MileValue is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.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. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.

Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer be available. You can view current offers here.


The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® recently increased its sign up bonus to 40,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in the first 90 days.

The sign up bonus is extremely generous for such a small minimum spending requirement, and the miles go a long way because of Frontier’s cheap award chart.

Domestic flights–including to Alaska in the middle of the summer–are only 10k miles each way. International flights to places like Mexico, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean cost only 15k miles each way.

Because of the big sign up bonus, cheap award chart, and plentiful award space, I think The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® is the best card for families planning a summer vacation.

Where can you go? How can a family of four head abroad for just $19 per person in taxes?

Taking a family vacation this summer with Frontier cards is a three step process.

  1. Pick somewhere on Frontier’s route map.
  2. Collect the miles.
  3. Book the tickets.

Where?

Frontier has an extensive route map in the continental US with a hub in Denver and focus cities on the east coast.

Screen Shot 2014-01-13 at 2.43.29 AM

From the US, Frontier flies to Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic.

Screen Shot 2014-01-13 at 2.43.40 AM

Frontier also has regular flights to Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska.

Screen Shot 2014-01-13 at 2.43.53 AM

Collecting the Miles

Flights within the US–including to Alaska–cost only 20k miles roundtrip per person. International flights cost 30k miles roundtrip per person.

If a family of four wanted to take a roundtrip from the west coast to Orlando this summer to see the famous mouse, it would cost 80k Frontier miles total. To go to Costa Rica would be 120k miles total. Getting that many Frontier miles is very easy.

  • Each adult can open The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® with 40,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in the first 90 days.
  • If necessary, one adult can open a card that earns Membership Rewards, which transfer 1:1 to Frontier miles.

If your travel group only needs 80k Frontier miles to get four roundtrips somewhere in the US, two people can open The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® and you’ll have the necessary 80k miles as soon as they each spend $500 on their new card.

If your travel group needs more miles than that, one person can open a card that earns American Express Membership Rewards. Membership Rewards transfer 1:1 to Frontier miles.

The biggest Membership Rewards sign up bonus is on the Platinum Card from American Express Exclusively for Mercedes-Benz, which you can find on the Mercedes-Benz Financial Services site. The card comes with 50k bonus Membership Rewards after spending $3k in the first three months. There is a $475 annual fee that is NOT waived.

A better option is the targeted offer on the Premier Rewards Gold Card that many readers have reported being offered from CARDMATCH. For more details on the offer for 50k bonus Membership Rewards after spending $1k in three months, see How to See if You’re Targeted for the 50k Bonus Point Sign Up on the Premier Rewards Gold Card through CARDMATCH.

If you don’t want the annual fee on the Mercdes-Benz Platinum and you aren’t targeted on CARDMATCH, the public offer on the American Express® Premier Rewards Gold Card is for 25k bonus Membership Rewards after spending $2k in the first three months. The card also offers great category bonuses on flights (3x), gas (2x), and groceries (2x).

Booking the Tickets

Award booking is very easy on flyfrontier.com, and I explained it screen-by-screen here.

I just found great award availability to Costa Rica for four people for 120k miles and $76 total.

Screen Shot 2014-01-13 at 2.22.17 AM

Space to Orlando was also widely available for four people for 80k miles + $20.

Screen Shot 2014-01-13 at 2.27.34 AM

If you’re thinking Alaska, it’s also available this summer for four people for 80k miles + $20.

Recap

The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® with 40,000 bonus miles, Frontier’s under-priced award chart, and Frontier’s wide open availability combine to create the easiest and cheapest way for families to travel this summer within the US or even abroad.

Each person who gets the The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® can book two roundtrip awards for as little as $5 in taxes.

A family of four can have two adults get The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard® and already have enough miles for everyone to vacation together. If you want to go abroad, it’s easy enough. Have one person also get a card that earns Membership Rewards, which transfer 1:1 to Frontier miles.

Full offer details:

  • 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 12 months. After that, a variable APR, currently 15.99% or 24.99% based on credit worthiness
  • Earn 40,000 bonus miles after spending $500 in purchases in the first 90 days
  • Earn up to 10,000 bonus miles on balance transfers (1 mile per $1 transferred) in the first 90 days
  • Earn Double miles on purchases at FlyFrontier.com and 1 mile per $1 on all other purchases
  • No blackout dates! Book any roundtrip award flight on Frontier starting at 20,000 miles (subject to fees/taxes from $5)
  • $69 Annual Fee

Application Link: The Frontier Airlines World MasterCard®


Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.

With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!


Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.

The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.