The Platinum Card® from American Express normally comes with a $695 annual fee, see rates and fees.  Thanks to the fee waiver, active duty military service members can have all of the phenomenal benefits for free! 

Plus, The Platinum Card® from American Express is currently offering new card holders a valuable welcome bonus. bonus_miles_full Terms apply. When you combine the welcome bonus, card benefits and no annual fee, this quickly becomes an easy decision.  Now I’ll show you how easily it is to take advantage of this offer.

How To Qualify

American Express has generously waived the annual fees on their personal credit cards for active duty personnel.  While not required by the the Military Lending Act (MLA) and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), American Express has chosen to go the extra mile for military members.  To qualify for these benefits, you have to be on active duty for at least 30 days with any of the major branches of the military

There are a couple ways to have these benefits applied to your account.  Log into your American Express account, under Account Services, then SCRA, and then submit the required documentation.  You can also submit a request, or ask any additional questions, by calling them at 1-800-253-1720.  You can also call them collect at 1-336-393-1111 if you are out of the country.  American Express will issue you a statement credit for the annual fee within a few weeks after confirming eligibility.

Which Card Should I Get

In my opinion, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (which also waives the annual fee for active duty military) barely edges out the The Platinum Card® from American Express.  Don’t get me wrong, the AMEX Platinum is an excellent card with fantastic benefits.  Especially when you don’t have to pay the annual fee.  It really comes down to which benefits you think you’ll use the most.  I would review the perks and benefits that come with each card and choose the one you value the most.

There’s no rule that says you can’t have both cards in your wallet.  If you decide to get both, be sure to give yourself enough time to earn each welcome bonus.  I would recommend prioritizing the Chase cards you want because of their infamous 5/24 rule.  You don’t want to be declined for a card you like just because you didn’t apply for them in the right order.   Now let’s review a lot of the incredible benefits of the The Platinum Card® from American Express.

American Express Platinum Card Benefits

Centurion Lounge Access – I am a huge fan of the Centurion lounges so this is one of my favorite benefits of the The Platinum Card® from American Express.  There aren’t many of these lounges but if you can find one, they’re fantastic!

Delta Sky Club – The AMEX Platinum card also gives you free access to the Delta Sky Clubs.  Access is restricted only to the cardholder on the day you’re flying on Delta.  If you’re traveling with a companion, up to 2 companions can join you in the club for an additional fee.

Airline Fee Credit – Each year you get up to $200 in statement credits towards fees charged by an airline that you choose.  These credits can be used towards baggage fees, food and other eligible items.  Since you didn’t have to pay the annual fee for this card, that’s just free money!

PreCheck or Global Entry Fee Credit – The Platinum Card® from American Express also comes with an fee credit worth up to $100 on your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application.  Simply pay for the application fee with your Platinum card and a credit will issued to your account.  That’s right, more free money!  If you already PreCheck, you can also use the credit for someone else’s application fee.

Priority Pass Membership – When you have the Sapphire Reserve card you also get a free membership to Priority Pass lounges.  There are over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide you can access for free.  Plus, you are able to bring guests traveling with you into the lounges for free as well.  There are also several airport restaurants that give you a food credit as part of your membership.

Hotel Status – Just for having The Platinum Card® from American Express in your wallet, you’ll get gold status at both Marriott and Hilton.  This perk will make traveling for work a little more enjoyable.

There are several other benefits that accompany this card just for having it.  Be sure to look those over as well when you apply for the card so you can get the most out of using it.

More American Express Cards To Consider

American Express® Gold Card – bonus_miles_full Terms apply. You’ll receive 4x Membership Rewards points on purchases at U.S. supermarkets and dining on the first $25,000 spent each year and then 1x after that.   Plus you’ll earn 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines.

Each month you’ll also receive a $10 credit when you use your card with Grubhub, Cheesecake Factory and other select restaurants. 

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card – This card is great if you enjoy flying with Delta.  bonus_miles_full  Terms apply. This card comes with excellent benefits like a free Sky Club membership and a free companion certificate each anniversary year.

