Credit Card Deals – What’s In My Wallet?

What’s In My Wallet?

Credit cards are one of the easiest ways to accumulate miles and points and there are some amazing deals out there. I can actually trace my mileage obsession back to the original American Airlines Citi AAdvantage MasterCard. I remember being about 10 years old when my friend Peter’s parents from down the block had just signed up for the card.  They had a conversation with my parents about how they used their card for all their purchases and were planning a free trip for the entire family to Disney World. My parents soon signed up (yes, they were allowed in those days to sign up for cards without my input) and so began our yearly December vacation to Florida followed later by the Caribbean, care of Citi and American.  The offers weren’t as generous back then but the award tickets were readily available at low redemption levels.  Things have changed quite a bit, but credit cards are still one of the easiest ways to earn free travel and anyone not utilizing these offers is silly.  I’ve easily earned over 3 million points with cards.  I’m constantly asked by colleagues, friends, and family what my favorite cards are and which ones will allow them to earn the most points for an upcoming trip. In fact, I’ve recently helped many friends obtain completely free honeymoons, with flights and hotels fully booked with miles and points.  Below you’ll find my favorite cards, feel free to email me at adam@pointmetotheplane.com with any questions or if you are aware of a better sign-up offer. Remember, these are per individual so you can obtain even more points if each member of the household applies.

Chase Ink Bold®  Business Card

I applied for this card on the same day as the Sapphire Preferred card below.  They both earn Ultimate Rewards points which can be combined.  This is a business card but don’t let the title fool you, individuals can apply as well(eBay selling, tutoring, a hobby, or side business qualify -travel critic, food critic, etc…see the bottom of this page for further details).  The card is currently awarding 50,000 points for new applicants, combined with the 40k for the Sapphire Preferred you’ll have close to 100k Ultimate Rewards points. You’ll receive 50k points after $5000 spend in the first three months and get 5 points for every $1 spent at office supply stores, on cell phone and land-line bills, internet, and cable tv services, 2 points for every $1 on gas and hotel charges, 1 point on all other purchases, and no foreign transaction fees. The card also comes with complimentary lounge access via the LOUNGE CLUB. The annual fee is waived for the first year and is $95 thereafter.  All points are yours even if you choose to cancel after the first year. Like the Sapphire card above, benefits include 1 to 1 point transfers with United, Southwest, British Airways, Korean Air, Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Hyatt, Priority Club, and Amtrak. Check out a full write-up on the benefits of the card as well as how to up your bonus here. You can apply for the card here.   **You should consider applying for this card and the Sapphire card on the same day, which will likely result in only one credit pull instead of two.**  See this post for additional details on how to apply as well as the numbers to call for reconsideration.  Remember, when combined with the Sapphire Preferred or Chase Ink Plus offers below this is essentially 100k Ultimate Rewards points.  100k points is enough for 4 domestic coach tickets, a business class ticket to Europe, or a coach ticket to Africa, Asia, or Australia.  Alternatively, these can be redeemed for several Hyatt, Marriott, or Priority club hotel nights.

• Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
• No interest charges because it’s a pay in full charge card
• Earn up to 5X points per dollar on eligible business purchases, and points do not expire
• Transfer points at full value to participating travel programs.
• Direct access to a live service advisor anytime.
• Introductory Offer – First Year Free ($95 thereafter)

Chase Ink Plus®  Business Card 

Chase has released the Ink Plus Business card which is the credit card edition of the Ink Bold (which is a charge card). Remember, a credit card allows you to pay part of your bill each month while a charge card requires you to pay your balance in full.  The most exciting part of the new card announcement is that the Ink Plus is considered a separate product from the Ink Bold, which means you can obtain both bonuses (in addition to the Sapphire bonus).  All terms and conditions are the same as the Ink Bold above and you’ll receive 50k points after $5000 spend in the first three months.  You can apply for the Ink Plus card here. Again, see the bottom of this page for details as to why you have a business without even knowing it.With the Sapphire Preferred (40K), Ink Bold (50K) and the Ink Plus (50K), you’ll have 140k Ultimate Rewards points in no time. Once you meet the minimum spend, you’ll essentially have enough points for a first class ticket to Europe, Africa, Asia or Australia on some of the nicest airlines in the world.

