Question
Hello,
I was very excited to find this forum! Maybe you have some advice - I fly a lot (generally to Florida, Arizona, California, New York, mostly in the US) and I recently paid off and closed all my credit card accounts. I have excellent credit, and would like to open just one credit card (preferably Visa or MasterCard), and i don't want to pay an annual fee. Would like to start earing miles. I generally fly Delta and Continental. Any advice on some good offers taking place currently?
Thanks to all replies.
-B.
Answer
I don't think you're going to be able to find a card that earns miles that doesn't have an annual fee. For your two airlines, you can either get a Mastercard through Chase for Continental, or an American Express for Delta.
IMHO, the Mastercard is the better deal because it is more widely accepted. I've had my Delta Skymiles AMEX for six years now and am amazed at the number of places that don't take it. It's kind of funny in a way... American Express touts their customer service, but it's not much of a service if I can't use it. I bet they'd make more money if they lowered their merchant fees to have more merchants...
Answer
thanks for the reply - i really am having no luck finding a card w/o annual fee. oh well, i'll just wait till one offers something special!
thanks again!
-b
Answer
United offers a VISA card with no fee, but you only get one mile per $2 spent rather than one mile per $1 spent. They also have an offer right now for their standard card (one mile for each $1 spent) with no fee for the first year, after which I believe the fee is $60.
Answer
thank you!
Answer
Depending on how much you charge per year may determine whether the annual fee is justified. If you are low charger, then you could go with no annual fee but 1 mile/$2 charged versions of FF credit cards. In addition to UA, I think DL might offers the no annual fee card but I'm not sure about CO.
It may be worth paying the annual fee, if you are going to get hefty signing bonus such as 15K or 20K miles. (Since you are looking for either CO or DL) DL frequently offers AmEx DL Gold with annaul fee wavied for the first yr. You could cancel the card after 1st yr.
Another alternative could be Amtrak's Guest Rewards MasterCard by MBNA. You receive 1 per $1 charged without any annual fee. In 5,000 increments, you can transfer its points to CO, UA, and Midwest miles up to 25,000 miles per year (unless you are Amtrak GR elite member) on 1 to 1 basis.
http://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/
https://www.amtrakguestrewards.com/index.cfm?category=earn&loc=creditcardstandardearningdetail.html
Answer
Given that you will fly DL or CO and that they are partners, you should consider other things to help with your decision. Credit card companies have frequent points promotions. AMEX's DL/Platinum card offers a 10k bonus if you spend $25k or more per year (I think this is still available for new applicants). AMEX/DL has double points promos every so often. I am not suggesting you go with AMEX but you should consider the promotions that are offered. A search of flyertalk will show you what has been offered in the past.
Answer
The co-branded Delta/Amex card is currently available with no fee for the first year. (https://www66.americanexpress.com/cards/Applyfservlet?csi=24/13611/b/57/1951871558/195103839580/0/n)
You might try it, get your sign-up bonus, then evaluate if it's worth keeping when the year is up.
Also, MBNA has various co-branded World Points cards with no annual fee. You get 1 point for each dollar charged, and you can usually redeem 25k points for a domestic air ticket on any airline.