Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard Review [2021]

The Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard is such a solid travel credit card. With strong bonus earning categories and additional perks, it’s hard to not love this card.

In this review article, I’ll show you why this card might be arguably one of the most valuable travel rewards credit cards on the market.

Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard overview

  • 3X on Amtrak travel, including onboard purchases
  • 2X on travel
  • 1X on all other purchases
  • Complimentary Companion Coupon
  • Complimentary Single-Visit Station Lounge Pass
  • One-Class Upgrade
  • Earn Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs)
  • 5% Amtrak Guest Rewards point rebate
  • No point expiration
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • 20% rebate on food and beverage purchases

Bank of America application rules

Bank of America just switched up their application rules and now you’ll have to deal with more complicated eligibility rules.

As you will be able to see below, there are a lot of rules to keep in mind when going for this card.

Tip: To make things easy on yourself, I suggest you use the free app WalletFlo so that you can automate your eligibility for credit cards and boost your approval odds!

If you want to figure out eligibility manually here are the main rules:

You can’t get approved for more than: 

  • Two new BOA cards in a 30 day period
  • Three new BOA cards in a 12 month period
  • Four new BOA cards in a 24 month period
  • Applicants with a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened seven or more credit cards in the past 12 months.
  • Applicants without a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened three or more credit cards  in the past 12 months

Welcome bonus

The bonus you get on this card will just depend on when you apply.

The standard offer is for 20,000 points after you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days after account opening.

However, we have seen offers for 30,000 points and even 40,000 points although the spending requirement did jump up for the 40,000 point offer.

You can also sometimes find an offer with a $100 statement credit. If you can find a 40,000 point offer with a $100 statement credit, that is a beast of an offer!

20,000 points will be worth around $600 which is a pretty good amount of value for a travel rewards credit card.

There are quite a few different ways you can utilize your points and I recommend you checking out the ultimate guide to Amtrak points which breaks all of those down.

But here are some examples.

First, as you would expect, you can use your points on train rides. To give you an example of the pricing here are some sample routes:

RouteClassPrice (in points)
Los Angeles to TucsonCoach1,691
Chicago to St. LouisCoach1,070
Houston to New OrleansRoomette5,520
New York to BostonBusiness4,000
New York to Washington DCBusiness6,314
Sample Amtrak bookings with points.

You can also use your points for lounge access or shell out 10,000 points for upgrades.

By the way, if you want to learn more about the Amtrak cancellation policy you can find out details here.

You can also use your points in different forms such as booking hotels, gift cards, etc.

You should be aware, I did some test bookings on various hotels and cruises and gift cards and I was not very impressed with the results.

In some cases if you use your Amtrak points for hotels or cruise gift cards you would lose as much as 73% in value.

Therefore, unless you have absolutely no use for your points on Amtrak, I would highly advise to avoid those redemption avenues because you’ll be missing out on a ton of value.

Rows of seats inside train cabin
The best value for your points will be on a train rides.

Bonus earning potential

  • 3X on Amtrak purchases
  • 2X on travel
  • 1X on everything else

3X on Amtrak purchases

Given the high valuation of Amtrak points of 2.9 cents per point, this makes this card one of the most valuable travel credit cards out there. 

You’re getting close to 9% back on Amtrak travel when using your card which is pretty insane compared to the percent you get back with other travel cards.

Based on a return on spend perspective, you could argue that the Amtrak credit card is the most valuable co-branded travel credit card.

2X on travel

Earning 2X on travel with this card is also super impressive because of the high value of the points. You are basically getting close to 6% back on travel which again is super competitive.

The travel category is also very broad and includes merchants like: airlines, car rental agencies, hotels, motels, inns, and resorts, steamship/cruise lines, commuter rail, passenger rail (where Amtrak is not the merchant of record), and travel agencies.

1X on everything else

1X on everything else is very solid since that is close to 3% back on all purchases.

So as you can see, the Amtrak credit card might be the most valuable travel rewards credit card in terms of value put back in your wallet for travel purchases.

The only drawback is that your points are really only valuable on train travel which limits the redemption prospects for a lot of people.

For that reason, travelers wanting more options likely will be more interested in cards like the Amex Green Card that earn flexible points that can be used on different types of travel.

But if you are a train person or live near a dense network of Amtrak routes such as in the Northeast, this card could be extremely valuable.

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

Pool and beach area of hotel with surrounding palm trees
Earn Amtrak points on all types of travel such as hotel stays.

Amtrak Benefits

The Amtrak Guest Rewards World Mastercard will hook you up with a lot of great benefits.

Companion Coupon

Upon opening your account and each anniversary of your card membership, you will receive a complimentary companion coupon.

This benefit will consist of two one-way coupons each valid for one free companion rail fare with the purchase of one regular (full) adult rail fare.

The free companion and paying passenger must reserve at the same time and travel together at all times and each coupon is valid for travel as one one-way reservation.

For roundtrip usage, both directions of travel must be reserved at the same time. Travel blackout dates apply.

This could be the most valuable perk of the card since you’re basically getting a buy one get one free ticket, twice. It looks like you may be restricted to coach fares or to business class on Acela to use this perk based on reports.

But even if that is the case, you could still knock down the annual fee with one good use of the companion fare.

You can easily apply your companion pass discounts by signing into your account and utilizing the”Discounts” field or “Coupon/Promo code” drop-down menu.

Simply choose your companion discount that you’d like to apply and it should be applied instantly to your booking on the next screen.

One-Class Upgrade

You will receive a One-Class Upgrade upon account opening and each year when you renew your card membership.

The One-Class Upgrade Coupon is valid for one space-available, one-way, one-class upgrade.

You can use these to upgrade from Coach to Business class or from Acela Business class to Acela First class, on a single travel segment or leg. But you can’t use them to upgrade to sleeping car accommodations.

Travel blackout dates may apply so be sure to look into those.

Tip: On Acela Express trains, an upgrade from Acela business class to first class could cost more than $100. So if you optimize this benefit each year, this perk alone could justify the annual fee.

Upgrade coupons can be applied to existing reservations within the window of time referenced on your coupon.

You can apply your upgrades by logging into your account and locating the reservation and then simply selecting upgrade and choosing the upgrade coupon you would like to use.

Once you have confirmed the upgrade, your new ticket should be available instantly. This can be done on the website Amtrak.com or on the app.

Lounge Pass

After opening up an account, you will receive a complimentary Single-Visit Station Lounge Pass upon account opening. You should note that this is not an anniversary benefit.

A Station lounge pass grants single entry at any ClubAcela, Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge or Amtrak First Class Lounge and is valid for bearer and one guest, or bearer’s spouse/domestic partner and children under the age of 21.

No same-day ticket required for use.

A lounge pass would typically cost you $35, so this is a nice little added bit of value. The issue is that there are only a small number of lounges. So unless you have travel plans in one of those cities, this lounge pass may not do you much good.

 Your Single-Visit Station Lounge Pass will be mailed to you within 2 weeks of account opening.

Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs)

Amtrak will allow you to earn 1,000 Tier Qualifying Points (TQPs) toward earning tier status each time your eligible spending reaches $5,000 in a calendar year.

You’re limited to 4,000 TQP’s so that means that you can use a total of $20,000 in spend to boost your elite qualifying points.

To reach the first level of elite status known as the “Select” level you will need 5,000 TQPs so you will not able to achieve that level via spend but you can get pretty close.

Elite levelTQP requirement
Memberup to 4,999 TQPs
Select5,000 TQPs
Select Plus10,000 TQPs
Select Executive20,000 TQPs
Amtrak elite levels

5% point rebate

As a cardholder, you will receive 5% Amtrak Guest Rewards point rebate

Each time that you choose to use your points for an Amtrak ticket you receive the 5% rebate on the points that you redeemed.