• Reward yourself with 50,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
• With Ink Plus, you have the cash flow flexibility with the choice to pay over time or pay in full
• Earn 5X points per $1 on the first $50,000 spent annually at office supply stores, and on cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services
• Earn 2X points per $1 on the first $50,000 spent annually at gas stations and for hotel accommodations when purchased directly with the hotel
• No foreign transaction fees
• Free employee cards
• 1:1 point transfer to participating travel programs with no transfer fees
• Get 20% off travel redemptions when booked through Ultimate Rewards.

Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express

This has been my favorite points card for a little over ten years now, though the Chase Ink Bold and Ink Plus cards above now provide better earning opportunities.  I’ve had this card since 2002 and love it for hotel redemptions and airline transfers.  In my opinion Starwood has some of the nicest properties in the world (Westin, W, St. Regis, Luxury Collection, Sheraton, etc.) and earning points in their program allows you to stay at hotels that might otherwise cost up to $600 per night.  Only interested in airline miles?  Did you know that with the SPG AMEX card you can actually earn more miles than you would with most airline cards?  You’ll enjoy a 5,000 Starpoint bonus when you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to miles on more than 30 airline partners. For every $1 you spend you’re essentially earning 1.25 miles with this bonus, better than the 1 to 1 rate offered by most airline cards. The current offer is: first Year Free, 10,000 SPG points after your 1st purchase and 15,000 points after spending $5000 within 6 months.  You’ll earn 5 SPG points for every $1 spent at Starwood hotels and 1 SPG point for every $ spent anywhere else.  There is a $65 annual fee after your first year, though you can cancel at that time and still keep all the points you’ve earned.  This is one card where I actually pay the annual fee each year.  I also like the extended warranty benefit with this card, 90 day purchase protection, built-in rental car insurance, price match protection, and the new AMEX return protection benefit.  You can see full details for this card and all the benefits here.

Starpoints® bonus: earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of Cardmembership

• That’s enough for a weekend getaway to a Category 4 Hotel like the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa, or six free nights at a Category 2 Hotel
• Earn up to 5 Starpoints® for each dollar of eligible purchases at participating SPG hotels and resorts – that’s 2 Starpoints for using the Card in addition to the Starpoints you earn as an SPG member. Earn 1 Starpoint for all other purchases.
• Free Hotel Nights: redeem Starpoints at over 1,100 hotels in nearly 100 countries worldwide – with no blackout dates
• Free Flights: redeem Starpoints on over 350 airlines with SPG Flights – with no blackout dates
• Get 5,000 bonus Starpoints after you transfer 20,000 Starpoints to a frequent flyer program with more than 30 airlines
• No limits on the number of Starpoints you can earn
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
• Terms and Restrictions apply.

Starwood Preferred Guest® Business Credit Card from American Express 

The perfect companion to the SPG personal card above, the business card includes all the same benefits.  So, why not double your Starwood points?  You can have both a personal card and a business card.  Don’t let the title fool you, individuals can apply as well(eBay selling, a hobby, or side business qualify…see the bottom of this page for further details).  As with the personal card, you’ll receive your first year free, 10,000 SPG points after your 1st purchase, and 15,000 points after spending $5000 within 6 months.  You can see full details for this offer and all the benefits here. Again, after the first year there is a $65 annual fee, though you can cancel after your first year and still keep all earned points. When combined with the personal card above, that’s 50,000 SPG points just for signing up.

• Starpoints® bonus: Earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of Cardmembership
• Redeem Starpoints® at over 1,100 hotels and resorts in nearly 100 countries and for flights on more than 350 airlines with SPG Flights – all with no blackout dates
• Earn up to 5 Starpoints® for each dollar of eligible purchases charged directly with hotels and resorts participating in the Starwood Preferred Guest® program
• Earn 1 Starpoint® for each dollar of eligible purchases
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $65
• Terms and limitations apply

