And the news…

Virgin America points are always worth over 2 cents each, or a 2% return on credit card spending. That’s a great value since the best cash back credit cards earn 2% or less.

Virgin America’s points program prices flights in points as a direct relationship to their cost in cash. And the conversion rate is about 2.2 cents per point. So…a flight that costs $100 will require 4500 points, and one that  costs $500 will require 22,727 points. We know, because we checked many Virgin America flights to price them in both cash and points.

Virgin America - $390.27 / 17,200 points = 2.2 cents in value per point

This is a better deal than you can find on most domestic airlines — others will charge you 25,000 miles minimum, and there is no restriction on seats you can book. Even Southwest won’t give you any better than a 1.6 cent per point rate, and only then with advance purchase.

All seats on Virgin America can be had for that 2.2 cents per point rate.

So if you plan to fly Virgin America once or twice a year, this card is a great way for you to get respectable cash savings on your flights. Remember, Virgin America lets you book one way tickets for half the round trip fare, so you can book points in one direction and cash in the other.

That means you don’t need 20,000 points in your account to get a great reward. With a typical roundtrip flight costing $350 you can get half of that flight paid for using just 8,000 points.

Now there are some limits…

You’re really only going to find redeeming for flights on Virgin America flights worthwhile. There aren’t a lot of partners, and they don’t convert at the same rate.

And the benefits are pretty basic, but there is NO ANNUAL FEE…

• 2,500 point bonus with first purchase
• 3 points per dollar on Virgin America purchases
• 1 point per dollar on all else
• 300 bonus points per $5,000 in purchases, up to 1,200 per year
• Up to 2,500 points for balance transfer (1 point per dollar transferred)

 > Secure application link

As part of its aggressive promotion of the new United Mileage Plus Club Card (a credit card that offers membership to the United Club) you have an opportunity to get free, full membership to the United Club.

How? By applying for and getting approved for the credit card under a special promotion.

Three ways to get in on it…

1. You might have been targeted already. Log in to your Mileage Plus account first then follow the link to the application. You might be given the offer for no fee the first year. Learn more here.

2. Stop by a United Club at the airport. Just go to the check-in desk and ask for one of the brochures with a United Mileage Plus Club credit card application code. There will be a code you can use at www.ClubCardRSVP.com to apply and get the offer with the first year waived.

3. Ask Chase. If you’ve already applied in the last 90 days, or are unable to find the offer in person or online, try applying for the card via the regular application. Then once approved, send a secure message to Chase via Chase.com asking to have the better offer applied. No guarantees here but they have in the past matched ‘better’ offers within 90 days.

The offer expires May 31, 2012.

Read more about the United Mileage Plus Club credit card.

Decent program, but Starwood still better for credit card earning

A typical Hyatt hotel reward requires between 8,000 and 15,000 points per night – and can be valued at $250 or more — a decent return on your spending. However the Starwood Preferred Guest program and its American Express offer similar hotels for 3,000-10,000 points per night, about 50% more value for your points.

If you travel internationally, this is a good secondary card to keep on file. It charges no fee on foreign transactions, compared to the 3% typically imposed by credit cards, and has an ‘EMV’ smart chip for foreign transactions built in.

Great intro bonus — 2 nights at any Hyatt hotel any time

With this card you get 2 free nights after your first purchase valid at any Hyatt hotel that has standard rooms. The 2 free night introductory offer is quite lucrative  — you can use it at anytime a standard room is available for even their most exclusive hotels like the Park Hyatt in Tokyo or Paris, which often go for $800 per night or more, even $1,000+. The only exception is Hyatt Vacation Club properties, as the rooms there are not ‘standard,’ they are studios and suites.

But having access to all properties with standard hotel rooms makes this introductory bonus worth $800 or more if you use it properly. And you get the bonus after your first purchase, there are no minimum spending requirements. The free nights expire one year after they are issued, so plan your application and first purchase accordingly.

Separately, you also get another free night certificate each year you pay your $75 annual fee. That certificate is good for Category 1-4 hotels, so it’s a bit more limited, but a nice benefit that can be worth a couple hundred dollars or more. Since the annual fee is charged upfront, you’re actually getting 3 nights worth of stays to start.

Features

• Earn 1 Gold Passport point per dollar spent
• Earn 3 Gold Passport points per dollar spent at Hyatt properties
• No foreign transaction fee for international purposes
• $75 annual fee

Complimentary Hyatt Platinum status:

• 15% bonus points on each stay
• Best available room within category booked
• Complimentary internet access
• Special check-in line
• 2pm late checkout

Click here for a secure link to the free night offer from Chase.

