With so many credit cards out there, especially in the travelling sector, it’s no wonder why so many consumers have a hard time picking out the perfect travel card for either business or personal travel.  Today, I’m going to show you some tips that you should look out for when you’re comparing airline credit cards.

Look for the brand you love

The first thing you’re going to want to do is look for the airline company that you love to fly.  Do you love to fly Northwest?  Well, guess what?  They have a credit card.  Most experts will tell you to sign up for a particular company credit card because you’re going to receive more benefits and this is true!  When you are loyal to an airline, you’re going to get complimentary gifts, upgrades to first class and many other perks.

Always browse the point plan

You don’t have to be loyal when it comes to a credit card because there may be others cards out there that offer a better miles plan.  If you don’t know, the way an airline card works is by the money you spend.  For every dollar you spend, you’re going to get an “airline mile”.  Depending on the credit card company, you’re going to need X amount of miles to get your free airline ticket.

Now, when it comes to the point system, let’s take a look at how a card can compare.  

  • Credit Card A:  You get 3 points for every dollar spent with an airline, hotel, car rental company.  You need 20,000 miles to get a free ticket.
  • Credit Card B:  You get 6 points for every dollar spent with an airline, hotel, car rental company.  You need 25,000 miles to get a free ticket.

Now, they both look like good deals and they are but you’re going to get more out of Credit Card B because you’re going to reach the 25,000 miles a lot quicker than A because of the 6 points per dollar.

Always read the fine print

Travel credit cards sometimes try to rip you off.  You may find that some companies will have blackout dates while others have expiration on the miles.  You won’t want to try to cash in your points and find out that you can’t because they have expired or you can’t use them for that time period.  This is why you should always read the fine print, it’s important!

By now, you should have a better understanding when it comes to applying for an airline credit card and how to compare them.  As long as you use some of these tips, you’ll have no problem finding the perfect card that fits your needs.