Low Interest Credit Cards

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Are you looking for a low interest credit card so that you can save on interest fees when you carry a balance from month to month? If that’s the case, you should go for low interest credit cards which offer introductory rates from as low as 0% for a certain period of time.

Whether you are booking a vacation package, buying an expensive gift or transferring an existing card balance, there is nothing better than being assured that you will only have to pay a low interest rate for your purchases or balance transfers if you won’t be able to repay within the same month.

Using DailyMarkets.com’s search wizard, I’ve come up with a list of the top 11 best credit cards offering low interest, all of which have no annual fee.

Citi Simplicity Card. This new card, issued by Citibank (NYSE:C), has a 0% intro APR on purchases for 18 months, and also a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. After those first 18 months, you will have to pay a variable APR of 12.99%, 17.99% or 21.99%, depending on your credit score. Citi Simplicity is at the top of my recommendation list because it doesn’t charge any late fees, or increase your interest rate when you miss a payment due date.

Slate from Chase – No Balance Transfer Fee. This low interest Chase card has a 0% intro APR on both purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, and on top of that, you pay no balance transfer fee at all if you transfer a balance from another card to Chase Slate within the first 30 days of account opening. All other cards charge a 3-5% balance transfer fee when you make a balance transfer. After the intro period, you will have to pay a variable APR of 11.99%, 16.99% or 21.99% depending on your credit score.

Chase Freedom Visa $100. This Visa (NYSE:V) card by JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) has a 0% intro APR on purchases and on balance transfers for 15 months. After the intro period, variable APR for both purchases and balance transfers will be 12.99% – 22.99%, depending on your credit score. You’ll also get 5% cash back on quarterly rotating categories of purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases. This Chase Freedom card offers a signing bonus of $100, which you’ll receive after spending just $500 within the first 3 months.

Citi Diamond Preferred Card. With this card, you will enjoy a 0% intro APR for 18 months on both purchases and balance transfers. After that, your variable APR will be either 11.99%, 16.99% or 21.99%, depending on your credit score. You’ll also have access to its 24/7 Diamond Preferred concierge service.

Discover More Card. This card, issued by Discover (NYSE:DFS), offers 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, and a variable APR of 10.99% – 20.99% thereafter. You will get 5% cash back on quarterly rotating categories of purchases.

Capital One Platinum Prestige Credit Card. This card, issued by Capital One Financial (NYSE:COF), gives you 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers till September 2013. You pay 10.9% – 18.9% variable APR after that. No foreign transaction fee when you use the Platinum Prestige card outside the US.

Citi Platinum Select Visa Card. This card gives you a 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR is 11.99% – 21.99%, depending on your credit score.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card. This card offers 0% intro APR on purchases till June 2013, after that, you will have to pay a variable APR of 11.99%-19.99% depending on your credit score. Capital One VentureOne card gives you 10,000 bonus miles once you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months. Earn 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase.

Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express. This American Express (NYSE:AXP) credit card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for up to 12 months. Thereafter, you will have to pay a variable 17.24% – 22.24% APR on the balances you hold. Get up to 3% cash back on your purchases. You’ll receive $100 bonus cash back when you spend $1,000 on purchases within the first 3 months. Cash back you earn is given as statement credit.

Discover Motiva Card. You will get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. Thereafter, your variable APR will be 10.99% – 20.99%, depending on your creditworthiness.

Discover Open Road Card. This travel rewards card has a 15-month 0% intro APR to repay your purchases and balance transfers. After that, you will only have to pay 10-99% – 20.99% variable APR depending on your credit score. You will receive 2% cash back on gas and restaurants on your first $250 in combined purchases each month.

Small Business Credit Card

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There’s a small business credit card for everyone, whether you spend on office furniture, gas, Internet or travel. These cards are also helpful in giving you that extra capital boost you need to get your enterprise up and running. Many business credit cards offer lower APRs and flexible payment plans, allowing you better access to funds. Choosing the right card, though, can be a hassle. Just answer a few questions on the left and leave the card selection to us, so you can get back to running your business.

Small business credit cards are an essential tool for any owner looking to hedge expenses. Whether you seek corporate lounge access or simply low-interest financing, we’ll help you choose the right card to supplement your business. Not every card is right for every business. Which you choose is contingent on your needs and expenditures. A business with travel-intensive itineraries will require something vastly different from a company that deals primarily with the local community. We’ll sort the top small business credit cards into a few distinct categories that should help you determine which direction to go.

