A Guide To Choose The Right Travel Credit Card

If you’ve began thinking about the things you need for your next trip, that’s a step in the right direction. There are plenty of things to consider, and one of the most important of these is to invest in the right travel credit card.

It’s never easy to choose one. With so many options available, it can really leave you overwhelmed. Instead of rushing to pick one, it is best to take your time because there are a number of factors to be considered before you pick the perfect credit card for yourself.

Here are some determining factors that would help you to choose the one that best serves your needs.

1. Special Travel Perks

You’ll find a number of credit cards that are very generous when it comes to travel perks. However, don’t be fooled too soon. These perks might be in abundance, but just not the right ones for you. Before you sign up for something of the kind, ensure you know what kind of perks are being offered by the credit card company. Whatever travel benefits you desire for, ensure that your card has those. Plenty of airlines have credit cards that allow you to enter into the grand lounges, or an excess baggage allowance when you have a certain number of points. Some airline credit cards also offer you special meals in-flight, or the amazing feature of priority boarding. There are some of the credit cards that would help you to travel first class with a coach ticket.

The point is, the perks will be in abundance. You just have to select the best one for yourself.

2. No Annual Fees

When you sign up for a travel credit card, you might sometimes get carried away with the attractive perks being offered. That is great, as long as it doesn’t come with a too-high-annual-fees tag. Don’t be surprised there as the annual fees can potentially add to $100 to your billing. Although most airlines would charge an annual fee, you can always select the one with the lowest annual fee.

For many of the credit cards, you’ll find a no fee charge in the first year. If you wish to avail that, ensure you cancel at the end of the year. Ideally, you should look for a card that doesn’t charge you anything even after the first year, such as The Bank of America Travel Rewards. Since it’s just an extra cost that adds to your bills, it would be great if you could avoid it!

3. Signup Bonuses

Because there is a lot of competition out there, a lot of credit card companies would give you a hefty amount of bonus when you first get the card. This is a great way to add up to your mileage account as well! Later on, if you manage to spend a certain amount in a given period, you’ll get an influx of travel points into your account. This could potentially mean at least one free flight to your desired destination.

Signup bonuses might be very attractive at the beginning, but don’t be fooled by it too soon. If you are looking for long term perks, you need to look beyond these bonuses. It is very important to first assess if you can spend that certain amount reasonably. Don’t make impulsive decisions that you are likely to regret later. Because a travel credit card can significantly create more flying opportunities, it is important to know how the rewards can be earned and redeemed. Many times, you’ll find it a credit card amazing when it comes to earning rewards. Can you redeem this at a higher value? This is what travelers should aim for if they wish to really make the most out of their credit card.

4. International Acceptance

If you are an avid traveler, international acceptability of a card should mean the most to you. After all, what’s the point if you can’t use it to carry out the foreign currency transactions conveniently? A lot of payment networks are famous, but not accepted globally. Discover and American Express are two such examples of it. If you have a lot of travel cards, ensure there is at least one that can be used in every destination around the globe. Visa and MasterCard are mostly acceptable internationally.

If you are planning to sign up for a new card, look for a card with EMV technology. Although not widely used in the States, these are a great way of carrying out secure transactions. There are many cards that charge you a significant proportion when you travel overseas or shop online. That is the kind of card you should avoid getting. Luckily, there are plenty that charge no foreign transaction fee!

5. Loyalty

If there is only one airline you always choose for your domestic and international travel, it is wise to get the airline’s credit card. This gives you a lot of ease whether you book a flight, hotels or car rental. Getting a specific airline’s travel credit card means that you can save significantly through the airline’s partners. Loyalty is wonderfully rewarded by many airlines!