it’s important to choose one that you’ll get a lot of value of. Use the filters below to find a card (some of which are from our partners) that’s right for you.

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Credit Card Annual Fee Rewards Rate Sign Up Bonus *Annual Rewards dollarsign
Barclays Arrival Plus Credit Card

Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard®

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Show Details 		$89 - Waived first year 2.20%* question Earn 40,000 bonus miles when you...question $651
Apply Now

on Barclays's
secure website
thumbsupPros
  • High rewards rate
  • 0% on balance transfers for 12 months
thumbsdownCons
  • Has annual fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$440$220
Rewards from spending ^$950 $475
Annual fee($89)($45)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$1,301 $651
^ Get 10% of miles credited back to your account when you redeem as a statement credit against any travel expense
Account Details

  • Earn 40,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 90 days — that's enough to redeem for a $400 travel statement credit
  • 0% intro APR for 12 months for each Balance Transfer made within 45 days of account opening. After that, a variable APR currently 14.99% or 18.99%, depending on your creditworthiness.
  • Earn 2X miles on all purchases - Miles don't expire as long as your account is open, active and in good standing
  • Chip card for increased confidence and convenience to pay abroad as easily as you do at home
  • Redeem your miles for travel statement credits - redemptions start at 2,500 miles for $25 toward travel purchases made in the last 120 days
  • Get 10% miles back to use toward your next redemption every time you redeem for travel statement credits
  • No foreign transaction fees on anything you buy while in another country
  • Complimentary online FICO® Credit Score access for Barclaycard Arrival cardmembers

See complete Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard® details

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

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Show Details 		$0 intro for first year; $59 after that 2 miles* question Enjoy a one-time bonus of 40,000...question $603
Apply Now

on Capital One's
secure website
thumbsupPros
  • High rewards rate
  • No foreign transaction fee
thumbsdownCons
  • Has annual fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$400$200
Rewards from spending ^$864 $432
Annual fee($59)($30)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$1,205 $603
^ 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day
Account Details

  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 40,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months, equal to $400 in travel
  • Fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
  • Travel when you want—no blackout dates
  • Miles don't expire and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No annual fee for the first year; $59 after that
  • 100% free Capital One® Credit Tracker—see your monthly credit score anytime and get automatic alerts

See complete Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card details

Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

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Show Details 		Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95. 1.00%* question Earn 40,000 bonus points after y...question $393
Apply Now

on Chase's
secure website
thumbsupPros
  • No foreign transaction fee
thumbsdownCons
  • Has annual fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$400$200
Rewards from spending ^$480 $240
Annual fee($95)($48)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$785 $393
^ Points worth 25% more when redeemed for travel; also earn 2 points per $1 on travel and dining
Account Details

  • Earn 40,000 bonus points when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $500 in travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate RewardsSM.
  • Earn 5,000 bonus points after you add the first authorized user and make a purchase in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • 2X points on travel and dining at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees, plus Chip and Signature enabled for international travel.
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs at full value — that means 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points equal 1,000 partner miles/points.
  • 24/7 direct access to dedicated customer service specialists
  • Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95

See complete Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card details

Bank of America Travel Rewards Credit Card

BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Credit Card

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Show Details 		$0 1.50%

Based on value of points when redeemed for a travel credit 		Online exclusive 10,000 bonus points if you make at least $500 in purchases in the first 90 days- that can be $100 towards travel purchases. $374
Apply Now

on Bank of America's
secure website
Rewards Over 24 Billing Cycles
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$100$50
Rewards from spending ^$648 $324
Annual fee($0)($0)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
 $374
^ Based on value of points when redeemed for a travel credit
Account Details

  • Earn 1.5 points per $1 on every purchase, every time with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
  • Online exclusive 10,000 bonus points if you make at least $500 in purchases in the first 90 days - that can be $100 towards travel purchases
  • Book travel as you normally would and go online or call to redeem your points for a statement credit toward all or part of your travel purchases
  • Redeem points to pay for flights, hotels, vacation packages, cruises, rental cars, or baggage fees with no blackout dates
  • No limit to the total number of points you can earn and points don't expire
  • Bank of America customers: Get an annual 10% customer points bonus on your total purchases when you have a Bank of America® checking or savings account
  • 0% Introductory APR for 12 billing cycles for purchases, then 14.99% - 22.99% Variable APR

