What are travel credit cards, and how do they work?
Travel credit cards are financial products that offer various rewards and benefits geared towards frequent travelers. They typically earn you points or miles for every dollar spent on eligible purchases. These rewards can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, and other travel-related expenses. Travel credit cards may also include perks like travel insurance, airport lounge access, and no foreign transaction fees.
How do I choose the best travel credit card for my needs?
Choosing the best travel credit card depends on your travel habits, spending patterns, and preferences. Consider factors like the type of rewards offered (points, miles, or cash back), the card’s annual fee, sign-up bonuses, earning rates, redemption options, and additional travel perks. Analyzing these features will help you find a card that aligns with your lifestyle and offers the most value.
What are the benefits of using a travel credit card over other types of credit cards?
Travel credit cards provide unique advantages for travelers, such as earning rewards specifically tailored to travel expenses. Additionally, many travel credit cards offer travel-related perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and travel insurance. Some cards also waive foreign transaction fees, making them ideal for international travelers.
What is a sign-up bonus, and how can I qualify for it?
A sign-up bonus is a promotional offer provided by the credit card issuer to entice new cardholders. To qualify for a sign-up bonus, you usually need to meet specific spending requirements within a certain timeframe after opening the account. The bonus can be in the form of points, miles, or cash back, and it’s a great way to jump-start your rewards earning.
Do travel credit cards charge foreign transaction fees?
Not all travel credit cards charge foreign transaction fees. Many of the top-tier travel cards waive these fees, making them ideal for international travel. However, it’s essential to read the card’s terms and conditions to confirm this before using it abroad.
How can I maximize the rewards earned with my travel credit card?
To maximize rewards, use your travel credit card for everyday expenses and large purchases. Take advantage of bonus categories and special promotions to earn more points or miles. Consider combining your travel credit card with loyalty programs to stack rewards and get even more value out of your purchases.
Portugal is something of a traveler’s dream. Glittering beaches rub shoulders with pulsating cities, while medieval castles and cobbled towns frame the impossibly beautiful vineyards. And, of course, you can drink a lot of port. That’s reason enough.
But even with its growing popularity, flights to Portugal from NYC and beyond can still be pricey. Thankfully, points and miles can remove some of the financial burden, or at least let you shift it to copious volumes of wine.
Read also: How to Use Points and Miles to Get Flights to Australia
The country’s main gateway is Lisbon, so we’ve worked the bulk of our research with that hub in mind. While we’ve opted for flights to Portugal from NYC, many of these sweet spots will work regardless of where you are in the country.
Let’s take a lot of some of the best ways to find points and miles flights to Portugal from NYC.
Finding the best airlines for points and miles flights to Portugal from NYC
Before any search, it’s important to understand the routes you’re searching. There are usually five direct flights to Portugal from NYC every day, mainly coming from JFK and Newark airports. Delta, United, TAP Air Portugal, and Swiss Air are among the carriers with direct flights, so those airlines and their partners are a great place to start.
Using United MileagePlus to find flights to Portugal from NYC
United is a great place to start your search for flights to Portugal from NYC. As it’s one of the airlines utilizing nonstop flights, it’s a straightforward option with no fuss or long travel days. It’s a dynamic system, which means rates can fluctuate depending on a number of factors, but rates as low as 38,000 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees are readily available depending on your dates.
While you could find lower, it’s a simple redemption with strong value.
How to earn enough MileagePlus miles
United’s MileagePlus miles are a breeze to earn. While they don’t have as many transfer options, opening one of the excellent Chase cards can give you an easy boost. Outside of transferring, you can earn miles by flying with the airline or its partners or opening a co-branded credit card.
Check out these Chase cards with bonuses big enough to get you flights to Portugal from NYC for just $5.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the most approachable option. Its 60,000-point intro bonus, also earned by spending $4,000 within three months, is enough to grab flights to Portugal from NYC and beyond. You’ll need to find some for the flight home, though.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
60,000 Bonus Points
after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is the ultimate all-around travel credit card—it fits perfectly into almost any points-earner’s wallet. Points novices can enjoy a significant intro bonus and easy to grasp spending categories with an approachable annual fee. The more experienced can utilize its high value earning potential as a secondary card and also gain access to Chase’s strong travel booking portal.
