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Cash isn’t as important as it used to be in the United States and much of Europe. That title has been taken over by credit cards, which people use to pay for everything from new cars to a pack of gum.
Americans adore credit cards. You see them advertised all over cities, on television, and online. You probably get calls and emails from your bank all the time with credit card offers. No matter how many times I tell the postal service to stop sending me unsolicited card offers, they continue to pour in like a deluge!
There are hundreds of travel rewards credit cards available today. It can be difficult to determine which cards are useful for travel and which are not worth your time because there are so many options.
Navigating all of a credit card’s welcome offers, loyalty programs, perks, offers, obscure rules, and hidden fees can be especially difficult.
Most people just pick the first one they see because it’s so complicated. Or on the other hand, far more terrible, they simply surrender and utilize a check card all things considered!
Be different from them.
Be a more savvy and effective traveler.
You can use travel credit cards to earn free flights, travel perks, and hotel stays without spending any extra money.
Does it seem too good to be true? It is not, so fret not.
Because it’s a lot easier than you think, I’m going to show you in this article how to choose the best travel credit card so you can maximize your points and earn free travel.
Free points can be earned with travel credit cards, which can be used to pay for hotels, flights, or actual cash. Credit card issuers partner with various travel brands or simply offer their cards to attract customers with welcome bonuses, loyalty points, special discounts, and other incentives.
Their desire to acquire you, the customer, is beneficial to you. You can get free vacations, hotel rooms, air tickets, and even cash back by taking advantage of the system.
I’ve earned close to a million points just from welcome offers. I am awarded numerous points annually; To simply list them all out to you would require an entire book.
What’s more, the length of you can pay your Visa off every month, you’ll have the option to gather focuses and miles that you can reclaim with the expectation of complimentary travel.
Step 1: Be aware that there is no perfect travel card. The first thing you need to know is that there is no such thing. Each card offers various advantages that will fit various ways of life, spending plans, and travel objectives.
When I book flights, I use an AMEX card that earns three times as many points for every dollar spent, a Chase Sapphire Reserve® card for everyday spending, a different Chase card that earns five times as many points for phone bills, and an Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card for business expenses! Some of my friends only want United Miles, while others only want cash back.
There is no ideal card. There is only one card that is right for YOU!
First things first, ask yourself, “What is your goal?”
Do you want to be loyal to a brand, receive free rewards, or avoid fees? Do you just want a card that won’t cost you anything to use at that Brazilian restaurant, or do you want to take advantage of the rewards and welcome offers to get free flights?
Do you place the most value on elite status? Do you want points that can be exchanged for cash, for example?
Get an American Express or Chase card if you just want to spend your points wherever you want because you can use them with many different travel companies. Points can be transferred to multiple airline or hotel partners and used to book travel directly through their websites, and they each have their own rewards programs (Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards).
Want free hotel rooms only? Pursue lodging cards.
Are you looking for cash-like points? Get a Credit Card with Capital One Venture Rewards.
You can get the hang of travel hacking and maximize your short-term objectives by first concentrating on what you want. Since I rarely stay in hotels, for instance, I tend to steer clear of hotel cards.
I never fly United because I dislike Hilton and don’t want to waste time earning their points.
Because I travel so frequently, cashback cards don’t appeal to me as much as points do.
I prefer to use credit cards with attractive transfer bonuses to airline programs or those that earn me airline miles.
Identify your objective, then the cards and spending patterns that best complement it.
Step 2: Comparing credit cards can be a bit overwhelming. Here are five really important things to look for in a travel rewards credit card. Here are the five things I look for in a new card to help you stay focused and get the best card for you and your goals:
1. A substantial introductory offer:
The best travel cards will all provide you with a substantial introductory offer. You will need to spend a minimum amount, usually within the first few months, but these welcome points will help you get started with your mileage account and get closer to a free flight or hotel stay.
Sometimes, these deals are so large that you can get a few free flights right away! If a credit card has a high welcome offer, you should not sign up for it.
In general, welcome offers function as follows: You need to make a single purchase or spend a certain amount within a certain amount of time to qualify for the substantial initial offer. After that, you can earn 1-5x points per dollar spent, depending on the card.
Welcome bonuses for travel credit cards typically range from 40,000 to 60,000 points, but they can sometimes reach 100,000 points. This is why credit cards are so useful: you can quickly build up a balance of thousands of points with very little effort.
If you are unsure whether you will be able to meet the minimum requirement for the welcome offer, check with friends and family to see if they are planning a significant purchase. On the off chance that they’ll allow you to put it on your card (and pay you with cash) you can undoubtedly meet the base spend limit to procure your welcome focuses.
2. category spending bonus:
The majority of credit cards give you one point for every dollar you spend. However, if you have a credit card that is branded, you can earn extra points by shopping at specific stores or with a particular brand. You’ll be able to get points much faster by doing this.
I don’t want one point to be worth one dollar. I want to be able to earn two or three points for every dollar I spend.
For instance, the American Express® Gold Card gives you three times as many points on airfare, the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card gives you five times as many points for office spending, and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives you three times as many points for traveling and dining out. When I use a company card to book with a company, such as Delta Flights with a Delta card, I can earn more points.
That is your goal. Never acknowledge one point for each dollar spent. Search for something like two. ( A few cards significantly offer up to 6 focuses per dollar spent.)
Otherwise, accumulating enough points to qualify for free travel will take far too long.
3. Low spending requirement:
Sadly, these cards typically impose a spending requirement to qualify for the attractive bonuses they provide. While there are approaches to briefly support your spending, it’s ideal to have the option to get the reward utilizing typical everyday spending. I typically sign up for credit cards that require a minimum monthly expenditure of $1,000–3,000 USD.
To take advantage of a welcome offer, some cards only require a single purchase (my favorite welcome offer).
You shouldn’t necessarily avoid high-minimum spending cards because they offer substantial rewards; however, you should start small to avoid having too many cards that you can’t use. You can’t apply for the card again after you get it. To be eligible for the welcome bonus, you should only apply for cards for which you can meet the minimum spending requirement.
It’s important to control your ability to meet the minimum spending requirements because if you spend more than usual just to get these points, they won’t be free anymore. Spend only what you normally would, not more.
There are many inventive ways to become a master travel hacker if you want to meet your minimum spending requirements. See my guide for clever ways to do it.
4. Special travel benefits:
are available with each of these travel credit cards. Many will grant you additional benefits or a special elite loyalty status. Here are the advantages I focus on:
Travel hacking isn’t just about getting points and miles; it’s also about what else comes with the card that makes my life easier! Free checked baggage Priority boarding Free hotel stays
5. Low annual fees:
No one likes paying credit card annual fees. The majority of annual fees associated with company-branded credit cards range from $50 to $95. I believe it is worthwhile to acquire a fee-based credit card for those who frequently fly and travel.
Expense-based cards will quite often give you a superior prize plot, where you can collect focuses quicker, get better admittance to administrations and exceptional offers, and get better travel security. I have spent less on fees than I have saved on travel with these cards.
Having said that, some premium cards with annual fees of $500 or more are always worth it the first year because of the sign-up bonus, and if you use the benefits of the card a lot, they can be worth it in subsequent years as well. Do the math because a $500 annual fee card is worth it if you get twice as much value from it!