Keep in mind that this is a rebate so you will have to have the total amount of points required to complete the redemption — the rebate cannot be applied to achieve the total points required for the redemption.

So let’s say that you redeemed 1,000 points for a ticket, you would receive 50 points back.

But let’s say you only had 950 points for a ticket and needed 1,000, you would not be able to redeem for the ticket.

20% rebate

You can also receive a 20% rebate in the form of a statement credit on your food and beverage purchases.

Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard FAQ

Do you get elite status with the Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard?

No, you do not get elite status. However, for every $5,000 you spend you can earn 1,000 TQPs up to a total of 4,000 TQPs.

Do you get lounge access with the Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard?

You do not get a lounge membership but upon account opening, you will get a complimentary Single-Visit Station Lounge Pass.

Can you get upgrades with the Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard?

Yes, every year you will receive one complementary one class upgrade. In addition, you could use the points earned from the welcome bonus for upgrades starting at 10,000 points.

What is the Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard annual fee?

The annual fee is $79 and it is not waived.

Does the Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard have foreign transaction fees?

No, there are no foreign transaction fees.

Is Amtrak a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards?

No, Amtrak is no longer a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Can you downgrade the Amtrak Guest Rewards World MasterCard?

There is a no annual fee version of this card known as the Amtrak Guest Rewards Platinum MasterCard. This card may be a downgrade option but some people have had issues downgrading to this card so it may not always be possible.

Final word

If you plan to use Amtrak this credit card can be a pretty valuable asset, allowing you to travel for free and take advantage of some perks along the way.

But if you are an avid train traveler, this card could easily be the most valuable travel credit card due to its high point valuations, bonus earning potential, and all of the other perks mentioned above.

Cover Photo by Bill Dickinson.

Bank of America Museums on Us Review (Free Dates) [2021]

For over 20 years Bank of America has offered special privileges for getting into museums across the country. The program is known as the “Museums on Us Program” and it allows you to get into museums all around the US for free.

In this article, I will tell you everything you need to know about the program, including which cards are eligible and which weekends are free. I also have a full list at the end of the article with every participating museum.

What is the Bank of America Museums on Us Program?

The Bank of America Museums on Us Program is a special program that allows Bank of America customers to visit museums all around the US free of charge on a select weekend each month. Keep reading below to see exactly which customers have access and what weekends are free. 

What Bank of America cards are eligible for the Museums on Us Program?

You can get free entry into select museums with the credit cards or debit cards from the following institutions: 

  • Bank of America
  • Merrill Lynch
  • U.S. Trust

Note: (Business cards or personal cards should work).

You will also need to show a photo ID when you use your card to get in for free (although not always). Also, you can only get free entry for the cardholder — guests must pay separate entrance fees. If you add an authorized user they should be able to get in for free.

I’ve also seen parents add their kids to their checking accounts so they have their own debit cards but have read mixed reports with the success of doing that so be warned that it might not always work (even though it appears that it should). 

Bank of America has some pretty solid credit cards you might want to pick up like the co-branded Alaska Airlines credit card, Virgin Atlantic card, and Asiana card. (Since some of these cards are less common and don’t have the Bank of America logo on them in obvious fashion, you might have to take a little bit of extra time to show the museum that these cards are eligible.)

Here are a couple of their other cards you might be interested in:

Bank of America Premium Rewards

  • Earn unlimited points – 2 points for every $1 spent on travel and dining purchases and 1.5 points per $1 on all other purchases Calculate Rewards
  • 50,000 bonus points – a $500 value – after you make at least $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
  • Get up to $200 in combined Airline Incidental and TSA Pre-Check /Global Entry Statement Credits

The Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card comes with no annual fee so with a card like this you’re able to hold on to the museum benefit for free. Of course, since debit cards also work you might just stick with your debit card if you already have an account with Bank of America.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Bank of America Cash Rewards

  • Earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings 
  • Plus, earn 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases Calculate rewards
  • Earn 3% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined choice category/grocery store/wholesale club purchases each quarter, then earn 1%

Before applying for these cards, just make sure you are aware of the credit card application rules.

What 2021 weekends are free? 

With the program, you can enjoy free admission on the first full weekend of every month. So the first Saturday and Sunday of a given month are eligible when both the Saturday and the Sunday fall in that month. Here’s a list of all of the free weekends for 2021 below.   

  • January: 2 & 3
  • February: 6 & 7
  • March: 6 & 7
  • April: 3 & 4
  • May: 1 & 2
  • June: 5 & 6
  • July: 3 & 4
  • August: 7 & 8
  • September: 4 & 5
  • October: 2 & 3
  • November: 6 & 7
  • December: 4 & 5

If you don’t want to keep track of which weekends are the free dates then you can sign up for email reminders. These should arrive in your inbox every month and you can sign up for them here.

There are some reports of people getting turned away when special events are taking place. These don’t appear to be that common but it’s something that you want to be on the lookout for when the special event doesn’t have an exclusive entrance. In those cases, you can try to reason with the ticket desk and just assure them you won’t be entering in the special exhibition but YMMV. 

Tip: Many museums offer free entry on certain days of the week/month/year so always be on the lookout. You can search for some free days here. Just be warned that free days at museums sometimes have ridiculously long lines so you might want to avoid them if you don’t like dealing with crowds. By the way, you might want to read my tips for visiting museums.

What type of admission do you get? 

The Museums on Us Program will grant you general admission into these museums. Thus, if there is a special exhibit which requires you to pay for entry, you likely won’t get free access to that exhibit. Also, some museums have fast-track lanes and you likely won’t get access to those either (though it never hurts to ask). 

The price of admission to these museums will vary but it’s not uncommon to get about $15 to $25 worth of value from a free general admission ticket. Some museums may try to up-sell you to more expensive tickets (at a discount) when you enter so be prepared for that. 

What type of museums participate?

I have a full list of all of the museums in the program below, but you can expect a wide variety of museums in this program. Some museums are very well known like the Art Institute of Chicago, the Met in New York, etc. 

However, you will also find a lot smaller museums that you probably have never heard of. The great thing about those museums is that even if you’re not in love with them when you visit, at least you can get into them for free. And without a doubt, some of them will be hidden gems with some interesting art and artifacts to check out. 

List of Bank of America free museums

Below is a list of all of the museums that participate in the program. Keep in mind that they are constantly adding new museums so you should always check to see what the latest museums are. I will try to keep this list as updated as possible but if you want to check your self you can do that here.

Update: It appears that Bank of America no longer publishes the entire list of eligible museums and you have to search for them individually based on your region. Still, the list below could be helpful in finding potential museums to visit –just be sure to verify that they are still in the program.

