If you are a person who likes to travel then it may behoove you to look into the opportunities provided by a travel rewards card. On second thought, let us amend that statement somewhat slightly: if you enjoy travel you may wish to look into the options provided by a Chase travel reward credit card. The reason for this is obvious: not all credit card issuers are created equal and a Chase credit card comes with a number of amenities that other credit card issuers may not be able to offer
Of course, this brings about the question as to what makes a Chase travel reward credit card more desirable than the vast array of other travel cards. There are several reasons and they all point back to the fact that Chase is a multi-billion dollar bank that can provide a number of positives to a potential card holder that makes a Chase travel reward credit card much more attractive.
For example, with a Chase travel reward card costs are relatively low as interest rates on a Chase credit card will be far less than what will be offered from a smaller bank. Also, Chase avoids a number of ‘fly by night’ fees such as $100 activation fees and such needless expenses. (Note: a secured Chase travel reward card may have additional fees and higher interest rates, but unsecured cards will be more reasonable) Also, the size and scope of Chase’s company means that it can provide significant customer service duties that a smaller company can not. Enhanced and expeditious customer service comes in handy when using a Chase travel reward card because, after all, you do not want any delays when you look to cash in your rewards! As such, stick with the Chase travel reward card and you’ll get the best service for your credit card patronage.
What do you mean I can’t get a free flight? I have 150,000 miles!” This is a common phrase uttered by travel points credit card holders to customer service representatives. This utterance is usually made with haste and with a hint of anger in the voice. Unfortunately, there is little the travel points credit card customer service operator can do as the customer/credit card holder is attempting to book a flight during a blackout date. What is a blackout date you ask? Read on.
By definition, blackout dates refers to periods of the year in which rewards can not be redeemed. In other words, if you have enough travel points to book a flight to New Zealand and you wish to book that flight during a blackout date period, your request for a free ticket will be declined. Needless to say, such a denial can anger travel points credit card holders, but this is the nature of certain travel points credit card issuers. In this regard, it is critical that consumers read that fine print and the terms and conditions of the card before becoming overly reliant on the card to make travel plans.
The moral here is that one should ALWAYS examine the application for a travel points credit card to see if there is a blackout date clause. Of course, most people will apply for a travel points credit card without reading the fine print and that will lead to the previously illustrated customer service misunderstanding. While some travel cards have blackout dates, many do not. In fact, certain travel cards evenly proudly proclaim their lack of blackout dates as an advertising come on. If you are not willing to work your travel schedule around blackout dates then it would be best to patronize those cards that do not utilize them.
When it comes to the subject of applying for an airline reward credit card, some may dismiss these cards because they have no desire or need for free airline tickets. They may prefer to vacation close to home and opt to drive to their getaways. This is common with people who enjoy skiing. In California, for example, those who live in Los Angeles, Orange County and the San Fernando Valley are only a few short hours away from the ski slopes. So, the need for an airline ticket (free or otherwise) is not high on their priority list. However, such an outlook is relatively small in scope because it assumes that an airline reward credit only offers free plane tickets. This is an inaccurate assumption because an airline reward credit card may also include discounts on car rentals, hotel accommodations, dining, et al. As such, even an individual who has no need for a plane ticket can still get a significant benefit out of an airline reward credit card.
Now, it goes without saying that not all airline reward credit cards are created equal and some do, in fact, only offer plane tickets as rewards. However, many others offer multifaceted rewards and can be quite valuable to all sorts of travelers. As such, it becomes critical to read the terms and benefits of the rewards so as to see what the airline reward travel card is actually offering before declining to apply. If you are going on a vacation then you should be sure to see what deals and discounts are available to you. It would not make much sense to overpay for items that could be acquired at significantly less cost. After all, the money you save could be better spent on additional vacation activities as opposed to merely paying for the hotel.
If you are an avid reader, then you may have noticed that the cost of books has skyrocketed in recent years. Then again, because of the escalation in the price of books you may have becomes a FORMER avid reader! Yes, the publishing industry has been hit hard by the prevalence of online used book distributors who offer drastically discounted books. While purchasing used books has certain plusses to it, there are also a number of negatives as well and some individuals will choose to purchase their books new from the bookstore. Albeit, begrudgingly as the cost of new hard covers now run upwards of $27 – $35 dollars. It would seem as if purchasing that new spy novel you had your eyes on has become cost prohibitive. Then again, if you have a solid book purchase credit card rewards program you may find yourself able to save a ton of money.
For example, Amazon.com offers an “Amazon Visa” operates a credit card cash rewards program that provides a free $25 gift certificate after every $2500 spent on the card. So, this credit card rewards program can cover the cost of a new hardcover provided you use the Amazon Visa fairly regularly for purchases. Now, this credit card rewards program is not exactly going to deliver hundreds of free books a year to your doorstep. What is does do, however, is provide a little reward for your loyal purchasing and patronage. If you are an avid reader and you are prone to use your credit card often, then the Amazon Visa and its credit card reward programs will prove quite beneficial as it essentially sends a few free gifts your way as a measure of saying thanks. Not exactly a bad deal, eh? So please don't delay and take advantage of it
If you are a frequent reader of the travel pages in the newspaper you have probably come across a host of advertisements offering an airline credit card. These cards generally offer “mileage rewards” for your credit card purchases, but some may find amassing tens of thousands of mileage points to be rather difficult. This is why most airline credit card issuers will provide sign up bonus miles as an incentive to join.
It is better to stick with an airline credit card that offers bonus sign up miles. What bonus sign up miles refers to is the fact that merely activating the airline credit card automatically provides miles to the card? For example, some airline credit cards will provide 15,000 free miles. Considering the fact that $1 = 1 mile this is the equivalent of $15,000 worth of free mileage points! To say that such a volume of free miles is worth looking into is an understatement. Granted, virtually every airline credit card on the market offers free bonus sign up miles, but the volume of which may vary. That is, one airline credit card may offer 5,000 free miles while another one might offer 10,000 free miles. It goes without saying that the one that offers free miles in combination with a decent interest rate and a decent rewards/trip ratio is the airline credit card to select. Conversely, one that offers a huge volume of free sign up miles and also a ridiculously high interest rate combined with rewards that are hardly rewarding (think 30,000 miles for a domestic ticket)would probably not be worth the time or investment.
If you do find an airline credit card that meets this criteria then go ahead and apply for it. It may turn out to be a worthwhile investment in the long run particularly if it provides the gateway to that vacation you always dreamed about.
