Miami gives back: Front-line and health care workers get free salad, coffee and discounted hotel rooms
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted every corner of the globe, with many nations on complete lockdown in an effort to contain or eliminate the spread of the contagious disease. During these difficult times, a number of organizations and individuals have stepped up to support front-line and health care workers as they save lives across the country. In some cases, entire cities have joined forces toward this goal.
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Florida has been one of the states hit the hardest by the coronavirus, and local hospital workers, medical professionals, firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers and National Guard members have been working hard around the clock to serve their communities.
In Miami, these front-line workers are enjoying free pizza, donuts and coffee as well as deeply discounted meals and wireless services from Miami hotels, restaurants and retailers. The initiative, called Miami Salutes, is helmed by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB), which compiles and maintains a comprehensive list of special offers on the GMCVB’s website.
Related: Our favorite ways travel companies are giving back during the coronavirus outbreak
Businesses participating in Miami Salutes include national brands such as Krispy Kreme, Starbucks and Crocs as well as local names such as Bulla Gastrobar, Divino Ceviche and Pollo Tropical. A Google Sheets spreadsheet lists more than 120 hotels in the greater Miami area which are offering deeply discounted nightly rates for medical professionals who need safe places to stay. Crocs is offering a free pair of shoes for any healthcare professional who requests them.
Front-line and first responders are encouraged to bring a valid ID to any of the dozens of Miami Salutes participating locations to score everything from free glazed donuts to up to 50% off on take-out and delivery orders. Sweetgreen is delivering free salads to local hospitals for their workers.
“Our front-line and first responders are working tirelessly to help and protect all of us, and their efforts are likely to escalate in the coming days and weeks,” said GMCVB President and CEO William D. Talbert, III. “We are proud to bring together Greater Miami’s hospitality industry to support these public servants and show our appreciation in any way possible.”
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How we chose these cards
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Rewards
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
Rewards Rate
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets |
| 3X | Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels |
| 1X | Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account openingEarn 80,000 ThankYou® points60,000 pointsAnnual Fee
$95Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.670-850Excellent, Good
Why We Chose It
The Citi Premier’s 3 points per dollar spent across a wide range of popular categories is one of the more lucrative offerings in the world of points and miles. The Citi Premier comes with a $95 annual fee and is currently offering a solid sign up bonus of 80,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months. It also has some valuable transfer partners to make the most of your rewards. Add in access to Citi Entertainment plus a $100 hotel credit for any single-stay hotel booking that exceeds $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through the Citi travel website, there are few reasons why the Citi Premier should not be in every traveler’s wallet.Pros
- Earns 3x points on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels.
- $100 annual hotel savings benefit (on single hotel stay bookings of $500 or more, excluding taxes and fees, booked through thankyou.com)
- Points transfer to 16 airline programs, from JetBlue to Virgin Atlantic.
- World Elite Mastercard benefits, extended warranty, damage and theft protection.
Cons
- $95 annual fee
- Lacks travel protections that other travel rewards cards come with
- For a limited time, earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
- Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels
- Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
- 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed at thankyou.com
- No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
- No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases