Discover Miles Credit Card Review
The Discover Miles Card is, unsurprisingly, a travel rewards card that allows cardholders to earn double miles on purchases up to $3000 in travel-related purchases and a point-per-dollar for general purchases. Miles do not expire on the card and there are no blackout dates, though there is a limit of 60,000 miles a year – which could be as low as $30,000 per year, depending on how the miles are earned.
Unique Travel Rewards: Unlike other travel rewards cards, the Discover Miles Card offers 1,000 bonus miles a month if the card is used at least once a month – for a maximum of 12,000 miles in the first year of the card, in addition to whatever miles are earned via other purchases. Miles can be redeemed for airfare or discount airfare, as well as gift cards at 50 brand-name merchants.
Discover Miles Benefits: In addition to rewards points, the Discover Miles Card offers $500,000 in travel accident insurance, as well as enhanced fraud protection that is important to travelers. Like other Discover cards, the Miles Card has a lower APR than comparable cards and a 0% introductory APR for 12 months, as well as no annual fee. The lack of an annual fee is significant, as most travel rewards cards charge an annual fee – some of which can be very steep, offsetting the gains from a better rewards program.
Conclusion: The Discover Miles Card is a decent rewards card that is best suited for those who do not make a lot of purchases a year. The 1,000 a month bonus is only good for the first year of the card, but it can kick into effect for very small purchases. A cardholder does not need to spend $1000 to earn 1000 miles, so it is a good bet for frugal flyers. As you can earn greater miles below $3000, it’s not a great system for those who intend on spending well above that, but for people who do not spend a huge amount on credit – or who will use this card in conjunction with other credit cards – it has some unique travel rewards possibilities.
Card ReviewDiscover Open Road Credit Card Review
The Discover Open Road Card, as the name suggests, is for those credit cardholders who want to get cash back on gas and auto expenses. Cardholders receive back a full 5% on gas and car maintenance purchases, as well as 1% cash back on other purchases, plus an additional .25% on purchases made at warehouses and discount stores.
Spending Rebates: The rebate system changes depending on how much is spent on the card. For the first $1500, cardholders will receive a .25% rebate. Between $1500 and $3000, the rebate goes up to .5%, and all purchases after $3000 receive the full 1% rebate. Alternately, the gas rebate plan is much more generous to start: for the first $1200, cardholders immediately receive the full 5% rebate. Between $1200 and $1500, cardholders receive .25% and after $3000, the rebate stays at .5%. There is no yearly limit on rebates and rebates do not expire. Cardholders can also trade in rebates for a double Cashback Bonus® to be used at Discover partner merchants.
The Open Road APR: For a rebate card, the Discover Open Road card has a competitive APR, with a 0% introductory offer for both purchases and balance transfers. The Open Road card is most recommended to applicants with good credit or better who are most likely to secure the card’s lower rate. The card does use the two-cycle balance to calculate finance charges, which is more expensive than calculating based on average daily balance.
Downside to the Open Road: There’s one caveat to the 5% rebate for the first $1200. It has a monthly minimum. While there is no yearly limit on rebates, there is a monthly cap for gas purchases. The card only offers 5% cash back on $100 in gas purchases a month. For a real gas-guzzler, that could mean a tank and a half a month, or even less, so if you drive a lot that cap could be a problem. What that means is the feasibility of the Discover Open Road depends on the type of car you drive and how much you use the card. If you’re able to keep spending under $100 a month for gas purchases, the card still has good benefits.
How to Use the Open Road Card: The rebate plan on this card is fairly complicated, as rebates go up for general purchases and down for gas purchases. The wisest way to use this card is purely for gas and auto maintenance expenses, as if you use the card for general purchases, your gas rebates will eventually go down. So all told, the best way to use this card is in conjunction with another credit card – potentially with a rebate card that has a good rebate percentage for purchases under $3000. In this day and age, having a gas rebate credit card is essential.
Card ReviewDiscover More Credit Card Review
The Discover More credit card combines unlimited rebates that never expire with a full 5% cash back rebate for Discover’s Get More merchants, making it one of the best cash back credit cards on the market. In addition to having no annual fee, the Discover More card also allows you to exchange your cash rebates for gift cards at up to twice the value of your cash back bonus, sometimes doubling the amount of your rewards.
You can also earn cash back when you shop online with partner merchants through the Shop Discover website. The amount of savings varies across retailers but can be as high as 20% in some cases.
