Credit Cards That Offer Airline Miles
A Credit Article Contributed by Miranda Marquit
Airline Miles: One Credit Card Reward Program
Credit cards come in many colors and with many spending limits; they also come with reward programs, including airline miles. While most reward programs offered by most credit cards include cheesy gifts and magazine subscriptions, a card that offers miles to fly with an airline can give you something you could really use.
Some cards make you fly with a specific airline. Not only do banks and companies offer miles reward programs, but some airlines actually issue credit cards. This means that you can only redeem you miles with a specific air company. Other programs are not especially affiliated, so you can use your mile on whatever airline you happen to be flying.
This reward program can be very beneficial for people who like to put money on their credit cards and who like to fly. The more money that goes onto the credit card, the more flier miles one gets. Nice. Spend more, get more. It is a great incentive to rack up the credit card debt.
Credit Card Airline Miles Snafu: Blackout Dates
Like every reward program that seems to offer so much for so little, there are a couple of little hang ups when it comes to the card that offers airline miles. One of them is blackout dates.
Blackout dates are specific dates that you can't use to redeem your airline miles. Most of the time, these blackout dates are during peak travel times. You know, the times you would like to fly. Holidays, some weekends, and high traffic times, like spring break. So it kind of puts a damper on things unless you are willing to travel during off peak times.
Some cards do not have blackout dates, but these are few and far between. After all, if an airline lets you fly for free, just because of a credit card, that is one less seat they can sell to someone else for more money. So it does not make sense to let you go any time you want to. But, if you can find a card without blackout dates, that is a great deal.
Credit Card Airline Miles Snafu: Not Dollars for Miles
While many cards are changing their ways, there are still plenty of credit cards that do not offer one airline mile for each dollar you spend on the credit card. This means that you have to spend two dollars (and pay interest on them both) in order to get one mile. Check around. Many cards no offer a mile for each dollar you spend.
Additionally, many cards have a qualified purchase rule. Often, things like groceries do not count. It has to be items like clothing and furniture and house wares. These are all things you may not buy regularly. Obviously, you get no airline miles for interest charges.
Airline miles offered by a credit card can be a great and valuable reward. Make sure you understand exactly how your rewards work, and what you need to buy.
