Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to pay annual fees topping $550 to get the best travel credit card. If you don’t travel enough to use all the benefits that come with a top-tier card — or simply don’t have room in your budget to justify these fees each year — there are still plenty of no-annual-fee cards to choose from.
When it comes to hotel credit cards, the good news is that a no-annual-fee card can offer you more benefits than you might expect. From complimentary (or a pathway to) elite status to earning hotel points on your everyday purchases, you’ll only gain from owning these cards instead of worrying about outsizing the value from cards with no annual fees.
While the best hotel card for you will depend on which hotel chain you prefer, the best options of the bunch are the Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Card. Both brands are widely prevalent, meaning you have more opportunities to earn and redeem points at properties worldwide.
The best no-annual-fee hotel credit cards
The information for the Best Western Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Comparing the best no-annual-fee hotel credit cards
Card
Rewards rate
Intro bonus
Marriott Bonvoy Bold
3 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on all other purchases
Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in your first six months from account opening; plus earn an additional 50,000 bonus points after you stay six eligible paid nights at Marriott Bonvoy through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends Aug. 10.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
7 points per dollar on eligible purchases directly with hotels and resorts in the Hilton portfolio, 5 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and at U.S. gas stations and 3 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.
Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the card within your first three months of card membership.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
5 points per dollar at IHG Hotels & Resorts, 3 points per dollar on utilities, internet, cable, phone services and select streaming services, gas station and restaurant purchases and 2 points per dollar on everything else.
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening and up to $50 in IHG statement credits on purchases at IHG Hotels & Resorts during the first 12 months from account opening.
Choice Privileges Mastercard
5 points per dollar at eligible Choice Hotels, 3 points per dollar at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and phone plan services, and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases within three months of card membership.
Best Western Rewards Mastercard
13 points per dollar on Best Western purchases and 2 points per dollar on everything else.
Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 within the first three months after account opening.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card
1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases
Earn a bonus of 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 within the first three months from account opening.
The best no-annual-fee hotel credit cards
Marriott Bonvoy Bold Card: Best card for Marriott
Current sign-up bonus: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in your first six months from account opening; plus earn an additional 50,000 bonus points after staying six eligible paid nights at Marriott Bonvoy hotels through Jan. 31, 2024. Offer ends Aug. 10.
Rewards rate: Earn 3 points per dollar at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels, 2 points per dollar on other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Other benefits: You’ll become an automatic Silver Elite member as a cardholder, which gets you perks such as priority late checkout and 10% bonus points on stays. Therefore, you’ll have the ability to earn up to 14 points per dollar on eligible Marriott stays (3 points per dollar with this card, 10 points per dollar for being a Marriott Bonvoy member and 1 point per dollar for Silver Elite). Plus, earn 2 points per dollar on all travel purchases.
You’ll also have the opportunity to improve your elite status the more you stay with Marriott. This card comes with an impressive number of travel and purchase protections, including baggage loss and delay insurance and more. To top it all off, there’s no annual fee (and no foreign transaction fees).
Analysis: As you build up your credit card portfolio, you’ll eventually want to have a card that earns transferable points, along with an airline card and a hotel card. If Marriott is your hotel chain of choice (we don’t blame you since there are more than 7,000 properties worldwide), the Bold is the perfect place to start. With a complimentary jump-start to Silver Elite status, the possibilities of reaching higher tiers of Marriott elite status are endless.
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Further reading: Marriott Bonvoy Bold card review
Apply here: Marriott Bonvoy Bold
Hilton Honors American Express Card: Best card for Hilton
Current welcome offer: Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases on the card within your first three months of card membership
Rewards rate: Earn 7 points per dollar on eligible Hilton hotel and resorts purchases, 5 points per dollar at U.S. restaurants, U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, plus 3 point per dollar on other eligible purchases.
Other benefits: It’s not often that a no-annual-fee card (see rates & fees) provides you with as many perks as the Hilton Honors Amex card does. For starters, enjoy complimentary Silver Elite status to get 20% bonus points on stays and a fifth free night benefit. In addition to a lucrative rewards rate on Hilton and everyday purchases, you’ll have secondary rental car coverage and no foreign transaction fees (see rates & fees).
Analysis: The Hilton Honors Amex proves you don’t have to pay an annual fee to get top-notch perks. Its welcome bonus offers a healthy stash of Hilton Honors points and ample ways to continue earning on your everyday spending. We recommend this card for those who enjoy staying at Hilton properties but want to keep costs as low as possible.
Further reading: Hilton Honors American Express card review
Apply here: Hilton Honors American Express
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card: Best no-annual-fee card for IHG Hotels
Current sign-up bonus: Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening and up to $50 in IHG statement credits on purchases at IHG Hotels and Resorts during the first 12 months from account opening.
Rewards rate: 5 points per dollar at IHG Hotels & Resorts, 3 points per dollar on utilities, internet, cable, phone services and select streaming services, gas station and restaurant purchases and 2 points per dollar on everything else.
Other benefits: This hotel card comes with the unique benefit of a fourth-night reward, meaning you’ll pay the price of three nights to stay for a total of four nights. Plus, you’ll get a 20% discount on points purchases when you pay for those points with your card.
Analysis: By being strategic with this card, you can get a ton of value without ever paying an annual fee.
Further reading: IHG One Rewards Traveler card review
Apply here:IHG One Rewards Traveler card
Choice Privileges Mastercard: Best for Choice Hotels
Current bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 in purchases within the first three months of card membership.
Rewards rate: 5 points per dollar at eligible Choice Hotels, 3 points per dollar at gas stations, grocery stores, home improvement stores and on phone plan services and 1 point per dollar on everything else.
Other benefits: You’ll get automatic Gold Elite status, which unlocks benefits such as an elite welcome gift, early check-in and late checkout. You’ll also get up to $800 of cellphone protection against damage or theft when you pay your monthly bill with this card (subject to a $25 deductible) as well as Mastercard World Elite benefits.
Analysis: Being a Choice Hotels elite member will enhance your hotel experience, and with this card, you’ll be granted this status for free. While not the most lucrative no-annual-fee hotel card out there, this card offers simplicity — a reason to keep it in your wallet each year with the opportunity to earn anniversary points.
