Insider’s experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
- Some premium cards offer annual statement credits or benefits you can use to gift to others.
- For example, the Platinum Card includes up to $100 in annual statement credits toward Saks purchases**.
- Several cards offer travel credits or airport lounge access you can share with a loved one.
- Read Insider’s guide to the best rewards credit cards.
If you need to find a gift for anyone on your list, don’t overlook the perks offered by several premium credit cards. Some card benefits reset at the end of the calendar year, so if you haven’t maxed them out yet, it’s a good time to consider sharing them.
We’re not just talking airline fee credits, either — you could also use statement credits for Saks, Dell, CLEAR® membership, and other merchants. Or, for the traveler in your life, adding them as an authorized user to a card that offers Priority Pass airport lounge access could be a real treat.
Here are a few credit card perks you can share with others to spark your gift-giving imagination.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Annual Fee
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Annual Fee
On Chase’s website
The United Explorer card is the best all-around credit card for United flyers, offering a generous range of benefits for a modest annual fee. Cardholders receive a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts on United flights, plus two one-time United Club airport lounge passes each year.
Details
Rewards
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
20.24% – 27.24% Variable
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Most good travel rewards credit cards nowadays offer a statement credit to cover the cost of applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Some Chase cards also cover the application fee for NEXUS, which includes Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, plus allows for expedited entry into Canada.
Even if you already have one of these trusted traveler program memberships, you can still use extra credits from your cards to pay for someone else’s NEXUS, Global Entry, or TSA PreCheck application fee.
For example, if you used your United℠ Explorer Card to pay for a friend or family member’s Global Entry application, you’d receive up to $100 statement credit. Meanwhile, your loved one gets the gift of expedited airport security and fast-track immigration — not bad considering this card has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95.
Up to $50 in Saks credits with the Amex Platinum
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Intro offer
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Intro offer
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
On American Express’s website
Details
Rewards
Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Annual Fee
$695
See Rates and Fees
Show more
Intro offer
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
See Pay Over Time APR
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
N/A
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
Show more
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express
, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each year when you use your card to shop at Saks Fifth Avenue.
The benefit is divided into two statement credits of up to $50 — one for January to June, and another for July to December. So you can get up to $50 back when you use your Platinum Card to buy a holiday gift for someone on your list. And may I suggest, Diptyque candles ($72) make a lovely gift.
Up to $189 back toward a CLEAR® membership
One of the newest benefits added to the Platinum Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
is up to $189 back in credit per year toward CLEAR® membership**. CLEAR® is an expedited security program that allows you to skip security screenings at select US airports (and a few sports stadiums).
If you already have CLEAR®, or don’t have use for the service, you can use your card to pay for someone else’s fee and get reimbursed with a statement credit.
The American Express® Green Card
also offers up to $189 per year in statement credits when you use the card to pay for CLEAR® membership and up to $100 per year in statement credits for LoungeBuddy purchases. So you have a few different options for gifting benefits from this card.
Airport lounge access by adding an authorized user
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Details
Rewards
Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Show more
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
20.74% – 27.74% Variable
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
Show more
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Some premium cards, including the Platinum Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, offer airport lounge access to authorized users. Adding an authorized user usually costs money (the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is an exception), but if you have a loved one who travels a lot, the gift of airport lounge access could make their journey much more comfortable.
For example, it costs $175 to add up to three authorized users to the Platinum Card, but each user will get access to Amex’s excellent range of lounges, including Priority Pass and Centurion lounges.
Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card include Priority Pass airport lounge membership for authorized users. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges $75 per additional card, but you can add up to four authorized users to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card at no charge.
With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, primary cardholders and authorized users can also access Capital One Lounges and over 100 Plaza Premium Lounges worldwide. That’s a fantastic deal considering you can add up to four authorized users for free.
Up to $400 toward a purchase with Dell
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Intro offer
120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership
Rewards
Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Intro offer
120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership
Rewards
Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
On American Express’s website
Details
Rewards
Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
Intro offer
120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
18.49% – 26.49% Variable
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
N/A
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers up to $400 in statement credits for Dell purchases in the US each year**, divided into two credits of up to $200 for each half of the year.
$200 might not make a huge dent in the price of a laptop, but consider using this statement credit to shop for accessories like a laptop case or a smart-home device like the Nest thermostat.
Donate to charity on a friend’s behalf with credit card rewards
There are numerous credit card, airline, and hotel loyalty programs that allow you to redeem rewards for charitable donations. If there’s a cause your friend or family member supports, you might consider making a donation on their behalf as a holiday gift.
