The Best Air Miles Credit Cards of 2024
Air travel can be expensive. However, you can reduce the cost involved with the help of your planned credit card spending. Air Miles credit cards can provide you with the ability to earn travel rewards on a number of regular purchases, reducing the amount you pay when you fly.
The best Air Miles credit card depends on your level of spending and where you shop. Different cards emphasize different spending categories and stores. It’s a good idea to consider the different programs before applying for a card so that you can get the card that is most likely to give you the best results.
It’s also important to pay attention to your spending. You want to use your Air Miles credit card on things you buy every day. Your purchases with your card should be part of your regular budget. As long as you are smart with your spending, and you pay off your balance each month, you can avoid interest charges that reduce the value of your rewards.
What About the Air Miles Rewards Program?
The Air Miles program has had a lot of bad press lately over their cancelled plan of having points expire after five years. After public outcry, including a possible class action lawsuit and the Ontario government changing the law, Air Mile reversed their plans at the last minute. Of course, this then infuriated those who spent their soon-to-expire Air Miles and random items and unplanned trips.
Credit cards with Air Miles offer you the chance to boost your rewards when you use branded rewards programs. You can get double miles for some purchases with these credit cards, allowing you to earn faster and fly for free sooner. While the Air Miles program has issues like lower reward value and booking restrictions compared to other travel rewards credit cards, you can still come out ahead if you shop at the right stores and use the right cards.
Plus, you can also redeem your Air Miles for merchandise and cash back. It’s also possible to use Air Miles in the store, resulting in an instant discount.
DISCLAIMER: While we attempt to keep all credit card details current, the rates, fees, rewards and benefits may have changed since the last update. Please visit the credit card supplier through the “Apply Now” links to ensure you have the latest details for that card.
Comments
I just received my BMO World Elite MasterCard. A key feature that is not widely known relates to the annual fee.The annual fee is waived for BMO Premium Account holders which I am now. While the Premium Account has a $30/month fee , this fee is waived if you maintain $5k in the account. Putting $5k in this account means my bank account is free as is the credit card and supplementary card.
Having been an Air Miles collector for years, and trying to use the miles for flights or merchandise, I have totally stopped collecting. It’s a terrible system.
You said it on your article:
While the Air Miles program has issues like lower reward value and booking restrictions compared to other travel rewards credit cards…
BMO just lowered the redemption to 15% on north american flights beginning Jan 15 2018!! Air Miles program is going down hill. I’ve been a collector since 1997.
I found the ability to pay for my Shell Gas with the Airmiles points as a very useful option. Both my airmiles credit cards have no fees and the airmiles pay for about 10% of my fuel.