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As we ring in a new year, it’s the perfect time to find a balance between traveling more without sacrificing your budget. If you’ve decided to travel more this year, you need to take advantage of points and miles. In fact, doing so should be your 2024 resolution.
Travel can open new doors and invigorate your life. The downside, of course, is that it can be expensive. Luckily, points and miles can dramatically reduce the price of your trip without cutting out any of the fun experiences — and it’s easier to get started than you might think.
My husband and I opened the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and used it be pay for our wedding, and we used the rewards to cover our hotels during our honeymoon in Scotland. That’s just one of countless ways travel rewards can help you enjoy travel by slashing your out-of-pocket costs.
Here’s how to dive in. But first: Remeber that you should never spend more than you can afford to pay off in the pursuit of earning travel rewards. The only way you’ll come out ahead is if you pay off your balances in full to avoid interest rates. If you’re not in a position to take advantage of rewards cards, focus on paying down your debt instead — here are some of the best balance transfer credit cards.
Decide where you want to travel
Before you start your travel rewards adventure, it is a good idea to have some destinations in mind. There are a variety of loyalty programs associated with rewards credit cards, and the best option for you will depend on where you want to go, and the airline options for getting you there.
Pick a rewards card that will help you reach your goals
Once you have an idea of where you want your travels to take you this year, look into opening a travel rewards credit card that earns the right points to get you to your destination. Not only will you earn valuable rewards on your day-to-day spending by using a credit card, but you can also earn a credit card sign-up bonus of thousands of points or miles if you’re a new cardholder.
Make sure to consider the minimum spending requirements that you’ll need to score the welcome bonus. Most cards require you to spend at least $3,000 in the first three months from account opening in order to earn the bonus.
If you’d struggle to meet a particular spending requirement based on your level of everyday spending, then make sure to plan a large purchase during the spending requirement timeframe. For example, you could purchase your car insurance or buy a large household item that you need in order to land the welcome bonus. Don’t forget that you can offer to cover group meals on your card and ask your friends to pay you back, as well.
Here are some of the best travel rewards credit cards to consider.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
If you’re just getting started with travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great option. It’s one of the best picks for those who are new to points and miles thanks to the strong rewards you get in exchange for a relatively modest $95 annual fee.
The welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (Chase Ultimate Rewards® points) — is worth $1,080, based on Business Insider’s points and miles valuations, toward travel if you redeem your rewards through Chase. You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to a travel partner, such as United or Hyatt.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
You can score 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within three months from account opening. Since these points are worth 1 cent each when used to “erase” travel purchases from your statement, that means you’ll have at least $1,275, based on Business Insider’s points and miles valuations, to spend on travel.
In contrast to many credit card travel rewards available, the Capital One Venture can reimburse your travel expenses directly to your statement. You don’t need to book your travel through a specific travel portal in order to redeem these miles — though you can transfer your miles to Capital One airline partners such as Emirates and JetBlue as well.
With this wide range of flexibility, you’ll have the option to travel anywhere in the world.
American Express® Gold Card
If you spend a lot on dining out and U.S. supermarkets and don’t mind paying a higher annual fee, the American Express® Gold Card is worth a look. Not only is it offering a welcome bonus of 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after spending $6,000 on purchases on the card in the first six months of card membership, but it also earns 4x points at restaurants and on takeout and delivery and 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 spent each year, then 1 point per dollar).
The Amex Membership Rewards program has many great travel partners. You can transfer your points to airlines like Delta and Hawaiian Airlines to book flights, or to hotel programs like Hilton and Marriott to book hotel stays.
Earn the welcome bonus and keep racking up points
The cards above are just the tip of the iceberg. Wherever you want to go in the new year, there is likely a travel rewards credit card that can take you there.
Travel rewards are amazing. But they can only transform your life if you take action and use the cards that work best for your situation. One key to maximizing your travel rewards points is to hit the minimum spending for welcome bonuses. When you sign up for a new card, make sure to consider the spending requirements. Track your spending to ensure you land the bonus.
Start traveling
Travel rewards open up travel opportunities that may have seemed out of reach before. With careful planning, travel rewards can slash the total cost of your travels to a minimum. Why wouldn’t you take advantage of these amazing rewards to achieve your resolutions this year?
Once you have the points, you simply have to plan to trip to somewhere amazing. Where will you go first?
