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Best off using a card that you can apply points to any airline (I use Fidelity Visa, Capital One is probably similar), you will need some promo options, as spending a zillion dollars and then HOPING you can get "Award Tavel" together for 4 is very iffy.
Award seats are very limited availability. Bargains will be better. I use airfarewatchdog alerts if I have a destination in mind.
the issue with that is that you basically get a 1 cent per mile valuation. which isnt bad, it just becomes pointless when you can get 2% cash back. why get 2 cents that you need to redeem on their travel web site vs getting cash which has total flexibility?
Capitol One is the top rated Points card. But you have to realize it takes a lot of purchases to equal flights that expensive.
Do your home work and look for specials, we once flew to London and back for $179.00. A trick is if an airline is servicing a new city sometimes they have smoking deals. It may be cheaper to fly to that city and take advantage of the deal. Other airlines often match the deal.
I beg to disagree.
The best ones are Citi's AA the US Airways Mastercard from Barclayscard and Chase Saphire Preferred.
If I were the OP I'd sign up for the US AIrways mastercard... it gives you 50k miles that soon will be AA miles and you dont have to do minimum spending with this card you only need to make one purchase to qualify for 50000 miles.
There is a fee of 89 dollars for the card that is NOT waived the first year, but for 89 dollars you can pretty much fly to Europe since AA or US Airways the flights to europe are 40-50k miles.... oh and they barely charge fuel surcharges and taxes when you redeem them.
Chase points are awesome because they are so flexible!
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaptainNJ
the issue with that is that you basically get a 1 cent per mile valuation. which isnt bad, it just becomes pointless when you can get 2% cash back. why get 2 cents that you need to redeem on their travel web site vs getting cash which has total flexibility?
That is if you dont count the bonuses... actual you're not making 1% but much more. It's actually around 25% (if you only intend to use the bonus and where you have to achieve minimum spending)
How long would it take you to build up the air miles for four transAtlantic flights, and what if you then decide you don't want to fly any more? Get a cash-back card, and use the cash for plane tickets if you want to. Citi now has a 2% on everything cash back card.
How long would it take you to build up the air miles for four transAtlantic flights, and what if you then decide you don't want to fly any more? Get a cash-back card, and use the cash for plane tickets if you want to. Citi now has a 2% on everything cash back card.
not very long... i gathered about 380k miles in less than 3 months which gives me almost 10-15 round trips to europe (depending what airline i use and season)
not very long... i gathered about 380k miles in less than 3 months which gives me almost 10-15 round trips to europe (depending what airline i use and season)
Wow! That is WAY more than most of us accumulate in 3 months, I am thinking perhaps you use this card for business expenses??? Anyway, there are lots of cards, but BESTFARES.COM has the best rates/sales listed for international/domestic travel, maybe that is they way to consider going since finding air miles to comp you for a family that large might be an issues for non-rev passengers per flight. Good luck, and if you make it there, make it COUNT and spend the time you need to make it the lifetime memory it deserves to be!!!
Wow! That is WAY more than most of us accumulate in 3 months, I am thinking perhaps you use this card for business expenses??? Anyway, there are lots of cards, but BESTFARES.COM has the best rates/sales listed for international/domestic travel, maybe that is they way to consider going since finding air miles to comp you for a family that large might be an issues for non-rev passengers per flight. Good luck, and if you make it there, make it COUNT and spend the time you need to make it the lifetime memory it deserves to be!!!
I don't get this, why does it need to be a once in a lifetime memory? If they enjoy it enough, then make plans and go back the next year or 5 years. Flying to Europe isn't all that expensive these days, people get 2 weeks or so of vacation, take it each year and go travel if you want.
I'm more interested if they got the companion status with those miles, a free ticket for each ride?
not very long... i gathered about 380k miles in less than 3 months which gives me almost 10-15 round trips to europe (depending what airline i use and season)
In that case, the OP will have his tickets for the whole family before summer, ,so he doesn't need to worry about it.
not very long... i gathered about 380k miles in less than 3 months which gives me almost 10-15 round trips to europe (depending what airline i use and season)
Your milage total in 3 months is very abnormal as is the ability to get 10-15 round trips out of 380k miles.
A trip to Europe costs from 25000 to 50000 miles depending the airline and the season you redeem your miles... So how is 10 flights unattainable?
What airline books round trip to Europe at 25k? If it's not 38k or less on average clearly that's how you can't get 10 trips. On united for instance 60k is normally as low as the trips get. And you didn't say 10 flights you said round trips which is 20 flights min
So where are the 25k mile trips at?
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