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Frequent traveler programs (points and miles) are a mainstay of many people’s travel plans. Here’s our travel hacking guide with our top eight tips for earning points and miles.

When we became frequent business travelers after college, we immediately signed up for all the frequent traveler programs we could. At the time, we weren’t travelling for business all that much (maybe only once a month) and it seemed like it would take forever for the points to accumulate into reward travel. But we signed up for those programs because someone told us to. And we’re glad we did!

Companies offer frequent traveler (points and miles) to secure your loyalty – and get more money out of you. In a way, they are gambling on you to increase your share of business with them. But you can play that game too. Points and miles addicts play the game back and amass huge amounts of points/miles to travel for practically free (as seen in the movie Up in the Air ). A popular term these days to explain the game is Travel Hacking or Points Hacking.

Everyone has their own definition of travel hacking, but we define it as involving two related goals: 1) Traveling for the least amount of money possible. The goal is to reduce your expenses to practically zero. 2) Traveling above your means by employing upgrades and perks that you would not otherwise pay for. The goal is to make the experience of travel more relaxing and enjoyable. Travel hacking is about changing the value equation and getting the absolute best travel experience possible for the least amount of money.

We frequently write about maximizing your business travel into personal benefit and how to be a better travel hacker. Here, we share our top tips for travel hacking—

Sign up for all the mileage/points programs

The biggest mistake travelers make is not signing up or not signing up early. They say, “we travel so infrequently, we’ll never get the reward.” You won’t get the reward if you don’t play the game. Initially, that was our thinking. But we signed up anyway once we learned how travel rewards programs work. Now, we tell travelers to sign up for every program they can – because you can never predict your future travel plans. Check out our comprehensive list of travel loyalty programs .

Consolidate travel activity

The travel companies offer these programs in the hopes that you will consolidate all of your business with them. And the more you fly/stay with a company, the more rewards you get (they offer incremental 40%, 60%, 80% and even 120% bonuses on their programs once you get to higher-tier levels). This makes a compelling advantage to consolidate your travel rewards programs. And that is the recommendation you’ll see everywhere else about points hacking.

But don’t consolidate too much! If you put ALL of eggs in the airline basket or with a specific hotel program, you are locked in. And that’s what the airlines and hotels are counting on. We’ve found it beneficial to have a primary airline and two hotel chains that we focus on.

Focus on bonus periods

When you signed up for the programs you gave them your e-mail address and they began e-mailing you (A LOT). You’re skimming those e-mails looking for special promotions and you ALWAYS sign up for every promotion (remember you don’t reap the reward if you don’t play the game). Even if you don’t think you’ll meet the minimums to receive the reward, you sign up anyway (because you can never predict your future travel).

All of the major hotel companies run special promotional campaigns or bonus periods. To get the benefit you have to sign up (which takes less than 30 seconds). Another advantage to you, the bonus periods sometimes do not overlap, so you make the choice to consolidate your travel with the company that is currently running a bonus – and reap the rewards.

The airlines have experimented with this. Back in the early 2000s, United Airlines used to run a lot of mileage bonuses and U.S. Airways ran a Grand Slam program for many years, but most of those programs have been eliminated. What you still see are selective promotions to launch a new route, specific routes, or volume-based promotions (if you fly 10 times within a quarter, etc.).

Keep your points and miles active

The airline and hotel companies don’t want you accumulating rewards indefinitely. They want to see activity – ideally, they want you paying them money for more flights or stays. But they also want to see you using your points (it decreases their “liabilities”). Each airline has a different point expiration policy so you’ll need to do your homework, keep track of expirations, and also monitor programs for changes. For example, Delta Sky Miles don’t ever expire and Frontier Airlines Miles expire every 6 months. And some programs like American and United set 24 months as the window.

Over time, we’ve found it useful to have some activity in each reward program at least once in a 12 month period. That keeps your accounts active and you still receive bonus incentives from the airline or hotel.

Here’s an example on how point expirations work. If you took a flight on American Airlines in December 2022, those miles would expire in 24 months, or December 2024. But if you took a flight in September 2023, that resets the expiration date on ALL miles to September 2025. The point to remember – the expiration is from the last activity. And that activity does not need to be a flight!

I have a lot of United Airlines miles and ultimately will probably use them for a free flight eventually, but I haven’t flown on United in years (although I used to live in a United hub market). I keep those miles “active” by accumulating “partner” mileage. In other words, I spend money with an United Airlines partner and chose to have the reward accumulate with United. Twice a year, like clockwork, my mother receives flowers on her birthday and on Mother’s Day. I order the flowers with the United Airlines shopping mall and get a mileage credit in my United account, which keeps my miles active. (Note: Technically, United’s miles don’t expire as long as your account is “active,” but United closes some accounts without activity in 24 months).

We do the same thing with hotels. Many of the hotel chains (Hilton and Marriott come to mind), offer surveys where they give you points just for taking 10 minutes out of your day to answer a few questions. The points we receive for the surveys keep all of our point totals active for another year. Some hotel chains also have partnerships with Uber or Lyft, where you get points for taking ride share trips.

We recommend using an online points or mileage tracker, such as Award Wallet, TripIt or similar to keep track of points/mileage balances.

The best reward might be the upgrade

The idea of free flights or free hotel nights is appealing, but sometimes your best perk is actually using the points/miles to secure a travel upgrade. Don’t want to pay $4,800 for a business class flight to Europe? Pay the airline the $900 for the coach flight, and then upgrade with frequent flyer miles. Or, use your hotel points to upgrade to the Club Level and get free drinks and meals.

But – if you’re a loyal guest, sometimes you get the upgrades automatically without paying for them. I travel frequently for business (sometimes weekly) and fly First Class about half the time because of free upgrades. This works with hotels too. I’m frequently upgraded to suites or the VIP club level at hotels because of status within the loyalty program.

And some airlines allow you to be a yearly pass to their airline lounge using miles. Over time, we’ve found this to be a great value.

This all goes back to goal #2 of travel hacking: upgrading your travel experience to enjoy things you would not otherwise pay for.

Not all points are “valued” the same

It’s true – not all points are valued the same and a dollar is not a dollar in the world of hotel points.

Grand Hyatt Istanbul is a Category 4 in the Hyatt Program and is 15,000 for a standard room (21,000 for the Regency/Club Level). The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul, basically across the street, is a Tier 3 in the Marriott Bonvoy Program and is 45,000 points for a standard room. The Ritz-Carlton is more than twice as expensive in terms of points. Now, you might think the Ritz-Carlton is the better property, but based on what? A point is not a point.

Some hotels (Marriott) offer more opportunities for bonus points. Therefore the “value” of those points is less than in other programs (the points buy you less; or you need more points to buy the same experience). But, those programs also offer you more points per dollar or in bonuses.

Do your homework. Once you accumulate points in different programs and begin spending them on free travel, some points may prove to be more valuable. Also, if you accumulate large balances in one program or need points in another program, it is possible to exchange your reward points and flight miles between your existing programs. For Hilton, allows you convert points between airline, rail and other programs into Hilton Honors points.

Even with points/miles, it can take cash

Points and miles are considered currency. And they have a tangible value. In the event of a divorce, they are considered an asset that is divided. And some airlines will allow you leave your miles to someone in your will when you die.

But even if they have a value on their own, many programs, particularly the airline programs, won’t let you actually use your miles without a cash fee on top of it. Those fees vary, but you need to factor them into your calculations.

However, one of the biggest changes to the hotel programs in the last few years is the addition of Cash and Points rewards. You put up some points and some cash. This can be either a fantastic value or a terrific waste of points – depending on the property and the room rate for the exact dates you want to visit. Do your homework before using a Point-and-Cash scheme.

Earn points for shopping

All the major frequent traveler programs have mileage malls or online shopping malls. Essentially, you earn miles or points per dollar spent in the online malls. If you do any amount of online shopping, you should always go through a mileage mall to earn points for something you are doing anyway. This is a great way to earn large bonuses!

To get big rewards, you need to go for credit cards

To receive the really big mileage/points benefits, you need to sign up for credit cards with their lucrative perks. This is a massive topic and we write about frequently, however, here is a short version to travel hacking with credit cards.

Yes, you can travel hack without a credit card, however, to really scale your activities, you need a travel credit card. The best travel credit card is the one that works for you and your goals. You need to know what you want to accomplish (free flights, free hotels, a mix of both, etc.) and then register for the card that meets your goals.

If you live in a major airline hub, you might register for a specific airline card. For example, if you live in Atlanta, you might get the Delta credit card, or a United card in Denver or an American card in Dallas. If your goals are hotels, you might register for a hotel-specific card.

But, if your goals are more general and you don’t have a specific travel provider, consider getting a general travel card that will allow you use your points with any airline or hotel. The much advertised Capital One Venture card and Chase Sapphire are two of the more popular general cards.

To make hacking with credit card work, look for a card with a nice welcome bonus (for example, many airline cards offer 25,000, 40,000 and even up to 100,000 bonus miles). At the same time, make sure that the required spending level is achievable for you. If you can’t spend the $5,000 in 3 months to get the 40,000 miles, that is of no benefit to you. Pick the largest welcome gift for the least amount of spend. Then check and try to find a card with the lowest annual fee. Most cards will waive the annual fee for the first year. This is ONLY a good idea if you have decent credit and you pay off your bills in full and don’t carry a balance.

That welcome gift and the spending will get you a long way to your goals. But most travel hackers also “churn” their credit cards. Signing up for a card, keeping it through the welcome period and for a while beyond, and then cancelling. And then coming back and signing up for the same card again after a period of time. Each credit card has rules for “churning” and they may have a waiting period of 12 to 48 months before applying again. But in the meantime, there are other programs or credit cards. This is really pro-level travel hacking.

Manufacture spending to realize big rewards

Once you have your travel rewards credit card, you can earn massive amounts of miles/points through a process of “manufactured spending.” You can manufacture spending on your credit card and then get reimbursement for it. If you work for a company, see if they will let you use your personal card for business expenses and then you get reimbursed for it.

If you go out to dinner with a group, be the person who pays and then get cash from your friends. There are almost an unlimited number of options if you think creatively. The key is: manufacture spending on your credit card and while obtaining cash to pay it off.

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Travel hacking 101: A beginner’s guide to travel hacking like a pro

When I started travel hacking 11 years ago, it was an obscure “hobby” that few had heard about and most dismissed as a scam . Nowadays, seemingly everyone is doing it to some degree. Whether getting in on the latest credit card promotion or snagging a first-class seat for the price of coach, travel hacking has become more popular than ever.

It’s the easiest way to save on travel and improve your experience. Utilizing travel hacking methods, you can fast-track your way to top-tier elite status and earn frequent flyer miles without ever stepping on a plane.

There is endless information about maximizing every dollar (and mile) spent. But if you’re new to this “game” and just want a simple explanation of how it works, you’ve come to the right place.

Here is everything you need to know about getting started with travel hacking.

What is travel hacking?

Travel hacking involves earning frequent flyer miles or points through non-traditional methods and redeeming them for nearly-free travel.

The most common travel hacks include leveraging credit card welcome bonuses for premium cabin flights and taking advantage of sweet spots and generous routing rules to get the best deal on award flights.

How much are points and miles worth?

Points are worth 1-2 cents each, depending on the loyalty program and how you use them. You’ll generally get the highest value by redeeming points for premium cabin flights and luxury hotel stays. Some programs impose a fixed value on points, depending on the fare cost. For example, Southwest Rapid Rewards points are worth 1.3 cents towards Wanna Get Away fares.

