Money Blue Book

Update: Check Out The New Visa Black Card For The Uber-Rich

What’s the deal with status symbols these days? While I’d like to think that I’m perfectly immune from the need to walk around and carry lofty symbols of wealth, power, and status on my shoulders, sheepishly, I must admit that I’m not. I don’t occasionally wear designer clothes or don expensive apparel brands solely for the quality threads, or dream of buying a BMW or Mercedes sports sedan for crash test safety reasons alone. After all, there’s something about rarity, uniqueness, and exclusiveness that beckons each of us at some point in our lives. Whether it’s the elite acknowledgment that one gets from being an alumni of a top tier Ivy League university, or whether it’s membership into an ultra exclusive golf club usually reserved only for top celebrities and the rich and famous, I’m sure many of us secretly envy at times, those who are in this special inner circle.

Actually, the notion itself is quite silly really – the idea that simply because you possess something unique that very few other people have, or have VIP membership into some special organization, that you are somehow better off than others or worthy of admiration. But it’s simply human nature I suppose. We all innately appreciate the attention and envy of others, whether we truly want to admit it or not. Don’t believe it? All you have to do is observe the rise and popularity of television shows like MTV’s Super Sweet 16 to see how the desire to be envied and praised is very much part of our society’s psyche and celebrity culture. If it were not for our humanistic lust for all things that glitter and our natural attraction to the glitz and glamor of all that surrounds the rich and powerful, we wouldn’t have such things as paparazzis and celebrity magazines. It’s because we as a society desperately seek to emulate the rich and beautiful that there are such things as status symbol cars and multi-million dollar mega mansions.

Thus there should be little surprise that there are even such things as one-of-a-kind credit cards that only a select few have the luxury of possessing. Whether it makes any real sense for anyone to go gaga over something as mundane as a limited edition credit card is up for debate, but it’s something that’s been glorified in the rising hip-hop culture and permeating our English vernacular, calling attention to itself.

What Is the Black Centurion Card From American Express?

The American Express Black Centurion Card (simply referred to as the Black Card by some) sprung out of an urban rumor in the early 1990’s about a super secret black credit card available only to a select group of rich and powerful celebrities. While the reality was that no such card existed, American Express ultimately played off the whispers and capitalized on the rumors, quietly creating the Amex Black Card. Its exclusivity compounded the rumors over time, leading to more and more outlandish claims about the benefits and perks offered to the holder. Perhaps you’ve seen the almost mythical Black Card touted in hip hop music videos or heard it referenced in other facets of pop culture, but you rarely see it out in the open. The card is definitely not widely available and unless you hang around or work with celebrities, famous people, or wealthy individuals, it’s unlikely you will ever see one in your lifetime.

The Black Centurion credit card from American Express is definitely a rarity in the marketplace and in some circles, is considered an impact statement. First of all, the card is almost entirely black, which instantly gives it a look that’s different from all the credit cards out there, and secondly, it’s not even made of ordinary plastic like most credit cards, but rather of a special aluminum, titanium mix, giving it a different feel altogether. There have been suggestions that the titanium composition of the Black Centurion Card even triggers metal detectors at airports, but obviously this hassle is easily circumvented by transporting the card or wallet via its own plastic container through the X-ray conveyor belt scanner.

While the card imposes a hefty annual fee, for those who can easily afford it, the Black Card offers a juicy wealth of exclusive card benefits, like special concierge services, exclusive travel benefits and perks, enhanced credit card rewards, frequent flier airline miles, cashback credit card bonuses, and the ability to harness almost unlimited spending power. Perhaps I’m blowing the card a bit out of proportion and making the card bigger than what it really is, but the card is definitely not for your ordinary credit card spender – it’s meant for whales and high rollers who spend a lot – in the tune of more than $250,000 a year. But one thing to keep in mind is that due to the status implications the card seems to convey, mere possession and use of the Black Card may cause the cardholder to unnecessarily stand out awkwardly in ordinary situations. Using the Black Card from American Express in an inappropriate situation may be like showing up at a family reunion in your flashy, gas-guzzling red Lamborghini sports car while your relatives and family members quietly chug into the parking lot with their fuel efficient Honda Civics. Of course, not everyone will recognize the Black Card and many may see it as no big deal – just one of many random credit card choices out there.

How Can I Apply For The American Express Black Centurion Credit Card?

