Top 11 Credit Cards for Airport Lounge Access

July 30, 2021 by Adam Luehrs Leave a Comment

Find out which credit cards unlock access to thousands of luxurious airport lounges worldwide.

Access to thousands of airport lounges is on the table for 2021. Getting the right card in your wallet is the secret to getting your body in a plush, comfortable seat inside an airport with great runway views, hot meals, work stations, private bathrooms and much more. Which cards pull out all the stops when it comes to lounging in style for free during stopovers? As airlines vie to recapture post-pandemic travelers, the cards have definitely been shuffled around a bit since 2019. The most exciting aspect is that airlines are expanding both their lounge offerings and their lounge access. Let’s cover the best credit cards for complimentary airport lounge access in 2021!

Here’s a look at the credit cards offering the best lounge access in 2021:

1. The Platinum Card® from American Express: Access to the most lounges of any card! Choose from 1,200 airport lounges in 130 countries.
2. Chase Sapphire Reserve: Access to 1,200 VIP airport lounges around the world via free Priority Pass Select access.
3. Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card: Delta SkyClub access with potential for a big status boost on your Medallion status with every purchase!
4. HSBC Elite Credit Card: Free and unlimited LoungeKey access with an annual fee that’s lower than other elite cards.
5. Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®: Free American Airlines Admirals Club® membership with opportunities to jump to a higher status through card purchases.
6. Mastercard® Black Card: Automatic enrollment in Priority Pass Select for access to more than 1,300 lounges around the world.
7. Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card: Complimentary Priority Pass™ Select access for entry to more than 1,200 lounges around the world when flying on any airline.
8. American Express Green Card: $100 LoungeBuddy Credit.
9. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Complimentary Priority Pass access with the bonus of complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status.
10. United℠ Explorer Card: Two United Club passes per year with a card that offers opportunities to earn PQPs.
11. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection with big potential to earn extra points and status upgrades.

The Platinum Card® From American Express

If it’s sheer volume you’re looking for, this personal credit card offers access to the largest number of airport lounges. Platinum Members enjoy totally unlimited complimentary access to Centurion Lounges with Priority Pass Lounges access. That’s a lot of luxury to be rolling your luggage into between flights! In fact, it adds up to access to 1,200 airport lounges spread across 130 countries. What’s more, AMEX is adding new lounges every year. All of that choice won’t seem overwhelming because cardholders can use the American Express app to swiftly find lounges on the go!

There’s also a really big cherry on top with this card. It is one of the rare cards to provide lounge access for a cardholder while also giving the green light for two additional guests. While most cards and lounges have been on a streak of restricting or phasing out guest perks, Platinum still rolls out a red carpet that’s big enough for two to three people every single time!

Let’s quickly cover some specifics of this card.

Yes, the limitless lounge access that goes along with this card comes with a price. The annual fee on the Platinum Card® from American Express is $695. However, a little perspective helps when justifying the decision to jump for this card. An annual Priority Pass membership costs $429. However, the AMEX Platinum is just a little more with actual AMEX-branded lounge access paired with Priority Pass membership. You’re also getting the prestige and credit boost of having this elite card.

The free lounge access is just skimming the surface of the perks offered by the AMEX Platinum. Let’s not forget that this card comes with 5x points on flights and prepaid hotels with a threshold of $500,000!

You can also make back half of your annual fee just by taking advantage of the card’s $240 digital entertainment credit that rewards you with $20 each month when you pay for select digital subscriptions using your card.

There’s also a $200 annual hotel credit, $200 annual airline fee credit, $200 Uber cash credit, $179 CLEAR credit and $300 Equinox Credit.

Lastly, AMEX will give you an annual Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® credit. While there are simply too many perks to get into with this card, the AMEX Platinum offers dozens of “extras” that include things like upgrades to Marriott Bonvoy™ Gold Elite status or Hilton Honors Gold status without qualifying stays, free flight upgrades, car rental protection, special cruise privileges and more!

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The caveat with Chase Sapphire Reserve is that you have to be looking specifically for robust Priority Pass access for this card to be worth it in terms of airport lounge access.

The Sapphire Reserve card actually mirrors many of the perks of the slightly more elite Platinum Card® from American Express for a lower annual fee of $550.

In addition, Sapphire Reserve is only slightly behind the elite AMEX card with its offering of access to 1,200 VIP airport lounges around the world via free Priority Pass Select membership. Lounge guests flashing their Sapphire membership enjoy perks like free snacks, drinks and Wi-Fi whenever they touch down! You can also bring along two guests per visit!

Some of the other perks that pad this card include 3x points on worldwide dining and travel, 1:1 points transfers, a $300 travel credit and credits for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔®. There’s also a bump of 50 percent more points when redeeming airfare, car rentals, cruise reservations and hotels.

Some of the auxiliary perks of this card include $60 in DoorDash credits, a free DashPass subscription, a free year of Lyft Pink ($199 value), trip cancellation insurance, a rental collision damage waiver, baggage delay insurance, lost luggage reimbursement, travel insurance and emergency medical and dental benefits.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

This card is perfect for a self-selecting group that prefers to fly with Delta. In addition to giving you free Delta SkyClub access, this card is going to catapult you to Medallion Status much faster! It’s a win-win deal.

With an annual fee of $550, this card will be a better bet for most than simply paying the $545 annual fee for Delta Sky Club membership because of all the perks and potential for earning back baked into it! In addition to complimentary Delta SkyClub access for you, this card throws in two one-time guest passes per year. While that’s not as generous as the two-guests-per-visit perk offered by both the Chase Sapphire Reserve card and AMEX Platinum, it’s still something. There’s also access to the Centurion® Lounge whenever you book flights with your card. Members with this card also get upgrade priority over other Medallion members within the same level and fare class.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card has a nice roster of Delta-oriented perks. The big one is that you can earn 15,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $30,000 in purchases up to four times per year through the Status Boost perk. In addition, the Medallion Qualification Dollar (MQD) Waiver waives all other requirements for Platinum, Gold or Silver Medallion Status if you make at least $25,000 in purchases per year with your card.

Purchases made on Delta flights and Delta Vacations will earn you 3x miles. Everyday purchases made with your card will earn you 1 miler per dollar with zero limits on how much you can earn.

That challenges you to reach that $30,000 annual spending threshold for your Status Boost by using your card to pay for everything from gas to groceries. Some of the additional perks built into this card include a Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® credit, a baggage insurance plan, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, car rental insurance and access to the Premium Global Assist Hotline when you find yourself in a logistical or legal pinch while traveling.

HSBC Elite Credit Card

The big draw of the HSBC Elite Credit Card is free and unlimited access to LoungeKey lounges. Of course, you might not be very familiar with LoungeKey. One of the newer players in the lounge industry, LoungeKey provides lounge access at more than 1,000 locations around the world for cardholders aligned with various credit cards. Coming in with a lower-than-average annual fee of $395, the HSBC Elite Credit Card offers decent perks. The bonus breakdown for purchases made with your card breaks down to 3x travel purchase points for airfare, hotels and car rental. While you’re getting 2x dining points, it’s 1x points for all other purchases. There’s also $400 in travel credits on the table.

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®

A favorite among people who fly with American Airlines, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® comes with a free Admirals Club® membership that’s valued at $650. That’s not bad when you consider that the annual fee for this card is $450.

This next point is why this card is worth considering even if you’ve already shelled out the fee to get Admirals Club® membership. The card will actually give you a prorated refund on membership if you’re an existing Admirals Club® member. Upgrading can be a great way to maintain the membership you already love while gaining some extra perks every time you spend.

This card provides 2 miles for every $1 spent on eligible American Airlines purchases. You’ll earn 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases. You can also jet your way to elite status with American Airlines faster once you have this card in your wallet. That’s because the card gives you 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles (EQMs) after you spend $40,000 annually. You’re getting handed an opportunity to cultivate 50,000 bonus miles. The longer list of perks offered with this card includes priority boarding, one free checked bag on domestic flights, 25 percent off airline food and beverage purchases and Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® credits.

The perks on this card are neat and easy. While Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard® won’t have much value for you if you’re already invested in another airline due to years and years of loyalty, it is probably the best card for getting free lounge access every time you fly if you’re an American Airlines devotee.

Mastercard® Black Card

Offering automatic enrollment in Priority Pass Select, the Mastercard® Black Card provides access to more than 1,300 airport lounges worldwide. If you want to bring a guest along, the fee is $32 per person.

While the Mastercard® Black Card isn’t the only card to offer free Priority Pass Select membership, it does stand out for being a card that’s geared for luxury-oriented leisure travelers while having a $495 annual fee that’s lower than many other cards.

Cardholders receive $200 in annual air travel credit that can be used for airline tickets, baggage fees, upgrades and other flight-based purchases. All of your credits will automatically land in your account without any maneuvers on your end.

Members also receive a $1,000 gift card for TCS World Travel jet expeditions if they spend $35,000. The other perks to go along with this card include a Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ credit, baggage delay insurance, travel accident insurance, auto rental collision waiver, 24/7 Mastercard Global Service, trip cancellation/interruption insurance and travel assistance.

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

A no-brainer decision if you book stays at Marriott when flying, the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card provides complimentary Priority Pass™ Select access for entry to more than 1,200 lounges around the world when you fly with any airline.

Also baked into this card is $300 in annual statement credits for purchases made at hotels in the Marriott Bonvoy program.

This card shines for frequent travelers by offering 6x points on hotels, 3x points on dining and 3x points on flights. There’s also a $300 Marriott Bonvoy statement credit. You also get one free night as a reward each year for your card anniversary.

American Express Green Card

If you spend part of the year in Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain or Switzerland, this card is designed specifically for you.

While this card does come with lounge perks, it is not a heavy hitter in terms of lounge access by any means. The American Express Green Card only offers a single $100 Lounge Buddy Credit per year. However, that could be all you need if you’re just looking for lounge access one to two times per year when you’re making a trek home.

This card also comes with 3x membership rewards at restaurants, transit and travel. There’s 1x membership reward points on all other purchases. In addition, this card comes with great classic AMEX perks like a $100 CLEAR credit, trip delay insurance, upgrades via points, car rental loss/damage insurance, baggage insurance, purchase protection and more. The annual fee on this card is just $150.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

A great card if you’ve been coveting Hilton Honors Diamond status, the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card grants your wish when you sign up! Yes, this card comes with complimentary Hilton Honors Diamond status.