Further reading: 2 new Choice Privileges credit cards are now open to new applicants
Apply here: Choice Privileges Mastercard
Best Western Rewards Mastercard: Best for Best Western
Current bonus: Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 within the first three billing cycles after account opening.
Rewards rate: 13 points per dollar on Best Western purchases and 2 points per dollar on everything else.
Other benefits: With this card, you’ll enjoy no foreign transaction fees, exclusive member room rates and complimentary Gold status, which guarantees you 10% bonus points for your eligible stays and early check-in and late checkout.
Analysis: For a card with no annual fee, those who stay at Best Western properties regularly can get considerable value from the welcome bonus and ongoing Gold elite status.
Further reading: Your ultimate guide to Best Western Rewards
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card: Best for all hotels
Current bonus: Earn a bonus of 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 within the first three months from account opening.
Other benefits: While the hotel cards above can get you elite perks or other exclusive benefits, sometimes limiting yourself to one brand doesn’t make sense. That’s why the VentureOne is our favorite for all hotel stays, as it offers a simple earning scheme (unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases) plus an even simpler way to redeem. You can redeem your miles at 1 cent each for any hotel (or other travel) charges on your card. If you’re an advanced award traveler, you’ll be happy to know that you can transfer your Capital One miles to airline and hotel partners like Air Canada Aeroplan and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer to find even more potential value.
Analysis: We like the flexibility that the VentureOne offers. You won’t get hotel elite status with this card, but you can use this card to pay for hotels from any brand. If all you’re looking for is a way to earn and redeem your travel rewards, this is a good card for you. Plus, with no foreign transaction fees, you can take the VentureOne with you anywhere.
Further reading: Capital One VentureOne review
Apply here: Capital One VentureOne
Bottom line
Almost all of the no-annual-fee hotel cards in this guide get you automatic elite status, plus a pathway to the next level for even better benefits. The best pick for you will first depend on the hotel chain you prefer, but take a deeper look at the ongoing rewards rate and any additional benefits you can get from the card (such as no foreign transaction fees or any travel and purchase protections).
And remember: Since you’re not paying an annual fee on any of these cards, you won’t have to worry about if you’re stretching enough value to justify the cost each year.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Amex card, click here.
Asking me to pick my favorite credit card would be like asking a father of 22 to pick his favorite child. And yes, I do have that many open, active credit cards (but only one child).
However, there’s one card that I use more frequently than any other in my wallet — and that’s my American Express® Gold Card.
Here’s why the Amex Gold has been (and will remain) a mainstay in my wallet.
Lucrative earning rates
The most appealing feature of the card is a pair of lucrative bonus categories:
4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide
4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases every year, then 1 point per dollar)
I often eat out with my family, but we also love to cook at home. While it sometimes seems like our grocery bill is high, we never come anywhere near the Amex Gold’s yearly spending cap ($25,000 a year, equating to $480 a week.) And since the card waives foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), I can confidently swipe it at restaurants abroad to still earn those bonus points.
These bonus categories alone make the Amex Gold a perfect fit for me.
Read more: The best credit cards for dining
Uber and Grubhub benefits
Beyond the everyday earning rates, I’m a big fan of the card’s extra benefits.
I’m not a power Uber user, but we easily find ways to use the $10 in Uber Cash each month that the Amex Gold offers, which is valid for Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S. I also typically treat myself to lunch through a participating dining partner to receive up to $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
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By maxing out both benefits, I effectively reduce the annual fee on the card from $250 (see rates and fees) to just $10.
Targeted offers
In my opinion, one of the most underutilized perks of travel cards is access to targeted discounts and offers. And of the major issuers, Amex Offers are my favorite.
In the past three years, I’ve received a total of $265 in statement credits by adding these offers to my Amex Gold card. In addition, I’ve been targeted for a 20,000-point bonus for activating Amex Pay Over Time on the card (worth $400 to me), and I also referred a friend to the card earlier in the year, resulting in a one-time bonus of 20,000 points along with three months of an extra 5 points per dollar on U.S. supermarket purchases (since expired).
These offers help boost my Membership Rewards points balance.
Related: How to refer friends and earn points, miles or cash credits
Valuable transfer partners
Finally, I love redeeming American Express Membership Rewards points. We value Amex points at 2 cents apiece here at TPG, thanks to the program’s valuable transfer partners — including Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles and British Airways Avios.
Earlier this year, I booked round-trip, business-class flights on Philippine Airlines from the U.S. to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) by transferring just 95,000 points to ANA Mileage Club. These flights would’ve set me back more than $6,000 had I paid out of pocket.
I also frequently convert my Amex points to Avios to book Iberia business-class tickets to Spain. On off-peak dates, nonstop flights are just 42,500 Avios from nearby Miami International Airport (MIA) to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) — though they start at just 34,000 Avios from Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD).
In fact, thanks to the current 30% transfer bonus, you can snag these flights for as little as 27,000 Amex points each way.
Related: The best American Express cards
Bottom line
I get a ton of value from my 22 travel cards, but the Amex Gold card stands out. I love earning 4 points per dollar on a large part of my everyday spending, and Amex’s transfer partners help me and my family travel the world. The added perks and targeted offers are just icing on the cake.
If you’re not yet a cardholder, you can apply today to earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. However, you should also check the CardMatch tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher welcome bonus (offer subject to change at any time).
Official application link: American Express Gold Card
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
It seems almost every airline, hotel chain and credit card issuer has launched its own premium credit card, enticing customers with luxury travel perks paired with hefty annual fees. Many of these cards offer solid value, especially if you’re loyal to the underlying brand.
There are two long-standing titans of the premium card market. Of course, we’re talking about The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve. The former built the market for premium rewards cards decades ago, while the latter is responsible for growing its mass appeal.
Since the Sapphire Reserve debuted in 2016, competition between these two cards has been fierce. Today, we will look at how they stack up against each other and whether you should consider adding one (or both) to your wallet.
Related: The best travel credit cards
Welcome offer
When considering a new card, especially one with a $500-plus annual fee, most people first look at the welcome offer to see how much of that annual fee they can start recouping immediately.
With its $695 annual fee (see rates and fees), the Amex Platinum is currently offering new applicants 80,000 Membership Rewards points after they spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of cardmembership. However, it’s worth checking to see if you’re targeted for a higher offer of up to 125,000 points through the CardMatch tool (offer subject to change at any time).
TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, making the initial welcome offer of 80,000 points worth $1,600 alone. Since Amex only allows you to earn a welcome offer on each of its cards once per lifetime, it might be tempting to hold off on applying for the Amex Platinum in hopes that you may be targeted through CardMatch for a higher bonus at some point in the future.
Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
TPG also values Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents each, making this bonus worth $1,200. That’s significantly lower than the Amex Platinum offer, though the spending requirement to earn the bonus is also lower.
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Winner: The Amex Platinum takes the lead in this first category, especially if you are targeted for an elevated offer through CardMatch.
Related: The best time to apply for these popular cards based on offer history
Earning
Long after your bonus has been earned and spent, you’ll want a card to help you quickly rack up valuable transferable points.
Both of these cards get that done but in very different ways. Your best option depends on which other Chase or Amex cards you currently have in your wallet and how the bonus categories on those other cards overlap with the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum.
Here are the bonus categories for these two cards:
Bonus multiplier
Amex Platinum
Chase Sapphire Reserve
10 points per dollar
N/A.
Lyft rides (through March 2025.)
Hotels and car rentals booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal.
Chase Dining purchases made through the Ultimate Rewards portal.
Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $250 or more, with a maximum of 50,000 points (through March 2025).
5 points per dollar
Airfare booked directly with airlines and airfare booked with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
Prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel.
Airfare booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal.
3 points per dollar
N/A.
Travel and dining.
1 point per dollar
All other purchases.
All other purchases.
Chase offers a broader range of bonus categories, including everyday purchases like travel and dining.
While the Amex Platinum does pull ahead on airfare booked directly with airlines (with a terrific 10% return), the Chase Sapphire Reserve pulls ahead for dozens of other travel expenses, including most hotels, ride-hailing services, parking fees, tolls and tours. It also has an equally broad 3 points per dollar spent on dining that the Platinum can’t match.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve is the best for earning thanks to its favorable everyday bonus categories that help you earn more points in the long term.
Related: Best reward cards for each bonus category
Redemption options
With Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards tied at 2 cents apiece in TPG’s valuations, it’s worth looking at the different transfer partners to decide which ones best suit your needs.
Let’s start with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. In addition to 11 airline and three hotel transfer partners, Sapphire Reserve customers get a 50% bonus when redeeming points for travel directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. This gives you an absolute minimum redemption value of 1.5 cents per point, meaning you can book a seat on any flight that’s for sale, even if there isn’t award space available.
That said, you’ll often get a better value by transferring your points to the loyalty programs of airlines and hotels instead. All Chase partner transfers are at a 1:1 ratio, and most of them are instant. Ultimate Rewards has a real edge for hotel bookings because of its partnership with World of Hyatt, where you can book an award night for as low as 3,500 points per night.
On the airline side of things, popular redemption options include United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, British Airways Avios, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air France-KLM Flying Blue — though the last three also partner with Amex Membership Rewards. The same holds true for Air Canada Aeroplan — though if you also hold the Aeroplan Credit Card, you can enjoy a 10% bonus on certain transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards to your Aeroplan account.
Finally, you also have the Pay Yourself Back option with the Sapphire Reserve, allowing you to use points to cover certain purchases at higher values:
1.5 cents per point for select charitable donations (through Dec. 31, 2023.)
1.25 cents per point for purchases at gas stations and grocery stores (through Sept. 30, 2023.)
1.25 cents per point to cover your annual fee (through Sept. 30, 2023.)
Again, though, the best redemption option will typically come from maximizing Chase’s transfer partners.
Meanwhile, Amex Membership Rewards has a whopping 20 transfer partners, but not all are worth your attention. Some have transfer ratios below 1:1, have longer transfer times (which means you risk watching your award space disappear) or simply don’t have reasonably priced redemption options.
Some of the best are ANA Mileage Club, Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles, each of which offers attractively priced options for booking Star Alliance tickets. Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, British Airways Executive Club and Delta SkyMiles are also popular transfer options.
However, if you opt to use your points directly through American Express Travel, you won’t get nearly the value you do through Chase. Flight bookings are a flat 1 cent per point, while hotel reservations clock in at just 0.7 cents apiece. As a result, you’re typically much better off with the transfer options.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve comes out on top for redemption options since it offers a 1:1 transfer ratio for all of its airline and hotel partners, the Pay Yourself Back feature and more flexibility with its 50% bonus for travel booked in Ultimate Rewards.
Perks and benefits
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum are two of the most valuable rewards cards on the market, but they’re also two of the most expensive. You’ll pay a $550 annual fee with the Sapphire Reserve and a $695 annual fee with the Amex Platinum.
So, what do you get in exchange for that upfront cost? For starters, both cards feature airport lounge access and additional travel and food delivery credits, among other benefits. Let’s take a look below at the most popular and valuable perks available (note that enrollment is required for select benefits):
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
This is by far the trickiest part of the comparison, with many different pieces to unpack. It’s also the one where your own personal preferences may sway you to one card or another.
For starters, the Sapphire Reserve still has an edge over Amex regarding the $300 annual travel credit. Not only is it a higher amount than the up-to-$200 airline fee credit that comes with the Amex Platinum, but it’s also much less restrictive. It will automatically apply to a broad range of travel purchases. In contrast, the $200 Amex airline credit only applies to select fees such as seat assignments or checked bags — and you’re limited to a single airline you designate each year.
Regarding ride-hailing services, some people see the up-to-$200 in annual (U.S.) Uber Cash (broken into $15 a month, with a $20 bonus in December) that comes with the Amex Platinum card as a cash-like credit. However, not everyone uses a ride-hailing service or places an Uber Eats order in the U.S. once a month, which means the 10 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides with the Sapphire Reserve might be a more valuable option.
On the flip side, if you live in a smaller city or never order food, you might find the DoorDash partnership with Chase useless.
The same can be said of certain perks on the Amex Platinum — including statement credits with Saks Fifth Avenue, Clear and select digital entertainment providers. If you already use these services or merchants, it’s like money back in your pocket. If not, you may find they aren’t a real value-add relative to the annual fee.
Meanwhile, the Amex Platinum is widely considered the most comprehensive card for airport lounge access. Although the Priority Pass Select membership that comes with this card no longer allows you to access participating restaurants (you can with a Chase-issued Priority Pass membership), the access to Amex’s wide collection of Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs on same-day Delta flights should be enough to make up for that.
Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve only offers Priority Pass access, they are expanding their network of Chase lounges, with the first U.S. location open in Boston.
Another area where Amex excels is by offering Gold elite status with both Marriott and Hilton to Platinum cardholders. Chase offers no equivalent benefit.
Chase has historically been the leader in travel insurance, with generous terms. Amex has partially closed the gap, adding a suite of travel protection benefits to the Amex Platinum card (see here for more).
Winner: Amex Platinum is the clear winner when it comes to perks and benefits, which include its $1,400-plus in annual statement credits, expanded airport lounge access, travel protections, and elite status with Marriott and Hilton. However, if you’re looking for a more flexible travel credit, comprehensive protections and fewer lifestyle perks, the Sapphire Reserve could be a better option.
Related: How long it takes to receive statement credits
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card from American Express are two of the most popular premium rewards cards on the market. However, they offer slightly different value propositions.
Between hotel elite status and Centurion Lounge access, the Amex Platinum is better suited for those looking to enjoy a more luxurious travel lifestyle. If you frequently purchase airfare qualifying for 5 points per dollar, this card deserves a spot in your wallet.
The Sapphire Reserve, by comparison, is a premium card that’s simple enough for beginners and pros alike. The $300 annual travel credit is automatically applied to a wide range of purchases. Plus, you earn 3 points per dollar on travel (excluding the $300 travel credit) and dining and these categories are broad enough that you won’t be scratching your head trying to decide if you’re swiping the right card.
However, some may even find that it makes sense to carry both cards. If you can take advantage of all the annual statement credits and luxury perks, these cards can actually complement each other well.
Official application link: Amex Platinum Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Ryan Wilcox, Stella Shon, Juan Ruiz and Chris Dong.
For years, the unquestionable leaders of the premium card market were The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
That all changed when Capital One shook up the industry with its debut of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) in late 2021 — undercutting both of its rivals by offering competitive perks at a lower $395 annual fee.
Perhaps you’re one of the many Sapphire Reserve cardmembers who’ve questioned your loyalty to Chase with the launch of the Venture X. Or, maybe you’re on the hunt for your first premium travel rewards card.
Today, we’ll help you decide whether the Capital One Venture X or the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the better card for you.
Comparing the Capital One Venture X and the Chase Sapphire Reserve
Feature
Capital One Venture X
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee
$395.
$550.
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Earning rate
10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2 miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
5 points per dollar on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
3 points per dollar on all other travel and dining.
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Statement credits
Up to $300 in annual statement credit toward travel booked through Capital One Travel.
Up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, every four years.
Up to $300 in annual statement credit toward travel purchases.
Up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit, every four years.
Other card benefits
Priority Pass lounge access for the primary cardholder and complimentary access for two guests.
Capital One lounge access for the primary cardholder and up to two guests.
10,000 bonus miles received every card anniversary.
Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status*.
Travel and purchase protections.
No foreign transaction fees.
Priority Pass lounge access for the primary cardholder and up to two guests.
Chase lounge access for the primary cardholder and up to two guests.
Complimentary car rental elite status with National Car Rental, Avis and Silvercar.
Partner benefits like a DoorDash DashPass membership (through 2024).
Travel and purchase protections.
No foreign transaction fees.
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
Annual fee
The annual fee on the the Sapphire Reserve is $550. Note that it costs an additional $75 to add an authorized user.
At $395 per year, the Capital One Venture X is one of the most affordable premium cards. Best of all, you can add up to four authorized users for no additional cost.
Winner: The Capital One Venture X for its lower annual fee for the primary cardholder and no additional cost for up to four authorized users.
Welcome bonus
Both cards require the same amount of spend in a given time frame ($4,000 in the first three months of account opening) to unlock their introductory offers.
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TPG values Chase Ultimate Rewards points slightly higher than Capital One miles due to its superior transfer partners — we estimate that Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2 cents apiece while Capital One miles are worth 1.85 cents apiece.
The Capital One Venture X’s welcome bonus of 75,000 miles is worth about $1,388, while the Sapphire Reserve’s bonus of 60,000 points is worth $1,200.
Winner: Capital One Venture X.
Earning
Which premium card will offer better returns in the long run? For this analysis, we factored in the value of each currency to their rewards rates:
Capital One Venture X
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Earning rate
10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel (18.5% return).
5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel (9.25% return).
2 miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases (3.7% return).
10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Ultimate Rewards (20% return).
5 points per dollar on flights booked through Ultimate Rewards (10% return).
3 points per dollar on all other travel and dining purchases (6% return).
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases (2% return).
Both the Venture X and the Sapphire Reserve offer fantastic returns for travel purchased through their respective portals.
While the Venture X offers simplicity, with 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers higher returns for two lucrative bonus categories — travel (booked outside of Ultimate Rewards) and dining purchases.
Chase defines travel as a broad category, including everything from rental homes and buses to rideshares and parking fees. Similarly, dining purchases include takeout and delivery services, widening the spectrum for what falls under this category.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve, as it offers bonus categories beyond travel portal bookings. However, non-bonus purchases only garner 1 point per dollar. If you’re the type of consumer who has a ton of varied spend outside of travel and dining, then the Venture X may be a better card for you for its simple earning rate.
Redeeming
With both of these programs, transferring your points to travel partners is the most rewarding way to redeem your points and miles.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is a long-time crowd favorite. You can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points at a simple, 1:1 ratio (so every 1,000 Chase points equates to 1,000 points or miles in a Chase transfer partner program).
On the other hand, the Capital One miles program has partners that transfer at a 1:1 ratio for the most part, but there are a few exceptions that transfer at a less favorable ratio.
Let’s compare the partners side-by-side (all transfer at a 1:1 ratio unless otherwise stated).
Capital One miles
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Aeromexico Club Premier.
Air Canada Aeroplan.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
ALL Accor Live Limitless (2:1).
Avianca LifeMiles.
British Airways Executive Club.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.
Choice Privileges.
Emirates Skywards.
Etihad Guest.
EVA Infinity MileageLands (2:1.5).
Finnair Plus.
Qantas Frequent Flyer.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
TAP Portugal Miles&Go.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
Virgin Red.
Wyndham Rewards.
