Any opinions on the best credit card for accumulating miles for travel? Other strategies for getting free/discounted travel would be appreciated as well. Thanks!

I have 3, but the best one is CAPITAL ONE visa. Only 19bones/yr annual membership fee. The others started at 55bones/yr.

Free/Dis. travel?? unless you want to use part of my 300K accumulated miles...j/k. I've been using the new "Orbitz" to get my tix. They rock!!! Screw Priceline...

If you want to pay the fee then American Express will take your miles and apply them to any airline but the card is expensive. With some cards, shell exon/mobil for example, you get 1% back in cash. If you spend $25,000 to get one round trip in the US on American then this would be $250 in cash. These days you can buy a round trip almost anywhere for $250.

The question could be framed differently -
What Airline from the city you live in has the easiest access to places you wanna go. Once that is decided, check what affinity cards that airline has.

I have Gold & Platinum status with two airline systems and elite status with three hotel chains.
I save points from my work related stuff and the same with miles.

Citibank has links with AA, Amex has with Hilton and Delta + many be a few others. United, CO etc. all have hookups with CC companies.

A non-mongering site which is frequented by frequent fliers with miles on their minds is -
http://www.flyertalk.com

Hope this helps.

American Express is still limited. For instance you can not buy AA tickets with AMEX membership rewards. I did use AMEX point for my Columbia trip through Latinpass which provides access to many of the South American airlines. Next time however I will probably use AA miles since I don't plan on spending $30,000 on AMEX just to get a free ticket.

Yoosin

For you east coasters interested in Asia American express is offering free business class companion tickets on Cathay Pacific airlines from New York to Hong Kong,Bali,Bangkok,Manila or Singapore.This is good on travel until April 30 2002.Also if you go onto any of the destinations beyond Hong Kong you get to take a stopover in Hong Kong at no additional charge.

Here's the link
http://www.cathay-usa.com/amex.asp

$900 go anywhere from Cathay Pacific. On their web site they offer a $900 (or used to) ticket that allows you to go to 16 destinations any one or all of them. Great value.

AMEX: have to buy one business class tocket. I can get 2 economy and have chage at that price.

My cousin received a gift certificate for one person plus a companion anywhere AA flys for applying for a platinum card. Can anyone explain the restrictions and terms of travel if possible?Is it transferrable?