The Ultimate Guide to Using Points and Miles for Travel
That dream trip to Spain that you’ve had sitting there on your “to do” list for years still feels like it’s years away. Forget the costs of accommodation. How can you save up enough money to even get there?
We’re world travelers, but we don’t make 7 figures and we don’t have a trust fund we inherited. We’re probably just like you. Paycheck-to-paycheck type of people.
But we went on life changing trips to Japan, Thailand and Greece. How’d we do it?
Travel hacking. One of our favorite travel hacks is using credit card points and airline miles to make travel cheap.
So, we put together this guide to traveling like we do. Consider this your points and miles starter kit. It’s the simplest way to get started on using your points and miles to travel and lower costs and reap the many rewards that are out there ready for the taking.
Then you can get going on racking up those points and miles so you can jet set off to your dream destination for cheap.
Let’s get going…
Don’t Leave Free Travel Money On the Table
It’s true: travel can be expensive. But there’s no commandment forcing it to be that way.
You can game the system in your favor, and I would argue that you’re missing out on free money and perks if you don’t. By using points and miles to travel, you can venture off to far reaches of the globe for a fraction of the cost of doing it the normal way.
Wait a minute. Is it really that simple? Yes! Anyone who can get a credit card or owns an airline miles account can use points and miles to travel.
But the data shows that only a fraction of travelers are using the rewards available to them. For example, nearly half of all travelers don’t sign up for airline rewards programs at all, even though every person who books a flight is automatically registered with the airline they book with. Travelers are just leaving free money, trips and perks on the table waiting to be taken.
And let’s be honest. Airlines are straight up ripping you off. Airfare has skyrocketed in recent years, and there is no sign of it slowing down. So why not try to take advantage of the system to your benefit?
Well, we don’t want you to miss out on all the rewards.. But we also want you to get the biggest bang for your travel buck. Here’s everything you need to know to get on the right track to using points and miles for travel.
Getting Started with Travel Rewards, Points and Miles
There’s no shortage of travel hacks centered around points and miles. But the key is to be extremely diligent about all of your spending and accumulation of miles. Document your points and miles and keep close track of them so you’re always attuned to your points and miles situation.
Once you have a credit card, use it!
I once attended a talk with legendary budgeting hacker (and notorious former con artist) Frank Abagnale – portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio in the Steven Spielberg film Catch Me if You Can. His number-one tip for the audience on spending and saving? Always use credit. “Always spend the government’s money,” he said.
Now, the super important caveat here to add to that is to always pay off your card on time. So, it takes quite a bit of elbow grease and keeping track of your budgeting. But if you can master these two arts, use credit and pay off your credit, you’ll be well on your way to racking up travel points you can redeem later down the line.
If you want to redeem airline miles to help you travel, well, that’s just a matter of booking flights. Our main advice for starters here is, if you haven’t already, go register for an account with every major domestic airline, especially the ones you’ve knowingly traveled on. Airlines will retroactively add any miles accumulated to your account.
If you really want to get nerdy with your travel hacking, you can be super proactive and use what I call the “Jeopardy trick” (named for the beloved game show). This is where you use credit card points that you’ve generated through everyday spending to book shorter or domestic flights with a certain airline, which helps build up a pool of miles. Then, you apply those miles to bigger or international flights. I’ll take Mexico for 500, Alex!
This kind of travel hacking would be a long game. Whether or not you have the patience for such an approach, there are plenty of other ways to take airline miles and apply them to your air travel.
Now, we’ll walk through the steps for using both points and miles for better and cheaper travel.
How to Use Credit Card Points for Travel
This is a spending game. Now, if you’re someone on a budget, it’s crucial you understand we’re not recommending you up your spending. That would work against our goal of traveling. Instead, we’re suggesting you reallocate your spending to using credit. But be warned: only do this if you have good discipline and can keep up with paying off your credit cards on time.