Aer Lingus AerClub.
Air Canada Aeroplan.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
British Airways Executive Club.
Emirates Skywards.
Iberia Plus.
IHG Rewards.
JetBlue TrueBlue.
Marriott Bonvoy.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Southwest Rapid Rewards.
United MileagePlus.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
World of Hyatt.
As you can see, there are quite a few overlaps. While Capital One offers more loyalty partners, there are no domestic airlines (after it lost JetBlue TrueBlue as a partner).
Meanwhile, Chase offers three domestic airlines — JetBlue, Southwest and United — as well as one particularly lucrative hotel program, World of Hyatt.
Of course, both the Venture X and Sapphire Reserve offer other (less lucrative) redemption options, such as gift cards and cash back.
However, with the Sapphire Reserve, your points are worth 50% more toward any travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal, making your points worth 1.5 cents apiece. While this isn’t as rewarding as transferring your points to Chase’s transfer partners, this redemption option is useful if you are having trouble finding award space.
Meanwhile, the Venture X offers fixed-rate travel redemptions at just 1 cent per mile — and while this can be applied to any travel purchase you charge to the card, it’s still notably lower.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve. More partners doesn’t necessarily equate to more value, which is why we peg Ultimate Rewards points at a higher value than Capital One miles. And even the fixed-value redemption option is 50% more lucrative.
Other benefits
Let’s talk about what makes these cards truly premium.
For starters, there’s an up to $300 annual travel statement credit on both cards. However, the Venture X’s travel credit is less flexible since you’ll have to book all travel on the Capital One portal in order to receive reimbursement. Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve will automatically reimburse for any purchases under the “travel” umbrella up to the $300 limit — and they don’t necessarily have to be booked directly with Chase.
As for lounge access, both cards offer Priority Pass membership, giving you access to 1,300-plus lounges worldwide.
On the one hand, the Venture X gets you Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests, whereas the Sapphire Reserve limits to you to two free guests (and then $27 each for additional guests.) Where the Sapphire Reserve fights back is that you can visit Priority Pass restaurants and spas, whereas you’re limited to lounges with the Venture X.
Both issuers are getting into the lounge game themselves, with Capital One’s first lounge open at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and more to come. The Venture X gets you access.
Chase has its first U.S. lounge open in Boston and the Sapphire Reserve card will get you access.
Finally, both are Visa Infinite cards, giving you high-level travel and purchase protections. Both also come with ancillary benefits that won’t necessarily move the needle for prospective applicants (such as the 10,000-mile anniversary bonus on the Venture X and partner benefits with the Sapphire Reserve), but these perks are all worth taking advantage of if you decide to apply for either card.
Winner: Tie. While the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $300 travel credit is much more flexible, the Capital One Venture X comes with 10,000 bonus anniversary miles. They’re very similar on lounges.
Bottom line
Both the Venture X and the Sapphire Reserve have their own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s impossible to generalize which card comes out on top.
However, for a much more manageable annual fee, the Venture X is a fantastic offering — if you don’t mind using the travel portal to unlock many of the benefits on the card.
For those who prefer to book directly with travel providers, the Sapphire Reserve is likely the better option for you — but at the cost of a higher $550 annual fee.
Official application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Contrary to what one might assume, United Airlines has more classes than just first, business, premium economy and economy. In fact, each of those cabins is divided into multiple fare classes, all designated with a different letter.
While it might seem like alphabet soup, the airline can use fare classes to know how and when you booked your ticket and how to upgrade it — if that’s what you want to do.
Let’s take a look at the United fare class chart, how to find the fare class on your ticket and why it’s smart to pay attention to your fare class in the first place.
What is a fare class on United?
All United cabins of service are divided into fare classes — sometimes called fare buckets — to keep track of the number of tickets sold on each flight as well as which seats are still available.
For example, if you’ve ever found a great deal on airfare and then the price went up before you could buy it, it’s likely because that first fare class sold out, even if there are still tickets available in that particular cabin.
Though there are similarities across airlines, each one labels its fare classes slightly differently. Here are United’s fare classes for each class of service on a paid ticket:
First/business class
Full fare: J.
High fare: C, D.
Discounted fare: Z.
Deep-discounted fare: P.
Premium Plus
High fare: O.
Discounted fare: A.
Deep-discounted fare: R.
Economy
Highest full fare: Y.
Full fare: B.
High fare: M, E, H, U.
Discounted fare: Q, V, W.
Deep-discounted fare: L, K, S, T.
Lowest discounted fare: G.
Basic economy: N (on domestic flights).
Note that tickets booked with miles come with their own separate set of fare classes.
How do I find my fare class on United?
When you’re shopping for a ticket on United, the fare classes are listed under each ticket type.
For example, in the screenshot below, the top flight from Chicago to Frankfurt, Germany, has the following fare classes: S in economy, R in premium economy and P in business. The bottom flight has the following fare types: S in economy, A in premium economy and D in business class.
If you’re shopping for a flight on an online travel agency’s website, such as Expedia or Orbitz, you should be able to locate the fare class under “Details” once you select your flights but before you enter your credit card number.
This ticket from Chicago-O’Hare to Frankfurt, Germany, has a fare class of S in the economy cabin.
🤓Nerdy Tip
When possible, book your flights directly with the airline. This way, you avoid having to deal with a third-party booking site in case you need to change or cancel the flight or if there’s a cancellation by the airline.
Why should I pay attention to fare classes on United?
There are some good reasons to pay attention to which fare class you’re booking. For one, your fare class can determine how quickly you earn elite status and whether you’re eligible for an upgrade.
Elite status qualification
Certain fare classes earn more elite qualifying miles and segments, which helps United MileagePlus members qualify or requalify for airline status faster.
Here’s how many Premier Qualifying Miles (PQMs) and Premier Qualifying Segments (PQSs) you’ll earn by booking specific fare classes on United.
Purchased fare class
Premier Qualifying Miles
Premier Qualifying Segments
P, O, A, R, Y, B
M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L, K, G
As you can see, purchasing a first, business, premium economy, or full-fare economy ticket earns a bonus on both PQMs and PQSs. Basic economy tickets earn only 50% PQMs and 0.5 PQSs toward Premier elite status with MileagePlus.
Upgrade eligibility
To be eligible for an upgrade, you’ll need to have booked in the right fare class for the type of upgrade you’re requesting.
