Airline miles rewards card question

[RgrPark]

I've never really gotten into frequent flyers programs since I never really travelled much.

However, I will probably travel more often starting this year and was thinking about getting some sort of a rewards card. Then today I got a an offer in the mail for a Capital One no hassle miles card that gives double miles on most purchases with over 100 air lines pareticipating. Also, it has 0 annual fee unlike most other air line cards...is this worth looking into?

Now about the general concept...so if you travel a lot, lets say about 20,000 miles worth, do they basically give you free flights ? how does it work?

thanx

 

[ShadowBlade]

whats in your wallet?

 

Since you're in Maryland, get a Southwest Airlines card; it'd be most useful to you at BWI.

 

[RgrPark]

if i buy a plane ticket with the card, does the CC company automatically calculate the miles travelled on that trip?

 

Originally posted by: RgrPark
if i buy a plane ticket with the card, does the CC company automatically calculate the miles travelled on that trip?

No, you have to specifically redeem the miles, probably through the card's website or through their customer service representatives.

 

[sciencewhiz]

the miles you get aren't real airline miles, but must be redeemed through capital one. Basically, each mile is worth $0.0125 when buying a ticket. If you want a $300 airline ticket, you need 24,000 miles.

I could be wrong, but I don't beleive you get credit for miles travel, only for money spent on your card. If you always fly the same airline, you may be better off getting a credit card that directly earns miles for that airline.

 

[mugs]

You gave very little detail about the card... you say "double miles," but what's the normal rate? Many cards are 1 miles per $2 spent. Find out how much you will have to spend to get one ticket, figure approximately how much it would cost to wherever you'd most likely fly to with the ticket, divide, and if the cost of the ticket is less than 1% of what you spent to get it, that's a terrible deal. Also consider whether you'd actually NEED the ticket, or whether you'd just use it because it's free. I'd rather have $200 in my pocket than a $200 ticket, because I could use the $200 to do whatever I want.

In short, get the Citi Dividend Platinum Select (5% on gas, groceries, drug stores, 1% everywhere else).

 

[LS20]

ive found that most cards are just about equal in terms of value of rewards vs dollars spent/credited.. in the end.. citibank.. discover.. amex bluepurplegoldspecialneon are all the same. i dont bother looking for the 'best' card any more... just use what ive already got

 

[RgrPark]

Originally posted by: mugs
You gave very little detail about the card... you say "double miles," but what's the normal rate? Many cards are 1 miles per $2 spent. Find out how much you will have to spend to get one ticket, figure approximately how much it would cost to wherever you'd most likely fly to with the ticket, divide, and if the cost of the ticket is less than 1% of what you spent to get it, that's a terrible deal. Also consider whether you'd actually NEED the ticket, or whether you'd just use it because it's free. I'd rather have $200 in my pocket than a $200 ticket, because I could use the $200 to do whatever I want.

In short, get the Citi Dividend Platinum Select (5% on gas, groceries, drug stores, 1% everywhere else).

Already have the Citi DIv Plat sel
I guess I don't really understand how this "earning miles" concept works. I thought if you bought a ticket going to russia or something, you just earned the miles involved in that trip...whatever the miles that trip would entail, not the price of the ticket....?

 

[sciencewhiz]

Originally posted by: RgrPark

I guess I don't really understand how this "earning miles" concept works. I thought if you bought a ticket going to russia or something, you just earned the miles involved in that trip...whatever the miles that trip would entail, not the price of the ticket....?

That's how a normal miles program works, through a specific airline. That airline keeps track of your miles, and you earn miles for buying things on the associated credit card and for flying on that airline.

That's not how the citibank card works, which isn't through a specific airline. You basically get points for using your card and redeem them for airline tickets. You don't have any association with any airline, and don't get miles for trips.