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KeyBank Credit Cards – A Guide to KeyBank Rewards Points

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KeyBank is the 19th largest bank in the US and the only major bank based out of Cleveland, Ohio. They have over 1,100 branches and 40,000 ATMs in just 16 states:

Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington, D.C. and Washington.

Although KeyBank doesn’t occupy the footprint of banks like Chase, Citibank or Bank of America, they do offer an enticing suite of credit cards that are often overlooked.

These include rewards cards, small business cards, and even cards specifically designed to help you build your credit with low risk. Here’s a list of the six credit cards offered through KeyBank (this list does not include retired cards that have since been converted):

  • Key Cashback® Credit Card
  • KeyBank Latitude® Credit Card
  • Key Secured Credit Card®
  • Key2More Rewards® Credit Card
  • Mastercard® Business Credit Card
  • Mastercard® Business Rewards Credit Card
  • Key Private Bank Mastercard® Credit Card

All KeyBank credit cards are Mastercards and most of them have no annual fees, but outside of this, they are all very different from each other. This article will highlight KeyBank’s reward card options and take a look at how to redeem points and rewards with a credit card from this bank.

Rewards Credit Cards Offered by KeyBank

If it’s rewards you’re after, you’ll need one of the following three KeyBank Mastercards. These credit cards are packed with opportunities to earn and redeem points through spending and other account activities.

Key2More Rewards® Mastercard® Credit Card

The Key2More Rewards credit card by KeyBank lets you earn rewards on every purchase with a six month introductory APR of 0%. To qualify for this rewards card, you must have excellent credit (800+). 

You can earn points on eligible credit card purchases, account activities, and even score monthly point bonuses when you spend a certain amount of money (see “Earning Awards Through Spending Activities”) per calendar month. Redeem your points for cash, travel, gift cards, merch, and more. 

There is no cap to the rewards you can receive with this credit card. There is no annual fee.

KeyBank Business Rewards Mastercard®

The KeyBank Business Rewards credit card is great for small business owners that want to earn rewards when making purchases for their business. This can include travel expenses such as hotels and gas, restaurant bills for client meetings, and more (what qualifies an expense as “business” or “personal” is at the discretion of KeyBank). This handy card comes with a bonus of 100,000 points, redeemable for $200, when you spend $1,000 within 60 days of issuance. You must have a business checking account in good standing to qualify for this bonus offer. 

Cardholders also earn unlimited cashback of 2% or 10 points per dollar on business purchases and 1% on all other purchases. This card also has a six month introductory APR of 0% and flexible reward redemption. There is no cap to the rewards you can receive with this credit card. There is no annual fee.

Key Private Bank Mastercard® Credit Card

The Key Private Bank Mastercard Credit Card is a highly exclusive credit card only available to Key Private Bank clients. Key Private Bank is a private wealth manager associated with KeyBank designed primarily for high net worth individuals looking to expand their wealth through investing and asset allocation. If this sounds like you and you also do a lot of traveling, a Key Private Bank Mastercard might be a good fit for you.

This card comes with World Elite Mastercard benefits, which include “premium travel and lifestyle perks” such as complimentary Lyft rides, 5% cashback on Boxed orders, Postmates and Fandango discounts, access to World Elite Concierge, and 10% off of rentals through onefinestay. In addition to these benefits, World Elite offers services including free professional travel support, access to complimentary upgrades and amenities at luxury hotels and resorts, and exclusive savings on travel and stay packages. Key Private Bank Mastercard cardholders receive unlimited LoungeKey airport lounge access when they travel as well. 

Please note that this card comes with a hefty annual fee of $195 and requires a minimum combined balance—across all checking, savings, and investment accounts—of $100,000 in order to avoid a monthly maintenance fee of $50.

Earning Rewards Through Spending Activities

Almost all transactions* made through a KeyBank Key2More Rewards, Key Private Bank, or KeyBank Business Rewards are eligible to earn points.

Here’s a breakdown of how many points each of these cards earns:

  • Key2More Rewards® Credit Card: 5 points for every $1 in qualified purchases
  • KeyBank Business Rewards Mastercard®: 5 points for every $1 in qualified purchases; 5 more points for every $1 spent on business costs including gas, restaurant, telecommunication purchases, and travel expenses (flights, hotels, car rentals, etc.)
  • Key Private Bank Mastercard® Credit Card: 10 points for every $1 in qualified purchases

The Key2More Rewards card also qualifies to receive bonus points. Earn a bonus of 25% your total purchase transaction points for every calendar month that you spend between $1,000 – $1,999 with your card and 50% for every month that you spend $2,000 or more. If your credit limit is less than $2,000, you can still earn this bonus if you use your card consistently to make purchases throughout the month. Bonus points are credited to your account on a monthly basis.

*Transactions that do not earn points include cash advances, convenience check transactions, balance transfers, quasi-cash transactions, and overdraft protection transfers (for which a $10 fee is assessed).

Earning Rewards Through Account Activities

Another way to earn rewards with one of these three credit cards is through account activities. Qualifying activities include online statements and recurring payments. For all three rewards cards, signing up to receive online statements or electronic statements rather than paper statements earns up to 50 points per month. 

In addition, every recurring payment your credit card is used to make—such as charges for a streaming subscription or internet services—earns 50 points per transaction. This point-earning activity is capped at 750 points per month or a total allowance of 15 recurring payments.

Redeeming Rewards Points For:

Points expire after 48 months of issuance, so make sure that you don’t let them sit for too long (with the exception of points earned with a KeyBank Private Bank Mastercard).

You don’t just have to cash out your rewards if you don’t want to. To redeem your rewards and points for cash and other goodies, just sign in to your online account. From there, it’s easy to use your points for any of the following…

Cash Back

From your online banking profile, navigate to the rewards portal by selecting “Rewards” from your account summary page. This will show you your rewards balance and present you with the option to redeem points for cash. The monetary value of points is subject to change. Right now, 12,500 points will get you $25. This makes your point worth about 0.02 cents each no matter how you choose to redeem them.

