topic Re: Do I need a travel credit card? in Credit Cards

Do I need a travel credit card?

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:09:41 GMT

Hi everyone!

Is a travel card necessary? I only travel once a year and I'm not sure if a credit card is needed. And if so when is best to use it?

What cards do you guys recommend?

Chase Freedom $500

Discover IT $1,600

Citi Double Cash $1,500

Capital One Quicksilver $750

Barclay Apple Rewards $2,000

Re: Do I need a travel credit card?

AverageJoesCredit — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:12:09 GMT

If you dont travel, no imo. Use your DC to gain some cb from that once a year travel and you should be ok but alas im no expert in travel or rewards for travel.

Re: Do I need a travel credit card?

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:13:36 GMT

Not enough info.

If you travel once a year on $40,000 African safaris, yes.

If you travel 16 times a year on $29 Frontier flights and stay in $5 hostels, no.

Re: Do I need a travel credit card?

Anonymous — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:14:14 GMT

Travel cards are only needed if you do a lot of flying, such as for business purposes or if you take lots of vacations and such.

The rewards on them add up like crazy if you do it a lot.

if not, nope you dont need one.

Re: Do I need a travel credit card?

pizza1 — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:35:18 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
Hi everyone!

Is a travel card necessary? I only travel once a year and I'm not sure if a credit card is needed. And if so when is best to use it?
What cards do you guys recommend?

Chase Freedom $500
Discover IT $1,600
Citi Double Cash $1,500
Capital One Quicksilver $750
Barclay Apple Rewards $2,000

Re: Do I need a travel credit card?

pip3man — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 16:38:03 GMT

if you had to ask this question then u most likely dont need one!

Re: Do I need a travel credit card?

yowhatimean — Thu, 26 Oct 2017 19:10:54 GMT

I just signed up for the SW Rapid Rewards Plus card because I do some domestic travel a couple times a year and wanted to take advantage of the Companion Pass offer to Californians. Plus the additional sign up bonus will make it worth while. So if you fly SW, then it could be worth while. Also they're flying to Hawaii next year, so that may be a plus to sign up with them.

Re: Do I need a travel credit card?

EAJuggalo — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 12:27:25 GMT

I thought for a long time that I wouldn't ever need a travel card and couldn't justify an annual fee for one. Then I got a CSP this year and took it to Florida. While planning for the trip I read through all the fine print on the protections and compared it to my AMEX, DC and other cards. Even though I don't travel often I will be keeping the CSP and paying the AF just to have the rental car coverage, travel insurance and customer service that the CSP offers.

Re: Do I need a travel credit card?

K-in-Boston — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 20:38:16 GMT

How and where you travel is important to know. Another question I would ask is “What kind of rewards do you currently receive on your credit cards, and would you prefer to get rewards for free, discounted, or significantly upgraded travel?” If the answer to that latter part is yes, then even traveling only once a year (say a weeklong vacation) can easily justify a card, even if it’s not a $40k African safari (which was a marvelous example, BTW).

My family does a number of weekend getaways throughout the year and about two 1 week getaways, usually internationally. I would hardly call ourselves frequent travelers and neither DW or I have to travel for work much, but it’s easy for us to justify a number of travel cards even those with high annual fees.