This card also comes with Priority Pass access that opens up entry to 1,200 lounges around the globe. In addition to free entry for you, you’re getting free entry for up to two guests per lounge visit. The perks for hotel lovers keep coming with an astounding 14x points on hotels and resorts. You’re also getting 7x points on select travel and dining.

In addition, this card comes packed with credits like a $20 airline fee credit and $100 Hilton on-property credit. You’re also covered with extra cardholder perks like car rental loss and damage insurance, access to the Premium Global Assist® Hotline and a baggage insurance plan. The annual fee on this card is $250.

United℠ Explorer Card

If you fly with United a couple times per year, this card might hit the spot. First, the disclaimer on this card is that it is not a lounge superstar by any stretch of the imagination. You’re not getting the highly generous and unlimited lounge access that’s offered by many of the elite cards on this list when you go with this card.

However, United customers who fly once or twice a year might like the added perk of getting some free lounge access on top of enjoying what is a really solid credit card. The United℠ Explorer Card comes with two one-time United Club passes per year.

While visiting a United airport lounge, you can enjoy drinks, snacks and Wi-Fi in a very posh setting. However, this card probably isn’t worth signing up for just for that perk. That’s why knowing about some of the other nice features of this card helps with making your decision.

First, you’re getting 2x points on dining, hotel stays and United purchases. All other purchases get 1x points. There’s also the perk of getting one free checked bag per trip. That adds up to about $150 saved per flight!

If you’re climbing the points ladder with United, this card offers the chance to earn up to 1,000 Premier Qualifying Points (PQPs) per year. Each $12,000 spent equals 500 PQPs. What makes this card really stand out is that it’s the first on the list to offer perks for no annual fee! While there’s a $0 intro annual fee for your first year of owning the card, the fee does rise to $95 per year after that.

This card also includes Global Entry or TSA Pre✓ credit.

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

While personal credit cards are famed for offering better lounge access than business cards, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express is one card to have your eye on if you often mix business with travel. This card offers big bonuses and big rewards! Of course, the big question has to do with what it offers in terms of lounge access. This card comes with complimentary access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection. That means access to more than 1,300 beautiful lounges across more than 140 countries.

In addition to pampering you with Centurion® Lounge and International American Express Lounge access, you can also visit partner lounges operated by big names like Delta Sky Club®.

This card comes with 5X Membership Rewards points for your flights and prepaid hotels booked through Amex’s travel portal. There’s also an airline bonus of 35 percent with the potential to get up to 500,000 points back per calendar year.

Some of the other perks included with this card are a $200 airline credit fee, $179 CLEAR Credit, a credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔, trip delay insurance, trip cancellation insurance, car rental loss insurance, a baggage insurance plan, premium car rental privileges and Premium Global Assist® Hotline access. You’re also invited to skip to Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status without the need to book the number of qualifying stays needed!

Next, it’s time to get to what makes this a “business” card. The Business Platinum Card® from American Express actually rewards you for making a larger purchase by offering more points! You’re getting 1.5x points on purchases of $5,000 or more. It adds up for the potential of 1 million extra Membership Rewards® points each year! One of the priciest cards to own, the Business Platinum Card® from American Express comes with an annual fee of $595.

Capital One Venture: credit score, income requirements + odds of approval

July 25, 2021 by Rosemarie Clancy Leave a Comment

Capital One has some very popular cards for travelers, and many people are familiar with them from their heavy promotion in television ads featuring celebrities like Jennifer Garner and Samuel L. Jackson.

The ads talk about earning double miles on everything and trading them in for airline tickets with no blackout dates. The commercials end with the line “What’s in your wallet?” and many people have decided that one of the Capital One cards deserves a slot.

The Capital One Venture card is unusual though because while it calls its rewards miles, it doesn’t earn real miles in a traditional airline program. What you earn are points that can be used to book travel through Capital One’s portal, erase travel charges on your statement or transfer to travel partners.

Fixed Value Cards

Cards like those issued by Capital One and Barclaycard are known as fixed-value credit cards. They are different from airline co-branded cards that offer tens of thousands of miles as a sign-up bonus and the opportunity to earn bonus points on airline ticket purchases and other categories like dining depending on the card. Most other purchases on co-branded credit cards generally earn just one point per dollar spent on everything else.

Airline miles in a traditional reward program can only be redeemed for seats on the carrier they are affiliated with or its partner airlines, but the redemption value can vary depending on how they are used and you need to find an award seat in order to use them to get free air travel which is why Capital One talks about no blackout dates.

Fixed value cards like the Capital One Venture card however, have more predictable earning and trade-in value. All purchases earn 2x miles, and all miles are worth a penny each on trade in. For example, $10,000 in purchases will earn you 20,000 miles that can then be used to book travel or erase a travel purchase of $200.

Credit Score Required

Like most travel credit cards, you will need to have excellent credit to be approved. That means your credit score needs to be at least 720.

You may be eligible with a score as low as 700, but if the score is 750 or more that will give you the best chance at obtaining this card. You also need to have had a credit card with a limit over $5,000 for three years or more before applying.

If you don’t know what your credit score is you can find it at many online banking sites which offer a free credit score to those that bank with them. Or you can use a service like CreditKarma to see your credit score and credit report.

Your FICO credit score, which is the one that is used most often to screen credit card applications is made up of several factors on your credit report including:

payment history (35%),
the amount you owe (30%),
credit history (15%),
new credit (10%) and
your mix of credit (10%).

It’s a good idea to review your credit report for errors as that may impact your application. If you find something that is not correct, report it to the credit bureau and see if you can get the mistake removed before applying, especially if it is dragging your score down as it may stop you from getting approved.

There are three credit reporting agencies that track your credit history including Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You are allowed to get a free credit report from each of them annually so you can make sure the credit reporting agencies are reporting your credit history accurately.

Credit History and Income Level Needed

There are a few things on your credit report that will cause your application to be denied. If you have ever declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan that will stop you from getting approved for the Capital One Venture card. And if you have been more than 60 days late on a credit card, medical bill or loan in the past year they will also deny your application.

You will be asked what your income level is on the application, and in addition to wages you can report other sources of income like child support payments, though you can leave that out if you want to. There is no particular income level required for approval as what you earn is only one of the things that Capital One takes into account when reviewing your application.

As with any credit card application, the higher your income is, the better your odds are of getting approved. If you are earning over $100,000 a year then this may help offset some less-than-stellar credit history as long as you don’t run afoul of the issues noted previously that will cause an automatic denial.

Odds of Approval

If you have an excellent credit score, good credit history and sufficient income, then you have very good odds of getting approved.

Capital One doesn’t have rules like Chase’s 5/24 rule, where the bank will deny you if you have opened more than five cards with any issuer in the past two years. The bank does consider how many cards you have opened recently though, and although there is no particular number of recent applications allowed, it can be another reason for having an application denied.

If you’re worried about not getting approved for the Venture card or you think you may not qualify, you can see what Capital One credit cards you are pre-approved for with no impact on your credit report by using the bank’s pre-approval application.

It will ask for your name, Social Security number, employment status, income and housing costs and it will determine whether or not you qualify for a number of Capital One cards including the Venture card.

Keep in mind that you can still get approved even if you are not offered this card when you check on pre-approval status, but your odds of getting approved are lower if Capital One is not offering you this card when you fill out the pre-approval application. You can also still be denied, but it’s not likely if you’ve gotten pre-approval.

Who is the Capital One Venture Card For?

The Capital One Venture card is perfect for someone who is interested in earning free travel through sign-up bonuses and spending on a credit card, but wants more earning power for all of their spending and flexibility when it’s time to book travel. Capital One has widened its appeal to travelers in recent years with the addition of travel partners that miles can be transferred to so that is another redemption option.

The Venture card is also good for people who don’t have the time or inclination to learn the nuances of frequent flyer programs, which can be complicated. Airline loyalty programs can often offer outsized value on redemption, especially for international travel in first or business class. But finding award space on the dates you want to travel can be challenging, especially if you want to travel to a popular destination during peak travel season.

With the Venture Rewards card you can have the best of both worlds. Points can be used to reimburse you for travel charges on your card, or you can use them to get even more value by transferring them to a travel loyalty program.

You can also choose to book your travel through the Capital One travel booking portal, which is powered by Orbitz. Miles are worth the same penny per point as they are worth when you use them to erase a travel purchase, but you don’t have to wait for the charge to hit your statement and you can skip the extra step of erasing the charges so this is the simplest way to redeem your points for travel.

Capital One Venture Card Benefits

The Capital One Venture card comes with a 60,000 bonus miles for signing up and spending $3,000 in the first three months of opening the card. If you already have this card or you’ve received this bonus before you may not be eligible for this welcome offer.

You earn 2x miles on all purchases, so you don’t have to worry about using different cards to get bonus points for select categories. Other cards with a similar annual fee only let you earn double points on select categories like travel and dining purchases and everything else earns just a single point.

Even though the Capital One Venture credit card is promoted as a travel credit card, it is not affiliated with a particular airline or hotel like co-branded travel cards so there are no benefits like free checked bags or upgrades.

One nice thing about using Capital One rewards to erase an airfare purchase on your statement or to book travel through the bank’s portal is that you will still earn miles in an airline program or points in a hotel program because using your Capital One miles is the same as using cash to buy the ticket or book the room. This can help you achieve elite status faster and get perks like free checked bags or lounge access with your airline elite status.

Capital One Lounge Openings

The card doesn’t offer extensive airport lounge access like some other cards, but it is opening its own lounges starting with Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in fall 2021, with two additional lounges scheduled to open in Denver International Airport and Dulles International Airport outside Washington, DC, in 2022.

This follows in the footsteps of American Express that has opened its own Centurion lounges in over a dozen airports to give its most valued cardmembers a premium lounge experience.

Capital One lounges will have all the amenities you would find in traditional airport lounges like high-speed WiFi, chef-inspired meals at dining stations, pre-packaged food that you can take on the plane with you, fully stocked bars, coffee stations and quiet work zones where you can charge your devices.