If you choose this option, the cash will be automatically credited to your credit card account and you should see it on your next statement.

Booking Travel

If you’d prefer to use your points to book travel instead, simply access the rewards redemption site and search trip activities from this page. You can use your points to book flights, car rentals, hotel stays, and even cruises.

Buy Gift Cards

Redeeming your points for gift cards is a great way to go if you want to save money during the holiday season. Just shop the catalog through the KeyBank website and use your rewards points to make purchases.

Purchase Merchandise

The KeyBank Rewards Catalog includes everything from merchandise to electronics. If you ever need a new sweatshirt or drawstring bag, you could use your rewards to score some KeyBank-branded merch. Sometimes this catalog features hot tech items too, so be on the lookout for these.

The Rewards Catalog is also where you’d find gift cards and event tickets. 

Make Donations to Charity

You can use your points to make donations to charity with any one of these three cards. Access your account online or through the app to see a list of charities that accept point donations. 

Remember that making charitable contributions can benefit your wallet too. You can claim some contributions as tax deductions for a nice little tax break, either for yourself or your business.

Buy Event Tickets

KeyBank sometimes offers event tickets as a redemption option as well. Check the Catalog often for offers as these are, of course, always changing.

Final Thoughts

KeyBank has done a great job of creating a card for almost every type of consumer. Being a KeyBank customer means having access to more than 1,100 branches across 16 states and also gives you some pretty all-around great rewards card choices. But you do not need a KeyBank account to open a credit card and earn points. So whether you’re already a KeyBank member or not, as long as you have excellent credit, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to sign up for one or more of these rewards cards.

American Airlines Baggage Policy, Exceptions and Fees

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image credit: aa.com

No traveler ever looks forward to annoying baggage and incidental fees, but airline charges are even worse when they are unexpected.

If you’re planning on flying with American Airlines in the near future make sure you know what the baggage rules are and what traveling with (additional) bags will cost you in 2020.

For all the information you’ll want to know before checking in at American Airlines, keep reading.

American Airlines Carry-On Allowance

Like many airlines, American Airlines allows passengers to board with one personal item and one carry-on bag, free of charge. That is, at long as luggage meets size and weight requirements.

Carry-on bags may not exceed:

  • 22 inches x 14 inches x 9 inches or 56 centimeters x 36 centimeters x 23 centimeters. 

If you’re not quite sure whether or not your bags are within these restrictions, you can test them in a carry-on sizer at the American Airlines check-in. This will ensure that your bag fits either in the overhead bin or under your seat. If it does not, you will need to check it and pay the associated fees (more on that below).

Exceptions to the Rule:

One exception is that soft-sided garment bags are allowed to measure up to 51 linear inches or 130 centimeters and still qualify as complimentary carry-on luggage.

As for personal items, dimensions should not exceed 18 inches x 14 inches x 8 inches or 45 centimeters x 35 centimeters x 20 centimeters. Purses, laptops, and small handbags are typical.

Child restraint devices and mobility devices such as walkers and wheelchairs do not count toward your personal item and carry-on limit and can be brought with you at no additional cost.

Carry-On Allowance for Toddlers and Children

Children over the age of two must have their own ticket – purchased at the adult fare.

Children under the age of two are allowed to travel on the lap of an adult and have one carry-on diaper bag with them. Strollers and safety seats count as checked luggage.

The only way to carry on a safety seat is to purchase a seat next to you or hope for one to be open when you board. Otherwise, it will not travel with you in the cabin.

Bringing Pets OnBoard

Don’t forget your furry cargo!

Small domestic cats and dogs may accompany you on your next American Airlines flight. Depending on their size, they will count toward either your carry-on or checked baggage allowance. If they don’t fit in either, they’ll be transported in Cargo.

The following destinations allow pets:

  • The 48 contiguous U.S. states and Alaska
  • Flights between the U.S. and Canada (with restrictions)
  • Central America (with restrictions)
  • Mexico (with restrictions)
  • Puerto Rico
  • St. Croix
  • St. Thomas

For a complete list of restrictions on the above destinations as well as information about locations not included, visit this American Airlines page.

If you do bring a pet with you in the cabin, their crate or kennel will count as your free carry-on. Carried-on pets and their travel containers are not to exceed the under-seat dimensions previously mentioned (unless they are soft-sided/collapsible, in which case they may slightly exceed these dimensions as long as this is safe for the pet).

There is limited space for pets on each plane (7 kennels on American flights, not counting service animals, and 5 kennels on American Eagle flights), so you’ll want to arrange for their travel as far in advance as possible.

You may travel and check up to two pets per flight. You will need to provide a health certificate for all pets and allow for extra check-in time.

Each checked pet incurs a charge of $150 within the U.S. and between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean.

Carry-on pets cost $125 per kennel. Service animals may accompany you on any flight route and do not cost extra.

Certain dog breeds are restricted from traveling. These include but are not limited to Boxers, Bulldogs, Chow Chows, Pit bulls, and Shih Tzus. Burmese, Persian, Himalayan, and Exotic Shorthair cats are also not allowed.

Musical Instruments

Musical instruments fall under the category of carry-ons and therefore must meet the same dimension requirements as carry-on luggage.

If an instrument does not fit in the overhead bin or beneath the seat in front of you, you will need to check it or buy an additional seat for it.

You will also need to pay extra if it exceeds size and/or weight restrictions. The maximum size for checked instruments is 150 inches or 381 centimeters.

Prohibited Items

There are many items prohibited to travel by the TSA for safety reasons. These include many types of:

  • weapons,
  • lighters,
  • high proof alcoholic beverages,
  • large sports equipment,
  • sharp objects, and
  • other potentially dangerous or overly bulky items.

This page provides a complete list of all restricted items on American Airlines flights.