Alaska

Anchorage

Arizona

Phoenix

Scottsdale

Tucson

Arkansas

Little Rock

California

Bakersfield

Fresno

Laguna Beach

Long Beach

Los Angeles

Mountain View

Oakland

Orange County

Palm Desert

Palm Springs

Redlands

Riverside

Sacramento

San Diego

San Francisco

San Jose

San Luis Obispo

Santa Barbara

Yountville

Colorado

Denver

Connecticut

Fairfield

Greenwich

Hartford

New Britain

Waterbury

Delaware

Wilmington

District of Columbia

Washington

Florida

Bradenton

Coral Gables

Daytona Beach

Fort Lauderdale

Islamorada

Jacksonville

Jensen Beach

Miami

Miami Beach

Naples

Orlando

Sarasota

St. Petersburg

Tallahassee

Tampa

Vero Beach

West Palm Beach

Georgia

Atlanta

Augusta

Cartersville

Savannah

Idaho

Boise

Illinois

Chicago

Lisle

Skokie

Indiana

Fishers

Indianapolis

Yountville

Iowa

Davenport

Des Moines

Kansas

Wichita

Maine

Portland

Rockland

Maryland

Baltimore

Massachusetts

Boston

Concord

Hyannis

Lenox

Springfield

Worcester

Michigan

Dearborn

Detroit

Flint

Grand Rapids

Minnesota

Minneapolis

St. Paul

Missouri

Kansas City

Nevada

Las Vegas

Reno

New Hampshire

Manchester

New Jersey

Cherry Hill

Clinton

Millville

Montclair

Morristown

Newark

New Mexico

Albuquerque

Santa Fe

New York

Albany

Brooklyn

Buffalo

Centerport

Garden City

Huntington

Kingston

New York

Riverhead

Rochester

Roslyn Harbor

Stony Brook

Syracuse

Yonkers

North Carolina

Asheville

Charlotte

Greensboro

Raleigh

Wilmington

Winston-Salem

Ohio

Cincinnati

Cleveland

Columbus

Dayton

Oklahoma

Bartlesville

Oklahoma City

Tulsa

Oregon

Eugene

Portland

Pennsylvania

Chadds Ford

Doylestown

Philadelphia

Pittsburgh

Rhode Island

Newport

Providence

South Carolina

Charleston

Columbia

Greenville

Tennessee

Memphis

Nashville

Texas

Austin

Canyon

Dallas

El Paso

Fort Worth

Houston

San Antonio

Virginia

Charlottesville

Portsmouth

Richmond

Washington

Bellevue

Seattle

Spokane

Tacoma

Bank of America Art Conservation Project

Bank of America also oversees an art conservation project. They provide grants to nonprofit museums to conserve historically or culturally significant works of art that are in danger of degeneration, including works that have been designated as national treasures. Each year they take new grant submissions so if you think you might qualify you should look into it.

Final word

Getting a free general admission ticket to museums every month is a great perk. The only drawback I see is that you don’t get access to the special exhibitions and you might have to forgo other passes like FastTrack. But it doesn’t get much easier than just showing your card to get free access so I am a big fan of this program.

Bank of America Credit Line Increase Tips [2021]

So you’ve got a Bank of America credit card but you’re not quite pleased with your current credit line… what are you to do? Cancel? Switch to another bank? The answer is to probably apply for a credit limit increase with Bank of America.

In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about how to get a credit line increase with Bank of America and give you some data points and tips to help you better realize your odds. I’ll also talk about whether or not they will conduct a hard pull or soft pull on your credit report and how long to wait to request an increase. 

How to request a Bank of America credit line increase

You can request a credit line increase online by logging into your account. Click on the link/button called “Request a Credit Line Increase” and simply follow the steps. You will need to supply some information such as your income so be prepared for that. 

Note that not everybody will be able to see the request a credit line increase link (aka the “Luv Button”). If you have not had your account very long (only a couple of months) you might not see the link. In that case, you can also call the Bank of America customer service phone number at 1(800)732-9194 but read below about how long you should wait before calling. 

If you are not instantly approved for the credit line increase then your odds of getting the credit limit increase are probably going to be on the smaller side. It still might be possible to get approved for a credit limit increase but I would not necessarily expect one at that point. Either way, you should hear something in the mail after a few business days. 

Tip: Use the app WalletFlo to give you auto-reminders of when to request credit limit increases!

How much of an increase to request?

You might be wondering how big of a credit limit increase is a reasonable request. A lot of people stick to requesting around 25% to 35% of their current credit limit. So if you had a $10,000 credit limit you might request a credit limit increase of $2,500. But sometimes it is possible to get much higher credit limit increases. 

Many people will request an amount much higher than they actually want because it is possible that Bank of America will come with a counter offer. So in many cases you may want to request an amount higher than you actually need or want.

(Just note that if you ask for an extremely high amount you may have to call into process the request. Also, you might be at more of a risk of getting hard pull.)

Here are some data points to give you an idea of what to expect for your credit line increase:

Image via MyFico.

Bank of America should NOT conduct a hard pull

In the past, bank of America would conduct a hard pull on your credit whenever you requested a credit limit increase. Getting a hard pull (or hard inquiry) on your credit report is not ideal because it will typically bring down your credit score by a handful of points. (If your credit score is on the lower side, a hard pull could do even more damage to your credit score.)

However, in the middle of 2018 Bank of America changed their policy and started to allow credit limit increases with only soft pulls. This means that if you request a credit limit increase you should not have a negative impact on your credit score. For those people who are trying to rebuild their credit scores this is a fantastic change. 

That doesn’t mean that a hard pull can never happen so always try to verify with a Bank of America rep if you can. And if there is a hard pull, there’s a good chance you might get a pull from TransUnion or possibly Experian.

Related: Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card Review

Minimum waiting period

When going for an increase in your credit limit with Bank of America, there’s often a minimum waiting period of three to six months from the time of approval or from your last credit increase or credit increase request. This means that if you get denied for your request, you should probably wait about 90 days for your next request. 

Some people report they have been able to get a credit limit increase in as short as 30 days but that’s probably pushing it. Keep in mind that just because the “Luv Button” (button for a credit line increase) shows up, that does not mean that you should apply for one — I would try to wait at least 90 days from the time of account opening. 

And it goes without saying but you absolutely don’t want to have any late payments during the waiting period. So prioritize your payments with Bank of America (and really all of your credit cards) so that you can ensure 100% on-time payments. 

Double dipping?

There are some reports of people requesting a credit limit increase directly after requesting a prior credit limit increase. In other words, they double dip on the credit line increase.

This is something that you can consider if the credit line increase link is still showing up after you receive your increase. However, this type of tactic does feel a bit like gaming the system and so you may not want to go that route if you don’t want unnecessary eyes on your accounts.  

Again, the button may return after about three months and then you can request an additional credit limit at that time. Patience is a virtue.  

Bank of America automatic credit limit increase 

If you are able to stick to paying off your bills on time and not maxing out your credit card, you might receive an automatic credit limit increase after about six months or a year. (Other banks such as Chase also do this.)

You can probably increase your odds of getting an automatic credit limit increase if you continuously run up a balance near your credit limit and then pay it off entirely each month (avoiding interest). This will show Bank of America that you are capable of responsibly managing your credit line and will likely increase the chances of them allocating you more available credit. It could also help them see you as a more profitable customer which can only help your odds even more. 

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Shifting credit

Bank of America is another credit card issuer that allows you to transfer credit between different credit cards. So for example if you had two credit cards with Bank of America and both of them had a $5,000 credit limit you could transfer something like $3,000 of one credit line to the other card. In that case, you would end up with one card with an $8,000 credit credit limit and another card with a $2,000 credit limit.

If you have big purchases or plan on running up a bit of a balance this can be a great way to mitigate the damage to your credit. This can also be a handy trick to do if you are going to cancel or close a credit card because it will allow you to preserve a lot of your credit line and therefore preserve your utilization.

Remember, utilization is 30% of your total FICO score so you want to keep that down as much as possible. By holding on to your available credit limits, it will be easier to keep your utilization in check. 

Have a good reason for requesting a higher limit

Although it is not always necessarily required for you to have a legitimate reason for requesting a credit limit increase (especially when doing it online) it won’t ever hurt your odds to have a good reason. A common reason for wanting a higher credit limit is if you have a major purchase coming such as a:

  • Honeymoon
  • Wedding
  • Family vacation, etc. 

This just helps to get the bank added confidence and assurance that this is a planned out move and that you have thought out your request. You could also just tell the bank you’re trying to improve your credit score, since that’s a pretty reasonable reason for wanting more credit. 

Credit line increases with other issuers 

You might also be interested in reading about getting credit limit increased with other issuers. 

Final word 

As you can see, the process for getting a credit line increase with Bank of America is pretty straight forward. You just need to have a bit of patience to wait three to six months for your request and then request an amount that leaves some room for a potential counter from Bank of America. Also, try to have a good reason for your request just in case you need to get on the phone and plead your case. And finally, you should not have to worry about hard pulls for your credit limit increase.  