Other offerings, which vary by location, will include shower suites, relaxation rooms, yoga and cycling rooms, and luggage lockers so you can go out and explore a city during a long layover.

Airline and Hotel Reward Program Transfer Partners

The Capital One Venture card also has travel partners that points can be transferred, unlike co-branded airline and hotel cards which earn points that stay within the frequent traveler loyalty program they are affiliated with and need to be used to book travel with that supplier or its partners.

There are currently 17 airlines and hotels that you can transfer your Capital One miles to, but look at the transfer ratios before you pull the trigger on that as they vary.

There are several airline programs that have a 1:1 transfer ratio for Capital One Venture miles including Aeromexico, Avianca, Cathay Pacific, Etihad, Finnair, Qantas and TAP Air Portugal. Capital One miles also currently transfer to one hotel program at a 1:1 ratio and that is Wyndham Rewards, though Choice Privileges is expected to come on board this year at that transfer rate.

These are the partners that you will get the most value from since you are earning miles at a rate of 2x per dollar. For these programs, 10,000 Capital One miles will translate to 10,000 miles in the airline or hotel program.

Several airlines have a less generous transfer rate of 2 Capital One miles to 1.5 airline miles, which is still a good deal because you’re earning the Capital One miles at double the rate of many other cards. The airlines that have a 2:1.5 mile transfer ratio include Air Canada, Air France/KLM, Alitalia, British Airways, EVA Air, JetBlue and Turkish Airlines. For these carriers, 10,000 Capital One miles will become 7,500 airline miles when transferred.

There are also a few airlines that transfer at a 2:1 ratio, which is not as good as the other transfer rates, but still useful especially if you are just looking to top off your account. The airlines that accept two Capital One miles for each airline mile are Emirates and Singapore. The ALL Accor hotel program also has a 2:1 transfer rate. In this case, 10,000 miles = 5,000 miles or points in the airline or hotel program.

Other Travel Benefits

The Venture One card also has some other benefits for travelers as it is a Visa Signature card. It offers travel accident insurance, and there are no foreign transaction fees. It also includes car rental collision damage waiver (CDW) so you can rent a car and avoid that costly insurance if you pay for the rental with your Capital One card. It also comes with a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Capital One Shopping

Capital One also has a shopping portal that looks for discount coupons at the online retailers you are shopping at and automatically applies them to your purchase. You can also use your points for purchases on Amazon.

Or you can redeem your rewards at millions of online stores through PayPal. To do this you just need to link your Capital One Venture Rewards card to your PayPal account and use your rewards balance when checking out.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card

The Capital One Venture card has an annual fee of $95, and some people don’t like to pay a fee to hold a credit card. There are a lot of great benefits that can help offset that cost, but if you don’t want to pay a fee you might be interested in the Capital One VentureOne Rewards card, which sounds similar but has less benefits.

The VentureOne card also has a smaller sign-up bonus at only 20,000 points for spending $500 in the first three months, but that is a much more manageable minimum spend than the $3,000 in spending required to get the Venture card bonus. And you’ll only earn 1.25 miles per dollar compared to 2x with the Venture card, so you’ll earn less miles on your spending.

One attractive element of the VentureOne card though that is not offered with the Venture card is a 0% introductory APR for 12 months so this card may be a better fit than the Venture card for someone with a tight budget.

There is also a Capital One VentureOne Rewards card for people with good credit, but with that offer you won’t get a sign-up bonus. The card will still earn 1.25 miles per dollar spent so it is another option for people who have a credit score below the excellent range that is needed to get approved for the Capital One Venture card or VentureOne card with a sign-up bonus. Also, the APR on this card is higher than the other two at 26.99%.

Final Thoughts

The Capital One Venture card is a great travel card, especially for people that are just starting to collect miles and points for award travel, because it has a simple earning scheme that doesn’t require you to use different cards or watch for rotating bonus categories to earn bonus points.

It’s also good for experienced miles and points collectors, especially since Capital One added transfer partners back in 2018 and has been adding more every year. It is also more attractive to travelers now that Capital Once has started opening airport lounges, especially if you fly out of one of the cities where they have plans to open.

The Capital One Venture card is most often compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, which is very popular with travelers. Both cards earn points that can be used in their own travel booking portal and both transfer to multiple airline and hotel programs.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a better transfer rate to most of its travel partners as they usually transfer at a 1:1 ratio, and you get a 25% bonus when booking travel through the Chase portal. But most of the spending on that card is only earning 1x per dollar.

You also won’t be eligible for a sign-up bonus for the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you’ve gotten a bonus for either a Sapphire Preferred or Sapphire Reserve card in the past 48 months. And if you’ve applied for too many cards in the past two years, Chase will also not approve you because of its 5/24 rule.

As other banks tighten their rules about who can apply and get sign-up bonuses for their cards, Capital One has become a great option for people who may not qualify for travel rewards cards at other banks because of restrictions they have in place.

The Capital One Venture card is also a good option if you have several frequent traveler accounts, but not enough points in any of them to book award travel, because you can transfer your points to Capital One travel partners to reach your travel goal.

Another great selling point of the Capital One Venture card is that miles in its program don’t expire like many airline programs, and if you have a tendency to save up your points for a big vacation you don’t have to worry about an airline program devaluation which can greatly decrease the value of the rewards you’ve been saving.

And best of all, you can earn 2x points on your everyday spending, and can then use them for any airline ticket at any time as long as there is a seat available. This is a big plus for people who have had trouble using airline miles because they don’t understand how mileage programs work, or they travel during peak season and can’t use traditional miles because of limited award seat availability.

Delta Air Lines Baggage Policy & Fees + how to avoid paying them

July 22, 2021 by Rosemarie Clancy Leave a Comment

You may have gotten a great deal on your airline ticket, but if you don’t know what you can or can’t take on board your flight you may be in for a surprise or even a shock at the check-in counter.

Since every airline has its own unique baggage policy, it’s important to check what is or isn’t allowed so you don’t overpack or have to leave something behind at the airport. Being aware of the baggage policy for the airline you are flying on can also help you avoid unnecessary fees.

You should know the size and weight restrictions for each piece of luggage or equipment you plan to bring, how many bags you are allowed, and what items are prohibited in the cabin and in checked bags.

We’re going to take a look at Delta Air Lines baggage policy to help guide you through the packing process and let you know what you can or can’t take with you on your Delta flight. We’ll also give you some tips on how you can avoid paying baggage fees on the carrier.

Delta Air Lines Baggage Rules

Like many airlines, Delta’s baggage allowance varies based on route, fare class, and whether you have elite status with the airline or if you carry one of it’s co-branded credit cards.

You can check in online or in the Delta app 24 hours before your flight and let the airline know how many bags you are taking with you. If you check in online, you drop your bags at the baggage drop. Let’s go over the rules for carry-on and checked bags.

You can check the baggage calculator on this page for a planned trip, or you can estimate the cost of checking bags for a particular route by entering your departure and destination as well as the type of fare you plan to purchase on Delta including Basic Economy, Main Cabin, Delta Comfort+, First Class, Delta Premium Select or Delta One.

You can also enter the dates of travel, your status with Delta’s SkyMiles frequent flyer program including whether you are a general member, Silver Medallion, Gold Medallion, Platinum Medallion or Diamond Medallion, and the type of Delta credit card you have including the Delta SkyMiles Gold, Platinum and Reserve cards from American Express or the business versions of those cards.

Checked Baggage Allowance

If you’re seated in the main cabin for a flight within the US for example, you don’t get any free checked bags if you don’t have a Delta credit card or elite status. A passenger flying on a domestic flight with no status or co-branded credit card will pay $30 for their first checked bag and $40 for a second checked bag.

You generally get one free checked bag on International flights, but be sure to check Delta’s baggage calculator because that can vary by destination and fare class.

Whether you get a free bag because of your route, loyalty program elite status or Delta credit card, luggage must still be within limits or there will be an extra fee. Bags must weigh under 50 pounds, and the bag should not be more than 62 inches when you add up the length, width and height of the suitcase.

SkyMiles Elite Status

If you have Silver, Gold or Platinum Medallion status in the Delta SkyMiles loyalty program, your first checked bag is free. Medallion members traveling in basic economy, main cabin or Comfort+ seats between the US or Canada and any international destination can also check a second bag up to 50 pounds for free.

Medallion members traveling in Premium Select can check up to three free bags up to 50 pounds each, and Delta One or First Class passengers can check three free bags up to 70 pounds.

SkyMiles Credit Cards

If you carry one of six Delta SkyMiles credit cards by American Express including the Gold, Platinum or Reserve cards or business versions of those cards and you book your flight using the card, your first checked bag and a checked bag for up to eight more people traveling on your reservation is also free.

The Delta SkyMiles Gold card costs $95 a year, but the annual fee for the first year is waived. The SkyMiles Platinum card costs $250 a year, and the premium Reserve credit card costs $550 a year. Each card comes with additional benefits. For more details on sign-up bonuses and perks of holding the card, check here for details.

Include your SkyMiles number in your reservation, and the fee for the first bag for each passenger in the reservation will be waived. The free bag benefit does not apply to overweight or oversized bags.

Excess Baggage Fees

Each passenger can check up to 10 bags on Delta or Delta Shuttle flights and up to four bags on Delta Connection flights, but they have to pay a fee for each bag beyond their allowance. Overweight and oversized bags, and items with a unique size, shape or weight are subject to extra fees. And if your bag exceeds both weight and size limits you could be charged fees for both.

If you are traveling within the US, USVI or Puerto Rico, a third bag will cost $150 to check each way, and each bag beyond that up to the maximum of 10 will cost $200 each to check.

Bags from 51-70 pounds in weight will cost an extra $100 one-way, and bags weighing from 71-100 pounds will cost $200 extra. Bags over 100 pounds are not allowed.

If the bag is bigger than the total 62 linear inches allowed, it is considered oversized. If the bag is 63-80 inches (length + height + width) it will cost $200. Bags that are over 80 inches are not allowed.