See complete BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Credit Card details

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card

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Show Details 		$0 1.25 miles* question Enjoy a one-time bonus of 20,000...question $370
Apply Now

on Capital One's
secure website
thumbsupPros
  • High rewards rate
  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$200$100
Rewards from spending ^$540 $270
Annual fee($0)($0)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$740 $370
^ 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase
Account Details

  • Earn unlimited 1.25 miles on every purchase, every day
  • Pay no annual fee or foreign transaction fees
  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months
  • Fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
  • Enjoy a low intro APR on purchases until November 2015; 11.9%-19.9% variable APR after that
  • Travel when you want—no blackout dates
  • Miles don't expire and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • 100% free Capital One® Credit Tracker—see your monthly credit score anytime and get automatic alerts

See complete Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card details

Citibank Hilton HHonors Credit Card

Citi® Hilton HHonorsTM Visa Signature® Card

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Show Details 		None 1.00%* question 40,000 HHonors Bonus Points afte...question $340
Apply Now

on Citibank's
secure website
thumbsupPros
  • No annual fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$200$100
Rewards from spending ^$480 $240
Annual fee($0)($0)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$680 $340
^ NerdWallet estimates HHonors Points at 0.5 cents each, so 2 points per $1 spent equates to 1% back.
Account Details

  • Earn 40,000 Hilton HHonors Bonus Points after spending $1,000 within 4 months of account opening*
  • Earn 6 HHonors Bonus Points for each $1 spent at a participating hotel within the Hilton HHonors portfolio.*
  • Earn 3 HHonors Bonus Points for each $1 spent on purchases at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations*
  • Earn 2 HHonors Bonus Points for each $1 spent on all other purchases*
  • No annual fee.*

See complete Citi® Hilton HHonorsTM Visa Signature® Card details

Chase Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Credit Card

Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card

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Show Details 		$99 1.43%* question Get 25,000 points for 1 Roundtri...question $335
Apply Now

on Chase's
secure website
thumbsupPros
  • High rewards rate
  • No foreign transaction fee
thumbsdownCons
  • Has annual fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$250$125
Rewards from spending ^$618 $309
Annual fee($198)($99)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$670 $335
^ You can currently redeem 60 points for $1 of Wanna Get Away fare, making points worth 1.67 cents each. But airfare booked on or after March 31, 2014 costs 70 points per $1 of WGA fare, so we use that number - 1.43 cents per point - in our estimates.
Account Details

  • Get 25,000 points for 1 Roundtrip Flight after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of opening your account. Government fees as low as $12 not included.
  • Get 6,000 points after your Cardmember Anniversary.
  • Earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest Airlines® and AirTran® Airways purchases made directly with the airlines and on Rapid Rewards Hotel and Car Rental Partner purchases.
  • Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Redeem points for gift cards, car rentals, cruises, hotel stays, and international flights to over 800 Destinations on 50+ global carriers.
  • No foreign transaction fees

See complete Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card details

Barclays US Airways Premier World Credit Card

The US Airways® Premier World MasterCard®

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Show Details 		$89 1.00% Earn 40,000 bonus miles after yo...question $327
Apply Now

on Barclays's
secure website
thumbsupPros
  • 0% on balance transfers for 15 months
thumbsdownCons
  • Has annual fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$400$200
Rewards from spending ^$432 $216
Annual fee($178)($89)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$654 $327
^ based on NerdWallet's estimated value of US Airways Miles
Account Details

  • Earn 40,000 bonus miles after your first purchase and payment of the $89 annual fee*
  • First checked bag free on eligible bags for you and up to four companions on domestic US Airways operated flights
  • One companion certificate good for up to 2 guests to travel with you on a US Airways operated flight at $99 each, plus taxes and fees
  • Priority boarding Zone 2 on US Airways operated flights
  • Redeem miles for award travel on US Airways and American Airlines booked through usairways.com or US Airways Reservations
  • Earn miles on every purchase with 2 miles for every $1 you spend on US Airways and American Airlines purchases and 1 mile for every $1 on purchases everywhere else
  • New! Receive a 25% savings on eligible US Airways and American Airlines in-flight purchases
  • Please see terms and conditions for complete details