One method is to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for charitable donations through the Pay Yourself Back feature. Depending on the Chase credit card you have, you’ll get a 25% or 50% bonus in value when you use your points this way. For example, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, they’re worth 1.5 cents apiece.
Other options include using Amex Membership Rewards points for donations through JustGiving, or donating points and miles to help refugees start a new life through Miles4Migrants.
Pay for someone’s checked bag or incidental fees
Several American Express cards offer annual airline fee credits**, which reimburse you up to a specified dollar amount for expenses like checked bags and inflight purchases with your designated airline (you’ll have to choose one eligible airline, and you can change your selection each January).
Because you’re limited to one airline and the credit doesn’t apply to actual airfare, it can be difficult to use it all up. But you can use your card to pre-pay for someone else’s checked bags, seat selection, or even buy them a lounge day pass.
I used my annual airline fee credit from the Platinum Card to cover checked baggage for both me and my aunt when we went skiing a few years ago — she appreciated the gesture, and I still got nowhere near the $200 limit that year!
Use your points and miles to gift award travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.
Details
Rewards
Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Show more
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.74% – 26.74% Variable
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
Show more
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
If you’re sitting on a stash of points or miles, don’t forget that you can use those rewards to book someone a flight or hotel stay. With cards like the Platinum Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can transfer the points you earn to a number of travel partners, and you can even book travel directly with Amex or Chase Travel, respectively.
You could also use airline miles from a card like the United℠ Explorer Card or hotel points from a card like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card to book travel for someone else.
Related Post
Insider’s experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
Crystal Cox/Business Insider
- Some premium cards offer annual statement credits or benefits you can use to gift to others.
- For example, the Platinum Card includes up to $100 in annual statement credits toward Saks purchases**.
- Several cards offer travel credits or airport lounge access you can share with a loved one.
- Read Insider’s guide to the best rewards credit cards.
If you need to find a gift for anyone on your list, don’t overlook the perks offered by several premium credit cards. Some card benefits reset at the end of the calendar year, so if you haven’t maxed them out yet, it’s a good time to consider sharing them.
We’re not just talking airline fee credits, either — you could also use statement credits for Saks, Dell, CLEAR® membership, and other merchants. Or, for the traveler in your life, adding them as an authorized user to a card that offers Priority Pass airport lounge access could be a real treat.
Here are a few credit card perks you can share with others to spark your gift-giving imagination.
We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credits
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Annual Fee
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Annual Fee
On Chase’s website
The United Explorer card is the best all-around credit card for United flyers, offering a generous range of benefits for a modest annual fee. Cardholders receive a free checked bag, priority boarding, and inflight discounts on United flights, plus two one-time United Club airport lounge passes each year.
Details
Rewards
Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United® purchases and 1 mile per $1 spent on all other eligible purchases.
Annual Fee
$0 intro for the first year, then $95
Intro offer
60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
20.24% – 27.24% Variable
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Most good travel rewards credit cards nowadays offer a statement credit to cover the cost of applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. Some Chase cards also cover the application fee for NEXUS, which includes Global Entry and TSA PreCheck, plus allows for expedited entry into Canada.
Even if you already have one of these trusted traveler program memberships, you can still use extra credits from your cards to pay for someone else’s NEXUS, Global Entry, or TSA PreCheck application fee.
For example, if you used your United℠ Explorer Card to pay for a friend or family member’s Global Entry application, you’d receive up to $100 statement credit. Meanwhile, your loved one gets the gift of expedited airport security and fast-track immigration — not bad considering this card has an annual fee of $0 intro for the first year, then $95.
Up to $50 in Saks credits with the Amex Platinum
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Intro offer
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
The Platinum Card® from American Express
Intro offer
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership
Rewards
Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
On American Express’s website
Details
Rewards
Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel on up to $500,000 per calendar year. Earn 5x Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 1 point per dollar on other purchases.
Annual Fee
$695
See Rates and Fees
Show more
Intro offer
80,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of card membership
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
See Pay Over Time APR
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
N/A
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
Show more
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
If you have The Platinum Card® from American Express
, you can get up to $100 in statement credits each year when you use your card to shop at Saks Fifth Avenue.
The benefit is divided into two statement credits of up to $50 — one for January to June, and another for July to December. So you can get up to $50 back when you use your Platinum Card to buy a holiday gift for someone on your list. And may I suggest, Diptyque candles ($72) make a lovely gift.