There are plenty of guides out there on how to apply for a credit card if you don’t have one, how to track your spending and how to manage your spending and budget. And if you want a travel-based credit card (you do), we have some pointers below.
Now that we’ve covered the terms and conditions, here are some sensible steps to take to start compiling travel reward points.
Choose a rewards credit card
The first step to earning points and miles is to choose a rewards credit card. Look for a card that offers generous sign-up bonuses, as well as ongoing rewards for everyday spending. Some of the most popular travel rewards credit cards include Chase Sapphire Preferred, American Express Platinum, and Capital One Venture.
Our absolute favorite travel credit card is the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. We use it for all of our points and miles travel. NerdWallet calls it “a must have for Travelers”. You get 2x points on all travel expenses, 3x on dining, and 5x if you book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
We also have the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus card, which is a huge winner for domestic and short range international travel.
We’ve booked so many domestic flights using points and/or Southwest miles, it’s opened so many opportunities to see destinations. We’ve used the Southwest Rewards card to fly to New York City, Hawaii, Nashville, Boston, Phoenix, Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago and more using only points. It’s a great card.
Meet the Spending Requirements
Once you’ve chosen your rewards credit card, you’ll need to meet the spending requirements to earn the sign-up bonus. Typically, you’ll need to spend a certain amount of money within a specified time frame (usually three months) to earn the bonus. Make sure you can comfortably meet the spending requirements before applying for the card.
Use the card for everything
To earn even more points and miles, use your rewards credit card for everyday spending. Take your debit card out of your wallet and stuff it in a drawer. You shouldn’t use it anymore. Pay for groceries, gas, and other expenses with the card to accumulate points quickly.
We used our credit card to pay rent as well as all of our bills like energy bills, gas bills, water bills. We know we will have to pay for those items each month, so it’s a great routine that helps generate points. Some credit cards offer bonus points for certain categories, like dining or travel, so be sure to take advantage of those offers.
Look for Travel Deals and Apply Points Accordingly
Once you’ve accumulated enough points (and miles, which we’ll discuss next), it’s time to start looking for travel deals. Search for flights and hotels using your preferred airline or hotel loyalty program, and look for promotions that offer discounted award redemptions. You can also use online travel agencies like Expedia or Kayak to find deals on flights and hotels.
There are other travel perks outside of applying points to your flights. Flights are often the most expensive part of travel, so if you are able to rack up points with a travel credit card like the Chase Sapphire Preferred card, it will often make sense to apply them to your airfare. But not always.
You may find a killer flight deal, such as a mistake fare. If so, go you! Use your points in other ways. Often credit card points will be applicable to hotel bookings, activities and tours and other potential ways to redeem reward points.
Book Early
The earlier you book your travel, the better chance you have of finding award availability. Some airlines and hotels release award seats and rooms up to a year in advance, so start planning early to secure the best deals. As you can see, this all requires a little finesse and upfront planning. Using points and miles for travel isn’t something to do passively.
Be Flexible
Don’t pigeonhole yourself into specific dates of travel. Instead, plan your travel around the costs and the deals you find. You’ll have more options for finding award availability too. Be flexible with your travel plans to take advantage of last-minute deals and promotions.
BONUS TIP! Get TSA PreCheck with travel credit cards
Here’s one of my favorite secrets about travel credit cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve travel card: they often cover programs like TSA PreCheck. Signing up for TSA PreCheck is a game changer. This amazing, underused program lets you skip the security lines at the airport and get to your gate fast.
Here are some other travel credit cards that offer TSA PreCheck
- Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
- Capital One® Spark® Miles Card
- Capital One® Venture® Card
- Capital One® Venture X® Card
- Certain American Express® Credit Cards
- Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World EliteTM MasterCard®
- Citi Prestige® Card
Ok, so that’s a wrap on travel points. Let’s turn attention to using airline miles to book your trips.
