Category: Limited Time Offers

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Barclaycard Announces New AAdvantage Aviator Cards

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As the US Airways and American Airlines merger becomes more of a reality, many customers are wondering what will happen to their miles, whether a new frequent flyer program will arise from the merger or how it might change. The details are not yet finalized, and the timing is not completely pinpointed, but there are certainly some new developments to announce, particularly with some co-branded cards to be offered by Citibank.

For now, Barclays still has these accounts, and will keep them until the merger occurs. This is the reason why Barclaycard is marketing tough these days, trying to gain as many new cardholders while they still can offer great bonuses. Let’s take a look at the new AAdvantage Aviator cards you can still get.

Barclays Introduces AAdvantage Aviator Silver Card

Available in two different versions, the AAdvantage Aviator Silver Card offers some great rewards. Until the merger, Barclays cannot accept new applications for American Airlines cobranded cards, so they are offering the AAdvantage Aviator Silver Card to existing cardholders as an upgrade. The Premium version of the card has an $89 annual fee.

You earn 40,000 bonus points after your first purchase. You will get a free checked bag for yourself and up to four travel companions when you fly US Airways. Earn one companion certificate for up to two companions for $99 each, on a US Airways flight. Get Priority 2 boarding on US Airways. Earn two miles for every dollar spent on US Airways, and American Airlines, and one mile for every dollar spent on any other purchases. Get 25% off of all in-flight purchases on US Airways and American Airlines. There is a 0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers and purchases, the APR will be 15.99-19.99% after that.

The second version of the card, the AAdvantage Aviator World Elite Mastercard, comes with an annual fee of $195, which is waived for the first year. You can earn 3 miles for every dollar spent on US Airways and American Airlines purchases, 2 miles for every dollar spent on hotels and car rentals, and one mile for every dollar spent on the rest of your purchases.

You can earn elite mileage in the form of EQM, earning 5,000 for each $20,000 you spend annually, with a maximum of 10,000 EQMs earned per year. You will get your first bag checked, for yourself and up to 8 travel companions.  You will be refunded 10% of your redeemed miles each year, up to 10,000 miles (this can basically cover the cost of the annual fee). You will earn a companion certificate good for two guests at $99 each, for a US Airways flight. Get priority boarding, in-flight discounts and more. There are no foreign transaction fees, and the card comes with chip technology for increased security.

US Airways Mastercard to Become AAdvantage Aviator Red

The AAdvantage Aviator Red card will be the replacement for the US Airways Mastercard holders once the merger becomes official in 2015. The card has an annual fee of $89. You earn 2 miles for every dollar spent on US Airways and American Airlines purchases, and one mile for every dollar spent on other purchases. Get your first bag checked free, for yourself and 4 travel companions.

Get priority boarding for your travel party. You will also get a refund of 10%  of the miles you redeem on US Airways and American Airlines, up to 10,000 miles per year. Earn $100 flight discount when you spend $30,000 per year. Cardholders get a 25% discount on in-flight purchases. The card has chip technology to protect your personal information.

Act Now for Great Deals!

Because you won’t be able to apply once the merger between US Airways and American Airlines formally takes place, you want to take advantage of these deals from Barclays now if you are interested.  If you received an invitation to upgrade to the AAdvantage Aviator Silver card, you will only have until December 1, 2014 to apply. Beginning in January, accounts will be converted. The bonuses for the AAdvantage Silver card are significant, and you should take advantage of them now.

Conclusion

There are some significant benefits to consider for each of these cards, and if you are interested, then you should not wait to apply. There will still be great options after the US Airways and American Airlines merger, but you never know exactly what will be offered. If you are a frequent flyer on US Airways or American, then now is the time!

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Amex Premier Rewards Gold Card Benefits to Change in 2015

Like many of the rewards credit cards, Amex Premier Rewards Gold Credit Card is changing some of its benefits. It remains a great card, but you should be aware of some of the upcoming changes, namely the elimination of the 15,000 Premier Rewards Gold Bonus points, which has been an attractive feature for many who use this card.