American Airlines Checked Baggage Allowance [2020]

For all regions and routes, the American Airlines checked bag allowance—which pertains to not only how many bags you can check but how much each of these may measure and weigh—is determined by a combination of elite status and flight class. 

Checked bags are permitted to measure up to 62 linear inches and weigh up to 50 pounds for most passengers. But if you are flying First or Business class, this weight restriction becomes 70 pounds.

Many flights will allow you to check up to 10 bags and others only five. Every additional bag costs more than the last until you get up to four bags.

On the majority of flights, the first checked bag costs $30, the second costs $40, the third costs $150, and the fourth (and every bag in excess of this) costs $200.

Checked Baggage for Children

If you’re traveling with a child, you may check one collapsible stroller and one government-approved safety seat for free. These must be checked at the ticket counter or gate.

Those traveling with both a car seat and stroller may check only one at the gate—most likely the car seat—and will need to check the other—most likely the stroller—at the ticket counter (strollers weighing more than 20 pounds or 9 kilograms need to be checked at the ticket counter). All other items are included as regular checked baggage.

Excessive Baggage Fees

Checked bags over the size of 62 linear inches will incur an additional fee of either $150 or $200, depending on where you’re flying to. No checked bags may exceed 126 linear inches or 320 centimeters.

First and Business flyers as well as Executive Platinum and oneworld Emerald elite members can check bags weighing up to 70 pounds without being charged extra. All others must pay $100 for every checked bag between 51 and 70 pounds and $200+ for every bag weighing in excess of 71 pounds.

No bags weighing over 100 pounds will be permitted on any flights. Overweight checked luggage is not accepted on European (transatlantic) flights, flights to/from Cuba, or flights to/from Australia. Bags on flights to/from China, Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Australia (transpacific) weighing more than 71 pounds cost $450 each.

Exceptions and Waivers

American Airlines waives checked baggage fees for many of its passengers. Active-duty U.S. military personnel and their dependents can check between one and five bags free of charge. Those traveling on orders can check up to five bags for free and those on personal travel can check up to three. 

Confirmed first-class flyers on 3-cabin aircraft receive three complimentary checked bags as well and so can certain credit cardholders (more on this below).

Finally, those with elite status at this airline can take advantage of complimentary checked baggage. AAdvantage is the American Airlines frequent flyer program and oneworld is an airline alliance that links 13 global airlines to help flyers access international flights and benefits more easily. Those with the highest status in either of these programs are favored by American Airlines and rewarded with free bags.

AAdvantage Gold members and oneworld Ruby members, for example, get one checked bag for free. Platinum and Platinum Pro members get two and AAdvantage Executive Platinum and oneworld Emerald members get three. Basically, every AAdvantage or oneworld premier tier will get you at least one checked bag for free.

Credit Cards That Give You a Free Checked Bag

Being an active-duty military member or American Airlines elite passenger is not the only way to score free checked baggage. There are several American Airlines affiliate credit cards to choose from, and many of them offer anywhere from 1 to 3 free checked bags.

These include:

  • Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard and
  • AAdvantage Aviator cards

United Airlines First Class Review [Domestic Flights]

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image credit: united.com

United Airlines is one of the most popular airlines today and the fourth-largest U.S. airline overall by the number of passengers carried annually. And while most people flying domestic opt for basic economy or coach seating, there are plenty of flyers that want a more luxurious and comfortable flying experience both when they’re in the air and before they get there. First-class fare is the way to achieve this.

United First is one of a few different premium seat options available on United flights. The other options are United Business and United Polaris (first or business). All premium seats include the following: 

  • Priority boarding and security
  • Ultra-comfortable and larger seating
  • A free checked bag
  • Complimentary alcoholic beverages

Of these, United First is generally considered to be the best. Here’s everything you can expect when flying domestic first-class through United Airlines.

What to Expect When Flying Domestic First Class with United Airlines

United First Class customers can check 2 bags free of charge.

Your United first-class flying experience begins before you even take flight.

Before you check-in, you’ll get to take advantage of United Premier Access benefits (more on these to follow). United First customers may check two standard-sized bags free of charge and their luggage should be among the first checked and loaded onto and off of the plane.

And once you’re on the plane as a United first-class flyer, your flight will be more comfortable and spacious than it would be in another cabin. In a United First cabin, there is ample space between every seat, more legroom than the average passenger generally needs (more on seat specs below), and cushioned leather seats that recline. There are other storage, entertainment, and food and beverage perks as well. Here’s exactly what’s in store for United Flight passengers.

Privileges and Perks

The three primary upgrades that first-class flyers experience on United flights have to do with seat options, dining, and overall service accommodations. Take a look at the breakdown of a standard United First flight.

It’s worth noting that United First seats are not offered on all flights, but that there is premier seating available on every plane.

Seat Options

The exact size and configurations of your seats when you fly first-class with any airline, United included, depend on the type of plane you’re flying. But as you will see, the specs are very similar across all flights. 

United offers first-class domestic flights on a couple of its airplanes: the Boeing 737 and 757. To know how much legroom you can count on having or how much space there will be between first-class seats, see your plane below. Configuration represents how many seats are grouped together, pitch is the distance between rows of seats (which includes legroom), recline is how far back your seat will go, and the width listed is for each individual seat.

United 737-700 Seat Map

The seat specs for 737-700 United First flights are as follows:

  • Configuration: 2-2
  • Pitch: 38”
  • Recline: 5”
  • Width: 20.4”
United 737-800 Seat Map

The seat specs for 737-800 United First flights are as follows:

  • Configuration: 2-2
  • Pitch: 37”
  • Recline: 5”
  • Width: 20.5”
United 737-900 Seat Map

The seat specs for 737-900 United First flights are as follows:

  • Configuration: 2-2
  • Pitch: 37”
  • Recline: 5”
  • Width: 20”
United 757-300 Seat Map

The seat specs for 757-300 United First flights are as follows:

  • Configuration: 2-2
  • Pitch: 38”
  • Recline: 5”
  • Width: 20.4”

If United First is not available on your flight, then another premier cabin option such as Polaris business or first class most likely will be. On some planes, United First seats are being replaced by Polaris seating, which is different from first-class seating in shape and configuration.