If you are wondering to yourself, how does one actually go about requesting official information or submitting an application for the ultra exclusive Black Centurion card, you’re likely going to be out of luck. Membership into the Black Card club is by exclusive invitation only, based on either your celebrity reputation or your proven ability to be a big credit card spender. However, there are affirmative steps you can take to satisfy the qualification requirements to trigger a personal credit card invite. To qualify for such an invitation based on proven financial ability, you’ll not only have to prove yourself to be a high credit card spender, but you’ll also need to have an exceptional FICO credit score and credit report history, along with a hefty personal balance sheet of verifiable monetary assets. Here are the basic requirements to get an American Express Black Centurion Card application invite based on your potential purchasing power:

1) You Must Be An Existing American Express Credit Card Holder – The American Express Black Centurion Card is currently only available to select holders of American Express credit cards. Although it does not matter which Amex card type you have (whether Blue, Blue Cash, Blue Sky, Green, Gold, or Platinum), because of the high spending requirements to qualify, you will want a card with a very high credit limit. As such, those who qualify for the Black Centurion Card tend to be former holders of Amex Platinum cards, which offer the highest credit limits of all Amex card types. If you are not already an existing American Express credit card holder, you will need to apply for one of the following high credit limit cards and start racking up significant purchases in a short period of time:

• American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card – You get 10,000 instant points after your first purchase. Earn rewards with no preset limit.
• American Express Preferred Rewards Green Card – Get 5,000 instant bonus points and earn shopping and travel rewards with every purchase, with no preset limit.
• American Express Platinum Credit Card – Earn 25,000 bonus points after spending at least $1,000 within 3 months. Get access to American Express’ personal concierge service and earn reward points with no pre-set spending limit.
• Business Gold Card From American Express Open – This is probably an ideal way to get a Centurion Black card special invite as you can put all of your business related expenditures and purchases on this one card.
• Business Green Rewards Card From Amex Open – Earn 5,000 instant bonus points with your first purchase. Earn rewards with every purchase with no preset spending limit.

2) You Will Need To Spend At Least $250,000 A Year On Your American Express Credit Card – If this amount is too much for you, you probably shouldn’t even think about trying to obtain a Black Card to begin with. With the hefty start up and annual maintenance fees, this card will only truly benefit those individuals who spend a significant amount of money on entertainment, on airline travel expenses, and on expensive hotel stays. This may seem like an impossible amount, but for those of you who run your own small business or frequently have large amounts of reimbursable business expenses to pay for, the high expenditure requirement is quite do-able. For those who have employees, paying a payroll management company via credit card and having them in turn pay the employees via check is another great way to charge everything onto your American Express card. Especially for those people like myself who use credit card rewards for Google ads and spend significant sums of money on online advertising through Google Adsense and other internet marketing programs, the $250,000 a year spending requirement is not out of the realm of possibility.

A major problem that many wannabe Black Centurion Card seekers have in reaching the $250,000 annual spending limit requirement on their existing Amex cards is that their current monthly credit card limit simply isn’t high enough to allow them to spend that much. To reach $250,000 a year, a cardholder would need to have a credit spending limit of approximately $21,000 a month give or take a few hundred dollars ($250,000 divided by 12 months). The solution to the insufficient credit limit hurdle is quite simple. Simply submit a check or online prepayment amount at the start of each month to American Express to cover your credit card expenditures for the month. For example, even if your actual credit card limit is only $10,000 or less, simply by submitting card payment of something like $11,000 in excess of the limit up to the magical $21,000 requirement will allow you to reach your desired $250,000 for the year. Of course, the assumption is that you will actually spend at least $21,000 minimum per month.

Once you have successfully spent over $250,000 a year on your American Express credit card, you may wish to contact American Express directly if they haven’t already contacted you with a Black Centurion card invitation. While there is a common misconception that you can’t actually solicit Amex for such an invite, truth be told, if you satisfy their financial spending requirements, the company will probably be more than happy to welcome you into their exclusive credit card club.

3) You Must Be Able To Afford The Black Card’s High Annual Credit Card Fees – Once you are approved for the American Express Black Centurion card, you will need to pay the setup charges and subsequent annual maintenance fees. While earlier charter members enjoy substantially lower fees, currently for new members, there is a one time $5,000 initiation fee for the primary card holder and an upfront annual fee of $2,500, for a total of $7,500 due at the end of the first billing cycle. Clearly, the Black Centurion card isn’t for ordinary middle class working folks who don’t have thousands of disposable income dollars to throw around like Monopoly play money.

What Are the Best Features and Benefits of The Amex Black Centurion Card, and Are They Worth The Significant Annual Maintenance Fees?

The American Express Black Card is available in both personal and business form, but the vast majority of holders will likely find its benefits and credit card perks to be highly business-oriented, particularly in the area of business client entertainment as well as airline and hotel travel. For those who wish to apply for the business credit card version as an individual, keep in mind that it is perfectly legitimate and acceptable for individuals operating as a sole proprietorship business unto themselves to apply for a business card using their own names as the name of their business. As a small business owner, it’s what I personally do when I apply for business credit cards.

While the detailed specifics and the terms and conditions of your program will vary somewhat depending on whether you carry the personal or business version of the Black Centurion Card, the features and benefits of the Black Card are essentially the same. The Black Centurion offers the card holder exclusive and automatic upgrades with a wide selection of airline carriers, hotel resorts, and cruise ship travel programs. But the greatest and most touted benefit is the Black Centurion Card’s concierge service and personal shopper program, which helps cardholders find anything they desire in the area of fine dining, personal and business shopping, and travel related bookings for things like airline tickets, hotel reservations, and rental car arrangements.

