If you’re like me and like to save money by using miles for last-minute expensive trips, or for helping your loved ones experience the finer things in life, then listen up:
My favorite deal in travel right now is Barclaycard’s limited-time offer on the US Airways® Premier World MasterCard®, which can get you 50,000 bonus miles after your first purchase and payment of the $89 annual fee! For me, that means a plane ticket or two for under $100 depending on the destination.
I snagged this card last year when they were offering it with 40,000 bonus miles (with first purchase and payment of the $89 annual fee), and I thought it was already an incredible deal. But Barclaycard has since stepped it up, as they know the US Airways brand is going away in the second quarter of this year—along with this card. So, to entice new customers they changed the offer to include a potential 50,000 bonus miles—and that’s not all. There are a whole bunch of perks if you fly US Airways, like: first checked bag free on eligible bags for you and up to four companions on domestic US Airways-operated flights, companion certificates good for up to two guests to travel with you on US Airways-operated flights for $99 each (plus taxes and fees), no foreign transaction fees on purchases you make while traveling in another country, and more. Here’s the full list of perks.
US Airways –> American
I applied for this card so I could redeem the miles for award travel with American Airlines, which is my preferred carrier. And once the two airlines completely merge in the next few months, the bonus miles I earned will go directly into my American Airlines AAdvantage account. Cha-ching!
What 50,000 American AAdvantage miles can get you
Here’s a sample of what 50,000 miles can get you by using American Airlines’ Award Map tool (see my post on the tool here):
If you live anywhere in the continental US, you can get two roundtrip domestic tickets (see screenshot below). I just put in Chicago since I have a lot of readers from there, but you can put in your desired city and try for yourself.
Next is a screenshot that I took for those living in New York who want to go to the Caribbean or Mexico. As you can see, you can flee for the sun for as little as 35,000 miles.
And finally for those that want to go to Europe (me!), here’s a screenshot of the cities available from Los Angeles (where I live) to Europe (but again you can try the Award Map out for yourself and put in any city). As you can see, if you book early enough, all it takes is 40,000 miles to fly roundtrip from the US to Europe!
The tickets I found can be had for all under $100 (plus miles) when you factor in taxes and fees—and that’s why the US Airways® Premier World MasterCard® is my favorite deal in travel!
Thank you for the tip regarding the Barclay- US Airways- Credit Card with a bonus of 50,000 miles upon an initial purchase. I applied today and was approved immediately. The only fee, as you indicated, will be $89.00 annually. Thanks again.