Final Thoughts

The Platinum Card® from American Express is a great option for those who are on active duty in the military.  There are so many fantastic benefits that come with the card.  When you’re not paying the annual fee it should be easy to extract a lot of value from the card.  This deal is so good, be sure to share it will all of your friends who serve alongside you.  Thank you all for your service!

The post Why The Platinum Card® by American Express Is Great For Active Duty Military appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

This master list gives you each of the major banks with their corresponding transfer partners.  I have also included the transfer ratio, as well as how long the transfer takes to go through.  Hopefully this list makes planning your next vacation a little easier.

Remember, once you transfer your points to one of the travel partners, this can’t be undone.  Be sure there is award availability before you transfer your points.  A lot of the points will transfer instantly; however, some can take hours or days.  Make sure you take this into consideration you transfer your points.

To make them easier to find, I’ve listed the transfer partners for each credit card currency in alphabetical order.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Airline Transfer Partners

Aer Lingus – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

British Airways – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Iberia – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

JetBlue – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Singapore Airlines – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 24 hours

Southwest – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

United – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Virgin Atlantic – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Hotel Transfer Partners

Hyatt – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

IHG – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 1 day

Marriott – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer in 2 days

American Express Membership Rewards

The Membership Rewards program from American Express also has fantastic transfer partners.  In fact, American Express is the only credit card company that allows you to transfer points to Delta.  They also have 18 other airline and hotel transfer partners so there are a lot of great options to choose from.

If you’re a frequent traveler, card_name is a great way to earn Membership Rewards points quickly.  bonus_miles_full  Terms apply. You can read more about this card here.

Airline Transfer Partners

Aer Lingus – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Aeromexico – Transfer Ratio 1:1.6 – Points transfer in 24 hours

Air Canada – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Alitalia – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

All Nippon – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer in 48 hours

British Airways – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Cathay Pacific – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer in 48 hours

Delta – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

El Al – Transfer Ratio 50:1 – Points transfer instantly

Emirates – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Hawaiian Airlines – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Iberia – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer in 48 hours

JetBlue – Transfer Ratio 1.25:1 – Points transfer instantly

Singapore Airlines – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 24 hours

Virgin Atlantic – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Hotel Transfer Partners

Choice Hotels – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Hilton – Transfer Ratio 1:2 – Points transfer instantly

Marriott – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Capital One Transfer Partners

Recently Capital One added the ability to transfer their points to one of their 15 airline partners.  I love the move because it gives card holders more ways to use their credit card points.  Unfortunately, the only US airline transfer partner is Jet Blue, so there’s still room for improvement.  Also, the transfer ratios are a little confusing and a lot of the transfers don’t happen instantly.

Capital One does have some good airline partners, so it’s definitely worth taking a look.  If you’re looking to increase your points balance, you should consider adding the card_name to your wallet.  Right now, new card holders can earn up to 75,000 bonus points!

Airline Transfer Partners

Aeromexico – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Air Canada – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Avianca – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer in 48 hours

British Airways – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Cathay Pacific – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer in 5 days

Emirates – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Etihad – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 24 hours

Eva – Transfer Ratio 2:1.5 – Points transfer in 48 hours

Finnair – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Qantas – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 24 hours

Singapore – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer in 48 hours

TAP Air Portugal – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Turkish Airlines – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Hotel Transfer Partners

Accor Limitless – Transfer Ratio 2:1 – 1 business day

Choice Privileges – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – TBD points transfer time

Wyndham Rewards – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Citi Transfer Partners

Citibank lets you earn ThankYou points when you use some of their cards like the Citi Prestige and card_name.  These credit card points can then be transferred to one of Citi’s 15 airline partners.  Unfortunately, the only domestic airline on the list you can’t transfer your points to directly is JetBlue. 

The last thing to consider with ThankYou points is that most of the transfers aren’t instantaneous, so keep that in mind when you’re transferring your points.