How to Use Airline Miles to Book Travel
If you dream of jet-setting around the world, but can’t stomach the thought of dishing out thousands of dollars for airfare, there’s good news. You can take advantage of flights you book to parlay them into affordable (or dare we say, free?!) travel.
Here are some steps to take that we’ve implemented using airline miles to travel for cheap, including how to travel internationally using miles.
Choose an airline loyalty program
The first step to using airline miles to travel is to choose an airline loyalty program. Obviously one place to start would be to look at airlines you’ve booked with in the past so you can use those miles.
Outside of that, research is your friend. Look for a program that offers generous rewards and has a wide network of partners, so you can earn miles quickly and redeem them for flights with multiple airlines. Popular loyalty programs include United MileagePlus, American Airlines AAdvantage, and Delta SkyMiles. This will come in handy especially when you’re booking international travel.
Sign up for a co-branded credit card
Many airlines offer co-branded credit cards that allow you to earn miles on everyday spending, in addition to the miles you earn from flying. These credit cards often come with sign-up bonuses that can be worth tens of thousands of miles, which can be a great way to jump-start your travel plans. One I mentioned earlier, the Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards card falls into this category.
Be familiar with the award chart
Each airline loyalty program has an award chart that outlines how many miles are required for flights to different destinations. Having a good grasp of the award chart for each can help you plan your travel and maximize your miles. For example, some airlines offer discounted award flights during off-peak travel seasons or to less popular destinations, which can be a great way to stretch your miles.
Look for partner airlines
Partner airlines are airlines that have a relationship with your airline loyalty program, allowing you to use your miles to book flights on those airlines. This can be a great way to access a wider network of flights and destinations, and to avoid high fees that some airlines charge for award bookings. Be sure to check your airline loyalty program’s partner airline list when planning your travel.
Combine miles and cash
If you don’t have enough miles to cover the full cost of your flight, some airlines allow you to combine miles and cash to book your ticket. This can be a great way to stretch your miles further and book flights that might otherwise be out of reach. We used the United Money + Miles program to help offset the airfare cost of our honeymoon to Greece!
Use a travel rewards booking service
If you don’t have the time or expertise to navigate the complex world of airline miles and loyalty programs, consider using a travel rewards booking service. These services specialize in using miles and points to book flights and hotels, and can help you find the best deals and maximize your rewards.
Book early and be flexible
We said it earlier, but it’s worth repeating. Award seats can be limited, especially during peak travel seasons. To increase your chances of finding available award seats, it’s best to book your flights as early as possible. Some airlines allow award bookings up to a year in advance, so start planning early to secure the flights you want.
If you’re not set on specific travel dates or destinations, you’ll have more options for finding available award seats. Be flexible with your travel plans to take advantage of last-minute deals and promotions. For example, some airlines offer reduced award fares for flights booked within a few days of departure.
Using airline miles to travel can be a cost-effective way to see the world. By choosing the right airline loyalty program, earning miles through credit card spending, and being flexible with your travel plans, you can use your miles to book flights for a fraction of the cost.
Book early and be flexible
Conclusion: Keep Maximizing Those Rewards
There you have it, a complete guide to using points and miles to travel.
Some last bit of advice: keep the system running like a fine oiled machine. The more your hack, the more deals will find you.
Once you’ve booked your travel, make sure you’re maximizing the value of your points and miles. Look for opportunities to transfer points between loyalty programs or redeem them for premium travel experiences like first-class flights or luxury hotel rooms.
My sincerest hope is that you’re able to take advantage of all the possible rewards and travel tricks that credit card points and miles programs offer you so you can see the world.
Using points and miles to travel can be a cost-effective way to see the world. By choosing the right rewards credit card, accumulating points through everyday spending, and being flexible with your travel plans, you can maximize your rewards and enjoy amazing travel experiences and do so affordably.
So, what did we miss? Any points and miles tips and tricks you’ve discovered? Let us know in the comments.
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