|
No
Annual
Fee and Generic
"Any Airline" Cards
American Express
Blue Cash
|
|
Annual
Fee |
Intro.
Bonus |
Earning |
Features |
Redemption
Opportunities |
|
|
$0 |
0% intro
APR |
5% cash back on 'everyday'
gas/grocery/drug purchases, 1.5% on all other
(after $6500 in annual spending)
1% cash
back on 'everyday', 0.5% back on all other prior
to $6500 in
spending |
|
From Points
Account:
Any airline via designated
travel agency
VIA Transfer:
None |
How it works This
is a cash back card with a high return level once
you reach $6500 in annual spending. You will
receive 5% cash back on 'everyday'
gas/grocery/drug purchases and 1.5% on all other
purchases, well above the typical 1% you see with
many cash back / rewards cards. For your first
$6500 in purchases each year, you get 1% cash back
on 'everyday' purchases and 0.5% back on all other
purchases.
Best for
Larger spenders
who don't want to hassle with a travel rewards
program and want a consistent 1.5% or better
return after $6500 in annual spending. Few cash
back cards match this earning power.
Upsides No annual
fee
Downsides You can often get a better
than 2% return on value when you use a hotel card
like the
Starwood Preferred Guest American
Express
.
Other
alternatives For cash back interested
consumers, we recommend pairing this card with the
Chase Freedom Visa
. The Chase Freedom Visa offers
3% cash back or 3 points per dollar spent in your
top 3 'everyday' categories each month, including
gas stations, fast food, movie theaters,
drugstores, departent stores, grocery stores, pet
stores, cable/satellite bills, beauty salons/spas,
gyms, commuting, utilities, and dry cleaning among
others.
We recommend using the
Chase Freedom Visa
for purchases
in those categories, while using the American Express
Blue Cash card for your other purchases or at the few places that don't accept American
Express
cards.
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American Express
Blue Sky
|
|
Annual
Fee |
Intro.
Bonus |
Earning |
Features |
Redemption
Opportunities |
|
|
$0 |
0% intro
APR |
1 point per $ -- but
7500 points = $100 off any travel expenses,
so your return is often a generous
1.3% |
|
From Points
Account:
Any airline / hotel / cruise
/car rental
VIA Transfer:
None |
How it works This
card earns you one point per dollar you spend on
the card. You can redeem your points in 7500 point
increments, and each 7500 points is worth $100 off
travel purchases with any airline or any hotel,
car rental agency, or cruise line. You simply
purchase the trip through your favorite travel
provider and tell American Express you'd like to
apply your points, and you will see a
statement credit.
Best for
Infrequent
travelers who want to earn primarily domestic
airline awards. This is a good card for people who
want the simplicity of not dealing with special
award seats or travel agencies. You simply tell
Amex you would like to redeem your points for
travel credit. Each 7500 points you redeem
is worth $100 off travel expenses
on any airline, or at any hotel, car rental
agency, or cruise line . No
worries about blackout dates or advance purchase
restrictions. If you want to travel with one day's
notice you can.
Upsides No annual fee, simple no
restriction redemption, decent earning power for
an any airline/any time
card.
Downsides While a typical 1.3% return on
spending with this card is better than many
generic 'any airline' cards, we find the best
return on spending often happens with hotel cards
like the
Starwood Preferred Guest American
Express
because
point requirements are lower and the dollar value
of your reward is still as high as many airline
tickets. You still benefit from no capacity
restrictions.
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Capital One No Hassle
Visa
|
|
Annual
Fee |
Intro.
Bonus |
Earning |
Features |
Redemption
Opportunities |
|
|
$0 |
None |
1.25 points per $ |
|
From Points
Account:
Any airline
via designated travel agency
VIA Transfer:
None |
Best
for While it does allow no
blackout airline awards, recent changes to the
redemption levels make this a subpar choice for
many travelers. While the card earns a strong
1.25 points per dollar spent, Capital One's award
redemption levels are inflated, so in many cases
you could earn less than a 1% return on your card
spending. We think the
American Express BlueSky
is a better 'hassle free' travel card.
Upsides
Low annual fee
Downsides The better value for many
domestic travelers is free hotel rooms with a
hotel program like Starwood or Hilton. Also less
favorable redemption rates for overseas business
class awards making this card best for those with
more limited travel aspirations. You're better off
with a
Starwood
or
Airline
card if you're looking to use miles for
tickets overseas.
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Citi ® PremierPass(SM) Card - Elite Level: EDITORS' CHOICE - Generic
Standard
|
|
Annual
Fee |
Intro.
Bonus |
Earning |
Features |
Redemption
Opportunities |
|
|
$75 |
20,000 points when you spend
$600 on the card within 3 months of account
opening |
2 Points for
Every $1 Spent at Gas Stations, Supermarkets and
Drugstores - Plus Earn 1 Point for Every $1
Spent on all Other Purchases
1 Point for Every
Mile You Fly on Any Airline - or Anyone Else Whose
Tickets You Buy With the Card.
|
Complimentary Companion Travel
(Minimum Fare Requirements Apply)
Redeem your points for travel on any
airline, with no blackout dates, and for
rewards-from merchandise to statement
credits.
|
From Points
Account:
Any airline via designated travel
agency
VIA Transfer:
None |
How it works You
earn one point per dollar for each purchase you
make, and two points per dollar for
'everyday' purchases at gas stations and
supermarkets. You also earn a special one point
for every mile flown on tickets you purchase with
the card. So, a $350 roundtrip ticket from New
York to Los Angeles earns you 350 points for the
purchase plus 5,000 points for the 5,000 miles
flown roundtrip. You can use your points for
"anytime, any airline" flight awards with no
blackouts or capacity restrictions. Just say your
destination, the time you'd like to fly, and they
will book you on an airline that matches your
needs.