The same goes for transferrable rewards. Most of them are worth at least one cent each towards direct travel bookings. For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards® are worth 1.25 cents each towards direct travel bookings for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  cardholders and 1.5 cents for those with a Chase Sapphire Reserve®  through Chase Travel℠.

The difference between points, miles, and rewards

Points, miles, and rewards are different types of loyalty currencies. There are exceptions, but airlines usually issue miles, while points come from hotel loyalty programs or bank rewards.

A good travel hacking strategy involves having a mix of all three currencies.

Transferable rewards

Thanks to their flexibility, transferable bank rewards are the gold standard of loyalty currency. You can transfer them to airline miles or hotel points, usually at a 1:1 ratio or better.

Examples of transferrable rewards include Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture Rewards miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and Citi ThankYou® points.

Airline miles

You might be wondering if it’s worth earning airline miles when you can just transfer your bank rewards points instead.

Well, you should earn airline miles from a co-branded airline credit card for several reasons. For starters, you can supplement welcome bonuses from airline cards with a bonus from a transferrable rewards card to reach your travel goals faster.

In addition, some airlines incentivize you to earn miles (through a co-branded credit card or otherwise). For example, American Airlines counts all co-branded credit card spending towards elite status. Meanwhile, Southwest Rapid Rewards issues the Companion Pass after you earn 125,000 points in a calendar year (which increases to 135,000 next year). Earning airline miles can pay off.

Hotel points

Hotel points can go a long way in reducing out-of-pocket travel expenses. You can earn hotel points from co-branded hotel credit cards, by shopping online, and even by participating in surveys. Hotel credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses, with perks like elite status and annual free nights.

Examples of hotel points you should consider earning include World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG One Rewards.

How to start travel hacking

Travel hacking is fun and rewarding but can also be a lot of work. There is a wealth of information about ways to earn and burn points for maximum value. But if you’re just learning and want to know the basics, here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started.

Step 1: Set a goal

Before you embark on your travel hacking journey, you’ll want to set a goal. Are you hoping to redeem miles for international travel ? Or perhaps you’re saving up for a family trip to Disneyland. Regardless of your goals, it’s important to identify them early on to determine which credit cards and loyalty programs will help you get there.

Step 2: Choose your rewards program(s)

Once you’ve determined your travel goals, it’s time to pick your loyalty programs. Start with your home airport; if you live in an airline hub city, that airline can be a good starting point. There’s no sense in earning Southwest points if you live in Alaska. You might be better off with the Alaska Mileage Plan program since the airline serves the region and offers domestic and international partners. You’ll have more opportunities to redeem miles, and if you fly the airline often enough, you’ll even earn elite status.

When choosing a loyalty program, keep partner airlines in mind. For example, if you’re saving up for a Hawaiian vacation and want to fly United, you should consider collecting Turkish Miles&Smiles instead. Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance member, like United, and offers domestic United flights for just 15,000 miles round-trip in economy. Exploring partner programs can help you save on award travel, stretching your miles further.

Choosing a hotel loyalty program might be easier. Think about which hotels you like when traveling and which elite benefits you care about. Most hotel loyalty programs let you earn top-tier status from credit cards alone, so think about which programs offer the best perks and properties in the destinations you like to travel to.

Here’s a look at every major hotel program’s global footprint to help you choose:

• Marriott Bonvoy: Over 8,000 properties in 139 countries
• Hilton Honors: Over 7,000 hotels in 122 countries
• Choice Privileges: Over 7,000 hotels in 40 countries
• IHG One Rewards: Over 6,000 properties worldwide
• Radisson Rewards: Over 1,700 hotels worldwide
• World of Hyatt: Over 1,150 hotels in 70 countries

While it’s good to identify at least one airline and hotel program, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. Try to collect at least one transferable rewards currency, so you’re not limited to only a few programs.

Transferrable rewards can also protect you against program devaluations — if one airline or hotel increases its redemption requirements, you can transfer your points to another.

Here are some of the most popular transferrable rewards programs:

• American Express Membership Rewards®
• Bilt Rewards
• Capital One Miles
• Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• Citi ThankYou® Rewards

Step 3: Choose a credit card

Once you’ve identified the loyalty program you want to earn points with (and incorporated at least one transferrable currency), it’s time to find a credit card.

When choosing a credit card, you should consider the following features:

Welcome bonus

A high welcome bonus will help you achieve your travel goals much faster. Some credit card bonuses are high enough to cover a round-trip international business class ticket. You’ll incur a 2-5 point credit score hit from every inquiry, so make it count. You should aim for a welcome bonus of at least 50,000 points, and plenty of cards meet that criteria.

Credit card application rules

Remember that some banks have strict application rules when applying for credit cards. For example, American Express limits welcome bonuses to one per lifetime. Meanwhile, Chase’s infamous 5/24 rule prevents you from being approved for a new card if you’ve had five or more in the last 24 months.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with these rules before applying for a card to avoid unnecessary rejection.

Travel perks

Many travel rewards cards come with valuable perks like elite status, airport lounge access, airline fee credits, and annual free nights. Think about which of these perks you’re likely to maximize every year. Doing so can help you choose the best credit card and figure out if the card is worth renewing every year.

Annual fees

Travel hacking can get expensive if you’re not careful about annual fees. Rewards credit card annual fees range from $89-$695. It’s easy to get tempted by a high welcome bonus, but annual fees can dent your travel budget if you’re not careful.

Before settling on a credit card, explore the lower or no-annual-fee version to see if it’s a better fit.

For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may seem appealing with its welcome bonus, but you’ll pay a lower annual fee with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .

Step 4: Other ways to earn points

Credit card welcome bonuses are the fastest way to earn points, but they’re not the only way. You can earn points from shopping portals, dining rewards programs, completing surveys, and more.

Shopping portals:

• American AAdvantage eShopping
• Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping
• Delta SkyMiles Shopping
• Free Spirit Online Mall
• Hilton Honors Shopping Mall
• JetBlue TrueBlue Shopping
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping
• United MileagePlus Shopping

Dining rewards programs:

• American AAdvantage Dining
• Alaska Mileage Plan Dining
• Delta SkyMiles Dining
• Free Spirit Dining
• Hilton Honors Dining
• IHG Rewards Club Dining
• JetBlue TrueBlue Dining
• Marriott Eat Around Town
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining
• United MileagePlus Dining

Airline companion passes

Airline companion passes are one of the best travel hacking tools to stretch your points further. Some passes are issued annually as a credit card benefit, while others have to be earned. In most cases, you can save 50% or more on airfare with a companion pass.

Here’s a look at companion passes you should consider adding to your travel hacking arsenal:

Alaska Airlines Famous Companion Fare

The Alaska Airlines Famous Companion Fare is a great travel hacking tool for west coast flyers. The pass is issued as part of the welcome bonus on the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card and reissued annually. Considering the Alaska card has a reasonable annual fee, this is a terrific benefit.

Simply book a companion on the same flight and pay just $99 (plus taxes and fees).

American AAdvantage

You can get an American Airlines Companion Certificate from one of four co-branded credit cards. The spending requirement ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 per year. Once you’ve secured the certificate, you can use it to cover a companion’s airfare for just $99 plus taxes and fees.

• Barclays Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard: Spend $20,000 in a year
• AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard: Spend $20,000 in a year
• AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard: Spend $30,000 in a year
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Spend $30,000 in a year

The American Airlines Companion Certificate is only valid on round-trip economy class tickets within the contiguous U.S. For Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Island residents, the pass is good for round-trip flights originating in those destinations.

British Airways Travel Together Ticket

The British Airways Travel Together Ticket is issued to British Airways Visa Signature® cardholders who spend $30,000 in a calendar year . This perk can take the sting out of high fuel surcharges imposed on British Airways award tickets transiting through London.

The Travel Together Ticket is valid in all cabins, including first class and international fares .

Delta Companion Passes

Delta has two companion passes: one is valid on economy class tickets only, while the one issued through the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card can be applied to first-class travel. You’ll pay just $80 for your companion’s ticket, which is a bargain — especially when using it for first-class flights.

Note that the Delta companion tickets are not valid on award flights or basic economy tickets.

Here’s a list of cards you can earn the companion pass with:

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Iberia airfare discount

Iberia offers a $1,000 airfare discount on two tickets booked on the same flight. You can earn it by spending $30,000 on the Iberia Visa Signature® Card per calendar year. It’s valid in all cabins, providing ultimate flexibility.

Southwest Companion Pass

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most popular travel hacking tools out there. You can get one after completing 100 segments or earning 125,000 Southwest points in a calendar year, though the requirement is increased to 135,000 points in 2023. However, points earned from the Southwest credit card welcome bonuses count towards the pass.

It only takes one business or one personal card welcome bonus to earn the Southwest Companion Pass:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card : Earn 50,000 points after you spend $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn 50,000 points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Earn 50,000 points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening

Redeeming points

You’ve accrued thousands of points and are ready to start booking your dream vacation. Now what? Redeeming points isn’t exactly easy, and that’s by design. Loyalty programs count on members not doing their due diligence to get as much out of their points and miles as possible.

While booking the first award that pops up in the search result is easy, that’s not the best way to stretch your points. Here are a few concepts you should familiarize yourself with to get the most out of your points:

Stopovers and open jaws

While a simple round-trip flight is great, you can stretch your points further by incorporating stopovers and open jaws into your flights.

A stopover is when you visit an additional destination on your way to your final destination or home. Several airline loyalty programs allow you to add a free stopover to award flights:

• Alaska Mileage Plan (free stopover on one-way awards)
• ANA Mileage Club ( one free stopover and one open-jaw on round-trip awards)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles ( up to four destinations per itinerary)
• Emirates Skywards (one free stopover per round-trip)
• Japan Airlines Mileage Bank ( three stopovers or two stopovers and one open-jaw )
• Singapore Krisflyer ( one stopover and one open-jaw per roundtrip flight )
• United MileagePlus (one free stopover within the same region per round-trip flight)

Open jaws are another great way to add a destination to your itinerary. An open jaw is when you return from a different destination than you flew into.

One example of an open-jaw ticket is if you fly from New York to London and then return home from Paris. Many people book this route with Avios because British Airways imposes hefty fuel surcharges on flights departing from London. Savvy travelers will take a train to Paris and fly back from Charles de Gaulle to save money.

But booking an open-jaw doesn’t have to be about saving money. It’s a great way to see multiple destinations on the same trip, especially in Europe, where connecting flights are relatively cheap. Here’s a list of loyalty programs that allow open jaws on round-trip award tickets:

Fourth and fifth night free

Some hotel programs offer free nights when you redeem points for consecutive nights at one property. These deals can help you save as much as 25% on an award stay. The most generous is IHG One, which offers a fourth night free to IHG Rewards Traveler, IHG Rewards Premier, and IHG Rewards Premier Business card members. Meanwhile, Marriott members and Hilton elites get the fifth night free on award stays.

These discounted award rates can help you save thousands of points and book extra free nights at no cost. Factor this into your award-booking strategy, and you’ll stretch your points further.

Take advantage of sweet spots

Sweet spots are awards that are significantly discounted compared to other loyalty programs. Both hotels and airlines have sweet spot awards that can help up your travel hacking game.

For example, Turkish Airlines offers round-trip economy class tickets between the mainland U.S. and Hawaii for just 15,000 miles. That’s what some loyalty programs charge for a one-way ticket, making this an excellent sweet spot award.

Travel hacking is all about finding ways to stretch your points further. You can do this with tactics like searching for generous credit card welcome bonuses, booking flights with stopovers and open jaws, taking advantage of hotel programs that offer free nights, and looking for airline sweet spots.

With a little bit of effort, you can travel hack your way to (nearly) free travel.

Happy travels!

