Credit cards for travel - got the low hanging fruit, what's next?

[FiguringItOut]

Hi all,

I am trying to get enough points/miles/rewards to take my kids to Europe sometime between second half of 2015 and end of 2016. 

I just finished earning sign up bonuses on Citi Platinum Select AAdvantage card (50K miles) and US Airways Dividend Miles card (40K miles).  So I have 90K American Airlines miles now. 

What card(s) do you suggest I look for next?  I have few large expenses coming up and I don't want to miss the opportunity to earn sign up bonuses. 

I think I will need 120K or 150K AA miles for 3 round trip tickets.  I am still fairly new to this and am confused on the exact number of miles needed.  Anywho, I didn't see any other AA or Airways cards offering sign on bonuses, but I may have missed them. 

If not AA or Airways, what other airline should I look at and how would I be able to combine that with the already existing AA miles?


A little background:  I have good credit (above 800), two teen kids so they will need adult tickets, no second authorized signer, would prefer not to pay annual fees if at all possible.

Thanks

[Zman]

Can somebody please link the MMM article regarding this CC for travel stuff? I'm new and need to figure it all out! Thanks,!

[Cromacster]

Brandon Cronan (who has an interesting blog here Life Re-engineered) put together a basic list of cards for MMM Here

My next suggestion would be to open the SPG card.  Its good for 30,000 points that can be transferred to most airlines as miles.

Keep in mind that you can open most business cards as well.  Most of them don't care if you actually have a business or not.

Updated:
Also, look for cards that give straight cash back for travel.  The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard gives you $400 for travel expenses after you meet their requirements.  This can be used for hotels, taxi's, trains, etc

[MsFrugalista]

Here is the MMM post on CC churning post: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/10/13/credit-card-churning-for-mustachians-or-sucka-consumers/

FiguringItOut - it will be helpful to first figure out what your goals/objectives are for the trip. Where in Europe are you planning to go? What city/airport are flying out of, this will help determine which airline flyer miles is best to accumulate. Since you got the US Airways CC, you should have a $99 companion certificate that you can use until it's expiry date even though the CC will be transitioning to the AA Aviator in a few months (date TBD).

You may also want to consider how you plan on covering accommodation (hotels? low budget lodging such as Airbnb?). I am happy to help if you want to provide some specifics.

[FiguringItOut]

Here is the MMM post on CC churning post: http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2014/10/13/credit-card-churning-for-mustachians-or-sucka-consumers/

FiguringItOut - it will be helpful to first figure out what your goals/objectives are for the trip. Where in Europe are you planning to go? What city/airport are flying out of, this will help determine which airline flyer miles is best to accumulate. Since you got the US Airways CC, you should have a $99 companion certificate that you can use until it's expiry date even though the CC will be transitioning to the AA Aviator in a few months (date TBD).

You may also want to consider how you plan on covering accommodation (hotels? low budget lodging such as Airbnb?). I am happy to help if you want to provide some specifics.

Oh, you are right, I should've included that info as well.  Sorry.

I'll be flying out of NY, so JFK airport.  I don't have set destination in Europe, so when the time comes I will look for what's cheaper and/or covered by my rewards.  I am very open to most areas in Europe as I haven't been outside US in about 5 years.  My kids haven't been in Europe at all.  I know UK will be expenses, and I don't like Paris, though other parts of France as fine.  So pretty much anywhere and as far east Poland/Romania stopping short of formal USSR countries (Moldova/Ukraine/Belarus etc) due to political crap going on there now and for the foreseeable future.

As for accommodations, I was going to look into that as well after I was done with air travel.  I've never done airbnb, but I am interested to try.  Also I think it's possible to get some hotel rewards as well, but I'm not sure.  When I traveled in Europe before and not on business trips, I stayed at various cheap bnb's (or rather just 'bed' as there were no breakfast included), though not through airbnb.  I used to just fly in and at the airport accommodations desk get something.  This worked for me when I was in Spain/Belgium/Netherlands/South of Germany/Iceland.  But that was when I backpacked with a friend through Europe.  I am not sure if this type of uncertainty is good when taking my kids on their first trip to Europe.  So I am open for suggestions in this area as well.

I think I'd like for this to be 10-14 day trip if I can make it work with school schedules.

I'll read through the MMM link you posted.

[rtrnow]

My two most recent cards:

United Mileage Plus:50K sign up bonus plus 5K for adding a signer. Round trip ticket to Europe is 60K.

Southwest Rapid Rewards: 50K sign up bonus. This will get you at least 2 round trip tickets from coast to coast. Recently, I flew round trip for 13K.

Both cards required a 2K spend in the first three months.

[MsFrugalista]

I have not personally flown to Europe on miles from the US, but from my quick read it looks like using AA miles will run you around 60K roundtrip per person. Be careful that your flights are not on British Airways as they have high fuel surcharges ($200+). You may want to go on the AA website and play around with some dates and see what your options are for the dates you are thinking of going (off peak will be better of course). You should consider getting the Citi AAdvantage Business Card (if you have a business).

United looks to be your best option from NYC, but will need 60K for roundtrip to Europe as stated by the previous poster. I have never flown United, so I am not familiar with their award redemption options, so you might want to look at your options here.

