Best credit card.

M_T

Hello I'm about to get a credit card for the first time only because I need to buy flights to Florida and use whilst there next year.
Any advice on the best card that would give me discount or upgrade on flights, provide insurance for the flights, no extra charges when used abroad and no set fees?
Thanks, MT.

[Deleted User]

A first time card may not be compatible with what you're looking for. But something like the Halifax Clarity is a good no forex card.

However, flight upgrades, discounts and insurance are very different things - you won't find a card giving you all that.

PeacefulWaters

M_T wrote: »

Hello I'm about to get a credit card for the first time only because I need to buy flights to Florida and use whilst there next year.

Halifax Clarity for the foreign spending.

How much do you anticipate the flights costing? Who do you expect to fly with?

Any advice on the best card that would give me discount or upgrade on flights, provide insurance for the flights

I think you're looking for something that doesn't exist in quite the form you expect.

Have a read of this site and familiarise yourself with options.
http://www.headforpoints.com/best-uk-avios-airline-hotel-credit-cards/

M_T

Thanks, the flights are going to cost around £2,500.
I don't expect to get something that gives me everything I'd mentioned but wondered if there was anything that gave more than another?
I'm probably going to fly with Virgin and wondered if their card would give me a good deal?
Thanks.

PeacefulWaters

M_T wrote: »

Thanks, the flights are going to cost around £2,500.
I don't expect to get something that gives me everything I'd mentioned but wondered if there was anything that gave more than another?
I'm probably going to fly with Virgin and wondered if their card would give me a good deal?
Thanks.

I'd click on the link in my earlier post.

With a £2,500 spend you're looking at a free hotel room for a night on a Hilton credit card.

If you do a weekly family shop at Tesco and can spend £10k a year on a credit card then I'd suggest the BA Amex card with a £195 fee might be a great investment to get two long haul business class flights in the future.

Anthorn

If you spend at least £3000 over the year you'll get 0.5% cashback, international assistance, basic travel accident insurance and 90 days damage and theft insurance up to £2500 per item with an American Express Cashback Everyday credit card, very easy to get btw. But there's the hefty 22.9% APR.

PeacefulWaters

Anthorn wrote: »

If you spend at least £3000 over the year you'll get 0.5% cashback

£15.

international assistance

Nice, but not essential.

basic travel accident insurance

To be stressed that this isn't travel insurance.

and 90 days damage and theft insurance up to £2500 per item

Nice, but not essential and riddled with exclusions.

with an American Express Cashback Everyday credit card, very easy to get btw. But there's the hefty 22.9% APR.

Although if cleared in full the APR doesn't matter.

Not dismissing the idea, but I'd suggest some of those perks are all frills with little substance.

Anthorn

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

£15.

Nice, but not essential.

To be stressed that this isn't travel insurance.

Nice, but not essential and riddled with exclusions.

Although if cleared in full the APR doesn't matter.

Not dismissing the idea, but I'd suggest some of those perks are all frills with little substance.

Not very constructive because you haven't stated an alternative.

You get compensation for death or injury as a passenger when tickets are bought with the Amex card. Is that not travel insurance?

In any case I wasn't advertising the card. I was just describing it.

PeacefulWaters

Anthorn wrote: »

Not very constructive because you haven't stated an alternative.

I did in post five, while suggesting a little more in depth reading.

You get compensation for death or injury as a passenger when tickets are bought with the Amex card. Is that not travel insurance?

No. It doesn't get you medical treatment if you suffer appendicitis on your sunbed or your camera gets pinched. Or your flight gets delayed.

In any case I wasn't advertising the card. I was just describing it.

And I was highlighting key weaknesses in the product described as I'd hate somebody to assume they had proper travel insurance with that card.

guesswho2000

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

I did in post five, while suggesting a little more in depth reading.

No. It doesn't get you medical treatment if you suffer appendicitis on your sunbed or your camera gets pinched.

And I was highlighting key weaknesses in the product described as I'd hate somebody to assume they had proper travel insurance with that card.

If a new applicant, the Cashback would actually be £115, if £2k of the spend was in the first three months, given the bonus, but I agree with everything else Peacefulwaters has said.

Anthorn states it's quite easy to get, this is true for those with a decent history, but not necessarily so for those with no, or less than perfect, credit histories - Amex are one of the more strict issuers.

As stated, Headforpoints is your best port of call if you're looking to maximise value from credit card spend.

Insurance for flights - presumably you're looking for cancellation, in which case I'd just ensure you've got travel insurance in place, it's not generally expensive, and will be more comprehensive than that you get with a credit card (bar Amex Platinum charge, which isn't actually a credit card and carries a £450 fee)

Discounts/upgrades - none, that I'm aware of, will provide this on a flight just purchased as a new holder, with no airmiles/points previously collected. They will, however, allow you to potentially earn upgrade vouchers or airmiles, which will allow you to achieve these on future flights. The best will heavily depend on which carriers you choose to fly with in future.

No fees - most credit cards, bar the premium BA/Virgin Atlantic/IHG cards, or some others which may charge a nominal (£24/year, ish) fee - whether any fee is worth paying is dependent on circumstances, but some can be very much worth it. If there's no annual fee, bear in mind some charge a dormancy fee, if the card is not used for 12+ months.

Forex fees for use abroad - only a few offer this, to mind - Post Office Platinum, Nationwide Select (current account holders only), Santander Zero (not available to new applicants), Halifax Clarity, Creation a Everyday, MBNA Everday and Lloyds Avios. Only Santander, Halifax, Creation and MBNA offer no fees (bar interest) on cash advances. Lloyds charges an annual fee (£24), but you get Avios on your foreign spend. This list if not exhaustive, only what I can remember offhand.

PeacefulWaters

guesswho2000 wrote: »

If a new applicant, the Cashback would actually be £115, if £2k of the spend was in the first three months, given the bonus

Relevant call out. Thanks.