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MasterCard Credit Cards
Great Priceless commercials. This is what comes to mind when most people think about MasterCard credit cards. Though the ad agency that came up with this clever catch-phrase really accomplished their goal in terms of integrating the brand with laughter, the message that they failed to convey was that MasterCard as a company is one of the most innovative plastic networks in the world. In fact, MasterCard was the first alternative form of payment card issued in the People's Republic of China. Over the past 40 years, MasterCard's success in payment innovation and providing some of the best credit card products have not only made it a household name, but a wallet mainstay.
Best MasterCards
Most banks that issue Visa credit cards also provide MasterCards. Which are the best MasterCards? It all really depends on your preference. In the months preceding the 2002 World Cup when FIFA announced it's joint sponsorship with MasterCard International and in order to buy tickets to the events directly you had to use a MasterCard, many soccer (or futbol) fans that carried Visa, Discover, or American Express cards, would answer that any would be the best MasterCard, at least at that point. But seriously, the best Mastercards are going to be the ones that allow you to accomplish your goals while limiting unnecessary debt in the form of interest.
Over the past decade, the transition from platinum credit cards to tailored rewards cards has eliminated many of the crossovers beetween Visa and MasterCard. When platinum credit cards were emerging, and when they became less ubiquitous and intended for those with excellent credit, many issuers provided standard offers with high credit lines, card art signifying elite status, and issued them with either a MasterCard or Visa option. Over the years, as the platinum status became diluted, so did this practice. While smaller banks, specifically regional or local credit unions, still engage in some of these practices, the major issuers with sophisticated rewards heavy portfolios have switched business models and the flexibility to carry a card as either/or is no longer as prevalent.
This is also in part due to partnerships, especially in the airline arena. Though we suggest and in most cases insist that points or cashback programs are far superior to airline ones, there are still several consumers who feel the need to carry a card that allows them to earn miles on purchases that may be used for their most frequently traveled airline. The relationships, or partnerships rather, that some banks have with airline companies restrict cards from being both MasterCard and Visa. It's usually one or the other. This isn't just true for MasterCards. Two examples are the exclusive partnerships that Delta and JetBlue have with American EWxpress where their rewards cards carry their logo.
There are still several rewards options bearing the MasterCard sign. The staple products of many financial institutions, especially the ones that come with general sophisticated rewards programs aimed to compete with that of American Express are usually available through this network. These cards are also usually the ones without annual fees and come with 0% intro APR's for both balance transfers and purchases with lower rates thereafter, making them not only the best Mastercards, but some of the best credit cards in general.
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