See complete The US Airways® Premier World MasterCard® details

Chase Sapphire with Ultimate Rewards Credit Card

Chase Sapphire® Card

starstarstarstarhalfstar
Show Details 		$0 1.00%* question 10,000 bonus points when you spe...question $290
Apply Now

on Chase's
secure website
thumbsupPros
  • No annual fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$100$50
Rewards from spending ^$480 $240
Annual fee($0)($0)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$580 $290
^ 2 points per $1 on restaurant purchases and 1 per $1 elsewhere
Account Details

  • 10,000 bonus points when you spend $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening - that's $100 in travel rewards when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards℠!
  • 2,500 bonus points after you add the first authorized user and make a purchase in the first 3 months from account opening
  • 2X points on dining at restaurants and 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
  • Points never expire, and there are no limits on how many points you can earn
  • Redeem points for travel, gift cards, merchandise, cash back and more
  • 24/7 direct access to dedicated customer service specialists
  • No Annual Fee!

See complete Chase Sapphire® Card details

US Bank LANPASS Visa Card Credit Card

US Bank LANPASS Visa Card

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Show Details 		$0 the first year, then $45 1.00% 15,000 LANPASS Miles Bonus - wit...question $269
Apply Now

on US Bank's
secure website
thumbsdownCons
  • Has annual fee
Rewards Over 2 Years
TotalPer Year
Sign up bonus ^$150$75
Rewards from spending ^$432 $216
Annual fee($45)($23)
Annual rewards
dollarsign
$537 $269
^ based on NerdWallet's estimated value of LANPASS Miles
Account Details

  • Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on purchases
  • 2,000 Bonus Miles with annual renewal
  • 10% discount on LAN purchase once a year, up to $500
  • 10% flight miles bonus