Complimentary Premier upgrades
If you’re a MileagePlus Premier flyer, tickets booked in certain fare classes are eligible for instant complimentary Premier upgrades (available on select routes). For example, economy tickets booked in fare classes Y or B for all Premier members, and tickets booked in fare classes Y, B or M for Premier 1K members, qualify for immediate upgrades to the premium cabin at booking.
The following routes are eligible for complimentary Premier upgrades:
Continental U.S. (except premium transcontinental routes).
Hawaii from Los Angeles or San Francisco.
Alaska, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Central America.
Guam and Micronesia.
Outside of instant upgrades, you can increase your chances of getting a complimentary Premier upgrade when you book a higher fare class than a fellow Premier member at the same status tier.
MileagePlus upgrades
If you’re not an elite flyer with United, you still have the option to upgrade a flight with MileagePlus miles. Depending on the fare class, your Premier status level and your flight route, you might be asked for a cash co-pay on top of the miles redeemed.
For example, tickets in fare classes B, O or Y don’t include a cash component. Tickets booked in most other fare classes will require a cash co-pay.
PlusPoints upgrades
Premier Platinum and Premier 1K members receive PlusPoints that can be used to upgrade United flights. Platinum members receive 40 PlusPoints upon reaching their status tier, and 1K members get another 280 PlusPoints, totaling 320 PlusPoints toward upgrades.
United charges 40 PlusPoints for upgrades from economy to Polaris business class and 80 PlusPoints for upgrades from discounted economy to Polaris on long-haul flights. So, if your ticket’s fare class is S, T, L, K or G then you’ll need 80 PlusPoints for an upgrade to Polaris. Otherwise, you’ll just need 40 PlusPoints for your upgrade.
Additionally, if you’re a Premier 1K member, some fares make you eligible to skip the waitlist and confirm an upgrade right away, as long as your flight is on an eligible international route and is more than 30 days out. Those fares include:
From United economy to United Polaris business class: Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V and W.
From United economy to United Premium Plus: Y, B, M, E, U, H, Q, V, W, S, T, L and K.
When crediting miles to a partner program
Another time you should pay attention to fare classes is when you’re crediting a flight to a partner program. Say you’d rather earn miles with Air Canada Aeroplan, who is a Star Alliance partner of United, and you want to know the earning rates.
You’ll earn the following number of Aeroplan points and Status Qualifying Miles (SQMs) when crediting paid United flights to Aeroplan:
If you’re a member of multiple airline loyalty programs and can’t decide where to credit your flight, check out WhereToCredit, a website that shows you how many miles you’d earn in any frequent flyer program for a particular flight. This can help you make sure you’re earning the highest possible number of redeemable miles.
Let’s say you’ve booked a United economy ticket in fare class V and want to know where to credit this flight. Go to the WhereToCredit website, select the airline and fare class and view the results.
Based on the results, you’d earn 5 miles per base dollar spent on the ticket with United MileagePlus (as a general member), 50% of the flight distance with ANA Mileage Club and Miles & More and 75% with all the other partner programs, so you can take your pick of the programs earning more miles.
How can I book specific fare classes on United?
Travelers often don’t care which fare class they book as long as the ticket price is low. However, if you’re chasing status or want to book an upgradeable ticket, there are ways to search for specific fare classes on United.
Go to United.com and select “Advanced search.”
Enter your flight search details as usual and scroll down until you see a “Fare class” box. Fill in the fare classes you’re looking for and click on “Find flights.”
On the results page, you’ll see the regular search results for all other booking classes as well as a column with the requested fare classes.
This way you can compare ticket prices and decide whether booking a specific fare class is worth it or not.
United fare classes recapped
The United fare class you’ve booked can make all the difference between qualifying for an upgrade or not, how much the upgrade is going to cost in miles or cash, and how many miles and segments toward elite status you’ll be earning.
United makes it easy to find your specific fare class before or after you book a flight. It’s smart for United elites in particular to pay attention to fare classes, as booking the right one could make you more likely to score an upgrade.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
Chase Ultimate Rewards program is offering a 20% transfer bonus when you transfer to Aeroplan. Normally you can transfer at a rate of 1:1 and under this promotion that increases to 1:1.2
The Fine Print
Valid until July 31, 2023.
Our Verdict
Not as good as the previous 30% transfer bonus. This stacks with the 10% card member bonus as well (must transfer a minimum of 50,000 points), this applies to the base points being transferred. I don’t recommend transferring points speculatively but if you have a specific redemption in mind this could be useful. You can view more Chase transfer bonuses by clicking here.
Editor’s note: This story includes references to some credit card offers that are no longer available. You can view our current offers here.
Today I want to share a story from TPG reader Matthew Orchant, who used seven credit card bonuses and hotel free night certificates to book an epic honeymoon trip to Japan.
The Orchants opened seven credit cards in eight months, earning around half a million points to make this dream trip a reality.
Saving points on airfare to Japan
Rather than splurging on premium cabin airfare (which is also generally harder to find), the Orchants decided to book economy flights with their rewards. This gave them more points to use in Japan.
To fund their flights, the Orchants both opened The Platinum Card® from American Express with targeted welcome bonuses through CardMatch (subject to change at any time).
They booked round-trip, nonstop airfare from Washington, D.C.’s Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Tokyo’s Haneda Airport (HND) for 100,000 Aeroplan points per ticket. For reference, Air Canada Aeroplan doesn’t have the lowest award rates on this route. When X (Star Alliance economy award) fare is available, here’s the round-trip cost per person using these programs, all of which are transfer partners of American Express Membership Rewards:
Regardless, the Orchants transferred 200,000 Amex Membership Rewards points to Air Canada Aeroplan to book the ANA flight (which we’re told would have been around $5,000 for two tickets using cash), leaving them with 100,000 leftover Membership Rewards points from their two welcome bonuses. They’ll use those points for a future trip.
Related: The best ways to travel to Japan with points and miles
Luxury Hyatt stays in Japan
For their time in Tokyo, the Orchants booked the 52-floor Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills, which is steps away from some of the city’s top attractions, including the Imperial Palace and Tokyo Tower.
