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Alaska Airlines Visa Signature®

• $50 round-trip companion ticket upon approval and on each anniversary as a cardholder
• 5,000 Bonus Miles upon approval and 1,000 additional bonus Miles upon approval for applying online
• 2,000 Anniversary Bonus Miles
• Redeem miles with Alaska or any of its 10 airline partners - award travel begins at just 20,000 miles
• 1 mile for every net retail purchase dollar you spend
• Card issued by FIA Card Services, NA.

Issuer :  FIA Card Services, N.A. (Bank of America)

APR : Prime rate plus 6.99%

Cash Advance Rate : 18.24%% variable rate on cash advances

Annual Fee : $75

Credit Line Possible : The minimum credit line offered is $500 and the maximum is $25,000.

Insurance included :  The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card includes extended car rental and warranty coverage on services and purchases for up to a year.

Financing Configuration – Interest on your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card is calculated on your average daily balance (including new purchases).

Grace Period – You have twenty days after making a purchase during which you do not have to pay interest.

The Best Thing About It – You earn a one-mile per dollar spent no matter what you buy from any retailer and you can use the points on ten other airlines besides Alaska Airlines.

The Worst Thing About It – There is a high annual fee and you can’t carry a balance on the card without going into deep debt.

Credit Rating Needed For Acceptance :  Good

Who Is It For?

Alaska Airlines Visa Signatures best suited to those who travel frequently on Alaska Airways and who would like to get discounts on companion tickets, It is best for those who can pay a credit card bill in full each month.

The Benefits

You are gifted with 25,000 free points on your first purchase. Points can be redeemed for travel, theme park admissions, and certificates to major hotel chains, brand-name merchandise, and more.

You get one mile for every dollar you spend anywhere.  One dollar equals two points when you use the card to buy any item at any retailer.

You get $50 off of a companion ticket. Annually you will receive a $50 companion certificate good for two guests on the calendar anniversary of acquiring your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature.

You get 25,000 points annually. On your calendar anniversary you also receive bonus points just for owning an Alaska Airlines Visa Signature Card.

You can use the card for points by booking tickets at ten other airlines. Your points are not just limited to Alaska Airlines

You get restaurant deals for points. You are sent offers where eating at selected restaurants will earn you as many as five miles per dollar spent using your Alaska Airlines Visa Signature.

There is no yearly limit for the points you can earn.  Accumulated miles do not expire as long the account remains active within a three-year period, and there is no yearly limit to the number of miles that may be earned

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature comes with the Bank of America’s Purchase Replacement program. This feature provides for repair or replacement for covered purchases that are stolen, damaged or lost at a known location, within 90 days of the date of purchase.

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature cardholders come first with the airline company. You have preferred seating and preferred boarding.

The card comes with the Bank of America’s Purchase Guard. This feature may double the manufacturer’s original U.S. warranty period for covered purchases that have less than a one-year warranty.

Zero Liability.  If you claim someone has stolen your card then you do not have to be liable for the usual $50 that is typically deducted as fraud liability.

No Over The Limit Fee:  There is no over the limit fee if you exceed it.

 

The Drawbacks

The points have an annual cap. There is a limit of 100,000 points that can be accumulated on this card each year.

A short grace period. Many credit cards don’t begin to garner interest on purchases until thirty days after purchase.  US Airways Visa Signature Credit Card only gives you twenty days.

All payments you make will be applied to lower rate balances first. This makes it easy to get into debt.

Your points do expire. Accumulated miles do not expire as long the account remains active within a three-year period.

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature introductory rate can be cancelled at the discretion of the Bank of America. You will lose your introductory rate if you exceed your credit limit or are late with a payment or if there is a negative comment on your credit report.

There are lots of hidden fees.  See the Fees to Watch Out For section below.  The fees charged for your every little financial transaction can really add up and make it seem like you are paying an annual fee anyway.

Fees To Watch Out For

Late payment fee:  $15 on balances up to $100; $29 on balances over $100 up to $250; $39 on balances over $250

Cash advance Fee: 3%, $10 minimum; 4%, $10 minimum, $90 maximum for cash advance checks

Balance Transfers: No fees on introductory balance transfers; 4%, $10 minimum, $90 maximum after the introductory period

To Summarize –

The interest rate for purchases and balance transfers on the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature is above average for a reward card and not ideal for those who plan to carry a balance. There is a low introductory rate that applies to purchases, balance transfers, and cash advance checks for the first six billing cycles, but the annual fee is higher than usual for an airline reward card. You also need to travel frequently or your air miles may expire (within three years.)

Intro APR	Intro APR Period	Regular APR	Annual Fee	Balance Transfers	Credit Needed
N/A	N/A	P + 6.99%	$75	Yes	Good Credit