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About 90% of all credit card spending is on rewards cards. More from Personal Finance:5 ways to start paying down credit card debtDoes America's credit habit make a recession inevitable? What to do as credit card rates keep climbingIn 2019, in return for all the spending on these types of credit cards, the largest U.S. banks paid out nearly $35 billion in rewards. In that same year, banks reported more than $140 billion in revenue from all credit cards. More than half of that revenue comes from rewards credit cards, according to Agarwal.

But the 20% rebate on travel purchases (up to $200 back) easily makes this superior to the Chase Sapphire Reserve® offer. Meanwhile, those with a Chase Sapphire Reserve can book travel through the Chase Travel Portal at a rate of 1.5 cents each. Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve®Consider statement credits and complimentary membershipsThe Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Green Card offer various credits that can effectively reduce the annual fee you pay to be a cardholder. The Chase Sapphire Reserve's $300 travel credit is much more versatile than the Amex Green card's annual statement credits, since it applies to virtually any travel purchase. The Chase Sapphire Reserve carries a $550 annual fee, while the Amex Green Card charges $150 per year.

☆ JetBlue adds incremental perks like early boarding and booze to keep travelers reaching for status
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-10 | by ( Leslie Josephs | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

JetBlue Airways has unveiled new perks for less-frequent flyers who are striving for elite status, the latest carrier to rethink its loyalty program to reflect shifting travel habits. Other changes include:JetBlue breaking up its elite Mosaic status into four levels, with benefits corresponding to each. To earn level 1 of that program travelers will need 50 tiles, and that comes with benefits like access to seats with extra legroom at check-in and same-day flight changes. JetBlue is also offering perks when a customer moves up a level of elite status like pet-fee waivers or a $99 credit card statement credit. American Airlines late last year, for example, raised the spending threshold required for customers to earn elite status.

☆ I'm a frequent traveler and these 5 credit cards never leave my wallet
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Andrew Kunesh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

So without further ado, these are my top five credit cards as a frequent traveler. My top 5 credit cards as a frequent travelerI use credit card rewards to fund my flights and hotel stays around the world. HyattThe Chase Sapphire Reserve is another iconic travel credit card that took the credit card world by storm when it launched in 2016. Other travel credit cards I keep openI keep a handful of hotel cards open for the annual free night certificate. Read my article to why you should have more than one credit card for more information on creating a credit card stack that works for your needs.

Citi issues several credit cards for American Airlines, including the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®. Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select Review: Is It the Best Airline Credit Card for You? How to earn miles with the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select cardThe Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® is a good choice for American Airlines purchases, as well as other everyday spending in popular categories. What credit score do you need for the Citi AAdvantage Platinum Select card? Methodology: How we reviewed the Citi AAdvantage Platinum SelectInsider's experts compared the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® to other American Airlines and competitor airline credit cards.

Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 2x Miles on Delta purchases made directly with Delta. Other United℠ Explorer Card benefits include two single-visit passes to the United Club lounge per anniversary year, 25% back on United inflight purchases, and priority boarding. When looking for the card that best fits you, consider whether you'd prefer to earn on restaurant and US supermarket purchases (Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card), or dining and hotel bookings (United℠ Explorer Card). Here's our Platinum Delta Amex card review for all the details, and a comparison of the Delta Gold vs Delta Platinum cards to help you decide.

American Express issues several co-branded Delta credit cards, including the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card. Unlike the Delta Gold Card, the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card can help you earn Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) toward Delta elite status through its Status Boost benefit. Another benefit of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card is the ability to access Delta Sky Clubs when you're flying Delta, at a discounted rate of $50 per visit. Delta Gold Business Card vs Delta Platinum Business CardThere are also business versions of these two cards:Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card: 50,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membershipDelta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card: 60,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in purchases on your new card in your first three months of card membershipThe Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card offer very similar overall benefits to the personal versions. If you're a casual Delta flyer, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card is likely going to be a better fit for you.

☆ 6 reasons why you should have more than one credit card in your wallet
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Andrew Kunesh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +15 min

So, let’s run through a few of the reasons why you should have more than one credit card in your wallet. Here’s a look at my credit card stack and the earning rate for purchases I make with each card. You can make a no annual fee credit card stack, tooOf course, my credit card stack isn’t for everyone. Look through our guides to the best credit cards and best no annual fee credit cards for inspiration on building your own credit card stack. Possibly improve your credit scoreHaving multiple credit card could improve your credit if used responsibly.

Getty ImagesSix Delta credit cards are running elevated welcome bonuses through March 29, so it's your last chance to apply. Delta Amex credit card increased offersAmex Delta credit cards give you the ability to use Delta miles in a way that non-cardholders can't. However, Insider estimates that Delta miles are worth 1.1 cents each, on average, when booking award flights. And if you know the best ways to use Delta miles, you can get significantly more value. That's double the miles of the previous card bonus, which was 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after meeting minimum spending requirements.

