(Disclaimer: Click 'more' to see add disclosure) Itinerary Boss is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as YourBestCreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers.
Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired.
In episode 160 of Points, Cards and Travel, Ross continues the Points and Miles credit card series by tackling the question he gets asked the most: are annual fees actually worth it? He breaks it down into five buckets, free night certificates, lounge access and premium services, monthly and quarterly statement credits, points accelerators, and built-in protections like travel insurance and walks through real, personal examples for each.
That includes how a $99 IHG Premier Rewards Card turned into five free nights worth over $3,500 in savings (used on a Bangkok honeymoon and a Grand Cayman stay), how the Capital One Venture X's $395 fee was wiped out before a single point was earned, and how the American Express Platinum's $695 fee gets offset by hundreds of dollars in monthly credits most people forget to activate. Ross also covers the World of Hyatt card's category 1-4 free night, the Hilton Honors Aspire's Lyft Pink Plus perk, and why he'd never recommend stacking two premium cards with overlapping benefits. Whether you're annual-fee-curious or already deep into the points game, this episode reframes the math: an annual fee isn't a cost, it's an upfront investment.
Credit Card Resources:
5 Step Roadmap to Your Next Free 5-Star Luxury Vacation + the 1 Card That Gets You There
Best Credit Cards for Travel
Melio: Pay vendors who don't take card with credit card to earn more points
Itinerary Boss Socials:
LinkedIn
Instagram
Pinterest
Facebook
YouTube
Itinerary Boss LLC has affiliate partners and some of these are affiliate links. This means that if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products or services we believe will add value to our listeners.
Disclaimer: The information provided by Itinerary Boss is for informational purposes only. We are not responsible for any outcomes, including injuries, damages, or losses, related to your travel plans. All travel is undertaken at your own risk, and Itinerary Boss assumes no liability for third-party services or actions.