Free Spirit Travel More Companion Flight Voucher Guide [2021]

Many different credit cards offer special companion fares that allow a companion to fly for free or at a discount. Some of these are issued automatically and others require a certain amount of spend to earn.

The Free Spirit MasterCard is one of these that offers you a discounted companion fare every year so long as you meet the minimum spend requirement. In this article, I’ll tell you everything you need to know about the companion voucher.

What is the Free Spirit Travel More companion voucher?

The companion voucher is a recurring benefit offered to Free Spirit Travel More World Elite Mastercard holders who spend at least $5,000 in an anniversary year. This allows you to receive a $100 discount on a companion ticket every year.

Note that this works very different from the  Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card — another type of companion fare issued by Bank of America.

That companion ticket will cover the cost of a companion ticket so long as you pay the $99 fee and cover the additional fees and taxes. (Sometimes the $99 fee requirement is waived.)

This is a major difference because with a companion fare like the one attached to the Alaska card, you can get several hundred dollars in value.

But this companion benefit is limited to a $100 discount. It almost works in the opposite fashion so don’t get confused by that.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Is the companion voucher worth it?

In order to receive the benefit, you’ll have to spend $5,000 in your anniversary year.

$5,000 is a pretty low spend requirement for an annual bonus as they typically require much higher spend, often starting around $15,000 to $20,000 a year. Some even go as high as $75,000 plus!

So the spend requirement for this perk is very low.

The value of this benefit maxes out at $100 since it does not offer you a free fare, so it makes calculating your value proposition very easy.

The annual fee for the Free Spirit MasterCard is $79 so a single use of this discount allows you to come out on top in terms of value which can make this credit card a keeper.

And that is without factoring in the use of other card benefits like the priority boarding, 25% rebate on in-flight purchases, etc.

The big thing to keep in mind is the opportunity cost here, though.

You could always put $5,000 worth of spend to a welcome bonus requirement for a much more lucrative reward.

For example, if you were to spend $4,000 to earn something like a 60,000 point bonus of Chase Ultimate Rewards, that could easily net you over $700 in travel.

So you could spend less and receive much more in value (like 7X or more). However, that would require opening up a new credit card account and not everybody is always in the market for doing that.

So, if you regularly spend over $5,000 on this card then getting a $100 discount is a nice perk, especially if you have plans to regularly fly with Spirit every year.

Related: The Spirit Airlines $9 Fare Club Benefits Review: Worth It?

Arrival time

If your account is open with active charging privileges on your account anniversary date, you will receive the companion voucher code via email within the first billing cycle after the anniversary each year.

Because this is such a new benefit, we don’t have data on exactly how long this benefit takes to arrive.

Restrictions

Eligible credit card

In order to receive the benefit, your primary fare and the companion fare must be purchased with your Free Spirit MasterCard.

(You’ll also receive 3X the points on your airfare so there is an extra incentive to use your card for your ticket.)

The traveling guest must be on the same itinerary and the booking must take place at the same time directly on Spirit.com.

Expiration

You must use your companion flight voucher code within 12 months of the date of issue.

The great thing about this benefit is that the travel may be completed after the expiration date of the voucher code.

Unfortunately, your expiration date cannot be extended and once the voucher code has expired, it cannot be exchanged.

If for some reason your credit card is closed or you cancel your credit card, you will no longer be eligible to receive the benefit.

You also can not use this code on award to travel, vacation packages, or tours nor can you combine it with other airfare discounts.

Once you have met the minimum spend requirement for the benefit and after your anniversary date passes, you will receive your voucher code via email to the email address associated with the primary card holder’s account.

If for some reason you do not receive it, simply call the customer service number on the back of your credit card to get it re-sent.

It is possible that the terms may have more restrictions such as blackout dates or routing rules.

However, as I mentioned this is such a new benefit that we will have to wait until we get more data on the terms and how those terms are applied.

Final word

Overall, this is a somewhat mediocre benefit but it’s a great way to offset your entire annual fee if you hold his card. For someone who regularly flies with Spirit, I think it makes sense to take advantage of this benefit.

Cover Photo: Wikipedia

Alaska Airlines Visa Annual Companion Fare Benefit Guide [2021]

One of the most valuable benefits for the Alaska Airlines Visa is the annual companion fare. If used properly, it is a way to not only offset your annual fee but to come out on top by a large margin (sometimes several hundred dollars).

In other words, it can make your Alaska Airlines Visa card worth holding onto in the long term.

In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the Alaska Airlines Visa Annual companion fare.

What is the Alaska Airlines Visa companion fare?

The companion fare is a recurring benefit offered to Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card holders that allows you to book a discounted economy ticket for a companion every year.

It is also sometimes offered as a benefit in the form of a welcome bonus.

This is a single use companion fare ticket which is quite different from something like the Southwest Companion Pass which you can use multiple times.

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Arrival time

If your account is open with active charging privileges on your account anniversary date, you will receive the Companion Fare code within the first 2 billing cycles after the Anniversary date each year.

The Alaska FAQ states that, “[t]ypically, your account anniversary will fall approximately 6 to 8 weeks after the date on which you originally open your credit card account.”

This means that you could be waiting quite some time for that benefit to arrive after your true account anniversary date.

In reality, you may receive the companion fare much quicker than that, as it may show up only a couple of weeks after your account open date.

Once the companion fare code arrives, it should be directly credited to your Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan account. I’m not aware of notifications that go out for this benefit so you will just need to be on the lookout for it.

There is also a companion fare that often is attached to the welcome bonus.

To earn that, you will have to meet a minimum spend requirement such as spending $2,000 in the first 90 days after opening up your account but this requirement could change.

If you are earning a companion fare with your welcome bonus, it will likely appear shortly after the statement closes that you hit your minimum spend in.

Restrictions

You can use this code for a round-trip or one-way coach companion fare on Alaska Airlines.

The big take away here is that you must book a coach fare ticket and that you cannot use the code for partner airlines like American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, etc.

(In the past you could use your pass to purchase first class tickets.)

Booking

You’ll need to be traveling with another guest on a paid published ticket on the same itinerary and the ticket will need to be booked at the same time on alaskaair.com.

Routing

You can use the companion fare for one way or round trip travel and can even book open jaws or multi-city itineraries.

Booking multi-city itineraries is a great way to expand the value of your benefit. In some cases, you could be adding on a few hundred bucks in savings.

Just note that multiple stopovers are not allowed.

I have seen some reports of people getting the companion fare to apply to itineraries with multiple stopovers but that goes against the terms of the benefits so you can’t expect that to always work.

Fees

You will be responsible for paying the $99 base fare plus the taxes and fees which may total to $121. (Other fees such as baggage fees may apply as well.)

The annual fee for this credit card is $75 so if you are able to find a companion fare that totals $196 or more, you are coming out on top with this card.

That should not be difficult to do when flying across the country with Alaska Airlines. However, if you are looking to book shorter flights around the West Coast it may be much more difficult to find a deal that makes sense.

Note: There have been special offers in the past where the $99 base fare is waived so be on the lookout for those.

Related: 20 Best uses of Alaska Airline Mileage Plan Miles

Eligible travelers

This companion fare has great flexibility when it comes to the eligibility of the travelers using the perk.

That is because the cardmember who receives the companion fare code does NOT have to be a traveler on the reservation.

The Alaska Mileage Plan member who owns the companion fare code must be either: 1) one of the travelers or 2) simply the purchaser of the reservation.

That makes using this perk substantially easier for a lot of people.

Note: If you are the companion fare holder and not traveling then your name must match the name on the credit card used to purchase the reservation.

Credit card used

You will need to purchase the primary ticket and also the companion fare with your Alaska Airlines credit card.

This is super important for people considering canceling their card.

Some people might consider canceling their Alaska card right after they receive the companion fare benefit but if you do that then you will not be eligible for the benefit since you won’t be able to use your card for the purchase.