1) Personal Concierge Services – Those who can afford the financial rigors and high expenditure requirements of the Amex Black Card are likely accustomed to personalized service and attention, and the Black Card program is happy to oblige with its personal concierge service for cardholders. Via the services of an outsourced concierge provider called Circles, American Express provides personalized VIP attention for both its Platinum and Centurion Black credit card customers. However, compared to regular Platinum card carriers, Black Centurion members receive more dedicated and prompt attention, and are understandably given access to a more highly trained and qualified staff of concierge representatives.

Having a dedicated and attentive personal concierge allows cardholders to outsource the time and effort of purchasing airline tickets, making hotel arrangements, booking rental cars, planning vacation trips, making dinner reservations, haggling for concert tickets, and researching prices. The actual success rate that the personal concierge agent has in securing exactly what you are looking for is somewhat debatable, but presumably due to the prestige and financial clout of the Black Centurion credit card program, it stands to reason that the company likely has greater access to exclusive deals and arrangements with the top restaurants, concert shows, and sporting venues than ordinary individuals.

The personal concierge service is probably the most commonly used and most invaluable Black Centurion Card benefit for many. While some people point out that the concierge agents are not always the best at locating what the cardholder is seeking, there’s no denying that this is still a very convenient luxury to have at one’s disposal. Not only does the cardholder have access to the personal concierge service, but the cardholder’s family members, personal assistants, and secretaries have access to this card perk as well.

2) Airline Travel Upgrades – If you are a frequent personal or business traveler, you will definitely appreciate the automatic airline upgrades offered by the Black Centurion card. What this means is that if you purchase a regular economy class ticket on one of participating airlines, you are automatically upgraded to elite status – usually this means getting bumped up to business or first class based on seat availability. With business and first class seats usually being triple or quadruple the cost of ordinary coach class seats, it’s not hard to see why this is such a potentially invaluable card benefit. With automatic upgrades into the following elite airline and hotel travel programs, cardholders enjoy such perks as dedicated check-ins, priority boardings, extra airline mileage earning opportunities, and bonus hotel stay earnings:

• Continental OnePass Gold Elite
• Delta Air Lines SkyMiles Gold Medallion
• US Airways Dividend Miles Platinum Preferred
• Virgin Atlantic Airways Flying Club Gold
• Priority Pass Membership
• Hilton HHonors Gold

Black Centurion cardholders also get access to Continental Airline €™s President’s Lounge, Delta’s Crown Room Club, and Northwest Airline’s World Club as well as exclusive and complimentary access to Priority Pass’ over 500 VIP airport lounges. Automatic elite car rental upgrades with popular car rental companies like Hertz and Avis are also complimentary and available to cardholders.

The American Express Black Card also provides members with a companion airfare program that offers cardholders free guest airline tickets when the Black Card is used to purchase tickets. Currently, you can request up to 4 complimentary companion airline tickets a year. Of course, there may be a few airfare restrictions and blackout dates.

3) Hotel and Resort Lodging Upgrades – Along with automatic airline travel upgrades to elite status, the Black Card also offers automatic hotel lodging upgrades at all participating hotels and luxury resorts. Through partnerships with over 500 worldwide luxury hotels and resorts, chances are you will likely enjoy elite upgraded status at most premium hotels and resorts like the Starwood Group (Le Meridien, Four Points, Westin, Aloft, Sheraton, Element, St. Regis, and W Hotels), Ritz-Carlton, Mandarin Oriental, Hilton, Leading Hotels of the World, Amanresorts, and Centurion Villas.

Unfortunately, a few of the greatest and most coveted Black Centurion Card perks of past years have since been eliminated from the program. Until a few years ago, Hyatt’s Diamond Elite Status and Starwood’s Preferred Guest Platinum status were automatically offered to cardholders. However, Hyatt Hotel has since left the program and the Starwood Platinum status privilege is no longer offered to card members – a great disappointment and upset to many cardholders as the Starwood frequent guest suite upgrade program was indeed one of the best around. Now, cardholders will no longer qualify for automatic free Starwood Preferred Platinum status, but will receive Starwood Preferred Gold status instead, which offers substantially less upgrade opportunities for members.

4) Retail Shopping and Entertainment Benefits – More likely than not, American Express Black Centurion Card members are likely prolific shoppers, whether for personal reasons, or for business purposes. Coupled with the dedicated and personalized concierge service, card members can solicit the services of personal shoppers and price researchers to help them locate any product or custom merchandise they desire. For those who enjoy frequenting luxury boutiques and high end retailers like Bulgari, Escada, Gucci, Harrods, Harvey Nichols, Neiman Marcus, and Saks Fifth Avenue, personal shoppers are available at such retailers for VIP attention. In some circumstances, entire stores may be reserved for your personal shopping pleasure so you can bypass lines and avoid crowds. For those who desire reservations at exclusive restaurants, tickets for hard to find entertainment shows and sporting events like the Super Bowl, your Black Card concierge is there to help you secure such coveted tickets. American Express has deals and exclusive arrangements with hundreds and thousands of restaurants to reserve tables for card members. With the Black Card, you will have greater access to so-called Gold Card events and premium luxury seating at concerts and events not ordinarily available to the general public.