Cash Back Rates – The 5% cashback bonus for Get More partners covers categories such as travel, home improvement stores, department stores, gas, groceries, and restaurants. All other purchases on the Discover More card earn cash back on a tiered rewards structure described below.
After your total annual purchases exceed $3,000, you’ll earn 1% cash back on money you spend outside of the Get More partner stores. Purchases that are part of your first $1,500 earn .25% and purchases that are part of your second $1,500 earn .50%
Doubling Your Rewards – Discover has teamed up with a list of stores that allow you to trade your cash back rewards for gift cards to those retailers. In many cases the value of the gift certificate you get is higher than the dollar value of your cash rewards. For example, the Discover rewards program lets you redeem your cash rebates in $20 increments. In some instances you can turn a $20 statement credit into a $40 gift card for home improvement, restaurants, entertainment, or travel.
Balance Transfer Offers – On top of the cash back features, the Discover More card offers some of the best balance transfer rates available, the current interest rate is 0% on balance transfers for 12 months.
Customizable Cards – Now days we’re used to being able to customize products and services to our own individual tastes and Discover is well aware of that. You can choose from over 150 different card designs when you apply for the Discover More card.
Click here to sign up for the Discover More card. The benefits and features of the card are listed below for your review, take a look and see why the Discover More card is one of the top cash back credit cards available today.
Card ReviewStarwood Preferred Guest Credit Card Review
Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card from American Express offers one Starpoint for every dollar spent on the card, as well as double Starpoints for money spent at Starwood Properties. The Starwood credit card can also be used to accrue frequent flyer points, with cardholders receiving 10,000 bonus points after the first purchase, which can be used towards airline travel.
The Starwood Rewards Program: Starwood Properties include Le Meridien hotels, the Sheraton, W Hotels, St. Regis, Luxury Collection, and others. All of these hotels are high-end, which means cardholders will receive a larger share of points at any Starwood Property. The card is also eligible for double points at eligible retail outlets. Additionally, cardholders will receive 50% off annually for future Starwood purchase up to five nights.
The Starwood Preferred Guest Airline Miles: Unlike other hotel rewards programs, there are no blackout dates. Some hotel rewards programs may have blackout during times when you travel most: the summertime or during holidays. Using your American Express Starwood Preferred Guest credit card allows cardholders to transfer rewards points into airline miles. If you transfer 20,000 points into airline miles, you’ll get back an extra 5,000 points. You’ll also get an additional 15,000 bonus points if you spend $15,000 in the first six months. So adding that together:
10,000 bonus points after first purchase + 15,000 bonus points after six months + 5,000 bonus points for $20,000 spent = a total of 50,000 points for $20,000 spent on the card, good for free airfare.
APR and Annual Fee: Compared to other travel rewards cards of its type, the American Express Starwood Preferred Card has a relatively low fee of $45.00 a year. The APR is also low with a low introductory APR for the first six months of the card (the period where you can earn an extra 15,000 bonus points). There is also no balance transfer fee for the card.
Conclusion: The Starwood Preferred Guest Credit Card has a superlative rewards program, which can then be used at over 30 different airlines or for other travel-related expensive. You can also double your rewards if you stay at Starwood Properties including:
- Le Meridien Hotels
- Sheraton Hotels
- Westin Hotels
- Four Points Sheraton
- Luxury Collection Resorts
- Aloft Hotels
- Element by Westin
- St. Regis Resorts
- W Hotels Worldwide
Hilton HHonors Platinum Credit Card Review
The Hilton HHonors Platinum Credit Card is a travel rewards card with a generous points system: 5 points for every dollar spent at a Hilton, as well as money spent for gas, at supermarkets, drugstores, and other purchases. It’s not a Hilton-only rewards program by any mean, making it one of the better hotel-affiliated credit cards available. Cardholders get 10,000 points after first purchase, as well as 10,000 additional points after the first stays at a Hilton Hotel.
Hilton Rewards
In addition to 5 points rewarded at select merchants, the Hilton HHonors card gives cardholders a full three points for all other purchases. That’s pretty much unprecedented for a rewards card of this type. Most travel rewards card follow the point-per-dollar model. While points never expire, there is a limit of $100,000 in spending every year, which is more than enough for the vast majority of cardholders.
