Airline Loyalty Card Question
 

Okay, this is actually a double barreled question, sorry!

1) My primary *A airline is United and I've got their airline card. Does it make sense for me to carry a fee/no fee airline card from a *A partner as backup in case they can provide a better fare than United? For this secondary *A airline I'm thinking of US Airways.

The airline credit card(s) will be my primary day-to-day card for purchases like gas, dining and monthly recurring fees (wireless, cable and Internet access at home).

2) I've got Hilton as my primary hotel for when I travel and Hyatt as a backup, but with no cards for either. Is it worth bothering getting cards from the hotels if they will only be used when I'm staying at the properties mentioned?

Thanks!

Eric

The Hilton Amex has no annual fee, so that is a possibility. I'd make sure to get a sign up bonus. How much is your planned HH spend? That's going to be a key piece to deciding on the extra card. I also use the HH Amex for groceries, gas, and Internet. The six points/$ really add up. I put my lower value of HH points at half a cent per point, but usually use them at closer to $.007 to $.01 per point. Those redemption values happen at the two ends of the spectrum.... Cat 2 Hamptons and places like the Tokyo Conrad.

As far as a second airline card... it really depends on how you use it. My In-laws did well by the US card's companion ticket... But if I was going to pay ~ $200 in fees I'd prefer to pay $400 for a single card with lounge access. Otherwise, I'd probably stick with a single *a card...unless you are chasing he sign up bonus.

Thanks! I'll look into the no fee Hilton Amex card. I'll have to think long and hard on the US Airways card though 'cause I'd only be using it to purchase tickets on US Airways when a United flight doesn't work out. It appears that the Premier World MC from US Airways has had a change in the annual fee too. It's now $89 annually which is pretty inexpensive but still, no need to spend that $89 per year on a card that won't be used too much.

The World Premier card has 40k bonus miles and 10k annual bonus miles which should be worth the annual fee.

I really see no need for the US card unless you are checking bags or want priority boarding. I would only get another airline card if they were on a different network.

I agree... that would be the number one reason to sign up for this card. OP seems to be more concerned with extra earning potential for extra $ spent on US. Given the limited frequency of US flights by OP... I'd probably say no for that reason. Is the bonus worthy a credit pull... very possibly. It depends if such a pull restricts the OP from another card's apps.

Unless they just changed policies, the US card does not include baggage (but does include priority check-in, priority boarding, and a companion ticket). The in-laws (see above) weren't real happy about paying for baggage... (especially because F-i-L just dropped from elite (Platinum...I think) to nothing when he retired in the last year.

Thanks everybody. I will skip the US Airways card.