Questions and Answers

Hello Ben (and everyone else),

I have been following your blog for quite a while now and already have gone through the Beginners Guide and various trip reports of yours. As an AvGeek and a travel nut myself, I must admit that although I have been flying since I was a year old, my achievements are nothing, perhaps not even 1% of what you achieved so far. And I’m 23 years old!

To this day, I’ve flown nothing more than economy class (not complaining much there) and I’m into collecting aircraft models of different Airlines. However, I would definitely love to follow your and others footsteps someday and therefore, I’ve got a few questions regarding how I can do this myself and that is why, I’m here.

First of all, I’m just a uni student and living in Germany since 2011. Now I’ve already seen your article about credit card options for college students but it seemed to me that this method, as well as other credit cards and stuff you mentioned in the beginners Guide for example…seems to work mainly for those residing in the US or Canada. So my questions are:

1. How can a ‘poor’ student like me with a residence in an EU country even begin to start earning miles and points? I mean, where to start and which credit cards should I use etc?

Although you have mentioned that even for a student or someone with quite a low income, it is possible for them to get on board this system. But then again, you do need to have some money to pay back the credit card bills right? 😉

2. I’m not yet a German citizen and therefore still possess the passport of a certain “third-world-country”. Which would mean that for most countries (outside the EU) I would almost always need a Visa. As an EU or American citizen, one doesn’t have to face this issue much. So how can I do it simply?

I would be very glad if you or others could answer my questions with details because I’m really interested to pursue my hobby further and take it to a whole new level. Thank you all in advance!

Manazir

[USER=1620]@Manazir[/USER]

Welcome

Sadly there is no fast and inexpensive way to fix the visa question.

Unless you are rich enough for one of the citizenship for investment schemes that Malta, Cyprus or Portugal runs there really is no fast way to a EU passport.

Ireland, Italy and I think one of the Baltic countries among other also have programs that allow descendants from their citizens that emigrated to claim citizenship, but I will assume this does not apply to you?

And sadly yes most articles on this site and many other like it covers the US, because EU programs in general are not very rewarding.

And yes you definitively need money to pay back the credit cards bills.

Think part of what Lucky was talking about when comes to students getting in the game was that students could pay their tuition fees with credit cards, but I don’t think you have tuition fees in Germany any more?

Also in the US it’s more common with websites that allow you to pay bills like rent, utilities, phone bills and even taxes. Not sure how common that is in Germany these days?

Perhaps some of the others here can help you with advice on Germans cards or forums, sadly this is outside my area of competence.

[QUOTE=”No Name, post: 13859, member: 268″][USER=1620]@Manazir[/USER]

Welcome

[B]Sadly there is no fast and inexpensive way to fix the visa question. Unless you are rich enough for one of the citizenship for investment schemes that Malta, Cyprus or Portugal runs there really is no fast way to a EU passport. Ireland, Italy and I think one of the Baltic countries among other also have programs that allow descendants from their citizens that emigrated to claim citizenship, but I will assume this does not apply to you?[/B]

Don’t worry. I was quite sure about the answer I was going to get regarding visa issues. Investment schemes are almost a no-way for me, neither citizenship by ancestry. Therefore, only naturalization is possible. I will need to live a further 2-3 years in Germany to fulfill that hopefully. Until then, I wouldn’t mind paying a little extra for an e-Visa or a travel visa since I travel mostly during holidays.

[B]And sadly yes most articles on this site and many other like it covers the US, because EU programs in general are not very rewarding.[/B]

So I thought, because over here such miles and points programs are only rarely heard of. Very few frequent travelers or those who can afford, use it. However, I googled a bit and these are the only “bonus cards” I could find:

[URL]https://www.cardscout.de/bonusprogramm-und-kreditkarte[/URL]

[B]And yes you definitively need money to pay back the credit cards bills. Think part of what Lucky was talking about when comes to students getting in the game was that students could pay their tuition fees with credit cards, but I don’t think you have tuition fees in Germany any more?
[/B]
Nope, tuition fees were never there actually. It was briefly introduced few years ago but lasted only for a short period of time and now it’s abolished. The exceptions are private unis, where you do have to pay a lot! But otherwise, it’s mostly the living costs and rents.

[B]Also in the US it’s more common with websites that allow you to pay bills like rent, utilities, phone bills and even taxes. Not sure how common that is in Germany these days?[/B]

I don’t think its all that common here.

[B]Perhaps some of the others here can help you with advice on Germans cards or forums, sadly this is outside my area of competence.[/B][/QUOTE]

Would be definitely great if anyone in this forum from Germany or other EU nation can give me some tips and tricks! (In english please, though I know german, I prefer to use english in the aviation world). Thanks!