Umbrellabank.com card gives you points to buy a ticket. When the ticket is bought, it's just like a normal ticket, so you GET MILES from the flight.....you are limited to their travel agency's inventory. In most cases, it shouldn't be much of a problem to get a ticket.
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The cards I recommend for miles that are widely regarded as the best by people in the know are:
(1.) MBNA Amtrak MAstercard (Free): You can convert points to miles on a 1:1 basis with United and Continental. Also can use points at a lesser rate with hotels and retailers.
(2.) AMEX Starwood Preferred Guest ($30/yr):
THE BEST CARD! You can redeem miles on a 1:1 basis on 30 airlines (POINTS NEVER EXPIRE)! They give you 5,000 bonus miles EVERY time you transfer 20,000 points to an airline on their list. Card has a 60 day best price match guarantee--you'll receive the difference of your purchased product if you find it at a lower price within 60 days. You can also use points at hotels in the Starwood chain (NO blackouts)--one of the most extensive & exclusive hotel chains in the world.
=======With an AMEX & MAstercard in your wallet, you're covered for any contigency===
P.S. The Umbrella Visa isn't a bad card either. You just have to use the points every 5 years or risk losing them. Since they buy the ticket for you (you really have no choice in the airline--they'll book you on IRANIAN AIR if that's the cheapest flight flying to Karachi), you get miles on the flight--a bi-coastal flight will net you about 5,000 miles for 25,000 points spent.
P.S.S. Farm Bureau Visa is good because after $35,000 spent within the expiration date of 3 years, you get a check in the amount of 2% for that $35k (that means you have to spend $972 a month on the card to get 2%--any amount under that and you get substantially less than 2%--it then becomes a ripoff). 2% is a standard Mileage card rate for $1/1 mile spent--but these guys give you CASH! You can get a cheaper ticket on the net and pocket the difference from that 2% redeemed or buy anything else!
Redeem: Receieve:
5000 $25 (.5 %)
10000 $75 (.75%)
15000 $150 (1%)
25000 $375 (1.5%)
35000 $700 (2%)
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In my opinion, airline card miles are the most valuable if you know how to take advantage of them. Example: I redeemed a trip recently to Europe on American. Like with most airlines, American allows to stop in ONE city (for weeks at a time if you wish)
on your way to your destination. So technically you can stop in Paris for a week on your way to Madrid. Then on you way back, you can take off from Barcelona or Milan, stay a week in London on your way back to the US. Such a ticket if purchased would run at least $2000 in winter (During American holidays)--in summer it would run around $3000. I redeemed 40,000 points from AMEX Starwood. Since you get a bonus 5,000 miles for any amount over 25,000 points, my TOTAL out-of-pocket redemption is 35,000 points. So take $2,000/35000=
5.7%................even if you manageto get a ticket less than $2,000, MOST LIKELEY you'll STILL end up with a PERCENTAGE higher than FARM Bureau's 2%....(Plus with AMEX you don't have the pressure to spend $972/mo average to get you 2%!)
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By the way, regarding dining programs, you can link ANY Visa, MC, AMEX with ANY airline that has a dining program. Example: My Starwood AMEX is with American. My MC is with United. My amazon Visa is with Continental. On business trips, choose a resataurant on the list to take clients out and then pay with your card...you can rack up thousands of miles in a couple of months like yours truly. Visit
Mileageworkshop.com for more details.
Dining Programs:
United: 800-555-5116
America West: 877-272-8355
Alaska Air: 800-654-5669
American: 800-479-5981
Delta: 800-818-8339
Northwest: 800-818-2040.
US Air: 800-243-2157
British Air: 800-869-2957 mention code: "d738"