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Modern Japanese-inspired rooms and suites that sit in a prime location and come outfitted with luxurious Aesop bath amenities don’t come cheap. For their dates, rooms were going for around $1,100 per night. So, their 120,000 World of Hyatt points saved them around $4,400.
In Kyoto, the Orchants spent two nights at the Park Hyatt Kyoto. Rather than pay with cash, which would’ve cost them $4,000 for the entire stay, they redeemed 35,000 points per night for their stay.
To get their World of Hyatt accounts to 190,000 points, the Orchants both signed up for the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Each of their card offers included an 80,000-point sign-up bonus at the time (which has since expired). They also each opened the World of Hyatt Credit Card to earn 30,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases in their first three months from account opening.
Because you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to World of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio, the Orchants were able to transfer most of the points they earned from signing up for their cards toward their Hyatt stays.
Related: 5 easy ways to maximize Hyatt award redemptions
Maximizing Marriott certificates
The last part of the Orchants’ trip took them to Osaka, where they made great use of free night certificates for their final three nights. Their property of choice? The brand-new W Osaka.
When they were planning their trip, the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card offered a sign-up bonus of three free night awards (up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night). This offer has also expired. Since each night was just 44,000 points, they didn’t have to use points to top off their certificates.
Had the Orchants decided to pay cash, they would’ve spent just over $1,100 for the three-night stay.
Related: Ouch: It’s not just you, Marriott stays now cost more points
Bottom line
The Orchants are about to leave on an unforgettable honeymoon trip. They earned nearly half a million points by opening seven credit cards, which funded their air travel and lodging in Japan. They’ll be taking a convenient nonstop flight from Washington, D.C., while staying at some of Japan’s most prestigious hotels during the nine-night trip.
If they had paid cash for their travels, the trip would have set them back roughly $14,500.
Now, it’s worth noting that such a strategy takes time to implement thanks to the various application restrictions from the major card issuers — most notably Chase’s 5/24 rule. Nevertheless, this story shows how planning in advance can unlock incredible value when you put your rewards to use.
Congratulations to the Orchants, and safe travels to Japan.
Singapore Airlines’ first-class product has a well-deserved reputation as one of the best luxury experiences in the sky. Many in the points and miles world save up to book this bucket list experience, complete with Dom Perignon (and Krug) Champagne, caviar and some of the best inflight service out there.
Before we dive into how you can book your next first-class adventure on Singapore Airlines, let’s look at what you can expect from the different aircraft types operated by the carrier.
The first-class cabins
Currently, Singapore operates aircraft with two different first-class layouts — the Boeing 777-300 and the Airbus A380. On its 777-300s, the first-class cabin is arranged in a 1-2-1 layout at the front. Each seat has plenty of room and turns into a lie-flat bed. The seats are similar to the business-class seats on this aircraft in layout, though they have more personal space and the first-class service sets them apart.
You’ll find Singapore Airlines’ famous Suites class on the Airbus A380s. The Suites are located at the front of the upper deck, and each one has a bed separate from the seat, providing an incredible amount of personal space you will not find on most commercial aircraft.
Two Suites can be combined into a double bed, making it ideal for couples. This is about as good as first class gets.
The A380 Suites are significantly better than the 777 first-class seats, so it’s worth going out of your way to book the A380 if possible.
Regardless of aircraft, you can count on some great Champagne, a great meal — don’t forget to “Book the Cook” — and plenty of hot towels to help you stay refreshed. If you are departing from Singapore, you will also have access to Singapore Airlines’ exclusive and recently renovated Private Room lounge.
If you see a route operated by one of Singapore’s new Airbus A350s or 787s, keep in mind that it doesn’t have a first-class cabin on this aircraft, but it does have a fantastic business class.
Related: 8 reasons I’m excited about Singapore Airlines’ A380 Suites flying to the US
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How to book Singapore Airlines first class with miles
Unlike most airlines, Singapore Airlines will only let you book its first-class (and business-class) award tickets on long-haul routes through its own KrisFlyer program. So while United Airlines and Air Canada are both Star Alliance partners of Singapore Airlines, you won’t be able to use MileagePlus or Aeroplan miles to book these premium-cabin awards.
Suites-class options
Singapore Airlines is not operating A380 services to or from any destinations in the United States after switching the service from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) to a 777 service in May.
Schedules and aircraft type are subject to change, but at the time of publication, over the northern summer period, Singapore will operate the A380 to the following destinations:
Destination from Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
KrisFlyer miles required for Suites class (each way, per person at Saver level)
KrisFlyer miles required for Suites class (each way, per person at Advantage level)
New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL).
58,500 miles.
98,000 miles.
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
45,000 miles.
73,000 miles.
London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR).
141,000 miles.
225,500 miles.
Melbourne Airport (MEL).
93,500 miles.
155,000 miles.
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM).
58,500 miles.
98,000 miles.
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG).
58,500 miles.
98,000 miles.
Sydney Airport (SYD).
93,500 miles.
155,000 miles.
First-class options
While the 777 first-class product isn’t quite as impressive as the A380 product, the good news is that Singapore Airlines flies the 777 product to several U.S. destinations. At the time of publication, over the northern summer period, Singapore will operate the 777 with first class to the following destinations:
Destination from Singapore Changi Airport (SIN)
KrisFlyer miles required for first class (each way, per person at Saver level)
KrisFlyer miles required for first class (each way, per person at Advantage level)
Auckland Airport (AKL).
93,500 miles.
155,000 miles.
New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL).
58,500 miles.
98,000 miles.
Frankfurt Airport (FRA).
141,000 miles.
225,500 miles.
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG).
45,000 miles.
73,000 miles.
Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK).
30,500 miles.
52,500 miles.
London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR).
141,000 miles.
225,500 miles.
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) via Tokyo.
146,500 miles.
228,000 miles.
Melbourne Airport (MEL).
93,500 miles.
155,000 miles.
Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (BOM).
58,500 miles.
98,000 miles.
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) via Frankfurt.
148,500 miles.
243,000 miles.
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG).
141,000 miles.
225,500 miles.
Sydney Airport (SYD).
93,500 miles.
155,000 miles.
Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND).
77,000 miles.
120,000 miles.
Zurich Airport (ZRH).
141,000 miles.
225,500 miles.
You can also try Singapore Airlines first class on the airline’s fifth-freedom routes. Here is the one-way pricing for Saver and Advantage awards:
Between New York and Frankfurt: 97,000 (Saver)/143,500 (Advantage) miles.