Any time a credit card offers a spending bonus, people take note. For those who are savvy about earning and redeeming their points, this is sometimes a pretty big deal. Let’s go over some of the changes and some of the great things that will remain as Amex enters 2015.

Elimination of the 15,000 PRG Bonus Points

This is probably the biggest and most significant change that you will notice. If you have been diligently spending and aiming to earn this bonus, you don’t have to worry about your 2014 bonus. But, when 2015 arrives, this benefit will disappear. Amex has reported that few of their card holders actually reached the spending threshold for earning the top reward, since you have to spend $30,000 to earn the 15,000 point bonus.

For those who are used to spending at this level and who look forward to the bonus, you may have to decide if you still want to pay the $175 annual fee without getting this bonus.

New Perks Around the Corner?

Rumors are flying about other changes that may happen for the Amex Premier Rewards Gold card members, but nothing has been announced at this point, making some card holders a bit nervous and considering jumping ship.

Other Options?

The competition is stiff when it comes to rewards cards, and whenever a big card like Amex Premier Rewards Gold card takes away a major perk, there are ripples. Two other cards that are popular and seem to be stable with their benefit offerings are the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Barclaycard Arrival Plus. The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 2 points for every dollar spent on travel, and has no foreign transaction fees (unlike the Amex Premier Rewards Gold card, by the way), and the Barclaycard Arrival PlusTM World Elite MasterCard® offers 2 points per dollar spent on all purchases. With the Sapphire having only a $95 annual fee, and the Barclaycard having an even lower $89 fee, the Amex Premier Rewards Gold card has some stepping up to do if they intend to remain in competition.

Time Is Running Out

If you are still interested in the Amex Premier Rewards Gold card, then the time is now to get in on the possible rewards, since the biggest perk goes away starting in 2015. You can still get the big sign on bonus of 25,000 points for spending $2,000 in the first three months, and the annual fee is waived for the first year, so all is not lost yet.Take a look around, however, because there are definitely some other deals out there that might be a little more beneficial for the average person looking for a great rewards card.

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Limited Time Amex Simply Cash Sign-Up Offer

For a limited time, American Express is increasing the American Express SimplyCash offer. Cardholders who apply by February 24, 2015 will have some amazing benefits available to them. Usually this card doesn’t offer any sign-up bonus, so this is a big deal. Let’s take a look and see what the offer looks like.

Get a $250 Statement Bonus

Cardholders will receive a $250 statement credit after spending $5,000 during the first 6 months of having the card. This is a great deal, especially when added to the other great perks offered by this card.

No Annual Fee!

The American Express SimplyCash credit card currently  has no annual fee required to have the card.

Earn Cash Back Rewards

Cardholders will earn cash back rewards when they use this card. Cash back can be redeemed for statement credits, direct deposit, paper check and many different rewards including travel rewards. Cardholders will earn 5% cash back on all office supply stores and cell phone services, up to $25,000 spending per year. This equates to up to $1,250 cash back! Also, you will earn 1% cash back on all other purchases.

One of the unique things about the American Express SimplyCash credit card is that it offers you 3% cash back on the category of your choice, for up to $25,000 spending per year. This could mean up to another $750 cash back each year. Eligible categories include:

  • Airfare purchased directly from airlines
  • Hotel stays purchased directly from hotels
  • Car rental companies listed at americanexpress.com/rewards-info
  • Gas stations
  • Restaurants
  • Purchases for shipping
  • Purchases for advertising in select media

Bonus category spending must be in the United States, foreign transactions do not qualify for the extra 3% bonus cash back. There are also some other restrictions on the bonus cash back, so read the fine print carefully! One thing to know in advance is that you must designate your bonus cash back category within the first 1-2 months of having the card. If you do not select a category, the default category is gas stations. You will have an opportunity once per year (usually between December 1 and January 1) to change your bonus category.

 

Conclusion

This card is great for a cash back card, especially with no annual fee and up to 5% cash back. The foreign transaction fees are 2.7%, and you can’t earn bonus points on foreign transactions, so the card is not great for travel out of the United States. If you are interested in this deal, be sure to remember that it is only good until February 24, 2015 and you should act quickly to get the deal!

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Limited Time 70,000 Ink Plus Offer!

