Frequent Flyer Credit Cards Can Be Very Rewarding

Frequent flyer credit cards are cards that reward customers for card use with miles per dollar that can be redeemed in the form of airline tickets or discounts on airline tickets. Often these cards extend the use of the frequent flyer miles to hotels, rental cars, restaurants, and other travel services as well.

These cards are popular options for business people who travel a lot and people who visit family in other states. A few cautions apply when shopping for frequent flyer credit cards.

First, make sure you understand the conditions under which you can redeem the miles earned. Some cards have severe restrictions on when you can fly and how, and some also have an expiration date built into how soon you must redeem your frequent flyer miles.

Another common issue is the cost of the card itself. Compare the frequent flyer credit card to other major credit cards offered by the same financial institution. Is the interest rate higher? Does the frequent flyer card charge an annual fee when the other cards do not? It is not uncommon for the frequent flyer card to be the most expensive credit card a given financial institution offers, so take care when shopping for one.

Apply For A Credit Card.com allows you to comparison shop for frequent flyer credit cards and to decide which one, if any, is best for you. One very popular card is the Capitol One No Hassle Miles rewards card, which comes in a standard and ultra version. Cardholders earn 1.25 to 2 miles per dollar spent, no annual fee applies to the standard card, and there are no black out dates or seat restrictions.

Some frequent flyer credit cards allow you to transfer miles between different frequent flyer programs, which can be very useful if you have more than one credit card in the family and want to pool miles for a single trip. Some cards with this option include the Blue Sky Card from American Express and the American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card.

American Express cards may or may not charge a fee after the first year, and sometimes the fee can be as much as $125, so this is not a card for everyone. Also, not all American Express cards have the option of carrying a balance. Typically American Express cards, the gold standard of credit cards in the industry, tend to be used by business travelers or persons who own their own businesses. They may not be the best card for individual travelers.

Finally, these cards typically require excellent or very good credit, so if your credit is shaky, these cards are probably not your best bet. With the airlines in the US facing increasingly difficult financial challenges, it is not likely that these cards will become any easier to obtain or offer any better terms as time goes by. Unless you really are a very frequent flyer, you can almost certainly qualify more easily for a different credit card with different perks, a better interest rate, and no annual fee.