Members also get automatic subscriptions to “Black Ink” magazine, an ultra exclusive publication that caters to the materialistic fancies of like minded wealthy clientele discussing such indulgences like luxury performance vehicles and exclusive dream vacation destinations. On occasion, as yet another complimentary benefit for coveted Black Card holders, American Express sends out free gift cards worth in excess of $500-$1000 to a variety of exclusive high end retailers. Amex has also been known to send out to Black Card customers, such gifts like expensive digital cameras and high end women’s jewelry.

Is The American Express Black Centurion Credit Card Worth The Hefty $7,500 Initiation Fee (One Time $5,000 Plus The $2,500 Annual Fee)?

First of all, if you are even asking yourself if the Black Card is worth the cost, this card’s likely not for you. Remember, to even qualify for an exclusive invite or to even satisfy the financial requirements to request membership, existing American Express card members need to spend at least $250,000 a year worth of credit card purchases. If your business or personal situation allows this type of high spending, chances are, a comparatively small $7,500 fee is unlikely to even register as a blip on your financial radar. Keep in mind, the American Express Black Centurion card is all about exclusivity and rarity. It’s a coveted financial item and the ultimate status symbol because it is only held by a limited number of wealthy individuals. The card should be regarded as a personal branding tool for those who can indeed afford the cost of carrying it. The automatic travel upgrades and complimentary perks and credit card rewards are certainly appreciated by card carriers, but it’s probably the exclusivity and status symbol of the Black Card that cardholders who can afford it covet the most. For ordinary consumers who do not have thousands and millions of dollars to throw around, the Black Centurion Card is a symbol of great excess waste and unnecessary decadence, but for the higher income types, it’s akin to driving around an expensive luxury sports car – it’s an attention getter for many.

But speaking from a cost benefit analysis perspective, are the benefits of the Black Centurion Card worth the one time $5,000 initial setup fee and the subsequent $2,500 fee year after year? After speaking to a few actual Black Card carriers and picking their brains a bit about what they find so useful and indispensable about the card, I have to conclude that the card is indeed worth the hefty annual fee, but only if you are a heavy business traveler or one who frequently engages in airline travel and hotel stays. The Amex Black Card is primarily business oriented and most of the airline and travel perks are geared towards upgrading existing travel accommodations into more comfortable elite offerings. For busy business types, the airline and hotel upgrades over the course of a year may very well cover the cost of the annual fee alone.

For those who primarily use the personal concierge services of the card for shopping research and entertainment reservation purposes, the cost benefit of the annual fee is more debatable as the cost is a bit harder to quantify. While American Express tends to provide better customer service for its cardholders than that of other credit card issuers, I think the concierge services is likely only useful in certain circumstances. For example, purchasing airline tickets is a breeze online and I find I can probably do a better job myself with a few keystrokes online than any concierge representative who isn’t as skilled at bargain hunting and deal finding. But for busy business types who have little time for mundane things like shopping research and price comparison, having a personal concierge at one’s beck and call certainly may be worth the cost of card membership.

Updated List Of The Top Airline Credit Card Rewards and Offers Below

I have a friend who is absolutely nutty about frequent flyer miles. Because he has family and relatives who live all over the place – in New York, Chicago, India, and England to name a few, he travels by airplane quite frequently. It’s not just him either. His new wife and immediate family members always seem to be on the go, and over time they’ve become quite the experts at taking advantage of discount airline tickets and cheap airfare deals. One of their smartest moves was to make sure that they always purchase their airline tickets using an airline miles credit card – to leverage the cumulative cost-saving power of frequent flyer miles. Not only does this have the added benefit of protection against airline bankruptcy risk (a real possibility these days), it also affords them the opportunity to earn substantial amounts of frequent flier miles redeemable for future free flights. By focusing their ordinary credit card purchases to earn airline miles, they’ve been able to fly for free many times – both domestically and internationally. These international airline reservations to fly across the oceanic pond definitely don’t come cheap either – each coach class international flight can cost in excess of $1,000 – so getting some of the airline tickets for free has definitely been a nice bonus.

