Frequent Flyer Tips for Travelers New to Loyalty Programs

Have you ever wondered what credit card APRs are? APR stands for annual percentage rate. Understanding the mathematics behind that rate will help illustrate how dangerous and expensive credit card debt can be. It’ll also give you extra motivation to pay off your credit card balances in full every month so you don’t have to worry about interest.

One of the most cost-effective ways to pay down credit card debt is to transfer the balance to a low interest credit card, also known as a balance transfer card.

Consumers who are merely paying the minimum payment on their credit card balances are on the road to a lifetime of debt. The minimum payment is usually so low, that it keeps consumers in debt for decades.

With credit cards, consumers typically hear about rewards programs, airline miles, debt and interest charges. However, there are plenty of things you probably didn’t know about credit cards.

For example, credit cards can be completely free if you use them properly. But credit cards are never free for merchants, who must pay a fee to the credit card issuer each time a consumer swipes the card. 

Far too many consumers have credit card balances. This isn’t something to be proud of as a credit card balance is another term for having debt. Remember, when charging items on a credit card, those expenditures must be paid back in full.

Let’s explore some of the ins and outs of credit card balances, including what they are and how they can snowball into a major financial problem that affects your life for years to come.

There are several key considerations when it comes to choosing whether to use a debit or credit card to pay. Credit cards provide many perks and benefits that debit cards do not. These benefits may be especially useful when shopping or traveling. For the most part, as long as you are a responsible spender, using a credit card is usually a better option than using your debit card.

Having credit card debt is stressful enough. Debt across multiple credit cards from different issuers compounds this stress and makes tracking your progress towards a debt free life even more difficult.

Plus, credit card debt is expensive. Chances are, you’re paying an interest rate near 25%, a level high enough to easily keep you in debt for years.
Thankfully, there are tactics you can take to consolidate your debt. But some consolidation methods are better than others.

Missing a credit card payment is not something to take lightly. Whether you truly can’t afford to make the payment or you simply forgot about it, the financial consequences can be pretty hefty.

It happens to everyone who has a credit card at one point or another. You overspend. And you often don’t realize it until your statement rolls in. Then you see it. The minimum payment option. Surely you’ll have more money next month to pay off the balance. It’s tempting to just take the easy out and carry the balance for another month or two or three. But this is why you shouldn’t do that. Ever.

Mismanaging your credit cards can result in lasting financial difficulties – especially if you have big goals with your money – like buying a home or car.
Let’s explore three of the most serious credit card blunders.

Standardized (and shrinking) airline seats have made it difficult for people of all shapes and sizes to fit into an occupied space with set dimensions, because not everybody can fit comfortably. However, not all airline seats are created equal.

Southeast Asia has some of the world’s best travel destinations and most beautiful beaches. There are also many countries where the cost of living is much lower than in the US, so you can get a lot more bang for your travel buck. Unfortunately, getting to Asia in comfort for a reasonable price can be a challenge.

Flights from the US to Southeast Asia involve around 20 hours of flight time, depending on your precise departure and destination points. Flying that long in economy can be excruciatingly painful, especially for taller people. Making matters worse, the Southeast Asia zone in most airline award charts is typically one of the top two most expensive (along with Australia/New Zealand) when departing from the US.

If a country requires an expensive visa, you may hesitate to add it to your travel list. Places like Russia, China, and even portions of Eastern Europe for instance, would likely never be considered for a short trip if you must incur the cost and invest the time needed to secure a visa in advance. There are, however, several countries that allow visa-free visits, many of which you might not be aware. Here are five countries you can visit visa free that you might not have been able to in the not-so-distant past.

There’s no reason that being deaf or hard of hearing should prevent anyone from traveling. While it can offer its own challenges, nothing compares to sunning on an exotic beach, exploring a world-class museum or strolling through a quaint village. A little preparation and planning in advance can help make any trip—be it by plane, train, bus or boat—stress-free and fun.

Premium credit cards can be a great value, but they also carry a hefty annual fee. You can enjoy free airport lounges, travel credits, insurance, and other perks and privileges, but at some point, you might decide you don’t want to pay the annual fee anymore or you want to try a different card. Many of the benefits like lounge access, the Global Entry credit are offered by several cards. But if you close the card you lose the credit line attached to it and that may bring down your credit score. There are also other considerations like what to do with the points you’ve accrued. So what’s the best plan to keep your credit line and points? You downgrade the card.

Frequent flyer programs have come a long way since American Airlines introduced AAdvantage in 1981. The vast majority of world airlines have frequent flyer programs, and while they differ widely, each of their redemption schemes is based on one of the three underlying principles: region-based, distance-based or revenue-based.

So now that you’ve put in time and effort to earn a bunch of frequent flyer miles, hotel and bank points, you definitely don’t want to let those miles expire. Each program has it’s own expiration policy so check with your program to find the exact rules. In this post we’ll share some strategies for keeping your miles from expiring when that deadline appears on the horizon.

There are plenty of ways to earn miles with airline partners on the ground through shopping, dining, staying in hotels, renting cars and taking advantage of a variety of promotions.

But there is one method that allows travelers to get a huge amount of miles in a short period of time. Getting a welcome bonus for a credit card can get you a nice head start on your next vacation using Delta SkyMiles. Then you can top off the balance by taking advantage of other type of offers.

Google Flights is one of the most powerful tools for finding the best airline deals and routing. It can save you a ton of time relative to searching around on the websites of individual airlines, and it works well for both domestic and foreign airlines. It even has features built in to help you find great airfares even if you don’t know exactly where you want to go. More on that below. But first, what it it is how it works.

The only U.S. credit card rewards program that allows you to transfer points to the United MileagePlus program is Chase Ultimate Rewards. But what if you don’t have Ultimate Rewards points? Does it mean you can’t use points from other rewards program to book an award flight on United?

Is it worth booking an award flight as soon as it becomes available? You might get the cheapest redemption or a hard-to-find first class seat on a popular flight, but your reservation will be about a year out. A lot can change in that time. Knowing how much you’ll have to pay to change or cancel that flight can determine if it’s worth taking the chance.