{"id":74513,"date":"2021-02-06T18:30:26","date_gmt":"2021-02-06T18:30:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/?p=74513"},"modified":"2021-02-06T18:30:26","modified_gmt":"2021-02-06T18:30:26","slug":"best-premium-credit-cards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mytravelleader.com\/travel\/best-premium-credit-cards\/","title":{"rendered":"Best premium credit cards"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Signing-up for credit cards with big bonuses is the easiest and fast way to earn lots<\/em> of miles & points. \u201cPremium\u201d cards often come with the best bonuses, plus valuable perks, like the ability to earn transferable points, bonus spending categories, free checked bags, and more.\u00a0 But they usually charge an annual fee.<\/p>\n The information for the Citi Prestige and the Hilton Aspire card\u00a0has been collected independently by Million Mile Secrets and has not been reviewed by the card issuer.<\/em> <\/p>\n Load Error<\/p>\n In some cases, it\u2019s worth paying an annual fee because the benefits you\u2019ll get outweigh the cost of the card. That\u2019s certainly the case with many of these premium credit cards. If you can make the most of a card\u2019s perks, the value you\u2019ll receive from them can certainly be worth more than the annual fee you pay. <\/p>\n With the Amex Platinum card, you can earn 75,000 Membership Rewards\u00ae Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first six months of card membership. In addition, you\u2019ll earn 10x points on eligible purchases on your new card at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first six months of card membership.<\/p>\n The card has a $550 annual fee, which is not waived (see rates & fees). But it\u2019s easy to see how you can come out ahead with this top premium card.<\/p>\n The welcome bonus alone is worth up to 225,000 Amex Membership Rewards points. Which at a value of 1.8 cents per point, that\u2019s worth at least $4,050 in travel f you use the perks and credits, you\u2019ll easily come out ahead and find the Amex Platinum\u2019s annual fee well worth it.<\/p>\n Cardholders will also have access to loads of perks like:<\/p>\n When you sign up for Chase Sapphire Reserve, you\u2019ll earn 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.\u00a0According to our valuations, that\u2019s worth at least $850 in travel. And potential more if you transfer your points to some of Chase\u2019s fantastic transfer partners. <\/p>\n In addition to a valuable welcome offer, the card is loaded with benefits. The best perk for this card is the annual $300 in travel credits, which are automatically earned whenever you make a qualify purchase, including airfare, hotels, rental cars and more. <\/p>\n You also get an application fee credit (worth up to $100) for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years. The card also includes a Priority Pass Select membership, which gets you and up to two guests access to 1,200+ airport lounges. So while this particular premium card does have a $550 annual fee, it\u2019s totally worth it.<\/em><\/p>\n Just note that Chase has these restrictions for their Sapphire-branded credit cards. You cannot have more than one Sapphire-branded credit card open at the same time.<\/p>\n With the Citi Prestige card, you\u2019ll earn 50,000 ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening. Transferrable Citi ThankYou points are worth an average of around 1.7 cents each, depending on the partner you redeem them with. That makes the bonus worth $850 and once you factor in the $250 travel credit and subtract the $495 annual fee the first-year value is $605.<\/p>\n One of the best benefits of this card is the fourth-night-free perk, even though it\u2019s not what it used to be. With this benefit, you\u2019ll get the fourth night free (based on the average cost per night) on any hotel stay of 4+ nights when you book through the Citi travel site. This used to be a perk you could use an unlimited number of times but now it is limited to twice per year. Also, you won\u2019t earn hotel points or elite night credits when you make a fourth-night-free booking because the Citi ThankYou travel portal is considered a third-party booking site.<\/p>\n Along with this benefit, you\u2019ll get perks like 5x Citi ThankYou points on air travel and dining, 3x Citi ThankYou points on hotels and cruise lines and one Citi ThankYou point on all other eligible purchases. Plus, every calendar year you\u2019ll get up to $250 in travel statement credit for most travel-related purchases. With all of these benefits, you can see why paying the $495 annual fee could make sense for some. <\/p>\n That said, while the Citi Prestige used to be a top-tier premium travel card, with the removal of so many benefits over the years, it\u2019s hard to recommend it over cards like the Sapphire Reserve, Amex Platinum or even the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express. It still, however, offers better travel perks than any of the other Citi cards. <\/p>\n This card is offering a welcome bonus of 75,000 Marriott points after meeting minimum spending requirements \u2014 a bonus that\u2019s easily worth $600+ in hotel stays. In addition, you\u2019ll earn a free-night award valid at select Marriott hotels each account anniversary (worth up to 50,000 points). This perk alone can help offset the annual fee of this\u00a0hotel credit card.