Despite The Common Annual Fee and High Interest Rates Involved, Frequent Flyers Who Pay Off Their Credit Card Balance Every Month Will Benefit Greatly From Airline Travel Reward Cards

The attractive appeal of airline mile credit cards stem from their ability to earn and save up a substantial amount of frequent flyer miles over time, redeemable for free or heavily discounted airline tickets in the future. However, the use of airline travel reward cards does require a bit of patience since flight miles rewards can’t be redeemed or converted into free or discounted flights until the required redemption amount has been attained. Less patient people like myself usually stick with cash back credit cards or plain old reward credit cards that automatically accrue rebate rewards as you go along. But those who consider themselves frequent flyers, business travelers, or simply individuals who like the idea of saving up for a huge reward prize rather than redeeming for smaller incremental rewards throughout the year – may benefit greatly from frequent flier credit card offers. However, potential card applicants should keep in mind that because of the pricey nature of airline tickets, to earn enough mileage rewards with your travel reward credit card to qualify for a free airline ticket will necessitate quite a bit of spending. If you only use your credit card for a few dollars of purchases here and there every few months, it will likely take you forever to save up the necessary amount to redeem for even a cheap domestic ticket. However, if you are a big credit card spender and use credit cards to do all of your regular purchasing, and don’t mind channeling your credit card reward earning efforts towards accruing frequent flyer miles, you will benefit greatly from the free flight reward potential of airline credit cards.

Redeeming airline miles for free flights is usually a straight forward process with most travel reward and airline specific credit cards. Actual program terms vary, but miles are usually offered at a rate of 1 or 2 point(s) per $1 spent using the card. Most of the time, once you hit a certain total point or miles level (15,000 miles for example), you are permitted to call in a request for a free flight. International flights will obviously demand more mileage than U.S. domestic flights.

A few other important things concerning airline reward credit cards to be aware about is that they tend to charge annual fees of $75-$100 or more, as well as impose slightly higher APR interest rates compared to other types of credit card reward programs. But if you are a responsible credit card user and always pay off your balance on time every month, the interest rate effect will be minimal. The credit card annual fee amount may seem like a lot to the common consumer, but if you are someone who flies frequently several times or more throughout the year, any residual financial pain felt by having to pay an annual fee will be easily offset by the chance to earn free airline flights.

Airline Brand Specific Credit Cards Vs. Non-Airline Specific Travel Rewards Cards

While most airlines carriers impose frequent flyer miles expiration dates, many if not most airline travel credit card programs have no mileage expiration. This is important and useful because it affords cardholders the proper extended time needed to save up for the frequent flyer trip of their choice. No one wants to feel pressured about having to redeem their flight miles for lesser travel rewards at the risk of forfeiture, especially in light of the given fact that sufficient airline miles take longer to accrue. While some card programs impose seat restrictions and flight reservation blackout dates during which cardholders are not permitted to get free flights for certain times of the calendar year, the vast majority of the flight reward programs out there do not impose such restrictions or limitations. All consumers who are interested in applying for an airline travel rewards card offer should most definitely stay away from cards that impose mileage expiration or blackout dates. There’s no point in being restricted like that as there are plenty of more flexible options available.

In my opinion, I think most frequent flyers and travelers should stick to bank sponsored or generic travel reward credit cards. The most significant benefit of choosing a general travel rewards card is that all of the mileage rewards earned can be redeemed and easily converted to be used towards any airline of your choice. Unlike reward programs offered by more restrictive airline credit cards, general travel reward cards impose no such airline carrier restrictions. They simply offer cardholders a lot more choice and seating options than having to stick with just one carrier.

However, if you frequently fly on one specific airline or collection of partner airlines, and foresee yourself doing the bulk of your future traveling with the same carrier, applying for a specific airline credit card may be beneficial. Airline specific cards tend to offer higher mileage reward rates for card purchases, and lower redemption requirements for free flights on their own planes. Specific airline cards also frequently offer cardholders the chance to earn double miles for certain qualified purchases, thus helping speed up the rate at which you can earn travel rewards. Airline credit cards also tend to lavish their customers with more travel perks than that offered by general travel reward programs – such perks often include car rental discounts and other exclusive business lounge type accommodations. Just something to keep in mind.

While the following are credit card offers that earn airline miles for ordinary purchases, those who wish to earn instant airline miles for free flights should take a look at this list (free airline miles credit card sign up offers).

The Best Non-Airline Specific Travel Reward Credit Card Offers – Miles Can Be Redeemed For Free Flights Towards Any Airline Carrier – (All annual fees if any are listed in parenthesis).