First, remember there are two ways to use your points for air travel:

• Points as cash via UltimateRewards.com. You can book any flight at any time, and use your points as cash toward all or part of the purchase. The flight search is just like you’d find at Expedia or Travelocity. Each one of your points is with 1.25 cents toward the air fare in all cases. So, a $500 ticket will require 40,000 points, $100 ticket requires 8,000 points.
• Transfer points into miles with United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, British Airways, or Korean Airlines. The cost in points will vary based on mileage reward availability. Many times it will cost fewer points to book an award ticket directly via the airline mile program than using the points as cash on UltimateRewards.com.

So how do you get the points to United?

It’s actually pretty easy….

5. Go to the ‘transfer points to travel partners’ page

You’ll see the link when you first login to www.ultimaterewards.com.

Choose 'transfer points to travel partners'

6. Select the point transfer partner, in this case United

7. Input your information for the transfer, and the miles will show up in your partner account

Enter the number of miles you want to transfer, and go

That’s it. The transfer is generally instant. Just keep in mind that you CANNOT reverse a transfer of points to a mile partner Once the points are transferred to your United or other partner account, they cannot be sent back to your Chase Ultimate Rewards account. So make sure you really want to use the points there before making the transfer. Once in the partner account, the partner’s rules will apply, including any expiration dates if any.

What about other airlines…

If your’e really into maximizing the value of your Sapphire Preferred points you may want to include other airlines in your search.

• For example, go to Southwest.com to see how many points your trip would cost. It’s just as simple as the search on United.com. Just note that the UltimateRewards.com search will not show Southwest flights as Southwest only lists its flight prices on its own website
• The Sapphire Preferred also lets you transfer to British Airways and Korean Airlines. BA.com has a full online search tool, though you’ll need to set up a free account and password to do it. Most of the time you won’t find the best deals there, though for short domestic nonstop flights on American Airlines they can be a very good deal. Learn more about that here.
• Korean Airlines is a bit tougher, but their miles can be used on Delta flights. So if you go to Delta.com and see awards available at the ‘Low’ level then there is space for using Korean Airlines miles.

Final rule of thumb…

• We generally prefer to pay cash when the value per mile is 2 cents or less. That means we prefer to not redeem our Sapphire Preferred points using the UltimateRewards.com travel booking tool, as in that case your miles are always worth 1.25 cents.
• We like being opportunistic, and using points with the transfer partners in situations where we can get high value. For example, a $500 ticket for 25,000 miles. That’s $0.02 in value per mile. ($500 divided by 25,000 miles).

 Other Chase Sapphire Preferred resources…

Full benefits guide

Our review of the card

Mile transfer process illustrated

You can apply via the secure links to the bank’s sites below, but urge you to remember the following:

• Most mile credit cards require Good or in many cases Excellent credit…which often means a FICO score of 700 or more. Consider that before applying, as multiple applications can temporarily dent your credit score. Learn more about your credit score and bonus mile offers here.
• Offers usually only target people who are first time users of the card. If you’ve held it before, you may be denied the offer.
• We don’t recommend using a mile credit card for ongoing spending if you plan to carry a balance each month…as interest rates tend to be higher than standard cards.
• Other than that…have fun. Bonus mile intro offers are often a great way to earn free travel fast!

Chase Sapphire Preferred: 40,000 points (also good as United / Continental / Southwest miles)

>; Requirement: $3,000 in purchases within 3 months. No first year fee.

>; Value: 40,000 points is good for $500 in travel credit, almost 2 free domestic tickets on United / Continental, Southwest (as of 1/5/12), British Airways, and partners via point transfer, or 2+ free nights at most Hyatts via point transfer.

>; Valid on: Any airline/hotel (points as dollars), or use 1:1 instant point transfer (transfer to anyone’s United/Continental/British Airways/Southwest (as of 1/5/12)/Amtrak/Korean Airlines/Hyatt/Marriott account 1:1 and using the miles to book with them or partners).

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

United Mileage Plus Explorer: Earn up to 40,000 miles (60,000 possible if elite)

>; Requirement: 25,000 after 1st purchase, 5,000 with additional cardmember. 10,000 more miles if you spend $25,000 within one year. No annual fee first year. Bonus for new United card holders.