All first-class seats on United flights feature personal storage spaces, an in-arm slot for electronic devices that includes a universal charger, a cup holder, and double pockets in the seat in front of you. In addition, there is an extendable granite cocktail table that can be accessed from the center console between seats.

Dining

What’s first-class without premium dining? With United Airlines, however, “premium dining” is likely more of a subjective term. If your flying experience and expectations are set to the level of, say, Singapore Airlines, you will probably be let down. That said, many regulars on the FlyerTalk forums say the quality is above average and that the food, at the very least, tastes better than it appears.

United First Class Breakfast Example [2020]

Posted by FlyerTalk user Krazykanuck in January of 2020. He notes “the biscuit was warm and delicious.”

United First Class Dinner Example [2020]

Posted by FlyerTalk user st530 in January of 2020. He notes “despite the small portion size it tasted very fresh and crispy.”

United First flights offer multi-course meals for flights longer than two hours and 20 minutes and smaller snack options for flight durations of less than this. If your flight is less than two hours and 20 minutes, you are eligible to receive only light refreshments such as pretzels, muffins, and fruit. If your flight is longer than four hours, you may receive full meal service including two entree choices as well as a snack including a hot sandwich and chocolate. Multi-course meals with two entree choices are offered on flights of five hours and 20 minutes and longer. Certain flights are eligible for multi-course meals with three entrees.

The menu is always changing, but sample menus are available through the United site. Multi-course meals include appetizers, a salad course, however many entrees you are eligible for, and dessert. 

As for beverages, many types are offered free of charge to United First flyers. These include:

  • Water
  • Soft drinks
  • Juice
  • Tea
  • illy Coffee
  • Beer (domestic and craft)
  • Wine
  • Spirits
  • On The Rocks Cocktails

All of your food and beverage choices will be brought to you at no extra charge, some of which you’ll be able to enjoy before the plane even takes off.

Service

Aside from full-service meal accommodations and everything that that entails, first-class United passengers receive United Premier Access when they fly. The perks of this include designated check-in lanes at the airport, exclusive security lanes, priority boarding, and priority baggage handling. These perks are subject to availability and eligibility for each will be determined on the day of your flight. You pay nothing for these services when you are a First Class passenger with United.

Cost

Flying first-class is significantly more costly than flying Basic Economy. 

One of the most popular flight routes in the U.S., LAX to JFK, currently costs $189 round-trip for United Basic Economy and $877 round-trip for United First. To fly from Atlanta to Orlando, you’d pay $354 to fly Basic economy and $870 to fly first-class. Finally, from New York LaGuardia to Chicago O’Hare, a Basic Economy ticket will cost $157 while a first-class ticket will cost $415.

As you can see, upgrading from an economy to a first-class United ticket is a big deal. These prices are obviously drastically different from each other—and first-class prices are most likely very much out of reach for many—, but paying for first-class fare outright isn’t the only way to access it. Also, United first-class can be more affordable than other airlines in many instances.

And of course, even though first-class does increase the price of your ticket by quite a bit, it also cuts down incidental fees for checked baggage, inflight accommodations, etc., so this should be considered.

Fly First Class on Rewards

A tight travel budget doesn’t have to stop you from experiencing first-class flying. You can use miles, points, and rewards to upgrade your seat to a United First flight seat. You can search any flight by how much it will cost in dollars or award points.

Award travel can be purchased with miles earned through United’s frequent flyer program, MileagePlus. Just know that you will almost always have to pay additional cash fees on top of this unless you are a Premier Elite flyer. Award flights, like any other flight, are priced by distance traveled. The cost in miles for a domestic flight could be anywhere from 10,000 to 30,000 miles, depending on the value of the flight and the distance.

Use caution when booking award travel. In some cases, using miles to buy flights ends up costing more than it would if you were to just use money. Sometimes, the value of what you pay in miles exceeds the price of a ticket and effectively loses you money. The cost breakdown of cents per miles when paying and when using points is definitely something to consider no matter how many miles you have in your account. There will also be times when award seats are not available, so don’t count on them always being an option.

Another way to get a spot in first-class is through complimentary seat upgrades. Premier upgrades, which can only be applied to tickets that are Economy (not Basic) or higher, are given to those with elite or Premier status through United’s loyalty program.

United Premier status is determined by the number of Premier qualifying points and Premier qualifying flights in your account. Anyone enrolled in PlusPoints can earn points. Those with United-branded credit cards can earn even more points and flight miles toward their award status. 

To reach Silver status, you need to have completed six flights and earned 2,000 points or earned 2,500 points. To reach Gold status, you need to have completed 12 flights and earned 4,000 points or earned 5,000 points. To reach Platinum status, you need to have completed 18 flights and earned 6,000 points or earned 7,500 points. Finally, to reach 1K status (the top status), you need to have completed 26 flights and earned 9,000 points or earned 12,000 points. 

If you are within any Premier tier, you are eligible for complimentary upgrades subject to availability. United Premier members can also receive complimentary Premier Upgrades if they have one of the following United travel cards (offered through Chase):

  • United Explorer Card
  • United Club Card
  • United Explorer Business Card
  • United Club Business Card
  • United Presidential Plus Card
  • United Presidential Plus Business Card

Understand, however, that simply having the right rewards status and credit card doesn’t automatically guarantee you a first-class seat. It simply makes you eligible for upgrades when they are available and prioritizes your upgrades over others—basically, it just increases your odds of being upgraded. Your upgrade status could be confirmed anywhere from four days prior to departure (for Premier level 1K) right up to the day your flight takes off (for Premier level Silver).

