Andy Shuman
Personal Finance Freelance Writer
Andy Shuman is a NYC-based Personal Finance writer and blogger who covers Banking, Credit Cards, Consumer Finance, Travel, Frequent Flyer and Rewards Credit Card Programs.
CreditCards
Rewards scarce from vacation rentals companies
Summary
Airbnb, HomeAway and other vacation rental companies have no rewards programs of their own, but you may be able to coax some rewards out by carefully using the right card
The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Please review our list of best credit cards, or use our CardMatch™ tool to find cards matched to your needs.
Bargain-conscious travelers increasingly are turning to vacation rental companies such as Airb...
CreditCards
American Express® Business Gold Card review
The American Express Business Gold Card gets you a stellar 4-point bonus on the two categories you spend the most in each billing cycle. Plus, you’re entitled to a 25% bonus for eligible redemptions through the American Express travel portal (up to 250,000 points back per calendar year). American Express also offers financing features that give cardholders some options for managing cash flow.
Flexible bonus categories
To help match rewards with your spending, the Business Gold Card rewards 4 ...
NerdWallet
How to Travel to New York City on Points and Miles
New York City can be a notoriously expensive city for hotel stays, but your points can help cover the cost.
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
The Big Apple and Gotham are not the only nicknames New York is known b...
NerdWallet
How to Make the Most of Air Canada’s Economy Class
Air Canada completely revamped Aeroplan, its frequent flyer program, in 2020. The resulting changes are a mixed bag: For one thing, the new award charts (which are hybrid distance-zone based) have replaced Air Canada's fixed redemption values. Basically, you should expect to pay more if you’re flying in peak seasons or on popular dates. On the brighter side, the changes did away with cash airline surcharges, which means customers are only on the hook for paying taxes and third-party fees (lik...
boh.com
Top Financial Management Apps Have These 5 Things in Common
If there is one thing we have become accustomed to, it's doing things on the go. Need to buy flowers? There is an app for that. Order Thai? There is an app for that, too. Pay rent or mortgage? Ditto!
It seems there is almost nothing the right app can't do, although finding the right app might often seem like a challenge. Fear not – choosing an app is easier than you might think.
All top financial management apps have five things in common.
CreditCards
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card review
Alaska Airlines has a limited footprint and flies mostly in the Western U.S. But there is a reason why it has amassed a small army of devoted flyers. Alaska miles can carry you further than miles from other popular programs. The major strengths of Alaska’s MileagePlan are a great redemption scheme, generous routing rules, and a vast network of domestic and international partners.
The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card gives you an opportunity to get bonus miles for things you have to do anyway, such as paying for your airline expenses. Aside from having a better-than-average earning s
CreditCards
British Airways Visa Signature Card review
You might not like the $95 annual fee, but if you love saving money on travel, the British Airways Visa Signature Card from Chase is worth the price of admission. The annual fee is a small investment, considering what you get out of this product. Such perks include an excellent sign-up bonus and great earning scheme. Plus, you get one of the best frequent flyer programs in the world with a global reach that goes beyond flying on one airline. No matter where you go, Avios – the British Airways Executive Club currency – will help you get airborne even if British Airways doesn’t fly there.
CreditCards
Fairmont Visa Signature card review
Fairmont Hotels and Resorts might be the best hotel chain for people who hate staying in chain hotels. Fairmont hotels are not just about luxury and top-notch service, but also are unique, historic, and often castle-like properties that consistently earn accolades and awards from Condé Nast Traveler, Travel and Leisure, and other publications. Members can also earn credits and receive benefits at Raffles Hotels & Resorts and at SwissÔtel Hotels & Resorts.
It’s no surprise that a stay at a Fairmont hotel comes at a price, and this is where the Fairmont Visa Signature card comes in handy.
CreditCards
Why get the Club Carlson Premier Rewards Visa Signature card?
The Club Carlson card has a lot of perks and benefits. For starters, it comes with a huge sign-up bonus. It also has a solid earning scheme, nice retention bonus after each year of membership, and free mid-level elite status. Despite the recent rewards devaluation, rewards points can still be redeemed for some valuable hotel stays. Thanks to the generous bonuses, the value of the rewards you can earn ranks high among the travel cards we’ve reviewed.
CreditCards
Wyndham Rewards Visa Signature card review
The new Wyndham Rewards program, introduced last summer, prices every single Wyndham property at 15,000 points. That means the sign-up bonus will cover two nights at any participating Wyndham property worldwide.
While it sounds great in theory, Wyndham hotels just don’t offer the same value proposition as Hilton, Hyatt or Fairmont. The Wyndham portfolio mostly includes budget properties with an occasional upscale resort thrown in for good measure. A consumer who is interested in getting a sensible sign-up bonus and earning scheme is advised to look at other hotel credit cards.
CreditCards
The World of Hyatt Credit Card review
While some hotel loyalty programs have been riding the devaluation wagon for years – making their loyal patrons wonder how to use points that are worth less and less – the Hyatt Gold Passport program has exercised an enviable self-restraint. Hyatt, too, has raised redemption rates, but its last major devaluation occurred in 2013. It seems that unlike many other hotel chains, Hyatt understands that loyalty goes both ways. The Hyatt Gold Passport program consistently has earned rave reviews from its devoted fans.
CreditCards
IHG Rewards Club Select card from Chase review
With a huge worldwide portfolio of hotels ranging from budget Holiday Inns to super-duper InterContinentals, IHG can assist in all of your travel needs, whether you roam around your state or around the planet. And while today’s IHG points do not carry the same value they used to a few years ago, IHG frequently runs aggressive promotional campaigns allowing you to earn thousands of points for little effort.
On the redemption side, there are PointBreaks promos. These allow you to get a room at certain hotels all over the world for only 5,000 points. IHG also offers 50 percent off promos.
CreditCards
Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card review
From mid-range Courtyards and Fairfields to luxurious JW Marriotts and Ritz Carltons, it’s easy to find a Marriott hotel or resort you will be glad to call home for a night or a week. With 5,700 hotels spanning 19 distinct brands in nearly 90 countries, including the recently acquired Starwood Hotels and Resorts, it is one of the biggest hotel companies in the world.
Redemptions with the Chase Marriott Rewards Premier Credit Card start at 7,500 points at a Category 1 hotel.
CreditCards
Citi Hilton Honors Reserve card review
This offer is no longer available. For current offers, visit our reviews section.
The Hilton Hotels and Resorts brand is affiliated with several credit cards that allow you to earn extra points that you can use for free stays at the company’s hotels or resorts. Among those, the Citi Hilton Honors Reserve card is unusual – rather than offer a fixed amount of points as a sign-up bonus, it awards you with two free nights at almost any Hilton property in the world.
CreditCards
Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum card review
The Navy Federal Credit Union Platinum credit card has a 7.49 percent APR, which is one of the lowest interest rates in the industry. In addition, it has no annual fee, a low foreign transaction fee, low penalty fees and a relatively low penalty APR. It has a low cash-advance APR, and its cash-advance fees are very low as well. Unfortunately, the card doesn’t offer a 0 percent introductory APR for new purchases or balance transfers. For cardholders seeking to save money on interest, this coul...