Those rates can go up for international travel based on the route. This chart has full details by destination or you can view them below:

Excess Baggage Fees for International Travel

Traveling From:	Traveling To:	Bag #3	Bags 4-10
US / Canada + USVI, PR	US / Canada + USVI, PR	$150	$200 ea
US / Canada + USVI, PR	Caribbean	$150	$200 ea
US / Canada + USVI, PR	Central America	$150	$200 ea
US / Canada	Mexico	$180	$200 ea
Mexico / Caribbean / Central America	Mexico / Caribbean / Central America	$125	$200 ea
US / Canada	Honduras / El Salvador	$200	$200 ea
US / Canada	Guatemala City	$200	$285
South America	US / Canada / Mexico / Caribbean / Central America	$200	$200 ea
North / Central/ South America	Europe / North Africa	$285	$285 ea
Asia	Everywhere	$200	$200 ea
US / Canada / Mexico	Tahiti	$285	$285 ea
Brazil	Everywhere else	$200	$200 ea
All other international destinations		$200	$200 ea

Carry-On Allowance

If you don’t qualify for a free checked bag and you’re trying to avoid paying a fee to check your luggage, you might want to bring your bag on board. Delta allows one carry-on and one personal item per passenger.

The carry-on suitcase can go in the overhead bin and must be no more than 45 inches in size when you add up the length, height and width of the bag. In addition to meeting that overall size requirement, the carry-on cannot be more than 22 inches in length, 14 inches in width and 9 inches in height including handles and wheels, with the exception of small musical instruments that can fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.

There is no weight restriction for carry-on bags on most flights, but if you’re flying to Singapore (SIN) your carry-on should be under 15 pounds, and if your destination is Beijing (PEK) or Shanghai (PVG) your carry-on luggage should not be more than 22 pounds.

If the bag is too big or if the flight is very full and overhead space is limited, you will need to check your bag at the gate. There is no charge for the checked bag if it is because the plane is full. Also, if you are on a Delta Connection flight with less than 50 seats you can only bring a personal item on board.

Personal Items

In addition to a carry-on, each passenger is allowed to bring a personal item that they can store below the seat in front of theirs. Personal items include a purse, small backpack, laptop, camera bag, diaper bag or another item of a similar size.

You can also bring a few things that don’t count as your personal item like a jacket, umbrella, food and beverages purchased after you get through security, duty-free purchases, and special items like a stroller, wheelchair, child safety seat or assistive devices like a cane or crutches.

If you are planning to carry your luggage on board, keep in mind that there are restrictions on liquids, gels, aerosols and pastes. This includes beverages, hair products, toothpaste and suntan lotions. These items should not contain more than 100 milliliters (3.4 ounces) of product even if the container is only partially full.

Liquids need to be in a clear, quart-sized plastic bag that you can seal, and you will need to put it in a bin when you go through security. If you need to bring liquids that are bigger than that, they need to go in your checked luggage. There are some exceptions to this rule for necessary items like medication, breast milk, infant formula or juice which can get a special screening.

Infants and Children

All children traveling on Delta must be ticketed, but if they are under two years of age they can sit on your lap and their ticket is usually 10% of the cost of the adult ticket. Other children’s fares are discounted based on route.

Baggage rules for kids vary depending on the fare purchased. If they are traveling for free, they don’t get any baggage allowance. When traveling on an international ticket that costs 10% of the adult fare, children are allowed one checked bag up to 20 pounds with a maximum size of 34 inches (length + height + width).

You can check strollers and car seats for free, and you can bring an FAA-approved safety seat on board the plane for use during takeoff and landing if there is an empty seat in your row or if you have purchased a seat for the child.

In addition to a carry-on bag, parents can bring an infant or booster seat, bassinet, and a breast pump and cooler bag for an infant traveling with them. Seats and bassinets must be secured by a seatbelt and must meet carry-on size restrictions.

If the child’s ticket costs at least 50% of the adult’s fare, then the child gets the same baggage allowance as an adult.

Bringing Pets Onboard

You can bring a small dog, cat or bird on board the plane if they fit in a small, ventilated carrier that fits under the seat. The pet counts as your one carry-on item, but you can still bring a personal item on board.

You pay a fee each way at check-in. Fees are $125 for flights within the US, Canada and Puerto Rico. It’s $200 for international routes or flights going to/from the USVI, and $75 for flights to/from Brazil.

If your pet is too big to fit in a carrier under the seat, they would normally have to be shipped aa cargo, but that is under embargo currently because of the pandemic. Check here for updates.

There are also some exceptions for small animals. Birds are only allowed on US flights excluding Hawaii, USVI, Puerto Rico and Guam. There are also currently some temporary suspensions on bringing dogs on board that were imported from countries that have a high risk for rabies, so check this link for more information on which countries are excluded and if the suspension is still in place when you plan to travel.

Valuable, Fragile and Other Items

In addition to items for infants and children, you can also bring medical supplies and equipment on your trip but rules vary. A wheelchair can be brought on board for example, but there are some rules governing battery operated ones. Let the airline know 48 hours in advance if you plan to bring one. You can also bring syringes on board as long as you have the corresponding labeled medication.

You can’t check valuable items like cash, jewelry, electronics, photography equipment, works of art and other high-value items in your luggage. You should bring those on board with you in your personal item or carry-on. If the item being checked is fragile, you will need to sign a limited liability waiver.

If the item is too large or too fragile to put in an overhead bin, you can purchase a seat with a bulkhead or divider in front of it for the item as long as the item doesn’t block emergency exits or the aisle. It cannot weigh more than 100 pounds and must be able to be secured with a seatbelt.

You can check sports equipment like a bicycle, but it will count as a checked bag and if it is overweight it will incur those extra fees. Bikes over 100 pounds or bigger than 115 linear inches are not allowed. For more details on restrictions on particular items like golf clubs, surfboards, ski equipment and other items, check the sports equipment page link above.

You can also bring musical instruments on board the airplane or check them. Small instruments can be carried on board as your free carry-on. Bigger instruments can be checked, but cannot exceed 150 linear inches and it can’t weigh more than 165 pounds including the case. You can also choose to purchase a seat for the instrument, but it has the same size and weight restrictions as instruments checked as baggage.

Prohibited Items

The Transportation and Safety Administration (TSA) sets the rules for what you can bring on the plane or check in your luggage, so those rules are the same for all US carriers. The main things to avoid in checked bags are flammable items, and avoid bringing anything that can be used as a weapon on board.

Some things like dynamite, gunpowder, flammable liquids and other hazardous materials are obvious items to avoid packing. But there are also other prohibited things that are less obvious like cooking spray, chlorine for pools and smart luggage with non-removable lithium batteries.

You might think that alcohol is prohibited, but you can bring up to five liters of alcohol in your checked luggage if it is under 70% alcohol (140 proof). Wine is not included in this limit. And if you want to bring mini-bottles of liquor on the plane, they must fit in the quart-sized bag that has your other liquids in it.

If you’re unsure about whether an item is allowed, you can check the TSA site or reach out to the agency on Facebook or Twitter at AskTSA.

When to Pay for Baggage

Many people avoid checking bags and just pack what they can fit in their carry-on in order to avoid paying fees, waiting for luggage at their destination, and to avoid possible delayed or lost luggage. But that’s not always practical.

If you are staying a week or more, especially at a colder destination that requires bulkier clothing, you may not be able to fit everything in a carry-on. When you’re traveling with children, especially infants, you often have to bring extra gear. And if you’re planning to surf or play golf and bring your own equipment, you’ll need to check those items. These are just a few examples of times when you will need to check baggage.

Credit Cards That Reimburse You For Checked Baggage Fees

These premium cards reimburse you for baggage fees.

If you do have to check bags and pay a fee, be sure to check your wallet to see if you have an airline credit on a premium credit card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or American Express Platinum card.

Or you can erase the charges by using points on a travel credit card issued by Capital One or Barclays. With the Capital One Venture card for example, you can use 3,000 points to erase a $30 baggage fee.

Exclusions & Waivers

There are some exceptions to the rules. For example, active members of the military including United States Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Navy or Coast Guard that are traveling on military orders are allowed to bring up to five free bags that are up to 80 linear inches and up to 100 pounds each regardless of fare class.

Military members traveling for personal reasons get two free bags up to 50 pounds each if they are booked in basic economy, main cabin or Comfort+. And if they are ticketed in first class, Premium Select or Delta One, they can bring three free bags up to 70 pounds each.

You also need to be careful about what airline you are on even if you booked through Delta as that carrier may have different rules. If your flight is on a Delta SkyTeam alliance or codeshare partner airline, then be sure to check on that carrier’s baggage rules.

If you have purchased duty-free items at the airport, they will not count as part of your baggage allowance or personal item. They will be delivered to your plane and you can pick them up before you board.

Final Thoughts

The best way to avoid baggage fees is to limit what you are bringing with you to a carry-on suitcase and a personal item. That’s not always possible though, so if you want to avoid baggage fees on Delta and you don’t have elite status, the easiest way to get a free checked bag is by having one of the carrier’s co-branded Amex cards.

Be sure to measure and weigh your luggage to avoid overweight and oversized baggage charges, and check the baggage calculator on the airline’s website so you are clear about how many checked bags you can bring on your flight so there are no surprises at check in.

If you do have to check bags and they are not free, be sure to check if you have any credit cards that will reimburse you for airline incidentals or allow you to erase travel charges on your card and be sure to use that card to pay for your checked bags so you can get a refund from the card issuer.
Once your bags are checked, you can track your luggage using the bag tag, confirmation or file reference number. And Delta has a 20-minute guarantee. If the bags don’t arrive at the carousel within 20 minutes of landing, you can fill out this form and get 2,500 Delta SkyMiles as compensation.

The Ultimate Guide to the Capital One Travel Portal [2021 Edition]

July 9, 2021 by Adam Luehrs Leave a Comment

The official travel-booking arm of Capital One, Capital One Travel, is a portal full of flexibility, points potential and breezy bookings for cardholders.

In 2021, Capital One ensured that it would have its most exciting year ever by announcing a string of new offerings. There’s even a new 1:1 transfer tier in the mix to take loyalty to a new level!

There’s also some big news for lounge lovers that might make them consider converting over from whatever travel program they’re plugged into already.

The emerging developments with the Capital One Travel portal make it necessary to talk about the program’s long-standing setup, recent changes and the changes that are being rolled out in the months to come.