Those interested in becoming Chase Ink Plus cardholders have a limited time to take advantage of a great new offer that will get them 70,000 Ultimate Rewards points. When this offer was initially released, you could only sign up by getting a referral from a current cardholder, but, now the public can sign up for this terrific deal.

 

The Benefits

Stellar Bonus

In order to get the 70,000 Ultimate Rewards bonus points, you must be approved for a Chase Ink Plus business credit card, and then spend $5,000 within 3 months of having the card.

Limited Time Offer!

This offer is only available for a short time, so don’t delay! It appears you have to apply for the card by October 10, 2014 in order to get the 70,000 Ultimate Rewards points bonus.

Great Perks

This is one of the top rated business credit cards, and there are several good reasons. Although there is a $95 annual fee, the perks that come with the card far outweigh the cost of the annual fee. The 70,000 bonus points alone are worth more than that when you redeem them for rewards—up to $875 in travel rewards, just from that bonus alone!

Big Points Earning Potential

Cardholders will earn 5X points for every dollar spent, up to $50,000 per year in spending, for all office supply stores, cellular phone service, internet service, landline phone and cable television service. Use your InkPlus card to pay for all of these expenses, and watch your Ultimate Rewards account grow!

Earn 2X points for every dollar spent, up to $50,000 per year in spending, for all purchases made at gas stations and hotels, when booked through your Ultimate Rewards account.

Added Value

Get a 20% discount when you redeem your points through the Ultimate Rewards online portal and really maximize your points! And enjoy the flexibility of transferring your points out to 11 travel partners. The options are there!

 

The Nitty Gritty

Just to recap, the Chase InkPlus Business card has a $95 annual fee. There is no introductory APR, and the APR is currently 15.24%, and varies according to the prime rate. There are no foreign transaction fees. There is a 3% balance transfer fee. Balance transfer APR is 15.24%, and variable. Cash advance fees are 4%, with a 19.24% APR for cash advances.

Late payment fees range from $19-39, depending on the balance you carry. Additional cards for employees are free. Cardholders are eligible for customary Chase benefits, including 24/7 customer service availability, extended warranties on purchases, auto rental insurance, zero fraud liability, purchase protection and travel insurance.

 

Conclusion

We think that the Chase InkPlus Business card is one of the best in the business, pun intended! Even with a $95 annual fee, this card really hits a home run when it comes to benefits and rewards. Using the Ultimate Rewards portal to redeem your rewards is the best way to maximize your earnings, as you will get a 20% discount when you book your travel rewards this way!

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What Can You Do with 40,000 US Airways Miles?

A bonus of 40,000 US Airways miles can go a long way, if you learn about the options that you have. It’s important to know that within the next year, American Airlines and US Airways will merge, and all of your earned miles will be American Airlines AAdvantage miles. This may change the way that you use them, so let’s take a look at how it will shake out for those who hold the US Airways MasterCard.

Apply Now: The US Airways Premier World MasterCard®

The Offer

When you use the current version of The US Airways Premier World MasterCard®, you will earn a bonus of 40,000 US Airways Dividend Miles after you make your very first purchase. This is a generous bonus, and one that can get you places! This is the kind of bonus you really want to earn while you have the chance (i.e., before the merger happens).

Combine Miles After the Merger

Don’t worry about losing your 40,000 US Airways Dividend Miles after the two airlines merge. You will be able to combine miles if you have them with both, or convert your US Airways Dividend miles into AAdvantage miles. So, no worries in that department.

Redeeming Your Miles for Domestic Flights

Since it only costs you 25,000 Dividend miles for a round trip domestic flight, your 40,000 miles stands to get you well on your way! With the added bonus of a 5,000-mile discount for flying on US Airways, your ticket will only cost you 20,000. Do the math—you can actually get two domestic tickets on US Airways if you work quickly to redeem them! If you can use the miles before you lose your $99 companion certificate (yes, sadly this is a perk that looks like it will be lost), then you really have something to write home about—three tickets for $99.

