If you’re interested in getting a travel credit card, you’ll want to weigh your options carefully and make sure you get the card that works best for you. However, many people don’t really know what that means – what should you look at to make sure you’re getting the best travel credit card for your needs? The good news is that there are multiple elements of a travel credit card that can give you an idea of its usefulness for you.
1. Introductory Bonus
An introductory bonus is a great reason to sign up for a travel credit card. These introductory bonuses typically kick in when you spend a certain dollar amount in the first few months after you sign up for the card. Take for example the Southwest credit card bonuses, you can earn 40,000 points worth of free flights and also enjoy perks like travel credits and discounts.
2. Rewards Rate
When you use the card, how quickly do you get rewards? It’s common to see multiplied points on certain types of purchases, often food and gas, as well as multiplied points when you buy with the travel company that issued the credit card. Check for the different rewards rates of different cards, and use it to guide your purchases.
3. Annual Fee
Is there an annual fee you’ll need to pay so you can keep your credit card open? Especially for travel credit cards, which have the capacity for significant benefit, it’s likely that you’ll pay a yearly fee ranging from $99-$199, though fees can be higher or lower. Check for the annual fee to make sure that it’ll pay off over the year.
4. Foreign Transaction Fees
Many credit cards have done away with foreign transaction fees, but they’re still part of some credit card agreements. Especially if you enjoy traveling outside of the country, it’s crucial that you check to make sure you know the foreign transaction fees. People who travel outside the country regularly may want to upgrade to a card with no foreign transaction fees.
5. Other Benefits
There are many added benefits that you may experience with a travel credit card, especially when it comes to the higher tiers of travel cards. You may get extra flight or hotel room upgrades, special warranties and protection, access to in-flight Wi-Fi, and more. Check for additional benefits through the lists of benefits for your card.
Conclusion
A travel credit card can be an immensely helpful thing to help boost your travel benefits. If you’re someone who loves to travel, you very well may get amazing benefits from a travel credit card, enough to save significantly more money on your trips overall. However, you need to make sure that you have the best credit card for your unique travel needs. That means looking into lists of different travel credit cards and browsing through Slickdeals coupons to make sure you’re applying for the card that will bring you the highest benefits overall.