In a world of loyalty programs and booking websites, it’s time to investigate if Capital One Travel is the one.

Who is it For

First, Capital One Travel isn’t a “replacement” for Expedia, Orbitz or any other booking platforms you’ve been using to book your annual vacation. This is a program for serious spenders who do some serious spending on travel.

What’s more, the best way to really maximize your miles with this program is to take advantage of 1:1 miles transfers with partner airlines. Many of the best transfer deals are with international partners. When all is said and done, Capital One Travel if for people who trot the glob! It’s especially beneficial if you rack up tons of miles on business travel.

The Basics of the Capital One Travel Portal

The concept behind Capital One Travel is nothing new in the credit card world.

Cardholders who sign up can reserve flights, hotel rooms and car rentals using miles, cash or a combination of miles and cash. People who use their cards the most stand to gain the most. However, where Capital One Travel stands apart is its flexibility. Let’s cover the basics of what life looks like once you’re flying, cruising and spending with Capital One.

You can book flights, hotels and car rentals using the same portal once you’re plugged into the Capital One ecosystem. However, being a Capital One Travel user hinges on the fact that you’ve already been approved for a Capital One credit card. You’ll need one of these cards to enter the Capital One Travel portal:

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card.
Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card.
Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business.
Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business.

Owning any these cards comes with its own perks because you’re getting automatic bonuses like thousands of free miles if you spend a certain amount with the first few months of opening your card. However, the Capital One Travel portal brings the benefits to the next level by simply offering a very easy way to book your travel. It’s so easy to stay organized with your trip planning while also getting the perk of instantly applying your “free travel” in real time. No, the Capital One Travel portal isn’t really anything “brilliant” compared to most rewards sites and travel-booking platforms. However, it’s really great for what it is.

What You’ll Really Like

Let’s start with what is probably the top reason to choose Capital One Travel over another option.

Capital One miles earned come with a fixed value.

That means you don’t constantly feel like you’re on a game show where you have to strategize to actually make your points do something for you. Capital One’s fixed-value travel miles mean that you’re never dealing with blackout dates or reward restrictions. The points you’ve earned are fully and truly yours to keep, use and enjoy!

Yes, Capital One still has lots of catching up to do with competitors that are already firmly entrenched in the travel category. Its recent announcement about new lounges that we cover further down shows that Capital One is ready to get in the ring. While it’s still working out some kinks in terms of providing good transfer options, the strength of the Capital One Travel program rests in the strength of what you can do with your Capital One miles. Offering the ability to combine your miles transfers with fixed redemptions, Capital One Travel is worth looking at. Its increasing list of transfer partners makes this program much more attractive than it was even just a year ago.

Capital One also does something really neat with its travel miles that you don’t see a lot. Cardholders can actually redeem previous travel purchases that they’ve made within the last 90 days. Yes, that means that you can retroactively apply miles to flights, hotel rooms and general travel-related purchases. In fact, Capital One is shockingly lenient about what it will consider a travel-related purchase. If you used your Capital One card to make the purchases on the road, things like food delivery, streaming services and Uber rides can all count!

Booking Accommodations With Capital One Travel

Let’s start by talking about how you book flights. You’re simply entering your travel dates, departure destination and arrival destination to check for availability. Capital One gives you the option to search by lowest price if you prefer. Love a specific airline? Capital One will let you search by airline when displaying your results.

The price-comparison features in the Capital One Travel portal really make you feel like you’re not getting pushed toward the most expensive option. For instance, the default is the lowest fare based on the idea that you’ll be purchasing an economy ticket. It also offers the rare perk of actually giving you a quick rundown of price difference between fares.

Booking a hotel is equally as easy. Again, you’re just searching for available rooms based on the dates and location of your stay. This next part is where Capital One’s portal really shines as a shopper’s companion.

The platform doesn’t just display how much a room will cost you per night. It also does the math to show you the full cost of booking each room for your stay.

Next, it displays TripAdvisor ratings next to each option to help you avoid the need to leave the portal to do your “investigative” work. If you’re really serious about getting specific amenities at a hotel, Capital One gives you the option to simply turn on a filter to only see hotel rooms with specific amenities and features.

Honestly, it’s easy to forget that you’re not shopping with a “real” travel-booking website when you hunt for your hotel room with Capital One. They clearly aren’t just resting on the idea that you’re stuck in the funnel based on the fact that you want to cash in points.

Lastly, we get to car rentals. Capital One Travel starts you off by asking about where you want to pick up and drop off your rental vehicle. If you’re a visual person, you can select the option to see a list of available rental locations on a map. Everyone else can just scroll down the list that’s provided. In addition to being able to sort by lowest price, you can check off boxes to narrow your search down based on rental company, car type and car features. It’s beautifully straightforward.

Can You Book Travel Packages?

No, Capital One Travel doesn’t let you book packages.

However, there’s speculation that this is something that will be coming down the pipeline in the future as the company devotes more time and money to its travel program. This is the one area where it’s really lacking compared to options like Hotwire and Expedia.

If you use either of those third-party booking sites, you know that they often advertise amazing deals that place your whole trip just one simple click away. You also often get rock-bottom rates on last-minute getaway deals that bundle everything together with very little “planning” needed on your part. That’s something you’ll really miss if you’ve booked some little trips that ended up being some of the best experiences of your life all because you saw a hot deal come through in your email.

Does Your Elite Hotel Status Carry Over to Capital One Travel?

Here’s another category where going with Capital One Travel loses a few points. Due to the fact that it’s technically a third-party travel company, you’re not able to use your elite hotel status the way you can when you book directly with your preferred hotel. As a result, you’re losing the ability to take advantage of package deals the way you are with most third-party booking platforms while also losing the benefit of booking directly with the hotel chain you have elite status with. It’s a bit of a lose-lose situation if you happen to have status at a chain like Hilton or Marriott.

Honestly, someone who books frequent hotel stays might do better by using Google Flight Matrix to simply zone in on getting the cheapest flight that can be paired with a hotel room that’s booked directly with the hotel chain.

What’s New With the Portal in 2021

Spring of 2021 marked a big sea change for Capital One Travel. The common theme is expansion. For cardholders with the Capital® One Venture® Rewards Credit Card, Capital One VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Spark® Miles for Business Credit Card and Capital One Spark® Miles Select Credit Card, this is what’s coming:

A new 1:1 transfer tier.
Loyalty partnerships with more airlines.
Access to new lounges.
An updated, AI-powered booking app in partnership with Hopper.

Let’s start with that new 1:1 tier for miles transfers. What does it mean? For cardholders with Venture® and Spark® Miles cards, the living is already pretty easy with 2X miles dished out with every purchase made any day of the year. It’s about to get better. Under the updated policy, Venture® and Spark® Miles cardholders can now look forward to 2X travel loyalty points on every dollar they spend when transferring precious miles to any member on a long list of new partners.

A big piece of news for global travelers, this new 1:1 transfer ratio is good for major global brands like Avianca (LifeMiles), Etihad (Etihad Guest), Asia Miles, AeroMexico (Club Premier), Finnair (Finnair Plus) and Qantas (Qantas Frequent Flyer). In an exciting turn of events, it even applies for Wyndham Rewards.

This helps to take care of the “downside” covered earlier because it’s a nice loophole around not being able to use elite hotel points when booking through Capital One Travel due to the fact that it’s technically a third-party travel site. If you’re already a loyal Wyndham Rewards member, the news could not be bigger.

Most of the partners on the 1:1 ratio list previously had ratios of 2 points to 1.5 points. With the new update, members are effectively getting a boost of 33 percent more miles when they choose to travel with the 1:1 partners. All of Capital One’s other hotel and airline partners will maintain their existing ratios that range from 2 points to 1.5 points to 2 points to 1 point. The way that point values and miles values work out means that these lower transfer ratios aren’t necessarily bad deals even though they don’t have the wow factor of 1:1.

New partnerships with the loyalty programs of British Airways (Avios), Choice Hotels (Choice Privileges), TAP Air Portugal (Miles&Go) and Turkish Airlines (Miles&Smiles) are making things even more exciting. If you’re already plotting some trips, here’s a glance at what ratios look like right now when you’re using hotel and airline transfer partners:

Aeromexico Club Premier: 1:1
Air Canada Aeroplan: 2:1.5
Air France-KLM Flying Blue: 2:1.5
Alitalia MilleMiglia: 2:1.5
Avianca LifeMiles: 1:1
British Airways Avios: 2:1.5
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles: 1:1
Emirates Skywards: 2:1
Etihad Airways Guest: 1:1
EVA Air Infinity MileageLands 2:1.5
Finnair Plus: 1:1
JetBlue TrueBlue: 2:1.5
Qantas Frequent Flyer: 1:1
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer: 2:1
TAP Air Portugal Miles&Go: 1:1
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles: 2:1.5
Accor Live Limitless: 2:1
Choice Privileges: 1:1 (Pending)
Wyndham Rewards: 1:1

The real superstars on Capital One’s list of partners are the partners that provide that 1:1 ratio while being members of major airline alliances. For instance, an airline with a 1:1 ratio like Cathay Pacific that also happens to be a member airline of OneWorld alliance opens up options for redeeming miles for flights booked with fellow OneWorld airlines like American Airlines. Similarly, a Star Alliance airline like Avianca allows you to book flights throughout the United States and Europe using sister carriers like United and Lufthansa.

How Will the Collaboration With Hopper Change Capital One Travel?

Of course, the big buzz is that Capital One is in the midst of revamping its travel portal app in collaboration with Hopper. Let’s rewind to discuss Hopper to demonstrate just how big this is for members.

Hopper is a travel-booking platform that uses data to get customers the lowest prices on flights, hotels and cars. This “smart” booking platform is also designed to help travelers make better booking decisions using data-driven insights. That means you’re more likely to get the right accommodations at the right prices if you believe Hopper’s “claim to fame” that its algorithms create a 95-percent accuracy rate for giving you the best travel choices based on your personal needs.

All of these customer-friendly perks are now coming to Capital One Travel members. In fact, Capital One has already revealed which dynamic features will be carried over once it integrates Hopper’s AI-powered tech into its own booking platform. Here’s a look:

Price predictions.
Price alerts.
Dynamic pricing recommendations.
Better integration of Capital One Travel and Capital One Rewards to make it easier to redeem rewards.
Improved mobile app interface.
Improved inter-app messaging and support capabilities that make it easier to change or cancel reservations.