Best corporate rewards cards

Business owners not currently in need of credit card financing may want to considering earning dividends on recurring expenditures with a business rewards card. Some corporate rewards cards emphasize earning on travel expenses, while other promise perks for office supplies and cable services.

Best overall rewards card: the Chase Ink

The Ink by Chase has a lot to offer, from a crazy-high signup bonus to ongoing rewards to a full year of no interest. For starters, the signing bonus is worth $250. The Ink charges no annual fee and earns rewards in 5% bonus categories. The card comes in two varieties: the Ink Cash and the Ink Classic. The Cash earns cash (duh), and the Classic earns Ultimate Rewards Points. Points are easy to redeem and can be traded for gift cards, so they will be nearly as valuable as cash for most people. Both cards earn 5% on office supplies and cable/telecom services ($25,000 yearly maximum). The Ink Classic earns 2% on gas and lodging, while the Cash earns 2% on gas and dining (again, a $25,000 maximum). Both offer an unlimited 1% on all other purchases. You will qualify for the $250 signing bonus when you spend $5k within the first 3 months. Additionally, they grant a 0% APR for 12 months, ideal if you need to make some purchases that will take a little time to pay down. If you don’t like fees, don’t like interest, but DO like rewards, the Chase Ink is an affordable and highly rewarding option for entrepreneurs.

Best card for hotel guests: the Starwood American Express


Need to travel? Lodging can be expensive, especially if you like to sleep in style. The Starwood American Express Business card offers one of the highest hotel rewards rates we’ve come across. It may not seem impressive at a point earned per dollar spent, but we value Starpoints up to 5 cents apiece, averaging in at 2.3 cents each. At 2.3%, that’s a rewards rate you’ll be hard-pressed to beat. The card pays up to 5 points per dollar at SPG hotels and dishes out a 25,000-point signing bonus (worth about $575). The $65 annual fee is waived the first year.

In addition to the phenomenal rewards, the Starwood AmEx comes armed with an impressive suite of perks. These include auto rental insurance, automatic Gold status if you spend $30k annually and a 5-night elite status credit. This is a perfect card for frequent hotel-goers (and even frequent flyers). The only drawback is the 2.7% foreign transaction fee. International travelers might want to consider a fee-free option. But for domestic trips, the Starwood is your card.

Best general travel card: Capital One Spark Miles


If you want the versatility to stay at any hotel or fly on any airline and earn rewards in the process, the Capital One Spark Miles (formerly the Venture Rewards Business) allows rewards redemption for any travel expense. Capital One’s No Hassle Miles, which build at a flat 2% rate on all purchases, can be used to pay anything from lodging to gas to airline fees. For example, if you spend $213.82 on a plane ticket, airline change fees and hotel room service, you can use 21,382 miles to clear the charges from your statement. The $59 annual fee is waived the first year and well worth the expense. The Capital One Spark Miles has a signup bonus of 10,000 Capital One No Hassle Miles when you spend $1,000 in the first 3 months.

Best corporate charge cards

Unlike credit cards, charge cards have to paid in full each and every month. You won’t have to worry about preset spending limits, but carrying a month-to-month balance will result in sky-high fees and interest rates. But if you feel comfortable committing to paying off monthly charges, you’ll be handsomely rewarded. Our top two picks in this category deliver perks and rewards valued at hundreds–if not thousands–of dollars.

Best for corporate travelers: the AmEx Business Platinum


The American Express Business Platinum is the king of corporate cachet, and for good reason. The fringe be. Among the highlights:

Concierge service
A $200 credit to offset airline incidentals
Premium card rentals with Avs, Hertz and National
Airport club access with American, Delta and US Airways
Free hotel upgrades and benefits worth up to $450 per stay
Access to over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide
A complimentary companion ticket when you purchase a business or first class international ticket on partner airlines
Together, these perks easily offset the $450 annual fee. Airline incidental credits and lounge access alone wipe it out and some. Plus, there’s no foreign transaction fee, so you need not worry about that pesky 3% other cards charge you on international purchases.