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Visa Signature Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has been my go to card for travel and restaurant purchases since I first obtained it almost two years ago. The card earns 2 points per dollar spent on travel (taxis, train, etc. are all included) as well as when dining at restaurants and the points are super valuable with 1:1 transfers to several airlines and hotels, including United Airlines. I absolutely love the card and Ultimate Rewards.  If I’m not using the SPG cards above, I’m using this card. All customer service calls are answered by actual human beings and you’ll never be greeted by an automated system.  The current offer is 40,000 points upon spending $3000 in the first three months.  Card members receive: 1 point for ever $1, 2 points per $1 on dining and travel (air, hotel, cruises, rental cards, trains, and taxis), no foreign transaction fees, and first year free.  1 to 1 point transfers are offered with United (Star Alliance), Southwest, British Airways (Oneworld), Korean Air (SkyTeam), Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Hyatt, Priority Club, and Amtrak.  Additionally, there is a 7% annual point dividend on all points earned, which means the sign up bonus is actually worth over 40,000 points! The 40,000+ points can go a long way depending on which redemption partner you choose.  For example, see where you can go with the 40k on United including any of their Star Alliance (Lufthansa, Singapore, Swiss, Thai, etc.) partners.  More impressive, look where 100-150k can take you, if you sign up for the Sapphire and a Bold (continuing reading below) you are set in BUSINESS CLASS to Europe or Asia or can get two coach tickets!  32.5 coach each way to Hong Kong or 60k each way in business, 40k coach each way to Johannesburg or 60k each way in business, or 40K coach each way to Sydney, Australia or 67.5k each way in business. After the first year there is an annual fee of $95, however you are free to cancel at the end of the year and you will be able to keep all earned points (just remember to move them to another UR account).  The card also includes some great warranty and purchase protection benefits. Check out a full write-up on the benefits of the card as well as how to up your bonus here.  You can apply for the card here. Also, remember that Chase generally matches all publicly available offers for up to 90 days after signing up, meaning that if a better offer comes along with a lower spending requirement or a higher bonus you can ask to be matched.

• 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months- that’s $500 toward travel rewards!
• 2 points per dollar spent on travel and dining at restaurants & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
• Get 20% off airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises when you redeem through Ultimate Rewards^SM
• No foreign transaction fees
• Receive a 7% Annual Points Dividend on all new points earned on purchases – even on points already redeemed
• 1:1 point transfer to leading frequent travel programs – that means 1,000 Ultimate Rewards points equal 1,000 partner miles/points
• Direct access to expert service advisors anytime
• Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95

Chase Freedom Visa (a very necessary companion card if you already have a Sapphire Preferred or Ink Bold/Ink Plus card)

The card awards $100 cash back (which coverts to 10,000 Ultimate Rewards points) after $500 in spend in the first three months and has no annual fee. However, the real reason to get the card is the ability to earn 5% cash back (or 5x Ultimate Rewards points) on rotating categories each quarter. Previous quarters have included grocery stores, drug stores, movie theaters, gas stations, and restaurants, and the current quarter is 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent between Apr 1 and Jun 30, 2013 at restaurants, movie theaters, and Lowe’s®. That means if you effectively use your Chase cards you should earn more than one point per dollar on the majority of your purchases (5x points on rotating categories with the Freedom MasterCard or Visa, 5x points on office supplies, phone, and internet bills with the Ink Bold or Ink Plus, 2x points on gas with the Ink Bold or Ink Plus, and 2x points on travel and restaurants with the Sapphire Preferred). I exclusively use these cards to earn the 5x points on the quarterly categories up to $1500 and then revert back to my other cards. Learn more about combining points from the Sapphire, Bold, and Freedom cards here. If you sign up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Ink Bold, Chase Ink Plus, and Chase Freedom, you’ll have 150,000 Ultimate Rewards points without even including any of the required spend or bonus categories! Several readers have asked whether they can have a Visa and Mastercard, the answer is yes! You’ll then have 2 x 5% rotating categories every quarter, though you will have register each card separately for the quarterly bonus categories. If asked why you need both, some of your favorite stores only accept MasterCard while others only accept Visa.