This was not always the case so if you used this benefit prior to October 2019 just note that this was a recent change.

Expiration

You must redeem your companion fare code online within 12 months of the date of issue. (Your companion fare code must be redeemed by 11:59 pm PT on the expiration date.)

Once you have received your ticket, the travel date may occur after the expiration of your companion fare code.

So let’s say that your companion fare code expired October 15, 2021. If you booked your ticket prior to October 15, 2021 for a flight the next month, that would be allowed by the rules.

According to the terms and conditions, the expiration date cannot be extended and if your companion fare code expires it cannot be restored or exchanged.

One possible work around here is that you could book a full fare economy ticket which allows for maximum flexibility with changes.

You can purchase tickets for up to 330 days in advance so you could purchase a full fare ticket almost a year in advance and then change the ticket once you know your exact travel plans.

You should be able to change the ticket type and also the destination. If your new ticket is cheaper than the initial ticket then you can be refunded the difference.

Finding your companion fare discount code

To locate your companion fare discount code log into your Alaska account and look under the “discount and companion fare codes” section.

As long as you are the primary cardholder, you should be able to find it here.

In order to use your code, from the “discount and companion fares codes” section simply click on “shop” next to your discount code. This is also where you can view the expiration date.

After you select “shop,” the companion fare code will be automatically copied into the discount or companion fare code field as you search for flights.

Just make sure that you select only two travelers because that is the only way to book a flight with the discount code.

(If you are trying to fly with more than one individual, you will need to make a separate booking for them.)

As you proceed to check out you should see the breakdown of your itinerary and under the total price you should see the companion price set at $99.

Note that you will also have to cover the fees which will typically total at least $22.

Be sure to check out: Alaska Airlines Club 49: (Deals & Baggage Fee Benefits)

Alaska Airlines Visa companion fare FAQs

Will I earn miles for the companion fare flights?

Yes, you and the guest can earn mileage credit for the flights.

Can I use the companion fare code on award tickets?

No, unfortunately you cannot use the companion fare code on award tickets.

When will I receive my annual companion fare?

Alaska states that it could take a couple of billing cycles for you to receive the companion fare but some people receive the companion fare within just a few weeks after the anniversary of the account open date.

Does the cardholder have to travel on the companion fare?

No, if the cardholder is not traveling they only have to use their card to purchase the revenue ticket and the companion fare ticket.

Can you upgrade the companion fare?

If there are two upgradable seats available, you may be able to upgrade your companion fare using miles, elite + companion upgrades, guest upgrades, or paid upgrades that may be offered at check-in. 

What airlines can I use the companion fare on?

The companion fare is valid on flights operated by Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air and on PenAir between Anchorage and Dutch Harbor. It is not valid on codeshare flights.

Final word

As you can tell, this could be quite a lucrative benefit for those who fly Alaska Airlines. If you can utilize it on a ticket costing $196 or more then you will be in the clear for completely offsetting the annual fee of your Alaska Airlines credit card.

Bank of America Application Rules [2021]

Bank of America has long favored applicants who have some type of account with them. This is one reason I always struggled to get approved for Bank of America cards in the past — it was always an uphill battle with them. But now, via DOC, it looks like BOA might be implementing a new rule that gives BOA customers further preference and clamps down on new applicants in a pretty big way. 

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

The 2/3/4 rule

Before jumping into the new rule, it’d be a good idea to review the current rules in effect at BOA. 

In the past, Bank of America has been known to limit you to a certain number of new Bank of America credit card accounts over the span of a month to 24 months. For example, you could only be approved of a maximum of: 

  • Two new BOA cards in a 30 day period
  • Three new BOA cards in a 12 month period
  • Four new BOA cards in a 24 month period

This rule is known as the Bank of America 2/3/4 Rule. But now there might be an additional rule at play that functions similar to the Chase 5/24 Rule. This new rule will limit customers to a number of cards depending on their relationship with BOA. 

The “7/12 and 3/12” rule

  • Applicants with a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened seven or more credit cards in the past 12 months.
  • Applicants without a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened three or more credit cards  in the past 12 months

Just like 5/24, this rule will consider all cards opened (probably only those that report to your personal credit report and/or possibly with BOA but we’ll see).

But these rules also might not be as strictly enforced as 5/24. So in other words, if you are in violation of these rules, you may still get approved in some cases. And you might be able to get around them if you have substantial funds in your account ($250K+). 

It also appears that the 7/12 and 3/12 rules might not affect BOA business cards (though DPs are somewhat mixed). So while we are still awaiting some details on the new rules, I’d just assume that they will apply to you if you are in violation of the rules just to be on the safe side.  

The new trend continues 

We are continuing to see more and more rules come into existence that force you to be more knowledgeable and strategic about your credit card applications, and I think this trend is only going to continue for the foreseeable future. This is one of the main reasons I’m working on WalletFlo, so that you won’t have to worry about keeping up with these changes and working all the crazy calculations. 

Final word 

Overall, I don’t think these changes are that bad if you have a BOA account but they are pretty restrictive otherwise at 3/24. We’ll see how strictly these new rules get enforced and if they become hard rules like 5/24. 

Spirit Airlines World Mastercard Review [2020]

If you are interested in flying on low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, you might also be interested in learning more about the Spirit Airlines World Mastercard.

It’s an interesting card with its unique bonus earning category but it doesn’t offer a wide range of benefits that you typically expect to see on a co-branded airline card.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Spirit Airlines World Mastercard.

Spirit Airlines World Mastercard overview

  • 2X on everything
  • 5,000 point anniversary bonus
  • Priority boarding
  • Reduced redemption prices

Welcome bonus

The bonus for the Spirit Airlines World Mastercard may come in different forms depending on when you apply.

A common offer is for 15,000 bonus miles after you use your card to make just one purchase and then the option to earn 15,000 additional miles if you make $500 worth of purchases within the first 90 days of opening up your account.

Since you only have to make one purchase and spend an additional $500 for the whole bonus, this is a very easy to obtain welcome bonus.

Spirit Airlines has a region based award chart that also changes based on the timing of your booking.

There are four different regions and three different rates of awards which include off-peak, standard, and peak.

The great thing about this card is that off-peak awards are available exclusively to cardholders who book the redemption flights using their Spirit Airlines World Mastercard. 

You can find off-peak awards for region one starting at only 2,500 miles.

If you are wondering what you can do with 30,000 miles, take a look at the chart below which breaks down some of the redemption prices for Spirit Airlines.

RouteMiles PriceCash PriceCPP
Atlanta, GA (ATL) to Aruba (AUA)27,500 (+ $15.60)$196.58.66
Los Angeles, CA (LAX) to Baltimore, MD (BWI)37,500 (+ $5.60)$87.09.22
Denver, CO (DEN) to Detroit, MI (DTW)25,000 (+ $5.60)$51.39.18
Fort Lauderdale, FL (FLL) to Lima, Peru (LIM)45,000 (+ $35.60)$196.09.36
Orlando, FL (MCO) to Guatemala City, Guatemala (GUA)25,000 (+ $5.60)$81.14.30
New Orleans, LA (MSY) to Las Vegas, NV (LAS)27,500 (+ $5.60)$91.09.31
Oakland, CA (OAK) to Houston, TX (IAH)27,500 (+ $5.60)$115.88.40

Tip: If you want to save on Spirit Airlines tickets, consider signing up for the $9 Fare Club.

Bank of America application rules 

Below are the application rules you need to consider. 

You can’t get approved for more than: 

  • Two new BOA cards in a 30 day period
  • Three new BOA cards in a 12 month period
  • Four new BOA cards in a 24 month period

Here are more rules: 

  • Applicants with a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened seven or more credit cards in the past 12 months.
  • Applicants without a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened three or more credit cards  in the past 12 months

So there are a lot of rules to keep in mind when going for this card. I just suggest for you to use the free app WalletFlo so that you can automate your eligibility for credit cards and boost your approval odds!

