Airlines Credit Card - Pros and Cons

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 29th, 2010

Travel from here to there whether for business or pleasure has become very expensive, especially if you travel a lot or do not have in your possession an airlines credit card. An airlines credit card normally works in a way that you earn points for every flight that you take with the airline. These points can earn the airline card holder future flights, free stays in hotels, car rentals, and other unique rewards just for using the airline card. You should compare the points that you receive per flight before you choose your airlines credit card. On average a 25,000 points per flight is charged.

Many airline cards do give great incentives for all flyer miles per trip and do give a charitable point total for every flight. However, not all airlines credit cards are the same, so you should compare before you make that final decision.

When you begin your search for an airlines credit card, you may also wish to look under mileage credit cards, as some airlines prefer to call them by this name. Practically, all airlines offer these airline cards and some even have the option of choosing which airline you prefer to use instead of always flying with the same airline. This will give you more options and possibly save you money when one airline is running a special to your destination and the one you normal use is not. Either way you will be gaining points for those great rewards.

A few major airlines offer an airline card with added benefits that may give you more than choosing one with several airlines, such as earning a specified amount of points for every flight taken instead of them putting stipulations on your flights. However, you must use their airline for all flights to ensure you receive your points and rewards.

There are a few disadvantages of an airlines credit card such as the points must be used in a certain amount of time, normally one year. Therefore, if you do not travel enough you will never accumulate enough points to enjoy the rewards. You may also wish to keep racking up the points to get a larger reward just to learn that the points have expired. So, be sure to learn about the expiration on points earned.

Most airline cards do charge a higher interest rate and annual fees than a regular credit card. However, if you do travel quite a bit, then the rewards may just outweigh the charges. This is something you should put pen and paper to before deciding on an airlines credit card. Will you be spending more in interest rates and annual fees then you will be getting back in the rewards program?

When you are checking out your options for an airlines credit card be sure to learn all about their point system, what you can earn, what flights earn points, how many points you can earn per flight, when the points expire, their interest rate and annual fees. Once you have collected this information you will be able to make an educated decision on an airlines credit card.