See complete US Bank LANPASS Visa Card details

* These values are NerdWallet's estimates and do not represent content provided by or commissioned by credit card providers.
We want to hear from you and encourage a lively discussion among our users. Please help us keep our site clean and safe by following our posting guidelines, and avoid disclosing personal or sensitive information such as bank account or phone numbers. Any comments posted under NerdWallet's official account are not reviewed or endorsed by representatives of financial institutions affiliated with the reviewed products, unless explicitly stated otherwise.
  1. [2013-07-02 16:59:45] - NerdWallet says: Thanks! Glad we can help.
  2. [2013-07-02 16:59:32] - NerdWallet says: Thanks, AT! You're best off with a Visa or MasterCard - we usually recommend the Capital One Venture as it has one of the best rewards rates in the business at 2 miles per $1 spent. It has no foreign transaction fee, and it's a Visa, so you're in the clear to use it in Australia.
  3. [2013-07-02 16:58:45] - NerdWallet says: I'd suggest the Capital One Venture, because you can use your miles against any travel expense - you aren't tied to a single airline program, or even to award flights at all. Moreover, it has no foreign transaction fee, so you won't be charged extra when you spend money abroad.
  4. [2013-07-02 16:57:49] - NerdWallet says: Thanks, Travis! Glad to hear we can help, and great tip on calling up the card issuer to switch between MC and Visa. Cheers, The Nerds
  5. [2013-07-02 16:57:16] - NerdWallet says: Hey Joel- We value Hilton HHonors points at 0.5 cents each, versus the typical 1 cent each, because the redemption rates are, well, not quite the best. Ditto for Marriott points - they went down in value from about 1 cent per point to just 0.8 cents apiece because of the lower redemption rates.
  6. [2013-07-02 16:15:19] - NerdWallet says: If you're interested in earning points, you're probably better off with the Capital One Venture Rewards, which earns 2 miles per $1 on every purchase. The Amex charge cards are known more for their perks (like airport lounge access or airline incidental credits) than for great rewards.
  7. [2013-07-02 16:14:27] - NerdWallet says: Hey there- I'd double check to see if the 3x points on gas, groceries and drugstores is a limited time deal (for example, you get those rewards only in the first 6 months) or whether those rewards last throughout the life of the card. Those kind of great-rewards-short-lifespan deals are fairly common, but usually not a good idea.
  8. [2013-07-02 16:13:10] - NerdWallet says: Corey's got it - you'll have to combine points to get there. Your best bet is probably to get the United MileagePlus Explorer and use the signup bonus to book one leg of the journey, and also get the Chase Sapphire Preferred and redeem your Ultimate Rewards Points for a ticket to cover the rest of the journey. That way, your Ultimate Rewards Points stretch farther, as they're worth 25% more when used for travel booked through the Chase portal.
  9. [2013-06-05 15:57:25] - NerdWallet says: Hi Mary, Chase is currently revamping the Southwest credit card - it comes and goes periodically, so check back soon!
  10. [2013-06-05 13:04:09] - Mary Anne says: I am genuinely surprised to not see the Southwest Rapid Rewards Visa listed, especially since you can actually accrue enough points to earn an annual free companion pass. Why is this card not rated in the mix?
  11. [2013-06-03 01:07:06] - Corey says: 12k miles on any credit card is not enough to get you to India. What you could do is sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the United Explorer MileagePlus card sign-up bonuses to get the 80k miles needed for a roundtrip US-India ticket. 40k from the CSP + 30k from the United card + 12k from spending = 82k. There is also a 50k offer for the United card floating around that you should be able to get.
  12. [2013-04-26 17:32:11] - HealthyTurtle says: Thinking about making a big purchase (~12K) on a credit card and then using bonus points/purchase points for travel from US to India in December. Any recommendations?
  13. [2013-04-22 19:43:00] - Guest says: I was just offered Signature Visa (black) Concierge Services card today by my bank, Wells Fargo. It's a one time offer (so they say). There is not an annual fee, 0 interest for 12 months on purchases and balance transfer. 3 points on gas, groceries and drugstores and one point on everything else. Should I get it? I presently have Capital One Venture which I get 1.25 points on everything. It sound too good of an offer. please advice. Thank you
  14. [2013-04-15 01:14:09] - Dave says: I'm trying to decide between Amex Preferred Rewards Gold and the Amex Platinum card. Just interested in earning points to redeem for domestic flights. Will use the card for all purchases. Any thoughts?
