Tired of all of the fees and restrictions when it comes to airline frequent flier mile cards? Most of the time they just don't pay off, especially compared to other reward programs (for more info read my post Frequent Flier Credit Cards: Worth It?). However, there may be one card that actually works: the Discover Miles card.
Let's examine it in further detail…
So what makes the Discover Miles card any better than the competition? Quite a bit in fact.
Miles by Discover Strengths:
- No Annual Fees
This takes care of my major complaint when it comes to airline-branded cards. Most of them have an annual fee of $35-$85 when it comes to their cards (at least the ones that give you back the equivalent of one mile for every dollar).
- No Restrictions on Travel or Airline Used
…And there goes my second biggest complaint! You can redeem your points on any airline, travel web site (Travelocity.com, Hotels.com, etc.), or travel agent you wish. Use your points for hotels or car rentals. Just as long as it's related to travel you're golden.
- Miles Won't Expire
As for my last gripe, it too is handled by this card. Your miles are not capped and will not expire as long as you use your card. The only (small) caveat: if you don't use your card for three years some or all of your miles may expire.
- Multiple Redemption Options
You're not just limited to flights. Not planning any airline travel soon? Use your points for a gift certificate at any one of Discover's 80 partner merchants (e.g. Bed, Bath & Beyond, J.C. Penny, restaurants, etc.). You can also receive a statement credit, but that is not a great option as your point value is cut in half (5,000 points equals a $25 statement credit).
- Great 0% APR Balance Transfer & Purchase Options
The Discover Miles card is featured on my 0% APR Offers page because of its generous 0% APR for 12 months on balance transfers and its 0% APR for six months on all purchases. Quite a nice combination.
- Rewards Bonuses
Discover Miles offers numerous ways to increase your travel credit bonuses. You can receive 1,000 bonus points every month that you use your card during the first year, 1,000 bonus points for $1,000 spent at grocery stores between November & December (promotion continuously rotating), double points when shopping at ShopDiscover.com, and double points on your first $3,000 in restaurant and travel purchases every year. With all these bonuses you'll have enough miles to get a free trip in no time!
- Great Discover Card Service, Support & Benefits
Discover was ranked at the top of the list, along with American Express, on the J.D. Power & Associates Credit Card Satisfaction Survey. They provide great customer support, guaranteed live phone service within 60 seconds, $0 liability, and temporary/virtual account numbers.
Miles by Discover Weaknesses:
Well, there's only one as far as I can see. Many (but not all) airline-branded credit cards allow you to redeem a set number of points for a flight in a certain geographical area. For example: for 25,000 miles you can fly from New York to Chicago on Northwest Airlines. You could also use those same miles to fly on a more expensive flight from New York to Los Angeles. This is because they base the rewards on geographical areas and not the actual cost of the ticket. So, you are able to find good deals this way by saving your miles for those trips that cost more. With the Discover Miles card you get travel credit equivalent to money, so those kind of deals aren't possible.
Sounds pretty good overall though…good enough so that I just grabbed a card for myself. I think that the strengths definitely outweigh the weaknesses. Apply at Discover if you're interested!