☆ Yes, You Can Put Your Taxes on a Credit Card. Here’s How to Make It Work
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( ) www.wsj.com time to read: +14 min

Sign-up bonusesA much better strategy, according to credit card experts, is to use a hefty tax payment to help you qualify for a generous sign-up bonus on a new credit card. Downsides of paying taxes with a credit cardIn addition to fees, paying your taxes with a credit card isn’t without downsides. Most credit card issuers report your credit card balances and the amount of available credit to all three major credit bureaus monthly. Although having a large balance on a credit card can impact your credit score, the effects aren’t permanent. How to pay federal taxes with a credit cardThe IRS does not directly accept tax payments via credit card.

☆ How to get approved for a business credit card
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-14 | by ( Holly Johnson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

But, how do you get approved for a business credit card? Know your credit scoreYour personal credit score will often be a factor in being approved for a business credit card. This step is important since card issuers will take your personal credit into account when approving you for a business credit card. Compare business card optionsYou can earn a variety of rewards with your business credit card, including airline miles. Fortunately, you can quickly and easily fill out a business card application just like you would if you were applying for a personal credit card.

☆ I flew first class for the first time ever—here's why the upgrade from economy was worth it
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Flying first class for the first time has convinced me that it's worth the money for longhaul flights. I've been flying my entire life — to the Dominican Republic, to Italy, to Morocco — but it's always been in economy class. That all changed in January when my partner and I were traveling to San Francisco and got upgraded to first class. On our way to the airport, we got a notification that we'd be upgraded from economy to Delta's Comfort+. I got a free upgrade to fly in Delta's first class cabin on a recent flight to San Francisco, California.

As a newly minted Airman, I was floored when I first found out about all the credit card perks active duty military members receive. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application. Review: IHG Rewards Premier credit card reviewBest Discover Cards for Military MembersWhile Discover credit cards don't actually charge any annual fees — it's one of their hallmarks — they've outdone much of the competition by eliminating all over-limit and late fees for active-duty military credit cards. Review: Navy Federal Flagship Rewards credit card reviewBest Credit Cards for Active-duty Military Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)Are military credit cards guaranteed approval? Military members will have their credit vetted just as anyone who applies for a credit card.

Here's what credit score you'll need to qualify for the various Delta SkyMiles American Express cards. Small business owners have three Delta SkyMiles cards to choose from: Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card and the Delta SkyMiles® Gold Business American Express Card. Luckily, the business and personal Delta cards are considered separate products so if you had the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, for example, you'd still be able to earn the welcome bonus with the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card. Bottom lineTo qualify for an Delta SkyMiles American Express card, you'll probably need a FICO® score of 670 or higher. For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card card, click here.

There's a new reason to consider the Delta American Express cards — a 15% discount on award flights. The new "TakeOff 15" benefit is permanent, and applies to the personal and small-business versions of the Amex Delta Gold, Delta Platinum, and Delta Reserve cards. If you redeem Delta miles for Delta flights with any regularity, it might make sense to open a Delta card for this benefit. That's double the miles of the previous card bonus, which was 50,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after meeting minimum spending requirements. Review: Amex Business Delta Reserve card reviewDo you qualify for the Delta credit card bonuses?

Review: Is the Chase Aeroplan card the best credit card for you? It's not often an airline credit card makes waves with a strong welcome bonus and completely unique benefits, but the Aeroplan® Credit Card has managed to do just that. As the first Air Canada-branded credit card offered by Chase (and the only Aeroplan card on the US market) the Aeroplan® Credit Card is packed with perks — and it's worth considering, even if you're not a regular Air Canada flyer. However, points transferred to your Aeroplan account from the Aeroplan® Credit Card won't expire as long as your card account is open. Read our review Read Our Review A looong arrow, pointing rightAeroplan credit card fees and costsThe Aeroplan® Credit Card charges a $95 annual fee, but you won't pay foreign transaction fees, which makes it a good card to use when you're traveling internationally.

If everyone in the world expertly utilized credit card rewards to travel for free, there wouldn't be such amazing travel opportunities out there. Identify your travel goalsBefore you begin collecting credit card rewards, you should first identify your travel goals. Amex Membership Rewards points Capital One miles Chase Ultimate Rewards points Choice Privileges points Citi ThankYou points Hilton Honors points Hyatt points IHG Rewards points Marriott Bonvoy points Wyndham Rewards pointsYou travel with a large family Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Recommended credit card strategies for beginnersThe best practice for anyone new to credit card rewards is to invest in flexible points. You'll need: An annual fee-incurring Hilton credit card One of the greatest deals in credit card rewards is the free night certificate that comes with select American Express Hilton credit cards.

With the Amex trifecta — Platinum, Gold, and Blue Business Plus — you can supercharge your Membership Rewards points earning. Why earn Amex Membership Rewards points? For all these reasons, I'm focused on earning as many Membership Rewards points as I can right now. Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).