• Earn $100 Bonus Cash Back after you make $500 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers
• 5% Cash Back on up to $1,500 spent between Apr 1 and Jun 30, 2013 at restaurants, movie theaters, and Lowe’s®
• You’ll enjoy new 5% categories every 3 months like gas stations, restaurants and Amazon.com. It’s free and easy to activate your bonus each quarter!
• Unlimited 1% Cash Back on all other purchases
• No annual fee and rewards never expire

American Express ® Premier Rewards Gold Card

The major selling point of this card is that you will ALWAYS earn triple Membership Rewards points on airfare and double points on U.S. stand-alone gas stations and U.S. standalone supermarkets.  Upon approval you’ll earn 25,000 bonus Membership Rewards points after spending $2,000 on the card within 3 months.  While the sign up bonus may not be as high as the other cards above, the triple and double earnings are key.  Additionally, AMEX consistently runs transfers bonuses where you can earn up to a 50% mileage bonus on miles transferred into a given partner program. That means your actually earning more than the double and triple points listed above. Membership Rewards has a ton of airline partners including: Delta, AeroMexico, Air Canada, Alitalia, ANA, British Airways, Air France/KLM, Frontier, Hawaiian, Iberia, JetBlue Singapore, Virgin Atlantic, and Virgin America. Under a recent promotion you could earn 1.5 British Airways Avios points for every Membership Reward Point transferred.  Hence, the bonus points earned actually became 37,500 British Airways Avios miles.  Delta tends to have similar 50% bonus transfer promotions that would amount to the same 37,500 miles.  The card also offers extended warranty protection, purchase protection, return protection, and rental car insurance.  There is $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $175 thereafter.  Like the other cards, all points are yours to keep, even if you cancel the card after the first year.

• Earn More: earn 25K Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2K during your first three months of Card membership; earn 15K points after you spend $30,000 within one calendar year
• Earn Fast: 3X points for flights booked with airlines, 2X points at US gas stations and US supermarkets, 1X points on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply.
• Use points for gift cards for dining, entertainment, and to shop over 300 of some of your favorite brands
• Access to Benefits: Baggage Insurance Plan* when you travel, and shop with confidence with Extended Warranty* and Return Protection.*Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company
• Book two consecutive hotel nights through American Express Travel and receive $75 back at checkout. Restrictions may apply
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $175
• Terms and Restrictions Apply

Chase British Airways Visa Signature® Card

The 100,000 British Airways card offer may be over but the current 50k offer has a much simpler spending requirement of only $1000 within three months. Why should you take advantage of this offer if you live in the US and you know of BA’s ridiculous fuel surcharges? I recently went to Barbados round-trip on American for only $47.50 in taxes and 12,500 Avios points each way (instead of 17,500 AA miles).  BA offers amazing redemption opportunities on short-haul flights and points can be used for cheap awards on American Airlines award redemptions within North America, the Caribbean, and Hawaii. There are even some good long-haul opportunities that avoid the outrageous taxes and fees that BA has become known for.  Check out this post for the short haul opportunities and this post with the long haul opportunities. Also, remember that BA allows household accounts where up to 7 members residing at the same address can combine and pool their points together. NYC Dining Credits – MY FAVORITE NON MILEAGE PERK OF THE CARD! If you are in the NYC area there is another great reason to get the card, the MICHELIN $100 back dining offer.  The offer usually appears at least once per year but has been offered twice per year at times. Essentially, you can use the card at any NYC MICHELIN star-rated restaurant and receive a $50 credit after you dine once and another $50 statement credit upon your second use as long as your bill is $50 or more.  I took advantage of this offer in 2011 and 2012.  The offer itself completely offsets the $95 annual fee for the card.  You can also book your tables online at opentable.com to earn those points as well.

• You will get 50,000 bonus Avios after you make $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
• Plus pay no foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad
• You will also get 2.5 Avios for every $1 spent on British Airways purchases and 1.25 Avios for every $1 spent on all other purchases
• Every calendar year you make $30,000 in purchases on your British Airways Visa card, you’ll earn a Travel Together Ticket good for two years
• Chip with Signature Technology allows you to use your card for chip based purchases in Europe & beyond, while still giving you the ability to use your card as you do today at home

Citi American AAdvantage Visa, MasterCards, & AMEX Cards

As I mentioned above, these cards were my family’s first mileage earning cards.  For several years these cards were a mileage junkies best friend, you could continuously apply, cancel, and re-apply for these cards over and over again.  Several “enthusiasts” were able to obtain millions of AA miles in this way.  The party has ended but you can still earn 50k for a Citi Visa, MasterCard, or AMEX, though the two-browser trick is now dead as well.  After a long hiatus I was recently approved for a Citi AA Visa and AMEX card. Check out this post for full details. One of the very cool new perks of this card is that you’ll receive 10% of your redeemed AAdvantage miles back up to 10k miles per year. You’ll generally receive approval 18-20 months after your last successful AA personal card application. Check out this post for links to the 50k personal and business applications  and tips (though no landing page) or see this link for the public 30k offer with full terms and conditions.