<\/p>\n Another valuable card benefit is the Bonvoy Brilliant\u2019s up to $300 in credits at participating Marriott hotels. This credit even applies to room rates and can apply to meals from the hotel restaurant that are charged to your room. In addition to the annual Marriott statement credit of up to $300, you\u2019ll also get an annual free night (at participating Marriott hotels worth up to 50,000 points) after you renew your card.<\/p>\n On top of those perks, cardholders get complimentary Gold elite status and up to $100 in property credits when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay at Ritz-Carlton or St. Regis hotels. Check out this guide for an in-depth look at the rest of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex benefits.<\/p>\n The card comes with a $450 annual fee (see rates and fees). But as you can see, if you stay at a Marriott hotel at least once a year, this card is worth it for the annual free night and annual statement credit of up to $300. If you use the free night at an otherwise expensive hotel and add in the value you\u2019ll get from the annual statement credit, the annual fee is absolutely worth it.<\/p>\n The Hilton Aspire card has a bonus of 150,000 Hilton points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership.<\/p>\n The Hilton Aspire\u2019s benefits make it one of the top hotel credit cards on the market. For starters, you\u2019ll get top-tier Diamond Hilton status as long as you have the card. That gets you 100% bonus base points on Hilton stays, free breakfast and upgrades up to a suite (when available). You\u2019ll also get a free weekend night award every year and you can earn a second weekend night award if you spend $60,000+ on the card in a calendar year.<\/p>\n This is also one of the few hotel cards that comes with airport lounge access. You can enroll in Priority Pass and get unlimited lounge visits for you and up to two guests. It also has a yearly airline fee credit of up to $250 and up to $250 in Hilton resort credit, which is valid for purchases like room rates and hotel dining. You\u2019ll have to select an airline for the fee credits and the resort credits are valid at Hilton\u2019s participating resorts.<\/p>\n So sure, the Hilton Aspire\u2019s $450 annual fee is nothing to scoff at (see rates and fees). But the card\u2019s ongoing perks are almost ridiculous. There are few who won\u2019t be able to easily offset the cost of the annual fee. <\/p>\n The Delta SkyMiles Reserve card has an intro bonus of 40,000 miles and 10,000 Medallion\u00ae Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening. If you redeem through Delta Pay With Miles, you can get at least $400 worth of value from the welcome bonus. Which is great considering the card\u2019s $550 (see rates and fees).<\/p>\n Delta SkyMiles Reserve cardmembers will also receive priority boarding, so you have more time to get settled in and find space to store your bags. And other money-saving perks, like free checked bags on Delta flights, an annual companion certificate and 20% savings on select inflight purchases.<\/p>\n Although this premium card comes with a hefty annual fee, it is still well worth it for frequent Delta flyers given the value of the welcome bonus and perks like the annual companion certificate, priority boarding, free checked bags, Delta Sky Club lounge access and more.<\/p>\n The United Club Infinite card isn\u2019t offering a welcome bonus at the moment. But with it, you\u2019ll get premium perks like a United Club membership (worth up to $650). If you enjoy United Airlines lounges and their free food and drinks when you fly, this is a great card to have. With the membership, you can access United Clubs and Star Alliance lounges. Plus, you can bring two guests for free (or one adult and dependent children under 21 years of age) to a United Club or one guest to a Star Alliance lounge.<\/p>\n (Note that United Airlines lounge access restrictions state that you need to be flying United Airlines or one of its partners the same day to gain entry to United Clubs.)<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also get perks like first and second bags checked free when you pay for your ticket with the card (save up to $280 per round-trip flight), priority check-in and boarding and, of course, more access to available award seats. <\/p>\n For a $0 intro annual fee, then an annual fee of $525 going forward, opening this card is the way to get United Club access at a discount. If United Club access isn\u2019t a must-have for you, you\u2019re likely better off with the United\u2120 Explorer Card. <\/p>\n There are a variety of different kinds of travel rewards cards, from cash back to miles, points, and flexible rewards earning cards. But the cream of the crop are the premium cards \u2014 the cards that offer the best perks.<\/p>\n Most premium cards\u2019 annual fees range from $400 to nearly $600. And while that seems like a lot, the cards\u2019 exclusive benefits more than make up for the annual fee. Especially if you can make the most of those perks.<\/p>\n The most exclusive card is the Centurion Card from American Express, most often referred to as the \u201cblack card.\u201d It\u2019s the hardest card to get because it\u2019s by invitation only.\u00a0<\/p>\n The likelihood you\u2019d receive an invitation is based on several factors like your credit score and the annual spending across all of your American Express accounts. If you are interested in one you can request an invitation here.