Credit Cards

| |

Comparing Canada and US Alaska Airlines Credit Cards

We just finished comparing the Canadian and US Starwood Preferred Guest American Express credit cards, so I thought it would be fun to keep the trend going. Next up is the co-branded Alaska Airlines credit cards.

In Canada, Alaska Airlines’ loyalty program, Mileage Plan, teamed up with MBNA, while they went with Bank of America in the U.S. Below are the highlights of all the available cards.

| |

Comparing Canadian and U.S. SPG American Express

The U.S. based Starwood Preferred Guest American Express personal and business cards have increased their sign up bonus from 25,000 to 35,000. The last time was about a year ago. My question is, when is it going to be Canada’s turn? Also, what about waiving the first year fee? Let’s take a quick look at the highlights of the four cards in question.

| | | | | |

Credit Cards that Offer a Free Checked Bag (updated February 11, 2017)

Bringing luggage onto the plane, whether checked-in or carry-on, has become such a complicated issue since the introduction of the pay-per use for the past few years. It seems like it will only get more problematic when costs are attached to carry-ons. As a result, the free checked bag offer from credit cards is only going to become more valuable.

Below is an updated list of credit cards that offer a free checked bag, ranked by annual fees:

| | | |

The Cash Back War is On!

There are a handful of credit card companies that are really upping their game when it comes to cash back credit cards. Some promotions are permanent or indefinite, others are temporary.

For the past 2 years, I really felt that the Canadian credit card companies are putting more and more emphasis on cash back credit cards. Maybe they are capitalizing on people’s frustration with mile and points programs. Maybe it is more profitable, considering that there is no real lucrative sign up bonuses that are offered. Whatever the reason is, I really do believe that the current competitive in the cash back market is the best I’ve ever seen.

| |

Top Credit Card Higher than Normal Sign Up Bonuses for February 2017

Quite a few credit card offers feel off the books from the 2016 holdover, so we are really getting a look at what 2017 has to offer going forward. Last year was really a strong year, so I have drastically lowered my expectations for this year.

For now, here’s the list of top credit card sign up bonuses that have a higher than normal offer.

| | |

AMEX vs. CIBC vs. TD Aeroplan (Lowest Annual Fees)

Today, I am continue my series on credit card comparisons, which I asked my readers to provide suggestions. Feel free to continually add more suggestions to the comment section in that post.  I have already written posts about the other co-branded…

| | | | | | | | |

Best Current First Year Fee Waived Cards (updated January 26, 2017)

First year fee waived promotions are extremely valuable. One of the biggest deterrence of signing up for a credit card is a hefty annual fee. By waiving the first year annual fee, customers can get a free trial before deciding whether they want to keep it going.

| | |

Best Credit Cards for Foreign Purchases (updated January 22, 2017)

A question that has been frequently asked. Which credit card should I use when I am abroad? Different credit card companies have their own ways of selling it. You may see a lot of advertisement about best credit card to use when travelling. However, just to make that distinction, some credit cards are great to use for travel expenses that are spent in Canadian dollars, while other credit cards are better to use on purchases that are in foreign currencies.