The big takeaway is that customers are going to be able to book with more confidence. For existing customers, the temptation to “check rates” against what they can find on other platforms is likely to vanish. While it looks like lots of bells and whistles coming through, there’s really just one big point to focus on.

This new platform update that’s being done in collaboration with Hopper ultimately protects Capital One cardholders from price volatility. In an era when hotel chains and airlines are increasingly using dynamic pricing tools to adjust prices in real time based on demand, this is a big deal for giving customers peace of mind without the need to obsessively check rates before making booking decisions.

Did Somebody Say New Capital One Travel Lounges??

Yes! Capital One is peppering its news of an expanded and redesigned Capital One Travel portal with the announcement of two new lounges in the coming months.

The first is opening at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) before the close of 2021. The second is set to open its doors at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) in 2022. Designed to be state-of-the-art rest zones, both lounges will feature Wi-Fi, work spaces, private showers, luggage lockers, relaxation suites and workout rooms.

As Capital One enters the lounge arena to do battle with big names like American Express for the first time, there’s still a lot that’s not known. As of summer 2021, Capital One had not announced who would be eligible for lounge access. While all cardholders may be permitted to use the lounges, it’s possible that only elite cards will get you entry. It’s also very likely that cardholders will still need to pay to get in most of the time. The only thing that Capital One has revealed so far is that cardholders will be eligible for special entry rates based on card type. Of course, free lounge access may be a carrot that is dangled for some of the top-tier cards that charge higher annual fees.

Tips for Using Capital One Travel to Book Trips

If you decide to jump into the Capital One Travel pipeline, it helps to know how you’ll be redeeming the miles you earn through spending for travel. Like all programs in this vein, Capital One Travel requires that you be intentional and strategic to get the best deals.

Begin by becoming familiar with the different loyalty programs you can transfer all of your points to when you want to book a trip. This isn’t as simple as just selecting an airline because it’s on the list of partners. You’ll need to look at each airline’s reward chart to see how much the value will be when you redeem your miles.

Next, search for any reward seats that might be open.

Lastly, you can transfer your Capital One points to the loyalty program you choose. Just make sure you’re verifying the price against the value of the reward miles you have to transfer. You should never transfer your miles unless you have a specific seat ready to book!

Final Thoughts

The truth is that Capital One Travel hasn’t exactly been an industry leader. While you could sometimes get the lowest price through the portal, that wasn’t something that was to always be expected.

In fact, airfare and hotel rates pretty much sat at average compared to other booking channels. However, that’s likely to change now that Capital One is revamping it usability with Hopper. As an AI-driven, predictive platform, Capital One Travel appears to be gearing up to become the savviest booking platform in terms of pricing among credit card travel portals.

The brand’s decision to ramp up partnerships really makes this a great time to hop on if you’ve been looking for a dedicated travel portal where you can easily comparison shop while easily applying your miles.

The overall consensus is that Capital One Travel is a decent product that’s rapidly getting better.

Delta Comfort Plus – how it compares + is it worth it?

July 8, 2021 by Rosemarie Clancy Leave a Comment

When booking airline tickets in the past, there were three choices: coach, business or first class. Over the past decade or so, airlines have introduced a few more types of fares that are sometimes confusing for travelers reserving flights.

Some of the newer fares are very basic non-refundable low fares where you pay extra for checked bags, seat assignments and early check-in. These were designed to compete with low-cost carriers that offer cheaper fares because they charge passengers for these extras. Delta introduced these fares in 2013.

While those basic fares are a step below traditional coach fares, another class of fares have also entered the market to bridge the gap between coach and the upper classes. These seats offer more comfort like extra leg room, more recline and other benefits.

In this article we are going to take a closer look at what Delta Air Lines offers with its Comfort+ fare and how it compares to other seating options offered by the carrier.

What is Delta Comfort+

First let’s go over what it isn’t. It is not an extra cabin of service. The carrier still offers only three primary cabins on board aircraft: the main cabin, its Delta One business cabin and the first class cabin. Delta Comfort+ is available on flights that have two cabins of service based on availability, though features vary depending on the aircraft and destination.

This type of fare was first introduced by Delta as Economy Comfort on international flights in 2011 and expanded to domestic flights in 2012. That service was rebranded as Comfort+ in 2015 so it’s been around for a decade in one form or another.

It’s available on flights throughout the US, Canada, Asia Pacific region, Latin American and the Caribbean, as well as most transatlantic markets. It’s also available on flights within the Asia Pacific region; Central and South America including Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Peru; Africa, India and the Middle East; and most intra-European flights including the UK.

Delta Comfort+ vs Main Cabin

It’s important to note that this is not a separate cabin like first class. It’s an experience within the main cabin, according to the airline. There are three experiences for main cabin flyers including basic economy, coach and Comfort+.

If you select a Delta Comfort+ seat in the main cabin, you’ll get up to 3” of extra legroom compared to a coach seat, and you also get dedicated overhead bin space for your carry-on.

You’ll also get to board earlier than coach passengers with Sky Priority boarding because these seats are called earlier than basic economy and main cabin seats, and you’ll get off the plane quicker as well because Delta Comfort+ seats are closer to the front of the plane so passengers seated in this section will deplane sooner.

You’ll also get a seat with more legroom and recline than in the main cabin, and you’ll be served premium snacks on flights over 900 mies and complimentary alcoholic beverages on all flights that offer beverage service in the main cabin. Passengers in coach on long-haul flights do get complimentary beer, wine and spirits, but you have to pay for drinks on shorter flights.

On long-haul international flights, if you book a Comfort+ seat you’ll also get a pillow and blanket, as well as a complimentary headset and amenity kit that includes eyeshades, earplugs, a toothbrush and toothpaste. Seats on flights over 6.5 hours also recline more than coach.

A transcontinental round-trip flight from JFK to LAX that clocks in at 6 hours and 33 minutes will run you $291 in basic economy, $352 for the main cabin, but will cost $673 if you want to fly in Comfort+. First class is not offered on this route as Delta has replaced it with Delta One service, which was priced at $1,607, way more than twice the cost of Comfort+.

Delta Comfort+ vs First Class

While Delta Comfort+ seats are closer to the first class cabin and they offer amenities that are better than those offered in coach, they cost much less than first class fares. The seating and amenities in Comfort+ are better than coach, but fall short of a first class experience.

Delta First Class offers bigger, more comfortable seats in first class and elevated food and beverage offerings. You also get lounge access with first class seats, but not with Economy+. On some routes like transcontinental ones, Delta has replaced its first class service with Delta One, a premium product that offers lie-flat seats and even more amenities than first class.

For some travelers, Economy+ might be the closest they will get to the first class cabin as it is a much more affordable upgrade that comes with some nice benefits.

On some international flights, Delta One is the top cabin choice. To give you an idea of the price difference, I looked at flights from NYC to Dublin in mid-October. Basic Economy tickets cost $875 at the time of writing, a seat in the main cabin goes for $1,025, Comfort+ costs $1,277 and Premium Select is $1,416. Delta One will cost at least double on that same flight at $3,958.

As you can see on this flight, the fare jumps about $200 for each fare class upgrade, and then skyrockets when it comes to premium seats. You need to determine whether the cost of each of those incremental upgrades is worth that price to you.

Delta Comfort+ vs Premium Select

There’s also another Delta product that sounds similar to Comfort+, but it is different. Delta introduced Premium Select on some international routes on widebody aircraft in 2017.

The seats are wider, have additional recline and adjustable foot and leg rests. Premium Select seats are 19” wide, have 38” of legroom, which is 4” of extra legroom over coach seats but only one inch more than Delta Comfort+, and the recline is steeper at 7”. But so is the price.

Premium Select is only currently available on some flights and it doesn’t really compete with Delta Comfort+ in most markets as Premium Select is only available currently on some flights. And sometimes Comfort+ is a real bargain. Keep in mind that these Delta products are only available on Delta hardware, so if a flight is operated by a partner airline, these products will not be available.

For example, I checked on a flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to Bangkok (BKK) route in mid-October and the lowest fare was on a flight operated by Korean Air and neither Comfort+ nor Premium Select were offered. There is also no basic economy fare on this flight as it doesn’t compete with low-cost carriers on this route.

But to give you an idea of pricing on that route on a flight operated by Delta with two stopovers, a seat in the main cabin costs $1,111 when I checked, compared to $1,150 for Comfort+. AT $40, that is definitely worth the cost to upgrade.

But watch out for multiple cabins, also referred to as mixed cabins, especially where partner airlines are involved. A flight with mixed cabins means that at least one leg of your flight has a different fare class than another, so you may not be getting the flight experience you are expecting for the whole trip.

What is the Cost to Upgrade

You can buy a Delta Comfort+ fare at the time of ticketing if it’s an option, or you can upgrade to Comfort+ after your ticket is issued. Since it is an add-on product, your ticket does not need to be reissued.

The cost to upgrade to Comfort+ will vary depending on a number of factors like the destination and demand, but it is relative to the cost of the flight in a lot of cases. I did a few quick searches to give you an idea of the price involved. A flight from JFK to San Diego in mid-August that costs $602 in the main cabin, is priced at $932 for Comfort+. A flight from JFK to Honolulu in early September was priced at $879 when I last checked, and it was $1,119 for Comfort+. You can expect to pay about 30-40% more based on my research.

You can also upgrade using miles. In general, Delta charges one cent per mile, so if the upgrade costs $100 then you will need to use 10,000 miles.

It may cost more if you want to upgrade after ticketing, but not necessarily. Delta will offer you the best price available if you choose to upgrade. Fees are charges for each segment of the flight.

You can upgrade up to three hours before your scheduled departure if seats are available. This can be done online by going to My Trips on the Delta site or in the app, or you can call reservations.

Upgrades are not available from Basic Economy seats, even if you are an elite status holder. Complimentary upgrades are also not available after boarding regardless of fare class or status.

Upgrades for Delta SkyMilles Members

SkyMiles members can earn Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs) and accrue miles for the upgrades if purchased through a Delta channel including on the airline’s website, app, airport kiosk and select. If you upgrade a Delta flight in Amsterdam (AMS) or Paris (CDG), you will not earn MQDs for the purchase.

