# Airfare rewards cards

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airfare-rewards-cards/613219>\
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion\
**Created:** [February 18, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airfare-rewards-cards/613219 "2012-02-18T02:37:31Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airfare-rewards-cards/613219/1 "2012-02-18T02:37:31Z")

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I am looking at having to spend about $12,000 this year on airline tickets in August (taking the family to Japan, whee!).

In order to defray the cost, is there a good strategy vis-a-vis rewards cards? I mean, should angle just to get the frequent flyer miles from the purchase itself, or should I try to rack up points beforehand to defray the cost of the airfare? Which card should I use, either way?

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**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\
**Post date:** [February 18, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airfare-rewards-cards/613219/2 "2012-02-18T04:24:02Z")

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I just got an Am Exp that gives 2% cash back on travel purchases.

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**Author:** ![Number](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/number/32/242_2.png) [@Number](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Number)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2012, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/airfare-rewards-cards/613219/3 "2012-02-19T18:22:57Z")

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The Chase Sapphire might be a good choice for you. In addition to [many other benefits](http://www.dailymarkets.com/creditcards/chase-sapphire-card/), it gives double points for restaurant and travel purchases. The points are extremely flexible, as they can be redeemed for cash, traded 1:1 for frequent flier points of many major airlines, or used to shop at the Ultimate Rewards site.

Ultimate Rewards is a pretty nice program, which offers discounted travel and retail shopping with either cash or points. I haven’t had my card very long, but the flights I’ve bought through it so far have been very competitively-priced, even before figuring in the additional points earned. It’s very helpful not to be tied to one airline, as you are with a lot of rewards cards.

I don’t have any affiliation with Chase, other than having one of their cards, or with the site in that link; it just seemed like a good summary.