Bonus categories 

  • 2X on everything

Earning 2X on a co-branded airline credit card for airline purchases is the standard.

However, with this card you can earn 2X on all of your every day purchases.

So that is a significant upgrade compared to most other airline cards but the problem is that Spirit miles are not worth as much as other as other airlines.

Many people value Spirit Airline miles around .4 cents per point, though as you can tell by the chart below that value can change.

At a valuation of .4 cents per mile, 2X comes out to about .8% back which just is not competitive.

You would be much better off using a card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited for every day purchases which earns 1.5X on all purchases.

And you will definitely be better off with other cards when it comes to bonus category spend.

I would much rather put my airline purchases on a card like the Platinum Card that earns 5X on airfare which comes out to a much more valuable earning great.

Tip: Check out the free app WalletFlo so that you can optimize your credit card spend by seeing the best card to use! You can also track credits, annual fees, and get notifications when you’re eligible for the best cards!

Spirit Airlines travel benefits

One of the major drawbacks to this card is that it does not offer many benefits at all.

5,000 anniversary bonus miles

Whenever you spend $10,000 in purchases in a year, you’ll be given 5,000 anniversary bonus Spirit miles.

This perk is not that attractive because it requires a hefty amount of spend at $10,000.

Again, if you value the miles at .4 cents per point then getting 5,000 bonus miles would amount to under $25 in value.

Consider that you could put $15,000 worth of spend on a card like the Hilton Surpass and get issued a free weekend night that could be worth over $1,000.

It quickly becomes clear that this bonus perk is just not that special.

Something else to consider is that some other airline credit cards simply give you an automatic bonus each year, regardless of how much you spend.

ZONE 2 Priority Boarding

Cardholders will receive zone two priority boarding whenever they use their Spirit Airlines MasterCard to purchase tickets or by simply showing their MasterCard at the gate upon boarding.

This really is the only true airline perk offered by this card so it’s nice to have something.

Getting to board in zone two should make it much easier to secure overhead storage bin space so there is some value in this perk.

Free Spirit Dining Rewards

Your card will be automatically enrolled in the Free Spirit Dining Rewards.

This is a program that allows you to earn at least 1 mile for every two dollars spent at participating restaurants. You can check here for a full list of participating restaurants and how to increase your earning rates.

It’s nice that they automatically enroll you but this perk is available to people who don’t have the Spirit Airlines MasterCard so it’s really not that special.

Reduced award flight redemption levels

As stated above, you can get access to reduced award flight redemption levels which can be as low as 2,500 miles for off-peak awards.

If you can regularly take advantage of these low rates, you might be able to extract a lot more value from this card than others.

Spirit Airlines World Mastercard FAQ

Does the Spirit Airlines World Mastercard offer elite status?

No, you will not be granted elite status with this credit card.

Do you get free checked baggage with the Spirit Airlines World Mastercard?

No, you will not be offered free checked baggage as a cardmember. To find out more about the Spirit Airlines baggage policy click here.

What is the annual fee?

The annual fee is $59 and it is often waived the first year.

Does the Spirit Airlines World Mastercard have foreign transaction fees?

No, the Spirit Airlines World Mastercard does not have any foreign transaction fees.

Final word

Overall, the Spirit Airlines World Mastercard is not the most impressive airline credit card. I like that it earns 2X miles on all purchases but those miles are just not very valuable which hurts the value proposition.

It’s nice that you have access to cheap or awards but there are other perks that seem to be missing like Free checked baggage.

Cover photo by Prayitno via Flickr. 

Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card Review [2020]

The Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card is a superb airlines credit card. You can earn a lot of valuable miles with this card and utilize perks like free checked baggage and a discounted companion fare. The welcome bonus isn’t too shabby, either!

In this article, I’ll break down everything you need to know about the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card.

Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card overview

  • 3X on Alaska Airlines purchases
  • 1X on all other purchases
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Companion fare
  • Free checked bag
  • In-flight discount
  • $75 annual fee

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Welcome bonus

The bonus for the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card will change over time but you might encounter one of the standard offers like 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 or more in the first 90 days after opening up your account.

Alaska has one of the best frequent flyer programs because you can use their miles on some pretty fantastic partners including:

  • American Airlines
  • British Airways
  • Cathay Pacific
  • Emirates
  • Japan Airlines
  • Singapore Airlines
  • Korean Air

If you fly economy, 40,000 miles is enough to get you all the way over to Asia! But if you are staying put in the US, you could use 40,000 Alaska miles to book a few domestic flights and get you around the US.

If you want to learn more about how to maximize your Alaska Airline miles check out the top 20 ways to use your Alaska miles!

Tip: Sometimes you can find offers that come with an additional $50 to $100 statement credit. These offers can sometimes be found by clicking through banners on the Alaska Airlines website.

If you find an offer with an additional statement credit, such as a $100 credit, you will usually receive your credit after you meet the minimum spend requirement.

For example, if the minimum spend requirement is $2,000, after you reach that you will qualify for the mileage bonus and the $100 statement credit. (It may take up to 8 to 12 weeks to receive the credit.)

Screenshot of special offer containing $100 statement credit
An example of an offer with a $100 statement credit.

Bank of America application rules 

Bank of America just switched up their application rules and now you’ll have to deal with more complicated rules.

Below are the rules you need to consider. 

You can’t get approved for more than: 

  • Two new BOA cards in a 30 day period
  • Three new BOA cards in a 12 month period
  • Four new BOA cards in a 24 month period

Here are more rules: 

  • Applicants with a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened seven or more credit cards in the past 12 months.
  • Applicants without a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened three or more credit cards  in the past 12 months

In addition, you have specific rules related to the Alaska Airlines credit card, which state:

This card may not be available to you if you currently have or have had the card in the preceding 24 month period. 

The last thing that I will mention is that Bank of America likes to approve customers who hold a bank account with them. So if you don’t have a relationship with them, consider opening up a checking or savings account to improve your approval odds.

So there are a lot of rules to keep in mind when going for this card. I just suggest for you to use the free app WalletFlo so that you can automate your eligibility for credit cards and boost your approval odds!

Bonus categories 

  • 3X on Alaska Airlines purchases
  • 1X on all other purchases

3X on Alaska Airlines purchases

You can earn 3X miles on virtually any Alaska Airlines related purchases including:

  • Alaska Airlines tickets
  • In-flight food and beverage purchases
  • Lounge memberships
  • In-lounge food and beverage purchases
  • Cargo purchases
  • Vacation packages billed by Alaska Airlines as the merchant of record and booked directly through Alaska Airlines.

Eligible Alaska Airlines Vacation Packages must be booked via the Alaska Airlines website or by calling the Alaska Airlines Vacation Packages toll free number.

Earning 3X on Alaska Airlines purchases is pretty solid. Many other co-branded airline cards will limit you to only 2X on the airlines so this has other cards beat from that perspective.

Using a WalletFlo valuation of 1.63, 3X comes out to 4.89% back. That’s very good for a return on airline spend making this one of the best travel rewards credit cards.

1X on all other purchases

I’ve never been big on earning 1X on all purchases considering that cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited offer 1.5X on all purchases.

Still, if it is Alaska miles that you are after, at least you can continue to build that balance up with 1X earnings.

Alaska Airlines travel benefits

Free checked bag

With this card, you can get a free checked bag on Alaska flights for you and up to six other guests on the same reservation. (Just make sure everybody is on the same itinerary to get this benefit.)

You will also need to be on a qualifying flight which means that you will need to fly on flights marketed by Alaska Airlines and operated by Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, SkyWest or PenAir (codeshare flights operated by other carriers are not eligible).