Another option is to use your US Airways Dividend Miles to fly on American Airlines, but you won’t get the 5,000-mile discount. You will still end up with a good balance of miles that you can use toward your next domestic flight, or, if you have additional miles accrued you may have enough for two tickets. Still a pretty good deal, if you want to use your miles for a domestic flight. But, there are other options, too!

Redeeming Your Miles for Hawaii Flights

This option is an ideal way to redeem your US Airways Dividend bonus miles, since you get a bonus of 40,000 miles and a ticket to Hawaii will cost you 40,000 Dividend miles. If you fly on US Airways, it will only cost you 35,000 with the 5,000-mile discount!

Redeeming Your Miles for International Flights

Your 40,000 US Airways Dividend Miles won’t be enough alone to get you on an international flight, but it certainly will put a nice dent in the requirement. As an example, a flight from Baltimore to London on Economy class will cost you 55,000 miles and about $150 in taxes (when you are able to get the 5,000-mile discount).

Other airline partners may have much higher mileage requirements, but, depending on how often you fly and how many miles you accrue, redeeming 110,000 miles to fly to Asia might not be a stretch for you.

Maximizing Your Rewards

Flying during non-peak times can help you to maximize your rewards and really get the most out of your miles. Creative routes can also help you to get where you want to go for the least amount of miles possible. Do some research before trying to redeem your US Airways Dividend Miles, because when you contact the reps for help, you may not get the most knowledgeable one. You need to know what you are entitled to and what is available, if you want to maximize your options.

Conclusion

There is no rush to use your US Airways Dividend Miles and cash out your 40,000 bonus miles. But, if you are looking for a card with a great sign on bonus, then this might be an excellent choice because it will not be available for much longer, and you will not lose your miles when US Airways merges with American Airlines. So, if you would rather wait and combine your miles, then, by all means, take advantage of this opportunity!

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New Limited Time Delta Card Offers

Now is the time to get on board with Delta SkyMiles with the latest offer from American Express. For a limited time, until September 8, 2014, you can get a signup bonus of 35,000 miles (instead of the usual 30,000) when you are approved for one of three different cards, the Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card (personal or business cards) or the Platinum Delta SkyMiles credit card.

Let’s take a look at the three different offers and you can decide which one fits you best. Each offer is a little different, and you might be drawn to earning more Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs), a companion ticket, or you may prefer a free checked bag. There are different perks associated with each offer.

 

Gold Delta SkyMiles American Express

This card is available in either personal or business versions. This offer gives you 50,000 SkyMiles after you spend $1,000 in the first three months. Plus, you earn a $50 statement credit when you make your first Delta purchase within the first 3 months. With this credit card, you earn double miles for any Delta purchase, and one mile per dollar spent on everything else. Get a free checked bag on every Delta flight, for up to 8 people in your party. The $95 annual fee is waived for the first year. Get Priority Boarding perks, too, as well as in-flight discounts of 20%.

The business version of the Gold Delta SkyMiles American Express gives you all of the above perks, plus an additional savings of 3-10% on business expenses for spending at FedEx, Hertz and Office Max. OPEN Savings offers are also available. There are no additional fees for extra cards.

 

Platinum Delta SkyMiles American Express

Again, there are personal and business versions of this card, but we will focus on the personal version because the current business version offers a lower signup bonus. With this card, you get 50,000 bonus SkyMiles when you spend $1,000 within the first three months, plus a $100 statement credit with your first Delta purchase within the first three months.

In addition, you get 15,000 MQMs for the same spending levels. Similar to the Gold versions, you get double miles for all Delta spending, and one SkyMile for every dollar spent on other purchases. Earn an annual bonus of up to 20,000 SkyMiles and 20,000 MQMs each year, at a rate of 10,000 of each for every $25,000 spent annually.

A free checked bag for every member of your party is included. Priority Boarding is available, as well as the 20% in-flight savings. Another great perk is that you get a companion certificate each year for a roundtrip flight within the United States. The annual fee is $195 for this card, and is not waived during the first year.

 

Conclusion

Although you are limited to using SkyMiles on Delta and their partners, which is a drawback for some, the perks and miles that you earn with these cards, particularly with the current bonus offers, are pretty fantastic. Companion certificates are not widely offered right now, and you can get your money’s worth out of the annual fees just with this perk alone, should you opt for the Platinum version.