• Earn 30,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after $1,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of cardmembership
• Your first eligible checked bag is free
• Priority Boarding with Group 1 privileges and 25% savings on eligible in-flight purchases
• Earn a $100 American Airlines Flight Discount every cardmembership year with qualifying purchases and cardmembership renewal
• Double AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
• Earn 10% of your redeemed AAdvantage® miles back – up to 10,000 AAdvantage(R) miles each calendar year

Barclays US Airways Premier World MasterCard®

With the pending AA/US merger this card is a must as these miles will one day become AAdvantage miles. The expectation is that this card will eventually go away (most likely at least a year away from now), leaving behind the harder to churn AA Citi Cards.  While Barclays is one of the tougher banks in terms of approval for your first card, they have a reputation lately as being easily churnable. Using my family as guinea pigs (yes, they love this), I did a post here on our churn results. The good – you can definitely get another card and bonus. The bad – timing plays a role but the waiting periods vary based on individual and are uncertain. The best currently available offer with a landing page is for 30,000 bonus miles after your first use & 10k additional for a balance transfer. If you only intend to use the card for your first use and then put it away, you may be in for an additional bonus of 15,000 miles, yep you read that right, a bonus for not spending (see this post).

• Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles on qualifying transactions
• EXCLUSIVE: Redeem flights for 5,000 fewer miles
• Zone 2 boarding on every flight
• Enjoy 2 miles per $1 spent on US Airways purchases
• Earn 1 mile per $1 spent everywhere else
• Annual companion certificate good for round-trip travel for up to 2 companions at $99 each, plus taxes and fees
• First Class check-in
• Please see terms and conditions for complete details

You can definitely have more than one card at a time and churning is possible. While some may be successful applying with another card open, others may be questioned as to why they need two of the same card. In any case, it’s worth a shot and you can always cancel your first card. It seems safest to wait at least six months between applications, though this doesn’t seem to be a guarantee if you already have another US Airways card opened. See here for full takeaways from the churning experiments.

1) 30k after your first purchase, annual fee of $89, up to an additional 10k when you transfer a balance within 90 days (1 mile per $). Full landing page and promo details.

• Earn up to 40,000 bonus miles on qualifying transactions
• EXCLUSIVE: Redeem flights for 5,000 fewer miles
• Zone 2 boarding on every flight
• Enjoy 2 miles per $1 spent on US Airways purchases
• Earn 1 mile per $1 spent everywhere else
• Annual companion certificate good for round-trip travel for up to 2 companions at $99 each, plus taxes and fees
• First Class check-in
• Please see terms and conditions for complete details

2) 35k after your first purchase, annual fee waived for the first year, 10k for card renewal. NO landing page or promo details (thanks Chester F).
3) Business Card – 25k after your first purchase, up to 10k for balance transfer within the first 30 days (1 mile per $), $79 annual fee. Note this link will also give you the option to select a business card with no annual fee and 5k miles for signing up.

Coming Soon to My Wallet & Previously in My Wallet
The Platinum Card® from American Express (scheduled for my next card churn in late March 2013)

