Are travellers’ bank cards price it? | USAEMALL.com

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August is upon us and airports are full of families about to jet off to a beach holiday somewhere — when a global IT meltdown hasn’t grounded thousands of planes, that is.

But if you travel often, for work or pleasure, you may have considered taking out an air miles credit card.

The offer is simple: spend on one of these pieces of plastic and you can pick up all manner of perks and rewards, from first-class lounge access to cheaper exchange rates and airline miles or Avios points — build up enough of these and you can convert them into flights (though you’ll still need to pay taxes and charges).

But as the cards typically come with higher APR rates, the question remains: are they worth it? And, if so, which should you go for?

We’ve explored the best options to keep handy as you sweep through your next airline lounge. My top tip? Don’t be loyal, get two different cards to enjoy double the perks.

Good for: air miles

For the best all-rounder, you can’t really go wrong with the Amex Platinum Card. Currently, you can get 40,000 points (enough for a trip from London to New York) if you sign up and spend more than £6,000 in the first three months. Points normally accrue at the rate of one per pound spent, but there are loads of other ways you can boost this through “smart spending”: navigating the vast array of cashback and discount offers on the Amex member site.

While some other cards have better air miles offers, such as Barclaycard Avios, you’ll be tied to specific airlines. With Amex, they’re transferable.

There are other perks: from hotel and fine dining perks to free travel insurance and global VIP lounge access. Don’t miss the monthly payments though, as the APR is 704.6 per cent (31.0 per cent variable for purchases) with a pretty sizeable £650 annual fee too.

Good for: travel perks

Benefits persist beyond the airport: flitting between continents, you’ll want to ensure you get the best deals as you spend on your credit card. The key things to look for are cashback, exchange rates, 0 per cent transaction fees and any promotions or incentives for signing up.

Of the cards we’ve considered, the winner is the Barclaycard Rewards Travelcard. You might not want to flash it at the rooftop bar in Monaco, but it matches the most advantageous Visa exchange rate throughout the day and doesn’t apply transaction fees. The card also gives you cashback at a rate of 0.25 per cent on each purchase — not particularly glamorous, but if you’re a big spender, you could save thousands by avoiding poor exchange rates and fees.  

Good for: showing off

If you’re looking to impress, you could do worse than the Coutts & Co Silk Card. It’s not an airline card, but the benefits line up: as with other luxury cards, you can expect 0 per cent fees, advantageous exchange rates and a host of luxurious benefits, from access to the most desirable airport lounges, alongside exclusive Coutts partner deals. This card doesn’t even give you points — you accrue crowns, which can be redeemed for a range of luxury rewards. You’ll need to be a Coutts private banking customer to even get through the door, though, so that’s a minimum investment or borrowing of £1mn or deposits of £3mn.