Best signup bonus: the Chase Ink Bold


The Chase Ink Bold, unlike the Ink Cash and Classic, is a charge card and bears a number of considerable differences from its brothers. The Ink Bold comes with an enormous $625 singup bonus, no foreign transaction fee, and high reward caps ($50,000 in purchases as opposed to the $25,000 of the Cash and Classic). The annual fee is $95 and is waived the first year. It’s worth mentioning that points redeemed for Ultimate Rewards Travel are worth 25% more. That’s why the 50,000-point signing bonus has such a high value. It’s a great card for earning on office supplies and services as well as travel expenditures.

Best corporate low interest business cards

Using a credit card to finance a business requires another kind of beast entirely. Rather than looking at rewards, you’ll want to look at interest rates. The best zero interest cards will result in up to an entire year without APR. Credit unions often provide the lowest ongoing interest rates, so you may want to visit one in your local area. Here are our favorite cards for shirking interest payments

Longest zero interest period: American Express SimplyCash


The advantage of the American Express SimplyCash is two-fold. It has a solid rewards program, and it offers one of the longest intro APRs you’ll find. You’ll pay no interest on purchases for a full 12 months. After that, the minimum ongoing APR is a more-than-reasonable 12.24%. You’ll earn cash rewards at 5% on wireless services and office supplies (capped at $12k spent annually per category). Gas station purchases earn 3%. Everything else is eligible for an unlimited 1%. You will pay no annual fee. The only downside is the lack of signing bonus, which is why we don’t recommend it above the Chase Ink Cash and Classic. But for assistance in financing and earning juicy ongoing rewards, the SimplyCash provides a smart balance.

Lowest interest rates: BofA Platinum Plus


Low ongoing APRs can oft be found at local credit unions. Just remember, many don’t offer business lending services. If you’d like a low ongoing APR to carry you far into the future, the Bank of America Platinum Plus has a minimum APR of 9.24%. You only want to choose the BofA card over the SimplyCash if you’re looking a very long way down the road. Taking into consideration the SimplyCash’s intro APR, the Platinum only offers the better deal after 4 years. The Platinum is more suited for businesses that are already off the ground rather than those just taking off.

Secured Credit Card

Here are the answers to the top 10 questions about secured credit card.

1. What is a secured credit card?
A secured card requires a cash collateral deposit that becomes the credit line for that account. For example, if you put $500 in the account; you can charge up to $500. You may be able to add to the deposit to add more credit, or sometimes a bank will reward you for good payment and add to your credit line without requesting additional deposits.

2. Where can I get a secured credit card?
Check Bankrate.com's list of secured credit card issuers. If you're a credit union member, ask about a secured card there. About half of the nation's credit unions offer secured cards to their members and may offer lower interest rates and waive annual fees.

3. What kind of charges will there be?
This is where it pays to shop around. Look for a card that doesn't charge an application fee. Every secured card charges an annual fee, and they vary dramatically. Read the fine print. Some people have gotten secured cards and found their entire limit consumed with fees before they ever used the card.

4. How much money do I have to deposit?
Again, the amount will vary by the card. Most are $300 to $500. Your credit limit will either be the amount of your deposit or some percentage above that amount.

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5. Do all banks offer secured credit cards?
No. Linda Sherry, editorial director of Consumer Action, says her organization is seeing a trend in banking away from secured cards and toward unsecured cards with lower limits and higher interest rates and fees. Still, secured cards are a good choice -- and sometimes the only option -- for people who are just starting out or rebuilding after a major life event, such as a divorce, job loss or serious illness. In addition, some issuers only give secured cards to people who are new to credit -- not those who have already had one crack and blown it.

6. Are there any problems to watch out for?
Yes. Howard Dvorkin, president of Consolidated Credit Counseling Services Inc. in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., a nonprofit organization that helps people get out of debt, calls secured credit cards "a Clint Eastwood movie -- the good, the bad and the ugly. Some are good. They have low fees and treat customers as customers instead of as cattle. The bad ones take advantage and extort the clients because of their situations. Then there's the ugly, which are completely despicable. They'll give you the card, but you have to buy this insurance policy for $55 a month."

The Federal Trade Commission organized a crackdown on telemarketers illegally charging fees that range from $25 to several hundred dollars in advance of receiving "guaranteed" credit cards or loans. Consumers either got nothing or were just sent credit card applications.

