Does anyone know of a a Visa or Mastercard that has a "general" miles program (like Amex and Diners) instead of a relationship with one airline? Thanks.

Capital One has a Miles One card that purportedly allows you to earn miles for any airline. However, the offer is really that you can earn TRAVEL on any airline. 18k 'miles' gets you a ticket in the same time-zone. 25k 'miles' gets you a coach ticket in CONUS. No black-out dates or seat restrictions.

Visa's Signature card product and MasterCard's World MasterCard have similar FF benefits. They aren't giving miles in FF programs, just accumulating points to be redeemed for travel.

Cheers,

'toad

Be careful with cards that offer "free" travel but whose points can't be converted to miles. They usually have cost limits for free travel, because they buy a seat for you. If you can't get a cheap seat on the flights you want, you have to make up the difference out of your pocket.

With a card that earns real airline miles, you can get an award flight whenever there's quota space on the flight no matter what the fare would be. I use miles for RTs across North America when I can't stay over a Saturday night: 25,000 miles for a $1,950 ticket. Incredibly cost-effective!

I've done that a few times, myself, Efrem. One of my previous employers (man, there's been a passel of 'em) would rebate 1/2 the cost of the ticket back to the employee if you used FF miles. Pretty sweet deal considering it was travel for them that earned the miles in the first place!

Cheers,

'toad

Some banks may be offering a VISA Signature card in conjunction with a reward program that works like this, but they are not inextricably intertwined. I have a Citibank Aadvantage VISA card, that earns (natch) AA miles.

The distinguishing feature of Signature is that, while it is generally a standard revolving credit card with a limited credit line, you also can go above the credit limit so long as you pay the excess down on your next regular payment. Sort of like a combined VISA/Amex.

Charlie

OMNI: (sort of) Defending my knowledge and honour. Hey - this is what I do for a living! Too cool. I don't even feel guilty about spending this time on FT (today anyway).

The Visa Signature Card is a super-premium card that compares with Amex Platinum card and MasterCard World Card. (Please, no pro-Amex or MC flames on the comparison)

Visa Signature Card features:

No pre-set spending limit

Cardholder option to revolve a portion of any unpaid balance.

Option offered during the application process for the cardholder to have their personal information kept confidential.

Toll-free 24/7/365 customer service number.

Enhanced billing dispute resolution services.

Concierge Services

Air mileage rewards

Airport Parking Guarantee

Preferred travel programs

Cardholder inquiry service

Travel accident and lost luggage insurance

Global customer assistance services.

Cheers,

'toad

'toad...

You left Diners out.

I am deeply hurt...

:]

(you didn't say no pro-Diners flames! )

Seriously, though, if you know and are willing to tell us, do you know which - if any - airlines offer a co-branded Visa Signature Card or allow mileage "conversion" from the card to the ff program (a la Diners and AmEx)?

thanks

baobab

[This message has been edited by baobab (edited 04-09-99).]

Sorry... Diners won't have me, so I refuse to recognize them.

I don't think you'll see a co-branded Signature card. Reason being is that Visa requires the issuer to provide airline rewards (i.e. tickets). If a co-branded Signature card were issued, the case could be made that the issuer not only had to provide FF miles for dollars spent; but also would have to offer Signature Card travel points (a double-dip, if you will). That wouldn't be too cost effective.

Having said all of that, it's impossible to rule out any possible scenarios since this business is even more competitive than the airlines! For example (purely hypothetical), if you had a Citibank/AA Platinum card and you wanted to upgrade to a Citibank Signature card (but didn't want to lose the miles); Citibank could conceivably 'link' the two accounts and continue to post AA miles based on the Signature card charges. I think you'd have to be a very profitable customer for them to do that (i.e. revolve a large balance, pay big interest).

Typically, Amex and Diners charge much higher fees to merchants for the privledge of accepting their cards. Between that and the annual fees charged, those card programs are able to buy miles from the airlines and give you a choice.

The co-branding arrangements between issuers and airlines, auto makers, etc. often make a decent profit (or at least break-even) for Visa and MasterCard issuers (always depends on the deal). That's why they are even able to offer such programs given the economics.

FYI, I don't work for a credit card company. We make the software that make the things work.

Cheers,

'toad

Actually, British Airways announced today it will offer a Visa Signature card to its Executive Club members living in the U.S. I'm responding to this from home, but I'll happily post the details Monday. I do know this: cardholders will earn 1 mile per dollar charged.

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[This message has been edited by Pam at Webflyer (edited 04-09-99).]

Thanks for the information Pam - I look forward to hearing the details...

baobab

I did a bit more digging... Visa just requires that a miles program be included with the card. They are not mandating the way in which the mileage program must be run.

So, it is possible that a Visa issuer could implement a program similar to AX/DC whereby points are accumulated and may be traded for miles in a variety of programs.

Cheers,

'toad

Also, the Marriott program offers a Visa card--you can use the points at Marriott, or convert them to a pretty good variety of airline programs.

Anyone have the Marriot Visa phone number? Is there an annual fee?

As promised, here's some information on the British Airways Executive Club Signature Visa offered by First USA. The card only earns one mile for every dollar charged to the card, even for travel on British Airways, but there are a few other perks. For instance, the Signature card has no pre-set spending limit, a personal concierge service, 24-hour roadside dispatch service and free membership in the Executive Club Dining program. But perhaps the best feature: miles earned with this card can be redeemed on seven BA partners, including America West Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Canadian Airlines, Qantas Airways and Cathay Pacific (except American Airlines transatlantic flights). For the first five months after activation, the interest rate is 4.9 percent. It then jumps to 16.99 percent. The annual fee is $65. A 5,000-mile activation bonus is also being offered for the card, which is available to Executive Club members living in the U.S. To enroll, call 800/752-0843.

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