I’ve flown Emirates First Class (the place I ate caviar and took a bathe at 40k ft!). I’ve booked round-trip economic system flights throughout the nation and one-way enterprise class flights the world over. I’ve even booked week-long rental vehicles for epic street journeys proper right here within the USA.
And I didn’t pay for any of it. All of this stuff have been booked for “free” utilizing bank card factors.
This isn’t to brag—it’s a wake-up name. In case you aren’t utilizing journey reward bank cards it’s time to get began!
Journey reward bank card factors are a GAME CHANGER.
Whereas the factors & miles recreation can appear extraordinarily mysterious and virtually too good to be true, I’m going to interrupt down particular examples of after I’ve redeemed factors, how I did it, and the way a lot it saved me. And, within the case that you’re already utilizing journey reward bank cards, I’ll offer you some perception into my private favorites!
Right here’s how I journey the world totally free (utilizing bank card factors!).
How I Racked Up Over 1,000,000 Factors
First issues first, I’ve 5 journey reward bank cards.
Sure, that will look like lots, however all of them serve a barely completely different objective and I’m getting essentially the most bang for my buck. Or on this case, essentially the most factors for various purchases.
Right here’s what’s in my pockets:
Once more, I take advantage of ALL of them, however for various causes!
I take advantage of my bank cards at any time when, and I imply WHENEVER doable. I take advantage of my bank cards to pay for every part from my taxes to my automobile insurance coverage to my on a regular basis bills.
The secret is to concentrate to the place reward bank cards earn bonus factors.
For instance, my AMEX Gold card earns 4x factors per greenback spent on groceries and eating out—that’s higher than my Chase Sapphire bank card. So, I’ll at all times attain for my AMEX whether or not I’m out to dinner or at Dealer Joe’s.
Everytime you’re reserving flights and resorts, you also needs to use whichever bank card provides the very best bonus on journey.
Which Journey Reward Credit score Card is Finest?
Chase Sapphire Most popular
I predominantly use my Chase Playing cards as a result of Chase has a few of the finest redemption values and journey companions.
In case you’re simply beginning out or don’t have a Chase Sapphire Card in your arsenal, get the Chase Sapphire Most popular Card with the bonus when you can! For each greenback that you simply spend on journey and eating, you’ll earn 2 factors. The journey class outlined by Chase is way broader than you suppose and gives plenty of flexibility, making it simple to earn factors. Together with airline tickets, resorts, and automobile leases, you’ll additionally get two factors for each greenback you spend on bus tickets, taxis, limos, toll bridges, parking tons, and ride-sharing providers like Uber and Lyft (sure, Uber counts!).
Plus, you’ll earn 1 level per greenback on ALL different purchases!
That is the BEST bonus in historical past — you possibly can at present earn 100,000 bonus factors should you spend $4,000 within the first 3 months.
You’ll get a greater thought of simply how far 100,000 Chase Factors will get you on this publish!
AMEX Gold Card
If you have already got a Chase Sapphire card, my second advice could be the AMEX Gold Card.
And, not that this can be a large deal, however it is available in Rose Gold and it’s very fairly. 😉
The Amex Gold (or Rose Gold) Card has nice perks for groceries, consuming out, and eating. It’s received an important 60,000 bonus, plus you get the Amex gold perks.
Whereas it does have a $250 annual payment, you get a very good greenback return on meals!
There are additionally a ton of money bonuses.
Whereas the purpose system for the Gold Card from American Specific is what initially drew me to it, there are fairly quite a few different advantages that you may, properly, profit from! Annual Eating Credit score: You stand up to $120 eating credit per 12 months—which come at $10 month-to-month assertion credit while you use your Gold Card at collaborating eating places. Be sure that to enroll through the Amex web site to snag this perk! Uber Money: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and every month routinely get $10 in Uber Money for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides within the U.S., totaling as much as $120 per 12 months. Primarily, if you can also make certain to reap the benefits of these eating and airline credit, you’ll virtually offset the annual payment. Which, if you consider the opposite perks you will get, it looks as if a steal to me.
Oh, and there aren’t any international transaction charges—which is a biggie for me!
This can be a nice card should you’re a foodie like me. You get 4x the factors on groceries, eating out, and even espresso!
Reserving Free Flights Utilizing Factors
Listed here are some examples of how I’ve used journey reward bank cards to earn factors that I redeem totally free flights, resorts, and automobile leases.
