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These are the two most popular general credit card reward programs. They allow you to transfer points directly to many airline and hotel programs of your choice, as well as redeem them for gift cards. They are very popular with frequent and not-so-frequent flyers. The appeal is flexibility and versatility, since with those programs you are not tied to one particular airline alliance or a hotel chain, and you can use them on whatever partner you want when the need arises.
Membership Rewards
Airline Transfer Partners
- One World: British Airways, Iberia, Cathay Pacific (Asia Miles)
- Star: Aeroplan, ANA, Singapore Airlines
- SkyTeam: Delta, Flying Blue, Alitalia, Aeromexico
- Non-alliance: El Al (ridiculously high transfer rates), Hawaiian, Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue, Frontier
Hotel Transfer Partners
- Best Western
- Choice Privileges
- Hilton Honors (1:1.5)
- Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
- SPG (3:1)
The program has three levels of membership.
- EXPRESS with credit cards like Blue and Zink that does not allow you to transfer (you can only redeem points for gift cards).
- REGULAR with credit cards like Green, Gold and Corporate that does allow to transfer.
- FIRST with expensive cards like Platinum and Centurion that allows to transfer and offers some additional perks.
The best credit cards for Membership Rewards, which currently offer 50,000-point sign-up bonuses, are Amex Business Gold and Amex Platinum Mercedes Benz, although the later carries a $475 annual fee. This fee, however, is worth every penny due to the perks that come along with the card.
Advantages:
- Bigger number of transfer partners: 15 airlines from all three alliances and 5 hotels.
- Frequent generous transfer bonuses.
- Occasional bonuses for gift-card redemptions like Home Depot.
Disadvantages:
- Not partnered with prime US airlines such as United or AA.
- Not much value in transfers to hotels
- Can’t redeem points for cash.
- Not good redemption rates for travel (better for Amex Platinum subscribers but still less than one cent per dollar).
Ultimate Rewards
Airline Transfer Partners
- One World: British Airways
- Star: United
- SkyTeam: Korean Air
- Non-alliance: Virgin Atlantic, Southwest
Hotel Transfer Partners
- Hyatt
- Marriott
- IHG (Priority Club)
- The Ritz Carlton
Others
- Amtrak
There are two types of credit cards associated with the program, BASIC like Freedom and Sapphire that don’t allow transfers, and PREIMUM like Sapphire Preferred, Ink Plus and Ink Bold. These premium cards consistently have good sign up bonuses (40K, 50K, and 50K points) and the annual fees are waived for the first year.
Freedom, which doesn’t carry an annual fee, is a great card too, as it has quarterly rotating 5x categories. If you have both Freedom and a Sapphire Preferred, you can transfer your Freedom points to Sapphire (which is a snap) and then to the partner of your choice.
Advantages:
- Can transfer to United.
- Transfers are very easy, quick, and straightforward.
- The ability to transfer to Amtrak can be extremely lucrative.
- Reasonable value with transfers to Hyatt
- Can redeem for cash.
- Great cashback with Ink cards.
- 20% discount on travel redeem through Ultimate Rewards
Disadvantages:
- Smaller number of partners.
- No transfer bonuses ever.
Both programs have numerous sweet spots and perfectly complement one another. If you have to choose, choose both:-).
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Delta® Reserve for Business
- Annual Fee: $450 fee
- Foreign Fees: No
- Card Type: Travel
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- Earn 40,000 bonus miles and 10,000 MQMs after you spend $3,000 in purchases with your new Card in the first 3 months.†
- Earn 15,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) and 15,000 bonus miles after you reach $30,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in the calendar year.
- Earn 2 Miles per dollar spent on eligible purchases made directly with Delta. Earn 1 mile on every eligible dollar spent on purchases.
- Settle into your seat sooner with Priority Boarding and enjoy 20% savings on eligible in-flight purchases in the form of a statement credit.
- Pay no foreign transaction fees when you spend overseas.‡
- Complimentary Delta Sky Club® Access.‡
- Terms and limitations apply
- See Rates & Fees
Delta® Reserve for Business
- Annual Fee: $450 fee
- Foreign Fees: No
- Card Type: Travel
| FTG Review | Reward Breakdown | Points Breakdown |
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Breakdown
Earn (pt.)
Spend
3 months
0
$3,000
Per dollar on eligible purchases with Delta Purchases
2.00
$1
All Purchases
1.00
$1
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Already have this card? Maximize your rewards.
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