If I use my credit card for all purchases and I pay the balance at the end of every month, which card is best for earning travel points so that I can upgrade my seats? I already have enough points to travel coach for free, but it seems impossible for me to get upgraded. Is there a card that allows me to purchase a coach ticket but be able to upgrade more reasonably?

Dr Iliana Sweis

Answers – Dr Sweis, what is not clear in your question is what points do you have? What I mean is do you have frequent flier points of a particular airline (where you have enough for a coach class ticket)? If that is the case, then the only way to get an upgrade is to earn miles with that particular airline. If we are talking about credit cards here, there are a couple of ways to do that. Firstly, you can simply get an airline miles credit card of that particular airline. That way, you can earn miles for every dollar that you charge to your credit card.

Alternatively, there are a couple of reward programs that allow you to transfer points into miles. Examples would include the Membership Rewards from American Express and the starwood preferred guest program.

If what you meant was you have a regular credit card reward program points (enough for a coach airline ticket), then unfortunately, you will need to earn the required points for a business class ticket. For example, if you need 25,000 points for a coach class ticket and 80,000 points for a business class ticket, and all you have is 25,000 points, then you will have to earn that extra 55,000 points.

Only airline frequent flier miles allow you to pay for a ticket and use points for an upgrade.

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