What’s In Your Wallet: Credit Cards for Travelers
By Robert McGarvey
I used to believe in a kind of Tolkien style “one card to rule them all” philosophy for business travel – that is, that one perfect card was all I needed on the road.
For me that has been the American Express Platinum card ($450 per year).
But I no longer believe that one card is sufficient.
Changing realities – particularly my lack of interest in elite status on airlines – has prompted me to carry more cards to insure better, smoother travel. One card just won’t do the job anymore.
Mind you, I remain a fan of Amex Platinum. First off, the card wins free entry to the Centurion Lounges – now a new one in Houston – and they are the best domestic airport lounges by far.
There’s also a gratis enrollment in Priority Pass, with some 900 airport lounges. If one is convenient to my gate, I generally will use it.
There’s reimbursement for the fees associated with TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry.
No foreign transaction fees.
There’s also $200 available for refunds on fees charged by an airline you designate (you may change it annually).
Use that $200 fund – which will cover things like bag fees, club entry charges, booze and food inflight – plus maybe a half dozen Centurion Lounge visits and you have gotten your fee back and more.
Plus you have traveled in comfort.
What Amex Plat does not help me with – boarding planes sooner, when there still is overhead compartment space – is what my other two cards handle.
My second card is MileagePlus Explorer via Chase ($95 annual fee). The big get: priority boarding on United.
That usually means no need to check baggage, but the other card perk is free checked baggage (for you and a companion).
Two United Club passes are thrown in.
No foreign transaction fees.
Double miles on United tickets purchased with the card (that’s miles earned on the purchase price).
With this card I no longer need bemoan my loss of platinum status – and my slide into no status. I don’t recall ever having to gate check a bag when I have traveled on this card.
My third card: AA Advantage Aviator Red Mastercard ($89 annual fee)
Priority boarding is the main benefit.
There’s also free checked bags.
25% off inflight purchases.
No foreign transaction fees.
Note: there are no free passes to the AA club but, really, do I care?
The real perk of course is priority boarding.
No, these airline cards do not deliver upgrades from coach to business class but, guess what, those upgrades are available less and less frequently anyway. That was the one real, tangible plus of elite status. But it’s gone.
And so is my interest in regaining elite status.
I no longer need it. My three travel focused credit cards give me plenty of weapons to succeed – in comfort – as a road warrior.
So far I have ducked adding a Southwest Airlines card to my portfolio but if I eventually decide I need it, I will buy it without hesitation. We need to take actions to maintain comfort on the road. That is fact.
Every traveler will have his/her own list of must carry credit cards. That’s reality. My list may not suit your needs.
When I lived in Jersey City, really, I did not need or have the American card. But when I moved to Phoenix, I did. And I keep the United card because the airport I still fly into most is Newark which means I am still flying United.
Your travels will be different and so should be your cards.
In that vein, here is frequent traveler Joe Brancatelli’s round up of his must carry cards. Joe, by the way, recommends Amex Plat, Chase Sapphire Prefered, and he also has some (qualified) affection for airline and hotel branded cards.
Which brings us to the question: what’s in your wallet?
Priority Boarding is, indeed, a big deal, even if you’re not after first crack at the overhead bins. I have Priority Boarding privileges on United. Two days ago, bad weather caused some severe flight delays, and United offered to re-route me on Delta. I accepted, but…I have no status on Delta. Had a sympathetic Delta gate agent not upgraded me to Delta Comfort+ at the last second, I would have been among the last to board that flight. And believe me, it was a big deal to board first — with the calm, civilized Premium and Sky group — than with the very agitated no-priority group, all of whom seemed to have 2 pieces of oversized baggage. I entered an air-conditioned jet, got seated, and settled in, while others had to stand by the gate, wait their turn to board, and then desperately drag their stuff on and search for bin space. Picture that when you’re at the gate, and I guarantee you’d want to be in the first group, if only for the relative serenity.