CheapOair Visa® Credit Card: Earn Impressive Rewards on Travel

In-Depth Review: CheapOair Visa® Credit Card

The CheapOair Visa® was designed for budget-conscious travelers looking to save on their next vacation package. The standout feature of this no annual fee card is its ongoing ability to finance big upcoming travel purchases. Turn your dream vacation into a reality with its 6-months of interest-free financing. This makes up for the card lacking an introductory APR offer and gives the CheapOair Visa® the potential to provide greater long-term value and usefulness than other travel cards.

But no travel card is perfect, and the CheapOair Visa® is no exception. Despite its ability to get you where you want to go, the CheapOair Visa® might not be the best equipped to accompany you on your journey—particularly internationally. Less-than-stellar customer service, below-average point values, vague redemption methods, and a foreign transaction fee undermine the card’s virtues and make it somewhat challenging to utilize.

A Basic but Enjoyable Welcome Bonus

Spend $500 within the first 90 days of opening an account and receive a $50 statement credit within one to two (1-2) billing cycles. However, there is no 0% intro APR or other type of interest grace period for new accounts, so new cardholders shouldn’t go out of their way to earn that bonus and risk incurring interest with the card’s high APR.

Guide to Rewards

Here’s everything you need to know about earning and redeeming reward points with CheapOair:

How to Earn Rewards

CheapOair points can only be earned by booking travel; they cannot be purchased or transferred from another member/account. CheapOair Visa® cardholders will earn points in the following categories:

• 6X points per dollar at CheapOair.com
• 4X points per dollar on dining
• 2X points per dollar on all other purchases

On the surface, the CheapOair credit card appears to have a typical reward structure that one would expect from a travel card—nothing particularly remarkable. After taking into consideration the additional points awarded through the CheapOair loyalty program (“Member Reward Points”), the bonuses for the CheapOair (and, thus, travel) category become significantly more lucrative.

• The final number of points awarded for CheapOair.com purchase will depend on two important factors: The type of reservation that was made and
• Device was used to make your booking (and yes, it matters).

Using the CheapOair mobile app will double the number of Member Reward Points earned, but bookings made through the website or over the phone will earn the standard rates listed below:

• Airline Tickets: 1X extra point per dollar spent
• Hotel & Car Rentals: 3X extra points per dollar spent
• Cruises: None; cruises will earn a flat rate of 2X points and can only be booked on com

Assuming that every cardholder is already a member of CheapOair or plans on becoming one (and why not? It’s completely free), cardholders will essentially be earning 8X points on all airline tickets and travel incidentals (i.e., luggage, seat selection) purchases and 12X points for all hotel and car reservations – not too shabby. Points will not expire as long as a travel purchase is made at least once every two years.

What Are CheapOAir Points Worth?

Sadly, CheapOair points are only worth half a cent (0.5¢), which puts a damper on what would otherwise be top-notch bonuses for travel. But even though the low point value essentially cuts the earning rates in half, it isn’t a dealbreaker.

Why? When travel is booked through the mobile app, the CheapOair Visa® offers a return on par with premium travel cards like the Amex Platinum Card or the Sapphire Reserve. Cardholders will still receive 4¢ per dollar spent on airfare and a whopping six cents per dollar spent on hotel and car rentals.

Related Article: What are Your Credit Card Points Worth?

Redeeming Points

Reward points earned as a loyalty program member are listed as pending within 24-48 hours of booking. These points become available and ready for redemption 24 to 48 hours after completing the corresponding trip. Points earned through eligible purchases with the CheapOair Visa® credit card are calculated at the end of each billing cycle and should be posted within 60 days. The long wait time for points to be available for redemption isn’t an attractive feature but is far less of a drawback to someone who only travels a few times a year than the person who travels in bursts with trips in close succession.

CheapOair points can only be redeemed for CheapOair purchases. They can either be applied towards airlines or hotel bookings for a discount off the total price or for purchasing a CheapOair e-gift card. Using points for hotel redemption starts at 200 points ($1 discount), while airline tickets start at 1,000 ($5).

