How To Use Credit Card Points & Miles For Travel
If youve followed me for a while, you already know that I am OBSESSED with credit card points and miles. Theyve given me the ability to travel around the worldoften in business & first classfor little to no money. And thats not an exaggeration. I used to/from Asia; I did the same for a trip to Positano and Lake Como last year; before that, I flew round-trip to Sydney, Australia for under $200; and this year, Ive used points for round-trip flights to Tokyo, Greece, and the South of France.
Although the concept might seem intimidating if you arent familiar with how it all works, I promise that if you start small and ease your way into it, you too can become a points connoisseur like me.
Below is a super basic step-by-step explanation of where to start, plus a list of the top credit cards I recommend.
1. DECIDE ON YOUR TRAVEL GOALS.Would you rather Use your points/miles to save money on a domestic economy flight? Save them up, and use them to fly business/first class internationally?
How The Discover Travel Credit Card Works
Every dollar you spend on purchases on your travel card earns 1.5x Miles that never expire, with and .;
You can get a statement credit to pay for travel purchases, shop with Amazon.com;and PayPal;or redeem for cash.
New customers get a signup bonus: Discover will match all the Miles you earn at the end of your first year.
Intro purchase APR0%14 months Intro Balance Transfer APR10.99%14 monthsStandard purchase APR: 11.99%22.99%Cash APR: 24.99%Cash advance fee:$105%Balance transfer fee: 3%5%Annual Fee: None.
Amazon:;Amazon is not a sponsor of this promotion. Amazon, the Amazon.com logo and the smile logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates.
PayPal:;PayPal, the PayPal logo are trademarks of PayPal or its Affiliates. Listed merchants are in no way sponsoring or affiliated with this program.
Redeem Miles:;Starting at 1 Mile, you can redeem your Miles as a credit to your account to pay for all or part of your bill, for cash as an electronic deposit to your bank account, or for a credit for Travel Purchases made on your statement within the last 180 days. Travel Purchases include airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, travel agents, online travel sites, commuter transportation, restaurants and gas stations.
Rewards Redemption:;Your rewards never expire. We will credit your account or send you a check with your rewards balance if your account is closed or if it has not been used within 18 months.
Intro purchase APR0%14 months Intro Balance Transfer APR$10
Airline Miles And Hotel Points
If you have points or miles with a specific airline or hotel loyalty program, however, their value can fluctuate based on how you redeem them. You can typically get more value, for instance, if you use Delta SkyMiles to book a free flight instead of shopping for merchandise in the SkyMiles Marketplace.
Even if you’re booking a free flight or hotel stay, however, the value of your rewards currency can vary based on the current cash price of the booking and other factors.
This means that if you have 50,000 miles with both programs, your balance would be worth roughly $600 with Delta and $700 with American Airlines, according to those calculations.
With hotel rewards programs, the contrast can be stark. World of Hyatt points, for instance, are worth 1.7 cents apiece on average, while Hilton Honors points give you just 0.6 cents each. So if you have 50,000 points with both programs, they’re worth $850 with one and $300 with the other.
Of course, these are averages. The value of your points or miles can vary depending on when you book your free award flight or hotel stay, where you’re headed, whether you’re flying coach or first class, or if booking a higher-category hotel versus a lower one.
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Easy Ways To Boost Your Qatar Qmiles
Qatar Qmiles can be transferred from Citi ThankYou Rewards;at a rate of 1:1 or from at a transfer rate of 3:1.
Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards
You can;earn Marriott Bonvoy points;and transfer those to Qatar at a transfer rate of 3:1. Plus, for every 60,000 Marriott points that you transfer, youll receive a bonus of 5,000 Qatar Qmiles.
How Can Air Miles Credit Cards Help You Get Free Flights
Remember those travel hackers we mentioned? Well, we can pretty much guarantee theyre using credit card signup bonuses;to cover their flights and hotels.
You can earn signup bonuses by opening a card and spending a certain amount on it within three or four months.;These bonuses can be quote large, often providing hundreds of dollars in value.
Insider tip
As noted above, when we say spend money on a card, we dont mean carrying a balance. We mean making purchases on the card, paying them off when your bill comes and avoiding interest.
Then, in addition to the intro bonus, youll earn miles for spending money on the card. Most cards earn at least one mile per dollar on all purchases, plus extra miles in particular categories such as 2X miles/dollar when making purchases with that specific airline.
Just to be clear how this works, imagine a card that offers 60,000 bonus miles for spending $2,000 in the first three months.
Now you see how it can be addictive?
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Compare Airline Credit Cards In Germany For Frequent Flyer Miles
Travelling home once a year or flying regularly for business, it always helps to collect flyer miles for that free trip, upgrade or status for that lounge access. One of the ways to collect those miles are by using a Airline credit card which also allows you to earn miles when you spend. Co-branded airline credit card with perks like priority boarding, waived bag fees, and so on also allows you to higher earning potential and greater flexibility.
