Every now and then I like to go through my crazy credit card collection and see what credit cards I’ve had throughout my lifetime. I like to keep my old credit cards instead of shredding them. I guess I do it more because it’s a hobby than for anything else. It’s more of a remember that one time, when I did this, thank god I had that credit card to bale me out, or get me that free trip!
Today when going through my old credit cards, I came across my Discover Card. I instantly thought about how much I lived this card when I was younger. I used it for everything and I loved that it was a miles card! Yet, despite it being a miles card, I didn’t have to turn miles into a specific airline, I could turn it into cash! So if I wanted to take myself out for a nice dinner I could or I had the option to cash the miles in for travel on any airline any time!
The Discover Miles card has NO annual charge and come with 12,000 bonus miles (as long as you make 12 purchases on the card a month each month for 12 months). In addition the first 3,000 dollars you spend on the card for dinning or travel earn you double miles! If you’re looking for a card just too slowly get yourself a free plane ticket, then this one maybe for you.
However, if you’re looking for a miles card to pay for itself and get free travel faster Check out the Discover Escape card! This card earns DOUBLE miles on EVERY purchase, but has an Annual fee of $60 a year. The sign up bonus is 25,000 miles and 25,000 miles = 250 in CASH or can be redeemed through the discover store! However, like the Miles card, on the escape you must make 25 purchases a month to qualify for the bonus offer. The good news is, you could by 25 sticks of gum and ring it up 25x and you’d be set! Apply for your great Escape today!
There’s also 10000s of ways to earn double and triple miles through shop discover and then when it comes time to redeem if you don’t want cash, check out the Discover store and turn those miles into gift cards. For example 4,000 miles = $100 gift card for the Hyatt or 2,000 miles for $40 off a car rental from Alamo or Enterprise (and if you’re going to Hawaii, Enterprise doesn’t charge $20/day young driver fee for t hose 21-24!)! The options are endless and the Discover Card is a good way to start your mile churning, especially if you looking for freedom or cash back or a card that doesn’t come with the new standard $100 annual fee!
Also ALL discover Cards come with 24/7 travel assistance, $0 Liability protection from fraud, phone rep on the phone in 60 seconds or less guaranteed–unheard of in this line of business–and a number of other benefits for tracking your spending and the way you pay. And If you cash your miles in for dollars and then use the dollars to pay for airfare you also get to earn miles on the flight into your Frequent Flyer account!