Once again, don't expect to receive this great value when you use hotel or credit
card points for flight awards.
Diversification isn't all about transferring to frequent flyer programs — you should also have the option of redeeming credit -
card points for flights.
This is especially lucrative because even though you redeem credit
card points for flights, you can still earn miles with that airline's frequent flier program.
Not exact matches
In 2016, the couple launched UpgradedPoints.com to share their tricks
for converting credit
card points into cheap
flights.
The Starwood Preferred Guest ® American Express Luxury
Card allows you to earn 6
points on Starwood and Marriott direct purchases, a 3
points per dollar at U.S. restaurants and
flights booked directly with airlines, and 2
points per dollar
for all other purchases.
With Southwest you have the option of redeeming your
points for just about anything:
flights, car rentals, products, gift
cards, and more.
Travel rewards
cards are typically based on a system that gives you the chance to earn
points that you can redeem
for hotel stays, rental cars and
flights.
These
cards typically award
points for all your purchases that can be redeemed
for cash back,
flights, hotel stays or statement credit among other items.
With the SPG Amex credit
card, you can redeem
points for hotels and
flights through over 30 different frequent flyer programs.
Depending on the way a rewards program is structured, you may be able to earn
points by using your credit
card to book
flights and pay
for other travel expenses, shopping through your
card's online bonus mall and making purchases at certain retailers, hotels and restaurants.
With generic travel
cards, you can redeem your
points for cash back,
flights, hotel stays or statement credits, but you get the best value
for travel - related purchases.
American Express Gold
Card users can use their
points to shop (both through online vendors and Amazon), buy gift
cards, pay off a charge on your bill, book
flights and hotels, pay
for Uber rides, and transfer
points for airline frequent flyer miles or hotel
points.
I totally agree with numbe 1 — we had «reward»
cards that cost us thousands in interest and fees each year, only
for a few airlines
points that we couldn't use on the
flights we wanted anyway!
Score miles or
points toward an award
flight, lounge access, or other perks after applying
for a promotional offer with an airline credit
card.
With this
card, you'll earn 3X
points for flights booked directly with airlines.
Like the American Express program,
points are best used
for gift
cards and
flight redemption and suffer heavily if used
for any other mechanism.
To maximize the
points you get
for any
flights you must purchase to take advantage of these deals, the Premier Rewards Gold
Card from American Express is a great option as you'll earn 3x
points for all
flights purchased.!
Start using a credit
card that gives you
points for flights or money back, so you can put those resources toward a big trip.
But when
points and miles are redeemed strategically
for high value award
flights and luxury hotel stays, then it is often possible to receive three to five cents in value per
point, which is much better than the best cash back reward
cards.
Hot Tip: Google
Flight finds fares and then directs you to the airline's website or an OTA, so make sure to use a
card that earns bonus points on travel purchases, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card which earns you 2 points for every $ 1 that you spend with the card on travel or dining purcha
card that earns bonus
points on travel purchases, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred ®
Card which earns you 2 points for every $ 1 that you spend with the card on travel or dining purcha
Card which earns you 2
points for every $ 1 that you spend with the
card on travel or dining purcha
card on travel or dining purchases.
If you do a lot of traveling, however, this
card isn't the best choice
for racking up miles or
points towards free
flights.
Other
cards, like the Discover it ® Miles and the Barclays Arrival Plus ® World Elite Mastercard ®, award users what they call «miles» but are functionally more like
points — that is, they can be redeemed
for more things than simply
flights with that airline.
Alternatively, reward
points may also be exchanged
for booking
flights, hotel stays or car rentals, merchandise, gift
cards, and statement credit.
It used to be the only way to earn miles was when you purchased
flights — but now, travel rewards
cards allow cardholders to earn miles or rewards
points for every purchase made with the
card.
The British Airways Visa Signature Credit
Card is reviewed
for its big sign - up bonus that is good
for free
flights through Avios
points.
Like the American Express program,
points are best used
for gift
cards and
flight redemption and suffer heavily if used
for any other mechanism.