Between Los Angeles and Tokyo: 120,000 (Saver)/187,000 (Advantage) miles.
Related: Fifth-freedom routes: Flying top international airlines without setting foot in their home countries
KrisFlyer does not impose fuel surcharges on flights on its own metal, so fees, taxes and surcharges on first-class and Suites flights are reasonable.
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SINGAPOREAIR.COM
Saver availability is strictly limited, but you can pay more miles for an Advantage ticket. You might also consider waitlisting for a Saver award.
And if you only want to get a taste of Singapore Airlines first class on a short flight, you can book flights between Singapore and Jakarta for 40,000 Avianca LifeMiles on some dates.
Off the beaten points first reported you can use LifeMiles to book this route. But despite searching, we haven’t seen the ability to redeem LifeMiles for other Singapore Airlines first-class or suites-class routes.
How to earn Singapore KrisFlyer miles
While Singapore Airlines doesn’t offer a cobranded credit card in the U.S., the airline partners with several major rewards programs with transferable currencies, including:
Earning rewards with one or more of these programs and transferring them to Singapore Airlines is one of the easiest ways to earn KrisFlyer miles. The following cards all currently offer strong welcome bonuses that you could easily convert to KrisFlyer miles:
American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership. Terms apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Check to see if you’re targeted for a 125,000-point welcome offer through CardMatch (offer subject to change at any time). Terms apply.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 120,000 bonus points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on the card in the first three months of card membership.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Citi Premier® Card: (see rates and fees) Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
In the case of transferable currencies that don’t instantly transfer to KrisFlyer, you’ll want to call and put a hold on your award ticket before initiating a transfer. That way, you won’t find yourself with stranded Singapore KrisFlyer miles because of a lack of award space.
Bottom line
At first glance, it might seem like only being able to book Singapore first-class awards with the KrisFlyer program would be a problem. However, when you consider that Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy points can all be transferred to your Singapore KrisFlyer account, it seems a lot more doable.
As with many premium-cabin awards, you’ll want to start looking for award space as soon as you know your travel dates. First-class award space on Singapore Airlines is not always easy to find, so starting your search as early as 355 days before your desired departure date is advisable. Also, consider waitlisting or searching at the last minute.
With a little planning, you’ll be able to earn the required miles and find the necessary award space to try one of the best first-class products in the world.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with the latest information.
If you’re having difficulty finding saver award availability with United Airlines, you’re not alone.
Ever since United MileagePlus scrapped its official award charts, saver awards (the seats that require fewer miles and are also available to partner airlines) have felt harder to find. Saver award space greatly affects the value of your award redemption, as dynamically priced awards can surpass 50,000 miles for a one-way domestic, economy-class flight (though even prices for saver seats are subject to devaluations — as we saw recently).
Today, we’ll explore an exclusive benefit that enables United MileagePlus elite members and eligible cobranded credit card holders to access hidden saver awards on United and United Express flights.
Who has access to United’s expanded saver awards?
There are two paths to access expanded saver awards on United flights: United cobranded credit cards and elite status.
If you’re the primary cardholder of a United Explorer Card, United Business Card, United Quest Card or United Club Infinite Card, you can access expanded economy-class saver awards, giving you access to the XN fare class. United releases more seats to the XN fare than the X fare (the standard fare class for economy-class saver awards).
United Premier Silver and Gold members have the same XN fare class access to expanded economy-class saver awards. In contrast, Premier Platinum, 1K and Global Services members also have access to expanded business- and first-class saver awards, with access to the IN fare class. As you may have expected, United generally releases more seats to the IN fare than the I fare (the standard fare class for business-class and domestic first-class saver awards).
The expanded saver award benefit is only eligible for MileagePlus reservations, so even if you’re a United cardholder or Premier member, you can’t unlock additional award availability when booking through a partner like Air Canada Aeroplan or Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
Related: The best websites for searching Star Alliance award availability
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Searching for expanded saver award availability
If you’re an eligible United credit card holder or Premier member, go to united.com and sign into your MileagePlus account. Once you’ve signed in, enter your search details. You’ll see “Special member pricing” listed under the flight number and the price slashed out when there’s an XN fare available.
However, non-cardholders will see this flight price as follows.
Here’s how it looks when there’s an IN fare available. Again, the IN fare is only available to Premier Platinum, 1K and Global Services members.
For those with no status (or lower-tier Premier Silver or Premier Gold status), that 80,000-mile price for business class won’t appear.
Note that you must log in to see any applicable discounts, but there is a different way to check this inventory.
Another way to see XN and IN fares
If you want to know if your flight has XN or IN fare space, you’ll need to enable “expert mode.”
Once you’ve enabled expert mode, you can search for a cash ticket and see the available fare classes by selecting “Details” under your desired flight.
“XN9” means nine or more economy-class saver award seats are available for eligible cobranded card holders and Premier members. “X0” indicates there are no standard economy awards, which means a general MileagePlus member without an eligible cobranded card would need to pay a higher price. Additionally, this means that this flight can’t be booked using a Star Alliance partner award currency.
Here’s the same search for the flight from Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER) to Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD).
Note that “IN9” means that there are at least nine seats available for travelers with Premier Platinum (or higher) status, whereas “I0” means that no saver-level awards are open for other travelers.
Related: Last-minute strategies for earning United Premier elite status
Waitlisting business- and first-class saver awards
Few know about this, but you can join a waitlist for business-class saver awards if there is saver availability in economy class. According to United’s air award rules, you can call and book a coach award at the business saver level while being waitlisted for a business-class seat.
Once on the waitlist, you should receive an upgrade if a business-class (or domestic first-class) seat becomes available as a saver award. If your upgrade doesn’t clear before check-in, you will be prioritized toward the top of the upgrade waitlist. Technically, it’s not considered an upgrade since you have already redeemed the required miles for the higher fare class.
This greatly improves your chances of being cleared for the next class of service. If your upgrade doesn’t clear, any additional mileage initially used for the business-class seat will be refunded to you.
Bottom line
If you’re having issues finding saver award space, an eligible United credit card might help you unlock more value from your miles. With the enhanced availability of saver awards and the option to join the waitlist for saver business class, United’s cobranded credit cards and elite status play a crucial role in maximizing your miles.