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Travel Hacking 101: How to Travel for Cheap (or Free!)

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UPDATE : We updated this post in January 2024 with new links and all of the current sign-up bonuses for cards we recommend.

If you’re wondering how to get free flight tickets, read on for a little crash course we like to call Travel Hacking 101. We’ve been travel hacking for years now and have scored tons of free flights (and even a free iPhone!) in the process. We’ll show you some of the best travel hacking credit cards and help you get started.

But first, let us answer an important question…

What is Travel Hacking?

Travel hacking is a way to earn free flights, hotel stays, and more. The best way to become a travel hacker is by signing up for airline and hotel credit cards. Before we go on, it’s important to state this loud and clear:

DO NOT SIGN UP FOR A CREDIT CARD IF YOU CAN’T PAY IT OFF IN FULL!

Travel hacking credit cards are great if you can pay them off, but they’re terrible if you can’t. Getting points and even free flights is not worth it if you end up paying a ton in interest and/or late fees.

We only recommend you continue with this Travel Hacking 101 post if you can responsibly use credit cards. For the record, we have never missed a payment or paid interest fees, and we don’t want you to, either!

We should also add that this is a perfectly legal and normal practice.

Now that we’ve got that out of the way, let’s get back to the exciting stuff, like how to get a free flight or hotel stay.

Basically, travel hacking is a system where you apply for credit cards to take advantage of generous sign-up bonuses. Banks want you to get their credit cards, so they partner with airlines and hotels to offer rewards programs.

Watch the Video

How Travel Hacking Works

Generally speaking, this is how it works – you sign up for a credit card and you have to spend X amount of dollars in a certain amount of time. Most travel hacking credit cards give you three months to do this. Once you’ve crossed that threshold, you’ll be rewarded handsomely with thousands of points.

With those points, you can book flights or hotel stays. Voila – that’s Travel Hacking 101 at its simplest!

But wait – there’s more!

Most travel hacking credit cards come with lots of other perks. For airlines, this usually means free checked bags, priority boarding, and discounts on in-flight food & beverages. Some of the better cards even come with passes for airport lounges.

Hello, free Bloody Marys!

Hotel cards may reward you with early check-in or upgraded rooms. Just another perk of travel hacking!

If you’re wondering why banks would just give away tons of points like that, there are a few reasons. Many people don’t pay their bills off in full, thus incurring interest charges. Once again, don’t do this !

In addition, a vast majority of these travel hacking credit cards have an annual fee. This typically ranges from somewhere around $70 up to $500 for some of the super fancy cards. It’s not like the banks aren’t getting anything out of the deal. That being said, these fees are usually waived in the first year of your card membership.

The thing with sign-up bonuses is that you can only earn them once for most cards. That’s why we do a thing called churning where we get a different card every year or so.

Once we’ve gotten a sign-up bonus, we typically cancel that card before the annual fee comes due. That is of course unless it’s worth it to keep the card.

One of our top travel hacking 101 tips is to find a travel card that’s worth hanging onto. For us, that’s the Chase Sapphire . We’ll have more on that in a bit, so hang tight.

Travel Hacking 101: How to Get Free Flights

Our Travel Hacking 101 post is focused on how to get free flights, as that’s our top priority when travel hacking. We much prefer Airbnb to hotels these days, since we travel as digital nomads .

We like having our own kitchen and living space, so we don’t currently have any travel hacking credit cards for hotels. We’ll still list some of the most popular ones for you later in the post, though, because we’re awesome like that.

So you want to find out how to get free flight tickets?

Well, first of all, think about which airline is the best for you. This depends on your home airport and the places you want to travel to.

I’m from Detroit, which is a pretty big hub for all the major US airlines, but especially so for Delta. If I were still living in Motown, a Delta credit card would be a great choice.

As a matter of fact, the first time I dabbled in travel hacking was with a Delta American Express card. After earning the sign-up bonus, I was able to score a free non-stop flight from Beijing to Detroit when we were teaching English in China . It saved me a ton of money and got me home for Christmas.

For the past few years, we’ve been using Puerto Vallarta as our home base for half of the year. That’s why we’ve been loving the Southwest Rapid Rewards card, as we can get to and from Puerto Vallarta with them.

Once you’ve figured that out, you’ll want to check the current promotions for airline credit cards. Sometimes they offer bigger than normal sign-up bonuses, so you definitely want to take advantage of those whenever possible.

You will need to spend a certain amount of money in a set period of time, but you don’t want to be frivolous. Only sign up for travel hacking credit cards if you can meet the minimum spend with necessary purchases and pay them off in full.

For example, I needed a new computer last year and also wanted a new drone. I made sure to sign up for new cards before making those purchases, and also made sure I had saved enough money to cover them.

After a trip to the Apple store and an online DJI order, I found myself with 150,000 Southwest points plus the companion pass, meaning Rachel flies for basically free (just taxes and fees) for the entire year. Now that’s a Travel Hacking 101 success story!

The Best Travel Hacking Credit Cards

We have lots of experience with points hacking, as we’ve been doing this for several years now. In that time, we’ve cycled through plenty of travel hacking credit cards. Here are our top choices based on our experience:

Chase Sapphire Preferred

In our humble opinion, this is hands down the best card for travel hacking. It’s so good that we’ve kept it for several years and happily pay the annual fee, which is $95.

At the moment, they are running a pretty great offer. You can earn 60,000 points by spending $4,000 in the first three months. That’s worth a whopping $750 towards travel!

A few years ago, we both signed up for this card when we headed to South America for a big trip. We both earned the sign-up bonus, which I believe was 50,000 points at the time.

My points got us round-trip flights from mainland Ecuador to the Galapagos Islands and then one-way tickets from Lima to New Orleans. Rachel’s points helped us fill in the gaps with other flights around the continent. Between the two of us, we probably scored $2,000 worth of free flights!

Just by using the card regularly, we book at least one free flight a year. That’s because you get 2 points per $1 spent on both dining and travel, two things we spend quite a bit on.

We redeem our points for travel most of the time, and Chase has their own system that’s very easy to use. You end up getting the most bang for your buck by using points for airline tickets. That’s our best advice for how to get free flight tickets without pigeonholing yourself to one airline.

They also run promotions from time to time with other merchants. Last year points were worth 25% more with Apple. Since travel was on hold, I cashed in my stash of points for a brand new iPhone SE 2nd generation. Travel Hacking 101 FTW!

Just to reiterate, this is the best offer Chase has ever had. We highly recommend you start your travel hacking journey with this card. It’s the only card we’ve kept for several years and is by far our top choice.

Get 60,000 Chase Points!

Southwest Rapid Rewards

We’ve used just about all of the airline credit cards for points hacking over the years, and Southwest is far and away our favorite. They’re just the best airline in the US if you ask us, as they always offer two free checked bags and always have excellent deals.

They have several different options when it comes to their credit cards, so here’s a quick rundown, starting with their personal cards:

• Plus : $69 annual fee, 3,000 anniversary points, 3% foreign transaction fee
• Premier : $99 annual fee, 6,000 anniversary points, no foreign transaction fee
• Priority : $149 annual fee, 7,500 anniversary points, no foreign transaction fee, $75 travel credit, 4 upgraded bookings

We started out with the Plus card, but recently upgraded to the Priority. It’s a no-brainer, really – the $75 travel credit basically covers the difference in cost. You also get 4,500 more anniversary points and the upgraded bookings. Plus, there’s no foreign transaction fee.

At the moment (June 2024), you can earn 85,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months with any of these cards. This is one of the most generous sign-up bonuses we’ve seen in years, so we highly recommend adding this to your wallet!

Get 85,000 Southwest Points!

If you’re like us and you have a business, it’s definitely worth looking into the options for their biz cards. There are two to choose from:

• Premier : $99 annual fee, 6,000 anniversary points, no foreign transaction fees
• Performance : $199 annual fee, 9,000 anniversary points, no foreign transaction fees, four upgraded boardings and more

For both of these business cards, you can net a whopping 80,000 if you spend $5,000 in the first three months.

You’ll also get 3 points per $1 for Southwest purchases and can get a credit to use towards TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry. That’s a great perk for anyone who often travels internationally, as we do.

We use the Premier card for our business and are just fine with that. Using both a personal and a business card from Southwest is our top tip for Travel Hacking 101 if you can. I got both cards a few years ago and earned the companion pass as a result.

When you get the Southwest companion pass, you can choose a companion who flies with you for basically nothing. On domestic flights, I pay $5.60 to add Rachel to my itinerary.

You get the companion pass for the remainder of the year that you earned it in plus the entire next year. Even though we stayed put in PV for eight months, we’re still going to rack up about 15 free flights with it.

I used points for my flights and added Rachel for pennies on the dollar. We saved at least $2,500 that year as a result. We also did the whole fall Phish tour 2021 as a result and got Rachel to #100!

Capital One Venture X

Updated January 2024 : This is the newest card in our travel hacking arsenal, and we’re already loving it! We were looking for a new card to help us rack up some points to get home from South America, and this one gets great reviews and has some amazing perks.

At the moment, the Venture X card has a sign-up bonus of 75,000 points after spending $4,000 in 3 months. This is higher than the usual minimum spend, but it’s the holiday season and we’ve got a 3-month trip on the horizon so we’re not concerned with meeting it.

We used that sign-up bonus to book Santiago to Mexico City with an overnight layover in Panama City, and we still had some points leftover to use for a quick domestic flight in Mexico to PV.

The annual fee is a bit steep at $395, but this card has a $300 travel credit. We made sure to use every dollar of that on flights and hotels, so in reality the annual fee is only $95.

In addition, it comes with access to the shiny new Capital One lounges. We’ve hit their flagship lounge in the Dallas airport twice and love it! They also have new lounges in Denver and DC with Vegas on the way.

While they are working on opening their own lounges, this card also comes with both the Priority Pass and Plaza Premium Lounge. This gets you access to around 1,400 lounges around the world!

There are lots of other perks with this card, such as cell phone protection and $100 credit towards TSA Pre-Check or Global Entry. We finally plan to sign up for that now that we both have a card with a discount.

Last but not least, Capital One card holders get pre-sale access to lots of different events. Hopefully, this helps us score some tickets to an in-demand show. We’ll report back if it does!

Get 75,000 Capital One P oints!

Chase Ink Business

For business owners out there, we also highly recommend adding the Chase Ink card to your arsenal. We picked it up a few years ago so we could have a cash-back business card with no annual fee.

There are two standard options for an Ink Biz account, both of which come at no cost. The only difference is the cashback – one has unlimited 1.5% cashback while the other offers 5% on select categories (office supply stores, internet/cable/phone). We went with the former as we don’t have internet or phone accounts for our business.

Both cards currently offer a $750 cashback bonus after spending $6,00 in the first three months. We’re pretty happy with our Chase Ink Business Unlimited card so far and plan to hang onto it.

Get $750 Cash Back!

Note: We are current cardholders of all of these Chase cards and will receive a points bonus if you sign up through our link. You still get the same promotion as you would otherwise and are really helping us out if you apply with our links. We do not have affiliate links for any of the other cards listed in this post.

American Airlines Advantage

If you fly with American Airlines often, it’s definitely worth it to pick up one of their cards. We grabbed their CitiBusiness Platinum Select card a few years ago and have held onto it mainly because they fly into Tri-Cities, the small regional airport nearest Rachel’s hometown.

The annual fee for that card is $99, but it’s waived in the first year. Their current promo is 65,000 points for spending $4,000 in the first four months.

We got their sign-up bonus two years ago and used the miles we got as a result. We’ve mostly used them to get between Johnson City and Detroit/Chicago and also got our flights from Denver back to Puerto Vallarta .