 

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NEW Limited Time Offer on Amex Plum Card

For those of you who really like to build up huge rewards accounts and maximize your redemptions, Amex has great offer you might be interested in. Many of the rewards programs that are available now are starting to cut back and limit the rewards that are offered, making it more challenging to get the most out of your points and your spending.

The Amex Plum Card is a great charge card for small business owners, and is among the best for earning points and rewards in this category. Let’s take a look at this latest offer and see what it’s all about!

New Offer From Amex Plum Card

The Amex Plum card recently announced a limited time offer of a sign up bonus of 3.5% cash back on all purchases, with a $30,000 spending limit within the first three months. Sure, this is a lot of spending, but if you are investing in your business or need to make some large purchases or equipment investments, it really looks attractive. Think of it as an actual statement credit bonus of $1,050, which is pretty substantial.

Annual Fee Waived for the First Year

The annual fee of $250 may seem a bit steep, but it is waived the first year, which really helps things look better.

The Fine Print

Now, you need to know how the Amex Plum card actually works if you want to maximize the benefits. First, you earn a base reward of 1.5% on all purchases that you pay off within 10 days of the statement closing date. This means, if you do not pay your balance in full (which you are supposed to do with this card, since it is technically a charge card and not a credit card), then you will not earn rewards for the spending you do not pay off or the balance you carry. So, if you make $30,000 in purchases over the first three months, you will earn $450 for that.

This special offer that is currently running adds an additional $200 statement credit for every $10,000 that you spend during that first three month period, allowing you to earn an extra $600 for your purchases. Add the $450 and $600 together, and you get $1,050 back, cash, in your pocket.

Act Fast to Get Benefit

This offer won’t last forever, so if you think it looks attractive to you, you will want to act quickly and make sure that you apply before the offer expires on October 27, 2014.

Extra Benefits

Amex offers some great basic benefits for all of their cardholders, so being an Amex Plum cardholder has some great perks. There are no foreign transaction fees, you can get additional cards for employees for no additional charge, and you can get some great deals from other vendors and partners, like FedEx, Hertz and Hyatt, and any other OPEN Savings members.

What If I Don’t Pay in Full Each Month?

Well, although you are supposed to pay your balance in full each month, Amex will generously give you 60 days to pay the balance, as long as you pay at least 10% of the balance from any new activity as well as any amount that is up to 60 days old. But, remember, any carried balance after 10 days past the statement date will not be eligible for the rewards earnings, so you are better off paying it in full if you can.

Conclusion

Does this card really seem worth it? While you do have to spend quite a bit to get the full cash back amount (and pay it off in full each month), this is one of the highest cash back percentages you will find on the market right now. As a business card, it might make a lot of sense if you have some big investments to make and can actually hit the spending minimum required.

There are some other great cards from Amex and other companies, with great offerings for business cards right now, including Amex Simply Cash Business card, with 5 points per dollar as rewards, but no special sign up bonus. The Chase Ink Cash offers $200 after you spend only $3,000 in the first three months. What do you think about these options?

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United Explorer Raises Sign-Up Bonus to 50,000 miles

Although out of commission for a while, Chase has now reintroduced the United Explorer Card, one of the great credit cards for travel, and added some great perks. Let’s take a look and see what’s new!

Sign Up Bonus Increased

Chase has increased the signup bonus fro 30,000 to 50,000 miles after you spend only $2,000 in the first 3 months that you have the card. Get another 5,000 miles simply by adding an authorized user in the first 3 months, too. This is a great bonus, one that adds up to nice rewards!

Great Potential for Earning Miles

Earn one mile for every dollar spent, with two miles earned for every dollar spent on United purchases. Additionally, you can get a bonus of 10,000 miles for spending $25,000 each year on purchases. For those who will use the card for everyday purchases, this means that by spending just over $2,000 per month, you will earn about 25,000 regular miles with a 10,000 mile bonus at the end of the year. This number of miles will get you a great vacation!

