Credit cards and airline miles

[leslie826]

I've never had a card that earned miles before so this is all new to me. Last week when I was about to book a flight with US air I was tempted by their 50k bonus miles. I googled and found a link to apply and wave the annual fee the first year. I was approved and have been waiting until my new card comes in the mail to book our flights. It should be here any day. In the meantime, I have found flights with SW that are less expensive and better times. I'm thinking I may have made a mistake by jumping the gun with US Air. Maybe i should have checked out SW Cc instead. If the US Air card comes and I don't activate it will this affect my credit? Should I try to do SW card too? Or just book SW this time and still attempt to rack up my bonus miles on US Air card for next time?

 

[mrsp1030]

I am not a huge fan of airline CC anymore. It seems like it takes forever to rack up points and miles and then to use them, unless you are very flexible, you are paying more miles than a typical RT ticket. We use Marriott rewards CC and an AMEX card. Both rewards have been 100x better than any mileage card.

 

[TifffanyD]

I got the southwest card with the 50k mile bonus offer. It's a great deal! It costs 60 points for $1 worth of flight fare... so you get about $830 worth of free flights off the bat. There is an annual fee but you get enough points on your anniversary to "cover" the fee.

Anyways... you earn 1 point per dollar spent anywhere. So that means if you spend $60 you get 60 points which is worth $1 of flight fare. This gives you a rate of return of 1.67%... which is better than the average 1%.

Of course, you get more points when you use your card to buy southwest flights. You can also earn additional points if you enroll in rapids rewards dining.

I've found it super easy to use and you can re-shop flights and get points back. My 50k in points is paying for me and my husb to fly from Tampa to LAX in November... actually, it only took about 32k points! NO blackouts... just a straight dollar to point conversion!

I am not well versed in USAir's program... but I *HATE* flying them. Rudest and most annoying airline in the US, imo

 

[mm1971]

I am not a huge fan of airline CC anymore. It seems like it takes forever to rack up points and miles and then to use them, unless you are very flexible, you are paying more miles than a typical RT ticket. We use Marriott rewards CC and an AMEX card. Both rewards have been 100x better than any mileage card.

I have the SW card and received the 50K mile bonus. There are no blackout dates or restrictions on using the points so no need to be flexible. I booked all 4 round trip flights to MCO for my family from Manchester with the bonus points so free flights for us. It was around 46K points for all 4 tickets.

Not sure about the US Air card since I don't have that one. I do have an Amex as well, but mostly only use it at COSTCO. The points are the same and the redemption program is not great. What Amex do you have? Mine is an older account. I do know that there are cards that have higher % back, but we use ours to help offset out vacation expenses.

 

[leslie826]

Thanks for the replies. I'm really wishing I had gone with southwest to begin with. Any advice on whether it is smart or not to cancel my new us air card before I even use it and apply for SW?

 

[TifffanyD]

I am not a credit expert but I think you have already taken the hit by applying. You could apply for SW now and see if you get it and then cancel USAir. Do you need your credit for anything soon (home or car loan)?

 

[NHTikiBeckie]

Are you applying for a car loan or mortgage, etc. any time soon? If not, I would not worry to much about the small ding on your credit and go for the SW card. The 50k promo got us 5 round trip flights from NH to Orlando. I use the e-miles and e-rewards sites and can earn an extra flight from that each year, too.

 

[phewms]

I got the southwest card with the 50k mile bonus offer. It's a great deal! It costs 60 points for $1 worth of flight fare... so you get about $830 worth of free flights off the bat. There is an annual fee but you get enough points on your anniversary to "cover" the fee.

Anyways... you earn 1 point per dollar spent anywhere. So that means if you spend $60 you get 60 points which is worth $1 of flight fare. This gives you a rate of return of 1.67%... which is better than the average 1%.

Of course, you get more points when you use your card to buy southwest flights. You can also earn additional points if you enroll in rapids rewards dining.

I've found it super easy to use and you can re-shop flights and get points back. My 50k in points is paying for me and my husb to fly from Tampa to LAX in November... actually, it only took about 32k points! NO blackouts... just a straight dollar to point conversion!

I am not well versed in USAir's program... but I *HATE* flying them. Rudest and most annoying airline in the US, imo

I got the SWA Visa when they offered 50,000 miles after the 1st purchase (no limit). DH opened one in his name with the same offer, purchased a pack of gum, then canceled the card. We haven't paid for flights in 5 years. Before the SWA Visa, we had a Continental Airlines MC.

We put everything on the Visa and pay it off at the end of the month. It helps that we live near Houston with 2 airports. I've had no complaints.

Bummer that this offer is no longer available. It was GREAT!

 

[TifffanyD]

They usually have the 50k pt offer around nov but there is like 2k min purchase.

I think they'd guy be doing it now too... Or else it just ended

 

[MIZZOU Tigers]

SW is still currently running the 50k points promotion after you spend $2000 in 3 months (as I just applied and was approved for the card today). I believe the current offer ends August 6th. Google sw airlines 50k points and the first link will take you directly to the offer page.

 

[swilshire]

Since you already applied for the US Air card, I'd keep it until just before the year of free membership expired and then cancel it. Stop using it a couple of months prior so you don't lose any earned points.

The SW card is the first airline card I've ever been willing to pay an annual fee for. The biggest incentive is that any flights booked with points can be rebooked as many times as you want with no fees. Tickets purchased with cash are more complicated to change because you have to consider the expiration date of the credit you receive.

SW doesn't even fly from our local airport, but it is worth it to us to drive 200 miles to fly with them.

Sheila