PROS
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals, and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. The 60,000 points, for example, are worth $750 toward travel.
- The $50 dollar hotel credit for stays purchased on the Chase Travel Portal already cuts the already approachable $95 annual fee significantly.
- A 10% annual points bonus is tacked on every year, adding a little more value.
- A free year-long Doordash DashPass membership is also thrown in, which gives you free delivery and some extra discounts. It’s a solid perk if you order food delivery at least semi-frequently (Activate by 12/31/2024).
- Along with all of the above, cardholders also have access to a string of travel protections like rental coverage, cancellation insurance, and purchase protection.
CONS
- Maximizing the value of Chase points can still be complicated for complete novices.
Competing cards like the Capital One Venture have a better earning rate for non-bonused spend.
It’s subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. So, if you’ve opened five cards in the last two years, you’re most likely not going to be accepted.
Annual Fee: $95 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
The Preferred’s older and more premium sibling offers a similar intro bonus but comes loaded with luxury perks like lounge access and travel statement credits, as well as higher earning opportunities on daily spending. If you’re in the market for a new premium card, opt for this instead of the Preferred.
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
60,000 Bonus Points
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in 3 months of account opening
The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is a premium travel card that’s accessible to most travelers as it has a number of valuable and easy-to-use benefits. Its annual fee of $550, though still high, is quickly offset thanks to its $300 travel credit, large welcome bonus, strong spending categories, and premium perks like airport lounge access. It’s also great for those who don’t want to deal with transferring their points, as you’ll get big value when redeeming through Chase’s travel portal.
PROS
- Its 60,000-point intro bonus is worth much more than the annual fee of $550.
- The $300 travel credit covers anything travel related, whether thats an Airbnb, a taxi, a flight, or hotel, making it almost impossible not to lessen the dent the fee made.
- The points are worth 1.5 cents a piece when used directly on Chase’s Ultimate Rewards Portal, offering a simple but high value use for your points.
- Plenty of excellent transfer partners allow points to be maximized
- Some excellent partnerships with Doordash and Lyft add to its value.
- Priority Pass membership allows access to over 1,300+ airport lounges and restaurants.
CONS
- No complimentary elite hotel status, like that offered by the Amex Platinum.
- You won’t earn points on travel purchases until the $300 credit is used.
- It’s subject to Chase’s 5/24 rule. So if you’ve opened five cards in the last two years, you’re most likely not going to be accepted.
Annual Fee: $550 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
Using Avianca LifeMiles
Avianca is an airline you may not default to when searching for award flights. It’s understandable—why would you reach for a Colombian airline you may never have heard of? But in this case, Avianca might be one of your best bets for cheap flights to Portugal from NYC.
As the airline partners with TAP Portugal and Swiss Air—two of the airlines with direct flights to Portugal from NYC—you can grab an easy itinerary for as low as $12 and 30,000 LifeMiles. Not too shabby at all.
How to earn enough United MileagePlus miles
Avianca’s greatest strength is the ease with which you can earn its miles. American Express, Capital One, Chase, and Citi all transfer to the South American carrier’s loyalty program, so even if you’ve spread your points a little thin across multiple accounts, you could still pull off a redemption.
Here are some of the best credit cards to use for Avianca.
The American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card is one of the best cards for redeeming flights to Portugal from NYC with Avianca. The card currently comes with an impressive 60,000-point intro bonus, earned by spending $6,000 within six months of opening an account. That’s enough to get you there and back!
American Express® Gold Card
60,000 Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new card within the first 6 months of card membership
The American Express® Gold Card gives your munch more punch with an outstanding 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x). For some context, if you spent $8,400 a year on eating out and groceries, which is roughly what the average American spends, you’d have enough points for a roundtrip flight to Hawaii. That’s not even factoring in the huge 60,000-point bonus worth over $1,000.