Up to $189 back toward a CLEAR® membership
One of the newest benefits added to the Platinum Card and The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
is up to $189 back in credit per year toward CLEAR® membership**. CLEAR® is an expedited security program that allows you to skip security screenings at select US airports (and a few sports stadiums).
If you already have CLEAR®, or don’t have use for the service, you can use your card to pay for someone else’s fee and get reimbursed with a statement credit.
The American Express® Green Card
also offers up to $189 per year in statement credits when you use the card to pay for CLEAR® membership and up to $100 per year in statement credits for LoungeBuddy purchases. So you have a few different options for gifting benefits from this card.
Airport lounge access by adding an authorized user
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Details
Rewards
Earn 5x points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Show more
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
20.74% – 27.74% Variable
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
Show more
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
Some premium cards, including the Platinum Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, offer airport lounge access to authorized users. Adding an authorized user usually costs money (the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is an exception), but if you have a loved one who travels a lot, the gift of airport lounge access could make their journey much more comfortable.
For example, it costs $175 to add up to three authorized users to the Platinum Card, but each user will get access to Amex’s excellent range of lounges, including Priority Pass and Centurion lounges.
Both the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card include Priority Pass airport lounge membership for authorized users. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® charges $75 per additional card, but you can add up to four authorized users to the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card at no charge.
With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, primary cardholders and authorized users can also access Capital One Lounges and over 100 Plaza Premium Lounges worldwide. That’s a fantastic deal considering you can add up to four authorized users for free.
Up to $400 toward a purchase with Dell
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Intro offer
120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership
Rewards
Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Intro offer
120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership
Rewards
Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
On American Express’s website
Details
Rewards
Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com, and 1X points for each dollar you spend on eligible purchases. Earn 1.5X points (that’s an extra half point per dollar) on eligible purchases at US construction material & hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software & cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.
Intro offer
120,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases with your card within the first 3 months of card membership
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
18.49% – 26.49% Variable
Intro Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
N/A
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express offers up to $400 in statement credits for Dell purchases in the US each year**, divided into two credits of up to $200 for each half of the year.
$200 might not make a huge dent in the price of a laptop, but consider using this statement credit to shop for accessories like a laptop case or a smart-home device like the Nest thermostat.
Donate to charity on a friend’s behalf with credit card rewards
There are numerous credit card, airline, and hotel loyalty programs that allow you to redeem rewards for charitable donations. If there’s a cause your friend or family member supports, you might consider making a donation on their behalf as a holiday gift.
One method is to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for charitable donations through the Pay Yourself Back feature. Depending on the Chase credit card you have, you’ll get a 25% or 50% bonus in value when you use your points this way. For example, with the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, they’re worth 1.5 cents apiece.
Other options include using Amex Membership Rewards points for donations through JustGiving, or donating points and miles to help refugees start a new life through Miles4Migrants.
Pay for someone’s checked bag or incidental fees
Several American Express cards offer annual airline fee credits**, which reimburse you up to a specified dollar amount for expenses like checked bags and inflight purchases with your designated airline (you’ll have to choose one eligible airline, and you can change your selection each January).
Because you’re limited to one airline and the credit doesn’t apply to actual airfare, it can be difficult to use it all up. But you can use your card to pre-pay for someone else’s checked bags, seat selection, or even buy them a lounge day pass.
I used my annual airline fee credit from the Platinum Card to cover checked baggage for both me and my aunt when we went skiing a few years ago — she appreciated the gesture, and I still got nowhere near the $200 limit that year!
Use your points and miles to gift award travel
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards
Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.
Details
Rewards
Earn 5x points on all travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Earn 3x points on dining, including eligible delivery services, takeout, and dining out. Earn 3x points on select streaming services. Earn 3x points on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs). Earn 2x points on other travel. Earn 1x point per dollar on everything else.
Intro offer
60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening
Recommended Credit
Good to Excellent
Recommended credit score. Note that credit card lenders may use many different variations of credit score models when considering your application.
Show more
Regular Annual Percentage Rate (APR)
19.74% – 26.74% Variable
Editor’s Rating
Our editor’s ratings analyze fees, bonuses, rewards, and benefits to highlight the simplest and most valuable credit cards available.
Show more
Pros & Cons
Highlights
Additional Reading
If you’re sitting on a stash of points or miles, don’t forget that you can use those rewards to book someone a flight or hotel stay. With cards like the Platinum Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can transfer the points you earn to a number of travel partners, and you can even book travel directly with Amex or Chase Travel, respectively.
You could also use airline miles from a card like the United℠ Explorer Card or hotel points from a card like the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card to book travel for someone else.
