Travel Rewards Optimizer April Wrap Up
Frank McBride • May 1, 2025
April blog posts covered change and opportunity
In case you missed them, here is your "one-stop shopping" for the past month's posts.
There are big changes for Southwest Airlines with an upcoming switch to assigned seating and with a scrapping of the "two checked bags for free" policy. However, the recently rolled out credit card offerings do not reflect the transition.
There are big changes for Southwest Airlines with an upcoming switch to assigned seating and with a scrapping of the "two checked bags for free" policy. However, the recently rolled out credit card offerings do not reflect the transition.
American Express cards have a reputation of being difficult to use outside of the United States. Is this still the case?
Barclays co-branded travel credit cards are facing pressure from the Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines merger and American Airline's decision to offer co-branded cards with only one bank. What moves make sense for those interested in flying these airlines?
Many are leery of the Points and Miles game and have a preference for cash back credit cards. But there might be a current offer that makes entry into Points and Miles very low risk.
Barclays co-branded travel credit cards are facing pressure from the Alaska Airlines/Hawaiian Airlines merger and American Airline's decision to offer co-branded cards with only one bank. What moves make sense for those interested in flying these airlines?
Many are leery of the Points and Miles game and have a preference for cash back credit cards. But there might be a current offer that makes entry into Points and Miles very low risk.
We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.
In case you missed them, here is your "one-stop shopping" for posts from the past week. For some, recent changes with the Resy restaurant reservation platform might limit dining options when using the credit. Learn more here . Perhaps your next US domestic award flight should be booked through . . . Air France. Check out why . The Amex Platinum card might have the highest annual fee for mass marketed cards. Find out if the benefits are worth it for my household here . Hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!! We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.
A walk through one household's use of the Amex Platinum card
For some domestic flights, Air France might save transferable miles
Recent changes in the Resy reservations platform might limit use of the Amex dining credit
Changes are a mixed bag but Hyatt regulars won't be happy
Some good news in points and miles (and one warning)
A change in favor of airline passengers (for a change)
The Autograph Journey's transfer partner list grows slowly but steadily
Points and miles free up the travel budget for pilsner, paprika, and pastizzi*
As the summer travel season approaches, this is a friendly reminder to avoid "dynamic currency conversion" (DCC) when making credit card purchases outside of your home country. DCC gives you the option of selecting a payment amount in your home currency rather than in the local currency. Typically, when presented with a credit card reader at a shop or restaurant, the touch screen will show purchase amounts in the local currency and in US dollars (for those with American credit cards) and you have the opportunity to choose. I have been seeing these “offers” for several years now and have learned, after doing a little mental math, they are almost always a bad deal for the purchaser. When presented with a credit card reader, I always choose to pay the amount shown in local currency rather than the amount shown in US dollars. During a recent trip, I was making purchases in Euros, Hungarian Forints, and Czech Korunas. From what I could tell, the option of paying in dollars inflated the cost of the purchases around an average of five percent (5%). Once, a card reader screen acknowledged that making the purchase in dollars added an eight percent (8%) fee. Even a credit card with a foreign transaction fee (which you should avoid using when traveling abroad) would have added only three percent (3%) to the tab. Currency games aside, Visa and MasterCard offer reasonable exchange rates when you choose to pay in the local currency. Upon returning home, our credit card statements showed exchange rates that were quite close to market rates. It is reasonable and fair for the credit card issuers make a fraction of a percent here and there as they are performing a service and accepting currency risk (although very briefly). But, claiming to offer a “preferential” rate to pad their bottom line is disingenuous. Because exchange rates are reasonable, using credit cards while traveling abroad is still worthwhile for a points and miles program as long as you avoid cards with foreign transaction fees. Travel oriented cards can offer 2X and 3X spending bonuses for transportation and restaurants to give you a leg up on saving money and accumulating points or miles for your next vacation.
