I use my credit card for everything I can and pay it off in full each month. It looks like my American Express Blue Rewards program is now only going to provide 1 mile per 2 dollars spent--so I am quite irrate with them and looking elsewhere to use a credit card for routine purchases. What do ya'll think are the best deals? I would like to get 2%+ back in value. Below are some of my thoughts: Most specific "Airlines Cards" cost between $45-70 per year, and give you 1 mile per buck (which should work out to from 1.5-3% back in value) but you are locked into 1 airlines. There are other one's like MilesOne with lower fees and more flexibility--but they cap your benifit to essentially at 1.5% of your purchase. I can use Discover to get 1% cash back, most flexibility (cash) but only 1% return. GM offers a great card--5% of purchases. It is a great way to save a few thousand dollars (I know people to basically get a free $3000 built over like a 4 year period to put down on their cars)--but this only works if you buy a new GM car--something I a not inclined to do any time in the next 5 years. If they had a VW, Nissan, Honda or Toyota plan I would be all over it, but I know of no such plan. Anyone know any great deals out there.
Sounds to me like you've listed the main deals out there. If anything tremendously different came along I would check out who it is that is offering it to make sure they are legit.
I do the same thing with both my business and personal expenses all on an American AAdvantage card. You should always try to fly on one airline as you get more miles and premium status qucker if you concentrate on one. I pay coach fares and fly first class everywhere, just because I use their credit cards. If you are going to use them, you might as well enjoy the perks. DaDakota
<a href="http://www.epinions.com/finc-Creditcards-All-Reward_Cards/show_~top_sellers">Check out epinions for some great recommendations</a>.
Still undecided. Vengence, that is a great cite. From my look Eopinions and other places the best airline card appears to be Alaska's Platinum (yearly bonuses, yearly free 1st class upgrades, yearly companion tickets, etc)--but they don't have many flights from where I am at. However they do have major partners (including AA) you could get award travel with. DaDa, you should check out the 1st review for the AA citibank card on Eopinions. That guy has it down and worked AA/Citbank for a lot of comped stuff. I might have to cancel my America West B of A card--but I don't think they will come crawling back to me with all these incentives like that other guy experienced. GM's card is by far the best deal if you are considering a GM car in the next 5 years or so. I just havn't found anything else that comes close to the 5% benifit. They key with all these is to pay off your balances each month. I put everything I can--grocery, cloths, gas, phone bills, cable bills--and then pay it off each month as if I wrote a check for each. Too bad I can't put my mortgage payment on my credit card.