  15. [2013-04-03 22:58:10] - NerdWallet says: Hi Student Traveler, An EMV card is a great choice for travelling abroad – they are indeed more secure than the average credit card, thanks to the EMV chip. Every time you make a transaction and swipe your card, with or without an EMV chip, the point of sales terminal reads your card’s PIN or code, sent over by your card’s magnetic strip. With just that strip – and without an EMV chip – the card’s coding is static – it’s replicable. Meanwhile, with an EMV chip, unique code is generated with each transaction, which means it’s much harder to access your account. There’s that, and the fact that most EMV transactions require a PIN – can’t forge that! Now, onto a specific card recommendation. It’s true that options are a little limited this side of the pond – EMV is way bigger in Europe – but there are a couple cards out there. Most, unfortunately, will charge an annual fee, and they’re not necessarily catered to students, like yourself – but you can work around both those problems with the British Airways Visa Signature card. First, that annual fee: The British Airways card may charge you $95 every year, but it’s easy to earn that cash back with the signup bonus and rewards. Spend $1,000 in the first 3 months – something that’s not terribly difficult as a student abroad – and you’ll get back 50,000 Avios. Those are British Airways’ points, and they’re each worth 1 cent, which means you get back $50 within the first 3 months of carrying the card. You’ll also earn as you spend, with 1.25 Avios for every $1 on all purchases and 2.5 Avios on every $1 of British Airways purchases. The only catch: these Avios are redeemable for flights with British Airways, and, when you’re back in the States, on American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and LAN. In other words, for this card’s rewards to catch your eye, you’ll want to travel with British Airways abroad or you’ll want to book a domestic flight when you’re back Stateside. Second, as we already mentioned, these cards aren’t catered toward students, which means application approval is a little tougher for you. To seal the deal, you’ll need a parent to co-sign. Assuming they’ve taken out loans or have an active credit card, your parent will have credit history to prove to your lenders that you’re worth the risk with this credit card. If you’re not looking for travel rewards and want something more basic, check out the State Department Federal Credit Union Platinum card. There may not be many perks and the rewards may be thin, at 1 Flexpoint per dollar spent, but there’s no foreign transaction fee, annual fee or balance transfer fee. Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any further questions.
  16. [2013-03-23 01:54:09] - Joel Solon says: Has Nerdwallet updated its valuation of the recently devalued hotel reward programs such as Hilton and Marriott? I expect that it would change the ranking of those cards.
  17. [2013-03-18 18:01:07] - Travis Meyer says: Hi, Great Site! I used your specs to narrow down my next card to the Chase Sapphire and wanted to add some info I came across. I was confused as to whether the Sapphire was a Visa or Mastercard. A yahoo answer post said that you can choose during the application processes, but in my experience this didn't happen. After getting approved, I still wasn't told what kind of card it was. This was important because I have a SAMs club mebership that doesn't use Visa, only Mastercard/Discover, so I called Chase, and they said the card was a VISA, but that I can switch to Mastercard. So I did over the phone. Hope this helps future applicants!
  18. [2013-03-14 18:03:55] - Jennifer Viera says: Hi! Great Blog here! I'm looking for a card in which I can transfer my miles/points to any airline on a ratio of 1:1. I like the Discover Miles card, but its not accepted in many places. I travel to Europe.. so I'm looking for that card. C
  19. [2013-03-11 13:49:41] - Australian Traveler says: I'm looking for a credit card for my travels to Australia next year. I currently have a MasterCard and I'm fairly certain I can use that over in Australia just fine, but will be subject to the 3% foreign transaction fee. I checked out your list of top credit cards with no foreign transaction fees (which is awesome by the way!) but I've heard from others that the only credit cards that are accepted in Australia are Visa or MasterCard. Would you have any knowledge on this subject/know what the best credit card for the fewest fees for Australia would be?
  20. [2013-03-07 14:27:37] - cottageme.com says: This is so cool..thanks so much for the info. Love it!
  21. [2013-01-10 15:47:14] - Alan says: I will go to Japan next month, possibly on United. I would like to go to Kenya or South Africa this year also. I was thinking of an American Express card. What are better choices ? Thanks
  22. [2013-01-06 03:41:38] - eb88 says: It's January 2013, Capital One Venture offers 10K bonus miles as sign-up. You mentioned waiting for an "impressive" bonus. Is this it? Or should I wait? I am leaving Citibank AAdvantage after 15 years....Or do you think Chase Sapphire is better "rewards" for high annual spenders than Capital One? Thanks. LOVE LOVE LOVE this site!