<\/p>\n Millionaires are known for using the same, exclusive, Centurion Card from American Express mentioned above. Along with being invite-only, this card has the highest fees on the market, with a $10,000 first year initiation fee and an annual membership fee of $5,000 (a total of $15,000 of fees in the first year). But, cardholders aren\u2019t subject to a spending limit. Meaning you can spend as much as you like on this card; you will just need to be able to pay off your balance every month \u2014 which shouldn\u2019t be a problem if you\u2019re a millionaire!<\/p>\n For rates and fees of the Platinum card from American Express, please click\u202fhere For rates and fees of the Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card, please click\u202fhere For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card, please click\u202fhere For rates and fees of the Hilton Aspire Card, please click here. <\/p>\n Earn 75,000 Membership Rewards\u00ae Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Earn 10x points on eligible purchases on your new Card at U.S. Gas Stations and U.S. Supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. That\u2019s an additional 9 points on top of the 1 point you earn for these purchases.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member and Additional Centurion Cards only.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Earn 5X Membership Rewards\u00ae Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel. Starting January 1, 2021, earn 5X points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n 5X Membership Rewards\u00ae Points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Enjoy complimentary access to the Global Lounge Collection, the only credit card airport lounge access program that includes proprietary lounge locations around the world.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Receive complimentary benefits through American Express Travel with an average total value of $550 with Fine Hotels & Resorts\u00ae program at over 1,100 properties. Learn More.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your Platinum Card\u00ae. That\u2019s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n $550 annual fee.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Terms Apply.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n See Rates & Fees<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n Intro APR on purchases<\/p>\n N\/A<\/p>\n Regular APR<\/p>\n See Pay Over Time APR<\/p>\n Annual Fee<\/p>\n $550<\/p>\n Balance Transfer Fee<\/p>\n N\/A<\/p>\n MORE INFO<\/p>\nBest premium credit cards<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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\n Card name<\/strong><\/td>\n Welcome offer<\/strong><\/td>\n Annual fee<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express<\/td>\n 75,000 Amex Membership Rewards points after spending $15,000 within the first six months of account openingPlus, earn 10x points on eligible purchases on your new card at U.S. gas stations and U.S. supermarkets, on up to $15,000 in combined purchases, during your first six months of card membership<\/td>\n $550 annual fee (see rates & fees)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Chase Sapphire Reserve<\/td>\n 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening<\/td>\n $550<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Citi Prestige<\/td>\n 50,000 ThankYou points after spending $4,000 in the first three months of account opening<\/td>\n $495<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express\u00ae Card<\/td>\n 75,000 Bonus Marriott Bonvoy Points after you use your new Card to make $3,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership <\/td>\n $450 annual fee (see rates and fees)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Hilton Amex Aspire Card<\/td>\n 150,000 Hilton points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases within the first three months of card membership<\/td>\n $450 annual fee (see rates and fees)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Delta SkyMiles\u00ae Reserve American Express Card<\/td>\n 40,000 miles and 10,000 Medallion\u00ae Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening<\/td>\n $550 (see rates and fees)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n United Club Infinite Card<\/td>\n The card currently isn\u2019t offering any welcome bonus<\/td>\n $525, waived the first year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n Why you should consider annual fee cards<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express<\/h3>\n
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Chase Sapphire Reserve\u00ae<\/h3>\n
Citi Prestige Card<\/h3>\n
Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex<\/h3>\n
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card<\/h3>\n
Delta SkyMiles\u00ae Reserve American Express Card<\/h3>\n
United Club Infinite Card<\/h3>\n
FAQ about premium credit cards<\/h2>\n
What makes a card a \u201cpremium\u201d card?<\/h3>\n
What is the hardest credit card to get?<\/h3>\n
What credit card do millionaires use?<\/h3>\n
The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express<\/h3>\n
The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express<\/h3>\n
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