CREDIT CARD PREFERENCES ACROSS THE U.S.
These maps compiled by Litle & Co. show which credit cards are used in various regions of the U.S. It appears that Discover is not commonly used in Hawaii.
THE WALLABY CARD
On a recent trip when I suddenly decided to stay at some Marriott properties to take advantage of their summer promotion (5,000 points per weekend stay), I sadly realized I did not have my Marriott-branded credit card with me. As a result, I ended up missing out on some extra points for my stay. Had I carried the Wallaby Card, this wouldn’t have been an issue.
The Wallaby Card allows you to combine all your points- and miles-earning credit cards into one, perfect for those who like to travel lightly. Let’s say, for example, that you have the Hyatt credit card, which offers three Gold Passport points per dollar for stays at Hyatt properties. You can set up your Wallaby Card to automatically select your Hyatt credit card when you make a transaction with Hyatt. You can easily imagine the same scenario with your airline credit cards.
Applying for the card does not require a credit check because you are not opening a new account. It is simply an “advanced cloud-based digital wallet that stores the information about each of your existing credit cards and automatically picks the best card to charge in each transaction, based on your preferences.”
The Wallaby Card seems to be a great way to maximize your points and miles. I look forward to trying it out and will provide a review after spending some time with one.
Take a look at the short video above for more information or click here to visit Wallaby Financial.
NOTE: The first 1,000 people to sign up will receive lifetime free memberships and the next 5,000 will receive 12 months free.
Dine out often? Feed your need with these credit cards that earn double points or more on dining
All the credit cards below offer double points when dining out with the exception of the Citi Forward card, which offers five points, and the Sony Card, which offers three points. Click an image for more details on a card.
Annual fee: $0
=======================
Annual fee: $0
========================
Annual fee: $95/$0 for the first year
======================
Annual fee: $0
======================
Annual fee: $50 after adding the Restaurant Pack to this ZYNC card
======================
Annual fee: $75
======================
Annual fee: $95
======================
Annual fee: $85/$0 for the first year
======================
Annual fee: $395
======================
Annual fee: $49/$0 for the first year
======================
Annual fee: $0
======================
Annual fee: $0
This card provides double miles on your first $3,000 in restaurant spending each year.
======================
Annual fee: $60
======================
Annual fee: $59/$0 for the first year
======================
The MTV® Visa® Credit Card
Annual fee: $0
Leave your credit cards at home when you travel with the Geode™ digital wallet
Imagine losing your credit card or cards while traveling, or having your account information stolen electronically by someone 10 feet away.
With iCache’s Geode™ digital wallet for the iPhone, you can securely store credit, debit, loyalty and membership cards all on one device. Your information is protected with a genuine fingerprint scanner.
The best way to understand how this works is by watching this video.
The Geode sells for $199 and you can purchase it here from the company’s website.
This is an exciting product for travelers who like to carry as little as possible.
I expect consumer interest in the Geode to increase significantly once the dimensions of this fall’s next iPhone are known.
Smart Chip Credit Cards for International Travel
Below we present a list of credit cards with embedded smart chips. These chips make your international travels easier when trying to purchase from a location that does not accept credit cards with magnetic strips.
You can continue using the magnetic strip while in the U.S., and if necessary, make chip-based purchases in Europe and Asia.
Have you run into a situation when you needed to make a chip-based purchase? Please share your experience below.
The United Nations Federal Credit Union also offers the Visa Elite credit card to UN staff and family members.
CitiExecutive / Aadvantage credit card adds EMV chip technology
While traveling abroad, you may encounter situations in which a credit card with only a magnetic strip will not be accepted. Credit cards with both EMV chip technology and a magnetic strip allow you to be ready for any situation.
The CitiExecutive℠ / AAdvantage® World Elite™ MasterCard® is now embedded with an EMV chip for greater global acceptance and enhanced security. This gives it an edge over other airline-branded credit cards that do not employ EMV chips such as the United MileagePlus® Club Card.
Currently, the card has a promotion of 25,000 American Airlines AAdvantage® bonus miles after spending $1,000 within four months of becoming a cardmember.
Other benefits include:
● Admirals Club® membership privileges
● Waived domestic baggage charge for first eligible bag
● No foreign transaction fees on purchases
● Earn double AAdvantage® miles on eligible American Airlines purchases
● Elite qualifying miles (10,000 miles when you spend $40,000 each calendar year)
● Access to dedicated check-in areas at ticket counters, airport screening lanes and boarding privileges where available
The card has an annual fee of $450.
We will hopefully continue to see the spread of EMV chip technology to other credit cards in the near future. Being stuck at a train station with no means of using your magnetic strip-only credit card could certainly ruin one’s day — or vacation.
Click here to read more about EMV chips.
