How to use Credit Card points to get practically free airline tickets, and hotel stays.
First things first - If you can't pay your credit card off monthly before the interest rate is applied, this is not for you. Look away. I certainly wouldn't want anyone to take on more debt.
The primary way to get credit card points is by using credit card companies Sign-Up Bonus programs, often called SUB. To get these credit card sign-up bonuses you typically have to spend a certain amount on the credit card within a specified timeframe. For example, Capital One Venture Preferred requires you to spend $4000 within the first three months of opening it in order to earn 75,000 points. (The sign up points change often.) There is generally a fee anywhere from $95.00 to $350.00 depending on the card you chose. Sign-Up Bonus is going to be your best and fastest way to get a lot of points with relatively minimal everyday spending. Use your new credit card only to pay the bills you are already paying. I have my bills such as cell phone, cable, and car insurance on my credit card and make sure to pay that off before the 25th day of the billing cycle to avoid the interest rate being applied, which could be up to 23%. You are basically rerouting your everyday bills through the credit card to earn points. Ensure there is no extra service fee for using your credit card. You do not want to spend any more than the bill. Something to note - can not pay your mortgage with a credit card, I inquired about this already.
Once you have earned your sign up bonus points you will be able to redeem them for free flights, and hotels. My husband and I have taken countless flights and only had to pay taxes on the airline ticket. We have also stayed at several free hotels for years with these points. People ask us all the time how we can afford to travel so often. I learned the “not so secret anymore” of the travel hacking lifestyle a few years back. This credit card is the one I would suggest you start with to travel hack your next vacation.
Some of the many benefits I like about this card are:
No foreign transaction fees
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application credit up to $100.00
Airport lounge access with 2 complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ locations in our Partner Lounge Network
20,000 points if you refer a friend.
Stay tuned for our next blog post “How to Use Your Travel Points Wisely”!
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