Aside from being a drone enthusiast, I have a few other ‘hobbies’ that I’ve picked up over the years.
One of these habits is an attraction to frequent flyer points.
Related: 7 Reasons To Buy Your Drone Direct From DJI
I travel a lot both for work and recreation, so years ago I learned about the value of managing and maximizing my program participation. It has paid off in spades in free travel, but also in the many purchase benefits I’ve received.
You’re probably wondering where am i going with this?
Well, part of being a frequent flyer junkie is understanding the credit card programs.
When I bought my first drone, a Phantom 3, I was already well versed in the mechanics of free extended warranties and damage protection.
At the time I used my American Express Gold Rewards card to purchase the Phantom for three key reasons:
- American Express warranty extension feature doubled my manufacturers warranty up to an additional year.
- I was at the start of a new ‘card churn’ cycle, which meant the Phantom 3 purchase also earned me enough points for a free flight
- Most importantly, American Express Gold Rewards covers “loss, theft or breakage” in the first 90 days after purchase.
Number 3 point is HUGE.
How many times have you read in the forums about a new drone user (who also didn’t buy DJI Care Refresh) trying out his drone and either:
- Crashing
- Crashing it into water
- Having a fly-away
- Crashing
We’ve seen way to many posts by newbie pilots who have lost their drone…forever.
So before you purchase your DJI drone, ask yourself: “What is the smartest way to buy a drone”. Review your credit card benefits profile, and if it doesn’t have the features above, apply for a new card that does.
If it comes with a points bonus for that first initial purchase, then you now get to plan a trip somewhere cool to try out your drone!
American Express has been our favorite program for several years, both personally and corporately. But take a look in your own country. We can’t give you the specifics, but we know that we have many readers in Canada, the UK, France, Germany and Australia and you likely have the same or similar card programs there.
A quick google search will reveal many financial bloggers in your home country eager to share their tips.
Happy Warranty-Enhanced Flying! (Oh, and don’t forget your DJI Care Refresh too!)