Gather plenty of information when you apply for a card. In addition to such important items as the interest rates, fees and the required deposit, you'll want to get answers to these questions:

7. Do you report to all three major credit bureaus?
The reason for having a secured card goes far beyond being able to buy CDs online. It's a vehicle for building a good credit history. If the issuer doesn't report, you've lost a major benefit. (Tip: If you start getting mailers offering you unsecured cards after you've made several months of payments on time, you'll know that the bank is reporting.) Ask if the issuer will flag the report to the credit bureaus as a secured card. Consumer Action points out that such a flag could be a deterrent to rebuilding credit.

8. How long does it take to qualify for an unsecured card?
The card issuer should want to keep you as a customer, so most will qualify you for an unsecured card after a period of making all your payments on time. The average is about a year.

9. How much interest will my deposit earn, and what kind of account does the deposit have to be in?
Generally, you'll be getting about what you'd get if you opened a savings account at your own bank. The deposit options include a savings account, money market or certificate of deposit. Also, ask how long the money has to stay on deposit after the account is closed. Some banks will want to keep the deposit for a couple of billing cycles to cover any stray charges that arrive.

10. How can I make the best use of a secured card to build my credit rating?
Buy a few things and pay off the card every month. "People should not get these cards to carry any balance," Sherry says. "It seems you need to make a few purchases and pay for them. It helps to pay in full every month to show you've got this excellent credit rating."

While secured cards make sure you never spend more money than you can afford while they force you to save, it's not a good idea to keep one any longer than you have to, experts say.

All secured cards have annual fees and higher interest rates than regular, unsecured cards. If you have enough discipline to use a secured card responsibly, you have enough to use an unsecured card and set up a better savings program on your own.

"We recommend to people that it should be a stepping stone," Sherry says.

Prepaid Credit Cards

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Prepaid credit cards, more accurately known as a secured credit cards, have a credit limit based on a security deposit the account holder must make upfront. In all other respects, this type of account functions like a standard unsecured credit card. Credit accounts of all types require that payments be made on time and the account be used responsibly, but a security deposit lowers the risk to the bank, making prepaid credit cards easier for many people to get.

Credit vs. Debit

Prepaid credit cards are different than prepaid debit cards. A debit card deducts funds from the amount of money deposited into the account associated with it, whereas a credit card makes purchases on credit, which must be repaid using funds from another account. In the case of a secured card, the funds used to pay the bill cannot come from of the security deposit in most situations.

Many people look into this financial solution because of poor credit. Only a prepaid credit card will improve a person's credit, however, and only if payments are made in a timely manner. If the person may not be able to do this, a prepaid debit card may be a more appropriate solution, since the money will be automatically deducted.

Getting an Account

To open a secured line of credit, an applicant must first find a company offering this service. Prepaid credit cards may require an application fee as well as an annual fee. The amount that the issuing company charges can vary widely, so applicants should thoroughly research any card they are considering, along with the company and the credit contract. The person will have to apply for the card as with any other credit application.

Once approved, the person will need to set up the account and pay the security deposit. The amount of the deposit is typically the same as the credit limit; it may be possible to increase this limit if more money is later added to the deposit. Once the money is deposited, the account holder is issued a physical credit card that can be used just like any other.

Usually, the person who opened the account will be sent a bill each month for the amount of money he or she has charged on the card. Each company has its own policies, however, and all bills should have their due dates clearly stated. If a payment is missed, the account holder will likely be charged a penalty, and any amount that is not paid off at the end of the billing cycle will have an interest charge — some percentage of that original amount — added to it.

Advantages and Disadvantages

People with poor credit are often eligible for a prepaid credit card even when they may not get approved for a standard one. As such, it is often used as a way of building good credit. By making regular small charges and paying them off each month, borrower can show that he or she is financially responsible. In many cases, after a year or so of making regular payments, a secured account may be converted to an unsecured one.

Many prepaid credit cards are subject to very high fees and interest, however. This means that, if the charges aren't paid off each billing cycle, the amount the person owes may grow quickly. This can make a secured account riskier than other types, because the security deposit may be forfeited if the borrower cannot pay. Additionally, the security deposit may not earn much interest, and it cannot be accessed easily by the account owner.

In some cases, a prepaid credit card may be "flagged" as such on the borrower's credit report. This tells other potential creditors that the account is secured, and can make it more difficult for the person to improve his or her credit. A person who is already struggling with financial problems may find that these disadvantages only make the issues worse, defeating the potential benefits of the card to improve the person's credit rating.