PROS
- Huge returns on popular spending categories like dining at restaurants, takeout and delivery in the U.S .and U.S. supermarkets
- Solid earnings on travel purchased via Amex or directly with an airline
- Solid intro bonus of 60,000 points worth over $1,000
- Up to $120 in Uber Cash for rides and food delivery, and up to $120 in statement credits for selected dining outlets including the GrubHub food delivery app, Shake Shack, Wine.com, and more
- Nice, but pointless in the grand scheme of things, customizable card designs
CONS
- $250 annual fee
- No major travel perks like its bigger sibling, the Amex Platinum
Annual Fee: $250 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card’s 75,000-mile intro bonus is a stellar choice. Earned after spending $4,000 within three months of opening the card, you’ll have 15,000 miles left to play with, even after your roundtrip flight to Portugal. Better yet, you’ll have access to some fancy lounges thanks to the card’s Priority Pass membership.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
75,000 Bonus Miles
after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months of account opening
The Capital One Venture X is a direct competitor to the Chase Sapphire Reserve, and for many seeking a simpler earning scheme with premium perks, it could be the better option. But the Venture X truly shines with one benefit in particular: four free authorized users. Not only can they all use the card and earn miles, they all receive a Priority Pass membership which allows themselves and two guests access to airport lounges. In a highly improbable situation, that means you could technically bring 15 people into a lounge with you.
PROS
- Its solid intro bonus of 75,000 miles is worth well over $1,000 when transferred to partner airlines and hotels, or a flat rate $750 when redeemed on the Capital One Travel Portal.
- Cardholders get a bonus of 10,000 miles each year after their first account anniversary, which is nothing to shrug off, especially when a little bit short of that business class flight. It’s worth almost $200 depending on how you use it.
- The $300 annual credit for purchases made on the Capital One Travel Portal, combined with the yearly free miles, more than annul the $395 annual fee.
- Four authorized users can be added for free.
- The cardholder is entitled to a Priority Pass membership and entry to Capital One Lounges, even the authorized users.
- A generous offering of travel insurance, protections and reimbursements round out an excellent array of benefits.
CONS
- The $300 credit is a bit less flexible than the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s comparable benefit.
- Miles earning is the same as the Sapphire Reserve on portal-based purchases, but less on general travel spending.
- Capital one transfer partners are solid, but still don’t include any US-based airlines or hotels.
Annual Fee: $395 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
The Citi Premier® Card is criminally overlooked in comparison to the other cards mentioned on the list. Its brilliant 60,000-point intro bonus can get you to Portugal with ease after you’ve spent $4,000 within three months of opening. It’s worth keeping in your wallet long after you get back, too, thanks to its strong bonus-earning categories.
Citi Premier® Card
60,000 Bonus Points
after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
The Citi Premier Card is an underrated travel credit card that offers both high points-earning potential and simplicity. While the mid-tier card doesn’t come with any premium benefits, its earning on popular spending categories is almost unmatched. Holders earn 3x points on air travel, hotels, gas stations, supermarkets, and restaurants, making it ludicrously easy to accrue points. Throw in the healthy 60,000 point bonus and you’ve got a great haul of rewards on your hands.
PROS
- The 60,000-point intro bonus is worth $600 in gift cards and well over $1,000 when transferred to travel partners, making the $95 dollar annual fee an afterthought. You could ignore the card for a decade, and it would still be worth it
- Its earning potential is phenomenal: Earning 3x points on categories like gas and supermarkets, which are part of the average American’s biggest expenses, means the Citi Premier will work hard for you on a daily basis
- Cardholders get a $100 hotel benefit each year on a hotel purchase of $500 or more. Not the greatest perk in the world, but a nice saving on an unexpected hotel stay that wipes out the yearly fee itself
- As it’s a World Elite Mastercard, cardholders will enjoy varied benefits like Lyft credits, upgrades and breakfast at select hotels, and cell phone protection
CONS
- Citi’s transfer partners are mainly foreign airlines, so using the points on US-based carriers will require some extra research
- Other mid-tier cards may offer some more interesting perks
Using Iberia Avios for flights to Portugal from NYC
This one is more complex but could save you more points than any other method. Instead of flights to Portugal from NYC, we’re going to look for flights to Madrid, and then book a separate flight from there to Lisbon.