As for accommodations, I think it's good you guys are flexible. If you'd like my Airbnb referral link ($25 credit), feel free to PM me and I'll be happy to give it to you to try out. Also, Chase Hyatt (2 free nights at any Hyatt property) and Club Carlson (85,000 points) after meeting minimum spending are good options to hold you over for a few nights as well.  Finally, the Barclays Arrival+ is good for travel ($440 after min spending to redeem on any travel purchases) and this is a good card to use while you travel as it has no foreign exchange fees.

[GizmoTX]

Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite Mastercard is currently offering 40,000 miles for the first $3,000 purchases within the first 90 days. "Miles" are not restricted to any particular airline, & this card earns 2x for every $ on ALL purchases. It has an EMV chip & does not charge any foreign transaction fees -- you do not want to use Citi cards outside of the US. The annual fee is $89 but is waived the first year. We got this card last year just before a trip to the UK & will be keeping it for the double earn during foreign travel.

DH & I have each had a Citi AAdvantage card since 1987, a Mastercard & a Visa, & recently converted both of them to Citi Double Cash cards because we did not want to lose the history & large credit limits they had built up to, but each was charging us $125 annual fee & only earned 1x for purchases other than AA. Double Cash does not charge an annual fee & earns 1% on purchases plus an additional 1% when paid, & we pay all balances in full every month. We happen to each be Million Milers & permanent Platinum so we don't need an AAdvantage card for priority boarding & free checked bags. However, DS does when he's not traveling with us. Each of us has to make sure to post AA activity (flights or purchases) within 18 months or that AA account will lose ALL accrued miles.

DS, DH, & I each just enrolled in the Barclay US Airways card that gives 50,000 miles for the first purchase of any amount plus $89 annual fee; this is a great deal & both the card & the miles will convert to AA next quarter. AA purchases earn 2x Dividend Miles & will convert. After this month, Barclay won't be able to offer an AA card except to existing US Airway cardholders, so the window is closing. Unlike Citi, Barclay won't charge a foreign transaction fee on this or its eventual AA card, so it will be a good backup card overseas. Next year, DS will probably cancel it in favor of a Citi AAdvantage card bonus offer, but we'll have to wait 18 months since we converted our AA cards.

 

[Catbert]

Holly at Club Thrifty will give you free  CC travel advice:

http://clubthrifty.com/travel-coaching/

All she asks is that you get the CCs you need through her affiliate links. 

www.FrugalTravelGuy.com has a lot of blog posts on traveling using miles/points. 



 

[Ryan started the FIRE]

Call the us airways customer center and ask to have the 10,000 miles added to your account. This is what I did since I applied for the card when the bonus was 40k miles and the next week it jumped up to 50k. It may take a couple of calls to get the right person to help but definitely worth it for a quick 10k miles.

[kpd905]

I'd go for Barclays Arrival and Chase Sapphire Preferred.  Get going on the Chase cards, you can get the bonuses every 2 years.

[Frugal Consumerist]

If you have two people in your family who can get credit cards, both sign up for the Club Carlson premier card. My wife and I got the card and earned 6 nights free in a really nice Paris hotel. Essentially you have to make 3 two night bookings. Club Carlson has a great reward where the last night of a multi-night stay is free. So with two people you would just book person 1 (2 nights) - person 2 (2 nights) - person 1 (2 nights). In addition to that I would echo getting the Barclay Arrival Plus and Capital One Venture. We went this route and got two weeks in Paris and Italy hotels all covered. This all assumes you have enough spend to get the bonuses.

Here is a summary of how we did it.

www.frugalconsumerist.com/our-free-honeymoon/

[FiguringItOut]

If you have two people in your family who can get credit cards, both sign up for the Club Carlson premier card. My wife and I got the card and earned 6 nights free in a really nice Paris hotel. Essentially you have to make 3 two night bookings. Club Carlson has a great reward where the last night of a multi-night stay is free. So with two people you would just book person 1 (2 nights) - person 2 (2 nights) - person 1 (2 nights). In addition to that I would echo getting the Barclay Arrival Plus and Capital One Venture. We went this route and got two weeks in Paris and Italy hotels all covered. This all assumes you have enough spend to get the bonuses.

Here is a summary of how we did it.


www.frugalconsumerist.com/our-free-honeymoon/

I only have one person - me. 

[FiguringItOut]

Brandon Cronan (who has an interesting blog here Life Re-engineered) put together a basic list of cards for MMM Here

My next suggestion would be to open the SPG card.  Its good for 30,000 points that can be transferred to most airlines as miles.

Keep in mind that you can open most business cards as well.  Most of them don't care if you actually have a business or not.

Updated:
Also, look for cards that give straight cash back for travel.  The Barclaycard Arrival Plus World Elite MasterCard gives you $400 for travel expenses after you meet their requirements.  This can be used for hotels, taxi's, trains, etc

Thank you!  Last night I actually opened business AAdvantage Citi card based on your suggestion.  I should arrive by middle of next week.  That will be 50K AA points to add to my existing 90K AA points for a total of 140K.  I read somewhere that off season, AA charges 20K points to Europe to certain cities each way per person.  That would mean 6 flights for us (me and 2 teens) for a total of 120K needed and I am very flexible with my distination in Europe.  I need to double check on that info, but it is correct, I am all set with flights and will concentrate on hotels and cash back next. 

[GizmoTX]

Try it -- there is evidence online that your card is getting converted as well. I called the 888 number on the back of my card. Tell them you want to convert your card, not cancel, & to retain your credit limit & history. If they give you any trouble, nicely terminate the call, & call back to get a different person. The last resort is to ask for the Retention Department.