If you’re just looking for a personal card, you can earn 50,000 points after spending just $2,500 in three months with their Platinum Select Card. The fine print is the same as the business card and both give you free checked bags on domestic flights for up to four companions.

With checked bags costing $30 per person these days, you’ll get your money’s worth in the 2nd year just by taking two one-way flights.

For travel hacking beginners and those not planning on making any big purchases in the next few months, their MileUp Mastercard is a solid choice. You’ll get 10,000 points and a $50 statement credit after spending just $500 in three months.

On the flip side, those with a bit more cash to burn can check out their Executive World Elite Mastercard. The annual fee is a bit steep at $450, but it gets you an Admiral Club membership in the process. That gives you access to over 50 airport lounges around the world, which is an awesome perk of Travel Hacking 101.

UPDATE : We canceled the AA business card and I applied for a new personal one last summer. It helped knock $200 off our flight to get us to the Midwest for Summer Camp and gave us free bags.

I also got 40,000 points and used them plus another 4,000 I earned from regular spending to book flights from Asheville to Buenos Aires (!!!). This flight usually costs around $700 per person, so it’s an incredible deal.

United Explorer

We don’t fly United much these days, but we’ve had great experiences with points hacking with their cards. A few years ago, we both picked up their Explorer card before our epic South America trip .

A quick search of flights will show you that it is quite expensive to jet-set around the continent. Since you can redeem United points for any airline in the Star Alliance network, we managed to save a boatload of money.

We used my points to book flights from Medellin to Quito and then Guayaquil to Lima. A few months later, we used Rachel’s to get us from Santiago up to Brazil for Carnaval and then back from Iguazu Falls. There’s no way we could have pulled that trip off if we had bought those tickets ourselves.

Their current promotion is 30,000 after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months for their stater Gateway card. This card has no annual fee at all, so you don’t need to worry about canceling it.

For the Explorer card that we recommend, it’s 60,000 points for spending $3,000 in the first three months. You also get an additional 10,000 points if you spend $6,000 in 6 months. The annual fee is waived the first year and goes up to $95 for year two.

You also get free checked bags for you and a companion as well as two United Club passes to use per year. Those really came in handy for us on a couple of long trips. Layovers ain’t so bad with free champagne! Travel Hacking 101 wins again.

As with all the other major airlines, United has several options for both personal and business credit cards. Just click here to learn more.

UPDATE : As it had been a few years since we had this card, we were eligible for a bonus again. I once again got the Explorer card when I had to book an emergency flight from Asheville back home to Detroit.

I saved $250 on the flight with an instant statement credit and earned 35,000 points after spending $2,000 in 3 months. We also got free checked bags on our Europe trip and cashed in our lounge passes during a 6-hour layover on the way to Lisbon. Score!

Get 60,000 United Points!

Delta SkyMiles

As I mentioned earlier, we had some success with travel hacking with Delta a few years ago. It was actually our first experience, and to be honest it wasn’t the best one. I had a very difficult time cashing in my points to get that flight from Beijing to Detroit and they were not exactly pleasant to deal with.

A few months later, Rachel also signed up for their card and spent enough to earn the sign-up bonus. They denied it to her because she had apparently applied for one of their cards many years earlier, although she never got it or used it.

They offered her the sign-up bonus when she applied for the card and then denied it to her after she spent thousands of dollars on their card. Based on this terrible experience, we do not personally recommend using a Delta credit card and we avoid flying with them.

That being said, we realize they are a major airline and are still the best option for many people, especially for those in Atlanta, Detroit, or other hub cities. They do have several options for travel hacking credit cards. Just click here to explore them all.

Other Airlines

Just about every single airline has some sort of rewards credit card. This includes budget airlines like Spirit and Frontier. We had the Spirit credit card for a year, just because the bonus was a $200 credit on a flight and they were our best bet to get home from Phish Halloween one year.

It was great saving $200 on a flight, but that card was a waste of time. The sign-up bonus wasn’t enough to get even a one-way domestic flight, and you still have to pay for bags on this no-frills airline.

We would advise sticking to the major airlines or just using a general travel card like the aforementioned Chase Sapphire Preferred .

Best Travel Hacking Credit Cards for Hotels

As I mentioned earlier, we don’t stay in hotels very often. We usually opt for an Airbnb so we can more comfortably work online. Once in a while, we’ll stay in hostels as we enjoy the social atmosphere of them.

We realize that most people quite enjoy staying in hotels and thus wanted to share some of the best travel hacking credit cards for hotels:

• Hilton Honors
• World of Hyatt
• IHG Rewards
• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless
• Hotels.com Rewards Visa

Since it’s not really in our wheelhouse, we recommend reading up on the best hotel cards in this post from the Points Guy.

Final Thoughts on Travel Hacking

Well there you have it, folks – you’ve made it through our Travel Hacking 101 post! I hope you’ve learned something and are ready to start flying for free. Here are just a few final thoughts on travel hacking…

If you’re just starting out, we highly recommend going with the Chase Sap phire Preferred card. We’ve had it for almost 5 years now and we’ve found that the $95 annual fee more than pays for itself. We book at least one free flight a year with it, sometimes more.

Don’t go racking up a massive charge on a new travel hacking credit card at first unless it’s necessary. You can use the card for everyday purchases throughout the three months and can earn the sign-up bonus that way.

See if you can transfer any automated payments to your new card while you’re working towards a sign-up bonus. And just be sure to keep track of the account from the day it opens to make sure you don’t miss the cutoff.

Some people apply for multiple credit cards at once and spend a ton of money in a few months to get a ton of points. We can’t really employ that strategy, so we tend to get one new card each year.

You also have to be mindful of rules, such as the 5/24 rule with Chase. They will not approve you for a card if you’ve opened five or more accounts in the last 24 months with any issuer.

After you’ve earned the Chase Sapphire Preferred bonus, you’ll have $750 worth of points to use towards travel.

How awesome is that?! Go ahead and book a dream trip somewhere like Thailand and enjoy the fruits of your labor.

Next, we’d recommend picking one of the major airline cards that work best for you. We are partial to Southwest but it all depends on your location and where you want to travel to.

If you have a business and can meet the minimum spend amounts on both a personal and a business Southwest card, you may be able to earn their companion pass. It’s like the golden ticket of traveling and is such a great thing to have.

Whatever card(s) you get, make sure you sign up for every frequent flyer and loyalty program you can. Then use Award Wallet to keep track of all your points so you don’t let any of them expire.

Also, make sure you take note of when your account will renew. Many cards waive the annual fee for the first year, so you’ll want to know when the due date is coming up to decide if you want to keep it or not. Many times we’ve called to cancel a card and have been offered to keep it for free or half the advertised rate, so that’s worth a try.

If you have any questions about travel hacking and how to get free flights, just leave a comment or send us a message. We want to help you travel the world and pay less for it!

Thanks for reading, and happy travels!

What’s your dream travel destination? Let us know in the comments, then start travel hacking to get you there!

About the author.

Sasha Savinov

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2 thoughts on “travel hacking 101: how to travel for cheap (or free)”.

Sasha! Love the Travel Hacking 101. Thanks thanks thanks for putting it together and sharing same. I’ll have to read it 2-3 more times to actually get it straight in my head, but that’s fine. Since I plan to fly around Mexico and Costa Rica in the next few months, and also convert a van to a camper/photography van, for which I have already banked the funds, I think most likely the Chase Sapphire Preferred card is in my future, as is the new MacBook Pro, which is also funded, so am I correct in thinking I’ll pay for these things with the CARD, get the bonuses, then pay off the CARD immediately?

Hey Bruce! Thanks so much for the kind words. Glad you enjoyed the post. It can be a bit confusing at first but you get the hang of it. We’re always on the hunt for a new card, especially when we have big expenses or travel coming up. I actually just saved $250 on a flight home to Detroit and got 35,000 United points by doing some more travel hacking! The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is definitely the way to go to get started. I need to update the links in the post but here’s my current one: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/6/L3362GOTCS … At the moment, the deal is 60,000 points after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. Seems like you will hit that almost immediately with your plans and you’ll be ready to pay it right off. Then you’ll get those points in your account and they’ll go a long way – about $750 towards travel. So basically you spend 4k and get $750 back just because! Drop us a line if you have any other questions and best of luck in your travel hacking journey!

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Travel Hacking: The Complete Beginner’s Guide

Travel hacking is something that you have probably heard of, but there’s a good chance that you don’t fully understand what it is or how it works.

The word ‘hacking’ tends to imply some sort of shady activity, but the truth is that travel hacking – just like gym hacking – is about taking advantage of certain bonuses, offers and incentives to save yourself money.

Not only is it completely legal, but it is actually encouraged. A big part of travel hacking is earning miles, reward points, and statuses to exchange for free flights and accommodation. Banks purchase millions of miles and points in bulk from airlines and hotels so that they can distribute them as signup bonuses and ongoing incentives for their new customers. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

These incentives – along with some other simple ‘hacks’ – make it possible to take big trips on a small budget, explore parts of the world that you’ve only dreamed about, and travel more often without each trip costing you a small fortune.

There are hardcore travel hackers who dedicate their lives to this stuff. They’re willing to take multiple flights to earn certain bonuses, plan trips based on which route will earn them the most miles, and spend hours reading the fine print in hopes of finding a loophole. While that stuff works, it’s completely up to you how far you take it, and in the end it all comes down to how hard you are willing to work for a bargain.

For me, travel hacking is about minimising the costs of travel so I can travel further, and more often. On my last big trip, I used some of the hacks in this guide – like WWOOFing and RTW tickets (more on these later) – to significantly reduce the cost of 6 months travel in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. If I hadn’t, my dream trip wouldn’t have been possible.

This guide is an introduction to travel hacking, so if you’re already a black-belt travel hacking ninja, it probably won’t be much use to you. But for everybody else, it covers the basics and is a resource you can come back to time and time again.

How To Get Free Flights & Accommodation

How to find cheap flights, round-the-world tickets.

The cornerstone of travel hacking is to maintain multiple accounts of Frequent Flyer miles and points. As your balances build up over time, you’ll be able to redeem the miles and points for valuable rewards all over the world.

The simplest way of getting starting is by signing up for a Frequent Flyer program with your favourite airline, and a loyalty program with a hotel chain of your choice. Most major brands offer some sort of loyalty scheme to keep you as a customer, but the catch is that you only get upgrades and benefits when using that brand. There’s nothing to stop you signing up to multiple loyalty schemes though, and if you’re serious about travel hacking this is something you should do. You can view a list of the top loyalty programs on The Points Guy’s website .

If you do decide to sign up for multiple loyalty programs, then use a service such AwardWallet or TripIt to track all of your points.

If you frequently travel with the same airline or use the same hotels, then joining their free rewards program is a no-brainer. But many of these programs have become less valuable in the last few years due to airline mergers, flight cutbacks, and just general program changes.

Today, the single best way to earn large amounts of miles and points that you can use with multiple airlines and hotels is through credit cards. Just one credit card can be enough to earn a free flight, but in my opinion, you should only consider this as an option if you know you can do the two following things:

1. Pay your credit card bill in full every month.

I’m not a financial advisor, but it is absolutely crucial that you only take on new credit cards if you have the ability to pay your bill in full monthly, and no existing credit card debt.

If you’re new to this, you should start conservatively. Earn a free flight or two and make sure you can handle the responsibility of an extra credit card. After that you can step up your game. After all, what’s the point of earning free flights if you don’t have any spending money!

2. Meet the minimum spend requirements to earn the points.

When you sign up for a travel rewards credit card you must meet their minimum spend requirements in order to earn the points bonus. There is absolutely no point in signing up for one if you can’t reach the minimum spend.