Using Iberia Avios, we can grab a flight to Madrid for as little as 17,000 points. This is where it gets weird. If you booked a flight with Iberia all the way to Lisbon, it would cost 28,000 Avios.
But if you split the flights, you’ll pay that 17,000 Avios rate to Madrid then just 4,500 to Lisbon, you’ll only pay 21,500 Avios for the whole trip. 6,500 Avios might not seem like a big deal to save, but remember, if you’re paying that for a roundtrip, you’ve saved enough points to cover a domestic flight in the US or a Caribbean flight from the Southern US.
How to earn Iberia Avios points
Iberia is an incredibly easy loyalty program to transfer points to. The reason for this is twofold: first, you can transfer points from credit card accounts with American Express, Chase, and Bilt; second, you can move Avios between any other airline that uses Avios, like British Airways, Qatar, and Aer Lingus.
Using this method, even if you don’t have an Amex, Chase, or Bilt card, you could still move points to your Iberia account using a Citi card by moving them to Qatar and then Iberia. Easy. But for simplicity, here are some excellent cards you can use.
While the Bilt Mastercard doesn’t have an intro bonus, it is the only card designed to let you earn points on your rent (up to 100,000 a year). It might not get you flights to Portugal from NYC right away, but it could help you bridge the gap if you’re a little low on other points.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
The Platinum Card is American Express’ most premium product. While it does have a hefty annual fee, it’s nullified by a mega 80,000-point intro bonus. You’ll need to spend $8,000 within six months of opening the card to earn those points, but that’ll leave you with 45,000 points including your spending earnings. You could do the trip twice or treat that special someone.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
80,000 Membership Rewards® Points
after you spend $8,000 on purchases in your first 6 months of card membership
The Amex Platinum was once the sole dominating force in the luxury credit card space. While it now faces some stiff competition, it still offers unbeatable perks like unprecedented airport lounge access, elite status at Hilton and Marriott, and some outstanding statement credits making the mammoth $695 worth it for some.
PROS
- The Amex Platinum’s typical intro bonus of 80,000 points is massive in itself. It’s worth $800 when spent directly through Amex’s travel portal on flights and hotels, which is already stellar. But when transferred to a partner, it’s very possible to squeeze over $1,600 or more in value.
- The Platinum has a slew of top-tier benefits, like Priority Pass, which gives the cardholder access to thousands of airport lounges and restaurants around the world, as well as Amex’s own Centurion lounges which are known for the high-quality (and free) food and cocktails. Other perks include up to $200 in Uber credits, up to $200 in airline fee credits (given in statement credits), up to $240 in digital streaming credits, up to $200 towards hotel bookings (given in statement credits) with Amex’s Fine Hotels and Resorts (2 night minimum stay required), and more. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
- A number of statement credits spanning multiple industries can build even more value into the card, including free stays when applied strategically.
- The Amex concierge is an underutilized benefit that can transform a trip by helping book hard-to-find dinner reservations or show tickets.
CONS
- The $695 annual fee is brutally high. Too high for many that can’t, or don’t want to take full advantage of its benefits.
- Points-earning rates are low unless spending directly on flights or with the Amex Portal.
- Some of the benefits, like travel credits, are more limited and are harder to use than competing cards’ offerings.
Annual Fee: $695 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
The point
While flights to Portugal from NYC might not be quite as high value as some of Europe’s other major destinations, there are still a ton of ways to get there for almost nothing. As shown in the third option, getting creative with other hubs can be a great way to save points and money!
by travelers, for travelers.