1. Chase Sapphire - 10,000 bonus points after the first purchase. You also earn 1 point for every dollar you spend and 2x points on all airfare booked through the Travel Booking Tool. Up to 10 bonus points per dollar when you shop online at the Ultimate Rewards Mall. No annual fee. There are no blackout dates or travel restrictions when you use your points for airline tickets on most major airlines, any class. You can also purchase flights with both point and dollar values so you can choose how many points you want to use and pay for the rest in cash.
2. Miles by Discover Card – Earn Double Miles on travel and restaurant purchases. One Mile for every dollar on all other purchases. Flexible redemption options for travel, gift cards, or cash  (No Annual Fee).
3. Citi Premier Pass Card-Elite Level - Earn 2 points for every $1 spent at gas stations, supermarkets and drugstores, plus earn 1 point for every $1 spent on all other purchases. You can also earn 1 point for every mile you fly on any airline and another 1 Thank You point for every mile flown by anyone else whose ticket you bought with your card. Currently you can earn 20,000 instant bonus points after $600 in purchases in 3 months. You can redeem for free airline travel on any airline with no carrier restriction or blackout dates. Points don’t expire as long as you make one purchase every three years. (Annual fee is $75).
4. American Express Preferred Rewards Green Card – Earn 1 point for every dollar purchase you spend on the card. Points can be redeemed for free travel rewards from 21 airlines, hundreds of hotels worldwide, for vacation packages, cruises, and spa retreats. They can also be transferred onto 17 frequent flyer programs (conversion rate of 1 point for 1 airline mile with most programs). The earned points have no expiration and there is no limit to the number of points that can be accrued. Currently you can earn 5,000 Membership Rewards bonus points after your first purchase with the card, redeemable for a $50 gift card. This is a no pre-set spending limit card offer. (No annual fee for the first year – $95 thereafter).
5. Blue Sky From American Express® - Earn 1 point for every dollar you spend. There are no blackout dates, no travel restrictions, no mileage caps, and no expiration dates. You can redeem points to save on any airline, hotel, rental car or cruise – the card program is very flexible. (No annual fee).
6. American Express Starwood Preferred® – Earn 1 Starpoint for every dollar of eligible spending and double Starpoints at participating Starwood properties and retail outlets. This one is actually one of my best airline rewards card due to its flexibility and ability to transfer miles onto frequent flyer programs. Currently you can earn up to 25,000 Starpoints upon card sign up and after a period of usage – enough for 6 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel. Basically, it breaks down as 10,000 Starpoints with your first purchase – enough for up to 3 free nights at a category 1 or 2 hotel. (No annual fee for the first year – $45 fee thereafter).
7. Capital One® Orbitz Visa Platinum Card and Capital One® Orbitz Visa Signature Card – With either of these high credit limit cards, cardholders can earn 3 points per $1 spent on eligible Orbitz bookings, plus bonus points on eligible bookings, as well as 1 point per $1 spent on regular purchases. The Orbitz card series from Cap One earns more than other travel cards with three times the rewards on eligible Orbitz bookings. Points can be redeemed for travel, cash back, and gift cards. With the Orbitz card, you can potentially fly for free on your next vacation for as few as 15,000 points.
8. Capital One® No Hassle Miles(SM) Ultra For Professionals – Earn 2 miles for each dollar spent on all purchases. No blackout dates or seating restrictions. No expiration date on miles and no limit on the miles that may be earned. (Annual fee: $39).
9. Capital One® No Hassle Miles(SM) Rewards – Earn 1.25 miles for each dollar spent on purchases. No blackout dates or seating restrictions. No expiration date on miles and no limit on the miles you can earn. (No annual fee).

The Best Airline Specific Reward Credit Card Offers For Those Who Are Frequent Flyers Of Particular Airline Carriers – Remember that these airline miles are usually only good towards their own carrier:

1. Delta Airlines – SkyMiles® Gold Card From American Express - You are permitted a very high annual spending limit of $100,000 for mile earning purposes. Miles do not expire as long as the linked frequent flyer account is active during a 3-year period. Currently after your first purchase you earn an instant 20,000 bonus miles reward. Free Delta flights start at just 10,000 miles. In addition, if you add two additional approved card members to your account at the time of application submission, the program will provide you an extra bonus of 2,500 airline miles. (No annual fee for the first year – $95 fee thereafter).
2. Platinum Delta SkyMiles(R) Credit Card from American Express - Earn 20,000 bonus SkyMiles(R) (including 5,000 Medallion Qualification Miles) after first purchase and another 2,500 for adding an Additional Cardmember. Earn one companion Coach Class ticket each year upon renewal. Earn at least 1 mile for every eligible dollar spent. Miles never expire and there is no cap on the miles you can earn. Pay with Miles: Pay for all or part of your flight with miles – and put the rest on your Card. (Annual fee is $150 a year).
3. American Airlines – Citi Platinum Select AAdvantage® World Master Card – Earn 1 AAdvantage ® mile for every $1 spent on purchases. There are no blackout dates for travel on American Airline carriers and your miles never expire. You can redeem miles for travel on American Airlines and for free flights on 25 other airlines as well as rewards for car rental and hotel stays. Currently you can earn 25,000 American Airlines AAdvantage ® instant bonus miles after you make $750 in purchases within 4 months of becoming a card member – enough for a travel award. This is a no pre-set spending limit card offer. (No annual fee for the first year – $85 thereafter).