Some co-branded airline cards limit the free checked bag to only one companion so getting up to six guests is a nice perk.

A checked bag on Alaska will normally cost you $30 so if you were to use this for six people, you could be saving up to $180 on a one-way flight.

So for many people, this perk alone could justify the annual fee which is already on the lower side at $75.

Tip: Check out the ultimate guide to checked baggage to find out everything you need to know about how to avoid baggage fees.

Alaska Airlines purchase discounts

  • 20% back on in-flight purchases
  • 50% off day passes at the Alaska lounge

When you use your Alaska Airlines credit card, you can get discounts on certain purchases. You can use the in-flight purchase discount on things like beverages, food, and internet.

Getting 20% back on in-flight purchases is pretty solid although it is not as good as the JetBlue Plus Card which offers 50% back.

Getting 50% off day passes at Alaska Lounges is really nice because a day pass will normally cost you $50 which means that you’ll be saving about $25 per visit. Not bad.

Tip: If you are really interested in airport lounge access, you might want to consider a card like the Platinum Card that has one of the best lounge access benefits you’ll come across!

Annual companion fare

Each year, you will be issued Alaska’s “Famous” companion fare. This is a one time companion pass that allows a companion to fly with you for only $99 plus fees.

The fees are usually about $22 so the total price for this companion ticket comes out to about $121 each year.

You can use this perk for valid round-trip or one-way coach Companion Fares when traveling on a paid published coach airfare on the same itinerary, booked at the same time on alaskaair.com.

So this is a nice benefit but to get the most out of it you need to find a decently expensive coach fare. Otherwise, your savings could be minimal.

By the way, if you were looking to save on airfare with Alaska Airlines and you reside in the state of Alaska, you might look into Club 49.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Dining

Your card will be automatically enrolled in Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Dining, a dining rewards program where you can earn 1 mile for every $2 spent at participating restaurants.

Additional benefits

“Museums on Us” Program

The Bank of America “Museums on Us Program” is a special program that allows Bank of America customers to visit museums all around the US free of charge on a select weekend each month. Find out more about it here. 

Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection

The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection consists of over 900 hotels around the world and offers you special privileges when you use the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection portal to book your hotel stay. Here are some of the perks you can get: 

  • Best available rate guarantee
  • Automatic room upgrade when available
  • Complementary in room Wi-Fi when available
  • Complementary breakfast for two
  • $25 food and beverage credit
  • VIP guest status
  • Late checkout upon request when available

As long as you get approved for the Visa Signature version, you will have this benefit.

Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card FAQ

Does the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card come with MVP elite status?

No, the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card does not come with MVP elite status.

Does the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card come with free checked luggage?

Yes, you can get one free checked bag for you and up to six companions.

Do I have to pay with my Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card to get the free checked bag?

No, you do not have to use your Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card to receive the free checked baggage benefit.

Does the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card offer lounge access?

No, the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card does not provide you with free lounge access but it does offer a 50% discount on day passes to Alaska lounges.

Do you get priority boarding?

No, you will not get priority boarding. You can find out more details about the boarding process for Alaska Airlines here.

What is the annual fee?

The annual fee is $75.

Does the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card have foreign transaction fees?

No, it does not have any foreign transaction fees.

Who issues the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card?

Bank of America is the issuer of the Alaska Airlines Visa Credit Card.

What is the difference between the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature and Platinum Plus?

In the past, Bank of America would approve customers for the Platinum Plus version of this card if they had a lower credit score. That card came with a lower bonus and less benefits so the Visa Signature is the version that you most likely want to pursue.

Can I get the personal and the business version of this card?

Yes, you can get approved for the personal and the business version of the Alaska Airlines credit card.

Final word

Overall, I am a big fan of this credit card because you can use your miles on some fantastic partners. I also think that it has great earning potential on Alaska Airlines purchases along with solid free checked baggage benefits.

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card Review [2020]

The Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card doesn’t get as much love as some other top travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Platinum and others, but it’s still a pretty good card. 

In this article, I’ll break down the rewards of the Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card and talk about some of the other lesser-known perks (that are fantastic) you might not be focused on when it comes to this card. 

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

  • 50,000 point bonus after making $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening
  • 2X on travel purchases
  • 2X on dining purchases
  • 1.5 points on all other purchases
  • $100 travel credit
  • $100 Global Entry credit
  • Solid travel protections 
  • Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection
  • $95 annual fee

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

Welcome bonus

  • 50,000 point bonus after making $3,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening

This 50,000 points sign-up bonus is worth $500 of cash back which is very nice since it can apply to just about anything (more on that below). I think it’s always smart to get an all-purpose card to cover random travel expenses and this is perfect for that. 

There aren’t many cards offering such a high amount for a cash back welcome bonus so this card is offering some great value that shouldn’t be taken for granted.

Bank of America application rules

Bank of America just switched up their application rules and now you you’ll have to deal with more complicated rules. Below are the rules you need to consider. 

You can’t get approved for more than: 

  • Two new BOA cards in a 30 day period
  • Three new BOA cards in a 12 month period
  • Four new BOA cards in a 24 month period

Here are the new rules: 

  • Applicants with a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened seven or more credit cards in the past 12 months.
  • Applicants without a BOA deposit account will not be approved if they have opened three or more credit cards  in the past 12 months

You can read more about the rules here. 

Credit card strategy

Before jumping on travel cash back cards like this you’ll probably want to consider some Chase cards. I would first go for the Chase Ink Business Preferred with its high 80,000 bonus after spending $5,000 in the first three months. That’s because I don’t believe it would count towards the rules above and would also not count towards your Chase 5/24 status. 

The same logic applies with certain other business cards like the AA cards.

Also, the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve might be better options to go with first if you want better bonus earnings on dining and general travel expenses and are interested in points you can transfer to travel partners. 

Bonus categories

  • 2X on travel purchases
  • 2X on dining purchases
  • 1.5X on all other purchases

The bonus categories for this card are pretty average at first glance but I’ll show you below why they quickly go to well above average in some cases. 

2x on travel

Just like other cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, the travel category for this card is very broad. 

Travel includes:

airlines, hotels, motels, timeshares, trailer parks, motor home and recreational vehicle rentals, campgrounds, car rental agencies, truck and trailer rental, cruise lines, travel agencies, tour operators and real estate agents, operators of passenger trains, buses, taxis, limousines, ferries, boat rentals, parking lots and garages, tolls and bridge fees, tourist attractions and exhibits like art galleries, amusement parks, carnivals, circuses, aquariums, zoos and the like. 

I thought it was pretty interesting that it includes some “entertainment-like” categories like museums, amusement parks, aquariums, etc.  

2x on Dining

Dining includes:

Restaurants, including Fast Food, and Drinking Establishments, such as Bars or Taverns

1.5X on other purchases

Earning 1.5X on all other purchases is nice since it’s on par with a card like the Freedom Unlimited but nothing that special. 

Earn bonus points on taxi rides.

Bank of America Preferred Rewards Program

This card really shines when you can get higher earning rates with the Bank of America Preferred Rewards Program. That’s because the bonus earning on this card is tiered and increases based on the size of your assets with Bank of America/Merrill.

If you have assets that qualify for a certain tier and you sign up for the Bank of America Preferred Rewards Program, you’ll be able to earn the following bonuses: 

  • Preferred Rewards Gold: 25%
  • Preferred Rewards Platinum: 50%
  • Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors: 75%

I’ll show you the requirements for the tiers and corresponding earning rates below. Keep in mind the balances are determined based on a three-month average combined balance. 

