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Who uses credit card miles for free flights?

2K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  Winkie 
#1 ·
We plan to travel from Ohio to Denver next year- around Labor Day- for a family wedding. I am looking into getting a Southwest Credit card for each of us which will award 25,000 points sign up bonus. We each would have to spend $2,000.00 in first three months, but we have been seriously talking about new appliances & counter tops, so the timing is right.
The credit card has an annual fee of $99.00, and the estimated cost of each flight is $450.00. Plus no luggage charges.
I am interested to hear other's experiences with using points for flights.
 
#2 ·
We would never pay to use a CC.
DH gets to keep his air miles points and hotel points he gets thru Amer. Express from traveling for work. We went to visit Ds on family day for the military for close to free. ($100.??). We even had some for car rental. Have you checked amex deals.
I personally hate am. ex. but he has to use it for work.
 
#3 ·
Thanks FW, I have not paid for a CC either, but I am considering this just for the flights. I have only checked SW so far. We don't have a resource for free points like your DH since neither of us travel for work (I made a couple trips, but don't expect any in near future). I will check out AMX.
 
#4 ·
Most of the credit cards that give you airline miles don't cover taxes/fees etc so although the cost of the ticket might be covered, you could still be on the hook for a few extra hundred dollars for each person (most of my friends got rid of those cards for that specific reason). I'd recommend *really* going over the fine print on what's covered so you don't get any nasty surprises when you try to book a flight.
 
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#5 ·
dont remember for sure but i think thats what the $100. extra was taxes/fees but we still both flew to Georgia from MI. and got a free car for the $100. and of course charged that $100. to add to the next go round.
Another zapper can be luggage check in too. We did 1 bag each and a carry on free each.
And of course we get hotels w/ continental breakfast and abscond w/ a few boxes of cereal snack packs and fruit for lunch-Cheapos!!.
 
#6 ·
I don't know about southwest cc fees, but I do know all about their point system. The only fee associated with using their points to book a flight is going to be a $5 fee for each way so $10 for round trip. Whether you get the points through getting their card or earning them through buying flights all the time does not matter. Points are points. The best way to fly with southwest would be to be on the look out for their specials. Regularly they will have sales that can put a one way ticket as low as 3,000 - 6,000 points. With 25k free points, you could work it so that you get much more than one free flight with the cc offer. You can even use "your" points for someone else. You just buy the ticket with points in their name. I've done it several times. I love southwest. They board on a first come first serve system (Except for Business Select Flyers who pay more) so checking in online 24 hours before your flight ensures that you get a better number than just showing up at the airport.
 
#8 ·
I think I may going insane :screwy: but I applied for this card immediately. We like Southwest Airlines and are interested in doing some traveling as a family soon. I read a book recently by Brad, the founder of the Brad's Deals site (can't remember the name, but I got it from the library) and it was a real eye-opener about the benefit of airline flight miles.
 
#9 ·
I haven't applied yet, as I am timing our big purchases to fall into the three month period we need to charge the $2,000.00.
Also hoping more people with experience chime in. Thanks laterra84, I am glad to hear you have had good experiences.
There is another card out there that has 40,000 point bonus, do you think I can transfer points to SW? I have never used points for flights & think I have been missing out big time. I get points on Discover & turn them in for gift cards, then use a Marriott card for free rooms. This flight thing is really intriguing, especially since we are going to spend a lot of money in the next year & we are definitely going to Denver next year, even if we have to pay. So this is prime time to play this little game. What ever we charge will be PIF each month, so no worries about going into debt with this endeavor.:)
 
#10 ·
We are in much the same place. I had been turned the points back in to pay the balance but now I dont keep balances.
Kroger points from groc./prescriptions saved us .60x11 gallons tonight on gas. So I count that as free pharmacy.
When the CC's give the points I turned them back for "free" prescriptions.

I tried Ebates but it never lines up.
Dh has to handles to airline miles. He said get a card for the airline you will fly so it will increase the points like Delta card for Delta.
Also know busy times and holidays are blocked/blacked out. Pick like a midweek travel and stay the weekend. Fly back Tues-Thurs.
Landing fees and taxes cannot be covered w/ points.
 
#12 ·
One year later... We had our trip to Denver via Southwest Airlines. We paid $22.00 per ticket processing fee, so with the $99.00 fee, that's $121.00 each round trip. We stayed 11 days. The first 5 days we shared a house with three other couples. Our share was $400.00. The next 6 days we used Marriott, we got two nights free with points & they upgraded us from a studio to a two bedroom suite! We cooked some & packed lunches most days. A very frugal, fun vacation!
 
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