The minimum spend can be anything up to $5000 in the first 3 months.

That sounds like a lot of money, but the idea here is that you charge things to it that you already pay for. Rather than going out and buying a new TV that you don’t need, use it to pay your bills and for other big purchases that you would have made anyway.

The bonuses and minimum spends vary from card to card, and are generally much better in the US than they are anywhere else in the world. That said, there are still some great opportunities for those outside of the US, too. Some long-standing favorites are listed below:

In addition to the initial signing-up bonus, these cards come with incentives to keep using them. For example, the Barclays Arrival Plus gives you 2x miles for every dollar you spend. That means if you spend $2000, you’ll get 4000 miles to redeem.

You’re probably wondering what these points actually entitle you to.

Well, it actually depends on how you spend them. Here are a few examples:

• Domestic Economy Airfare: $250 Required Miles: 25,000 ($0.01 point value) Not usually the best use of your miles.
• International Short Haul Economy Airfare: $750 Miles: 35,000 ($0.02 point value) Good value.
• International Long Haul Business Class Airfare: $4,500 Miles: 80,000 ($0.05 point value) Great value.

To get the most value out of your points you should redeem them for high-value experiences. International, premium cabin redemptions are usually the best use of miles.

If you’re not ready to sign up for a credit card, then you can still save money on flights by taking the time to do some research before you book anything.

If you’re planning on taking a longer trip and visiting multiple destinations, you would probably be better off with a round-the-world ticket (which I’ll cover later), but if you’re going to take a short trip, or you only plan on going to a single destination, this first method is perfect:

Step 1: Use Skyscanner as your baseline

There are a lot of great tools out there that are designed to find cheap flights, but my personal favorites are Skyscanner , Kayak and Momondo . Websites like these search for prices from multiple airlines so you can be sure that you’re getting the best deal.

Out of the three of them, Skyscanner makes the best starting point because it offers the most flexibility, which is the key to finding cheap flights.

We can search for flights on any given, day, week, month or even year, and from multiple airports as opposed to just one. The more flexible you are with your search, the more likely you are to find a great deal.

As an example, let’s say that I want to fly from the UK to New York next year. I can get to almost any airport in the UK without too much difficulty, so I’ll search from ‘all airports’, and I don’t mind when I go so I’ll set the departure date to ‘whole year’:

Here are the results:

Woah! A flight with Norwegian airlines for $250/£155! That’s a serious bargain, but before we get too excited we need to see the dates flights at that price are available:

According to Skyscanner , there’s a flight on Saturday the 31st of January 2015 for $242/£150 (cheaper still!), but let’s say I don’t want to go to New York in January because it’s too cold:

Using the little arrow keys either side of the month, I’ve found a a flight in May (a great time to visit New York) for $291/£180. That’s still a great price. Click on the date you want to fly, and then ‘show flights’ for more details:

Step 2: Crosscheck that price with Kayak and Momondo

We’ve managed to find an amazing deal using Skyscanner in this case, but it’s still worth checking other sites to make sure we are really getting the best deal. My gut feeling is that we won’t be able to beat this, but for flights in other instances you might be able to. Two other sites that might be worth checking are Mobissimo and Vayama.

Here are the results from Kayak :

And Momondo :

So although the price showed up as a few dollars more on Kayak, we can see that this flight with Norwegian is definitely the best deal. We even got an economy rating of 10 and a smiley face on Momondo!

Step 3: Head to the cheapest airline site to confirm the price

The last thing to do is to head over the airline’s – in this case Norweigan’s – own website to confirm the price. Instead of clicking through from one of these search aggregators, head to the airlines website directly or through Google. Sometimes airlines price tickets less on their own websites than they do on aggregators as a way of enticing people to book directly.

One thing that is worth doing is checking the price on the company’s foreign websites. Sometimes the price can be totally different, or you might be able to take advantage of a difference in exchange rates. In the above example I am viewing Norwegian’s UK site, and the example below I am viewing the price on their US site:

When converted back to GBP, $306 works out to £190, which means that booking the same flight from the US site would cost you extra. Although the saving in this example isn’t huge, it is always worth checking an airline’s foreign sites.

The last thing to mention is baggage fees. These ‘LowFare’ Norwegian flights charge extra for baggage, so if you’re going to need to check in bags just make sure that you factor that into the cost of the flight.

In the example above I’ve found a cheap one-way ticket, but you can also use this same process to find a great deal on return tickets too. Skyscanner, Kayak, and Momondo all support return flights – just select that option before beginning your search.

But what if you don’t want to book a one-way ticket or return flight? What if you want to keep traveling from one destination to another?

Round-the-world (RTW) tickets are commonly used by people who want to fly from one destination to another as part of a big trip.

They involve quite a big upfront cost, but can save you a huge amount of money overall – especially if you pick one of the more popular routes. Last year I used a RTW ticket to fly from London > Dubai > Bangkok > overland to Singapore > Sydney > overland to Melbourne > Christchurch > overland to Auckland > Dubai > London for a total cost £1200 (around $2000). A good deal when you consider the individual prices of those flights.

Most RTW tickets are actually airline alliance passes. An ‘airline alliance’ is a partnership in which airlines share seats on planes, passengers, and elite status benefits. The two largest airline alliances are Star Alliance and Oneworld . Their free planners enable you map out a route and see the cost. It takes a bit of time to get used to the tools, but a well-optimised ticket can provide value far beyond what it would cost to otherwise buy round-trip tickets.

One of the main benefits of using a RTW ticket is that, within a window of one year, you can change the dates and times of your flights at no extra charge so long as you don’t change the destinations. If you have a flight from Bangkok to Los Angeles you want to change, you can change the date and time without a fee. However, if you decide to fly from Bangkok to San Francisco instead then you have to pay a fee that is usually around £100/$125.

It’s important to note that these alliances don’t include budget airlines. A budget airline is an airline that usually offers fewer amenities (think: cattle class) and cheaper fares than the bigger airlines. Some budget airlines include:

• Ryanair (Europe)
• Easyjet (Europe)
• Southwest (US)
• Spirit (US)
• Air Asia (Asia)
• Tiger (Asia/Australia)
• Jetstar (Australia)

Another option, and my personal preference, is to get a RTW ticket through a specialist travel agent. This isn’t quite the same as getting one through an alliance. Instead, these travel agencies string together a series of one-way tickets to essentially create a DIY RTW ticket. Due to the fact that travel agencies incorporate budget airlines into their itineraries it can often work out cheaper, and of course they take away the stress by doing all the planning for you.

I booked my trip through Travel Nation (who I highly recommend to British travellers), but for those outside of the UK, I have heard a lot of good things AirTreks . STA are one of the bigger travel agents that specialise in RTW trips, but they seem to be more expensive than the others.

How To Find Cheap Accommodation

After flights, accommodation is usually the next big expense when it comes to travel. No matter what you look for in accommodation, one thing almost everyone has in common is that no one wants to pay a fortune for it. Luckily, there are a number of ways travellers can find a decent place to stay without forking over their entire vacation fund :

AirBNB is a service that allows people to rent out their rooms, apartments, or spaces for short-term stays.

You could end up staying in anything from a tiny bedroom to a castle, or even a private island. As a group of four, we rented a house in Sydney over New Year’s Eve through AirBNB for $25AUD each per night. To stay in a hostel over that period would have cost around $55 AUD a night (minimum), and that’s assuming there would have been availability.

Despite recently re-branding and settling on a really weird logo (I won’t say what it looks like!), AirBNB is still my favorite method of finding accommodation when I travel.

Get $25 to spend on your first rental through this link.

People tend to think that hostels are just meant for young people who want to party, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The majority have dorm rooms that are perfect for backpackers and other budget travellers (costing just a few dollars a night), but they also have private rooms designed for solo travellers and couples. I’ve met people from all walks of life in hostels, and even people in their 50s and 60s. They’re not just for 20 year olds!

As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. If you choose the cheapest hostel in the city, then you can’t expect the best amenities. But if you pay a little bit extra, then you will often find that hostels can be just as good – if not better – than hotels.

My favorite hostel booking website is Hostelworld .

‘WWOOF’ stands for ‘Willing Workers On Organic Farms’. You can work on farms in over 99 countries, and in exchange your hosts provide you with food and accommodation. You can read about my experiences, and find out how to give it a go, here.

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is similar to AirBNB in so far as private parties open their places to travellers seeking short-term accommodation. The major difference, however, is that Couchsurfing is totally free.

The idea behind Couchsurfing is that people can score somewhere free to stay, while connecting with travellers from all over the globe. So rather than having the place to yourself, you’ll be sharing it with the owner. It’s as much about meeting people and making friends as it is about having a roof over you head. If you’re on a tight schedule and only have a couple of nights in a location, this could really limit the amount you get to see.

When All Else Fails…

It’s not much of a ‘hack’ – given that pretty much everyone already knows about it – but when none of the above are working out for you, jump on TripAdvisor .

The fact is that there is more accommodation listed on TripAdvisor than there is anywhere else. This is great for us, because it means there’s more competition which drives the prices down, and of course you can see reviews left by other people.

When we were travelling in SE Asia there were a couple of occasions where we couldn’t find any hotels, hostels or other places to stay that were quite what we were looking for. The best example of TripAdvisor really paying off for us was in Phu Quoc (a tiny Vietnamese island just off the coast of Cambodia). We managed to find some amazing bungalows right on the beach for just $25 a night for 2 people (the place was called Phuong Binh House just in case you were wondering) and we couldn’t have been happier – this actually ended up being one of our favorite parts of the entire trip.

Phuong Binh House in Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Although we managed to great deal on that occasion, there will be times when you simply can’t find what you’re looking for. When that happens, consider splashing out and staying in a more luxurious hotel. In all likelihood you will be able to find some great budget accommodation in most other locations, so just think of it as a one-off.

Where Can I Go For More Information?

Undoubtedly the biggest expenses of any trip are the flights and accommodation. My hope is that you’ll be able to use the advice above to travel further and for longer, but this is really just a primer on travel hacking.

If you’re looking for more information and advice from people who dedicate their lives to this stuff, I highly recommend the blogs of these two travel hacking veterans:

• Nomadic Matt – Matt has been travelling around the world since 2005 and runs the most popular travel blog on the internet.
• Chris Guilleabeau – Chris has visited every country in the world and has a number of books and services to help with travel hacking, along with some great articles on his blog.

There’s a tonne of information on their websites and hopefully you will be able to pick up some great tips, but don’t get lost in the details – after all, miles are meant to be spent on life-changing experiences outside your comfort zone.

Happy travels!

Lot’s of good information. I travel a lot as well mostly to developing countries and have used many of your suggestions including RTW, but was not familiar many as well so very helpful. I find agoda.com good for locating hotels around the world and Bootsnall.com as good source of “indie” travel.

Glad you found it useful Steve 🙂

Agoda’s a site I really like, but somehow forgot to include it here! Not seen boots n all before – going to check that out now. Thanks for the tip!

Sincerely speaking, i always thought i could never find a legitimate hacker until a friend introduced me to this Russian hacker who helped hack into my ex husbands facebook, whatsapp,bank account and sms under 48hours.He is a professional who also track calls,changing school grades,clearing online records(bad driving and criminal records) to mention a few. This is for those who really need help. contact smith on his email [email protected] Thank me later.

One of the best travel hacks posts I’ve read in a long time. Thanks for sharing!

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How to Travel Hack: Travel Hacking 101

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read  full disclosure  for more information.

You might have heard of people “hacking” their way to free business-class flights or swanky hotel stays—and you might have thought it sounded too good to be true. But travel hacking is a legitimate (and fun) hobby that can save you serious money on everything from luxurious beach getaways to backcountry road trips. 