How Does United First Class Compare to Other Airlines

United First domestic is largely regarded as one of the best first-class flying experiences available in the U.S. Although some may disagree, a major advantage that United First has going for it is the food. United Airlines partners with reputable chefs through The Trotter Project to offer its first-class passengers gourmet menu items and an exciting range of options. So naturally, the food is above average.

One of the potential downsides of United First is that it does not provide lounge access on domestic flights. Inflight entertainment is also somewhat lacking compared to other carriers. United provides complimentary DIRECTV to all first-class passengers (on select flights), but you must pay for WiFi. The seat-back entertainment systems available for first-class passenger use, however, are fairly robust and United Private Screening offers a wide range of viewing and listening options.

If you value lounge access and all-inclusive IFE, know that United doesn’t offer these on first-class domestic flights. United First might not give you quite as much value as what other airlines will on all flights, but it’s not bad and many flyers have found United first-class to be one of the most affordable domestic first-class options.

Final Thoughts

Overall, United First domestic flights are comfortable and accommodating. They come with many complimentary perks and advantages and they can be snagged with points and rewards. So as far as domestic first-class goes, United Airlines seems to do pretty well. Unless you happen to have an unlimited amount of money to spend on travel, United First is going to be best for those that are loyal to United and already have points or rewards racked up that can be put toward seat upgrades.

Uber VIP Program [2020 Overview]

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Now available to Amex Platinum and Centurion card holders.

Uber VIP is an elite-level rewards tier, first introduced in 2015, that was previously only accessible to the most frequent riders.

In 2020, however, the program rewards a different set of riders but offers many of the same perks. The Uber VIP program really morphed back in January of 2019 when Uber and American Express decided to partner on the program. Today, the rewards are simply offered to American Express Platinum and Centurion card holders (regardless of their Uber trip count).

If you have an American Express Platinum or Centurion card and wish to take advantage of the Uber VIP program, simply enter your card information as the primary payment option in your Uber profile. From there you’ll gain immediate access.

To learn more about what the Uber VIP program has in store for riders in 2020, continue reading our review below.

What is the Uber VIP Program?

The Uber VIP program rewards a small portion of credit card customers with access to highly rated drivers and high-quality vehicles.

Uber VIP is not something that Uber advertises as an option to all of its riders. When it was first rolled out, access to this program was only offered to Uber’s “most valued riders” via private emails. Those designated as top riders completed 100 trips in one city and were extended an invitation into the VIP program. This status wasn’t something you could apply or even pay for, you just had to be invited. 

Now, VIP access is automatically granted to Uber riders regardless of trip history if they have one of two credit cards:

  1. The Platinum Card from American Express or
  2. the American Express Centurion Card.

Both of these cards are premium. The Platinum Card is a well-known travel card with numerous exclusive benefits and the Centurion Card is a coveted invite-only business card with elusive perks not revealed to the public.

If you’re an Uber regular, you probably already know about Uber Rewards because it’s impossible to avoid. Uber VIP and Uber Rewards are not related, so you don’t have to be a member of one program to be a member of the other. However, some of the rewards offered at the highest level of Uber Rewards are similar to those offered by Uber VIP. 

But even Diamond-level Uber Rewards members can’t qualify for VIP status unless they have one of those two Amex cards linked to their account. Additionally, those that used to have VIP status were booted when Uber changed its policy to allow only Amex members.

Uber VIP Program Benefits

The Uber VIP program matches riders with only top-rated drivers in nice vehicles. More specifically, drivers with a rating of 4.8 stars or above—VIP drivers—and high-quality vehicles. 

It is not clear what vehicles are considered to be high-quality, but newer models and attractive rides can be expected. However, these might be luxury cars and they might not as the level of luxe depends on what ride type you select. You will be able to choose between UberX VIP and UberBlack VIP trips.

Uber VIP members also receive exclusive discounts and deals and are the first to hear when Uber is running a new promotion. You do not have to pay Uber VIP membership fees and trip prices are not higher through this loyalty program than they would be for non-VIP rides.

How to Join the Uber VIP Program

If you have an American Express Platinum or Centurion card and you link it to your Uber account, you will automatically gain access to Uber VIP if it is offered in your area. 

Uber has plans to continue expanding its network of Uber VIP-eligible cities but a full list of locations is not available. However, what is known for sure is that this program favors big cities and metropolitan areas. For example, Washington, D.C., New York City, Dallas, and Atlanta are included. 

If you qualify for VIP status but don’t live in an area that offers VIP travel, you’re out of luck and will have to take non-VIP trips.

Final Thoughts

Overall, Uber VIP is probably not anything to get too excited about. It’s not better than what any other Uber rider can access with enough points and it’s not well-established enough to really come through for the few members that actually qualify for it. 

Uber does a pretty good job of rewarding its loyal customers already, and Uber Diamond is generally thought to be much better than Uber VIP.

Uber Diamond, the top benefits tier of Uber’s four-tier rewards program that requires 7,500 to unlock, offers its members loads of complimentary perks such as upgrades to Black rides and a credit for three free Uber Eats deliveries every six months. Diamond members also have access to 24/7 customer support and highly-rated drivers, like VIP members. Plus, Uber Rewards is no longer location-dependent, so your Diamond benefits follow you wherever you go. Even Platinum-level perks are nothing to scoff at.

Another potential negative to the VIP program to consider is ride availability. Uber VIP is not widely available across the country, and even in locations where it is, you might have more trouble hailing a VIP ride than you would a non-VIP ride. Not all vehicles are going to qualify as high quality and a smaller portion of drivers have the service ratings to qualify for VIP driving, so there is no guarantee that you’ll always be able to get a ride when you need one.

Visa Infinite Program – What is it & What Does it Offer?

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image credit: visa.com

Visa Infinite is an awards program at the top of Visa’s benefit levels. It was first launched in Europe and only came to the US in 2016. It remains relatively obscure in the states with little search volume for it on Google.