Annual Fee Waived for the First Year

This card does come with a fairly hefty annual fee of $95. Many think that the perks are well worth it, so they don’t mind paying the annual fee, especially since it is waived during the first year. Something to consider.

Explorer Perks

There are some nice additional perks for the United Explorer Card, including priority boarding for the cardholder and any companions traveling under the same reservations. You will also get two United Club passes during each calendar year, making your time stuck in the airport a little more enjoyable.

If you used your United Explorer card to purchase your flights, you will enjoy a free first bag checked. If you have been traveling a lot lately, you realize that this is a great perk, since baggage fees have skyrocketed.

Downsides?

While the miles you can earn are terrific with this card, earning only one mile per dollar spent on all purchases does make it take longer than other cards to build up. Yes, you do get two points for all United purchases, but it’s not likely that this will be your biggest category. What that means is, this might not be the best card for daily spending.

For long term rewards, you might be better off opting for a card that offers a higher earning potential on certain categories, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or on all spending, like the Barclaycard Arrival PlusTM World Elite MasterCard®. That said, the United Explorer is not a bad card, and the potential 55,000 miles certainly isn’t something to sneeze at. If you are interested, remember that this is a limited time offer and you should act quickly if you want to get in on this deal!

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SPG Card by Amex Increases Sign-Up Bonus

Everyone loves an ‘offer boost’ for that credit card they’ve been watching.  Boy, have the past two months been full of those!  The latest to offer up a little more to ‘sweeten the points pot’ is the Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card by American Express.  Usually, the sign-up bonus is 25,000 points, but now, for a limited time, it is 30,000 Starpoints, and that’s for both the personal and business credit cards!

And, as a bonus for those of you that hold the card already, you can receive 5,000 points for referring people!  Receive 5,000 points for every card approval (up to 55,000 Starpoints per year).  Let’s dig into the details below, and check out some other features of the card!

 

 

Sign-up Bonus

Starwood points are some of the most valuable out there in the points and miles world.  The transfer partners in the airline space and the great hotels that Starwood has around the world makes this so.  With this credit card now, you’ll earn 10,000 SPG points on first purchase.  After that, you’ll receive 20,000 more points for spending $5,000 in the first six months of cardmembership.  These offers are identical for the personal and the business credit cards.

 

Annual Fee 

The regular annual fee for this SPG credit card is $65, but for the first year, the fee is waived.  So, the cost of cardmembership could be $0 during the first year!

 

Earning Starpoints 

As a co-branded credit card, you’ll receive bonus Starpoints for spend at Starwood hotels.  For all purchases at Starwood’s brands, including spend charged to the room, you’ll receive two points per dollar.  All other purchases will receive one point per dollar.

 

Gold Status with Spend

One major benefit for the Starwood Preferred Guest Business Credit Card is the ability to earn automatic Starwood Gold Status when you spend $30,000 on the card in a calendar year.  Gold status nets you upgraded rooms, late checkout at 4 p.m., and a choice of free Starpoints, wifi, or a free beverage at check-in.

You’ll also receive three points per dollar spent during your Starwood stays, instead of two.

 

Two Stay credits 

For those that can’t spend $30,000 per year on a credit card, the credit card does offer you two stays and five nights credited toward elite status.  That means, you’ll only have to have 8 stays or 20 nights to receive gold status.   And, if you have both the personal and business card versions, you’ll only have 6 stays or 15 nights to receive gold status.

 

Benefits of Starpoints 

Starpoints are particularly useful for the frequent traveler because they can be transferred to a number of airline partners across multiple alliances.  And, when you transfer in 20,000 mile increments, you’ll receive a 5,000 mile bonus in whatever program you transfer to.

 

The Nitty Gritty

APR is between 15.24% and 19.24%, with APR for cash advances at 21.24%.  Penalty APR is 27.24%.  Foreign transaction fees are 2.7%, and for cash advances, you’ll also pay a fee of $5 or 3%, whichever is greater.  If you miss a payment, you’ll also pay a $35 fee.

 

Conclusion 

The new bonus of 30,000 Starpoints at sign up is an excellent offer, and the new referrals make life a little better for loyal cardmembers.  Has this post convinced you that now is the time to apply?  Let us know below!