Travel hacking can seem daunting at first, but the good news is you can make it as simple or complex as you want. In this guide to travel hacking for beginners, we’ll cover the basics of how to travel hack your way to free trips.

Table of Contents

The Basics of Travel Hacking

There are two basic tenets to becoming a travel hacker. No matter how detailed you want to go, whether you just want to give it a whirl or you’re hoping to become a Jedi Grandmaster Yoda-level hacker, it all boils down to this:

• Earning the most points and miles possible, and
• Finding creative ways to redeem your points and miles to get the most value out of them.

FREE TRAVEL QUIZ

Step 1: Earning Points and Miles

The best place to get started travel hacking is learning how to maximize the points you earn. The faster you rack up points, the sooner you’ll have enough for your dream vacation. Here are some of the simplest ways to accrue points as you learn how to travel hack.

The obvious way to earn points and miles is by traveling. Airlines, hotels, and rental car companies all have membership programs to encourage you to stay loyal to them, so every time you fly or spend the night, you get points.

This doesn’t mean you need to go signing up for a hundred accounts as soon as you start travel hacking. But every time you fly a new airline or stay in a new hotel chain, be sure to join their program so you can score those points. This is an important lesson for travel hacking beginners: Never leave points on the table!

Feeling overwhelmed already? I was too, even when I used to only fly one airline—because I could never remember my login info. Once I started travel hacking and got a few frequent flyer numbers, I made a spreadsheet to keep track of my login info. It’s made the whole process so much easier.

Airlines and hotels often run promotions, like “Book a flight in the next two months and get 5,000 bonus points” or “Stay two nights and earn double points.” These can be very useful to travel hackers. 

You usually have to register for promotions, which just means clicking a button. It’s helpful to log in to your loyalty accounts every couple of months to register for any promotions that have popped up, in case you end up booking something in the near future.

Last February I booked seven nights at a Hyatt in Maui using points. It totally slipped my mind that I had already registered for their 2022 New Year promotion. After my trip, I was surprised to find 2,022 bonus points for every two nights deposited in my account, which amounted to over 6,000 free points—for a stay that didn’t cost me a penny.

Dining Portals

Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need to be on the road (or in an airport) every weekend to score serious points and miles. That’s because there are lots of ways to earn points other than traveling. For instance, many major airlines and hotel chains have dining “portals,” where you can earn extra miles or points when you eat out. 

Not all restaurants are on the portal, but for the ones that are, you can usually earn a few points per dollar. All you have to do is make an account for free and add your credit card information to link your card. Then when you visit one of the restaurants on the list, be sure to pay with your linked card to earn points.

Keep in mind these points are separate from any travel points your credit card earns (we’ll get to those in a minute).

The best part of dining portals is their promotions. Most will have one when you first sign up—for instance, when you join Southwest’s Rapid Rewards dining program, you’ll get 500 bonus miles the first time you dine as long as it’s in the first 30 days. Besides earning some extra points, it’s a fun way to discover new restaurants in your area.

Shopping Portals

Most airlines also have online shopping portals, which work a little differently. Once you’ve set up your account with your frequent flyer number, you click through the portal’s link to the online store you want. Then when you make a purchase, you earn extra points.

The number of points per dollar varies depending on the retailer and the day. For instance, right now on United’s MileagePlus shopping portal, you can earn 1 mile per dollar at Groupon and 5 miles per dollar at Sephora. Petsmart usually earns .5 miles per dollar, but they recently had a special where it increased to 10. I was almost out of dog food anyway, so you can bet I stocked up.

Travel Credit Cards

I saved the best—and trickiest—for last. If you live in the US, credit cards are the biggest avenue to earning points when you become a travel hacker. 

But in order for them to be worthwhile, you have to use them wisely. This means following the two cardinal rules of travel cards:

• Thou shalt not carry a balance on thy credit cards. 
• Thou shalt not spend more than thy normally would just to earn points.

If you have or expect to have credit card debt, this particular travel hacking method isn’t for you (yet). This is because travel credit cards have sky-high interest rates, so whatever points you earn will be offset by the interest you end up paying. 

If you’re comfortable with using credit cards responsibly and paying your balance in full every month, you’re ready to learn how to travel hack with credit cards—so read on.

Choosing the Right Card

The good news is, there are so many travel cards out there nowadays, there’s bound to be at least one that’s a great fit for you. The bad news is, the options can be overwhelming at first. 

For travel hacking beginners, I always recommend starting with a long-term strategy in mind. Find a card that’s a good fit for your lifestyle (more on that in a minute), and that you’ll want to keep in your wallet for years to come. 

Advanced travel hackers are constantly adding new cards, and sometimes canceling old ones, and they might have as many as 30 cards at any given time. I’m not there yet—I have a grand total of five cards, and I started out with just one. 

Choose one or two cards that make sense for you in the long run. Look at cards’ benefits, which include:

• Bonus points on certain categories of purchases, such as groceries, dining, or drugstores.
• Free travel. For example, the Southwest Priority card provides $75 in statement credits on Southwest purchases per year, while the World of Hyatt card provides one free night at a Hyatt hotel per year.
• Travel perks. Many cards offer perks that make travel more comfortable, like elite status at a hotel chain or access to airport lounges. 
• Other perks. These are as varied as the credit cards that offer them, ranging from Peloton membership to statement credits on groceries. If you use them, these perks can save you some serious cash.

Don’t forget to look at cards’ annual fees, too. Many people shy away from cards with fees, but trust me: they can be worth it. Just be sure to weigh the fee against the perks and points to make sure it’s worth it for you.

When people ask me what the best travel card is, I say it depends. It’s all about finding the right fit for you when you start travel hacking. If you’re loyal to a particular airline or hotel chain, you should look into their cobranded credit card options. If not, there are plenty of great all-purpose cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Capital One VentureOne.

My favorite resource for anyone who wants to learn how to travel hack is The Points Guy . They have a ton of information, including detailed reviews of pretty much every travel card on the market.

Scoring the Signup Bonus

Once you have an idea of the right card for you, the first thing to consider is its signup bonus. To try to win your business, credit card companies offer lucrative signup bonuses of tens of thousands of points. When redeemed for travel, these bonuses alone can be worth thousands of dollars.

But you have to make sure you can earn the signup bonus, which usually requires a certain amount of spending in a certain amount of time, such as $4,000 in the first three months. This might seem like a lot, but it’s attainable for most people with some planning.

Going back to the second cardinal rule, don’t buy something you don’t want just to get the signup bonus. However, if there’s a big purchase you’ve been considering, it’s a good idea to time your new credit card to coincide with it. I’ve timed past credit cards with booking big trips, buying new furniture, and even getting LASIK in order to put these high-dollar purchases toward the signup bonus. 

If you aren’t redecorating your home or getting eye surgery anytime soon, the holidays are a good time for many people to get a new card. Wait until you’ve got that card in hand before buying gifts for your whole family. 

If that’s still not enough to reach your signup bonus, there are more creative ways to “inflate” your spending. Ask family members if you can buy their new furniture/Xbox/plane tickets and have them pay you back. When you go out with friends, pay the tab with your new card and have everyone Venmo you.

Which Card to Use?

When you become a travel hacker, you learn the importance of staying organized. It’s essential to keep track of your credit card perks and points, especially once you have two or three cards in your wallet.

I have a spreadsheet summarizing each card’s point structure, so I know which card to use for which purchases. For instance:

• I use my Chase Sapphire Preferred at restaurants and to book flights and hotels, because it earns 3 points per dollar on dining and 2 on travel.
• I use my Chase Freedom Flex at drugstores, which earn 3 points per dollar.
• I use my Southwest Priority card on Southwest purchases, which earn 3 miles per dollar, and on cable and internet bills, which earn 2 per dollar.
• I use my World of Hyatt card for Hyatt purchases, which earn 4 Hyatt points per dollar, and for gym memberships, which earn 2 per dollar.
• For everything else I use my Capital One Venture One, which earns a flat rate of 1.25 points on all purchases.

The goal is to get as many points as possible on stuff you’d be buying anyway. Of course, you want to make sure the points are points you can actually use. For example, If you always stay in AirBnBs when you travel, it makes no sense to earn Marriott Bonvoy points on a cobranded Marriott card. 

If this sounds too complicated, I get it. I was overwhelmed at first, but after a while it started to make sense—and it started to be fun . You might hear some travel hackers referring to “the points and miles game,” because that’s what it feels like. It should be fun, so go as in-depth (or not) as you want.

Now that you know how to accrue points, the next step in learning how to travel hack is making the most out of them when you redeem them. We’ll cover this in the next blog post. Until then, happy earning!

Step 2: Redeeming Points and Miles

If the first step of learning how to travel hack is earning as many points and miles as possible, the second is redeeming them. There are as many ways to redeem points as there are to earn them, so we’ll start with the heavy hitters to kick off your travel hacking journey.

Credit Card Portals

Most travel card companies nowadays have their own travel “portal,” a website where you can book flights, hotels, rental cars, and more—and a place where you can spend the points you’ve earned on your card. 

Sometimes you can book travel on these portals and pay directly with your points; other times you’ll pay cash and then get reimbursed as a statement credit. Either way, it comes out to free travel!

Usually the rate is one point to one cent. So for instance, a $500 flight would cost 50,000 points, giving you a value of 1 cent per point. Sometimes it’s a little higher—like on the Chase portal, where you can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points at a value of 1.25 cents per point, lowering the cost of your $500 flight to 40,000 points.

This is the easiest way to redeem your miles, but not the most valuable. Since the second step to becoming a travel hacker is getting the most value from your points, you want to aim for more than 1 cent per point. 

The Points Guy regularly updates their points and miles valuations , which you can use as benchmarks for your redemptions. For instance, Chase Ultimate Rewards points are currently valued at 2 cents per point. So most travel hackers would consider a “good” redemption one where you get at least 2 cents each out of your points.

However, as with credit cards, it all depends on what works for you. If you just want the simplest way to spend your points, there’s no shame in using the portal—and you’re still getting free travel that you otherwise would have to pay for. 

But if you’d like to go a little deeper into how to travel hack, here are some other ways to get even more value from your points.

Travel Partners

Generally the best, or most lucrative, way to spend your points is by transferring them to travel partners. This can send the value of your points skyrocketing—but it can also get complicated pretty fast. Let’s walk through the basics.

Credit card companies like Chase, Capital One, Amex, and Citi all have a roster of travel partners, including airlines, hotel chains, and sometimes rental car companies. This list varies from company to company, and new partners are added fairly often. You can transfer your credit card points to your membership account on one of these transfer partners. 

For example, since United is a transfer partner of Chase, you can go into the Chase website, type in your United frequent flyer number, and tell Chase to deposit some of your points into your United account. (Typically you must deposit them in increments of 1,000.) 

Then when you go into your United account, you’ll suddenly have miles—even if you’ve never flown United in your life. You can then use these points to pay for award flights on United.

Returning to our earlier example, the $500 flight we looked up on the Chase portal might only cost 20,000 United miles when booked through the United website. This comes out to an excellent value of 2.5 cents per point.

Transfer partners are a great way to use your points, but there are some things to consider. First of all, you’ll need to set up a loyalty account with the airline or hotel you want. You often need to do this just to search for award flight/night availability, so it’s helpful to set up those accounts early. 

Also, keep in mind that once you transfer credit card points to travel partners, you can’t transfer them back. Only transfer them once you know that partner has the flights/nights you want, and make your award booking immediately after transferring the points—because the price could change at any time.