Unlike the US, the choice of airline credit cards is limited in Germany, but there are still plenty of frequent flyer programs and credit cards to choose from.; This page lists the frequent flyer programs and the best airline credit cards in Germany
Earning Miles With A Credit Card
Travel credit cards with miles rewards programs enable you to earn miles or points when you use the card to make qualifying purchases. The type of spending that qualifies for miles and the number of miles youll earn for each swipe will vary by card issuer as well as the card you choose since different cards have different rewards rates.
For example, the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card rewards you with 2X miles on Delta, restaurant and U.S. supermarket purchases. Youll also earn 1X miles on all other eligible purchases..
Most cards will give you at least 1 mile for every dollar you spend, allowing you to rack up rewards every time you make a purchase with your card. You may also earn a higher rate for purchases in certain categories with a tiered rewards card. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, for instance, previously rewarded cardholders with 2X points on travel and dining . But Chase recently upped the Sapphire Preferreds dining rewards rate to 3X points per dollar spent, upping its value as a tiered bonus-category card.
Once you rack up miles, you can redeem them for travel purchases, such as that free flight; other redemption options typically include gift cards, merchandise, event tickets and more.
Getting approved for a travel rewards credit card is a little more difficult than signing up for an airline loyalty program. Youll generally need a good credit score and a low debt-to-income ratio to qualify for the best travel cards.
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Transferable Credit Card Miles
A transferable travel credit card allows the user to obtain awards from different partners and alliances.
Airline awards with a transferable credit card dont always correspond to the actual monetary value of the ticket. This means that its quite possible to get what would otherwise be an expensive first-class ticket for not many points.
The major difference between a transferable credit card and a fixed rate travel card is that you still earn credit card miles with a fixed-rate card when you redeem fixed miles.
This isnt the case with transferable travel credit cards, where youre transferring your credit card miles to the airlines frequent flyer program. If youre flexible in how you fly and when you fly, this can be a powerful credit card to have.
Best For Airlines And Hotels
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
- Annual fee: $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $99
- Introductory bonus: 70,000 bonus miles for spending $2,000 in the first 3 months
- Rewards: 2X SkyMiles per eligible dollar spent for purchases made directly with Delta Air Lines, restaurants, and U.S. supermarkets; 1X on everything else
- Perks: Free first checked bags, priority boarding, 20% discount on in-flight purchases, $100 Delta flight credit for spending $10,000 in a calendar year
For frequent Delta flyers, this credit card offers excellent perks, including a free checked bag and priority boarding. Its hearty introductory bonus could also take you pretty far.
Enrollment required for select benefits; terms and limitations apply.
Insider tip
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
- Annual fee: $99, waived for first 12 months
- Introductory bonus: 50,000 AAdvantage bonus miles for spending $2,500 in the first 3 months
- Rewards: 2X miles/dollar at American Airlines, gas stations, and restaurants; 1X on everything else
- Perks: Free first checked bags, Preferred boarding, 25% discount on in-flight purchases, reduced mileage awards, $125 American Airlines flight credit when you spend $20,000 in a calendar year
If you live near an American Airlines hub, this card is certainly worth a look. Unlike many other airline credit cards, it offers bonus miles on gas stations and restaurants, plus a slew of AA perks.
Insider tip
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Best For United Airlines
- Foreign Transaction Fee$0
- Annual fee: $95
- Introductory bonus: 60,000 bonus miles for spending $3,000 in the first 3 months; an additional 10,000 bonus miles for spending $6,000 in the first 6 months
- Rewards: 2X miles/dollar at United, hotels, and restaurants; 1X on everything else
- Perks: Free first checked bags, priority boarding, 25% discount on in-flight purchases, two United Club anniversary passes per year, $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre
For United fans, this card offers a generous 2X airline miles per dollar at hotels booked directly through hotel websites , as well as at restaurants. On long layovers, the two annual United Club passes also come in handy. Youll also get a host of additional travel benefits that help this card earn a spot as one of the best for United enthusiasts.
Insider tip
Always flying United? Check out the upgraded United Club Infinite Card . For an annual fee of $525, it offers a full United Club membership, with free first and second checked bags.
Fly Cathay Pacific North America To Asia: 225000+ Miles In First Class One
Cathay Pacific flies from 8 North American cities to Hong Kong , which makes finding award space much easier.
Hot Tip: Check out our detailed guide on Cathay Pacifics direct routes from the U.S. You can use the information here to plan your award flights efficiently.
With 225,000 to 255,000 Qmiles, you can book a one-way first class flight from the U.S. to Hong Kong. Booking an economy or business class award ticket will likely not result in much value for your points.
If you do end up booking economy or business class, you will need 75,000 to 85,000 Qmiles for economy or;100,000 to 150,000 Qmiles for business class.