The program consists of three Visa tiers are Traditional, Signature, and Infinite, with Infinite being the top tier and Traditional the most basic. Every benefit encompassed within the Traditional and Signature tiers is included within the Infinite tier, with many additional perks on top of those at the Infinite level.

Visa Infinite members enjoy the best prizes and travel benefits Visa has to offer, and cards that qualify for this program are available through many banks. If your card is a Visa Infinite card, you’ll know—it’ll say “Visa Infinite” right on the front.

Here’s what the Visa Infinite program is all about and everything its awards package is likely to include.

What is the Visa Infinite Program and Which Cards Apply?

The Visa Infinite Program is a perks-packed Visa offering, structured in three tiers, that only individuals with certain Visa credit cards have access to.

Generally speaking, these cards cater to higher net worth individuals that travel frequently. This is because many Visa Infinite cards require high credit scores and incomes to qualify, and many of the benefits associated with Visa Infinite are related to travel, and more specifically high-end travel.

The Visa Infinite card is available through many carriers—Chase, Citibank, and U.S. Bank, to name a few. Specific, popular Visa-branded credit cards within the Visa Infinite Program include:

  • Chase Sapphire Reserve
  • Chase United Club Infinite Card
  • Citi Life Visa Infinite Credit Card
  • U.S. Bank Altitude Reserve Visa Infinite Card
  • UBS Visa Infinite Credit Card

Privileges and Benefits of the Visa Infinite Program

The features of a Visa Infinite credit card vary by carrier, as most of the privileges within Visa Infinite are set by the banks that carry these cards rather than Visa itself. Just understand that your own card might have more or less perks than what we’re outlining below as a general standard.

Be sure to read the terms and conditions carefully for a thorough understanding of what your benefits package includes. 

For an in-depth look at what the Visa Infinite program generally includes, at its base level, continue reading…

Visa Infinite Luxury Hotels

Get the best experience your hotel has to offer with the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection.

Hotels within the Visa Infinite Luxury Hotel Collection give members the “ultimate hotel experience” when they travel. All participating hotels provide seven benefits:

  1. VIP guest status,
  2. room upgrades at check-in,
  3. a best available rate guarantee,
  4. complimentary in-room breakfast,
  5. complimentary WiFi,
  6. late checkout, and
  7. a $25 food and beverage credit per stay.

Cardholders need to book through the Visa Infinite Hotels site to secure these benefits. 

200 hotels from the Visa Luxury Hotel Collection also include an eighth benefit, which might be either an additional $75 food and beverage credit (on top of the included $25) or a $100 spa, golf, or room rate credit. The hotels decide what the eighth benefit will be.

Keep in mind that some of these features look a little different from one hotel to another, and all of these bonuses are subject to availability.

Visa Infinite Concierge Status

Visa Infinite members will get all of the travel help and advice they need 24/7 with Visa Infinite Concierge Services. This digital concierge service, available 365 days a year, can help with everything from booking reservations to helping you find the best prices for your stay. You can even ask for dining and entertainment recommendations, and you’ll get exclusive access to deals and dates.

Global Entry Statement Credit

This perk is best for those that do a lot of international travel. Global Entry, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection program that grants expedited clearance into the United States to pre-approved returning travelers, will cost you $100 less when you’re a Visa Infinite member. 

Visa Infinite gives its users a $100 statement credit for Global Entry, the current price of the program’s application fee. This equates to free Global Entry, which you can apply for through the Trusted Travelers Program section of the Homeland Security site.

Visa Infinte Car Rentals

Visa Infinite car rental privileges are many, and they can be redeemed through Avis, Hertz, National, and Silvercar. The benefits are different for each rental agency. 

With Avis, cardholders can enroll in Avis Preferred Plus—a car rental rewards program much like a frequent flyer program—, take advantage of rate discounts of up to 30%, and get weekend rentals for free. With Hertz, cardholders enrolled in Hertz Gold Plus Rewards have access to special savings and speedier service. Visa Infinite cardholders receive complimentary Emerald Club Executive level membership with National and 25% off. Finally, cardholders save up to 30% with Silvercar.

Lounge Access and Priority Pass

Unlock access to over 1,300 airport lounges across 148 countries.

Priority Pass lounge access is granted to Visa Infinite cardholders. This provides entrance to more than 1,300 airport lounges in 148 countries and over 600 cities. 

The credit card you have determines your access level, with Standard being the lowest, Standard Plus being the middle, and Prestige being the highest tier. Standard will get you the fewest free lounge visits annually and you’ll have to pay per guest, and Prestige will get you unlimited visits for yourself and a few free guest passes.

Airline Incidental Statement Credit

Airline incidental fees for checked baggage, flight changes, inflight amenities, etc. accumulate all too easily. But when you’re in with Visa Infinite, you’ll get a statement credit in the form of rebates for some of these. How much and for what is determined by your card issuer.

Fine Wine and Food

The Fine Wine and Food benefit offered to Visa Infinite cardholders is great for foodies and wine aficionados. However, it is also available to Signature members and isn’t as all-inclusive as Visa makes it sound (“Enjoy world-class celebrity chefs and winemaker experiences”). 

With this feature, you’ll get two wine tastings for the price of one when you purchase one with your Visa Infinite card. You’ll also have access to preferred pricing on wine tastings and dining at select Sonoma wineries. Call the winery you’re visiting to find out what offers you’re eligible for.

Golf

Want to play private courses without the fees or membership commitments? Now you can.

Love hitting the links? Have a Visa Infinite card? Then you should probably join the Visa Infinite Troon Golf Rewards program. With this, you’ll receive premium benefits when golfing at over 115 courses across the United States. These include the ability to reserve tee times, bring guests at discounted rates, play private courses, and more.

Infinite Chauffeured Car Service

Visa Infinite, in partnership with GroundLink, offers the option of chauffeured car services to cardholders. The GroundLink chauffeured black car service, which includes professional drivers and high-tech rides, is 15% off when you have a Visa Infinite card. You’ll also get a $30 credit toward the service, which is accessible worldwide.