I used this technique for my first big hack, when I was still a beginner to travel hacking. I had just gotten my Chase Sapphire Preferred card and earned a whopping 100,000 points for the signup bonus, plus a few thousand more from the first few months of spending. I found a Hyatt hotel in Maui that cost only 15,000 points per night when booked using Hyatt points. I had just enough Chase points to cover seven nights. 

I had never stayed at a Hyatt in my life. But I made a loyalty account, transferred 105,000 Chase points to Hyatt, and a few minutes later had booked a week in Maui entirely free of charge. To book this hotel in cash would have cost over $300 per night, plus taxes and fees (which Hyatt doesn’t charge on award stays). I ended up paying exactly zero and getting a value of 2.2 cents per point—not bad!

Free Travel or Better Travel?

If you ask the experts how to travel hack, the answers will be mixed because there are a couple of different approaches. One is to get as much free stuff as possible so you can stretch your dollars over more trips. 

Another is to use points and miles to elevate your travel experience. This means relaxing in airport lounges, getting more comfortable airplane seats, or enjoying the perks of elite status at hotels for much less than these things would normally cost.

When I was first learning how to travel hack, I was in the first camp. But I’ve recently started to understand why so many travel hackers are prioritizing travel luxury over savings when harnessing their points and miles.

On a recent trip to Paris, I wanted to pay for my and my partner’s flights with points. I had a stockpile of Capital One miles, and Air France is one of their travel partners. I found economy seats for around 60,000 Air France miles round-trip, for flights that normally would have cost upwards of $1200. This came out to a value of around 2 cents per point, compared to the valuation of 1.85 cents for Capital One miles.

With free plane tickets in hand, we’d cut the cost of our Paris trip down by over half. But when we checked in for our flight the night before, we started exploring seat upgrade options. We thought we might spend an extra $50 per person to get a little extra legroom. Then we saw that we could upgrade to business class—including lie-flat seats—for $400 per person. We’d never flown business class, and a business-class flight to Paris would normally cost over $3000, so we decided to splurge and try it. 

After sleeping through the overnight flight in the comfort of my own personal pod, complete with three-course meal and hot towels, I was hooked. Now I’m planning to learn how to travel hack not just for free trips, but to make my travel experiences more memorable.

Final Thoughts: How to Travel Hack

If you want to become a travel hacker, you can choose whatever style works for you. When you start travel hacking, think about your travel and financial goals and how you can use points and miles to achieve them. There’s no right or wrong. 

But I think I’ll add a third cardinal rule to my list: Travel hacking should be fun. Think of it as a game. You’re not competing with anyone else, just solving points and miles puzzles to go on whatever trip you want. 

Don’t stress about learning all the ins and outs of how to travel hack just yet. Start with a couple of small steps, and go from there. Explore some travel hacking blogs and sign up for their newsletters (I read the Points Guy’s religiously). Learn at your own pace, and soon you’ll be hacking your way to your dream vacation.

Want to keep reading? Check out these posts next:

• 12 Delicious Food Tours in Munich to Book
• 13 Mouth-Watering San Francisco Food Tours
• 11 Tasty Food Tours in Chicago, Illinois

Rachel Craft started traveling after being cooped up for a year during the pandemic, and now she’s hooked. She loves hiking, biking, snorkeling, and discovering vegan eats in the places she visits. When she’s not busy exploring, she writes fantasy and sci-fi stories for children and teens. You can learn more about her writing at www.racheldelaneycraft.com.

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101 Essential Travel Hacking Tips for 2024

Last updated Mar 4, 2024

Fahim Joharder, an expert in software review & AI, blends deep tech insight with practical advice. Known for his critical analyses & innovative solutions.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of modern travel? You’re not alone. With ever-changing regulations, rising costs, and the endless quest for the best experiences, navigating the world of travel can be daunting. But what if I told you that mastering the art of travel hacking could turn these challenges into opportunities?

Travel hacking isn’t just about saving money; it’s about enhancing your travel experience. This comprehensive guide unveils 101 essential travel hacking tips that will empower you to travel smarter, cheaper, and more efficiently in 2024. Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or planning your first big trip, these insights will revolutionize how you approach travel.

• Travel hacking can simplify and enhance your travel experience.
• These 101 tips cater to both beginners and experienced travelers.
• Learn to travel more efficiently, saving both time and money.
• Discover innovative strategies to make the most of your journeys in 2024.

What Are the Best Travel Hacking Strategies for 2024?

• 1. Maximizing Credit Card Rewards

Utilizing credit cards specifically for their travel rewards can be a game-changer. By strategically using cards that offer high points on travel-related purchases, I’ve accumulated enough points for entire trips. It’s all about choosing the right card and understanding its reward structure.

• 2. Leveraging Airline Miles

One of my most successful travel hacks has been mastering airline miles. By choosing one airline as my primary carrier and sticking to it, I’ve earned elite status, with significant benefits like free upgrades and lounge access.

• 3. Smart Packing Techniques

Traveling light can save you money and time. I learned to pack only essentials and use compression bags to save space. This approach not only eases mobility but also helps avoid checked baggage fees.

• 4. Flexible Travel Dates

Being flexible with your travel dates can lead to massive savings. I often use tools that allow me to view price trends and book when prices are lowest. This flexibility has led to some unexpected and budget-friendly adventures.

• 5. Utilizing Budget Airlines

Budget airlines are a boon for travel hackers. While amenities are fewer, the cost savings are significant. I compare prices with budget carriers and often find deals too good to pass up.

• 6. Off-Season Travel

Traveling during the off-season has allowed me to enjoy destinations without the crowds and at a fraction of the price. Accommodations and activities are often much cheaper, making luxury experiences more accessible.

• 7. House Sitting or Swapping

House-sitting or swapping can mean free accommodation. I’ve used various platforms to find opportunities to stay in beautiful homes worldwide without paying a dime for lodging.

• 8. Joining Travel Forums and Groups

Being part of online travel communities has provided me with insider tips and exclusive deals. These forums are a treasure trove of information, from finding cheap flights to discovering hidden gems.

• 9. Taking Advantage of Layovers

Long layovers can be an opportunity to explore a new city. Instead of seeing them as a hassle, I use them to experience a place I might not have visited otherwise, often without extra flight costs.

• 10. Booking Accommodations with Free Cancellation

Flexibility is critical in travel hacking. Booking accommodations that offer free cancellation allows me to change plans or take advantage of a last-minute deal without penalty.

• 11. Using Incognito Mode for Booking

Prices can increase based on your search history. I always use incognito mode when booking flights and hotels to ensure I see the lowest prices available.

• 12. Earn and Burn Points Philosophy

‘Accumulating points is only half the battle; using them effectively is crucial. I follow the ” earnn and burn’ philosophy, using points before they devalue, ensuring I get the best bang for my buck.’Accumulating points is only half the battle; using them effectively is crucial. I follow the ‘earn and burn’ philosophy, using points before they devalue, ensuring I get the best bang for my buck.

• 13. Local SIM Cards for Data

Buying a local SIM card for data is often cheaper and more reliable than international plans. This hack has kept me connected without breaking the bank.

• 14. Avoiding Currency Exchange at Airports

Airport currency exchanges typically have unfavorable rates. I use local ATMs or currency exchange services in the city for better rates, saving significantly over time.

• 15. Travel Insurance Hacks

Choosing the right travel insurance can save money and provide peace of mind. I look for policies that cover precisely what I need, avoiding overpriced packages with unnecessary extras.

• 16. Leveraging Stopovers for Extra Trips

Some airlines offer free or low-cost stopovers in their hub cities. I’ve used these to explore additional destinations at no extra flight cost, effectively getting two trips for the price of one.

• 17. Free Walking Tours

Free walking tours are budget-friendly and great for learning about a new place. I’ve found these tours to be informative and an excellent way to meet fellow travelers.

• 18. Eating Like a Local

Eating where locals eat has saved me money and led to some of the most authentic culinary experiences. Street food and local markets are often cheaper and tastier than tourist traps.

• 19. Using Public Transportation

Public transportation is usually much cheaper than taxis or rental cars. I’ve found that navigating the local transit system adds an authentic touch to the travel experience.

• 20. Early Morning Flights

Booking the day’s first flight is often cheaper and less prone to delays. I’ve saved money and enjoyed quieter airports by choosing early departures.

• 21. Travel Reward Programs

Joining multiple travel reward programs has been a game-changer. I sign up for every program available, from airlines to hotels and even dining rewards. The points accumulate surprisingly fast and lead to significant savings.

• 22. Exploring Alternative Airports

Flying into less popular airports can dramatically reduce costs. I’ve saved hundreds by choosing an airport just a bit further from my final destination and then using local transport to reach my target city.

• 23. Night Trains and Buses

Using night trains and buses has saved me the cost of a night’s accommodation and allowed me to wake up in a new destination, ready to explore.

• 24. Travel During Shoulder Season

Traveling during the shoulder season – the period between peak and off-peak – strikes a balance between cost and weather. I’ve enjoyed many destinations with fewer crowds and moderate prices during these periods.

• 25. Student and Youth Discounts

If you qualify, taking advantage of student and youth discounts can lead to substantial savings on transport, attractions, and accommodations. Always carry your student or youth ID when traveling.

• 26. Booking Apartments Instead of Hotels

Renting apartments instead of hotels can be a budget-friendly option, especially for extended stays. I’ve enjoyed having extra space and the ability to cook meals, reducing food costs.

• 27. Volunteering Abroad

Volunteering abroad has allowed me to extend my travels while giving back. Many programs offer free room and board in exchange for work, providing a unique and fulfilling travel experience.

• 28. Travel Blogging

Starting a travel blog can open doors to unique experiences and savings. As a blogger, I’ve been offered discounts and even free stays in exchange for coverage on my blog.

• 29. Avoiding Tourist Hotspots for Accommodations

Staying just outside major tourist areas can significantly reduce accommodation costs. I’ve often found quieter, more authentic neighborhoods just a short walk or ride from the main attractions.

• 30. Cooking Your Meals

Cooking meals, especially when traveling in expensive countries, can save money. Staying in places with kitchen facilities has been a critical strategy in my travel budgeting.

• 31. Cashback Sites and Apps

Using cashback sites and apps for booking flights, hotels, and activities has helped me recover some of my spending, which I then redirect into future travel funds.

• 32. Staying in Hostels

Hostels are not just for young backpackers. They offer affordable accommodations and a chance to meet fellow travelers. Many now offer private rooms, combining the social aspect with privacy.

• 33. Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing has allowed me to stay for free while meeting locals. It’s a community of travelers and hosts who offer a couch or spare room at no cost.

• 34. Carry-On Only

Traveling with carry-on luggage only has saved me time and fees on many airlines. It also makes moving around easier and faster, especially on multi-destination trips.

• 35. Researching Free Attractions

Many cities offer free attractions, from museums with no entry fee to public parks and historic sites. I constantly research free things to do before I travel, which enriches the experience without impacting my budget.

• 36. Traveling with a Group

Group travel can offer significant savings, as costs for accommodation, transportation, and activities can often be split. It also adds a social element to the journey.

• 37. Using Bike-Sharing Services

I’ve found bike-sharing affordable and enjoyable in cities where it’s available. It’s cheaper than taxis and more flexible than public transport.

• 38. Airport Lounge Access with Credit Cards

Some credit cards offer complimentary airport lounge access, a perk I’ve enjoyed for relaxing and enjoying food and drinks without extra cost during layovers.

• 39. Free Airport WiFi

Instead of using data, I use free WiFi, available at most airports. It’s perfect for last-minute research or downloading entertainment for the flight.

