When you want to earn miles and points with a credit card, you must choose wisely, as some programs offer many benefits. Other programs have cards with high fees and price-gouging tactics. Include many blackout dates, and it’s no wonder consumers are often skeptical of airline rewards programs. While true, a few still work well for the consumer. Here are the three best airline miles rewards programs:
Southwest Rapid Rewards
If you often fly in the United States and are okay with this low-cost airline, you can enjoy excellent rewards with Southwest. When using Southwest Rapid Rewards, you can redeem a reward seat and not worry about blackout dates. This isn't common in an industry fraught with shady and dishonest providers who make it impossible to take a flight when you want to travel.
Also, while other airlines allow their points to expire, Southwest's never expire. This is a massive benefit for the infrequent traveler who doesn't fly around the country for business every weekend. Since the Southwest Rapid Rewards program connects with a Chase credit card, you can rest easy and use the card without fear, as Chase is an established financial company that people trust.
American Airlines AAdvantage
If you want to sign up with a large and well-established airline rewards program, you can look no further than American Airlines. After merging with US Airways, this airline is now the largest in the United States and services over 300 destinations. With this program, you don’t need to worry about getting stuck with only one airline, as you can transfer your points easily to its affiliates.
Furthermore, you can book a hotel room with your points if you don’t want to fly for a while. While miles in this program expire, as long as your account is active and you redeem or add miles every 18 months, you won’t need to worry. As far as earning miles with a credit card, you can sign up for a Citi Platinum AAdvantage and watch your miles pile up quickly as you earn points on all your purchases.
British Airways
If you are a frequent international traveler and want to use an excellent program with plenty of options, consider the British Airways program, as it offers flexibility and a generous rewards program.
A bronze member can enjoy priority boarding and seating, and a customer can take advantage of distance-based redemptions. For example, when flying from the West Coast of the United States, you can fly to Hawaii for 25,000 miles. This is advantageous as other airlines charge 35,000 miles for the same flight. Finally, British Airways offers an excellent credit card that will help you earn points on everyday purchases. Simply put, if you fly overseas frequently, consider this program.
As with other credit cards, joining a rewards program with a poor credit record may not be easy. However, these three choices are excellent for the average consumer.