  23. [2012-10-12 17:13:27] - gentleway says: I'm torn...I believe it is good to get a travel card to avoid the foreign trans fee. (NOTE: i have the amex blue cash preferred which gets most of daily expenses.) I don't want to align to a hotel or airline so which to get? Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture or Citi Thank YOU Premier? cap1 is the most simple and nice long term but because of my amex card?? Sapphire Preferred has 2x for travel, 20% discount on travel, 7% pnt dividend & transfer pts to (a few) airline plans... Citi TY Premier, 1.2 pts (after 2 years) BUT annual domestic companion ticket (offsets annual fee), 33% value for airline purchase thru provide + 15% discount booking thru Spirit and the nicest; flight points. My families current travel budget will be 3-5k/year but will go up as my kids get a little older. Suggestions? I might be over-complicating the selection process.
  24. [2012-09-04 20:41:42] - Ken K says: I have a Southwest card that gives me rewards (or points) for the miles I fly plus one point for every dollar spent on purchases. If I switch to a Capital One Venture card do I get points for the miles I fly on Southwest plus purchases.
  25. [2012-08-30 20:35:40] - Jam says: I am not sure, but it feels to me that there is one angle of analysis that you guys don't have which I would like very much. All these travels cards seem to be of the type where you spend money on "other things" and gain points to use on flights. What I am really interested in and what I can't find a good resource on is a travel card that is the best for the money you actually spend on Travel. There are sliders for amount of money spent on gas/grocery/dining and then other. I would be interested which cards would be the best if you had a travel section in addition to those above categories. I would love to be able to max travel and zero out the others and see what cards pop up.
  26. [2012-08-21 16:05:51] - Rachel says: I was wondering if you could help me with my particular situation. I've just finished school and am shopping around for a milage-based credit card. I often from from New York to California, Latin America, and India. Personally, I've always preferred flying Virgin or JetBlue in the US, international flights I don't have a prefrence for. Would it be better to go with an airline card or is there a better option out there for me?
  27. [2012-08-09 14:06:22] - student traveler says: I am a student traveling abroad next semester. I have not had a credit card before, but my parents will cosign. I will use the card abroad in Western Europe. I am thinking I need one with EMV chip. I only have about a month before I leave. Do all EMV cards have no foreign transaction fees? Which one should I choose?
  28. [2012-07-28 04:12:20] - Jholland99 says: What happens if u get a card and don't spend that amout within the 3 months.. u don't get the bonus then what?
  29. [2012-06-20 01:26:42] - Monkeycajones says: There must also be a distinction between whether the points can be used to book travel (which appears to be through the credit cards travel agency), or whether one can actually transfer their points to a frequent flier account. I am interested in transferring points into frequent flier programs. Would you please clarify which cards permit transfer of points to the major airlines; and which airlines?
  30. [2012-06-20 01:20:31] - Monkeycajones says: Thank you for your site because I love to find all those great deals. I am surprised that you have not addressed the problem of which airlines one can transfer their points to. Chase will say that you can transfer to "20 major airlines" but when I called them, it only included BA, SWA and United for major US airlines. I have a Diners Club card that was wonderful until they decided to stop transfers to American Airlines. So I'm looking for a card that I can transfer the points most major airlines - such as Delta, AA, BA and US Airways. Do you know which cards will do this? I believe all the Chase cards won't do this. It looks like the Starwood is the only one that I can see from your info. And it would be fabulous if you would include this info with your reviews. Maybe just one article on this subject would be an eye-opener for most people.
  31. [2012-05-01 03:37:01] - NerdWallet says: You can use the British Airways card's Avios (their point system) for American Airlines tickets, and right now they're offering a 100,000-mile bonus: http://www.nerdwallet.com/card-details/card-name/Chase-British-Airways The downside is that you have to spend $20,000 in a year to get the full bonus. Alternatively, the Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 40,000 bonus points, worth $500 of travel booked through Chase: http://www.nerdwallet.com/card-details/card-name/Chase-Sapphire-Preferred The AAdvantage cards have decent bonuses. The best is from the Citi AAdvantage MasterCard, with 30,000 miles and no first-year fee: http://www.nerdwallet.com/card-details/card-name/Citibank-Gold-AAdvantage-World-MasterCard
  32. [2012-04-30 21:30:23] - Dsnolan4 says: I would like a Citibank Amer a/l advantage c/c. Are there any great deals out right now? Or is it best to wait for one in the mail. I know I have gotten offers for 45,000 points in the past.
  33. [2012-04-19 11:59:36] - Alvaro says: "Pro tip: Virgin Atlantic credit card. Virgin Atlantic’s miles transfer 1:1 to an extensive list of partners, including Starwood," Where can I confirm this? Thanks