Best for Casual flyers who
don't have an airline loyalty and very frequent
flyers who purchase their own airline tickets and
can take advantage of the flight points
offer. The key difference this card offers is
the ability to earn one point for every mile you
fly on tickets purchased with the card, which can
quickly accelerate earnings for busy flyers. Learn
more in our full
EDITORS CHOICE review of the
card
. The unlimited free companion ticket without blackout/capacity
restrictions also adds to the unique benefits,
although you often need to
buy a more expensive base ticket
to qualify.
Upsides No blackouts or capacity
controls on using your points for airline tickets,
and similar point requirements for domestic
tickets as most airline
mileage programs that do have
capacity controls, so you're not getting burned
for the flexibility. The introductory bonus is
enough for a free ticket valued up
to $400 or a $200 gift
card.
Downsides High annual fee, redemption
levels for overseas business class awards are
inflated versus using native miles in an airline
program. For example, a Europe business class
ticket costs 185,000 Thank You points, versus
80-100,000 in most airline mileage programs. You
get around capacity controls, but for 185,000
miles most airlines will waive capacity
requirements. We also note that hotel rewards with
a no blackout program like the
Starwood Preferred Guest American
Express
are often a
better use of points, with a value return of 2% or
better, and fewer points required for a reward
than airline tickets.
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Chase Freedom
Visa: EDITORS CHOICE Best Generic
Visa/Mastercard
|
|
Annual
Fee |
Intro.
Bonus |
Earning |
Features |
Redemption
Opportunities |
|
$0
|
$50 cash back with first
purchase
|
3 points per $ or 3% cash
back in top 3 'everyday' spending
categories
1 point per $ or 1% cash back on all other purchases
|
|
From Points
Account:
Any airline
via designated travel agency
VIA Transfer:
None
|
How it works You
earn one point per $ spent or 1% cash back
(your choice) or 3 points per $ or 3% cash back in
your top 3 'everyday' spending categories each
month. These categories are listed below. You have
a choice of receiving cash back, or points. The
points can be used to book 'any airline, any time'
flight and hotel awards with no capacity
restrictions.
Best for Casual travelers
who are interested in domestic airline
tickets without blackouts, or the simplicity of
a generous cash back program.
Upsides 1. $50 cash
back with your first purchase
2.
3% cash back or triple points per dollar
on your 'everyday' purchases. Each month,
your top 3 spending categories from Chase's list
of 'everyday' categories will earn 3% cash back or
triple points per dollar.
Eligible
categories include gas stations, fast food, movie
theaters, drugstores, departent stores, grocery
stores, pet stores, cable/satellite bills, beauty
salons/spas, gyms, commuting, utilities, and dry
cleaning among others.
3. Your
choice of cash back or points. You can
convert your points to cash or vice versa
at any time. Points can be used
for no blackout airline awards among other
things.
Downsides While about on par
with airline programs for domestic tickets,
the better value for many domestic travelers is
free hotel rooms with a hotel program like
Starwood
or
Hilton . Less
favorable redemption rates for overseas business
class awards make this card best for those with
more limited travel aspirations.
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DinersClub
MasterCard: EDITORS' CHOICE -- Generic
Premium
|
|
Annual
Fee |
Intro.
Bonus |
Earning |
Features |
Redemption
Opportunities |
|
|
$95 |
None |
1 point per $
|
Access to select airport
lounges
Primary rental car insurance
coverage
|
From Points
Account:
Any airline via your own travel
arrangements or their travel agency
VIA Transfer: Air Canada, Air
France, Alaska, American, Asiana, British, Delta,
ElAl, Eva, Frontier, Hawaiian, Iceland, Korean,
Mexicana, Midwest, SAS, South African, Southwest,
Thai, Virgin, Amtrak, Best Western, Choice,
Hilton, Hyatt, Marriott, Priority Club,
Starwood |
Best for
Frequent
travelers who are interested in easy transfers across most airline programs
as well as every major hotel
program.
Upsides Highest flexibility of any
card for point transfers. Ability to transfer
points to friends/family's airline accounts.
Relatively low annual fee compared to Amex
Platinum (which is $300/yr). Accepted
as MasterCard (more locations than
Amex).
Downsides Lounge access privileges are
mostly European, only two in the U.S. (Miami,
Newark).
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Miles by
Discover® Card
|
|
Annual
Fee |
Intro.
Bonus |
Earning |
Features |
Redemption
Opportunities |
|
|
$0 |
12,000 points (1,000
per month for 12 months)
0% intro
APR |
1 point per $
3
points per $ for the first $3,000 in annual travel
and restaurant purchases |
|
From Points
Account:
Any airline
via designated travel agency
VIA Transfer:
None |
Best
for It's the simplest
way to earn and use points for travel, especially
for casual travelers who don't like the rules of
airline and hotel point programs. You earn 1 mile
for every dollar you spend on regular purchases
and 2 miles for every dollar you spend on
restaurants and travel (up to $3,000 per year).
every 5,000 miles gets you $50 off
any flight, hotel, rental car, or other
travel purchase on your
card.
Upsides
No annual fee, easiest
redemption with no restrictions on availability.
You can also use your points for gift cards or
cash back.
Downsides The better value for many
domestic travelers is free hotel rooms with a
hotel program like
Starwood
or
Hilton. If you still are set on no blackout
airline awards, the
American Express Blue Sky
card
also has the same
simplicity, but has a higher return, as 7500
points gets you $100 off any flight, hotel, rental
car, or cruise purchase. Put another way, 15,000
points with the BlueSky card is worth $200, while
15,000 miles with the Discover card is worth
only
$150.
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