>; Value: Enough for 1 domestic roundtrip ticket

>; Valid on: United Airlines, Continental Airlines, US Airways, Lufthansa, Singapore, Air Canada, Virgin Atlantic, and more.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Note: you can earn 70,000+ United bonus miles by applying for both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and United Mileage Plus Explorer one month or more apart.

If you have an active MileagePlus account, then first login to your United account, then try following this link to see if you are offered a 50,000 mile bonus with a $50 statement credit that is targeted to select members.

British Airways Visa: 100,000 Avios points

>; Requirement: 50,000 points awarded after first purchase, 25,000 more after spending $10,000 within first year, another 25,000 if you spend another $10,000 within the first year.

>; Value: 100,000 points. Learn more about bargain redemption values.

>; Valid on: British Airways, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Japan Air Lines, LAN, Finnair, Iberia, and more.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Hyatt Gold Passport: 2 Free Nights at any Hyatt hotel

>; Requirement: 2 nights post after first purchase. $75 annual fee.

>; Value: 2 free nights at any Hyatt hotel — no capacity controls. If a standard room is available you can book it — even the $800/night Park Hyatt in Tokyo.

>; Valid on: Hyatt, Park Hyatt, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Place, Summerfield Suites, Andaz.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

United Mileage Plus Club Card: Free United Club access for one year

>; Requirement: Posts after 1st purchase.

>; Value: $375 (a waiver of the United Mileage Plus Club Card’s annual fee for one year)

>; Valid on: Access all United Airlines, US Airways, and Star Alliance partner lounges.

This is a targeted offer mostly to United elite / Premier level flyers; to check if it’s available to you, first log into your United.com account, then click here to learn more about the offer and apply. If it doesn’t show up for you, you might have luck contacting Chase after approval to request the offer. You can do this online by logging into Chase.com and sending a message. Or, stop by a United Club desk and ask for an invitation code for the free for the first year version of the credit card.

Ink Bold for Business from Chase: 50,000 points ($625 in travel credit)

>; Requirement: 50,000 Bonus Points. 25,000 after first purchase. Another 25,000 after your spend $10,000 in the first 3 months your account is open.

>; Value: 50,000 points is good for $625 in travel credit, a 2 free domestic tickets on Continental/United and partners via point transfer, or 2+ free nights at any Hyatt via point transfer. [THIS IS THE BUSINESS CARD EQUIVALENT OF THE CHASE SAPPHIRE PREFERRED]

>; Valid on: Any airline/hotel (points as dollars), or use 1:1 instant point transfer (transfer to anyone’s United/Continental/British Airways/Southwest (as of 1/5/12)/Amtrak/Korean Airlines/Hyatt/Marriott account 1:1 and using the miles to book with them or partners).

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Capital One Venture Rewards: Up to 100,000 miles via Double Miles Challenge

>; Requirement: Spend $1,000 on card within 3 months of activation. You must submit a 2011 year end statement from another travel credit card. You will be given bonus miles equal to double the amount you spent in dollars on that travel credit card in 2011. For example if you spent $15,000 on a single travel credit card last year you will be eligible for 30,000 miles. Maximum bonus is 100,000 miles, which requires a statement showing $50,000 in spending.

>; Value: Up to $1,000 for 100,000 miles

>; Valid on: Any travel purchase

THIS OFFER HAS EXPIRED; CAPITAL ONE HAS USED UP THE MILES ALLOCATED FOR THIS PROMOTION.

Marriott Premier Visa: 50,000 points + one free night (70,000 points possible)

>; Requirement: Posts after first purchase. $85 annual fee, none first year.

>; Value: 1 free night at any Category 1-4 hotel from free night certificate. 50,000 bonus points good for a free night at any Marriott related hotel, or 2 nights at a Category 1-5.

>; Valid on: Marriott, Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, Renaissance, Edition, Autograph, Courtyard, Fairfield, Springhill Suites, Residence Inn, Towne Place, and ExecuStay.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply. (there is an unpublicized 70,000 point offer being reported — you can learn about it here, but consider unplublicized offers at your own risk)

Ritz Carlton Rewards: 50,000 points (also good at Marriott) + Gold Elite status for 1 year

>; Requirement: Posts after first purchase. $395 annual fee.

>; Value: 1 free night at nearly all Ritz Carlton hotels (category 1-3), or use for Marriott hotels — good for 3 nights at a mid-tier Marriott.

>; Valid on: Ritz Carlton, Marriott, Courtyard by Marriott, Residence Inn, JW Marriott, Renaissance, EDITION, Fairfield Inn, SpringHill Suites.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus: 50,000 points (good for 2 free flights)

>; Requirement: Posts after first purchase. $69 annual fee.

>; Value: $250 toward any Southwest flight, $400+ toward flights with ‘Wanna Get Away’ fare availability.

>; Valid on: Southwest Airlines.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Alaska Airlines Visa: 35,000 miles

>; Requirement: Awarded one to two weeks after account approval; $75 annual fee.

>; Value: 35,000 miles.

>; Valid on: Alaska, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, Cathay Pacific, Air France, KLM, Qantas.

THIS OFFER HAS EXPIRED.

American Airlines: Citi® Platinum Select® AAdvantage® Visa Signature®: 50,000 miles

>; Requirement: Spend $3,000 within 4 months, no first year fee.

>; Value: Also receive $150 statement credit when you make an American Airlines purchase in first 12 months. 2 Admirals Club day passes. 50,000 miles enough for 2 domestic roundtrip tickets (subject to capacity), or 1 international roundtrip

>; Valid on: American Airlines, Alaska Airlines British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Alaska, Qantas, Hawaiian, and more.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply. Note this is an unpublicized offer, so apply at your own risk. The current public offer is for 30,000 miles.

Also: Read here for tips on getting the most out of the 50,000 American Airlines miles

Citi ThankYou Premier: 50,000 points + 2x points on dining and travel spend for 12 months

>; Requirement: $2,500 in purchases within 3 months.

>; Value: 50,000 points, also earn 2x points on dining and travel spend for 12 months.

>; Valid on: Any airline, hotel, rental car Or gift cards.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express: 35,000 miles

>; Requirement: $750 in spending within 3 months.

>; Value: 35,000 miles (domestic round trip tickets start at 25,000 miles)

>; Valid on: Delta, Alaska, Air France, KLM, Alitalia, Korean, Aeroflot, others.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Fairmont Visa Signature – 2 free nights

>; Requirement: $1,000 in spending within 3 months.

>; Value: 2 free nights (any Fairmont hotel, no matter how expensive) plus breakfast. Get another free night each year you spend $12,000 on the card.

>; Valid on: Any Fairmont hotel.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Gold Rewards Card for Business from American Express OPEN: 50,000 points

>; Requirement: Awarded after $10,000 in purchases within 5 months of membership.

>; Value: 50,000 points — transfer 1:1 to several airlines, or use as up to $500 toward travel purchases or gift cards. THIS OFFER HAS EXPIRED AS OF 11/29/11

>; Valid on: Delta, Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue, Air France / KLM, AeroMexico, AirTran, ANA, ElAl, Hawaiian, Iberia, and Singapore Airlines. Hotels include Priority Club (Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza), Hilton, and Best Western.

THIS OFFER HAS EXPIRED

Hilton HHonors American Express: 50,000 points

>; Requirement: 50,000 points after $750 in purchases within 3 months. No annual fee. Expires 5/31/12.

>; Value: Varies, but you can usually get about 1/2 cent per point in value, so 50,000 points can be worth about $250 in hotel stays

>; Valid on: Hilton, Hilton Garden Inn, Embassy Suites, Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, Doubletree, Hampton, and more.
Click here to learn more about the offer and apply 

Platinum Card from American Express (Mercedes edition): 50,000 points

>; Requirement: 50,000 after $1,000 in purchases within 3 months. $475 annual fee

>; Value: Transfer 1:1 to many airline mile programs, or up to $500 in gift cards.

>; Valid on: Delta, Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue, Air France / KLM, AeroMexico, AirTran, ANA, ElAl, Hawaiian, Iberia, and Singapore Airlines. Hotels include Priority Club (Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza), Hilton, and Best Western.
Click here to learn more about the offer and apply (note the annual fee on this Mercedes Benz version which offers 50,000 points is $25 higher than the standard Platinum Card)

American Express Premier Rewards Gold Card: 25,000 points

>; Requirement: 25,000 after $2,000 in purchases within 3 months. $175 annual fee, waived the first year.

>; Value: Transfer 1:1 to many airline mile programs, or up to $250 in select gift cards.

