Getting my husband to play the points and miles game has been challenging. While he…
Travel Hacking Lunch Event
Thank you to everyone who attended today’s travel hacking lunch event at Pure Financial. As promised, here are the links from my seminar slides.
I’ve included links to other posts that you’ll find helpful in your travel hacking journey. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.
Contents
- Travel Hacking Lunch Event
- Travel Tips
- Airline Dining Programs
- Credit Card Debt Help
- Travel Rewards Cards
- Miles, Points, & Credit Card Spreadsheet
- #1 Secret to domestic travel
- Southwest Credit Cards
- FoundersCard
- Network
Travel Hacking Lunch Event
Travel Tips
When you should use points and when you should pay cash for hotels.
Read this post to find out when you should buy airline miles.
When you should buy hotel points.
Airline Dining Programs
You can earn up to 5 miles per $1 spent, including taxes and gratuities from airline dining programs.
Credit Card Debt Help
Help to manage and consolidate your credit card debt.
Here are the 10 best balance transfer credit cards with 0% intro APR.
Travel Rewards Cards
Travel rewards credit cards are the fastest way to earn thousands of miles and points.
If you’re just getting started, this is the best card for travel hacking.
These are the best travel rewards cards.
If you don’t like to fly and prefer to drive, these are the best credit cards for road trips.
These cards give you the choice of earning points or cash back and they offer a welcome bonus.
When not flying First Class or Business Class or if you don’t have elite airline status, you can get these credit cards give you free airline lounge access.
Miles, Points, & Credit Card Spreadsheet
Credit Card, miles and points tracking spreadsheet
#1 Secret to domestic travel
The number one secret to domestic travel is the Southwest Companion Pass.
With the Southwest Companion Pass, you get unlimited free flights for two years.
You can earn a Companion Pass when fly 100 flights or earn 125,000 points a year.
The fastest way is to get two Southwest credit cards: one business card and one personal card.
Southwest Credit Cards
Business Cards
Southwest Rapid Rewards Performance Business Card
Sign-up Bonus: 100,000 points: 70,000 points after spending $5,000 in purchases in the first 3 months. Another 30,000 points after spending an additional $25,000 in the first 6 months.
Why I like this card:
- 3X points on Southwest tickets, hotels, and car rentals with Southwest partners
- 2X points on internet, cable, phone, social media, and search engine ads
- 1X point on everything else
- 4 upgraded boarding passes each year
- Inflight Wi-Fi credit
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
- 9,000 points on card anniversary
- Earn a Companion Pass (two years of free flights) after earning 125,000 points a year
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CARD
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business Card
Sign-up Bonus: 60,000 points when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
Why I like this card:
- 2X points on Southwest tickets and hotel and car rentals with Southwest partners
- 1X points on all other purchases
- 6,000 point bonus on card anniversary each year
- Earn a Companion Pass (two years of free flights) after earning 125,000 points a calendar year
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CARD
Personal Cards
Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Card
Sign-up Bonus: 40,000 points. Earn 40,000 points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Why I like this card:
- 2X points on Southwest tickets and hotel and car rentals with Southwest partners
- 1X points on everything else
- 6,000 point bonus on card anniversary each year
- Earn a Companion Pass (two years of free flights) after earning 125,000 points a calendar year
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CARD
Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority Card
Sign-up Bonus: 40,000 points. Earn 40,000 points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Why I like this card:
- 2X points on Southwest tickets and hotel and car rentals with Southwest partners
- 1X points on everything else
- $75 annual travel credit on Southwest
- 4 upgraded boarding passes each year
- 7,500 point bonus on card anniversary each year
- Earn a Companion Pass (two years of free flights) after earning 125,000 points a calendar year
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CARD
Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus Credit Card
Sign-up Bonus: 40,000 points. Earn 40,000 points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Why I like this card:
- 2X points on Southwest tickets and hotel and car rentals with Southwest partners
- 1X points on everything else
- 3,000 point on your anniversary every year
- Earn a Companion Pass (two years of free flights) after earning 125,000 points a calendar year
LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS CARD
FoundersCard
With a FoundersCard membership, you get discounts on travel and business expenses. Enjoy airline and hotel status without a credit card.
Network
Join to network and meet other people in the travel hacking community.
Comment, tweet, or share this post.
Get the best credit card signup bonuses.
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Featured photo courtesy: Matthew Sleeper via Unsplash
Traveling Well For Less has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Traveling Well For Less and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.
Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for beginning travel hackers. It is the first card you should get to start traveling for free because the welcome offer is 60,000 points (after spending $4,000 in the first three months).
My favorite perks about this card are earning 2X points on travel and dining, no foreign transaction fees, and transferring points to 13 airline and hotel partners like Hyatt, United, and Southwest.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
The Chase Freedom Unlimited is one of my favorite cards for earning cash back card and travel rewards. It offers a welcome offer of $200 (after spending $500 in the first three months).
My favorite perks about this card are earning 5% cash back at grocery stores the first 12 months (up to $12k), unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and no annual fee. When paired with cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can use your points to travel for free.
About Debra Schroeder
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