1) Do you really need an airmiles credit card? - Airline miles credit cards are designed for people who do not carry a balance from month to month. If you only once or twice a year you may get a better deal by using travel cards that offer rewards rather than airmiles rewards. These cards offer rewards for different travel situations likeTravel Rewards, Hotel Rewards and gas rewards. These cards may offer a better benefit to those who travel by air only one or two times a year.

2) When are you planning to use the reward/airmiles benefits? - Most airmiles credit cards require that you make an initial purchase of a certain dollar amount before the bonus miles will become active. From the time that you make that purchase it will usually take a billing cycle or two for you to be credit for the bonus miles. So, if you are looking to get an airline bonus card and hop on a flight next week, you probably argent going to get to use the benefit. See Credit Card sign up Bonus Miles.

3) Do you need an AIRLINE Airmiles Card or an Airmiles REWARD Card? - There are two different classes to airline credit cards. The first class of cards are issued for specific airlines, i.e. Delta, American Airlines and so on. The cards allow you to accumulate points for the ACTUAL miles that you fly, plus qualified purchases. However, these are the cards that have all of the restrictions, black-out dates and have expiration dates. All in all, these cards are the best IF you travel frequently, thus the name, Frequent Flyer Cards.  See credit cards with frequent flyer miles.

Airmiles reward cards DO NOT give you miles for the distances that you traveL. However, these reward cards will usually offer better rates and lower fees than the airline credit cards. Also, these cards will earn miles for you for everyday purchases. These points/miles can be redeemed at the time of your ticket purchase and is applicable to ALL airlines. These class of cards generally will not have expiration date or restrictions on the time of year you can travel.

3) How well do you handle change? - Airline cards, Delta, AA and so on, are directly affected by the economy. Meaning, airlines can adjust the amount of miles needed to get a free ticket and or even restrict flights and seats according to booking capacities. Since airmiles REWARDS cards, i.e. Rewards Cards, are the ones who are crediting the cash toward your airline ticket regardless of your airline the changes with the airlines will not affect your travel plans.

4) Where is the closest airport and the best airline to choose? - Unlike airline REWARDS cards, airline airmiles are dependent on a specific airline. If that carrier only fly's out of an airport that is a long ways away you can eat up your savings in a hurry with gas at $4 a gallon. Also, if the carrier fly's out of a smaller city, rather than their hub, you may have to pay more for your tickets, which diminishes you benefits.

5) Check the fees and do the math! - Most airline frequent flyer cards have annual fees that range from $50 to a $100 bucks a year. If you are using your bonus airmiles to get discounted tickets or free tickets you have to factor these fees into your equation. You need to subtract these extra fees from your benefit savings to see what your real airmiles benefit is. Like I said, Airline Airmiles cards WILL earn you more miles quicker however, you must manage the account to make sure your maximizing your benefits.

6) Charge it, then change it. - Most families will use their airline reward or frequent flyer cards for their entire vacation with plans of paying it off when they get home. However, a large percentage of people will not pay it off right away, the credit card issuers know this, this is how they break even on their discounts. If this is the case, I suggest that you get a low interest balance transfer card and transfer the balances as soon as you get home to keep from paying the higher interest charges that accompany airline cards.

7) Get Ready, Set, Charge it! - If you are a good bill payer that pays of his or her credit card balances every month, I say charge it! Charge your gas, groceries utilities, mortgage, (most mortgage companies will not allow this) and everything you can throughout the year to build up air miles. Just make sure you pay the balance every month. Never take a cash advance to do this, you will pay extra fees and it doesn't earn you any Airmiles benefits.