Credit Cards for Bad Credit

This article will talk about credit cards for bad credit. No one wants to have bad credit, but with the record job losses, foreclosures and credit card defaults of the past couple of years, more people are finding themselves with less-than-stellar credit scores these days. But there's good news for those with scores in the 600s or below who still need a credit card whether for emergencies or just to rent a car: Life -- and access to credit -- still goes on.

"We tend to think of money problems as a character flaw," says Geoff Williams, co-author of "Living Well with Bad Credit." "But we've all found out in the past two years that money problems can happen to anyone."

While you may avoid applying for a credit card, thinking your application will only end up in the card issuer's trash, the truth is you shouldn't count yourself out, says Peter Garuccio, a spokesman with the American Bankers Association. "There are still a lot of offers out there," he says. Your personal bank or credit union may be even more willing to work with you if your credit has taken a hit.

Of course, it may be harder than it was a couple of years ago. "Like everyone else in financial services, Wells Fargo adjusted underwriting standards to manage risk in this difficult credit environment," says Lisa Westermann, a spokeswoman for San Francisco-based Wells Fargo & Company. Today, fewer people are being approved for credit cards due to deteriorating real estate values and investment portfolios, high unemployment and increased levels of personal debt, she says. Another factor that's making card issuers more stringent: "Many consumers with traditionally good credit scores are defaulting at high rates," Westermann adds.

Sob stories count
If you know you have a major blemish on your credit report, such as a loan default, you might increase your odds of getting a card by explaining the reasons for your financial difficulties. Consumers can add a 100-word statement to their credit reports, letting creditors know what led to a drop in their scores. "Anyone who pulls your credit is supposed to take into account what you put in that statement," says Linda Sherry, a spokeswoman for San Francisco-based education and advocacy organization Consumer Action.
Honesty is the best policy when making your pitch. "Say, 'Look, the economy of '08 and '09 killed me. I lost my job and am still trying to catch up, but you'll see that I typically paid my bills on time before this happened,'" Sherry advises. Creditors may also be more willing to overlook bad credit if the circumstances were unrelated to your spending habits. "Divorce and illness are two reasons that everybody understands," says Williams.

If you make your pitch and are still denied, there are other options for securing credit, though they come with a cost.

When I saw that dramatic change in the score, my self-esteem came back, and I became even more responsible.
-- Willie Mathis
St. Louis, Mo.
Secured credit cards allow you deposit anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to several thousand dollars of your own money into an interest-bearing account. A lender then issues you a card with a credit line that's equal to or slightly higher than your deposit. Bad credit isn't an issue because "you're putting down money that the issuer can take if you don't pay your bill," says Sherry.

Willie Mathis of St. Louis was denied several credit cards last year before applying for and receiving a secured card through Banamex USA, a division of Citi. Within a year, Mathis' credit score has risen from the depths up to 625, and he has recently received two unsecured credit card offers. He's also hoping to be approved for a car loan.

"When I saw that dramatic change in the score, my self-esteem came back, and I became even more responsible," he says. Galen Gondolfi, a senior loan officer with St. Louis-based microlender Justine Petersen, counseled Mathis through the process. "You want to graduate from a secured card, though it's the first step in rebuilding financing," Gandolfi says.

In recent years, many issuers of secured credit cards have added upfront fees, making the cards less consumer-friendly than in the past. Expect to pay an annual fee and come up with the deposit, but "what you're really trying to limit is the high processing application-type fees," Sherry says.

The other thing you want to make sure of before getting a secured card is that the issuer reports to a credit bureau, warns the Federal Trade Commission. Since your main reason for getting a secured card is to re-establish credit, you'll be wasting your time if the payment history you establish with the secured card doesn't count for anything. After a year or so of using the secured card, you may want to apply with that same issuer for an unsecured card.

Costly credit
Subprime credit cards are another option for people with bad credit. Often referred to as fee-harvesting cards because the issuers typically charge a lot of upfront processing fees, most experts deem these to be your last resort because they are so expensive. The Credit CARD Act of 2009 reined them in a little, capping their upfront fees to 25 percent of the card's limit the first year, but subprime card issuers may raise interest rates to limit their risks. One company, Premier Bankcard of South Dakota, test marketed cards with a 79.9 percent annual percentage rate last year. If you do opt for a subprime card, pay off your balances immediately and use it only until you can qualify for something better.