>; Valid on: Delta, Air Canada, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, JetBlue, Air France / KLM, AeroMexico, AirTran, ANA, ElAl, Hawaiian, Iberia, and Singapore Airlines. Hotels include Priority Club (Holiday Inn, Intercontinental, Crowne Plaza), Hilton, and Best Western.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply

Starwood Preferred Guest American Express: 25,000 points

>; Requirement: 10,000 after first purchase, 15,000 after $5,000 in purchases within 6 months. $65 annual fee, none first year.

>; Value: Up to 6 free nights at Category 1 hotels, 2 free nights at many Sheraton/Westin properties.

>; Valid on: Sheraton, Westin, W, Four Points, Le Meridien, St. Regis hotels. Or, transfer 1:1 or better to over 20 airlines.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

US Airways Premier World MasterCard: 40,000 miles

>; Requirement: Awarded after first purchase.

>; Value: 40,000 points — additional 10,000 points for balance transfer, and another 10,000 preferred qualifying miles.

>; Valid on: US Airways, United, Continental, Air Canada, Lufthansa, Swiss, Scandanavian, Singapore, ANA Japan, TAM Brazil, LOT Polish, and more.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Virgin Atlantic American Express: 65,000 miles

>; Requirement: 20,000 miles after first purchase, 25,000 miles after $2,500 in purchases, 15,000 miles after one year anniversary, 5,000 miles for adding an authorized user. $90 annual fee.

>; Value: Up to 65,000 points

>; Valid on: Virgin Atlantic, Air China, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Air New Zealand, BMI, Hawaiian Airlines, Malalysian Airlines, US Airways, Virgin America, V Australia, Virgin Australia.

Click here to learn more about the offer and apply.

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.

Features

• $250 gift card – When you redeem the 25,000 bonus ThankYou® Points received after $2000 in purchases within 4 months of account opening.
• Earn 1 point for every $1 you spend on all purchases
• Receive an anniversary bonus every year you’re a cardmember
• No expiration and no limit on the points you can earn
• Redeem ThankYou Points for merchandise, travel rewards, gift cards, cash and more
• No annual fee*

We list all of the options below, though the best value overall tends to be the $450 Platinum charge card from American Express, which when you use the $200 annual airline fee credit it offers, gets you access to all SkyClubs for a net $250 per year.

1. Full membership. $300 – $450 or 70,000 – 100,000 SkyMiles + $50 or 10,000 miles for new members. Highest price is for ‘general’ SkyMiles members with no elite status. This gains you and 2 guests, or your spouse and children 21 and under unlimited access to the Delta clubs when traveling with you. You also gain access with the same privileges at all Alaska Airlines boardrooms, as well as Air France / KLM lounges that are located in cities where Delta has flights. You also have access to Virgin Australia lounges for yourself and one guest.
2. Full membership – installment plan. $338 – $520 (13 payments of $25-40 depending on your SkyMiles status level). You can pay your membership in monthly installments instead of one lump payment and get all the benefits above. The catch is you’re paying more out of pocket in the end than by paying it upfront. In fact it works out to a steep 15% interest rate when you compare the price of 12 installments versus paying it all at once.
3. Diamond Medallion status. No cost. If you fly 125,000 ‘Medallion’ qualifying miles per year on Delta you will be conferred Diamond Medallion status. One of its benefits is a full membership to the Sky Club with the privileges noted above.
4. 30 day membership. $90. This is helpful if you’re on a long vacation or stint of business travel. You get the same access you would as with full membership, including the ability to bring in guests.
5. Delta Reserve credit card. $450. This credit card grants you access to all Delta Sky Clubs when you are traveling on a Delta flight with the same guest privileges as full membership. However it does not include access to partner lounges the way full membership does.
6. Gold Medallion or above status. No cost. If you are a Delta Gold Medallion or higher member in SkyMiles (not the Gold credit card), you and a guest can access the clubs when travelling on an international SkyTeam carrier itinerary.
7. Platinum Card from American Express (best value). $450. You can enter all Delta operated Sky Clubs with the same privileges as full members (you, your spouse and children, or yourself and two guests). You must be flying on a Delta flight to qualify. You also get access to all American Airlines and US Airways clubs. The card offers a $200 annual airline fee credit which you can use toward charges like baggage fees and change fees on one airline of your choice each year. This effectively cuts the annual fee on the card down to $250. You also get access to Alaska Boardrooms using a separate free ‘Priority Pass‘ lounge card offered to Platinum Card holders. However this charges you $27 for each guest you bring. Note lounge access is not a benefit of the $150 per year Platinum SkyMiles credit card – it is a benefit of the $450 per year Platinum charge card.
8. One Day pass. $42-$50. These entitle yourself and no guests access to the Delta operated Sky Clubs (not including partner lounges) for one day. You get a discount if you buy in bulk at Delta.com.
9. Alaska Airlines Boardroom membership. $450 1st year, $350 after. This grants you full access to all Delta operated SkyClubs when traveling on Delta, as well as all Alaska Boardroom clubs. This includes guest / spouse / child access when you’re traveling like with full membership. The difference is there is no access to partner lounges internationally. But after the 1st year this costs $100 less than Sky Club membership purchased via Delta.
10. Ebay or Craigslist. There are often SkyClub day passes being sold on these sites, going rate is about $25 per day pass. Deals at this price occasionally up on Groupon as well.

