Airlines CC recommendations
May 12, 2012 | 12:30 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1
Airlines CC recommendations
My parents travel a lot to the islands, they prefer AA. Would the best thing to do for them is to apply for an AA credit card or are they any other cards that they can get free flights on AA? If this has been answered before if you could just direct me in the right path, i would greatly appreciate it.
thank you
thank you
May 13, 2012 | 11:20 am
#2
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: BA Avios, UA MP, AA, Choice, Club Carlson
Posts: 1,126
Basically your question is what CC offers the best OneWorld miles bonuses, right?
- earning points/miles on a CC based on purchases would be moot since your folks would have to spend potentially $40K a year just to get enough for one US-Hawaii award.
- Have them apply for a Chase BA Visa. You can search on Flyertalk for sign up bonuses from 50-100K which will give you enough tickets for OneWorld partner awards on AA. Beware minimum spend to get points currently can be high.
- AMEX Plat bonuses from 25-50K, and now with transfer to BA Avios at 150% for a limited time.
- Citi AA Card gives bonuses as well 30K to as high as 75K. Depends on how lucky you are and when they offer these cards. I believe the best offers right now are 30K
- Alaska BofA gives limited sign up bonuses but gives you OneWorld and Alaska options to Hawaii
- If your parents have a significant nestegg of retirement cash , then have them deposit up to $200K into a BankDirect account and accure 240,000 AA miles annually just for keeping the money in there. $12/month account fee applies, the money earns negligible interest but the value of 240K miles is spectacular for redemption(6 RT continental US-Hawaii tix/year), and miles/value of miles are non-taxable. Similarly if they only travel once per year as a pair, keeping 80K in the bank each year would yield two HI tickets/year on AA.
Good luck.
- earning points/miles on a CC based on purchases would be moot since your folks would have to spend potentially $40K a year just to get enough for one US-Hawaii award.
- Have them apply for a Chase BA Visa. You can search on Flyertalk for sign up bonuses from 50-100K which will give you enough tickets for OneWorld partner awards on AA. Beware minimum spend to get points currently can be high.
- AMEX Plat bonuses from 25-50K, and now with transfer to BA Avios at 150% for a limited time.
- Citi AA Card gives bonuses as well 30K to as high as 75K. Depends on how lucky you are and when they offer these cards. I believe the best offers right now are 30K
- Alaska BofA gives limited sign up bonuses but gives you OneWorld and Alaska options to Hawaii
- If your parents have a significant nestegg of retirement cash , then have them deposit up to $200K into a BankDirect account and accure 240,000 AA miles annually just for keeping the money in there. $12/month account fee applies, the money earns negligible interest but the value of 240K miles is spectacular for redemption(6 RT continental US-Hawaii tix/year), and miles/value of miles are non-taxable. Similarly if they only travel once per year as a pair, keeping 80K in the bank each year would yield two HI tickets/year on AA.
Good luck.
May 13, 2012 | 12:48 pm
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2003
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"My parents travel a lot to the islands"
Which islands? Hawaiian? Caribbean? Tahitian? Manhattan? And from which city will they originate?
"My parents travel a lot to the islands"
Which islands? Hawaiian? Caribbean? Tahitian? Manhattan? And from which city will they originate?