Frequent Flyer Mile Programs & Airfare Sites?

[Couch-Potato]

So I may be taking a job in which I will travel significantly within the US. To those of you that travel a significant amount, do you have a preferred Airline for Frequent Flyer Miles? Credit Card? Airfare Website?

Thank you for any guidance you can offer!

[KCUnited]

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. I like Southwest for a variety of reasons, especially flying in and out of Chicago. Their companion pass is a great perk which essentially flies a companion for free for the remainder of the year you've earned it in plus the following year.

The Points Guy is a good resource.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by KCUnited

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority card. I like Southwest for a variety of reasons, especially flying in and out of Chicago. Their companion pass is a great perk which essentially flies a companion for free for the remainder of the year you've earned it in plus the following year.

The Points Guy is a good resource.

As a RR card holder, I'd recommend getting a Chase Sapphire or Barclaycar Arrival Plus if you're credit score is high enough.

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

As a RR card holder, I'd recommend getting a Chase Sapphire or Barclaycar Arrival Plus if you're credit score is high enough.

Chase Sapphire Reserve has a huge annual fee on the surface ($450), but you get $300 back on your first $300 of travel purchases, so it's really only $150. And for that, you get great rates on miles that can be transferred to a ton of different airlines. Plus, you get a Priority Pass, which gets you into lounges all over the place. Plus, the trip insurance stuff is good enough that you'll never need to think about rental car insurance, and if your trip gets delayed, things are covered. Plus, you get $100 toward Global Entry/TSA Precheck (though that's only a one-time deal).

It's a hell of a card if the fee doesn't scare you.

[TribalElder]

Company credit card

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by TribalElder

Company credit card

Unless you force you to use it, that's a horrible idea. They get to keep all of the rewards.

[TribalElder]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Unless you force you to use it, that's a horrible idea. They get to keep all of the rewards.

They also float all the costs while you wait for reimbursement

If you are running up thousands it can be a pain in the ass. You are right though

[DaFace]

Originally Posted by TribalElder

They also float all the costs while you wait for reimbursement

If you are running up thousands it can be a pain in the ass. You are right though

Yeah, just depends on your goals I suppose. I'm personally more than happy to float it for a bit to get the benefits, but if that'll ever cause you to be in a cash pinch, it can obviously be problemmatic.

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Yeah, just depends on your goals I suppose. I'm personally more than happy to float it for a bit to get the benefits, but if that'll ever cause you to be in a cash pinch, it can obviously be problemmatic.

I have around 3.5k that I earned at Cabela's sitting there right now from using my own card for business and getting reimbursed last year. I also have a shit load of airline miles by going that direction.

Hotel points are the same way. I once worked for a prick that was so tight and shady, he tried using his card to book my hotel stays, so he could keep the points. When I would get to the hotel, I would just change the stay to my account so I could get the credit. He was also slow for reimbursement as well. I finally had to go tell the douche, "Hey, I'm not a bank, I need you to reimburse me quicker."

[Bwana]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Unless you force you to use it, that's a horrible idea. They get to keep all of the rewards.

Exactly

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Unless you force you to use it, that's a horrible idea. They get to keep all of the rewards.

Damn you.

[Couch-Potato]

I fly out of LAX. Love this airport, so easy, no trams like Denver or constant delays like Chi. I would primarily fly within the Western Half of North America.

Have a friend with AA, says if he weren't sucked in already he'd of gone with United. Another friend like Delta, say the planes always have a tv and he likes to use the Delta club. My boss likes AA for the additional passenger.

I do already have a Chase United Card, but I'm no married to it. I hadn't really considered Hotel chains yet.

[DaFace]

With regard to the "best airline" or whatever, it really just depends on what routes you'll be traveling. Where's your home airport? Who has the most direct routes from there? Assuming you're not already at a hub airport, who gets you the easiest access to hubs?

It's much more about picking the airline that's convenient for you and then being (reasonably) loyal to them than about whose program is "best" completely objectively.

As for searching, Google Flights (though you still have to do Southwest separately).

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by DaFace

With regard to the "best airline" or whatever, it really just depends on what routes you'll be traveling. Where's your home airport? Who has the most direct routes from there? Assuming you're not already at a hub airport, who gets you the easiest access to hubs?

It's much more about picking the airline that's convenient for you and then being (reasonably) loyal to them than about whose program is "best" completely objectively.

As for searching, Google Flights (though you still have to do Southwest separately).

Adding to this, how you're reimbursed for the travel matters a bit too. A Cerner guy I know said he racked up enough points for a Companion Pass (free ticket for one person for a year with the purchase of one ticket) fairly quickly because he was sent by the company on short notice, which typically means SWA's cheapest fares are sold out and he'd have to buy their A List tickets which have a pretty good reward point bonus vs their 'Wanna Get Away' fares.