Sure, free.
Whereas I did need to make purchases to accrue factors, these are the on a regular basis purchases that I’d be making no matter factors — we’re speaking groceries, gasoline, consuming at eating places, and every part in between.
Worldwide Lengthy-Haul First Class
Emirates First Class Dubai to Los Angeles
Factors Redeemed: 47,250 Skywards Miles How I Booked: Capital One Enterprise Factors Transferred to Emirates Worth: PRICELESS For this flight, I used to be already booked on Emirates Enterprise. I like flying Emirates and in addition Qatar as a result of you will get a very good Enterprise Class flight deal plenty of the time.
I additionally maintain standing with these airways from flying with them so steadily that I can usually get upgraded.
On this case, I used to be already booked on Emirates Enterprise Class from Dubai to Los Angeles. After I logged in to test for an improve, there was a limited-time, reduced-rate improve.
As a word, this is among the LONGEST flights on the earth — it clocks in at about 15 hours and the improve was solely 47,250 factors.
It was the top of boujee flying…however ohmygoodness, was it epic (suppose caviar, Dom Perignon and even a scorching bathe at 40k ft)!
Emirates is a Capital One Companion, so I used my Capital One Enterprise factors, transferred them to Emirates, and was capable of e-book the First Class flight. This was one in every of my finest makes use of of factors as a result of it was an unimaginable worth. Emirates First Class is insanely costly and this wouldn’t have been doable with out factors!
Emirates A380 First Class Flight Assessment: Dubai to LA
After I say my flight was unimaginable, I imply INCREDIBLE. It exceeded my expectations after which some. Right here is my evaluate of Emirates A380 First Class Flight from Dubai to LA!
Store Now
Worldwide Lengthy-Haul Enterprise Class
United Polaris Cape City to Newark
Factors Redeemed: 165,500 Factors + $49.75 USD How I Booked: Chase Factors Transferred to United Worth: $4,946 I used to be based mostly in Cape City for 4 years, so I received very aware of the completely different routes between Southern California and South Africa.
Earlier than they launched the United Polaris Enterprise Class flight direct between Newark and Cape City, it might take me 25+ hours of flying. That’s not together with the layovers.
It’s a MASSIVE journey and I used to be flying backwards and forwards 3-4 occasions per 12 months. I used to be exhausted each time I did it.
So, when United launched their brand-new direct flight to Cape City, I couldn’t wait to e-book it.
I used factors to e-book me and my accomplice in Enterprise Class simply earlier than the pandemic hit. We have been leaving Cape City to come back to the US and bringing our whole lives with us, together with our canine, Bailey.
Observe: On the time, ESA (Emotional Assist Animals) have been nonetheless acknowledged however they aren’t any longer.
I’d have paid any quantity of factors to get my household to the US safely. As a result of we have been bringing our canine — we needed to fly on a US airline. I additionally knew we wished to e-book Enterprise Class to be comfy because it’s such a long-haul flight. Whereas that is essentially the most quantity of factors I’ve ever redeemed for a flight, it received my household dwelling safely and made reserving a really costly enterprise class flight doable.
Home Transcontinental Enterprise Class
JetBlue Mint JFK to San Diego
Factors Redeemed: 62,627 Factors How I Booked: Chase Journey Portal Worth: $939 I’ve an upcoming flight the place I’m flying from JFK (New York) to San Diego. JetBlue Mint has probably the greatest Enterprise Class choices within the home US. Whereas this was fairly hefty when it comes to what number of factors I spent (62,000) — the worth was undoubtedly there. The flight would have price me round $1,000, however I didn’t spend a penny as a result of I used factors.
With Chase, you possibly can e-book instantly within the Chase Journey Portal or you possibly can switch your factors on to accomplice airways. On this case, it was much less factors to e-book this flight inside the Chase Journey Portal than on the JetBlue web site.
Worldwide Multi-Metropolis Economic system Spherical-Journey
Delta Economic system San Diego to Athens — Barcelona to San Diego
Factors Redeemed: 67,787 Factors How I Booked: Chase Journey Portal Worth: $1,016
As a word, your factors go lots additional should you fly Economic system (the identical means it’s cheaper should you fly Economic system as an alternative of Enterprise Class).