SkyMiles Medallion elite status holders and elites from partner airlines have complimentary access to Comfort+ if it is available on their flight. Delta has two categories of membership in its Delta SkyMiles program including general membership and Medallion elite membership. Within Medallion elite membership, there are four tiers including Silver, Gold, Platinum and Diamond.

Any person with Medallion status is eligible for unlimited complimentary upgrades to first class and Delta Comfort+, but keep in mind that these upgrades are doled out according to status level and other factors so you are not guaranteed an upgrade.

Diamond and Platinum Medallion members can select upgrade certificates as part of their Choice benefits, and those global or regional upgrade certificates can then be used to upgrade to Comfort+.

You can request an upgrade in a specified time period before your flight for yourself and one companion booked on the same reservation. Diamond and Platinum Medallion members can request an upgrade right after they are ticketed. Gold Medallion members can do so 72 hours before departure, and Silver Medallion members have to wait until 24 hours before departure. If the status holder is not traveling on the original reservation, the companion will not have access.

Food and Beverages

In addition to the standard fare available in coach, passengers in Comfort+ seating get complimentary Starbucks coffee, beer, wine and alcoholic drinks on flights with beverage service in the main cabin.

There are also better snacks including fruit and premium snacks on routes over 900 miles with no meal service. For example, on flights from Atlanta (ATL) and Minneapolis (MSP) to Honolulu (HNL) you’ll be served a Luvo wrap and a frozen Greek yogurt bar.

But don’t expect the free-flowing champagne and chef-inspired meals you would get in first class or Delta One. Those cabins cost much more because you get much more including lounge access and free checked bags..

Baggage Allowance

As with all Delta flights, you will get a free carry-on and personal item included in your fare. Baggage fees for checked bags on Delta vary by route, but in general you pay $30 for your first checked bag on most flights within North America and you get one free bag on flight overseas. A second bag will cost you anywhere from $40 to $100, depending on the flight.

There are some cases where Delta Comfort+ passengers get a free first checked bag like on flights from the US to El Salvador, Ecuador and Panama and Tahiti, but in general having a seat in Delta Comfort+ will not get you an extra baggage allowance.

When it comes to getting free checked bags, having elite status or holding a co-branded credit card is usually your best bet to avoid baggage fees. For example, Medallion members get one free checked bag regardless of the route or class of service. And travelers who have the Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express Card get one free checked bag on any Delta flight.

Is it Worth it?

As with any airfare upgrade, you should ask yourself two questions. Do I need it and can I afford it? In most cases, an upgraded flight experience is a luxury, but Comfort+ seats are not that much more expensive than coach seats and sometimes it is a necessity.

If you’re cramped sitting in a traditional coach seat because of your height, then this upgrade is probably worth it for you to be able to fly more comfortably. If you have trouble sleeping on flights and need to get some rest, then it also might make sense to upgrade.

If you have an important business meeting at your destination and want to land refreshed, Comfort+ is a much more affordable option than first class travel, so you should definitely consider this alternative.

Consider Comfort Plus for Long Flights

The upgrade to Comfort+ also makes a lot of sense on long-haul international flights when comfort and sleep are issues for many flyers. It’s also a good idea if you plan to work or stream movies on your electronic devices, as there are plugs under the seats on most flights so you won’t have to pack a battery charger and you’ll land with your devices fully charged.

Also, if you plan to buy several cocktails and they are not free on your flight, then think about how much that would cost and balance that against the cost of the upgrade. And if you enjoy more premium snacks and getting on and off the plane sooner, this upgrade may be worth it.

On the other hand, if you’re on a budget and you don’t have the money to spare, this is probably an unnecessary splurge. As with anything in life you need to balance the value of something against cost to obtain it.

Before you purchase or upgrade to a Comfort+ seat, do the math to see how much extra it will cost you, and make your own determination about whether the extra cost is worth it to you based on the benefits.

As you can see from the searches we did, the price can vary widely to upgrade from the main cabin to Comfort+. If the cost is negligible like the price difference we saw on the LAX to BKK route we searched, then go for it. A mere $40 to get more comfort and free drinks is a great bargain. Anything under $100 is probably advisable, especially on a long flight.

But when the difference is nearly double, you really need to think twice and check your budget to make sure this upgrade is worth it. And if it’s more than double, it’s probably not worth the upgrade unless you really need the legroom. Maybe you should check your mileage balance to see if you can get a better deal with an award ticket. Or if you don’t have mles, check out current credit card offers if you aspire to travel in style, but can’t afford it.

On the other hand, if you’ve got elite status and the upgrade to Comfort+ or beyond is complimentary, then it’s a no-brainer to get on the upgrade list before you fly to see if you qualify.

The bottom line: If you’re considering flying in business or first class, especially for a domestic flight, Comfort+ is a much more affordable option than Delta One or first class if you are seeking comfort and a few extra benefits to make your trip more enjoyable, but shop around on flights as the rates for upgraded service can vary widely.

Credit Score Needed Amex Gold Card + odds of approval for 2021

July 7, 2021 by Rosemarie Clancy Leave a Comment

The American Express Gold Card is a rewarding credit card that is one of the top charge cards in the Amex portfolio. The card has some great benefits and bonus point earning categories, and at $250 a year the annual fee is less than half the cost of a premium card like the top-of-the-line American Express Platinum Card or the premium Chase Sapphire Reserve.

The Amex Gold card is currently offering 60,000 American Express Membership Rewards points after you make $4,000 in purchases in the first six months of having the card. This metal card is an impressive card to hold, and you can currently get it in Rose Gold as well. You may also be eligible for a targeted 75,000 point bonus.

Six months is a nice long window to meet minimum spend, unlike many other cards that only give you three months to meet spend and earn a sign-up bonus. You need to spend just under $700 a month to meet the Amex Gold spend requirement, which is more manageable than spending double that to earn the bonus on the mid-tier Chase Sapphire Preferred card for example.

The Gold card also comes with some generous statement credits that can help you offset the annual fee including Uber and dining credits.

If you’re considering applying for this card, continue reading our guide below to see the typical credit score required, the type of consumer(s) that can instantly qualify and to fully understand your odds of approval.

Credit Score Range Typically Required

If you’re interested in getting the Amex Gold card, you might be wondering if you will be approved if you submit an application. Like any credit card, your credit score is an important factor. But there are other variables that Amex will consider when you apply.

You will need to have a good or excellent credit score to qualify for this card. And if your credit score is considered good, then it needs to be in the high end of that range. Many banks provide you with your credit score in their online portal, so check there or use an online service like Credit Karma to see your score.

You can also review your credit scores from the three credit bureaus which include Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Don’t be surprised if the scores are different at each agency. That’s because they all use slightly different scoring models.

What’s included in my credit score?

The credit scores from each credit reporting company should be in agreement on whether your score is poor, fair, good, very good or excellent/exceptional, as they all take the same data into consideration. Scores are based on payment history (35%), debt-to-credit ratio (30%), length of credit history (15%), credit mix (10%) and new credit (10%).

If the scores are too far away from each other though, check your credit history with the bureau who has the lower score to make sure there are no errors on your credit report that might be dragging your credit score down.

A very good FICO credit score is 740 or above, and if your score is in this range then you’ve got a very good shot at having a successful application and getting the Amex Gold card. But you can still get approved for this card if you have a score of 700, or even as low as 670. The lower your credit score is though, the better your credit history and income level needs to be to compensate.

Income Level Required

American Express does not disclose the income requirement for successful applicants, but in addition to income, they will also ask you how much you pay for rent or mortgage each month and they will crunch the numbers to check your creditworthiness and determine if you are a good credit risk.

Amex will also look at other things like how long you’ve been at your job, the amount of debt you carry, the number of open credit card accounts and how many recent hard inquiries are on your credit report, so there are more things involved in their decision than just your credit score and income.

Amex also uses its own internal data to determine your eligibility. They will gauge your ability to pay charges on the card based on what current Gold cardholders spend and how that matches your income and expenses.

You also need to be at least 18 and a US citizen or permanent resident, but this is not a card for people new to credit cards as you need to have credit history. It’s also favorable for applicants who have previously been approved for an American Express card.

Keep in mind that all the income you receive including alimony, child support and investment income can be included in what you report to American Express on your application, so be sure to include that in your calculations. You don’t have to disclose it on your application, but it will improve your odds of getting approved if your wages are not sufficient.

Odds of Approval

If your score is excellent and you have a high income, then you have an excellent chance of getting approved for this card. If you already have other cards or history with American Express that will count in your favor as well, but only if your cards are in good standing.

If your score is very good, and you only make $40,000 a year for example, you can still get approved if you have a clean credit history and low housing costs. If your credit score is hovering around 700 though, a higher income in the $50,000 or more range will boost your chances of getting approved.

But if you have a score over 800, income of $50,000 or more and a deep credit history with no issues, you will likely get instant approval. You may also want to consider the Amex Platinum card rather than the Amex Gold if your credit score and income are at these levels. You can get a rundown of the credit score required with the Amex Platinum card here.

If your income is lower, or if you have too much debt or a history of late payments, even just a few, you will likely be denied.

If you’re uncertain about your eligibility and want to avoid a ding on your credit score, you can check to see if you pre-qualify. You just enter some info including name and Social Security number and the site will show you Amex cards you will likely qualify for. But even if you don’t see the Gold card among your offers, you can still apply. An approval is much more likely though if Amex has pre-determined that you are a good candidate for the Gold card.

Who is the Amex Gold Card For?

The American Express Gold Card is a great fit for travelers because it has a lot of travel benefits, and you get the most value out of Membership Reward points when redeemed for travel. It also earns 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel, which will help you earn rewards faster to reach your travel goal.

It’s also a good Membership Rewards earning card for foodies and almost anyone because it earns 4x points for dining, takeout and food delivery worldwide, and 4x on purchases at US supermarkets up to $25,000 per calendar year. That can add up to 100,000 points annually for buying groceries if you max out that bonus.

