Alamo Associates Discuss How to Pick the Right Travel Rewards Card For You
While no credit card is perfect, there’s some out there that will meet your needs the best. With that said, though, there are some things you need to look for before you apply for a card. This is even more true for travel reward cards. Since there’s so many options, it’s a good idea to get a professional’s opinion, like Alamo Associates. With that said, here are 5 things to consider when you’re trying to pick the right travel rewards card for you.
Look for Sign-Up Bonuses
For starters, try looking for sign-up bonuses. Most of the time, cards will require you to hit a certain spending amount before they’ll give you the sign up bonus. With that said, though, some cards will give a much higher bonus than others. Once you hit the threshold, you’ll be able to take advantage of the bonus. Some might only offer some points, while others might give you a few free nights or a free flight. Make sure you look at the bonus before signing up.
Fee Amounts
You’ll also want to pay attention to fee amounts. Not only does this include annual fees, but also things like international fees or fees on purchases. While the international fees won’t matter if you don’t plan on travelling out of the country, you’ll still want to look at the fees on purchases. Some cards will require you to pay a fee for certain purchases, while others will only require you to pay when you do things like buy stuff online or going to an ATM.
Various Category Earnings
Most reward cards will give you a certain amount of points for every dollar you spend, but the really good cards will give you extra bonuses for certain categories. Some will offer these bonuses if you shop at certain retailers, while others will give them for shopping in certain categories, like gasoline or groceries. Since every card company is different, you’ll want to make sure you look at what kinds of bonuses each one offers.
Travel Reward Type
You’ll also want to decide the travel reward type you want. With so many reward options, you want to make sure you choose a card that has one you’ll use the most. Some of the more common ones are: hotel rewards, airline rewards and general travel rewards. Since all of those reward categories are pretty self explanatory, you’ll want to decide which one will benefit you the most. Keep in mind, some will only offer 1 reward, while others will offer multiple types.
Special Perks
Finally, pay attention to the special perks that come with the travel cards you’re considering. The majority of rewards cards will have some kind of special perks, but some are going to be better than others. Since it can be anything from having higher status to free nights, you’ll want to see all perks the card is offering.
Now that you have an idea of what you want, you’ll be able to talk with professionals like Alamo Associates to help you find the best one. Looking at all the information and having a better understanding will help you find the best card for your needs without getting stuck with a card that isn’t the right fit for you