The airline credit card came into existence when credit card companies realized the profitability of teaming up with airline companies to provide better incentives and opportunities for consumers to encourage spending. Luckily for the credit card companies, the concept of frequent flier program was just getting popular at that time. Travelers used to fancy going in one particular airline because of loyalty or habit. So the airline company for more customer patronage, introduced mileage points on every flight that a customer would take. Once certain levels of points were achieved, passenger could redeem those free points to several destinations.
Taking a cue from the success of airplane companies, credit card issuers stared with the concept of frequent flier reward programs that gave the customer the benefit to convert their reward points into frequent flier air-miles at the rate of one mile for every dollar or two charged to their credit card. Customers loved this concept and they began to use their credit card with more regularity so that they could accumulate the frequent flier miles faster. Credit cards companies stretched the rewards beyond travel destinations. They gave the customer an opportunity to redeem points accumulated, for free hotel accommodations and car rentals besides air tickets.
No doubt, airline credit cards are a boon for someone who travels by air frequently or has a jet-set lifestyle. Here are 5 important guidelines or tips that can help you make an ideal choice for the best airline credit card:
1. Acceptance of the card: Your airline credit card has to be accepted almost universally at all retailers and shopping destinations. You get frequent flier miles only on the purchases that you make. The faster you make purchases, the quicker you can accumulate points. You have to make sure that your card is accepted at mostly all the shopping establishments without any hassle.
2. Black out dates: This is an important point which most customers overlook. There are certain days during vacations or popular holidays where travel destinations and hotels do not encourage redemption of frequent flier points or miles as they already have a steady demand. Check with your airline credit card company what the blackout dates are when you cannot redeem your frequent flier miles.
3. Terms and conditions: Check with the airline credit card company what is the policy of frequent flier points with regards to a balance transfer or getting an upgraded airline credit card. In that case, do you lose the existing frequent flier miles or they are carried over? Does the airline credit card company offer you to transfer balances at a lower interest rate? Does the move increase the frequent flier points on the card? Find out if you can consolidate your payments onto your airline credit card and also if accounts to increased frequent flier miles as well.
4. Extra privileges: Find out if you get travel insurance with the airline credit card. Most airline credit cards also give you discounts on hotel and car rentals for usage of the card. You can also find out if your card provides you with emergency cash if you are caught in an accident or if your vehicle breaks down in the middle of the road.
5. Fees: Cards with privileges like the airline credit cards and travel rewards credit cards carry a heavy annual fee. This is to compensate for the amount of benefits and incentives they give to the customer. Credit card companies also have to make money, don’t they? However as a customer, you have to compare the cost of annual fee with the rewards that you are getting. Go for the credit card which charges you a lesser annual fee with a decent amount of rewards and benefits. You can choose an airline credit card with a large annual fee but with excellent rewards and discounts that are worth the price.
Written By: Daniel Cohen