The scenario I am about to paint is very real. Let’s say you are planning for a dream vacation. Or maybe it’s your honeymoon and you are eager to fly somewhere romantic and spend a week at some remote tropical destination. Or maybe you are splurging for an exciting few days on a luxury cruise ship. Either way, rather than booking your travel reservations through a traditional travel agent, you decide to do it yourself through an online discount travel broker such as Expedia, Travelocity, or Orbitz. You don’t like to use credit cards so you decide to pay your reservations using a debit card or even by check. A month passes and now it’s only a week before your scheduled trip. Suddenly you get a phone call or an email advising you that your travel plans have been halted indefinitely because the travel agency that scheduled your itinerary has declared bankruptcy or gone out of business. Maybe it’s not the travel agent but the airline or cruise ship company that has gone bankrupt. The chances of that happening may be slight, but the consequences can be financially disastrous. That’s why it’s important to protect your upfront reservation money by using credit card payment. Under the Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA), credit card consumers who purchase with a Visa, Mastercard, or American Express card are afforded substantially more purchase protections then those who make payment using cash, money orders, or debit cards. These days, airline credit cards also offer a wide variety of free miles and travel rewards to encourage their use.

How To Get A Refund When Your Airline Or Travel Agency Goes Bankrupt

A few days ago, I read in the news that Aloha Airlines had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Shortly after that, low cost ATA airlines joined the bankruptcy bench as well. Around the same time, I checked my Facebook account and saw that one of my friends was freaking out about the recent ATA bankruptcy filing. Apparently she had purchased several tickets for a trip to Hawaii on ATA airlines and had received e-mail word from the bankrupt company that all flights were now being halted and canceled with no refunds being honored. The total amount in danger was in excess of a $1,000. Thankfully I later found out she had made payment using her trusty credit card instead of using her debit card like she normally did. Because she paid by credit, she was able to dispute the charge and fully recover her money through the credit company by calling on the charge back provision for services un-rendered. Thousands of other customers may not be so lucky and may ultimately lose their money. If my friend had purchased using cash or debit, she would have fallen into a long uncertain line of unsecured creditors hoping for a handout from the bankruptcy court. Even those who had purchased additional travel insurance would have been unable to rely on it as the vast majority of travel and flight insurance policies do not cover air carrier insolvency.

Assuming you made the right decision by purchasing your tickets with a credit card, the minute that you hear news of the demise of your airline or travel agency, you should immediately dispute your credit card charge. By doing so, you have a much higher chance of getting your money back. Don’t pin your hopes on a favorable resolution by calling your travel agent or contacting the airline company directly since they will probably be swamped with angry calls at that time. You are likely to encounter nothing but a newly installed automated refund phone line or website designed to deflect inquiries. Sometimes airlines will offer the ability to transfer your flight to a bigger codeshare partner airline, but that is not always the case. Most online discount travel sites such as Hotwire or Priceline are unlikely to issue refunds in the event your airline goes bankrupt.

To dispute a credit charge, contact your credit card issuer, whether it be Citibank, Chase, or American Express, and request a charge back pursuant to the Fair Credit Billing Act. Under the Act, open-end credit accounts such as credit cards are governed by a strict set of federally mandated dispute settlement procedures. Disputes regarding fraudulent credit card charges, unexplained transactions, and charges for goods and services you didn’t accept or weren’t delivered as agreed are all covered. Here are the steps you will need to take to guarantee your credit card purchase rights:

1. Write to the credit card issuer at the address given for billing inquiries or bill disputes (not the address for sending payment), and be sure to state your name, card account number, and address.
2. State that your airline or travel agency has declared bankruptcy and has ceased operations, that you will not receive the services that you charged to your account, and that you are requesting a billing error credit along with a charge back while the credit company is investigating the matter.
3. Enclose a photocopy of the ticket, itinerary or receipt if possible, and indicate the price of the transportation and the date it was purchased. Remember to keep the original copies. If the transportation was partially used, identify the used and unused segments.
4. You must send the dispute letter by U.S. postal service, preferably by certified mail, with a tracking number and return receipt requested.
5. You must also submit your billing dispute letter so that it reaches your credit card company within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you.

Don’t Think That It Can’t Happen To You

The airline travel industry has been rocked by soaring jet fuel prices lately and lingering questions persist about the ability of certain airlines to remain operational. As such, airline companies have struggled to keep a lid on costs while still keeping airline ticket prices competitive. However, there are simply too many airlines out there competing for too few passengers, and the intense competition has caused some companies to drop out or engage in mergers. Even the big airlines are not immune. In the last few years, most of the major airlines have filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at some point or another, including U.S. Airways, United Airlines, Air Canada, Northwest Airlines, and Delta Airlines.

When a company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, passengers and customers who aren’t protected by third party payment protection lose everything. During a Chapter 11, the airline corporation continues to run its business operation as normal while it undergoes debt and contractual restructuring. However, during this time, it is not bound or required to honor prior purchase obligations under the grant of an automatic stay that prevents creditors from collecting unpaid debts while the bankruptcy protection is in force.

At the end of the restructuring period when the troubled company finally emerges from bankruptcy, which may take months or even years, the bankruptcy court usually gives the company a fresh start by granting a partial or full relief from all outstanding debts. If you were one of those unlucky few who purchased tickets using an unprotected method of payment, then you are out of luck and will likely end up with nothing. Consumers usually fall into the category of unsecured creditors. Under bankruptcy law, unsecured creditors have the lowest priority in terms of prevailing in their claims against the residual assets of a bankrupt company. This is one of the many reasons why I am such a staunch proponent of the use of reward credit cards by responsible consumers.