In every SkyClub you’ll find complimentary WiFi, basic soft and alcoholic beverages, and light snacks. Premium wines and liquor are available for purchase in some clubs. Note though that at peak times clubs can be crowded and finding a seat for your family isn’t guaranteed.

Basic card on the surface

At first blush, it’s a basic card that earns one point per dollar spent (8 points on JetBlue.com purchases using the card) with a limited reward program (only Jet Blue flights) and reasonable $40 annual fee.

A surprisingly decent program underneath

We’re usually skeptical of point programs that offer no restrictions on seat availability or blackout dates because in the end the price in points is often higher than with a traditional airline mile program. The cost in points to get ‘free’ JetBlue flights is usually a function of the price of the flight in cash. So more expensive flights tend to cost more in points than those that are less expensive.

However what’s most important to us is the *value* (or bang for the buck) you’re getting for each point you redeem. And here’s where it gets interesting.

Usually with airline miles, the more expensive the underlying ticket, the bigger bang for your buck you’ll get for using points. With JetBlue it’s actually the other way around. The best values for your points are usually on flights that are already selling for relatively cheap cash prices. That’s actually good news — it means you need fewer points in your account to get a good value for your points.

We surveyed select JetBlue flights, comparing the cost in points to the cost in cash, and found some decent bargains, with values per point ranging from $0.01 all the way up to an impressive $0.018. That’s like earning almost 2% cash back on the spending from your Jet Blue credit card.

The pattern appears to be that relatively cheap flights in cash are available with the best value per dollar for your points. So even with relatively little spending on the card (say you end up with 10,000 points) you can end up with a nice cash return on your credit card spending. Remember, JetBlue awards can be redeemed one way, so you can use points in one direction and cash in the other with no higher fare.

It’s a nice deal for those of you who aren’t frequent spenders or flyers, but want to do a trip on JetBlue once or twice a year and save money.

> Click here for a secure American Express application to the JetBlue American Express

Jet Blue card isn’t the only option

While the Jet Blue American Express is the logical first card to consider, it’s not as well known that American Express Membership Rewards points transfer 1:1 into JetBlue points. So if you want to earn JetBlue points but have more flexibility to use the points you’ve earned on other airlines like Delta for international and other trips, then the American Express Green, Gold, or Platinum Cards are a better option.

When you’re ready to plan your trip, you can choose which airline you want to transfer points into and the transfers are generally instant. Learn more about it here.

The catch is, the annual fees on these cards are higher ($95-$450) which is the price you pay for additional flexibility and benefits.

Well, access isn’t as hard or expensive as you might think, and here is a guide to all the ways you can access the club…

First, if you want free access for a year, go to any United Club counter at the airport and ask for an application for the United Mileage Plus Club credit card — they are currently handing out applications with a code for free membership for one year. You don’t have to be a current member to walk in and ask for it.