Points can be redeemed at the checkout page, and users must be logged in to do so. Available points will be displayed in the ‘Price Details’ section before entering payment information – this section includes the subtotal and the price breakdown as well as a box to enter a promo code.

Travel Credit Card Comparison

CheapOair is just one of several popular travel booking sites with a co-branded credit card. Here’s how the card stacks up against similar offers from OneTravel and Priceline:

	CheapOair Visa®	Priceline VIP Rewards™ Visa®	OneTravel Visa®
Annual fee	$0	$0	$0
Rewards	Up to 7X points on every dollar spent on Cheapoair.com, 4X points on dining, and 2X points for all other purchases	5X points on purchases with Priceline, 2X on gas and dining purchases (including delivery services), and 1X on all other purchases	Up to 6X points on purchases with OneTravel, 4X points on dining, with 2X points on everything else
Intro APR	6-month financing on Cheapoair.com purchases of $399+	0% APR on balance transfers for 15 months	6-month financing on OneTravel.com purchases of $399+
Issuer	Synchrony	Barclays	Synchrony

Promotional Financing Options

Points and miles tend to get the spotlight regarding travel rewards, but CheapOair brings a lot more to the table than that. Cardholders can enjoy six months of interest-free payment plans on CheapOair purchases of $399 or more (after all discounts). This ongoing benefit is available for the duration of holding the card.

Cardholders will have to choose between earning points or partaking in the special financing – but for someone who wasn’t going to be able to pay off the total cost during that same billing period, the special interest is far more lucrative (and practical) for the frequent traveler. Take, for instance, a $1,000 round-trip plane ticket. This would earn $40 in CheapOair rewards points. However, repayment over six months would cost $80 in interest charges. If a costly trip is part of your impending travel plans (a bachelor/bachelorette party, destination wedding, honeymoon, family reunion, or family vacation, etc.), choosing CheapOair’s special financing option will almost always be the best option.

It is important to note that this is a deferred-interest offer, meaning that the balance must be paid in full by the 6-month mark, or else accrued interest will be tacked on to the repayment amount (the amount charged for interest is based on your purchase APR). Minimum monthly payments are required – failing to do so will also result in interest being charged.

Other Card Features

CheapOair Visa cardholders enjoy various security features and benefits from the Visa Platinum network. These features include the following:

Synchrony Ratings

How does Synchrony stack up as a credit card issuer? Here is a selection of ratings for the bank:

Should You Apply for the CheapOair Visa® Credit Card?

The CheapOair Visa® credit card is a surprisingly competitive travel card—especially when considering that it has no annual fee. Its exceptional earning rates are only moderately affected by the low point value. However, the only worthwhile purchases to be made are travel bookings (specifically hotels and car rentals), which make this card ill-suited for everyday use.

But points come secondary in terms of the card’s benefits as the most valuable CheapOair Visa® perk is hands down the ability to provide interest-free financing for costly travel plans. The potential of this feature is vast and stands to save cardholders much money on interest payments – something that no other travel card can boast (for the long term).

However, the less-than-desirable prices, practices, and customer service of CheapOair.com itself as a travel agency irreparably impact the efficacy of the CheapOair credit card. CheapOair charges an agency fee, so prices are routinely more expensive than making reservations directly with the airline, hotel, or car rental company. The CheapOair Visa® credit card could still be useful to the casual traveler, but being a third-party in the booking transaction, it carries fewer protections and is not recommended for heavy international travelers (whose travel arrangements can become very tricky and need exceptions or arrangements made).

For someone looking to the CheapOair Visa® to earn rewards for future travel, the card’s point redemption values are inferior to other general travel cards. Even with its impressive return rates, they’re not enough to warrant paying higher ticket prices just for the opportunity to earn CheapOair reward points. However, this card is definitely worth considering for someone who loves traveling but needs a bit more breathing room to make it affordable.