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.
If a flight to Korea isn’t at the top of your travel wishlist, it should be.
South Korea, obviously not the North, is fast becoming the coolest destination in Asia. Often passed over for the ever-popular Japan, this brilliant country is coming into its own. It can owe some of that newfound glory to its juggernaut of a music scene, but its reputation as a creative powerhouse has been simmering to a boil for years.
These days, a flight to Korea is as hot a ticket as a BLACKPINK or BTS show. But with that popularity comes sky-high cash prices, especially in peak season. But it doesn’t need to be that way. Points and miles can get you there for pennies.
Read on to discover the best ways to grab a flight to Korea using points and miles.
Finding the best airlines for a flight to Korea using points and miles
Whether you take our advice or do your own thing, the first step in any search for a flight to Korea is to research your routes. Check your local airport’s options: the airlines that fly from there; the routes they take; those airlines’ partners. The more information you have, the better.
From there, you can piece together the best options for your flight to Korea. Some of our advice might work perfectly, as we’ve opted for award chart-based systems, but it’s possible you could find a stellar deal at your own airport.
Using ANA for a flight to Korea using points
Our first and best option for a flight to Korea using points is ANA. The Japanese airline appears in our points and miles guides almost every week, simply because it’s that good.
The airline operates a zonal award-based chart, so you can rely on consistent pricing and some staggeringly good deals. The only minor frustration is that you can only book roundtrip flights, so if your travel is more open-ended, you may be unable to use ANA.
But often, you’ll find a roundtrip flight to Korea with ANA to be cheaper than a one-way flight with another airline. In this case, it’s possible to find a roundtrip flight to Korea for as little as 45,000 points in economy and 95,000 points in business class. That’s incredible.
How to earn enough ANA points
Earning enough ANA points to score one of those deals is simple. While only one credit card issuer allows its customers to transfer points to ANA, that issuer is American Express, so you have plenty of cards to open and use to achieve your goal.
Otherwise, you can earn ANA points by flying with the airline or listing your membership when flying with a partner.
Here are a few different American Express products you could use to earn a flight to Korea.
The American Express® Gold Card
The American Express® Gold Card is an excellent option for your flight to Korea. The card’s 60,000 point intro bonus, earned after spending $6,000 within six months, earns you more than enough to grab that low-end 45,000 point roundtrip.
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
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. Considering the spending threshold, you’ll only be 2,000 points away from being able to afford two roundtrips.
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
Using Alaska Airlines MileagePlan for a flight to Korea using points
Another excellent option is Alaska Airlines MileagePlan. While the program isn’t as strong as it used to be, it still has some outstanding deals with its partners. It’s possible to find one-way flights for as little as 30,000 miles—not quite as good as ANA, but still pretty impressive.
You will have to wrangle with availability but do your research, and it’s more than possible to find an excellent deal for your flight to Korea.
How to earn enough Alaska Airlines MileagePlan points
The downside to Alaska Airlines is that earning its miles is limited to flying with the airline and its partners or opening a co-branded credit card. With that in mind, your only option is this card.
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is for far more people than Alaska Airlines fans. In fact, fans of the airline’s partners will reap the most benefits from it. It’s currently running a sweet 70,000-mile intro bonus, earned by spending $3,000 within three months of opening the card.
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card
70,000 Bonus Miles
plus Alaska’s Companion Fare from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) with this offer. Must spend $3,000 in purchases withing the first 90 days of opening your account.
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card is powerful in the hands of someone who can use it well. The Seattle-based airline’s routes are overwhelmingly located on the West coast, but thanks to its valuable miles, the card doesn’t pigeonhole anyone because of Alaska’s airline partners like American Airlines, Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, British Airways and more. Its sign-up bonus is worth around $1200, and the card gives the holder access to its coveted Companion Pass.
PROS
- The 50,000-mile intro bonus is worth around $900 and earned by spending $3000 in three months.
- Alaska Airline miles are extremely valuable and can be used on a number of different airlines around the world.
- Cardholders are entitled to the Alaska Airlines Companion Pass, which allows you to bring a companion on an Alaska flight for 122 ($99, plus taxes and fees from $23)— this can save hundreds and even thousands of dollars if maximized.
- A free checked bag for the cardholder and up to six travelers on the same booking, comfortably validating the $75 annual fee.
- 20% back on any Alaska Airlines in-flight purchases
CONS
- A $95 annual fee
- Those on the East Coast may not be able to take advantage of some of the best perks the card offers
- Earning categories are extremely limited, making it harder to accrue points after the bonus
Annual Fee: $95 | Terms Apply | Rates & Fees
Using Air Canada’s Aeroplan for a flight to Korea
Air Canada’s Aeroplan is another airline program that features heavily in our weekly guides. Its generous zonal award chart means it’s a reliable source of great deals and should always feature in any search for flights.
For a flight to Korea, the rates will depend on the location. Those on the West Coast can get the best rates in this scenario, with a one-way flight dropping as low as 45,000 points. Those on the East will be better served with one of the other options listed in this article, but it’s still not a terrible option.
How to earn Aeroplan points
The big benefit of Air Canada’s Aeroplan is the ease with which you can earn points. Capital One, American Express, and Chase all allow transfers to your Aeroplan account, giving you an incredible range with your strategy. Here are just a few cards you could check out.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card could just about get you a flight to Korea and back with its generous 75,000-mile intro bonus. When you consider the fact you’ll need to spend $4,000 within three months to earn it, and its 2x miles per dollar on everything, you’ll have at least 83,000 miles in the bank. That’s a good start, if nothing else.
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
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card could top up that balance if you have time to open two cards before your flight to Korea. Its 60,000-point intro, also earned by spending $4,000 within three months, would leave you with over 140,000 Aeroplan points to play with.
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 point
Just because a flight to Korea is pricey, doesn’t mean you need to pay it. With so many airlines offering tremendous points and miles deals, you’ll be jetting off in no time, with extra bulgogi money to boot.
by travelers, for travelers.
