FIND OUT TIPS AND TRICKS

A380 Air France

What’s the catch?     Well like all great savings,  there is always conditions.       The
biggest condition are the dates :

Booking must be made between  :  1st/Aug/2016 –  31st/Aug/16
Travel must occur between  :   1st/Oct/2016 –  30th/Nov/2016

Guide to Point Transfers – Credit Cards to Airlines.

Transferring points from your Credit Card  loyalty program is a great way to top up your airline program balance, allowing you to accrue enough miles for your dream air travel plans.
However,  the list of participating airlines and transfer options is often changing and can include some surprises.

To aid,   we have compiled a reference guide for you.

It is worth remembering that once transferred, these points can be used to purchase flights on any Partner airlines that the chosen recipient airline may have. For example, transferring points to Delta, can be used to purchase a flight on Fiji Airways.

You may have dreamed about flying on Etihad–one of the world’s most luxurious airlines–but thought it was out of reach. Until now, the only way to book EY award seats was with EY Guest or AAdvantage points, which you could only earn by flying and could not transfer credit card points. Just last week, American Express announced a new partnership with Etihad Guest, which means you can now transfer your Amex points to your EY account! Don’t have one? Sign up today and plan your next trip on this 5-star airline.

See the article below for details and links to Etihad and American Express so you can take advantage of this fantastic program! Learn more

Even though AA has recently devaluated it’s mileage program, it has made a few positing changes. The airline has increased the number of miles earned on Qatar flights when traveling in Economy
and Business class.  And with Qatar adding new routes, it gives you a chance to earn and spend more miles on this top-rated airline. Learn more

Another great change AA has made is now you can fly to India and Maldives without having to cross the Atlantic. You can save stops and time by flying across the Pacific instead. Plus you can fly on Cathay Pacific, rated one of the best airlines in the world, under the new program. Learn More

If you missed the information on AA’s devaluation of it’s miles, you can get all the details here.

Earning credit cards points that you can transfer to your favorite airline’s award program is the fastest way to accumulate enough miles for your trip. Knowing which credit card gives you the most points can be hard to figure out since the offers and rewards are always changing. Chase offers three cards that you will want to sign up for this year if you don’t already have them. The Sapphire Preferred, Freedom, and Ink Plus are must haves if you want to maximize your earnings. Here are just five reasons to use Chase:

• Great airline transfer partners
• The ability to transfer points instantly
• Great hotel partners
• Other travel rewards options
• The ability to transfer points between cardholders in your household

By using Chase cards for you everyday expenses, including travel, you can earn over $4,000 cash back in your first year as a card member. Find all the details here.

Award programs are notorious for changing rules and devaluing miles. Aeroplan recently made changes to their award chart, increasing miles needed for routes between the USA/Canada to Europe and South America. On the bright side, they changed their “round trip” rule and now allow one-way reward flights between any regions. Great news if you are traveling one way and your trip doesn’t include the US or Canada. Aeroplan is still a great program to use as you can use your miles for any Star Alliance partner.

AA is following suit by changing their awards chart in March. While it’s not all bad news, there are definitely some advantages to booking some award flights now, before the cost goes up. While some routes are actually going down, other routes (USA to Asia, Europe and the South Pacific) are increasing. American Airlines has a pretty friendly change policy, and that will remain the same, so if you’re thinking about planning a trip, book now and you should be able to change dates later without incurring change fees and mileage increases. Make sure to check out the fine print before you book.

Even if you missed booking with Aeroplan before December, the Points Guy gives some great tips on how to get great flights. For details on the changes to Aeroplan and AAdvantage programs, read these articles:

American Airlines Announces 2016 AAdvantage Program Changes

Can I Still Change AAdvantage Awards After the Devaluation?

9 Awards to Book Before Aeroplan’s December Devaluation

Using award points and miles can be a tricky business. There are websites dedicated to the ins and outs of award travel, and there are some people who are experts in the field and never pay for flights! But if you are new to the game, it can be overwhelming, but it’s definitely worth taking the time and effort to learn how to do it. To get you started, here is an article with some of the easiest awards to book. Once you master these, you’ll be well on your way to earning, redeeming, and flying…all over the world!

• Southwest Award Flights
• Chase Hyatt Card
• Citi Prestige 4th Night Free
• Citi $250 Yearly Airfare Credit
• Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve 2 Weekend Nights
• Chase Fairmont Card
• Chase Ritz-Carlton Card
• US Bank FlexPerks Cards
• Chase Ultimate Rewards
• Barclaycard Arrival Plus Travel Redemption

And remember, if you need help, we are just a phone call away. We can help you earn miles, trade miles, sell miles, and redeem miles, simply fill out the form to the right!

Retail stores aren’t the only ones vying for your business this holiday season. Airline, hotel and credit card programs are all offering tons of bonuses and discounts. Just like with retail “deals”, sometimes it’s hard to know if it’s really a good deal or just an offer to suck you in! (more…)

As usual, The Points Guy has pored over all of the current bonus offers and compiled a list of the best cards for October. The list usually doesn’t change much from month to month, but it’s always good to know when one of the cards offers a bigger bonus or adds more perks!

The best cards this month are:

• Ink Plus Business Card from Chase
• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• British Airways Visa
• Citi / AAdvantage Executive World Elite MasterCard
• Citi Prestige
• Platinum Card from American Express
• Citi ThankYou Premier
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Premier
• Citi Hilton Honors Reserve
• Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa

For more details on each card, read more.

