What's the best bonus miles credit card?

Chase Sapphire Reserve is worth its $550 annual fee for frequent travelers who can spend at least $4,000 in the first 3 months and qualify for the card’s initial bonus of 50,000 points. Travelers will also get a lot of value out of Chase Sapphire Reserve because it comes with a $300 annual travel credit and good ongoing rewards.… read full answer

Key Things That Make Chase Sapphire Reserve Worth It

• You earn 1 - 10 points / $1 spent on purchases, including 10 points / $1 spent on select travel expenses.
• You’ll have an opportunity to earn an initial bonus of 50,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months.
• Chase Ultimate Rewards Reserved points are worth 50% more than usual when you redeem them for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards Reserved.
• There are several types of travel insurance, including a $1 million benefit for serious injury or death.
• You get a Priority Pass Select airport lounge membership that would usually cost $429 a year.
• You’ll receive a $300 travel credit each account anniversary year.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of Chase Sapphire Reserve

Chase Sapphire Reserve’s attractive features are only worth it if you travel frequently and have the excellent credit needed to get approved. You’ll also need to earn enough rewards – or utilize enough of the card’s other perks – to make it worth owning.

For example, if you make the most of the Priority Pass membership ($429 annual value), along with the $300 annual travel credit, you’d recoup the entire annual fee. That shouldn’t be hard for frequent travelers to do every year. And the more benefits you take advantage of, the less you need to spend to break even.

Finally, in order for Chase Sapphire Reserve to be worth it, it’s important to pay the bill in full each month. Otherwise, you’ll end up paying a 17.24% - 24.24% (V) interest rate on the unpaid balance, which will decrease the overall value of the card’s perks and rewards.

More moderate spenders looking for a travel rewards card without the huge annual fee should check out our editors’ picks for the best travel rewards credit cards to help narrow the search.

Chase Sapphire Preferred is worth its $95 annual fee, as long as you spend at least $1,334 per month. That will enable you to qualify for the card’s initial rewards bonus, which will cover the cost of many years’ annual fees.

You get 80,000 points when you spend $4,000 during the first 3 months after you open your account. That’s a value of $1,000 when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. (Points are worth 1 cent each, plus Chase Ultimate Rewards gives you an extra 25% redemption value.) The bonus alone will pay for 10+ years’ of membership dues.… read full answer

The third type of bonus you can get is from referrals. You earn 15,000 points for every person who signs up for Chase Sapphire Preferred using your referral link, with a limit of 75,000 points per year. That means you can earn an extra $188-$938 in travel every year, more than enough to offset the annual fee. You can’t forget about the everyday rewards you’ll earn on purchases, either.

Plus, Chase Sapphire Preferred has more benefits than just reward points. There are no blackout dates or other travel restrictions. And you’ll get a number of other free perks like travel insurance, roadside assistance, and purchase protection. All of these things enhance the value of this card even more.

Therefore, while Chase Sapphire Preferred’s annual fee certainly is above average, the rest of the offer is, too. So as long as you have excellent credit and spend enough to qualify for the initial bonus, Chase Sapphire Preferred is well worth the price.

How much 40,000 miles are worth depends on the airline or credit card you earn them from and when you book your flight. On average, 40,000 miles are worth about $400. But it can vary widely. For example, 40,000 AAdvantage miles are worth roughly $456 in American Airlines airfare. With United, 40k miles get you $416 in flights. And 40k Delta miles are worth $532.… read full answer

Here’s how much 40,000 miles are worth by airline:

1. Lufthansa: $916
2. Southwest: $616
3. JetBlue: $572
4. Delta: $532
5. American: $456
6. United: $416

Credit card miles that aren’t tied to a particular airline typically get you a penny each. But how you redeem your miles is really important, too. For example, the Capital One Venture Card’s 50,000-mile initial bonus is worth $500 when used for travel but just $250 when redeemed for cash.