Protection

In addition to cost-cutting and luxurious privileges and benefits, Visa Infinite extends additional protection to its members. This purchase protection insures many different aspects of travel. Please note that many of the following benefits are not exclusive to Visa Infinite as they are actually included in the Signature package as well.

Auto Collision Damage Waiver

Use your Visa Infinite card to pay when booking a rental car and receive insurance coverage automatically. Visa Infinite Auto Rental Coverage covers not only collision damage but also theft, towing expenses, loss-of-use charges, and more.

Extended Warranty Protection

Extended Warranty Protection under the Visa Infinite program is applied to qualifying items with warranties of three years or less. This benefit extends a manufacturer’s warranty by one year. You do not need to register or pay for this addition as long as a purchase is made with your Visa Infinite card.

Roadside Dispatch

Roadside Dispatch, while not a complimentary Visa Infinite feature, could prove to be handy. Use this service when you’re in trouble and help, a locksmith or tow, will be dispatched right to your location. You will pay a predetermined price, set by your card issuer, per service call.

Purchase Security

The Purchase Security Visa Infinite perk can be thought of as an extended return period. If you purchase something with your Visa Infinite card and that something ends up needing to be replaced or returned within 90 days of purchase, this is no problem. Even if an item is stolen, this policy is in effect. This, like Extended Warranty Protection, need not be applied or paid for. It can cover $10,000 per occurrence.

Travel and Emergency Assistance Service

The Travel and Emergency Assitance Services rolled into the standard Visa Infinite package is a 24/7 helpline that can help with any of the following needs that one might have while traveling: 

  • Medical Referral Assistance
  • Emergency Transporation Assistance
  • Emergency Message Service
  • Emergency Translation Service 
  • Emergency Ticket Replacement
  • Legal Referral Assistance
  • Lost Luggage Locator Service
  • Prescription Assistance and Valuable Document Delivery

These helplines are devoted specifically to providing emergency assistance and are available to you and any of your dependents at no cost.

Return Protection

Similar to Purchase Security, Visa Infinite Return Protection lets you make returns within 90 days of purchase if you are not satisfied with an item and a return is refused. So long as you use your Visa Infinite card to make the purchase and the item you are buying costs less than or equal to $300, you are covered under this benefit.

Lost Luggage Reimbursement

Visa Infinite cardholders are eligible for reimbursement of lost or stolen carry-ons and checked bags—when a flight ticket is purchased with a Visa Infinite card, of course. This benefit is applied automatically.

Lost or Stolen Card Reporting

This benefit, which is really more of a necessity than a benefit, gives you access to global call centers that will initiate replacements and notify authorities for you in the event of a lost or stolen Visa Infinite card.

Trip Delay Reimbursement

Visa Infinite cardholders don’t have to pay out of pocket for fees caused by trip delays that are out of their control with Trip Delay Reimbursement. When members are stuck for more than six hours due to a covered hazard—equipment failure, inclement weather, strike, or hijacking/skyjacking—and they purchased their fare with their Visa Infinite cards, they are eligible to be reimbursed up to $500.

Zero Liability

Visa’s Zero Liability policy states that you will not be liable to pay for transactions that you do not authorize. This protects cardholders from identity theft and even purchases made with lost or stolen cards.

Trip Cancellation / Trip Interruption Reimbursement

When you book a trip with your Visa Infinite card and you need to cancel last minute or cut it short, Visa will reimburse you for all or part of your non-refundable fare (your benefits package should cover this in detail). In addition to air travel, this covers trains, buses, ferries, and cruise ships.

Emergency Cash Disbursement

If a Visa Infinite cardholder is ever in a pinch and needs a wire transfer fast, Visa will arrange for this. If you are in need of emergency assistance because you lost a card and are waiting on a replacement, Visa can make a wire cash transfer to you to a local Western Union location within 2 hours of your request being approved.

Emergency Card Replacement

If your Visa Infinite card is lost, stolen, or damaged, Visa will work with your bank to have it replaced in as little as 24 hours and no more than 72 hours. Emergency Card Replacement can be applied no matter where you are in the world.

Final Thoughts

The Visa Infinite program is like many other premium credit card rewards programs in that it offers a nice range of luxurious benefits to card holders. The top tier has elite benefits and securities that are going to be most attractive to a wealthier demographic, especially those that travel often and wish to do so in luxury. But there are many Visa Infinite perks provided to Visa Signature cardholders as well, which has much broader acceptance.

Just remember, the specific benefits you are entitled to can vary and change sporadically.

Guide to Purchasing United Airlines Flight Miles

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buymiles.mileageplus.com

The United Airlines MileagePlus program is known for having great promotional offers and comparatively valuable miles, but you probably already know that if you’re a frequent flyer.

And if you often use your miles to lessen the cost of flights or upgrade for free, then you probably also know that additional miles are available for purchase if what you’ve earned through flights and card purchases isn’t enough.

But before you go buying miles, be sure you know what you need them for and exactly how many you need. This will help you determine whether there is a cost savings in purchasing the miles with cash. This involves researching factors such as what miles can actually get you in terms of trips, rewards and/or upgrades as well as what restrictions may apply when redeeming miles. These are all ever-changing and could mean the difference between saving money or losing money.

Purchasing United Airlines miles, like any other airline miles, is rarely beneficial to a consumer’s wallet, but if you familiarize yourself with how these frequent flyer points are priced and what their actual value is, you can take advantage of opportunities to save money in ways you might not otherwise have thought.

When is it a Good Idea to Purchase United Airline Flight Miles

United Airlines flight miles should only be purchased when the math makes sense and there is a clear ROI.

This could be when United Airline miles are being sold at incredible discounts (such as now) or when you need a small amount of miles to top off a reward or trip and purchasing the mile difference is cheaper than paying for it with cash.

Here are a few times when buying miles makes good sense and could save you money.