Let’s start out with the cost, it’s $450 a year!  Yes, that sounds outrageous but you make up the initial outlay extremely quickly, especially if you’re a frequent traveler with no lounge access.  With membership comes COMPLIMENTARY lounge access with American Airlines, Delta, and US Airways.  Prices for annual club memberships at these airlines vary based on your status level, however in general US Airways charges $325-$450, American $350-$500, and Delta $300-$450.  The card also grants you access to Priority Pass Select lounges around the globe. If you are someone who buys any of these memberships, then this card is definitely worth the membership fee. Even more valuable, you can add up to 3 additional members for only $175 total, which means 4 people can enjoy these benefits for $625 or $156.25 per person for access to all of these lounges for the year.  The card also includes $200 airline fee credit per year.  You select an airline to receive up to $200 annually in statement credits for incidental fees such as checked bags, in-flight refreshments, and change fees. Finally, the card also comes with FREE Global Entry registration, which normally costs $100.  The program allows you to bypass passport control and use automated entry machines or special passport control lines to expedite your entry back into the US.  They also have a special Platinum concierge desk that can help with special dining reservations, sold out event assistance, and shopping services. You also get VIP treatment at thousands of hotels in the Fine Hotels and Resorts Program booked via AMEX, including upgrades and late 4pm checkout. No foreign currency conversion fees and the standard purchase protection plans are also included.  As noted with the AMEX Gold Card above, Membership Rewards points are extremely flexible and can be transferred to several partners including some of the largest airlines.  However, that card is much better in terms of earning points (double and triple) for purchases, this card’s appeal is for the lounge, airline fee credit, and Global Entry perks.  Do the math, first subtract the $200 airline fee credit from the annual fee.  Now, if the remaining cost is lower than what you pay each year for an airline membership, the card definitely makes sense, even without taking into consideration Global Entry or the hotel benefits. You will receive 25,000 Membership Rewards points after $2000 in purchases within three months.

• Earn 25K Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2,000 during your first three months of Card membership
• Premium travel benefits: access over 600 lounges worldwide when you enroll in Priority Pass(TM)Select, no foreign transaction fees
• Receive up to $200 annually in a statement credit with the airline of your choice to use towards baggage fees, flight-change fees, in-flight food and beverage purchases and more
• 24/7 Platinum Card® Concierge service for assistance with reservations, travel, gifts, and more
• Entertainment benefits: get Advance Tickets before the public and access once in a lifetime events with By Invitation Only®
• Terms and restrictions apply

Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card (previously in my wallet)

The card awards 50,000 bonus points after you spend $1000 in your first three months (enough points for a free night at any Marriott property) AND 1 free night at a category 1-4 location. You earn 5 points for every $1 spent at Marriott locations, 2 points for every $1 on dining, airline, and rental car purchases, and 1 point for every $1 spent on purchases anywhere else, and 15 nights credit toward elite membership each year as well as 1 elite night credit for every $3,000 spent. The annual fee is waived for the first year and $85 thereafter.  Again, all points and free nights are yours to keep. You can easily find Marriott properties that are over $400 a night, making this a worthwhile card, especially if several family members are signing up together. The card also now includes smart chip technology and no foreign transaction fees.  You can apply here.

• Enjoy up to 7 Free Nights To Start!
• New! Smart Chip Technology and No Foreign Transaction Fees!
• Earn 5 points for every $1 spent at Marriott® locations
• Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on airline tickets purchased directly with the airline, and at car rental agencies & restaurants
• Earn 1 point for every $1 spent on other purchases
• Receive 1 free night stay after account approval and each year upon account anniversary
• Cardmembers achieve Silver Elite status with 15 nights credit toward Elite status

Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve Card (including in my next churn)

The card was released in July 2012 and comes with some amazing benefits including two free weekend nights at any Hilton worldwide, no foreign transaction fees, and HHonors Gold status.  Now, the limitation that the free nights are only for weekends isn’t the greatest, though I love that the free nights are good at any category 1-7 property, even with the recent very negative Hilton devaluations (the free nights will be good at the updated levels 1-10)! I also like that you receive gold status without having to hit a certain amount in purchases each year.  Again, not the most amazing bonus but I know exactly where I want to redeem the two nights and the current rate is over $400 per night, making this card well worth the annual fees:

• Earn 2 weekend night certificates good at select hotels and resorts within the Hilton HHonors portfolio after $2,500 in eligible purchases within 4 months of account opening
• Earn 10 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on hotel stays within the Hilton HHonors portfolio
• Earn 5 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on airline and car rental purchases
• Earn 3 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases
• Enjoy the benefits of HHonors Gold status as long as you are a cardmember
• No foreign transaction fees on purchases
• Travel with ease and enjoy global acceptance with your Citi chip credit card
• Earn an anniversary bonus of 1 weekend night certificate at select hotels and resorts within the Hilton HHonors portfolio each cardmembership year with qualifying purchases
  

Citi Hilton Visa Signature Card

My family and I headed to Barbados last winter when the rates were averaging above $500 a night at the Hilton.  We needed to earn some Hilton points quickly so I had each family member sign up for the Hilton Citi card and Hilton AMEX card.  The Citi card awards 40,000 HHonors points after spending $1000 in four months.  40,000 points used to be good enough for a free night at most Hilton properties (categories 1-6), while category 7 properties required 50,000 points per night, though that’s all been changed with the recent devaluations.  However, there is no annual fee for the card, so it’s 40k points for nothing. You can apply here.

