3 Travel Credit Cards for Cheaper Airfare

It seems the cost of airfare just keeps climbing. Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation reported that domestic airfares increased more than three percent in the last quarter of 2017, compared to the previous quarter.

In an effort to save money and increase profits, certain airlines have sidelined some of their less productive planes and reduced the number of flights offered, resulting in higher fares for other flights. Ticket prices vary considerably with demand, especially during high-traffic times such as holidays.

In addition to higher ticket prices, airlines have become very creative in tacking on additional fees for such things as checked luggage and overweight bags. Although it is getting harder and harder to find a decent airfare, there are several things you can do to lower your cost of flying. One of the best ways to find an attractive airfare is to take advantage of a good travel card.

Discover It Miles Card

• Introductory zero percent APR
• Unlimited 1.5x Miles
• Mile for Mile Match
• Ease of Booking
• No Blackout Dates

With the Discover It Miles card, you can earn unlimited 1.5x miles for every dollar you spend on all purchases. Not only does this apply to airfare, but it also includes such things as hotels, groceries, rental cars, and online purchases. Additionally, your rewards will never expire and you will not lose your miles, even if your account closes. After one year, Discover It Miles will double the miles you’ve earned up to that point. As an example, if you have accumulated 25,000 miles, you will be credited with 50,000 miles. Once you book your travel, you can apply any credits you have earned to your statement. Since there are no blackout dates, you can fly on any airline anytime you choose.

You can get a zero percent introductory APR with this card for the first 14 months from the date of opening your account. Once the introductory rate expires, your APR will range from 13.74 percent to 24.74 percent, based on your credit rating.

As far as security features go, the Discover It Miles program will notify you if your Social Security number is found on any of the thousands of websites considered risky. It also will alert you when your Experian credit report shows a new loan, credit card, mortgage, or other type of credit account. If you lose your card or have it stolen, you can get a replacement card overnight upon request. You also can freeze your account in a matter of seconds to prevent unauthorized purchases made on your card. Even if your card incurs fraudulent charges, you are not held responsible.

Bank of America Travel Rewards Card

• Introductory zero percent APR
• Unlimited 1.5 Points for Every $1 Spent on All Purchases
• No Annual Fee
• No Point Expiration
• No Blackout Dates

With the Bank of America Travel Rewards card, you can redeem points to get a credit on your statement which can be used to pay for flights, rental cars, hotels, and other travel purchases. Having a checking or savings account with Bank of America will entitle you to receive additional purchase bonuses as much as 10 percent. One additional feature of this card is that you can get your FICO score free of charge.

During your first 12 billing cycles, you can get an introductory rate of zero percent APR. After that, depending on the strength of your credit, your rate will be between 16.74 percent and 24.74 percent.

As far as security goes, The Bank of America Travel Rewards card has a $0 liability guarantee that covers fraudulent transactions made by others using your account. Suspected fraudulent charges are blocked, and you are notified. You can even shop online using temporary credit card numbers so that your real credit card numbers stay private. Additionally, the Bank of America Travel Rewards card now comes with chip technology, making it even safer when making purchases at chip-enabled terminals.

Capital One Venture Rewards Card

• Zero percent Annual Fee for the First Year
• 2x Miles for Every $1 Purchase
• Availability of 50,000 Bonus Miles
• No Blackout Dates
• Unlimited Rewards Never Expire

The Capital One Venture Rewards card has an annual fee of $0 for the first year and $95 after that, with an APR between 14.74 percent and 24.74 percent. You can earn 50,000 bonus miles if you spend at least $3,000 within three months of your rewards membership enrollment date. Your rewards are good for the life of the account, so they will never expire. There is no cap on the number of rewards you can earn on purchases. You can redeem your rewards for past or present travel purchases. There is even a way that you can redeem miles for cash. Additionally, you can fly anytime you want on any airline.

Security features on the Capital One Venture Rewards card include $0 liability if your card is fraudulently used, lost, or stolen. Should this happen, you not only can get a replacement card, but you also can obtain a cash advance. You can get automatic updates through email, text or phone. You also can get free updates on your credit and keep tabs on your account through Capital One’s latest app.

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