On 14 Aug 2002 at 23:53, davidm@smail.info wrote: > These can go a long way to help... especially the credit cards. And > some offer benefits that really make them worth it. For example, the > $135/year Delta SkyMiles Platinum card from American Express comes with > a free companion certificate each year you renew the card. That alone > will make the $135/year fee worth it, especially if you use it on an > expensive trip (as my parents did last year, Honolulu to Boston). And > using this card for virtually everything you buy (groceries, gas for the > car, etc) can really add up. The DL Plat Amex also has some nice base mile bonuses, both for signing up and for charging a certain amount per year. We use the DL card for everything possible and then get the extra base miles. Which can go a long way towards medallion qualification. The companion ticket is only good with higher fare classes, but if you are in a market where there are only high classes (say Honolulu) it can be worth it. The catch, of course, is paying off the bill every month. Otherwise, the interest kills any benefit. I think there have been discussions/information on CC programs on Webflyer and Flyertalk. http://www.flyertalk.com http://www.webflyer.com Don Fan of getting those miles