Hilton Bonus Points
The Hilton HHonors card can be combined with the HHonors® reward program, which allows cardholders to earn points or frequent flyer miles towards a hotel stay. In addition to 10,000 points after first purchase, cardholders are eligible for 15,000 bonus points if $5000 is spent in five months. A cardholder could conceivably receive 35,000 bonus points within the first five months of using the card.
The Hilton American Express Card
The HHonors® reward program is an Amex card, so the card comes with all the built in protection of an American Express card – travel accident insurance, car rental insurance, fraud protection, and replacement protection. As this is a travel-related credit card, this is important. The card also has no annual fee and a low introductory rate. However, the card does have a relatively high long-term rate, so it’s not a great card for carrying a balance month to month.
Conclusion: As mentioned, the Hilton HHonors Platinum Card has one of the best travel rewards points programs available. At the same time, this is offset a bit by the APR. If you do a lot of traveling and frequently stay at Hilton hotels, there’s probably no better credit card to have in your wallet.
Card ReviewSimplyCash from American Express Credit Card Review
The Simply Cash Credit Card from American Express may be the best business credit cards out there. The card offers 5% cash back on purchases of wireless phone services, office supplies, as well as 3% cash back on gas purchases. The last rebate is what makes this card stand out from other business credit cards: it combines both a cash rebate card with a gas rebate card for business owners. For all other purchases, cardholders receive 1% cash back, which for some business credit cards is the cash back rebate percentage for all purchases.
Simply Cash Discounts: In addition to the above cash rebates, the Simply Cash Card from American Express offers discounts at OPENSAVINGS merchant partners. So not only will cardholder receive cash back on purchases, but also save money on a variety of office-related products or services – including AT&T, Hyatt Hotels, and FedEx. Additionally, cardholders can earn unlimited rebates, with a limited of $12,000 in gas-related rebates.
Simply Cash APR and Fees: As is the case with many business credit cards, the Simply Cash from American Express has a low APR with a long-term 0% introductory APR, and a low APR for balance transfer for the life of the card – not a six month or twelve month plan, as is the case with most balance transfer rates. The card also has a longer-than-average 25-day grace period, as well as no annual fee or fee for additional cards.
American Express Benefits: There are a number of reasons why an American Express card is a better card for business owners than other issuers. Some of the benefits of the Simply Cash Card from American Express include: purchase protection, online account management, travel insurance, and an online business community to network or trade advice.
Conclusion: Of all the benefits of the Simply Cash from American Express, the 5% rebate on office purchases is the greatest selling point. For any business owner who logs a lot of miles in a car or other vehicle for deliveries or other purpose, the cash back on gas expenditures is also highly attractive. All in all, this card has low fees, low APR, and high rebates: all things you should look for in a business credit card.
Card ReviewJet Blue American Express Credit Card Review
The JetBlue Card from American Express is designed for frequent JetBlue travelers who want a solid reward plan for travel purchases. The JetBlue card offers one point for every dollar spent (called Award Dollars), as well as two points for purchases of JetBlue flights. JetBlue cardholders are also eligible for double points at restaurants, movie theaters, events, and even golf green fees.
TrueBlue Points: In addition to standard Award dollars, the JetBlue Card are also eligible for TrueBlue points. It’s a bit complicated: 200 Award Dollars equals 1 TrueBlue Point and 100 TrueBlue Points equals one free plane trip. A simpler formulation is: $20,000 equals one free plane trip. If this sounds like a lot, keep in mind that cardholders will receive 5,000 free Awards Dollars after first purchase, or 50 TrueBlue points, meaning cardholders are halfway to a free plane flight as soon as they get the card.
Annual Fee and APR: One of the problems with travel rewards card is that sometimes they balance out rewards points with high fees. This isn’t the case with the JetBlue Card from American Express. The card has a low $40 annual fee. The card also has a competitive APR for the life of the card, as well as an attractive APR for both purchases and balance transfers. You won’t lose money to interest in fees that you make in rewards points.
American Express Protection: Like all American Express cards, the JetBlue Card from American Express has enhanced purchase protection, emergency assistance, warranty services, and up to $100,000 in travel insurance protection, making it a well-rounded card for the frequent traveler.
Conclusion: This card isn’t as generous as some other frequent flyer plans out there. However, if you fly JetBlue often, it’s a good loyalty card. Given the fact that JetBlue already provides discounts on flights, this provides an extra incentive to fly on JetBlue and get cash back in return. Another way of saying that: even though it has a lower rewards point program, this is offset by the cost of JetBlue tickets, so you’ll still be able to save more money in the long run. Because cardholders can get double points for other purchases, the JetBlue Credit Card is versatile year-round.