What are credit card and bank rewards points worth? One great feature of the program is that all points are equal, so any account that earns Membership Rewards points has access to transfer partners. If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards customer, you'll earn 25% to 75% more points, depending on how much you have on deposit, but your rewards points are still worth 1 cent apiece. You can transfer points from Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, and Citi ThankYou to JetBlue, but the ratio varies depending on the rewards program. However, those miles expire after 36 months regardless of your account activity, so only transfer miles when you have immediate plans to redeem them.

You may also access Centurion Lounges if you've got one of the following Delta credit cards:You can only access the Amex Centurion lounges when you're flying Delta, and you'll need to pay $50 per guest. Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport (Concourse E) — coming soonCharlotte Douglas International Airport (between Concourse D and E)Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (Terminal D)Denver International Airport (Concourse C)Intercontinental Houston Airport (Terminal D)Las Vegas McCarran International Airport (Concourse D)Los Angeles International Airport (Tom Bradley International Terminal)Miami International Airport (Concourse D)John F. Kennedy International Airport (New York)Newark Liberty International Airport (Terminal A) — not yet openNew York LaGuardia Airport (Terminal B, pre-security)Philadelphia International Airport (Terminal A)Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Terminal 4)San Francisco International Airport (Terminal 3)Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Concourse B)Washington, DC Ronald Reagan National Airport (Terminal B) — coming soonLondon Heathrow (Terminal 3)Hong Kong International (Terminal 1)International locations Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Hong Kong International Airport (Terminal 1)London Heathrow Airport (Terminal 3)Stockholm Arlanda Airport (Terminal 5)Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (Terminal 2)Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport (Terminal 3)Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport (Terminal B)Sao Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport (Terminal 3)Melbourne Airport (Terminal 2)Mexico City International Airport (Terminals 1 and 2)Monterrey General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (Terminals A and B)Sydney Airport (Terminal 1)Centurion Studios (Escape Lounges) Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Hartford Bradley International Airport (Terminal A)Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (Concourse B)John Glenn Columbus International Airport (Concourse B)Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (Terminal 3)Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (Concourse B)Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (Terminal 1)Oakland International Airport (Terminal 1)Palm Beach International Airport (Concourse B)Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (Terminals 3 and 4)Rhode Island T.F. With these cards, you can enter 1,300+ lounges from networks such as: Amex Centurion Lounges (widely considered to be the best airport lounges in the US)Priority Pass** (access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide)Delta Sky Club lounges (only when you have a same-day Delta boarding pass)Escape Lounge – The Centurion Studio PartnerPlaza Premium loungesLufthansa lounges (when flying Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, or SWISS)Can Amex Gold cardholders use Centurion Lounges?

☆ 10 best credit cards for elite status travel benefits
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Ariana Arghandewal | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +23 min

Best credit card for Delta SkyMiles elite status perksGetty ImagesElite status: No automatic elite status; however, you’ll earn up to 60,000 MQMs per year with Status Boost. Best credit card for United MileagePlus elite status perksGetty ImagesElite status: No automatic elite status; however, card holders can earn up to 8,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) per calendar year toward elite status. The best credit card for IHG One Rewards elite status perksIHGElite status: Complimentary Platinum Elite status as long as you remain a card holder. The best credit card for Hilton Honors elite status perksHiltonElite status: Complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond elite status. Frequently asked questions about credit cards with elite status benefitsIf you travel frequently enough, elite status can be worth it.

Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X). Rewards Earn 2x Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). Rewards Earn 2x Membership Rewards® Points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1X). *More Rewards: Get 4X Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month. The Amex Travel Portal allows you to book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and more with your Membership Rewards points.

Airline credit cards tout many flashy perks in order to entice new customers and maintain existing ones. However, one of the most underrated airline credit card benefits might just be a companion ticket. First, only a handful of airline credit cards actually offer them, which means consumers might not even be aware they exist. Let's look at the best credit card companion certificates by airline. What to know about airline credit card companion certificatesCompanion tickets offered by airline credit cards are amazing benefits that can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year — if you know how to maximize them.

☆ The best ways to book domestic flights using Amex Membership Rewards points
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( Jason Stauffer | Benji Stawski | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

Below, CNBC Select details the best ways to redeem Amex points to fly for free (or nearly free) across the U.S. Best Amex cards for earning Membership Rewards pointsAmerican Express has a strong lineup of both personal and business cards that earn transferrable Membership Rewards points. How to use Amex points for domestic flightsYou can only transfer Amex points to two U.S.-based airline programs: Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue. Booking United flights with Amex points Amex Membership Rewards points don't transfer to United MileagePlus, but you can book United award flights through United's Star Alliance partners, such as Avianca LifeMiles and Air Canada Aeroplan. By strategically transferring Amex points to partner airlines, you can use Amex points to book flights with United Airlines, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, and others.

David Slotnick/Business InsiderAmerican Express Membership Rewards points are among the most valuable card rewards you can earn. You'll usually get the most value from Amex points by transferring them to airline and hotel partners. In fact, the Amex Membership Rewards program debuted way back in 1991 with just seven US airline partners. More Information Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. What to know about transferring Amex points to partnersAmerican Express Membership Rewards points are among the most valuable and versatile travel rewards out there.

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