How to Compare Travel Reward Credit Cards

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These cards are best for...

Travel reward credit cards can really help to lower the cost of travelling, and are especially suited to people who travel regularly and want to benefit from hotel or airline rewards.

Don't forget though, most travel reward credit cards also offer package holiday and cruise rewards, so they are perfect for anyone who wants to save money off their summer holidays.

- Regular hotel users...
If you regularly use the same hotel chain for business trips or frequent travelling, a hotel-specific travel reward credit card can offer much more than just free hotel stays. When you take out a travel reward credit card you'll automatically become a member of the hotel reward scheme, opening up doors to luxury upgrades and exclusive added extras.

- Frequent flyers...
For people who regularly fly on the same airline, whether for business or pleasure, the more often you fly as an airline club member will mean you'll also be privy to exclusive benefits including priority check-in's, VIP airport lounge access, upgrades and special flight offers.

- Everyday spending and larger purchases too...
Travel reward credit cards allow you to earn an amount of points or miles on all your purchases; when you pay for goods or services from retailers or companies.

The more you spend on a travel reward credit card the quicker you'll be able to start redeeming your travel points or miles for free rewards.

Travel reward credit cards are therefore a great option if you pay for all your everyday shopping and larger purchases with credit; earning you a little something back on all your spending!

These cards are not suitable for...

- A poor credit history
If you know yourself to have a poor credit history, and subsequently have a bad credit rating, you are unlikely to be accepted for a travel reward credit card.

If you do have a bad credit rating, a credit card designed specifically for helping people to rebuild and strengthen their credit rating, like the Capital One Classic credit card, may be more suitable.

Knowing what's on offer...

There is quite a wide range of different travel reward credit cards available, so it's important to fully understand the different offers and options, so that you can choose the right travel reward credit card for you.

When choosing a travel reward credit card you should first decide on exactly what rewards you want to be earning, as there is no point earning miles for an airline you never fly on!

Most travel reward credit cards, even the specific ones, offer a range of different rewards that you can redeem your points or miles for, including holidays, hotel stays, airline flights and other travel services like car hire and airport parking.

However, it is important that you make sure the travel reward credit card you have chosen offers travel rewards that you will want to use, or even better, that you use already.

- General travel reward credit cards
General travel reward credit cards are those that offer a wide ranging travel rewards program. They will usually partner up with a number of different travel companies, so that you have a range of different travel providers and travel to choose from when redeeming your points.

General travel reward credit cards will allow you to earn travel points or miles that can be redeemed for a wide choice of travel rewards, including flights, holidays, hotel stays, cruises, and other travel services like car hire and airport parking.

- Hotel travel reward credit cards
Hotel travel reward credit cards offer a travel reward program for a specific hotel chain. You will earn points that can be redeemed for hotel stays at their hotel chains and any travel company they are also partnered with.

Some hotel travel reward credit cards allow you to redeem your points for other travel too, like holidays, flights, car hire and airport parking, but it's important to find out what you can redeemed your points for, so that you can make the most from the travel points you are earning.

Depending upon the hotel travel reward credit card you choose, you may also gain access to their membership program, which can offer exclusive extras including priority hotel check-in's and free access to hotel services such as gyms.

Specific hotel travel reward credit cards can offer more points for your pound, so you will be able to earn travel rewards quicker than you would on a general travel reward credit card program.

- Airline travel reward credit cards
Airline travel reward credit cards offer travel rewards in partnership with a specific airline. Often known as air mile credit cards, these travel reward credit cards allow you to earn miles that can be redeemed for flights with a particular airline and their airline partners.

Airline travel reward credit cards often give you automatic entry to their membership program, which can offer extra benefits including priority check-in's, access to VIP airport lounges, upgrades and special flight offers.

It is important to remember that when you earn miles on an airline travel reward credit card you will only be able to redeemed them for travel rewards from that airline and their partner airlines, so you should choose an airline that operates flights you already fly on or that go to destinations you visit.

Airline travel reward credit cards usually offer more miles for your pound than you would earn on a general travel reward credit card. So you'll be on your way to free flights with your chosen airline quicker.

The airline travel reward credit cards offered by British Airways offer the chance to earn BA miles for flights on British Airways and their partner airlines too. You'll also gain access the the BA Executive Club where you can earn your way to priority check-in's, VIP airport lounge access, upgrades and special flight offers.

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