Bonus earning for those without a Bank of America account or less than $20,000 in assets

  • 2X on dining and travel
  • 1.5X on everything else

Preferred Rewards Gold

For those with $20,000 to $50,000 in assets: Gold 25% bonus

  • 2.5X on dining and travel
  • 1.87X on everything else

Preferred Rewards Platinum

For those with $50,000 to $100,000 in assets: Platinum Preferred 50% bonus 

  • 3X on dining and travel
  • 2.25X on everything else

Preferred Rewards Platinum Honors

For those with over $100,000 in assets: Platinum Honors 75% bonus

  • 3.5X on dining and travel
  • 2.62X on everything else

So if you’re just an average Joe with no assets or assets under $20,000 with Bank of America, you’re looking at a bonus structure of 2X on dining and travel and 1.5X on everything else. This is not an amazing earning rate considering that no annual fee cards like the Citi Double Cash Card earn 2X on ALL purchases. 

However, if you’re in the upper tier and earning 3.5X on dining and travel and 2.62X on everything else, those are truly fantastic earning rates. 

Redeeming your points

Some cards like this limit you to only travel purchases but with these rewards you can redeem your points for: 

  • Deposit into Bank of America checking or savings accounts
  • Credit to eligible Merrill Edge and Merrill Lynch accounts including 529 accounts
  • Statement credit to your credit card
  • Gift cards
  • Purchases at the Bank of America Travel Center

That’s a lot of cash back flexibility which makes the rewards more valuable. Note that you cannot currently transfer your points out to travel partners. 

Tip: Use WalletFlo for all your credit card needs. It’s free and will help you optimize your rewards and savings!

$100 travel credit

The Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card comes with a $100 travel credit issued each calendar year but the downside is that this is one of the more restrictive travel credits. Check out the key terms and conditions below:

Qualifying transactions are those purchases made on domestic-originated flights on certain U.S.-domestic airline carriers that include: preferred seating upgrades, ticket change/cancellation fees, checked baggage fees, in-flight entertainment, onboard food and beverage charges, and airport lounge fees affiliated with eligible airline carriers.

Airline ticket purchases, mileage point purchases, mileage point transfer fees, gift cards, duty-free purchases, award tickets and fees incurred with airline alliance partners do not qualify. Airline incidental fee transactions must be separate from airline ticket charges.

Airlines where the credit should apply include: 

  • Alaska
  • American
  • Delta
  • Frontier
  • Hawaiian
  • Jet Blue
  • Southwest
  • United

Spirit Airlines and Sun Country may not work with this credit. 

The key here is to examine if you would normally make $100 worth of such purchases in a calendar year. If the answer is yes then this is essentially a no annual fee cash back card that allows you to earn a small profit each year with the credit alone. 

Upgrades to preferred seating can be reimbursed.

Global Entry or TSA Pre-Check

The card also offers $100 in credit for Global Entry or an $85 credit for TSA Pre-Check.

Global Entry will allow you to breeze through Customs and Immigration when entering back into the US. Meanwhile, TSA Pre-Check is a program that costs $85 to join and allows approved passengers to go through a separate security screening process that is less demanding than the security screening open to the public.

Of course, I always recommend that you go with the $100 Global Entry credit since it includes TSA Pre-Check. 

“Museums on Us” Program

The Bank of America “Museums on Us Program” is a special program that allows Bank of America customers to visit museums all around the US free of charge on a select weekend each month. Find out more about it here. 

Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection

The Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection consists of over 900 hotels around the world and offers you special privileges when you use the Visa Signature Luxury Hotel Collection portal to book your hotel stay. Here are some of the perks you can get: 

  • Best available rate guarantee
  • Automatic room upgrade when available
  • Complementary in room Wi-Fi when available
  • Complementary breakfast for two
  • $25 food and beverage credit
  • VIP guest status
  • Late checkout upon request when available

Travel & Purchase protections

The Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card offers some very solid travel and purchase protections, especially for a card with only a $95 annual fee. Here are some of those protections: 

Trip Delay

Provides up to $500 per ticket purchased for you and your eligible family members for reasonable expenses if a covered trip is delayed (due to a covered hazard) for more than 12 hours. Some other cards like the Sapphire Reserve will cover you for trip delays starting at six hours (for the same amount) so you can do better. 

Trip cancellation

Provides reimbursement of up to $5,000 per person, per trip, for the unused prepaid non-refundable travel expenses including passenger fares, tours, and hotels if you have to cancel due to a covered reason. $5,000 is a decent amount but you can find premium cards offering $10,000 for trip cancellation. 

Baggage delay

Baggage delay will provide you with reimbursement of up to $100 per day (up to five days) on essential purchases like clothing when your bags are delayed or misdirected by a common carrier for more than six hours. The six hour limit is solid and it’s nice to get coverage up to a full five days.  

Lost luggage

Provides you coverage for luggage and its contents if they are lost or stolen due to theft or misdirection by the common carrier (airline, bus, train, cruise ship).

Purchase protection

If an item purchased with your card is stolen or damaged within 90 days of purchase, you can get reimbursed for up to $10,000 per claim. That $10,000 limit per claim is high for a card with a lower annual fee and is a great perk for this card. 

Roadside protection

This benefit will provide you with a 24/7 on-demand referral dispatch network that provides emergency roadside assistance, towing, and locksmith services. 

Annual fee

  • $95 annual fee (not waived)

Considering how you get a $100 travel credit, it’s very doable to offset the entire annual fee each year and essentially turn this into a no-annual fee card (and earn a $5 profit). If you’re using the  Bank of America Preferred Rewards Program and earning 2.62% back on all purchases, that’s pretty amazing. 

Final word

The Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card is a solid travel rewards card. I”m not too crazy about the earning structure but it can be extremely lucrative for those with a lot in assets. The $100 travel credit is also nice for a $95 annual fee card but it is quite restrictive. It also helps that this card has some solid travel and purchase protections that are on-par with the best premium cards.   

New Bank of America Credit Card Application Rules

It’s always important to be aware of the latest credit card application rules and restrictions so that you can avoid unnecessary credit card application rejections and formulate a good credit card application strategy. Well, now it looks like another major credit card rule has been created — this time by Bank of America. Doctor of Credit just confirmed that there’s a new rule being enforced for Bank of America credit card applications. This is known as the “2/3/4 Rule.”

The 2/3/4 Rule

With the new rule, Bank of America will only approve you for a maximum number of Bank of America credit cards on the following basis:

  • 2 cards per (rolling) 2 months
  • 3 cards per (rolling) 12 months
  • 4 cards per (rolling) 24 months

Three cards in a 12 month period isn’t a horribly restricting rule so I think Bank of America has struck a pretty reasonable balance here to get rid of credit card churners. DOC also reports that manual override by agents might be possible so this rule isn’t automatic dead end for applications like the Chase 5/24 rule often is.

However, the biggest difference between this rule and the Chase 5/24 rule is that this rule only focuses on Bank of America issued credit cards, while the Chase 5/24 rule considers all credit card accounts opened from all issuers. So this is a far less restrictive than the rule Chase has implemented. Also, so far data points show that business cards from Bank of America might not count for this rule, so that’s potentially another big break for some people.

Bank of America credit cards

Bank of America has a few solid credit cards options. There’s a few different options for cash back credit cards, including the newly released “Premium Rewards® credit card” that comes with a $500 sign-up bonus. And there’s also the ultra-popular Alaska Card which currently offers a 30,000 mile sign-up bonus. Lesser known cards include those for Virgin Atlantic and Asiana. You can find there card options here.

If you were just looking to pick up a couple of cash back cards or some Alaska miles a couple of times a year like many have done in the past, that’s still possible so I don’t consider this new rule a major blow. However, if you were churning Alaska cards multiple times a year this is obviously a bigger hit.

Final word

Overall, it’s no surprise that such a rule is coming down given the past abuses that so many people took advantage of with Bank of America. Between the Alaska cards and MLB cards, Bank of America took some big hits from many people over the past few years and this was the inevitable result. Although Bank of America seemed to have struggled to manage how to deal with churners for a while, it looks like they probably found their solution and luckily it’s not nearly as bad as it could be.

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