• Earn 40,000 Hilton HHonors Bonus Points after spending $1,000 within 4 months of account opening
• Earn 6 HHonors Bonus Points for each $1 spent at a participating hotel within the Hilton HHonors portfolio.
• Earn 3 HHonors Bonus Points for each $1 spent on purchases at supermarkets, drugstores and gas stations.
• Earn 2  HHonors Bonus Points for each $1 spent on all other purchases.
• No annual fee.

Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express

30,000 SkyMiles when you spend $500 in the first 3 months, first bag for free, priority boarding, 20% in flight savings on food and entertainment, no annual fee the first year and $95 after that.  This is a decent way to up your Delta SkyMiles balance by 30k for free and ensure free bags if you are not an elite member.  I would not suggest holding on to the card after the first year. There are much more lucrative ways to earn SkyMiles (refer to the SPG card above).  30k miles is enough for a low level roundtrip ticket within the US or to the Caribbean. You can apply for the card here.

• Bonus Miles: Earn 30,000 bonus miles toward Award Travel after you spend $500 on the Card within the first three months of Cardmembership.
• Earn As You Spend: Get 2X miles on Delta purchases and 1X miles for all other eligible dollars spent.
• Check your first bag free on every Delta flight – that’s a savings of up to $200 per round trip for a family of four.
• Premium Travel Perks: Settle in sooner with Priority Boarding, and enjoy the skies with 20% in-flight savings to use toward meals, beverages, and movies awarded as a statement credit.
• $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95.
• Terms and Restrictions Apply.

United Mileage Plus Explorer Card

I got this card while United and Continental were still in the process of merging.  I wanted to be able to receive sign up bonuses for both the Continental and the United cards prior to the programs merging. The current bonus is for 30,000 miles after $1000 spend in the first 3 months, 5,000 bonus miles after you add an authorized user to your account and make a purchase with your card during the first 3 months, and 10,000 bonus miles every calendar year you spend at least $25,000 on your card. The spending requirements are high for the final 10,000 points but it’s extremely easy to get the 35,000 miles in no time.  There is no annual fee the first year, so the 35k miles are essentially free.  If two family members sign up this could potentially be two free tickets to the Caribbean or any destination in the continental US.  The card also includes a free checked bag for each card members and a companion, priority boarding, warranty protection, and rental insurance.  The fee is $95 after the first year, but like all the other offers the miles are yours to keep regardless of whether you cancel after your free first year. Update – You may be able to obtain 50k for signing up if you are not currently a United Chase card holder.  Take a look at this forum discussion.

• Start with 30,000 bonus miles after your spend $1,000 in the first 3 months
• Check your first bag for free – save up to $100 per roundtrip
• Earn double miles on United ticket purchases, and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases
• Enjoy priority boarding privileges
• Visit the United Club with two one-time-use passes every year
• Use your miles for any seat, any time, on any United flight
• Your miles don’t expire as long as you’re a cardmember, with no limit to the number of miles you can earn
• $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95

Applying for a Business Card – Want to apply for a business card listed above but you don’t have a business?  Check out this article and start thinking about a name for your “business”.  Your business name can simply be your first and last name.  Remember to select sole proprietorship as your business type which will utilize your SSN instead of a business ID. Sell items on eBay, have a hobby or babysitting job? You’re a business owner!

Worried About Your Credit Score? Did you know you can actually increase your credit score by applying for additional credit cards?  Check out this great article by the Frugal Travel Guy. Also, see this article from Million Miles, yes your score can actually go up from applying for more credit!

Please note that www.pointmetotheplane.com does receive referral bonuses for some of the offers mentioned above.  All offers are the best present-day available offer for the selected cards.  Please email me if you find a better publicly available deal and I’ll update the page accordingly!   Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.