Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back card?

ScaredtoQuit

ScaredtoQuit

Recycles dryer sheets
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I try to charge as much as I can to my U.S. Air Visa card; I get one frequent flyer mile for every dollar I charge. What's your opinion on who has the best credit card spending bonuses? Is opting for frequent flyer miles the most efficient use of your credit card spending or should one opt for a cash-back card?

For those of you who have cash-back cards, what are your terms? How much do you get back and when? Are there any restrictions on what you can charge? (I have charged college tuitions on my U.S. Air Visa and built up mileage quickly!!) What's the highest percentage you've heard rebated? In your opinion, what gets the biggest bang for the bucks you charge??
 
I used to try to find the best reward deals, but I got tired of the games many of them make you play.

So, now I like my simple PenFed VISA. 5% cash back on gas, 1.25% back on everything else. Credited directly to my account each month. No fees, no limits, no variables, no thresholds, no blackout dates, nothing.
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

I have a US Air VISA, also, and it was fine while I traveled by air, but now that I prefer ground travel to see the USA, it has little value for me. In fact when I do use it and build up miles, I donate them to the "Make A Wish Foundation".

Currently, I use an Amazon.com VISA, and get 1 point for each dollar spent anywhere, and 3 points for every dollar spent at Amazon. For every 2500 points they give you a $25 certificate for Amazon. Because of some fair size purchase in the last 2 months, I have two $25 certificates coming this month! I'll have to look at my 'Wish List' at Amazon and see what I want them to send me for free!
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

I hate to fly so couldn't care less about FF miles. The cash back cards are too chintzy in building up to a decent rebate percentage.

Starbucks Duetto VISA card issued by Chase works fine for me...no annual fee, 1% of every purchase is credited (MONTHLY!) to the Starbucks side of the card. Charge everything on the card, and your $600 credit card bill = $6 of free coffee.
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

Red-y said:
I hate to fly so couldn't care less about FF miles. The cash back cards are too chintzy in building up to a decent rebate percentage.

Starbucks Duetto VISA card issued by Chase works fine for me...no annual fee, 1% of every purchase is credited (MONTHLY!) to the Starbucks side of the card. Charge everything on the card, and your $600 credit card bill = $6 of free coffee.
Click to expand...

If you got a PenFed card (as wab suggested) instead, you'd be getting $7.50 on your $600 credit card bill so you could get more Starbucks or anything else you wanted! In addition you'd get 5% back for gas. Oh, and they credit it to you every month like Starbucks.

You might want to consider it. :) I use mine all the time.
 
I have almost 200K miles sitting in my account... so, I don't need to get more..

But, calculating the return, the cash back is better... do a check on how many miles it cost for a ticket and then the price... it is usually less than a 1% return for the miles..
 
ditto for me on the Penfed card. and the people answering the phones are outstanding, helpful, and friendly. Best customer service I've ever had from a bank.
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

I currently travel internationally for work, so I use the American Airlines Citi card. I am not as concerned with the miles for purchasing tickets... I care about getting upgrades for the 9-11 hour flights.

To me, that's something that the money can't buy in this situation.

However, when I switch airlines to Northwest (due to a relocation), I will see if there is a NW Worldperks card and get that for the same reason on upgrades.

Lastly, when I am no longer traveling internationally, I'll just go back to a cashback card. I also have a Discover but use it only minimally because I've had it so long and it has a high enough credit limit that it helps keep my credit score high.
 
I have and use the PenFed Visa card mentioned here as well.

The one thing I don't like about it is that the only way to pay the balance online seems to be to pay it from an associated PenFed checking account, which I don't want to open. I already have a checking account two other places and don't want three.

Right now I mail them a check monthly. I suppose I could set them up on my online bill pay. Has anyone found an easier way to pay their PenFed Visa bill?

2Cor521
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

I use the Starwood Preferred Guest AmEx card.
I read about it in an article. Free the first year, 1 SPG point/dollar. You can exchange SPG points for many airlines, and if you exchange 20K points at a time you get 25K miles!

Also, since most of a vacation's cost is usually hotel costs rather than the air transportation, you can get free rooms at SPG properties for 2000-16000 points/night depending upon the property. Starwood includes W hotels, Westin, Sheraton, Four Points.
 
Has anyone found a no fee cash rewards or airline miles card?
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

SecondCor521: I believe payment of PENFED VISA has been discussed before. I set mine up (with Customer Service) to be paid from my PENFED Share Account (which everyone MUST have to establish the PENFED account). I can transfer funds from another 3d party account to the SHARE account and then just do an internal PENFED transfer to the VISA card OR let the money go from the Share account to the VISA Bill when due. The checking account is not involved.
 
SecondCor521 said:
...
The one thing I don't like about it is that the only way to pay the balance online seems to be to pay it from an associated PenFed checking account, which I don't want to open. ..... Has anyone found an easier way to pay their PenFed Visa bill?

2Cor521
Click to expand...

Auto-pay of the Penfed visa is doable, but not transparent. Go to Penfed home page, click "forms" at top of page, click 6th bulleted item "Authorization Agreement for Automated Clearing House (ACH) Debit", print document. Write in and add a new checked box in section "A" labled "credit card monthly bill in full (or minimum or whatever) each month. For PFCU loan # use your credit card #. I wrote "automatic credit card payment" at the top of the sheet I sent. Call one of the helpful Penfed service people to be sure this is good information and then send it off to Penfed. It's worked for us for the last 3 months, though it takes a bit of faith as they don't send out any payment confirmation. Hope this helps - gonna stick it in as a new topic so searches find it.
 
chinaco said:
Has anyone found a no fee cash rewards or airline miles card?
Click to expand...

Cash rewards all over the place... every major player has them..

Airlines are a bit different... a co-worker has a Continental for free, but I can not find it... but, I like the cash back better anyhow so I don't look..
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

I prefer cash rewards over airline miles. My favorite cash reward card was the Citi 5% on groceries and gas and drug stores. But they ended that program and now they only offer 2% but now it includes 2% on utilities. So I pay all my utilities with the Citi card and I have a Chase card for 3% on groceries and gas and "quick serve" restaurants. But there is a per month limit on the 3% so it's not adding up as fast as the Citi 5% used to.

I keep a Discover card and use it if their current promo program includes something I use. They offer 5% on a specific category every 3 months. Once it was groceries, one time it was college expenses, another time it was a home improvement category. Outside of their specific program their rebate is low so I don't bother with it.

I wish someone would bring back the 5% cash reward on groceries and gas.
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

Sue J said:
I wish someone would bring back the 5% cash reward on groceries and gas.
Click to expand...


I have one from Chase that is 5% like the citi... you get 'points', but can use it for a cash check when you get $50... the page is hidden somewhere (or they finally have taken it down....).. someone that knows how to search better:confused:

Mostly they have the new 3% that they advertise.. easy to find...
 
Re: Best Bonus for Credit Card Expenitures -Frequent Flyer cards or Cash-back ca

chinaco said:
Has anyone found a no fee cash rewards or airline miles card?
Click to expand...

The AMAZON Rewards card by Chase has no annual fees.
 
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