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Everything you need to get started with points and miles!
Traveling for free using points and miles is an exciting way (and essential for families on a budget!) to explore the world. Kyle and I have been to 6 out of the 7 continents (a few multiple times) and theres a good chance we wouldn’t have been able to without miles.
This guide will help you understand the basics of points and miles, how to earn them, and which credit card to consider.
*Please note this is for US based only.
1. Understanding Points and Miles
Points and miles are essentially rewards you can earn through various programs, primarily associated with airlines and hotels.
- Airline miles: These are often used for free fights, seat upgrades, and other travel benefits.
- Hotel Points: These can be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, or other amazing hotel perks for simply holding their credit card.
2. Earning Points and Miles
- Everyday spending: One of the easiest ways to accumulate points and miles is through regular spending (think gas, groceries, utilities, kids sports, school item’s)
- Sign-up Bonuses: Most travel credit cards offer sign-up bonuses when you spend a certain amount of money in the first few months after opening the account. This is one of the quickest ways to rack up points. For example- if you spend $3000 in 3 months, you will receive up to 60k points.
- Loyalty Programs: Join the loyalty programs of airlines and hotels as soon as you know you’re flying or staying with them. These programs reward you for your loyalty with additional points or miles. Be sure to make a spreadsheet of your loyalty program account numbers!
- Shopping Portals: Many airlines and hotel chains have online shopping portals where you can earn extra points for purchases make through their links. You will be surprised how many are on there, so always check before making a purchase or booking.
- There is also shopping platforms like Rakuten that you can sign up for here and earn points or cash back just for using their website as a browser extension. Most common companies on there are Target, Macys, Petsmart, Ashley Furniture, Expedia, CVS, Hotels.com. It can all add up!
When starting your journey into points and miles, it’s essential to choose the right credit cards that work for you. Here a few I recommend if you’re just starting out:
- Here is a link to the personal cards I would highly recommend as a starter card (personal favorites are the Venture, Venture X and American Express Gold. Feel free to contact us for a personalize card recommendation.
- Business owner of any kind? Yes, you don’t have to have an EIN number to be considered a business (although I would recommend having one). Here are the top Business Credit Cards I would recommend (scroll down pass the personal cards and you will see the business cards.
- Pay rent to a landlord? I would highly recommend getting the Bilt card. Yes, it’s a bank credit card, but you simply have them send a rent check to your landlord through their very user friendly app and it goes onto your credit card which then earns your points. Be sure to set up autopay every month just like as if it’s coming straight from your checking account. This is HUGE and can add up over just a few months. We’ve transferred our Bilt rewards to Alaska Airlines and United!
There are also Hotel or Airline Specific cards if you prefer to rack up points or miles with one of those.
- Airline Specific Credit Cards: Perks may include earning 2x on any purchases within that airline, free checked bags, priority boarding and more. For example, here is a Delta card worth checking out!
- Hotel Specific Credit Cards: Perks may include up to 7x on any purchases with that hotel chain, free night awards, complimentary breakfast upgrades and more. Explore the Hilton and Marriott cards here.
3. Best Practices for Using Points and Miles
Know your Goals
Determine whether you’re more interested in airline tickets or hotel stays, as this can guide you to earning strategy.
Monitor Expiration Dates
Some rewards have an expiration date or require activity to keep them from expiring, so stay informed about your points and miles.
Be Flexible
Flexibility with travel dates and destinations can significantly increase your chances of finding an incredible deal.
Book Early
Many airlines and hotels offer limited award availability, so booking as early as possible can help you secure your desired travel.
4. Resources and Tools
One way to keep track of your bonus sign up spending period and when to decide to keep a card or not at the year mark is by using the Travel Freely App. It’s FREE and doesn’t connect direly to your credit cards, but sends alerts when needed and helps you remember which card has which benefits.
Want a one stop shop to see wants the best deal in either airline miles or hotel awards? I’m obsessed with the Daily Drop Pro ! Gone are the days of having to go on every airline or hotel to see who is offering the best deal. Now you can see which airline or hotel is offering the best rate!
5. Is this for you?
Starting your journey into points and miles can rewarding, fun and save you a ton of money just by your everyday spending. With that said, if you have any issues with paying cards on time or are not good at staying organized, I would direct you away from this hobby until you can comfortably pay your credit cards of on to time each month. You will not likely get approved if your credit score is below 700.
Final Notes
Kyle and I have been using miles to travel the world for over 20 years now, but as a family of 5, having flights being nearly free has been a game changer on taking the kids to the places we thought weren’t possible without the use of award travel. Travel can still be pricey once you arrive at your destination, but it doesn’t have to be and saving thousand on either flights or hotel stays can make it to where we can see so much of this beautiful world with our kids while we can.
Please reach out if you have any question or need help choosing which credit cards works best for you because choosing the right credit card, understanding how to earn and redeem points, and staying organized, you can enjoy significant travel benefits you might not otherwise believe you could.
Happy travels from the Ellison family!
