Are you tired of spending an enormous amount on flights? Good news! Travel hacking is the answer to all your travel woes. It’s an exciting method to convert sign-up bonuses and incentives into miles which you can use to get discounted or even complimentary flights for your ideal destinations. With a little bit of imagination and some information, you’ll fly for no cost in no time.
The Basics of Travel Hacking
Travel hacking is all about swapping credit card sign-up bonus and incentives for airline miles. The miles can be used to pay for discount or no-cost flights. Certain credit cards let you redeem miles towards hotel stays or car rental offers.
How Does it Work?
The most effective method for success in hacking travel is taking advantage of credit card sign-up bonuses and establishing frequent flyer miles with a limited number of airlines. When you are ready to make a booking consider the cost. If the price is under $300, it’s generally better to pay in cash and save your miles for a more expensive flight. When the flights start getting higher than $500, it’s best to review those frequent flyer accounts and see which airline can give you the best price. All it boils down to is the number of miles or points you have in your travel savings account for every airline.
Get Started with Travel Hacking
Ready to learn the secrets of travel hacking? First step to open an account with a sign-up offer. There are plenty of great credit cards with many advantages and features. It is all dependent on the airline, your spending habits, and the features that are most crucial to you.
Top Credit Card Picks
Here are some credit cards that are excellent to hack travel
- Chase Sapphire Reserve
- Chase United Explorer
- JetBlue Mastercard
- Capital One Venture X
If you’ve been approved for a credit card, you’ll need to reach the minimum spend limit in order to get the bonus. Every credit card has its own set of rules, so make sure to look up this information. From there it’s all about building up miles, and using them to plan your dream trip!
Are you ready to set sail with your goals?
Now that you’ve built up your points balance, it’s time to cash them in for some nice travel! Different credit card companies will have different methods for redeeming your rewards, here are some examples from a few of the providers I’ve worked with:
Getaway through Chase Ultimate Reward
If you have an Chase card, you can redeem your points through the Ultimate Rewards portal. Within it, you’ll get access to virtually every airline. You can make use of a combination of the points as well as cash in order to book your travel. You can even book completely on points if you have the funds to pay for it! Sometimes even if you do not have enough points to cover the full price, you can buy flights with Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and pay the balance in cash with any credit card.
United
Are you fed up of paying full price for flights? Did you not know that when you book directly through United, you have the option to pay with dollars or points? Be careful in case you don’t have enough points you can’t combine points and dollars on the same flight. Don’t worry, though, if you’re a few points short, United gives you the option to purchase additional miles.
JetBlue
Are you looking for a domestic flight? Take a look at JetBlue! JetBlue provides passengers a relaxing and pleasant flight experience with extra legroom as well as free snacks. Additionally, their booking process is similar to United’s that allows passengers to book flights using JetBlue either dollars or points however, not both. But, JetBlue offers a distinct feature that allows you to pool your points together with your relatives to earn points twice as quickly. Just make sure you can establish that you’re a real family member prior to trying to hack into the system.
Make sure you spend that minimum amount
If you’re like me or my travel companion Becca I’m sure you’re pretty frugal and it can be challenging to attempt to spend thousands of dollars to reach the minimum amount required to earn credit card bonuses. But don’t fret because we’ve been there and are here to share our tricks and tips.
Pay your rent (if you can)
This is an important one! If you’re able to pay your rent with a credit card, do it! Just be prepared to pay a fee, usually around 3%. It might be worth it in the end if the bonus is high enough.
Pay a medical bill
Another way to reach the minimum spend is to pay for an medical bill. If you do not have any medical expenses in the near future then ask your relatives if you could pay for theirs and they’ll reimburse you.
Repay the loan
If you’re a borrower take into consideration making payments on them with an credit card. Be sure to pay the credit card balance in full , so that you don’t accrue more debt.
Ask your family members for help
Discuss your family with them and determine if they’ve got any large expenses coming up which you could help pay for. Just make sure you trust the person and they understand why you’re taking the initiative.
Give presents
If you’re in the middle of the holiday season, consider buying all your gifts using the credit card you have. This way you can meet the minimum spending limit and also be ready for giving gifts. Be sure to avoid paying more than you already contemplating to.
There are plenty of ways to get the most from the travel credit card. You can accrue points or miles to use towards flights or other travel-related expenses. Here are some additional ways to maximize your rewards
Pay for travel expenses using your credit card
When you’re planning your next trip, use your travel credit card for booking your flight, hotel or rental car, as well as any other travel expenses. In addition, you’ll be able to meet the required amount for your credit card and earn points, but you’ll also be earning points or miles on the expenses.
Utilize your credit card to pay for everyday expenses
Another method to reach the minimum amount of spending and earn points is by utilising your credit cards for daily costs. This could include things like food, gas, and even your phone bill. Make sure you pay off the balance in full every month to ensure you don’t accrue interest charges.
Take advantage of bonus categories
Many travel credit cards offer bonus points or miles for specific types of purchases, like dining or travel. Make sure you review your credit card’s rewards program and avail any bonus categories that align with your spending habits.
Consider the possibility of transferring your balance
If you have existing debt on a credit card, consider transferring that balance to the travel credit card which has an introductory rate of 0% for balance transfer. This will let you pay off your debt without accruing interest. It will also help you hit the minimum spending requirement for the credit card bonus.
Make use of your miles or points wisely
When you’ve earned a significant amount of miles or points, be sure to use them wisely. Review the rewards program for your credit card, and evaluate the value of different redemption options. For instance you can use points to book a flight directly through the airline may give you a better return than using them for a gift card.
Another tip is to use a rewards card that allows you to transfer rewards to different loyalty program. This allows you to get a wider selection of options and greater flexibility when you want to redeem your rewards. For example, you may be eligible to transfer your reward to an airline’s frequent flyer program or a Hotel rewards programme. This can give the benefit of a larger variety of hotels, flights as well as other travel perks that aren’t available through the rewards program on your credit card.
In addition, you should discover the card’s benefits. any perks that can help you save money on travel expenses. Many cards offer travel insurance and rental car insurance, baggage protection, and other benefits that can be invaluable when you travel.
If you’re traveling with a friend, both of you can get rewards on your credit card. Be aware that you cannot share the costs on the same card and make sure you keep track of your rewards in a separate manner.
In the end, the most important thing to do to making the most of your travel rewards is to know the rewards program of your credit card and to ensure you’re making use of your credit card in the most efficient way possible. Through all of the strategies I’ve listed, you’ll be able to earn rewards quickly, redeem rewards for valuable travel experiences, and enjoy a wide range of travel perks.