Not too long ago I went on vacation in East Asia. While I was there I had the fortune to be accompanied by local friends who could spot me so I didn’t need to convert my American dollars into local currency. However there were at least two occasions when I glanced upon several beautiful small wooden art pieces that I wanted to buy. While I had a few local currency bills on me, it wasn’t enough to buy the slightly expensive art pieces. So I had to resort to what I ordinarily would do back home in the United States – pull out my trusty cash back credit card. Fortunately, I had the foresight prior to traveling to another country, to research and familiarize myself with credit card foreign currency exchange fees.

Watch Out For Hidden International Credit Card Foreign Currency Exchange Charges

While foreign currency exchange fees are now generally listed and disclosed by credit card companies, card issuers rarely publicize these hidden charges, preferring to leave them in the fine print. While some complain that the majority of these interchange fees are not used to process the actual currency exchange, but rather used to fund credit card reward programs and other direct advertising campaigns, the real concern is the lack of education when it comes to incurring these fees. Frequently, consumers who use their credit cards overseas come home to the unwelcome surprise of costly fees on their billing statement.

The foreign currency transaction fee for credit card purchases is comprised of two parts – the fee percentage charged by the card payment network (such as Visa, Master Card, Discover, American Express) and the fee percentage added by the card issuer (such as Citibank, Chase, Bank of America). Visa and MasterCard impose a standard 1% fee on all foreign currency charges to cover the expense of converting your foreign currency purchases back into U.S. dollars. The fee is imposed on the card issuer, but the expense is usually passed onto the consumer. Banks and card issuers that issue Visa and Mastercard also tack on their own additional transaction fee to the total – usually another 2%.

American Express does not have an extra card issuer fee, but it does impose its own foreign currency conversion charge of 2%. Previously, Discover Card was the only major card payment network that levied no foreign purchase transaction fees, however they have now updated their policy and tacked on the nearly ubiquitous charges. But then I challenge you to find a place overseas that actually accepts Discover Card. I think those living abroad probably have never heard of Discover before, likely thinking it’s some off shoot of Visa or Master Card.

Credit Card Issuers That Have No Foreign Currency Transaction Fees

Capital One credit card is one of two major issuers that charges no foreign currency transaction fee for credit card purchases made abroad. While Visa and Mastercard still levy fees on Capital One – the card issuer has made the conscientious decision to waive the fees as a cost of attracting customers. Thus it looks like your best foreign purchase bet would be to apply for a Capital One Visa Or Mastercard to avoid the expensive and cumulative currency exchange transaction fees. I personally have the Capital One No Hassle Miles Card, which I use to earn 1.25 miles on each dollar spent, good for any airline with no seating restrictions, mileage cap, or expiration date on miles earned.

List of Credit Card Foreign Transaction Fees Sorted From Lowest to Highest

Today, most of these foreign transaction fees are laid out in more readable form on your monthly credit card statement. Sometimes they are denoted by a simple asterisk indicating the fee percentage that was levied, while some card issuers will list the actual dollar amount of the transaction fee portion. The transaction fees I’ve provided below include the total combined charges imposed by both the card issuer and the card payment network. Pay attention to some of the hidden special offers out there, especially the ones from more obscure credit unions and brokerage/banks.

Reminder Before Using Your Credit Card To Make Foreign Purchases

Modern credit card programs today implement sophisticated transaction software to detect fraudulent and unauthorized credit card activity. If your card has always been used in the New York tri-state region for example, but suddenly credit charges start streaming in from some place like Thailand or Indonesia, your card issuer may raise an eyebrow and start declining those international charges as part of their anti-fraud measures. A quick e-mail or phone call to your credit card company before you travel should prevent such an inconvenience from happening.

Credit Card Users Who Have Made Credit Purchases Abroad May Be Entitled To A Cash Settlement

If you made a foreign transaction using your Visa, Mastercard, or Diner’s Club credit card at least once between February 1, 1996 and November 8, 2006, you may be entitled to claim money from a legal settlement. In response to an anti-trust class action lawsuit brought against Visa, Mastercard, and Diner’s Club for alleged fraud and conspiracy to fix and conceal foreign currency transaction fees on credit card purchases to the detriment of card issuers and consumers, a legal settlement has been worked out. Under the settlement terms of In re Currency Conversion Fee Antitrust Litigation (MDL 1409), those who fall under the plaintiff class have three ways to participate and claim their settlement money.

While two of the options require that you gather your billing statements and receipts to verify the estimated value of your foreign credit card purchases, the simplest method for most is to file for the Easy Refund option, which is the route I personally took. As noted, this option is recommended if you traveled outside of the U.S. for less than one week or had foreign transactions of less than $2,500 using your eligible cards during the 1996 to 2006 period.