Tips on How to Use Your Credit Card Benefits Wisely

When choosing a credit card, understanding the different types and their respective rewards can equip you to make an informed decision best suited for your financial habits. Below, we explain how rewards differ across cards and how you can apply them.

Credit card providers may also offer special welcome offers to new cardholders upon opening a new account. These welcome offers can help customers maximize benefits, rewards and promotions for a specified amount of time.

If you find yourself trying to figure out how to use your points, first determine what card benefits best fit your lifestyle and interests. Some credit cards may allow you to redeem points for travel or merchandise while others enable you to use your points for cash back (usually in the form of a statement credit) or gift cards. 

Word to the wise, however: miles benefits can be a bit more limited than general travel benefits, so read the card’s terms and conditions to see how they work. An airline miles credit card is often linked to a loyalty, or frequent-flyer program, in a specific airline while travel benefits can offer more flexibility. For example, you may be able to choose to use your travel benefits to pay for flights, get free baggage allowance, or snag a seat upgrade. 

Now, let’s explore some ideas on how to maximize different types of benefits you may be offered. First, we’ll look at airline miles, and then we’ll share more information on fraud protection and disputes.

Already dreaming of your next travel destination? Then you may be someone well-suited for an airline miles credit card that rewards you when you spend on travel.

Some credit card providers may reward customers with airline miles based on their credit card spending or usage. However, the specific mile-to-spend rate varies per provider and agreements they may have in place with airlines.

Once you accrue a certain number of miles, you may be able to redeem your miles for a flight or additional airline benefits. Credit card miles are often tied to a specific airline’s frequent flyer program. Through accumulating miles on your credit card, you may be able to use them for flight perks such as seat upgrades, additional baggage, or priority boarding.

Using your credit card benefits can be a perk for responsible customers and a smart way to maximize all the offerings available to you as a cardholder.

Some credit cards may include purchase protection. Return protection is an added safety measure to help ensure that you can return qualifying items with the assistance of your credit card provider, even if the retailer doesn’t allow returns. In order to process return protection, credit card providers may require some information from you. This could include, for example, the following information:

• The credit card statement that verifies the purchase was made


• The original receipt that was given at the time of purchase


• Identification or documentation that the customer attempted to return the purchase 

Similar to return protection, purchase protection offers protection for eligible items against damage and following a purchase.

Using purchase and return protection can help ensure that your purchases are verified and delivered as agreed upon. There are limitations to what these purchases may cover, so you should read your card’s terms and conditions to check what is and isn’t covered.

Now that we’ve covered how to use your credit card benefits responsibly, here are some tips on financing big purchases. There are numerous flexible payment plans to help you finance purchases – for example, taking advantage of a 0% introductory APR offer is one option.