Unfortunately, secured and subprime card issuers aren't the only ones targeting those with bruised credit. The FTC warns that scammers also may try to appeal to those who are looking to regain their financial footing. Any legitimate credit card issuer will ask to pull your credit report, and if you're asked to call a 900 number or pay money before you're even granted a card, look the other way.

While it's not impossible to get a credit card with a low credit score, another option is waiting a few months and using that time to pay down debt, make on-time payments and get your score up.

Not only will you be rebuilding your credit history, but if your credit cards got you in hot water in the first place, "it's smart to save your money and try to learn to live without one," says Williams.

Airline Credit Cards

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If there was ever a time to consider airline credit cards, now might be it, as rewards have soared and perks are freely flowing, credit card experts say. Other than frequent-flier deals, bonuses include free checked bags, priority boarding and access to flight lounges

Not only can cardholders rack up frequent-flier miles to book free flights, but they can reap such goodies as free checked bags, priority boarding and access to flight lounges. And sign-up bonuses of frequent-flier miles have become so generous — up nearly 20 percent over last year — that new cardholders could have enough miles to take a free flight right away. So a new rewards card could factor into summer vacation plans immediately.

Airline credit cards continue to have drawbacks, such as annual fees and high interest rates. But for consumers who have good credit and pay balances in full every month, the current lineup of airline reward credit cards features a bumper crop of good deals, experts say.

And good news for Chicagoans: Some of the best cards are offered by such carriers as United Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines, the dominant ones at O'Hare and Midway airports.

Why such good deals now?

In the wake of the 2008 recession, card issuers gained new appreciation for customers who don't default on payments. Now, after the stingy credit environment has loosened, banks are back to offering credit cards. But this time they're ratcheting up rewards as they vie for the same pool of low-risk customers, said Odysseas Papadimitriou, CEO of CardHub.com, a comparison website. And airline card customers, in particular, tend to be good spenders.

For the hypercompetitive airline business, mileage reward credit cards represent an effective boost to their loyalty programs — giving fliers more reason to book with them over a competitor.

"There's a very rich value exchange that happens between the airlines and the credit card companies," said Bryan Pearson, president of LoyaltyOne, a loyalty program market research company. "It's a very healthy ecosystem."

For consumers, credit cards have the inherent danger of overspending and incurring interest charges on unpaid balances, but they allow people in frequent-flier programs to get free flights faster.

Curtis Arnold, founder of CardRatings.com and author of "How You Can Profit from Credit Cards," said the rewards card market in general — for cash back, points and airlines miles — has heated up over the past year or so. "Airline rewards offering very generous sign-up bonuses have been sort of a byproduct of the overall market upswing," he said.

However, initial bonuses right now are so generous that the trend will probably be short-lived, and card issuers are likely to reduce them, Pearson said. "That will shake out of the system pretty quickly," he said. "If you're spending too much money to bring the customer in at the beginning, it's not a sustainable value proposition. It won't take long for somebody in the organization to cut that off at the knees."

So, if you were going to capitalize on airline card offers, now is a good time.

Here are some things to consider.

Who should get an airline rewards credit card? If you typically carry a balance on credit cards, you'll be better off searching for a card with a low interest rate and no annual fee, experts say. Airline cards typically charge higher-than-average interest.

"It makes no sense to get a rewards card if you're carrying a balance, just because the higher interest rate will more than eat up your rewards," said Bill Hardekopf, CEO of LowCards.com and co-author of "The Credit Card Guidebook."

And if you're not a big flier, a cash-back card might be better, especially because the rewards currency — cash — is far more flexible than points or miles because you can spend it on anything. Also, initial bonuses on cash-back rewards cards have grown even faster than airline bonuses. Cash-back bonuses are up 90 percent over last year, according to CardHub.com.

But if you're a frequent flier, an airline card has many perks beyond occasional free flights. You can get free checked bags, which can save you $25 each way if you were traveling domestically with United Airlines, for example.

"Free checked bags should not be overlooked," Hardekopf said. "That is a feature that is extremely valuable."

In United's case, two round trips per year with a single checked bag would save $100 in baggage fees, essentially paying for the $95 annual fee for the United MileagePlus Explorer card, which includes one free checked bag for the cardholder and companion. The Delta Skymiles cards — gold, platinum or reserve — allow the cardholder plus eight companions on the reservation to check the first bag free.