  34. [2012-04-12 18:47:17] - TaiwanTim says: What about the Citi Platinum Select. It has a $95 fee but I can get 35K bonus points with $1.5K in spend within first 3 months. The 35K miles appear to be directly translatable into a OneWorld economy ticket to Taiwan (not sure if it is one-way or round-trip). With upcoming expenses that will easily exceed $1.5K it seems I can sign up, garner the points and translate directly into a ticket to Taiwan. Am I missing some fine print?
  35. [2012-04-02 22:12:12] - meme says: Sadly British Airways doesn't have any direct flights from LAX to TPE. Otherwise this would have been a great deal.
  36. [2012-03-26 23:27:22] - TaiwanTim says: I live in the U.S. but travel to Asia at least once per year (non-business related). Which card provides the best mileage rewards to translate my domestic spending into an international ticket or at least reduce the cost of my international ticket
  37. [2012-02-29 18:25:43] - NerdWallet says: Hey, thanks for the feedback! The Spark Miles/Cash is one of the best options for a small business, since it gives a 2% rewards rate on all purchases, so you don't have to deal with rotating categories. Alaska, on the other hand, pays out in Alaska Airlines miles, which is quite restrictive. It also has a lower rewards rate.
  38. [2012-02-29 06:09:14] - itsajelly says: So I'm struggling on deciding which card to attempt to sign up for. new small business will have close to $100000 in equip to purchase, and then about 3500 a month after that. Want to travel with my wife and staff with card bonus. Front page suggests spark miles for business, but when I fill out little slider questionnaire it is no where to be found as a suggestion for small business. Alaska Air services here in the NW, should I go with that? Confused and want to make a good decision. Awesome site and thanks for the help.
  39. [2012-02-15 04:01:47] - Marian Moss says: My first time on you website; looks like it is really helpful. Thanks
  40. [2012-02-06 19:39:23] - NerdWallet says: Maxim, To get the full value of your bonus, you'll need to book the expense through the Chase Ultimate Rewards website. The 50,000-points will get you a $500 credit towards your purchase. When you book through Chase, they refund 20% of the points back to your account. In this case, that means another $100 to put toward travel. When you use that $100, you'll receive another $20 back, then another $4, then $0.80, and so it goes, shrinking infinitely. The immediate value of the bonus will grant you $500. The 20% point refunds make up the other $125. You probably won't have to pay income tax on the signing bonus, though it's not outside the realm of possibility. The IRS is now taxing bonuses that exceed a perceived worth of $600, but the Sapphire's immediate value is only $500 with the other $125 coming manifesting through refunds. We haven't heard any reports of cardholders paying income tax on the Sapphire bonus. We're thinking you'll probably be okay.
  41. [2012-02-06 06:55:48] - Maxim12 says: I have 2 questions: 1)Do I have to change 50,000 points of Chase Sapphire to aa, delta, or united miles, then buy the airline ticket from those airlines? Or just buy the ticket the pay the ticket by points Or redeem the 50000 pointsx2.5 cents=$625.00 cash and use that money to buy the ticket? 2) Do I have to pay income tax for $625 promo bonus? Thanks,
  42. [2012-01-24 18:36:40] - NerdWallet says: Thanks for letting us know! We'll fix the image.
  43. [2012-01-24 18:24:44] - Jdebach says: The Virgin Atlantic Card which earns 1.5 miles/$1 spent is actually the Black Card, not the White Card, which is featured in the image above. The White Card earns 1 miles/$1. Nerd Wallet... can the image be updated? The link to "Apply Now' is correct, as it goes to the Black Card application.
  44. [2012-01-13 19:05:14] - NerdWallet says: The US Bank FlexPerks isn't a terrible card, but you can do a lot better in terms of rewards. It earns 2 points per $1 on groceries, airlines and gas and 1 point per $1 spent elsewhere, and pays out in FlexPoints. One of the major limitations of the FlexPerks card is that you get your best rewards value only if you use your points to book travel through US Bank. The problem with that is you can't take advantage of discount sites like Kayak, so you probably won't get the best deal. It also charges a foreign transaction fee of 3%, which is prohibitively high for a traveler. The FlexPerks falls short in ease of use and foreign transaction fees, but has a decent rewards rate and lower annual fees than some other travel cards. If you tend to travel in style - airport lounges, business/first class, etc. - the American Express Platinum has a very high annual fee, but makes up for is in travel-related benefits. Another option if you tend to splurge on hotels is the Starwood American Express ($65 annual fee, waived the first year). We think it gives a value of 2-5% back on all purchases if you redeem for Starwood hotel stays, and it gives a flat value of 1.25% back on all purchases if you redeem for airline miles with its partners. While the Platinum