Why I Don’t Have ANY Airline Credit Cards

[@KevinYang]

Question for you: Do you have any airline credit cards? How has your experience been with them? 👇

[@ab3040]

High spend business, so I got the AA and Delta Reserve business cards Pretty much just spend my way to top tier status on 2 airlines I'm also thinking about Southwest companion pass recently since the boarding changes

[@KevinYang]

Nice, that Business spend must add up to some nice rewards!

[@DavidJohnson-fz3no]

I have the delta gold and the southwest priorty just got approved for chase saphire preferred

[@KevinYang]

@@DavidJohnson-fz3no Nice! Welcome to the flexible points club :) How do you maximize your Delta Gold and SW Priority?

[@yurig2530]

Yes. I have Barclays Aviator no AF , which prevents miles from expiring. AA Executive, which allows access to Admirals clubs, free bags on domestic flights, $120 Avis/Budget car rental reimbursement, $10 per month Grubhub reimbursement, priority boarding and 4x miles on AA. United Explorer, which gives 25% extra miles on MPX, and extended award availability and 2 United Club passes per year. You can pay AF with 6250 miles, which is 1.52 cpp. You can later downgrade Explorer to Gateway and retain two first perks. I mainly fly AA.

[@jasonspain3554]

Airline Credit cards are definitely end game for me. I'll look into them after I've churned and expended my flexible point options.

[@callmeNeno]

Hotel is more important. I don’t care how I get there economy etc

[@czrs85]

Hey! They're easy pickups. I just picked up the Alaskan airlines. with 60,000 miles which is enough to pay for a business class trip anywhere or most places. Plus a free companion pass after you pay taxes and fee on the ticket. Not mad at that for $99.

[@KevinYang]

Yeah I hear that a lot! Ideally you get both elevated flight *and* hotel experiences, but if you had to choose one, lots of people do choose hotels. Do you seek out Business/First class flights at all, or stretch your points via Eco?

[@KevinYang]

@@czrs85 Alaska miles are great, I just wished there were more easy ways to get them (I guess that's why they're so great). If you're able to regularly use the companion pass, that more than pays for the annual fee already

[@czrs85]

@@KevinYang at least it's worth the ride for a one year.

[@callmeNeno]

@@KevinYangfly economy baby and save those pts~~ unless your flight is abroad 10 + hours long then I make an exception, but domestically I am flying economy

[@my8200ac]

Very helpful to my family thanks

[@MontyTheCardNerd]

Completely agree with your reasons for transferrable credit card points being preferred over airline miles! I do however love the co-branded AA cards for their sign up bonuses ... AA miles are very valuable and not attainable through any credit card point transfers.

[@KevinYang]

Yes! I think if there's elevated AA card welcome bonuses, I should take a closer look for sure...

[@shawn.credit]

Only one I’d want is the Barclays AA Aviator card others ehhh no need!

[@KevinYang]

Almost forgot about Barclays!

[@DugrozReports]

Only have the Aeroplan card -- solely because of pay yourself back 😊 I have no idea If that gets me any status that is meaningful on United, but I’m flying United back from the creator meet up, so I suppose I can give it a try! Thanks for the video!

[@KevinYang]

Unfortunately couldn't make it, but hope it's good! Also which category of the card's PYB do you usually use?

[@ChaseJohnston19]

I agree with moat points here. But some of those hyper-elevated sign up bonuses are never an awful thing to chase.

[@KevinYang]

Yup! If there's something sky high for AA cards, I gotta keep an eye out!

[@The_Turd_Ferguson]

Aeroplan gives a 10% transfer bonus when transferring points from chase which I believe you can stack. which means a BC ticket on SQ booked via AC with a transfer bonus comes out 67300 points which is about 6.5 cpp or almost a 20% return on spend assuming points earned are 3x.

[@KevinYang]

Yeah stacking with that 10% is even better! And is your 6.5cpp calculated based on round trip / 2?

[@The_Turd_Ferguson]

@@KevinYang 1 way trips. usually to asia.

[@kirk1701]

Very helpful video. My plan was to get an airline card to build points for partners, mainly those Asian or Middle East airlines. I was eyeing the Alaska Airlines card since I already have points and they are part of the One World Alliance. Albeit, since I'll be more than likely to be flying solo for awhile that companion pass won't get any use. However, I think it's best to get a non-airline card that has those partners, especially since airline cards seem to be devaluing point (e.g., Alaska Airlines devalued Japan Airlines, and the example you gave in the video). I have a mail offer for a Chase Freedom Unlimited, but w/o the welcome offer. I would like to get a hotel card, but as of now I'm not really geared towards a particular brand. I have Hilton points through Lyft and was approved for one of the Hilton cards, but I'll have to think about it for awhile.

[@KevinYang]

I'd suggest completing the strong setups from Chase (like the Trifecta) or even Amex before diving into these more unique airline cards. There's so many options to transfer and still get good value!

[@kirk1701]

@@KevinYang Tks for the input!

[@KevinYang]

@@kirk1701 No problem!

[@getsugatenshoFTW]

Airline cards are great supplementary options if you want to top off your points balances! Ive been collecting AA miles from AA card signup bonuses since no program transfer to them at a good rate.

[@getsugatenshoFTW]

That being said, it's best to focus on transferable currencies first. I have pretty much all the chase and Amex cards I want except for the cobranded cards.

