dipan

Hi all,

I never focused and not even travelled much so far, to earn miles through any airlines. Now we will be moving to India. In some days, I am going to book via Turkish Airlines, probably in business class. It will cost over $7,500 for three of us, so I am thinking to get a new credit card, which will help me get further benefits. So far I have only two cards - Citi Costco card and American Express Delta Skymiles.
To start with, should I get a new (better) credit card and use that to book this flight?
Turkish airlines is part of Miles&Smiles. Will I be able to use miles earned via this program, while keeping base as India? As we will be staying in India for long term. Going forward we will travel more than now, so thinking on this side now.

Please advice. Thanks.

guv1976

An advantage of getting a new credit card now is that you would be able to meet the minimum-spend requirement to get a lucrative sign-up bonus if you were to charge your plane tickets to the new card. You also want to make sure that -- while overseas -- you only use a card that has no foreign-transaction/foreign-exchange fee.

Just because you will be flying on TK does not mean that you have to credit your flights to Miles & Smiles. You can credit TK flights to any Star Alliance frequent-flyer program, including UA, Aeroplan, Air India, etc. It's up to you to determine -- based upon your future paid travel and desired redemptions -- which FFP would be most advantageous to you, as each has different redemption rates, cash components on award tickets, mileage-expiration policies, etc.

Good luck!

dipan

I have an offer from Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. If I get this card, use it for buying flight tickets (anything over $4000), I will get 80,000 points. Though I am seeing there is 3% foreign transaction fees. I need to search more, if there should be better card.
If I am understanding it right, after tha flight I will have some points in my account from Turkish Airlines, which I can use for further travel as you mentioned. Do I need to move those miles somewhere or keep in Miles & Smiles account?
Also, how will I use 80,000 points, provided if I go with this Chase offer? Are there point redeemable to buy any flight or it will have restriction of certain flights?

guv1976

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card has no foreign-transaction fee:




The three of you will only accrue miles in each of your individual Miles & Smiles accounts if you opt to credit your TK flights to that program. You can just as easily choose to credit those flights to a different Star Alliance program if it makes sense for you to do so.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can be used as cash to defray the cost of airplane tickets you purchase directly from the Chase travel portal. Alternatively, they can be transferred to certain specified airline and hotel programs, to be redeemed for award flights or hotel nights (subject to award availability). You can view all of Chase's airline and hotel transfer partners here (scroll down to "1:1 point transfer"):

https://creditcards.chase.com/reward...hire/preferred

You might give some thought to crediting your TK flights to a program that is also an Ultimate Rewards transfer partner.

Without knowing what type of cash flights and award flights (origin, destination, class of service, airline) you are interested in for future travel, it will be tough to make a recommendation for you. See this "Sticky" in the Information Desk forum for more information:

Which Frequent Flyer Program to Join? Help Is Here!

dipan

That is very helpful reply of yours. Thanks for explaining so well.

1:1 Point Transfer looks interesting, as there are many travel partners in airlines as well as hotels. So I can use those 80,000 points there.

I will still read your link for choosing FFP. But if I choose Chase, then I have last question this. In order to use Chase points, I will need to use travel portal of Chase, instead of direct airlines website. Is it as convenient as booking directly with airlines. Suppose, if I want to make any change or cancel my trip, will it be Chase, I will be following or I can directly talking to Airlines?

guv1976

If you book a cash ticket through Chase, you will have to deal with Chase when any issues come up. Many people find that not as convenient as booking directly with the airlines. But if you transfer Chase UR points to an airline or hotel program, you would then have airline or hotel points, and you would redeem them directly with the airline or hotel chain for award flights or award hotel nights (subject to award availability).