Have you ever wondered how you can earn free flights, hotel stays or rental cars? It takes research and diligence, but earning free travel is possible with the right rewards credit card.
Researching the credit card that is right for you is critical. If you travel on different airlines based on your destination, then it doesn’t make sense to get a rewards credit card that deposits points to a frequent flyer account with one particular airline, since you want to accumulate as many points as you are able to with one card. That is why the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card is a terrific choice for many people points out MileCards.com.
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, you receive a sign up bonus of 40,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of having the card. That is the equivalent of $400 to be used towards free travel. The benefit of having the Sapphire Preferred card is that you can use Chase’s Ultimate Rewards travel booking tool, put in your departure city and destination and look at the various flight options, just as you would through other booking sites. You will see a range of airlines, times and prices. Once you select the flight of your choice, you will be given a few payment options. For example, if the flight were to cost $500, you would have the option of paying cash. This card gives cardholders a 20% discount on all travel redeemed through Ultimate Rewards, so you could use the 40,000 bonus points to pay for the flight which would cost non-preferred cardholders 50,000 points. When the card is used this way, the points have a cash value of $1.25, which is one of the highest available on points credit cards.
You need to be savvy to accumulate as many points as you can to earn free travel. Which is why it makes sense to add an authorized user to your account as soon as you receive the card. You can add your spouse or someone you trust. They just have to make one purchase within the first three months you have the card and you will earn an additional 5,000 bonus points. It does not matter how much that purchase is for. You have the option of letting them continue to use the card, since you will accumulate points on their purchases, or you take them off the account after the first purchase.
With every purchase you make on the card you will earn one point for every dollar spent. For travel and dining charges, you will earn an additional point per dollar spent. Travel purchases can include rental cars, cruises, hotel stays or airfare purchases. When travel is booked through Chase’s Ultimate Rewards, you will earn an additional bonus point for every dollar spent, for a total of three points per dollar.
You can really accumulate points quickly by shopping through the Chase Rewards Ultimate Rewards Mall. Chase Sapphire Preferred cardholders have access to all the major online retailers, including high end department stores, home improvement shops, flower delivery services and much more. Each retailer offers bonus points for accessing their site through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Mall. All you have to do is log in to the mall with your Chase password and click on the retailer you want to shop at. You are directed to their site and will enjoy all the perks of shopping directly with the retailer. Bonus points for accessing them through Chase can be as many as ten points per dollar spent!
A very nice feature of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is that you receive a seven percent dividend on all points earned throughout the year. The dividend is rewarded on bonus points as well. For example, if you spent $10,000 on travel and dining during the year, double points means that you would receive 20,000 points. A dividend is awarded on the 20,000 points. This is a nice perk, especially when you factor in shopping done through the Ultimate Rewards Mall.
If you want to save your miles and use them for a trip abroad, you will be pleased to know that there are no foreign transaction fees on the Sapphire Preferred credit card. Many other airline cards charge fees of up to two percent per purchase.
The annual fee of $95 is waived for the first year. In subsequent years you will be earning much more than $95 in free travel, making it the perfect card for smart consumers. If you are looking for the best travel rewards credit card on the market, the Chase Sapphire Preferred should be your first choice. Sign up today to start earning points for free travel anywhere you want to go.
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