Card ReviewChase TravelPlus Visa Credit Card Review
The Chase TravelPlus Visa Credit Card is no longer available. If you’re in search of a solid travel rewards credit card for people with good credit or better you can find rewards for travel-related purchases (airline tickets, hotels, car rentals) with these travel rewards cards.
If you’re looking specifically for a Chase travel rewards card you can check out these cards:
Card ReviewAmerican Express Clear Card Review
American Express Clear Card has no fees and offers cash back rewards. The lack of fees: the Amex Clear does not have an annual fee, a late payment fee, an over-the-limit fee, balance transfer fee, or a fee for cash advances, is what makes it the “clear card”. This is unprecedented among credit cards. With a healthy rewards program and a low APR, this makes the American Express Clear Card one of the best credit card plans available.
Clear Card Rewards: In addition to the lack of fees, the Clear Card gives 1% cash back on all eligible purchases. After you spend $2500 on the card, you’ll automatically be issued a $25 gift card. Many other credit cards require cardholders to monitor their rewards points and request their cash rewards once they have enough points built up. Not the Clear Card, it does all the work for you and sends a gift card automatically.
Card Protection: Like other Amex cards, The American Express Clear Card offers enhanced fraud protection, as well as travel insurance, such as car rental insurance and $100,000 in travel accident insurance. The card also offers a free credit report at the end of the year – something else that’s unique for a credit card and ensures that cardholders don’t have to do the legwork.
About the Fees: Just because the card doesn’t have fees for late payment doesn’t mean you’re in the clear if you don’t pay your bill month to month. The Clear Card will raise your APR if you don’t pay your bill within the grace period twice in a twelve month period. Most credit cards will raise your APR for not paying the bill on time, but the Clear Card will raise your bill to over 20%, so you should pay your Clear Card bill on time regardless of fees.
Conclusion: The American Express Clear Card is a very good credit card. Many times, a credit card will offset low fees with a higher APR, or vice versa. The Clear Card has both a low APR and low fees, so it is highly attractive. While it doesn’t have an extremely generous rewards program, 1% on purchases is still respectable. So long as you pay your bill on time, the Clear Card from American Express has very solid terms.
Card ReviewDiscover Student Credit Card Review
The Discover Student Card has one of the best cash back plans of any rewards card out there: 5% cash back at select merchants. Most other rewards cards offer 2% cash back at most. Cardholders can also double rebate points by trading them in for gift certificates or gift cards. The card also has a lower APR than other credit cards for students.
Rebate Plan: In addition to 5% cash back for purchases at a number of different outlets, such as Office Depot, Lowes, the Gap, Marshall’s, Pier 1 Imports, and a host of other locations, the Discover Student Card has a tiered approach to cash rebates. A 1% rebate on all purchases kicks in after the first $3000 in purchases. Up until that point, cardholders will get .25% for the first $1500 spent on the card and .50% for the second $1500. Cardholders can earn up to $500 in rebates a year. To calculate that out: .25% of $1500 is $375, so the card would not be maxed out after the first $1500.
Double Cash Back Bonuses: One of the best features of the card is double cash back bonuses. Cardholders can exchange rebates for gift cards at 60 different select merchants. This averages out to 2% cash back for purchases – a very generous rate. The best way to use the card is to cash in small amounts of rebates. So, for example, if you have $20 in rebates built up after a small number of purchase, you can trade these in for a $40 gift card. Select merchants include:
Shop Discover: The Discover Student Card is eligible for increased discounts at merchant partners that can be accessed from Discover’s website. A number of these merchants are perfectly suited for student purchases: such as 7% cash back at Barnes and Noble or a 5% discount at Overstock.com. Purchases at discount outlets earn an additional .25% cash back.
APR and Annual Fee: In addition to the above bonuses, the Discover Student Card has a lower APR than most other student cards – which usually have a steep APR. There is also no annual fee for the card and a two-cycle average for determining balance.
Conclusion: Usually a card that has minimum payments before starting a cash rebate program is not all that positive. The value of the Discover Student Card is not necessarily in the cash back percentages, but how each cardholder chooses to use the card. If a cardholder never spends money at merchant partners, the cash back program is not all that impressive. However, if the student adeptly makes purchases from affiliated merchants and trades in cash rewards for double rewards, the card is highly competitive when measured against other student cards.
Card Review
