I’ve been asked a number of times by folks that know I travel a bit, which credit card is the best for travel rewards? After scanning the landscape a few years ago, I settled finally on the Citi Premier Pass Elite Level card for a number of reasons. Each of these things are particular to me and maybe this isn’t the best card for you, but I thought it best to put this answer out there and hope it helps someone make a more informed choice. If you’re looking for some help in choosing travel credit cards, check out this article at How To Travel The World about other travel reward card.
First, for me, the most important use of a travel card is travel. If there are restrictions on when I can use mile, or places I can’t go, I tend to shy away. While I do still have an airline specific card, what the Citi card allows in freedom far exceeds any particular airline card. The points are earned on the Thank You Network and transferred there monthly. With the Thank You Network not only can you select from a large number of actual goods (much like items you find in the Sky Mall catalog) but, most importantly for me, you can use the points to buy tickets, hotel stays or rental cars through Expedia! Not only that, there are no blackout dates.
I’ve found the points redeem at a rate of about 130:1, meaning a $100 ticket on Expedia would be about 13,000 points. While this may not stack up to some offers from the likes of Alaska, where 35,000 points can get you from Seattle to Lima, Peru), the overall lack of restrictions and the familiarity of Expedia make it a no-brainer for me.
In the past I’ve also used the hotel gift certificates. I’ve used them to pay a friend wanting a stay downtown as a local getaway. I’ve used them for a quick overnight in Costa Rica before heading to our yoga spa for the week. And they work just like cash at select hotels (Marriott, Hyatt, Ritz-Carlton, etc…). In the past those certificates were on a 100:1 ratio, meaning a $100 gift certificate was 10,000 points. Now, however, things are closer to the above 130:1 ratio. Still, it’s a nice gift to give someone who also loves travel.
Earning points with the Citi Premier Pass Elite is just as easy as other cards. First, it’s a 1:1 ratio for dollars spent. Second, you get 2:1 for everyday purchases (groceries, gas, commuter transport, drugstore, etc…). And then the kicker; not only do you get one point for each dollar spent on a flight. You get one point for each actual mile flown. But wait there’s more! And that goes for anyone else traveling with you when you make all the purchases on your card! Plus you still get your normal airline miles with the airline, so there’s no way to lose.
Let’s take a look a real life example from my past:
- Three people traveling from Seattle to Philadelphia, approximately 2500 miles one way.
- Tickets cost $500 each
- This nets us 1500 points for the ticket cost, 15,000 points for actual miles flown = 16,500 points. And we each still get our individual miles on the airline.
That one trip gives me nearly $130 to spend on Expedia, which would easily cover the cost of a rental car on the next trip.
Not only that, but you will also receive points even when redeeming miles from your airline! Here’s how it’s worked for me in the past; I use miles on Alaska to book a trip, in this case the above mentioned trip to Peru. 35,000 is still a pretty cheap trip to South America so I was stoked. Then the operator mentioned there’ll be a $15 service charge to make the reservation. At first I was miffed, but then asked if I had to use my Alaska card and she said no. So I offered up my Citi Premier Pass Elite number with hopes it’d show as an actual ticket purchase. Sure enough, on the statement after I flew to Peru and back, I got credit for the miles flown! That was about 10,000 points for $15! And it’s worked with companion coupons for me in the past to. Your mileage may vary.
The card comes with a host of other benefits as well, such as concierge service, luggage replacement, cancellation insurance and car rental insurance, among others.
Check it out today if you’re shopping for an excellent travel credit card!