Other ways to get in include…

1. Full membership. This costs from $375 – $475 per year depending on your frequent flyer status with United. Rates are: 1K – $375, Platinum $400, Gold $425, Silver $450, all others $475. ‘Global Services’ members get special rates depending on their annual airfare spending. Full membership entitles you to bring 2 guests, or your spouse and children under the age of 21 to all United Clubs and US Airways Clubs. It also allows you access to all Star Alliance partner airline lounges for yourself and one guest when travelling on a Star Alliance carrier. A spouse membership so your spouse can enjoy privileges when you’re not flying is available for $175 – $225.
2. United Mileage Plus Club Card  (credit card). This costs $395 per year, and includes a full United Club membership card. So, for most people this costs less than buying a standalone membership. It also gives you 1.5 miles per dollar spent on all purchases, Priority Access security / boarding, and other travel benefits like Avis President’s Club status (car upgrades), Hyatt Platinum status (free internet), and upgrades / late checkout at many hotels.
3. One time passes. These cost $50, but only allow you yourself to enter. You must buy a separate pass for everyone who wishes to enter, and they are valid for one club only. For now, you must purchase them in person at the club. You can use the cost of one pass ($50) toward the cost of membership if you purchase it within 30 days.
4. Priority Pass – full membership. This is a membership card that gives you access to over 600 lounges worldwide, including United Clubs. Note though we are referring to full standalone Priority Pass membership. There is a version given to holders of credit cards like the Platinum American Express. That version, the ‘Select,’ is not valid for United Club entry. Membership is $399 for unlimited visits, but guests are $27 per visit, including children. People who use this card generally travel a lot for business overseas and value having access to many different types of lounges regardless of what airline they are flying.
5. Priority pass – ‘standard’ membership. This gets you in the club for a discounted rate of $27 per visit. You pay an annual fee of $99 – $249, with the $249 including 10 ‘free’ visits. It’s a better deal than buying a day pass or full membership if you’re visiting the club by yourself 5-10 times per year.
6. Star Alliance Gold status when on an international ticket. If you are a United or US Airways ‘Gold’ or higher frequent flyer member, you can access the lounge with one guest when you are travelling on an international itinerary involving a Star Alliance carrier, including United.
7. First class / business class international ticket. If you are travelling in a premium cabin internationally you can access the club. If you are in First / Global First class you can bring one guest. If you are in Business /Business First class you cannot bring a guest.
8. ‘P.S.’ New York JFK – LAX/SFO business / first class ticket. If you are travelling on this route you can access the club with the same rules as if you were on an international ticket.
9. United Explorer credit card. You get 2 one visit passes to the club each year on the anniversary date of your card.
10. Amtrak Select Plus status. If you earn 10,000 Amtrak status points in a year, you will have their ‘Select Plus’ status. This entitles you and a guest access to all United Clubs when flying United.
11. Search on eBay or Craigslist. People with one visit passes often try to sell them online; the going rate is typically $25 (half the price of buying in person).

Which credit card to choose…

There are at least 8 credit cards that earn full value Delta miles, which can make a choice confusing. To help narrow it down, we think you should focus on these four questions and consider cards beyond the basic Delta Skymiles branded credit cards.

• Is maximizing the number of SkyMiles you earn your priority? We recommend the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express or Premier Rewards Gold American Express as they earn higher than the basic 1 mile per dollar of Delta’s own credit cards. Click here to read more about why. Both let you transfer the points you earn directly into your Delta Skymiles account. The Starwood card effectively earns 1.25 Delta miles per dollar you spend and has a lower annual fee than any Delta card. The Premier Rewards Gold can earn you 1.5 miles per dollar plus 3x miles on airfare and 2x on all gas and groceries.

• Do you value checked bag or priority boarding benefits? If you are not a Delta elite flyer and check bags on 2 or more round trips per year, then it is essentially free to carry the basic Gold Delta SkyMiles credit card, even if you never use it for everyday spending. It offers a first bag free for you and up to 8 people in your reservation ($50 value per person roundtrip).
• If you want to maximize the SkyMiles you earn, get the Starwood American Express or Premier Rewards Gold American Express as an additional card to use for your everyday spending.

• Is unlimited Delta SkyClub access essential? If so, you have two options. The Delta Reserve ($450 annual fee) or the Platinum Card from American Express ($450 annual fee). If you don’t care about elite qualifying MQMs, then go for the Platinum Card. This is not the Platinum SkyMiles card. It’s American Express’ premier charge card and offers unlimited lounge access to Delta SkyClubs, American Airlines lounges, and US Airways lounges. It also offers a $200 annual credit toward airline fees, including on Delta, and a host of other benefits. Many people carry it just for the benefits and don’t use it much for spending — it’s that valuable.

• Do you need to earn elite qualifying miles (MQMs)? If you do, there are just two choices: the Platinum SkyMiles American Express and Delta Reserve. You’ll need to spend $20,000 – $30,000 per year on the cards to earn elite miles each year, so these will probably serve as your cards for everyday spending.