waives its foreign transaction fee, the Starwood does not. However, if you're more of a budget traveler, you'll get the most value out of being able to book tickets on discount sites, not being tied down to a particular hotel, etc. This is the route I tend to prefer, since what you sacrifice in rewards you make up for in flexibility. The best cards for this are the Capital One Venture Rewards, VentureOne, and Cash. The Venture Rewards gives a flat 2 miles per $1 on all purchases and has a $59 annual fee (waived the first year), while the VentureOne gives 1.5 miles and has no annual fee. The Capital One Cash gives 1.5% cash back on all purchases and has no fee. The benefit of No Hassle Miles is that unlike traditional miles, you can use them to offset any travel expense - airfare, hotel stays, gas, baggage fees, whatever. Most of the time, if you redeem for an award ticket, you're stuck paying for fees and taxes, but No Hassle Miles can be redeemed against those expenses as well. All Capital One cards have no foreign transaction fee, and their rewards are much easier to redeem. That said, if you're thinking of going for the Capital One Venture, I'd suggest you wait a few months. The Venture has offered some pretty impressive signup bonuses lately, and it's worth waiting a while to see if they'll up their bonus again. If you have excellent credit, you'll be able to qualify for all of these cards with no problem. And since you have excellent credit, you can switch to a more lucrative credit card and close your FlexPerks account entirely to avoid paying an annual fee for a card you don't use. Account age is an important factor in your credit score, but it's less important if you've already established yourself than if you're just starting to build a history.
  45. [2012-01-13 01:20:10] - Ohiojim says: I have a US Bank Flex Perks account that I have held for 20+ years. I have been trying to compare it to some cards listed here but I haven't been able to get the website to recognize it. How well does it compare if I am interested in travel rewards, have excellent credit, and don't carry a balance. What would be the pros and cons of switching or just adding another card?
  46. [2011-12-06 20:11:11] - NerdWallet says: It's definitely on the to do list...
  47. [2011-12-06 20:04:15] - Canadakikou says: Wow, you have a great site here. Would you add Canadian credit cards so we can best determine the most appropriate and best deal?
  48. [2011-12-03 17:08:00] - NerdWallet says: The "hot offer" is a sponsored slot. That is why it doesn't change when you change your inputs. The rest of the results are ranked only according to what you input. If we're missing any cards on our first pages of listings, please let us know and we'll get it fixed.
  49. [2011-12-03 16:57:45] - Greg says: "most of the cards in your search are not sponsored" -- um....I guess if you count all 1500 cards in the denominator. the first pages are nothing but sponsored links. pretty clear the initial search settings are manipulated to put sponsored cards first. challenge you to replace the 'hot offer' slot with one that's not sponsored.
  50. [2011-11-22 04:36:19] - Money card says: try the Discover Miles escape or open road. Mastercard falls under citi forward
  51. [2011-11-22 04:24:33] - Money card says: I would have to say that the citibank american airlines is just as good a credit card as chase continental. I have seen quite a few people use citi at stores personal card. where as chase continental I haven't seen anybody use this card. I'm sure while eating out during the week , checking in at hotels people have used this card. But not at Bj's or other stores.
  52. [2011-11-22 04:17:59] - Money card says: nerd has somethings wrong.
  53. [2011-10-06 23:00:13] - NerdWallet says: Try this: http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/2011/credit-card-no-foreign-transaction-fee/
  54. [2011-10-06 22:51:38] - Eric says: seaching for Mastercard or discover card, with flying points and without foreign transaction fees
  55. [2011-08-11 00:28:48] - NerdWallet says: Hi Leslie! The only ad is the yellow box near the top. All of the cards below that one are ranked solely based on what you enter in the sidebar on the left. You'll notice the big green "estimated rewards" numbers will update, and so will your results, as you change your spending habits and such on the left. And if you click the names of the cards, it will take you to a more detailed information page, with all interest rates and rewards program details, plus our own written review for each card, as well as comparisons vs other similar cards. We put "Sponsored" on the cards that earn us revenue, but you'll notice that most of the cards in your search results are not sponsored and won't actually earn us anything. They're there for your education, and we hope that you find the best credit card for your own lifestyle, regardless of whether or not we get paid to facilitate it. Hope that helps, and good luck!
  56. [2011-08-11 00:10:50] - Leslieb says: It looks like this whole sit is nothing but ads.  What is the deal with sponsorerd?  
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