5 Tips for Finding the Best Travel Rewards Credit Card

A travel rewards credit card can be the perfect way to get something back for your travel purchases, but to get the most of the rewards; you need to know how to choose the right card for you.

1. Determine the main use

One of the first tips for finding the travel rewards credit card that will suit your needs is to determine what those needs are. Will you be using the card to charge for your transportation costs? Are you using the card for hotels for family trips? Think about the main uses for the travel rewards credit card and then you can narrow the selection choices.

2. Determine the rewards that you would like

Many times a prospective cardholder will choose a travel rewards credit card because it sounds like it offers tremendous rewards. And while it might, if you’re not going to use those rewards, the card will not be advantageous. Think about the kinds of rewards that you might like to have: frequent flyer miles, hotel discounts, and free upgrades. When you’ve chosen rewards that you’ll actually use, you’re getting the most from your card.

3. Are you loyal to one company?

You will also want to consider if you have patterns in your travel that might aid in choosing a travel rewards credit card that meets your needs. That is, if you tend to fly with one airline, you may want to consider that airline’s travel rewards credit card. This choice may end up paying you more in rewards as you’re also remaining loyal to one company.

4. What are the fees?

One of the primary disadvantages for a travel rewards credit card is that it can also have large annual fees. While you are looking for the best travel rewards credit card for you, compare the fees that you may be charged in order to see if the fee is worth the rewards. In some cases, you may have to pay $50 per year to use the travel rewards credit card, but in return, you’re not able to redeem your charges for any recognizable reward.

5. How complicated is the travel rewards credit card?

While you might not want to believe this, some travel rewards credit card companies deliberately try to make their rewards system complicated in order to avoid giving away the rewards. As you look for a travel rewards credit card, try to see what the process is for redeeming your rewards and how restrictive the conditions are.

A travel rewards credit card can help a busy traveler save up for the break that they truly deserve, but only if the travel rewards credit card is everything that it promises to be.

Beth Derkowitz recommends Find Credit Cards for finding the best travel rewards credit card for you.

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Finding the Best Travel Credit Cards

While many airlines offer enticements of frequent flier miles, there is a second prevalent option - travel credit cards - for discounting your airline travels. There is a very solid reason that these travel credit cards are so popular for avid travelers.

These travel credit cards - i.e., those with a feature that lets you earn air mileage discounts as you make purchases with your travel credit card - offer a double dipping opportunity. What this means, simply, is that you now have two ways to earn mileage discounts with the same trip - if you use your travel credit card to book the flight. You can earn credit not only towards your flight, but also towards an auto rental or a hotel room. You can also get mileage credit for purchases with your travel credit card that are not flight-related, such as meals and shopping from retailers.

Many credit cards work as travel credit cards, offering miles or points for your purchases with the card. There are four types of travel credit cards to consider. You might want to choose a credit card that has partnered with a hotel chain or specific airline. This may well be a good choice if your travel destinations are consistent, and you use the same airline continually; or if you have a preference in hotel chain. You might choose a common brand of travel credit card, such as American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover or Diners Club. Your local bank, or another reputable banking firm might issue its own credit card with a program that offers travel rewards. You could also choose a debit card that acts as a travel credit card.

It's difficult to say in general which are the best travel credit cards. So much depends on individual need. Most folks new to travel credit cards start with what are known as co-branded or affinity travel credit cards - those specifically tied to the frequent flyer offering of a certain airline. So, let's look at a couple of those.

American Airlines, for instance, has a partnership with Citibank, offering the AAdvantage mile program. With this American Airlines travel credit card, the traveler card user earn one AAdvantage mile for each dollar she or he charges on the travel credit card.

United Airlines has a similar travel credit card offer, called Mileage Plus First Card, and Delta Airlines has an American Express Optima mileage frequent flier travel credit card. Northwest's travel credit card is called the WorldPerks Visa. Most affinity travel credit cards are MasterCard or Visa, Delta being the most notable exception.

While travel credit cards certainly offer great mileage perks to those who fly the friendly skies often, they also have the disadvantage of comparatively hefty annual fees, however. The fees can range anywhere from $25 to $125. Besides credit history, the other factor that determines your travel credit card annual fee or your annual percentage rate (APR) is your choosing a standard, a gold or a platinum level card. APRs are high for travel credit cards as well. You'll usually end up paying 15 to 18 percent.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Credit Cards. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Travel Credit Cards Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Morgan_Hamilton