While some other cards added food purchases as a temporary bonus category during the pandemic, the 4x earning on Amex Gold dining and groceries is not likely to change as it was in place before COVID. The Citi Prestige card is one of the few cards that offers a bigger bonus for dining at 5x points per dollar spent, but that card has a $495 annual fee. All other purchases made using the Gold card earn one point per dollar.

Travelers will benefit the most by holding the Amex Gold card though, because Membership Rewards are a valuable, flexible currency that can be used to book travel with Amex, or they can be transferred to airline or hotel programs for even greater potential value. If you don’t travel much, they can also be used for gift certificates or you can pay with points at popular sites like Amazon or Best Buy.

It’s also easier to get the Gold card than the Platinum Card, which is the top credit card available to the public from Amex. There is only one card that is more prestigious than the Platinum, and it is much more difficult to get and much more expensive to hold. It is the Centurion Card from American Express and by invitation only, so you won’t be invited to apply for that Black card unless you’re already an Amex cardholder and you make and spend a lot.

American Express Rules

There are a few other things that may cause you to get denied for the Amex Gold even if you have an excellent credit score and good income. Like other banks and credit card issuers, Amex has some rules to stop people from applying for too many credit cards.

It should be at least five days since you last applied for an Amex card. For example, if you applied for the Amex Platinum card and got an instant decision denying your application, wait a week before you apply for the Gold card. You also should not apply for more than two Amex cards in a 90-day period, even if your application was denied.

American Express also has a rule that indicates you can only have five active Amex cards with a preset spending limit, including both personal and business cards. The Gold card however, does not have a preset spending limit so this rule won’t likely be an issue.

One last rule to keep in mind is that you can only get a welcome bonus one time for each of its products. That means if you previously got a sign-up bonus for the American Express Gold Card, or the American Express Premier Rewards Gold as it was known before it rebranded in 2018, then you are not eligible for another welcome bonus.

Is the Gold Card Worth the Annual Fee?

If you think your credit score, history and income are good enough to qualify, then you might be wondering if this card is worth the annual $250 fee. Let’s take a look at the value of the welcome bonus and the statement credits and benefits and that can offset the fee.

The 60,000 point bonus can vary in value depending on how you redeem the points, but it is worth $600 in travel booked through the Amex portal where points are worth a penny a piece. You can also transfer the points to a hotel loyalty or an airline rewards program, which usually offers the highest potential value.

Airline Transfer Partners

Amex Membership Rewards transfer to16 airline programs that include carriers in the three major airline alliances at a ratio of 1:1 for most carriers, so the Amex Gold bonus could be turned into 60,000 miles.

Airline transfer partner programs include Aer Lingus AerClub, Aeromexico Club Premier, Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Alitalia MilleMiglia, ANA Mileage Club, Avianca LifeMiles, British Airways Avios, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, Delta SkyMiles, El Al Matmid Frequent Flyer Club, Emirates Skywards, Etihad Guest, HawaiianMiles, Iberia Plus, JetBlue TrueBlue, Qantas Frequent Flyer, Singapore KrisFlyer and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

There are many redemption possibilities with all these airline partners, but to give you an idea of the value of 60,00 miles, two round-trip domestic tickets on one of the legacy carriers cost an average of 50,000 miles. Or you can book a one-way business class ticket to Europe for about 60,000 points. The best way to get the most value per mile is usually by booking international travel in first or business class.

Hotel Transfer Partners

You can also transfer your Amex Membership Rewards points to three hotel programs including Choice Privileges (1:1 ratio), Hilton Honors (1:2 ratio) and Marriott Bonvoy (1:1). These transfers don’t always represent the best value even when you get two points per MR in the Hilton program, but if you just need a few thousand more points for an award stay in one of the programs, then it’s nice to have this option. It can also make sense if a particular property has a great redemption rate for a certain property.

To check the redemption value of airline and hotel bookings, just compare the cash price you would pay to determine the value of the points you would need to redeem to get the award ticket or night.

You can also use points for gift cards, cover charges on your statement or for other redemptions like Uber rides, but some of these don’t offer the best redemption value so you may get as little as half a penny per point. But even at that low-value redemption, those welcome points are worth at least $300.

Statement Credits

If you take advantage of statement credits available on the American Express Gold Card, you can get up to $240 annually, which covers the annual cost of the card. There is also an Uber Eats pass that is available for a limited time and is valued at $119.

The Amex Gold card comes with up to $120 in Uber Cash. When you add your Gold card to your Uber account, you get an automatic $10 credit every month that can be used for Uber rides in the US or Uber Eats. You’ll also earn 4x bonus points on all Uber food deliveries purchased using your Gold card.

Amex Gold also has an additional Uber benefit that is available to new cardholders who apply before the end of 2021. You’ll get 12 complimentary months of Uber Eats Pass once you enroll. The pass eliminates delivery fees and gives you a 5% discount on orders over $15.

The card also comes with a $120 annual dining credit. You can get up to a $10 monthly statement credit for Grubhub, Seamless, Boxed and other participating dining partners. You have to enroll in this offer when you get the Gold card, and use it to pay for your purchase to get the credit each month.

Travel Benefits

The travel benefits that come with the card also add value if you use the benefits. If you book a hotel in the Hotel Collection with American Express Travel, you get a $100 credit that can be used at the hotel for things like dining or spa treatments. Qualifying activities vary by property.

If your baggage is damaged, lost or stolen while you’re on a plane, train, ship or bus on a ticket purchased using the Gold card, you have coverage up to $1,250 for carry-ons and up to $500 for checked baggage. There’s also trip delay insurance of up to $300 if your trip is delayed more than 12 hours because of a covered reason. It can be used twice a year for eligible expenses including meals, lodging and toiletries.

You’ll also have access to the Global Assist Hotline when you travel more than 100 miles from home. It is available around the clock for financial, legal, medical and other emergencies and can help you get cash in an emergency and assist with missing luggage in addition to other services.

The Gold card also comes with car rental loss and damage insurance. Pay for the rental using the card and decline the collision damage waiver (CDW) at the counter when you pick up the car, but check with the card issuer when you make your booking to make sure the coverage applies to the location you are renting from and for the vehicle you are renting as there are some exclusions.

You also have access to personalized travel services to book your trip, and when you make purchases overseas there are no foreign transaction fees.

Shopping and Entertainment

You can book American Express cardmember-only experiences with the Gold card including Broadway shows, concerts and sporting events. You will also have access to premium seating for select events with the Preferred Seating benefit.

You’ll also be eligible for Amex Offers which are discounts and/or bonus points earning opportunities when you shop at featured retailers online or in store.

Other Benefits

The American Express App also has local offers that you can take advantage of. And you can use the Send & Split feature to send money to other Venmo and PayPal users without being charged the standard credit card fee.

Or you can split a dinner bill with a PayPal or Venmo user and get a credit back to your Gold card, and you’ll earn rewards on the bill paid. You do need to enroll to use this service. You can also add anyone over 13 as an authorized user and earn rewards on their purchases.

Ways to Pay Your Card

You should be aware that the Amex Gold is a charge card, and while it doesn’t have a preset spending limit, your credit line is not limitless. If you are planning a big purchase, you might want to check with the issuer to make sure there is a big enough credit line and to ensure that the purchase is not flagged as fraud.

To avoid diluting the value of points earned, we recommend paying off your balance every month. But the Amex Gold charge card will allow you to pay the minimum amount due and use the Pay Over Time feature where you carry the balance with interest of 15.99% to 22.99% depending on your creditworthiness.

There is also a Plan It feature that allows you to split large purchases into monthly payments with a fixed fee, though there is a limit on the amount you can carry as a balance or move to a plan.

Final Thoughts

Now is a great time to apply for the American Express Gold Card. Not only is travel opening up again after the pandemic, but you might be eligible for the targeted 75,000 point welcome bonus, and the popular Rose Gold card is also currently available.

If you are approved for the Gold card, make sure you channel enough spend to the card to get the welcome bonus. Don’t forget to use it for groceries, dining and food orders to earn the 4x bonus points on those categories, and use it for your travel bookings to get the 3x bonus. And remember to use the monthly dining and Uber statement credits to make sure you get the full value of Gold card membership.

The Platinum Card® From American Express

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card

HSBC Elite Credit Card

Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ Mastercard®

Mastercard® Black Card

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card

American Express Green Card

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card

United℠ Explorer Card

The Business Platinum Card® from American Express

Fixed Value Cards

Credit Score Required

Credit History and Income Level Needed

Odds of Approval

Who is the Capital One Venture Card For?

Capital One Venture Card Benefits

Capital One Lounge Openings

Airline and Hotel Reward Program Transfer Partners

Other Travel Benefits

Capital One Shopping

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card

Final Thoughts

Delta Air Lines Baggage Rules

Checked Baggage Allowance

SkyMiles Elite Status

SkyMiles Credit Cards

Excess Baggage Fees

Excess Baggage Fees for International Travel

Carry-On Allowance

Personal Items

Infants and Children

Bringing Pets Onboard

Valuable, Fragile and Other Items

Prohibited Items

When to Pay for Baggage

Credit Cards That Reimburse You For Checked Baggage Fees

Exclusions & Waivers

Final Thoughts

Who is it For

The Basics of the Capital One Travel Portal

What You’ll Really Like

Booking Accommodations With Capital One Travel

Can You Book Travel Packages?

Does Your Elite Hotel Status Carry Over to Capital One Travel?

What’s New With the Portal in 2021

How Will the Collaboration With Hopper Change Capital One Travel?

Did Somebody Say New Capital One Travel Lounges??

Tips for Using Capital One Travel to Book Trips

Final Thoughts

What is Delta Comfort+

Delta Comfort+ vs Main Cabin

Delta Comfort+ vs First Class

Delta Comfort+ vs Premium Select

What is the Cost to Upgrade

Upgrades for Delta SkyMilles Members

Food and Beverages

Baggage Allowance

Is it Worth it?

Consider Comfort Plus for Long Flights

Credit Score Range Typically Required

What’s included in my credit score?

Income Level Required

Odds of Approval

Who is the Amex Gold Card For?

American Express Rules

Is the Gold Card Worth the Annual Fee?

Airline Transfer Partners

Hotel Transfer Partners

Statement Credits

Travel Benefits

Shopping and Entertainment

Other Benefits

Ways to Pay Your Card

Final Thoughts

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Editorial Disclosure

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