When selecting a credit card to earn travel rewards, pay attention to its travel partners. These could include airlines, hotels and programs into which your points can be transferred.
Some issuers offer more generous definitions of travel purchases, with enhanced points values when redeeming through their portals directly.
General travel rewards programs
Many credit cards provide multiple avenues for earning and redeeming points or miles, from co-branded airlines or hotels to more flexible travel rewards cards with plenty of travel perks.
Chase Ultimate Rewards cards enable cardmembers to use their points for travel booking through its portal or transfer them directly into airline or hotel loyalty programs. American Express Membership Rewards also provides several redemption options, including an online travel booking site and purchasing flights directly with award credits. Capital One Miles are another popular option for general travel rewards, offering travel via its travel portal or being converted to cash back or gift cards. Recently, this program added the capability of transferring miles directly to airline and hotel loyalty programs, further expanding earning and redemption options. Furthermore, annual fees are low; selecting your ideal credit card depends on both spending habits and travel goals.
Airline and hotel loyalty programs
Many credit cards now provide transferable points to multiple airline and hotel loyalty programs, offering cardholders more choices when redeeming rewards for free travel and providing protection from frequent flier program changes that have diminished their miles or points over time.
On its website, card issuers typically list redemption options and point values, such as statement credits, merchandise or gift cards. Chase provides additional points when travel purchases are made through their portal.
Airlines and hotel loyalty programs often alter and devalue award redemptions regularly, which can thwart travelers’ travel goals. That is why savvy rewards enthusiasts favor cards with many transferable partners to keep their rewards on track; Chase Ultimate Rewards stands out as having numerous high-value airline and hotel transfer partners that keep their cardholders loyal – just one reason Chase Ultimate Rewards cardholders remain so dedicated! CardMatch(tm). from Bankrate offers personalized credit card offers quickly. Read more: Get personalized offers fast with CardMatch(tm). from Bankrate
Transferable points and miles
Flexible credit card points programs offer many advantages, with their extensive list of transfer partners giving you greater redemption value for award redemptions. While fixed-value rewards only give 1 cent value when used directly through credit card portal, transferable points have various redemption values depending on how they’re used – an added perk!
Booking a round-trip economy class flight on United Airlines with Chase Ultimate Rewards points requires just 7,900 miles; however, due to Etihad Guest’s devaluation of its award chart earlier this year, this same redemption would cost just 20,000 miles.
Transferable points are one reason many rewards experts advise keeping an assortment of loyalty point and mile earning cards to maximize redemption opportunities, though each program may suit specific travelers more effectively than others. Here is an overview of some prominent travel credit card programs with transferable points or miles partners.
Redeeming points and miles
Airline miles provide travelers with a currency for booking almost-free flights. From visiting family to traveling the globe on vacation – airline miles provide travelers with a means of reaching their goals.
Most credit card points and miles can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards or travel purchases via the issuer’s online portal. Each redemption option offers its own value per point which you can calculate by dividing the cash price of an award reservation by its reward points requirement; you can also verify it against Bankrate’s points and mile valuations to make sure you’re getting fair or equal value from your points and miles redemptions.
Many credit card rewards programs enable customers to transfer their rewards into loyalty program partners for airline or hotel reservations – this option offers high value for your hard-earned points or miles. It can help make rewards experts happy!