Some cards include priority boarding, a perk usually reserved for travelers with an elevated frequent-flier status or for those who paid extra to board early.

SouthWest Credit Card

Did you know that the SouthWest Credit Card is one of the best credit card!!! If you want a credit card that can combine your love for making purchases and your interest of making travels, then the southwest credit card is for you. This is one of the few credit cards that can make you earn great rewards points so that you can have free airfare on your next trip. Best of all, since the southwest credit card is based on airfare and not on mileage, you can get a boarding pass without having to spend a lot of money.

To know more about this wonderful credit card, here is some basic information about this wonderful credit card system

Southwest Credit Card Rewards

When you own the southwest credit card, there are only two things that you have to bear in mind: each purchase can award you points, but more points are given to purchases with partner establishments. The difference with this credit card than other credit cards is that instead of having to pay a lot of money for credit, you can just swipe away to any establishment and earn rewards fast and easy. There’s no need for you to do more than just pay in credit, you can just spend and fly with the use of the Southwest Credit Card Free Flight rewards system.

Southwest Credit Card Promotion
You have a number of options as to where you can use your southwest credit card for maximum point earning so that you can start booking a flight free of charge right away. Here are some of the promotions that this amazing credit card can offer to the frequent swipe shopper and the frequent flier.

What The Southwest Credit Card is giving you?

Free Flight Upon Approval

Unlike other credit cards, the southwest credit card can give you the ultimate savings in airfare by providing you with 2 complimentary tickets to limited destinations as soon as your credit card is approved. No need to start earning points right away when you can enjoy a free flight care of Southwest Airlines or any other partner airline to your destination of choice upon approval of your southwest credit card application. This is the greatest opportunity for you to spend your dollars on lodging and amenities to have that weekend getaway with you partner that you’ve been holding off for years.

Dining Rewards

Another great reward option with the southwest credit card is the Dining Rewards system. This is a perfect credit card reward for those who would like to dine out often and party. With this reward system, you can earn a great number of points because of the thousands upon thousands of restaurants and bars that have partnered up with the southwest credit card for this reward system. All you have to do is to present you southwest credit card upon bill out and voila! A free flight via Southwest Airlines may be on its way.

Hotel Rewards

If you fly in and out of town to stay at hotels, be it a part of your job or a part of your leisure experience, you can certainly enrich the wonderful night at the hotel by earning rewards on your southwest credit card. The southwest credit card have partnered with large hotel chains such as the Best Western and the Hilton so that you can check-in and enjoy a night or two at the hotel, and check out, only to see that your credit payment can help you earn a free flight back home. Through this credit card, you can even plan your next trip and hotel booking so that you can start earning points all over again upon check-in. This is one of the best rewards for people who would like to sleep in rather than to dine out.

Car Rental Rewards

If you are having a vacation, one of the things that you may do is to rent a car. Through the southwest credit card, you can rent a car and get a free plane trip at the same time. Simply present the southwest credit card when you are renting out the car and you can certainly earn reward points immediately. There’s no need to register or to wait for approval this is a credit card that can help you manage your rentals and purchases while giving you the rewards that you truly deserve.

Other Partner Merchants

Aside from the rewards that you can earn from dining, hotel, and car rental merchants, you can also earn rewards through other partner establishments. The great thing about these partner establishments is that you may have the chance to earn points with a merchant that you have been going to already.

Suppose, you would like to pay your bills with your southwest credit card, there are energy provider partners in the credit card that you can pay to and earn points with. You can even earn points with the southwest credit card by just subscribing to an email list. There are just a lot of other establishments that have partnered with the southwest credit card so that you can earn the most rewards without having to look for a partner establishment. Who knows? The bar that you have in the corner of your street, the car rental that you got in a town somewhere, or the hotel that you’ve stayed in last weekend are all partners in the reward system.

There’s no reason for you then no to earn points so that you can get a vacation with free airfare to your destination of choice.

As you can see, you can do so much with just one credit card system. The southwest credit card is a reliable credit card system that gives you the rewards that you never thought was possible in any credit card. You can certainly maximize your earning potential and save up on money when you receive airfare and other rewards through this credit card. The southwest credit card is a credit card that is an amazing credit card in itself, and with all the rewards that you can get, the southwest credit card is a different breed of reward-earning credit card altogether.

Let’s enjoy the benefit of SouthWest Credit Card