Nonstop Cathay Pacific flights to Hong Kong that can be booked with Qmiles include:
- Boston
Bolded cities are routes that offer first class.
Taxes and fees for a one-way first class flight vary from $251 to $274.
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The Lufthansa Frequent Flyer And Awards Programme
Travel is about much more than just getting from A to B. Travel also means discovering new worlds. Our frequent flyer and awards programme, Miles & More, offers you numerous privileges to make each one of your journeys even more enjoyable. You will also earn valuable miles in the air and on the ground, so that you can treat yourself or others to attractive awards. Discover a new world with Miles & More with all its benefits.
Can I Transfer Miles Between Frequent Flyer Programs
Offers for the American Express® Green Card, Marriott Rewards® Premier Plus Credit Card and Marriott Bonvoy American Express® Card are not available through;
Nov 2, 2020 Airline Program, Transfer Ratio the no-annual-fee Marriott Bonvoy Bold Credit Card* from Chase also has;
This transfer bonus comes from Asia Miles and is valid on transfers from credit card programs. You must register first .
The United airline credit cards earn miles on every purchase. They also offer extra perks with the airline. Depending on which United card you choose, you could;
5 days ago The promo also adds to the many reasons why right now is the perfect time to begin earning points and miles. Credit card companies are battling;
Jun 28, 2021 The Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card earns Chase Ultimate Rewards that if you transfer 1,000 points from Chase to United Airlines,;
Buy miles, give miles as a gift or transfer miles with friends and family miles on your purchase when you use your eligible AAdvantage® credit card.
Apply for Discover it Miles travel credit card with unlimited rewards and no annual fee. Which airlines accept the Discover travel card?
Our Rapid Rewards program makes it easy to buy, gift and transfer Rapid Plus, if youre short on points, you can always purchase more to get that reward;
Transfer ThankYou® Points to American Airlines AAdvantage® to put more destinations fuel & 2500+ merchandise options at the InterMiles Reward Store.
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How To Redeem Capital One Venture Miles
Capital One has a few ways you can redeem your miles, including an erase feature that essentially lets you cover the price of any travel purchases via a statement credit.
Youll typically get the most value redeeming your Capital One Miles by transferring to partners. Capital Ones notable partners include JetBlue TrueBlue, Wyndham Rewards and British Airways Executive Club.
You can also redeem your Capital One miles via the issuers portal, which functions similarly to Chase and Amexs portals. To do so, and then plug in your desired destination and dates.
Capital Ones most unique feature, though, is its statement credit option. Within your account, click Redeem Travel Purchases and youll be redirected to a screen with all of your eligible travel purchases within the last 90 days. From there, you can select the purchases youd like to erase from your statement with your miles. You can use miles to cover all or part of a purchase.
Fly American Airlines Us To Europe: 70000+ Miles In Business Class One
American Airlines offers several nonstop flights from the U.S. to cities in Europe.
With 70,000 to 120,000 Qmiles, you can book a one-way business class flight from the U.S. to Europe. Booking an economy award also provides value, with 35,000 to 60,000 Qmiles required for a one-way flight.
American Airlines flies the following non-stop routes to Europe that you can book with Qmiles.
- Charlotte London
- Philadelphia Dublin
Taxes and fees for a one-way business class flight vary from $93 to $323.
Need help booking an award flight?;See our best ways to book American Airlines business class.
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Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card: Best For Southwest Airlines
Why we picked it: This card rewards in a big way for brand loyalty, making it worth your while should Southwest Airlines be a favorite choice for you. Earn 2 points for every $1 spent on Southwest purchases. As a cardmember, youll earn 3,000 points after each card anniversary, which is not a common perk outside of the Southwest lineup.
Pros: The sign-up bonus is also startlingly good: Earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months plus 3 points per every $1 spent on dining for the first year. You also get two free checked bags for every cardholder.
Cons: Unlike some airline credit cards, you only earn bonus points on Southwest purchases . Plus, Southwest doesnt have airline partners, so the only rewards flights you can book are with Southwest.
Who should apply? Frequent Southwest flyers can earn Rapids Rewards points at a faster clip with the least expensive card in the carriers line-up.
Who should skip? If you dont fly Southwest often, dont live near a Southwest hub and/or mostly travel internationally, this card isnt a match for you.
Read our Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card review or jump back to this cards offer details.
Qatar Qmiles Award Chart
Qatar uses a mileage calculator;when flying on its own flights, and this functions as a distance-based award chart.
Flights from the U.S. to Doha price out at the same rate, regardless of the city pairs.
There is a separate award chart when flying Qatars partner airlines, which include the Oneworld alliance. The partner award chart is distance-based, so its helpful to use Great Circle Mapper to calculate the distance of your itinerary. Awards are priced per segment, which means you cannot get extraordinary value above 12,001 Qmiles, unfortunately.
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