The Chase Southwest Airlines credit card is now offering new applicants 50,000 Rapid Rewards bonus points. This sign-up incentive has a value in excess of $800 in Wanna Get Away fares. This is presently one of the largest sign-up bonuses being offered on any major credit card, dwarfing the $500 Chase Sapphire sign up bonus as well as the 40,000 mile bonuses being offered on both the Continental and United credit cards.
Unlike most current credit card promotions, the Southwest credit card‘s two free flight promotion is almost entirely free of strings. Consumers who apply for and are approved for this card simply need to make a single purchase to obtain the 50,000 Rapid Rewards points that can be redeemed for the two free flights advertised. This is a sharp contrast to the bulk of current promotions, most of which require card-holders to spend between $500 to $3,000 in order to obtain advertised bonuses.
The primary drawback to this new Southwest promotion is the annual fee of $69 which is not waived the first year. H
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An easy to overlook benefit available on most major credit cards are shopping portals linked from online rewards management consoles. Essentially, these portals contain links to major retailers and cardmembers who visit these retailers via links in their credit card management area can earn substantive bonus rewards on all purchases made at certain merchants.
In many instances, these discounts can be used alongside online coupons, a combination that can really help maximize savings on back to school shopping. Thus, although many have already wrapped up shopping, those who haven’t should take a look at some of the benefits available through their credit cards. Here is a brief overview of some noteworthy options available today.
The bonus points and miles available to Capital One Venture card and certain other Capital One credit card customers are pretty substantial. P
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Q: I know credit limits vary from card to card and user to user, but what is the highest credit card limit you can have?
A: There isn’t really a limit to how high a credit limit can go. American Express reportedly has a card called the Centurion card that doesn’t have a credit limit. However, the annual fee is thought to be around $2,500, and you can’t apply—you have to wait for an invitation—so that’s not really an option for most of us.
For those of us who don’t have a multi-million dollar net worth, we probably can’t get an unlimited credit limit. There is also a lot of variation between the highest credit limit one person can get and the highest credit limit another can get. Someone with no credit history may only be able to get a $500 credit limit to start out, whereas someone with multiple cards and a good credit history may receive a $20,000 credit limit. Besides credit score, income is also a huge factor in what credit limit you will receive.
If you want a higher credit limit, it always helps to ask. Most credit car
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Verdict: Most store credit cards, even those bearing the Visa or MasterCard label, are typically not the best deals. Gymboree breaks that rule with a store rewards credit card with a relatively low APR, no annual fee, and a generous rewards program. If you have young children, this is a card worth carrying.
Overview: Gymboree offers solid quality clothing for babies, toddlers and young children at reasonable prices. You’ll pay more than at big box stores, but less than at specialty boutiques. The 5% rewards you earn when you shop at Gymboree with a Gymboree Visa rewards credit card, issued by U.S. Bank, makes your purchases an even better value. Best of all (and unusual for a store-branded credit card) you also get 1% cash back on all your everyday purchases. T
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With no buyers coming forward so far, HSBC chief executive Stuart Gulliver announced that the credit card unit of HSBC Holdings, one of the top 10 financial organizations in the U.S. providing MasterCard and Visa credit cards, could be terminated. The $33 billion portfolio is just one of five key areas the company serves – personal and consumer finance, commercial and private banking and corporate investment banking and financial markets.
Although their credit card unit continues to be profitable, the CEO stated that the “card business wasn’t a strategic fit for HSBC.” Plans to divest are being hampered by the immense size of the credit card portfolio. Gulliver also hinted that this is a long term strategy to lower costs of up to $3.5 billion. In addi
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