Cathay Pacific Credit Cards Compared: Find the Best Value

If you're a Cathay Pacific fan, you're in luck - they offer a range of credit cards that can help you earn rewards and save on flights.

Their credit cards are designed to provide benefits that cater to different types of travelers, from those who fly frequently to those who want to earn rewards on everyday purchases.

The Cathay Pacific American Express Platinum Card, for example, offers 40,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months, making it a great option for frequent flyers.

This card also comes with a $200 annual travel credit, which can be used towards Cathay Pacific flights, hotels, or other travel-related expenses.

The Cathay Pacific Visa Card offers a decent rewards potential, especially for frequent flyers. You can earn 38,000 Asia Miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening.

According to Forbes Advisor, the 70th percentile of wage earners brings in $116,000 annually and has $36,177 in annual spending that can reasonably be charged to credit cards. An average household spends an estimated $2,443 on air travel each year, earning 4,886 Asia Miles at 2 miles per dollar.

A household spending $3,856 on dining would earn 5,784 Asia Miles at 1.5 miles per dollar spent. Spending on purchases while traveling abroad would earn another 3,340 miles per dollar. The remaining $27,651 in non-bonused categories would earn 27,651 Asia Miles. The total rewards earned for the year would be 41,661 Asia Miles.

Here's a breakdown of the estimated rewards potential:

Note that these estimates are based on average household spending and may vary depending on individual circumstances.

Earning Asia Miles on your Cathay Pacific credit card is a great way to accumulate miles for flights and other rewards. You'll earn 2 Asia Miles per dollar on Cathay Pacific purchases, 1.5 miles per dollar on dining worldwide, and 1 mile per dollar on all other spending.

To maximize your earning potential, consider putting your everyday purchases on the card, like hotel stays, bills, streaming TV, and food delivery. This can help you earn a lot of points, but be sure to pay the credit card in full each month to avoid interest charges.

New cardholders can earn a welcome bonus of 38,000 Asia Miles after spending $3,000 in the first 90 days of account opening. This is a great way to get started with earning miles.

Earning miles on purchases outside the U.S. is a unique feature of the Cathay Pacific credit card, earning 1.5 Asia Miles per dollar. This can be a great way to earn miles on foreign spending, especially since the card has no foreign transaction fees.

To give you a better idea of the earning potential, consider the following breakdown of average household spending: $2,443 on air travel, $3,856 on dining, and $2,227 on purchases while traveling abroad. This can earn a total of 41,661 Asia Miles per year.

Here are some ways to earn Asia Miles with Cathay Pacific credit cards:

Remember to earn or redeem miles at least once every 18 months to avoid expiration.

When comparing credit cards, it's essential to consider the effective earn rate, which is the rate at which points in the parent bank/credit card rewards program are transferred to Asia miles. This rate can vary significantly between cards.

The Cathay Pacific Visa Signature card has a unique benefit of allowing you to rack up Asia Miles directly, but most people will get more value from a card that earns transferable currencies like American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or Capital One Miles.

To get the most value from your Cathay Pacific credit card, consider your spending habits and how long you plan to keep the card. A large sign-up bonus can help offset a lower earn rate, but it depends on your individual circumstances.

The Cathay Pacific Visa Card is a solid choice for earning miles to redeem toward occasional Cathay Pacific and partner flights. If you're a frequent traveler, you might want to consider other credit cards that allow you to transfer points to Asia Miles, the airline's loyalty program.

The Cathay Pacific Visa Card has limited benefits compared to other cards that earn transferable currencies like American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Capital One Miles. These programs offer more value for most users.

However, if you've maxed out bonuses on one of these programs, applying for the Cathay Pacific Visa Card can make sense. This card is a satisfactory way to diversify your portfolio of loyalty currencies.

For top-notch benefits, Oneworld elite status, or earning categories, you might want to look elsewhere.

The Cons of a particular credit card can be a major turn-off. The Cathay Pacific Visa card comes with an annual fee, which might be a significant drawback for some users.

The APR on this card is also quite high, which means you'll pay more in interest charges if you don't pay off your balance in full each month.

Here's a breakdown of the Cons:

The information for the Cathay Pacific Visa Card has been collected independently by Forbes Advisor. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

You can trust that the information is accurate, but it's always a good idea to double-check with the card issuer directly for the most up-to-date details.

The fees associated with this card are relatively straightforward. The annual fee is $95, which is a one-time charge that's assessed each year.

You won't have to worry about balance transfer fees, as they're listed as N/A (not applicable). This means you can move debt from one card to another without incurring an extra charge.

Foreign purchase transaction fees are also not applicable, so you won't be charged extra for making purchases abroad.

Here's a quick rundown of the fees associated with this card:

Interest rates can be a crucial factor in choosing a credit card. The regular APR for some cards is quite high, such as 34.99% variable.

Some cards, however, don't offer a purchase intro APR, like the cards on this list. This is a significant consideration for those who plan to carry a balance or make large purchases.

For those looking to transfer balances, it's worth noting that some cards also don't offer a balance transfer intro APR.

Here are some specific interest rates mentioned in the article:

If you're looking for alternative credit cards that compete with the Cathay Pacific Visa, consider the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which earns 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

The American Express Platinum Card is another option, earning 5 points per dollar on airfare purchases made directly with an airline or through Amex Travel, making it an effective 10-cent return on a Cathay Pacific fare.

If you prefer Citi, the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card is a great way to earn Citi ThankYou points and transfer to Asia Miles, earning 10 ThankYou points per dollar on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through CitiTravel.com.

To maximize your Asia Miles balance, consider transferring points from your Capital One, American Express, or Citi credit card. This can be done through the 1:1 transfer partner programs mentioned earlier.

Here are some specific credit card options to consider:

Ultimately, the Cathay Pacific Visa card may be a good option if you frequently fly Cathay Pacific and are loyal to the Asia Miles rewards program, but it's worth considering alternative credit cards that offer more travel benefits and value.