All
cards are partnered through Chase Bank, and would be great
for those who fly Southwest frequently and want a
card to earn even more
points and get more rewards
flights.
Rewards
cards allow you to accumulate rewards
points which can be redeemed
for flights, travel, and other items.
American Express Gold
Card users can use their
points to shop (both through online vendors and Amazon), buy gift
cards, pay off a charge on your bill, book
flights and hotels, pay
for Uber rides, and transfer
points for airline frequent flyer miles or hotel
points.
However, having the Chase Southwest Rapid Rewards ® Premier Credit
Card allows you to utilize your
points for international travel on most major airlines, though not
for as great a value as a Southwest
flight.
Points can be redeemed in the form of statement credit, gift
cards, merchandise and used toward travel:
flights, hotel stays, car rentals, cruises, and
for any travel package
Your JetBlue Credit
Card points can be redeemed
for round - trip
flights starting at 8,000
points and one way
flights beginning at 4,000
points.
Points Tip # 1: Earn an additional 2 points for all Southwest flights with the card, of course, but also for using the card for car rental and hotel par
Points Tip # 1: Earn an additional 2
points for all Southwest flights with the card, of course, but also for using the card for car rental and hotel par
points for all Southwest
flights with the
card, of course, but also
for using the
card for car rental and hotel partners.
TrueBlue Mosaic status after you spend $ 50,000 on your
card (
for 1 year each year), that grants you extra reward
points, complimentary in -
flight beverages, priority boarding, and many other complimentary benefits.
Using the
cards to pay
for flights with the co-branded airline will result in earning 6
points for every $ 1 spent on the JetBlue Plus
Card, and 3 points per $ 1 on the ordinary JetBlue credit c
Card, and 3
points per $ 1 on the ordinary JetBlue credit
cardcard.
If a
card offered additional
points for every
flight booked on the
card, we would determine how may
flights a cardholder spending $ 2,000 a year could book over the five year period, spending 10 % on travel.
The
points you earn with the Platinum
Card can be redeemed
for flights, hotel stays, car rentals, vacation packages, shopping, gift
cards, and more.
Many
card companies are offering enough
points for a free
flight.
If you don't fancy yourself a travel - hacker, and don't want to spend time in front of a computer trying to find the best
points - to - dollar ratio
for flights, you will likely walk away with one of the best net rewards using the Capital One ® Venture ® Rewards Credit
Card.
Co-branded
cards can sometimes offer rewards that aren't as restrictive as free
flights, hotel stays or store gift
cards, but these deliver less bang
for your
points.
The
card doesn't have much in the way of travel benefits but it does have some interesting perks, such as a $ 25 bonus to spend on airline fees and in -
flight purchases every time you redeem your
points for an award
flight and a free rental car day every year.
I recently got a second credit
card because of the
points for signing up (it got me a free
flight - yay!).
Finally, you'll want to find a
card that will let you redeem your reward
points or miles
for flights to where you want to go.
This no - fee Delta
card earns you
points on all types of spending, not just on
flights: While every dollar you spend on Delta
flights will earn you two miles, you will also earn 2 miles per dollar at US restaurants, unlike most co-branded airline
cards which only offer bonus miles
for spending with that airline.
The Starwood Preferred Guest ® American Express Luxury
Card allows you to earn 6
points on Starwood and Marriott direct purchases, a 3
points per dollar at U.S. restaurants and
flights booked directly with airlines, and 2
points per dollar
for all other purchases.
Most travel rewards
cards allow you to redeem miles or
points for a variety of things, including hotels,
flights, rental cars, and vacation packages.
Despite marketing claims, we've found that 1 % cash - back isn't always 1 %; you often need to redeem more
points than you expect
for a
flight or product, and some issuers won't explain exactly how a
card works — until after you sign up.
The Premier Rewards Gold
Card from American Express rewards users with 3
points for every $ 1 spent
for flights booked directly with an airline.
These
cards award
points for all your purchases that can be redeemed
for cash back,
flights, hotel stays or statement credits.
These
points can later be redeemed
for a variety of rewards including cash back, gift
cards,
flights, Amazon purchases, and more.