I not too long ago booked an upcoming multi-city journey to Europe the place I’m flying from San Diego to Athens, after which Barcelona to San Diego for simply 67,787 factors.
That’s nearly the identical “value” in factors as my one-way Enterprise Class flight from New York to San Diego.
This flight was a very good worth for factors. This round-trip flight would have been practically $1,000 {dollars}.
If the chance presents itself, I sometimes can pay money to improve OR use factors to improve nearer to my date of journey. On this case, the purpose redemption to e-book Enterprise Class on this flight was astronomical and I’m more than pleased to fly Economic system.
Worldwide EU Economic system
Iberia Economic system Athens, Greece to Palma, Mallorca
Factors Redeemed: 21,500 Factors + $62.24 How I Booked: British Airways Avios Transferred to Iberia Worth: $300 I wished to share this instance as a result of I didn’t use my bank card factors instantly. Nevertheless, I used the Avios I earned with my British Airways Avios Reward Credit score Card to e-book with a accomplice airline.
Many airways permit you to use factors to e-book with accomplice airways!
Whereas I now not have the British Airways Avios Reward Credit score Card, you must undoubtedly contemplate making use of for a bank card with an airline you fly steadily. I used to fly British Airways continually as a result of it’s one of many few airways that flies direct to Europe from San Diego through London.
Reserving Free Rental Automobiles with Factors
East Coast USA Highway Journey (9 Day Rental)
Factors Redeemed: 51,214 Factors How I Booked: Chase Journey Portal Worth: $786.21 Due to the pandemic, renting a automobile proper now’s INSANE. There are lots of people touring domestically, so after I went to e-book a automobile for an East Coast street journey, it was going to be over $100 per day. I made a decision to look into utilizing my factors and it seems the purpose worth was higher than what I’d have spent in money.
RITZ-CARLTON MILLENIA SINGAPORE
Think about the Signal-Up Bonus Factors
So many playing cards on the market provide INCREDIBLE bonus factors should you spend a specific amount within the first few months.
Think about what your regular spending habits are and examine that with what the provide is.
For instance, some playing cards require you to spend $4,000 within the first three months to earn 60,000 bonus factors. In case you’re already swiping a credit score or debit card for $1,500 every month, you’ll simply meet the minimal. I’d not advocate spending wildly simply to get bonus factors, however should you’re already paying for groceries, gasoline, transportation, and different issues and might simply meet the minimal spending requirement…
Why not earn factors on them?
rule of thumb is to goal for not less than $.01 per level worth.
When Am I Getting Good Worth for Factors?
I don’t at all times e-book utilizing factors when it’s an important deal—although I do at all times attempt!
For me, the entire “level” of factors is to not spend cash.
On the finish of the day, it’s private. As I described above, reserving our flights from Cape City to the USA was an important use of factors I’ve ever used.
All the things else I’ve ever booked has been for leisure.
I’ve additionally used factors to e-book DREAM experiences like Emirates First Class and Home Enterprise Class when the value to e-book these flights are sometimes astronomical.
Flexibility is essential for getting actually good offers, particularly with factors.
rule of thumb is to goal for a one-cent ($.01) per level worth. So if a flight is $1,000, you must attempt to redeem lower than 100,000 factors. Most often, like I broke down above, you will get $1,000 flights for 60,000 factors and even much less. Generally you’ll additionally discover restricted home windows by which your factors are price extra (or much less). Take into account that reward flights aren’t provided day-after-day or on each flight, so being versatile together with your dates is important.
New to Journey Rewards Credit score Playing cards?
In case you’re new to the journey rewards bank card area, undoubtedly take a look at my newbie’s information to get a greater grasp on issues. I do know it could appear complicated at first, however there are such a lot of methods to make factors give you the results you want!
In case you’re searching for a brand new card, take a look at the very best journey reward bank cards that I like to recommend.
Remaining Observe
It’s vital to not deal with a bank card like play cash — solely spend what you might be able to paying off every month.
Rates of interest are the place “journey hacking” loses its worth.
An important issue of strategic and accountable incomes is to ALWAYS repay your bank card every month.
I’ve by no means spent a single greenback on curiosity. Earn these factors however use these playing cards correctly.
Have you ever ever booked a getaway with bank card factors? Do you will have a most popular card?
Or are you continue to confused about the right way to get essentially the most bang to your buck?
Let me know within the feedback beneath!
