Credit card companies make millions of dollars every year by convincing people to make their purchases with Visa, Master Card and all the other cards that we're constantly bombarded with on TV, radio and print media. It's easy to understand why when you know something about how they make their money. Every time you purchase something with your credit card, the merchant has to pay a small percentage of the sale price to the credit card companies. It's a few percent for each transaction, but millions of sales each day add up to big profits for them.
These days, the airlines have jumped on the bandwagon to earn some of that commission. If you apply for an airline-branded credit card, they are offering a sign-up bonus that will give you enough miles for one person to make a round trip domestic flight (or very close to it). Most people jump at the chance to get 25,000 miles in the frequent flier account of their choice. But how many people actually use the miles after earning them? I suspect that a lot of these miles go unused, resulting in a pretty good return on investment for the card companies. If you sign up for these types of cards, be sure to earn miles that you will actually use. Otherwise, the airlines have succeeded in getting another customer without paying out a bonus at all.
Because the bonuses being offered are so generous, you can take advantage of the free flights that your miles can bring. You'll want to choose a new credit card wisely, by seeing what the offer consists of and what partner airlines you can use to get maximum benefit from your new airline miles. Many airlines allow you to collect their miles and then use them on their partner airlines. This is a huge advantage, since the partner network can be used to go a lot more places than just the routes offered by your chosen airline. Here's an example:
1. Earn 25,000 United Airlines miles by signing up for a credit card.
2. Check other airlines (partners) to see if they also go to your desired destination.
3. Determine the number of miles you'll need to fly to your chosen destination.
4. Book well in advance to have the best chance of getting the flight you want. Seats for frequent fliers are limited and go quickly on some routes. Start trying to book your flight 330 days in advance, if you can. You'll find the best selection of available seats if you book early.
United Airlines belongs to the Star Alliance network. You can use your miles on any of the other Star Alliance airlines that are going where you want to fly. Some of the other airlines may have lower or no fuel surcharges or maybe they don't charge for checking luggage or have a first-bag free policy. All of these things should be taken into account when shopping for the best flight using miles. It takes a little research and some patience, but don't just assume that you have to take whatever flights are available on United. You have options if you do a little research. Suppose you want to go to Europe. From the Star Alliance, you can book travel on Lufthansa, Swiss Air, Turkish Airlines or others. It's all a matter of finding out which airlines work for you. If you choose another airline, check to see what their list if partners consists of before you make the commitment.
It's well worth it to sign up for credit cards to earn bonuses. Be selective and apply for only the best deals. It is not uncommon to come across a credit card bonus of 50,000 miles for making the first purchase, and then another 50,000 miles for spending $3,000.00 or more within the first 90 days of having the card. Earning 100,000 miles can get you to Europe and back in economy class on many airlines. I know, because I once earned a total of 100,000 miles for meeting the spending requirements on a British Airways branded card. The trip took us through Heathrow airport, and we were able to make a 4-day stop in London on the way home to do some sightseeing in the English countryside. Double bonus!!
I recommend that you go on line and use your favorite search engine to search for "credit card mileage bonus offers" to find the cards that offer the most value. Be sure to apply for only those cards that have at least a 25,000 mile bonus to offer you. The offer guidelines are explained in detail. Choose only the card that works best for you and become a world traveler!
The mileage bonuses are real and ready for you to take advantage of. And they are quite generous. Just be sure to apply for the right card and you'll be on your way to a free (sometimes there are fees, fuel surcharges and taxes) trip to the destination of your choice before you know it!
Steven Ward loves to travel the world. He's a travel website owner and author of various articles on traveling to exotic and fascinating destinations. He spends his time adding new and exotic places to his growing body of travel knowledge. A California native, he's always looking for a reason (no excuses necessary!) to travel!
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