But if you’re set on a Delta branded credit card, here’s a comparison…

	Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express	Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express	Delta Reserve American Expres
Earning Power	1 point per dollar, 2x Delta purchases	1 point per dollar, 2x Delta purchases	1 point per dollar, 2x Delta purchases
Annual fee	$95, $0 first year	$150	$450
Intro bonus miles	30,000 miles when you spend $500 within 3 months	20,000 miles after first purchase, 5,000 of which are elite qualifying MQMs. 5,000 more miles for adding 2 cardholders.	10,000 elite qualifying MQMs with first purchase
Annual bonus miles	None	10,000 miles for $25,000 in annual spend; 10,000 more for $50,000 in annual spend	15,000 miles for $30,000 in annual spend; 15,000 more for $60,000 in annual spend
Delta elite qualifying miles (MQMs)	No	Yes, 10,000 MQMs for $25,000 in annual spend; 10,000 more for $50,000 in annual spend	Yes, 15,000 MQMs for $30,000 in annual spend; 15,000 more for $60,000 in annual spend
Ways to use miles
1:1 point transfer to Delta accounts	Yes, miles are earned in your SkyMiles account	Yes, miles are earned in your SkyMiles account	Yes, miles are earned in your SkyMiles account
Transfer points into friend / family Delta accounts free	No	No	No, but can transfer MQMs earned on card to friends / family
Other 1:1 airline transfer partners	None	None	None
Hotel 1:1 point transfer partners	None	None	None
Option to use points as cash toward any airline ticket	Delta flights only - every 100 points = $1 in credit	Delta flights only - every 100 points = $1 in credit	Delta flights only - every 100 points = $1 in credit
Other benefits
Delta baggage fee waiver	Yes, one each for up to 8 people in your reservation	Yes, one each for up to 8 people in your reservation	Yes, one each for up to 8 people in your reservation
Delta priority boarding	Yes	Yes	Yes
Delta in flight purchase discount	Yes, 20%	Yes, 20%	Yes, 20%
Free / discounted companion ticket	Yes, one per year where companion flies for $99	Yes, one per year where companion flies free	Yes, one per year where companion flies free, also eligible for first class tickets
Secure application link	Apply now	Apply now	Apply now

With the minimum annual fee on a Delta Air Lines branded credit card at $95, why would you limit yourself to a Delta-only credit card?

Two reasons: baggage fees and elite qualifying miles.

All Delta branded credit cards offer a free checked bag for your and up to 8 people in your reservation (savings of $25 per bag each way each person). They also offer priority boarding, and the two premium cards let you earn elite qualifying miles.

• Delta SkyMiles Gold American Express ($95 annual fee, waived first year)
• Platinum SkyMiles Gold American Express ($150 annual fee, ability to earn elite qualifying miles)
• Delta Reserve American Express ($450 annual fee, includes Delta SkyClub membership and ability to earn elite qualifying miles)

So if you travel enough to make the bag fee waiver save you more than the annual fee on the card (about 2 roundtrips a year for one person) then you should consider the Delta branded cards.

You also get access to a reduced rate or free companion certificate each year. The Delta SkyMiles Gold card offers a $99 plus nominal tax companion voucher each year. That means, you can buy one ticket at the going price, and the companion ticket on that flight will be just $99 plus tax. For the Platinum and Reserve cards the companion certificate is $0 plus nominal taxes.

This sounds great, and many people get good value out of it, but beware of some restrictions: 1) you must book 21 days in advance, 2) there is a 3 day minimum stay, 3) flights must have availability in specific discount fare classes, so availability is limited. In other words, don’t count on a 100% chance the certificate will work the days you want.

However for day to day spending you may still want to consider one of the Membership Rewards based cards like the Premier Rewards Gold American Express or the Starwood Preferred Guest American Expess to give you the flexibility to book travel with miles on airlines besides Delta.

So why consider them?

In addition to Delta, you can transfer the miles into many other airline mile programs to maximize your flexibility when booking travel. That means you’re not trapped, especially for international rewards where having access to many airlines can really help your chances of finding a free seat on the days you’d like to travel.

All of the above except the Starwood Preferred Guest American Express earn points in the Membership Rewards program which offers 1:1 and usually instant point to mile transfer to over 15 airlines including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada, Air France, KLM, Alitalia, Jet Blue, Virgin America, and more.

The Starwood Preferred Guest earns Starwood hotels points which can be transferred 1:1 directly into over 20 airline programs including American Airlines, US Airways, Lufthansa, and more. The only catch here is the transfer isn’t instant like with Membership Rewards; it can take a few days or more.

Disclaimer: This content is not provided or commissioned by American Express. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of American Express, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by American Express. This site may be compensated through American Express Affiliate Program.