[@KevinYang]

Yeah that would definitely be one of the main reasons to go for them in my case as well!

[@eduardazayev4230]

Unfortunately I don't travel for work, only leisure and with family, so your case is not mine.

[@colinshi8247]

Kevin, do you prefer a specific airline to earn status with for domestic work travel? What's your award redemption strategy on using those points?

[@KevinYang]

I don't for domestic travel, as it's at most 2-3 times a year of domestic travel + maybe 1-2 leisure trips. I focus on flexible currencies like Chase, Amex, Cap1, and maybe Citi among other in the future

[@tommywei1154]

I fly united quite a bit since it's the main airline at my local airport. Would it be worth it for me to get the United explorer card to get the free checked bags? I really hate spending money on luggage check-in

[@KevinYang]

Being in that airline's hub is a big bonus for having their cards imo. If you fly often enough and free checked bags will help, I'd say go for it!

[@newagain9964]

No. Because if u buy anything but basic economy u get at least one checked beg with each tix. thats basically every major airline.

[@KevinYang]

@@newagain9964 True, but the average person shops via price, and will likely buy Basic Economy, needing to pay up for for regular Eco

[@newagain9964]

@@KevinYang a very unwise play booking basic economy…only time I do that is last min for a flight within a 1-4 days.

[@KevinYang]

@@newagain9964 Unfortunately the market seems to like it or that wouldn't be an option. Unfortunately just more ways for the companies to earn more $

[@somni451]

Alaska Airlines miles are way more valuable than most airlines. If you live in Seattle they fly everywhere domestically from here. Business class from Paris on Air Tahiti for 50,000 points. Easy to get Elite status. I am just MVP and am upgraded on a regular basis. Companion Pass easily covers the 95 annual fee. If you don't fly domestically it maybe a one year and done fro the bonus points.

[@KevinYang]

Yup! Alaska and AA are probably the most valuable airline miles! Unfortunately I don't travel domestically often enough to build up status, despite having corporate challenges like the 2, 4, or 8 round trips for elite status.

[@De_Guatemala]

I downgraded the Explorer to the Gateway and got the Business card. I get 5K miles + 2 lounge passes annually. As a 1MM, having United Cards gives me expanded fare availability.

[@KevinYang]

Nice on the 1MM! How do you maximize those united miles given all the devaluations?

[@newagain9964]

I got United biz in spring for sub. I do wish I got biz infinite club. As I will be flying to EWR a lot next few months. Hopefully elevated offer comes out soon!

[@letchoeats]

If you close a CC it won't fall off your credit report for another 10 years

[@PingPingTravel]

I agree. Asian airlines's service far exceeds what American based airlines can do. And you are right, all of the good credit cards are for domestic airlines. I've had the China Airlines credit card for a few years and got decent value out of it but not outsized value.

[@KevinYang]

100%! Oh haven't really heard of the China Airlines card tbh! And those international airlines do have cards, but just don't seem competitive enough unfortunately

[@PingPingTravel]

@@KevinYang Right, right. Only good for certain use cases.

[@brucelaw8574]

I like my Delta cards (reserve and platinum)however the companion passes I use twice a year sucking up my two main trips a year leaving Other trip to my Alaskan companion pass I also have JetBlue and American Airlines cards have not flown either - thinking about canceling them

[@KevinYang]

Did you have a specific use in mind with the JetBlue and AA cards when you first got them? Also how has your experience been with the different ecosystems, seems like you have cards across a lot!

[@brucelaw8574]

@@KevinYang I have 41 cards way too many just started culling the herd so to speak I have airline miles I never use stuck in this companion pass go around Hoping to use my AA miles in 2026 on trip to Rotterdam however

[@KevinYang]

Damn 41 cards is a ton! Can't imagine the annual fees you're going through haha. AA miles are awesome, what airline would that be flying on? AA metal or partners?

[@brucelaw8574]

Only flight I found was on AA website Not sure there is transferable point options to Rotterdam

[@newagain9964]

@@brucelaw857441? Yeah. No need for all that work. I Just got back from NL/rotterdam. Its core is fine but surrounding hoods, pass.

[@relaxingricky]

What about the highest United card. It gives you IHG platinum elite without the IHG card? 🤙🍷

[@KevinYang]

Hmm haven't looked into that and IHG that much tbh, maybe something to dive into!

[@relaxingricky]

@@KevinYang yes the IHG premier card is pretty solid.🍷😉

[@habeshafinance1710]

I have four airlines card, I always book basic economy for short flight , three to five hours economy and above 6 hours,business class always benefited

[@KevinYang]

Nice! Do you travel pretty often?

[@turtletrade]

No airline credit cards, wife works @ United. I have Chase cards that earn UR points that I transfer to Hyatt.

[@KevinYang]

Haha nice, lucky!!

[@czrs85]

Any suggestions of Hyatt or Marriott stay in Seattle early October? Since Marriott has a bonus transfer offer right now.

[@KevinYang]

Hmm I don't think Seattle has that many great redemptions tbh... what areas?

[@czrs85]

@@KevinYang well I'm just going to be visiting looking at Hyatt regency and Seattle moxy hotel.

[@JohnWick-o5v]

hi, is it possible to transfer the balance on a Chase Biz card to an AMEX personal or Citi personal card or Capital 1 personal card to take advantage of 0% bal transfer promo? thanks