Airline Transfer Partners

Avianca – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Cathay Pacific – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 24 hours

Emirates – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Ethidad – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 7 days

Eva – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 3 days

Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Garuda – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 2 days

Jet Airways – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

JetBlue – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Malaysian – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 2 days

Qantas – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 2 days

Qatar – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 2 days

Singapore – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 2 days

Thai Royal – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 7 days

Turkish Airlines – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer within 2 days

Virgin Atlantic – Transfer Ratio 1:1 – Points transfer instantly

Final Thoughts

The best way to get the most out of your credit card points is by using one of their transfer partners to redeem your points.  I know it can be a little intimidating when you first start out but just remember, you don’t have to be an expert in every program to find a great value.  Simply start with the airline you fly most often then do a little research.  If you ever have questions, or need help, leave me a comment below or send me an email.  I’m always happy to help!

The post The Ultimate Credit Card Transfer Partners Guide appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Airline credit cards are some of the best travel cards you can have in your wallet.  In fact, I always carry the co-banded card for the airline I always fly most frequently.  Having their card has saved me a lot of money on checked bag fees and I get other great benefits like discounts on in-flight purchases and lounge access.  They also offer some great welcome bonuses that will help you get a lot closer to your next vacation.

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My Take – This is a great card for those who love to fly Southwest Airlines. Especially if you’re traveling as a family. The thing I love most about Southwest’s programs, is the points are super easy to use. As long as there’s an open seat on the flight, you can book it with your miles. So when you’re traveling as a family, you don’t need to worry about trying to find enough award seats for everyone.

Bonus – bonus_miles_full

Highlights – Earn 2x on Southwest purchases, internet, cable and phone purchases. Earn 3,000 bonus points each anniversary year. Plus get 2 free Early Bird check-ins each year.

Annual Fee – $69 (not waived during the first year)

Learn How To Apply

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My Take – While the card_name credit card isn’t co-branded with a specific airline, you can transfer the points earned with this card to several airlines.  With the flexibility this card provides, it’s my top choice for the best airline credit card.  You can read why this is the card I recommend most often here. If you’re just starting out, this is the first card I recommend to almost everyone.

Welcome Bonus – bonus_miles_full

Highlights – These points can easily be redeemed through the Chase travel portal.  You can also transfer the points to one of several airlines and take advantage of some of the redemption sweet spots like this for flying to Hawaii.  This card also offers great travel insurance that covers a lot of those unexpected events that come up while traveling.

Annual Fee – $95 (not waived during the first year)

Learn How To Apply

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My Take – I love this card because it comes with a solid welcome bonus, premium travel benefits and a lower annual fee than other premium travel reward cards. This card comes with some great benefits like lounge access and Hertz elite status that I use all the time. For anyone who is a frequent traveler, you should definitely give this card a closer look.

Welcome Bonus – bonus_miles_full

Highlights – These points can be redeemed for $750 worth of travel!  Like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, these points can also be transferred to one of several transfer partner airlines.  No foreign transaction fees are incurred on purchases made with this card.  You will receive up to a $120 credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck frees every 4 years.

Annual Fee – $95 that isn’t waived the first year.

Learn How To Apply

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My Take – This card is an excellent choice for small business owners who fly Southwest Airlines frequently. I love this card because it has a welcome bonus that’s higher than a lot of other business cards and comes with some excellent travel benefits as noted below. Plus, Southwest points are super easy to use, so you’ll be able to easily use your points for an upcoming trip.

Bonus – bonus_miles_full

Highlights – Earn 4 points for every dollar spent with Southwest Airlines as well as 2 points per dollar on select business categories.  Each year you’ll receive 4 upgraded boarding passes to positions A1-A15 that can be used on any available flight.  Each card anniversary year you will receive 9,000 additional Rapid Rewards points.  Every 4 years you can receive up to a $100 statement credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees.

Annual Fee – $199 (not waived during the first year)

Learn How To Apply

Final Thoughts

These offers are constantly changing, so be sure to bookmark this page and check back regularly as new offers become available.  If you’re looking for other types of cards, be sure to check out our recommendations for the best overall credit card offers as well as the best business credit card offers.

If you still have questions after reviewing our list, you can always reach out to us and we’d be happy to help.

The post The Best Airline Credit Cards appeared first on Easy Travel Points.