Pros and Cons of Airline Miles Credit Cards

When it comes to airline miles credit cards, the concept sounds wonderful. After all, who could turn down the idea of earning free travel for doing what you do already: spend money with your credit card. Nonetheless, there are a few pros and cons to consider when it comes to this type of credit card.

If you do not already travel frequently, you probably will not earn enough miles to travel to some fantastic vacation getaway. With most airline credit cards, it takes quite a bit of travel to earn travel.
Most airline credit cards will only allow you to book your travel during certain times. So, you need to be flexible about when you travel if you hope to cash in on the miles you earn.
Many airline credit cards restrict where you can fly with your miles. So, if you have a dream destination in mind, check into this before applying for the card.
If you have an airline credit card associated with a specific airline, you will have to make your travel arrangements through that airline only. For more flexibility, choose a card that is not associated with a specific carrier.
Earned miles can sometimes be used toward other aspects of travel, such as car rental and hotel stays. Look into these options if the flight schedules aren’t working for you.

Or Jerrald Tipkin wrote this:

If you are hoping to do a little bit of traveling but don’t have the cash to do it, an airline rewards card may be the answer you are looking for. Simply by making your purchases with your airline credit card, you earn points that can be applied toward airline travel. You might even be able to earn a free ticket if you choose your credit card wisely and spend enough on your credit card. Imagine that: a free airline ticket for doing what you already do anyway!

Another great feature of airline credit cards is the fact that most also provide discounts for car rental and hotel stays. So, not only will you get your airline ticket for free, you will also save money on the rest of your travel expenses.

On the downside, some airline reward credit cards have black out dates on when you can travel. So, if you want to have complete freedom when it comes to choosing when you get to travel, be sure to shop around and find a card that does not have black out dates. There are cards available that provide you with this type of flexibility. Whether the card provides for flexible travel or not, be sure to pay your bill off in full each month because airline reward credit cards tend to have higher interest rates than cards that do not provide rewards.