When United Airlines Offers Promotions or Discounts

For example, right now, United Airlines is giving customers that purchase miles an 85% bonus. This means that the entire balance of your purchase will be matched up to 85%, which effectively makes every mile worth 1.85% as much as it normally is. 

This may change your calculus on whether or not it’s a right time for you to buy miles, especially if you already had a trip or upgrade in mind and are most of the way there on points.

Keep your eye out for United Airline bonuses like this. A 100% United Airline mile match bonus was also spotted earlier this month.

They come often and can either be available for anyone online or direct offers to you specifically (usually via direct mail). They’re usually “flash deals” which can last anywhere from a few days to a few months.

The percentage is usually a tiered offer that looks something like this:

  • purchase 5,000 to 14,000 miles: receive a 30% bonus
  • purchase 15,000 to 39,000 miles: receive a 50% bonus
  • purchase 40,000 miles or more: receive a 100% bonus

When Buying Miles to Get a Free Ticket or Trip

Everyone wants to fly for free, and one way to do this is to use your miles. Flights through United Airlines and its partners can be purchased with enough points. Award pricing tends to fluctuate wildly like any other ticket pricing, but you can always check what the exact cost in miles will be when booking a flight.

Just select the “Book with miles” when searching a flight and see what the going rate is for your desired ticket. Is your current miles balance almost enough to cover it, or not even close? What is the current price of miles? Always ask these questions. At the end of the day if it’s not cheaper to purchase the miles to get you to your award than it would be paying the difference in cash then it’s simply not worth it.

United Airlines requires that you purchase at least 2,000 miles per transaction. Pricing is variable. You can buy miles in increments of 1,000 all the way up to 150,000 as long as you do not exceed the annual max of 175,000.

The current cost of United Airline Miles is $35 per 1,000 or 3.5 cents each. As you can tell from the chart below, it gets pretty pricey pretty quick when you pay full retail.

Current Cost of United Airlines Miles

# of MilesCost
1,000$35
5,000$175
10,000$350
50,000$1,750
100,000$3,500
175,000$6,125

When Buying United Airline Miles to Upgrade Your Seat

If you want to experience more luxurious flying without your bank account experiencing the depletion of luxurious flying, you may want to look into a seat upgrade using your miles – and buying a tad more to get you there may be worth it. 

Both United and Star Alliance flights are eligible for seat upgrades paid for with miles, and MileagePlus members that qualify for Premier status—the highest level of loyalty with United, based on your activity and points—have access to great upgrade availability with more perks than other members.

A seat upgraded to a higher fare could cost you upwards of 20,000 each. You may choose to upgrade with miles when selecting fare preferences when booking a flight or after a flight has been booked, but you are not guaranteed upgraded seats until you pay for them.

Those that fly regularly through one airline probably shouldn’t “waste” their miles on a seat upgrade, or their money on miles to be used for this purpose. There are ways to squeeze more monetary value out of miles, and there are easier ways to earn miles. But, if you have miles saved up and are willing to pay a little extra to close the distance for an upgrade, you could buy miles for much less than the full cost of the upgrade in dollars.

When is it Not a Good Idea to Buy United Airline Flight Miles?

Buying United Airline Miles at full price is almost always a bad call.

Don’t let this carrier’s clever advertising and appealing miles redemption selections trick you into throwing away your money on miles that aren’t worth what you’re paying for them. 

Make sure to calculate the value of each mile as precisely as you can and always plan ahead when you intend to purchase them for yourself or others.

When the Math Doesn’t Work

If you’ve ever purchased miles from any airline at their full price, you almost certainly lost money. It’s just one of the ways that airlines profit. This is why purchasing more miles or points only makes sense when there are promotions going on or when you already have most of what you need (think 80% or more) to upgrade a seat or buy a ticket.

Get into the habit of calculating the cost per mile for every United Airlines flight. What is it if you buy miles and use those and what is it if you just buy with straight-up cash? More often than not, straight-up cash will be cheaper. But if miles are discounted and/or you have most of what you need already in your account, then, by all means, buy the miles.

Watch Out For Fees For Transferring United Airline Miles vs. Getting Them Directly

Miles make a great gift for people often in the sky but beware of United Airlines’ transfer and processing fees. Buying miles as a gift is a great gesture, but it might lose you money.

MileagePlus miles can be transferred between two accounts, but not without incurring considerable extra charges. For every 500 miles you transfer from your own account to the account of another MileagePlus member, you will be charged $7.50 and $30 per transaction for processing on top of that.

Remember these transfer fees when purchasing miles for others, and consider gifting them directly to their account instead.

The Ticket You Wish to Purchase With Miles May Not Even be Available

Picture this: you’ve planned a whole trip out and budgeted the costs down to the cent, only to find out that the ticket you planned to purchase with miles isn’t available. Don’t let this happen to you—scout awards seats well before booking a flight. They sometimes go fast and are given on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Check the availability of award seats early on in your trip planning process. Being a frequent flyer doesn’t guarantee you tickets that can be purchased using miles, so you should never buy additional miles before looking into this.

Final Thoughts

If you fly United Airlines often enough to consider buying extra miles, you probably already have a decent stash of them in your account. And if this is the case, you are a great candidate for purchasing more when it saves you money. Pay attention to rising and falling rates and any hot deals that might pop up, and you give yourself the best possible chance of spending less on your miles than they are worth. But most important of all, know what you want! You should never just purchase miles to purchase miles, even if they’re on sale. You should always have a reward, trip or upgrade in mind so that you can do the math to be sure there is an ROI in it for you.

MileagePlus miles no longer expire, so if you do end up buying a little more than you need or you make a purchase that might not have been as well-informed as it could have been, your balance won’t go to waste.

United Airlines miles are fairly valuable and can be used in a lot of ways, but in the vast majority of cases you’re better off earning them indirectly through flights and credit card transactions rather than purchasing them directly through the airline.