Getting started in the miles and points game can be difficult. There are so many different cards and awards and fees and rewards that it can be really frustrating trying to figure it all out. But once you do, you will be well on your way to earning valuable points and miles that you can redeem for flights, hotels, cash, or other rewards. The best part is that you don’t have to choose just one program to help you reach your goals. You can have a variety of cards and programs and you can still rack up your earnings and rewards. (more…)

For most of the year, points and miles that you earn through credit cards seem to be a great source of free benefits. Each year, however, the annual fee must be paid, and we are reminded that these benefits are not actually free. In an effort to retain your business, many companies offer annual bonuses for renewing your account, such as extra points or free nights at a certain hotel chain. We took a look at these bonuses, and determined which ones were sweet enough to justify the annual fee. Here are three of our favorites: (more…)

Credit card companies offer a wide array of bonus points and on-going benefits in an effort to obtain and keep you as a valued customer. Many of these cards offer up to 50k in bonus points, worth at least $600. We can help you earn up to $12,000 per year by helping you sign up for unique offers on select cards.

Which of these programs have the best benefits and value and which ones simply aren’t worth the annual fees they charge? We have reviewed the top cards and their bonus offers to see which ones give you the most bang for your buck! (more…)

Looking to add a new card to your wallet? Look no further: Our top 3 credit card signups are right here!

1) Citi ThankYou Premier Card

Bonus: 50,000 ThankYou points (after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months)

Other benefits: 3 ThankYou Points for every dollar spent on travel (including gas), and 2 points/dollar spent on dining and entertainment. Citi Rewards now has 12 transfer partners, including Air France, Cathay Pacific, Singapore KrisFlyer, Virgin Atlantic and Hilton HHonors. $95 annual fee- waived for the first year. (more…)

Get the most “bang for your buck”!

Tired of only earning 1 or 2 points or percent back on purchases? Different cards return a number of dissimilarly-valued rewards based on what and where you’re buying, card limits, rewards program, minimum spend, to name a few variants.
(more…)

American Express offers some of the best deals for earning reward points in the travel industry. Their combination of transfer partners, both Starwood Preferred Guest and Membership Rewards, has great incentives for earning, transferring and using your well-earned reward points. An article from CardWatchDog explains the benefits of the top three cards from American Express, the Platinum Card, the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card, and the Premier Rewards Gold Card.

Check this out if you’d like to compare the benefits of these three cards.

Get the most out of your everyday business and personal purchases by earning Chase Ultimate Rewards Points. There are three different Chase cards available, Sapphire Preferred, Ink Bold and Ink Plus, used to earn points that can then be redeemed for airline miles, hotel points or cash! Want to learn additional ways to earn Chase Ultimate Rewards Points? Visit cardwatchdog.com/blog/ to check out the varying earning potentials of the aforementioned cards and take advantage of all the perks that Chase offers you!

Looking for a little extra cash this summer?

Check out these amazing Rewards Programs and their sign-up bonuses and start earning extra miles at participating restaurants and bars across the globe!

A few highlights:

• United: from 500 to 3,000 Free MileagePlus Miles for dining at 5 restaurants (no minimum!)

• US Airways: 2,000 Miles when you sign up and spend $30 at a participating restaurant or bar, then review it within 30 days

• American: 2,000 AAdvantage bonus points after spending $30 at a participating location, reviewing it, and then opt-in to receive mail notifications

• Delta: 2,000 SkyMiles after enrolling in the dining program by the end of the year and then completing the requirements above (same as American)

• Hilton: 1,000 HHonors just for signing up for Hilton HHonors Dining, plus an additional 8 Bonus Points for every dollar spent at your favorite bar, restaurant or even club!

Don’t hesitate, many programs have deadlines for when you need to sign up by, check them out today!

Photo source: Blairrewards via Flickr, CC 2.0

With so many different types of travel rewards programs today, it can be tempting to choose just one for simplicity’s sake. However, this may not be the best strategy. According to this article from The Points Guy, diversifying your rewards program portfolio, just like you would your investments, is a great way to maximize the flexibility of your points.

The Points Guy received a question about the value of collecting hotel points instead of airline miles in the wake of many airlines devaluing their rewards. His answer states that instead of focusing solely on one or the other, travelers should instead enroll in programs with points that are transferrable between hotels and airlines. This way, members can choose to redeem their points for flights or lodging, whichever would be most valuable to them at any given time. Having flexibility with rewards programs also allows members to avoid being hurt by point devaluations from either airlines or hotels.

There are many credit cards that allow points to be transferred between hotel and airline partners, including:

• Chase Ink Plus
• Chase Ink Bold
• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• American Express Starwood Preferred Guest
• American Express Platinum
• American Express Premier Rewards Gold

Find out which flyer miles and credit card points strategy is best for you and contact us today!

Photo source: TheTruthAbout via Flickr, CC 2.0

It is becoming very difficult to recognize which rewards programs are decent these days due to the constantly changing travel industry (mergers, business closings, etc.). Luckily for you, the 2014 FlyerTalk Awards sheds light on the best in the business in terms of loyalty and reward programs.

(more…)

NerdWallet.com does a great job consolidating all the airline credit card offers this year. We especially like the table at the bottom of the post. We agree with them that the Barclaycard Arrival World MasterCard is one of the best in the market today. Let us know if you ever have points you want to sell.

http://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/top-credit-cards/nerdwallets-best-airline-credit-cards/