• 40. International Driving Permit

I’ve found having an International Driving Permit invaluable for those places where driving is necessary. It’s recognized globally and can save a lot of hassle with car rentals.

• 41. Taking Advantage of City Passes

City passes often offer great value, bundling entry fees to multiple attractions for a discounted rate. I’ve saved significantly in major cities using these passes for museums, tours, and public transportation.

• 42. Using Rail Passes for Multi-City Trips

Rail passes like the Eurail or Japan Rail Pass can be cost-effective for multi-city trips in certain countries. They offer flexibility and can be cheaper than individual train tickets, especially for frequent travel.

• 43. Finding Work Abroad

Working while traveling, such as teaching English or seasonal jobs, can extend your travel duration significantly. I’ve met many travelers who fund their adventures this way, gaining unique experiences and insights into different cultures.

• 44. Travel Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees

Using a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees saves money on every purchase abroad. It’s a small saving that adds up, especially on longer trips.

• 45. Staying in Monasteries or Religious Guesthouses

For a unique experience, staying in monasteries or religious guesthouses can be an affordable alternative. These accommodations often come with a peaceful and spiritual atmosphere.

• 46. Attend Free Local Events

Many cities host free events, from concerts in the park to street festivals. These events save on entertainment costs and glimpse local culture and community.

• 47. Hitchhiking in Safe Countries

Hitchhiking can be an accessible mode of transportation in countries where it’s safe and familiar. It’s also a way to meet locals and fellow travelers, though safety should always be a priority.

• 48. Using WhatsApp for Communication

I use WhatsApp for text, voice, and video calls to avoid high international fees. It’s widely used globally and only requires a data connection.

• 49. Following Travel Deals Websites and Alerts

Signing up for travel deal alerts from websites and forums has led me to some incredibly cheap fares and last-minute offers that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

• 50. Traveling with a Water Bottle with Filter

Carrying a water bottle with a built-in filter has saved money on bottled water and has been environmentally friendly. It’s beneficial in countries where tap water isn’t safe to drink.

• 51. Avoiding Peak Travel Times

Traveling outside peak times – like early morning or late night – often means cheaper fares and less crowded transport. I’ve enjoyed quieter journeys and more affordable tickets by avoiding rush hours.

• 52. Long-Term Rental Negotiations

For extended stays, negotiating the rent for a long-term stay can lead to substantial savings. Landlords are often willing to offer a discount for longer commitments.

• 53. Using Trusted Housesitters

For longer trips, using platforms like Trusted Housesitters can secure free accommodation in exchange for pet-sitting or house-sitting. It’s a win-win for both the homeowner and the traveler.

• 54. Participating in Time-Share Presentations

Participating in time-share presentations can sometimes offer free or heavily discounted stays. While they require sitting through a sales pitch, the rewards can be worth it for the savings.

• 55. Using Apps for Last-Minute Hotel Deals

Apps like HotelTonight offer last-minute deals on unsold hotel rooms, often at a fraction of the regular price. I’ve found some great bargains on high-quality accommodations this way.

• 56. Booking Flights in the Middle of the Week

Flight prices can fluctuate based on the day of the week. I’ve found that booking on a Tuesday or Wednesday often results in lower fares than on weekends.

• 57. Exploring Multiple Flight Search Engines

Using various flight search engines and comparing prices can unearth better deals. Each machine has its own set of airline partners and special rates.

• 58. Backpacking and Camping

Backpacking and camping can be an inexpensive way to travel , especially in areas with stunning natural landscapes. It’s not only budget-friendly but also offers an immersive nature experience. There are tons of travel hacks for camping, including ways to make camping more comfortable .

• 59. Traveling with a Reusable Shopping Bag

Carrying a reusable shopping bag helps the environment and avoids charges for plastic bags in many countries. It’s a small but practical hack.

• 60. Joining Frequent Flyer Programs

If you don’t fly often, joining frequent flyer programs is worthwhile. The miles can increase over time, leading to free flights or upgrades.

• 61. Exploring Alternative Accommodation Platforms

Beyond the usual hotel booking sites, exploring platforms like Airbnb or local guesthouses can offer unique and often more affordable stays. I’ve discovered charming places that provide a more authentic experience than traditional hotels.

• 62. Using Multi-City Flight Searches

The multi-city search option is often cheaper when planning trips involving multiple destinations than booking separate one-way tickets. It’s a great way to see more places without significantly increasing the travel budget.

• 63. Avoiding In-Room Snacks and Minibars

Minibar items are notoriously overpriced. I avoid them and instead stock up on snacks and drinks from local supermarkets, saving money and enjoying local treats.

• 64. Choosing Lesser-Known Destinations

Opting for less popular destinations can lead to surprising discoveries and significant savings. These places often offer authentic experiences without the crowds and high prices of tourist hotspots.

65. Using Google Flights’ Explore Feature

Google Flights’ Explore tool allows you to see the cheapest destinations from your airport within your travel dates. I’ve found amazing deals to destinations I hadn’t even considered.

• 66. Opting for Overnight Transportation

Taking overnight buses or trains can save a night’s accommodation cost. It’s a strategy I’ve used for longer distances, waking up at my next destination without the price of a hotel.

• 67. Earning Money Through Travel Photography

If you have a knack for photography, selling your travel photos can be a way to earn extra cash. Websites like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock are platforms where I’ve sold my photos.

• 68. Travel Nursing for Healthcare Professionals

For healthcare professionals, travel nursing can be a way to see the world. Agencies offer short-term contracts in different locations, often with housing stipends, making it a viable way to travel and work.

• 69. Use of Travel Agents for Complex Trips

While I usually book trips myself, using a travel agent for more complex itineraries can sometimes save money and time. They often have access to deals not available to the public.

• 70. Participating in Cultural Exchange Programs

Cultural exchange programs like Workaway or WWOOF provide opportunities for free accommodation and meals in exchange for a few hours of work, offering a unique and affordable way to travel.

• 71. Joining Local Meetups and Events

Local meetups or expat events can be a great way to meet people and get insider tips on the best deals in the area. I’ve found fantastic recommendations through these gatherings.

• 72. Eating at University Campuses

University campuses often have affordable dining options. When traveling in expensive cities, I’ve eaten at campus cafeterias for a fraction of the cost of eating out.

• 73. Using Ride-Sharing Apps

In cities with ride-sharing apps, they can be a cheaper alternative to taxis. I’ve also shared rides with fellow travelers to split the costs.

• 74. Finding Free WiFi Spots

Cafés, libraries, and public spaces often offer free WiFi. I use apps like WiFi Map to find spots near me, saving on data charges.

• 75. Traveling with a Lightweight Laptop or Tablet

A lightweight laptop or tablet instead of a full-sized notebook saves space and weight for longer trips. As a blogger, I must keep in touch with family.

• 76. Using VPN for Cheaper Flights and Hotels

Sometimes, prices for flights and hotels vary based on location. Using a VPN to change my virtual location has sometimes led to cheaper booking options.

• 77. Avoiding Dynamic Currency Conversion

When paying with a card abroad, I always choose to be charged in the local currency. Dynamic currency conversion rates are usually poor compared to my card’s speed.

• 78. Checking Baggage Allowance Before Flying

I always check baggage allowances before flying to avoid unexpected fees. Some budget airlines have strict limits, and being aware of them has saved me from costly charges.

• 79. Teaching English Online

Teaching English online is a flexible way to earn income while traveling. It requires minimal equipment and can be done anywhere with a good internet connection.

• 80. Taking Advantage of Free Museum Days

Many museums offer free entry on certain days of the month. Planning visits around these days can provide cultural enrichment without the cost.

• 81. Avoiding Roaming Charges

I always switch off data roaming before landing in a new country to avoid high charges. Instead, I rely on WiFi or local SIM cards for internet access.

• 82. Using Social Media for Local Insights

Social media platforms can be a goldmine for travel tips and local insights. I follow my destinations’ local bloggers and tourism pages to discover hidden gems and current events.

• 83. Participating in Frequent Diner Programs

Just like frequent flyer programs, regular diner programs can offer rewards for dining out. I’ve earned free meals and exclusive discounts through these programs, especially in larger cities.

• 84. Learning Basic Local Language Phrases

Knowing basic phrases in the local language enriches the travel experience and can lead to better deals in markets and local shops. It’s a sign of respect that’s often appreciated.

• 85. Using Price Tracking Tools for Flights and Hotels

Price tracking tools notify you of price drops for flights and hotels. I’ve set alerts for my desired destinations and dates, allowing me to book when prices are at their lowest.

• 86. Exploring by Foot

Walking around a city is free and offers a more intimate experience of the locale. I’ve discovered quaint cafes, unique shops, and street art that I would have missed otherwise.

• 87. Traveling with a First-Aid Kit

Carrying a basic first-aid kit helps avoid the need for expensive pharmacy visits for minor ailments. It’s a small but essential part of my travel gear.

• 88. Avoiding Data Overages with Offline Maps

Downloading offline maps on my phone prevents data overages and ensures I can navigate without an internet connection. Apps like Google Maps allow for easy offline map downloads.

• 89. Staying Hydrated with Reusable Bottles

Carrying a reusable water bottle keeps me hydrated without the cost of buying bottled water. In countries with safe drinking water, it’s a no-brainer for savings and sustainability.

• 90. Utilizing Free Airport Transfers

Some credit cards and travel packages include complimentary airport transfers. I always check this perk as it can save significant money on taxi fares.

• 91. Visiting Local Markets

Local markets are not just for shopping; they’re cultural experiences. They are perfect for inexpensive meals, fresh produce, and unique souvenirs.

• 92. Using Contactless Payment Methods

Contactless payments, like Apple Pay or Google Wallet, are often more convenient and secure than carrying cash. Many countries have widely adopted contactless transactions, making it a hassle-free way to pay.

• 93. Purchasing Souvenirs Away from Tourist Spots

Buying souvenirs away from main tourist areas can lead to better prices and more authentic goods. I enjoy exploring local shops and markets for unique finds.

• 94. Subscribing to Airline Newsletters

Subscribing to airlines’ newsletters has alerted me to flash sales and special promotions, leading to unexpectedly cheap flight bookings.

• 95. Using a Money Belt or Hidden Wallet

I use a money belt or hidden wallet to keep money and documents safe. It’s a simple way to ensure security, especially in crowded tourist areas.

• 96. Traveling with a Compact Camera or Smartphone

Instead of a bulky DSLR, traveling with a compact camera or a smartphone for photography is more convenient and lighter. Modern smartphones have excellent cameras suitable for most travel photography needs.

• 97. Checking Mobile Plans for International Options

Before traveling, I check my mobile plan’s international options. Some carriers offer affordable travel add-ons, which can be more convenient than buying a local SIM card.

• 98. Attending Timeshare Presentations for Perks

Attending timeshare presentations can sometimes offer perks like free meals, tours, or accommodation. While they require time and sitting through sales pitches, the rewards can be substantial.

• 99. Using Credit Card Concierge Services

Some premium credit cards offer concierge services, which can be invaluable for making travel arrangements, especially in unfamiliar destinations.

• 100. Enjoying Nature and Public Spaces

Exploring nature and public spaces like beaches, parks, and hiking trails offers enriching experiences without any cost. I always make time to enjoy the natural beauty of my travel destinations.

• 101. Keeping a Travel Journal

Keeping a travel journal helps reflect on experiences and track spending. It’s a budgeting tool and an excellent way to preserve memories from each trip.

• How Travel Hacking Can Save You Time, Money & Stress

Embracing Travel Hacking 101 isn’t just about cutting costs; it’s a comprehensive approach to making your travel experiences smoother, more affordable, and enjoyable. Imagine bypassing the usual stressors of travel – the hefty expenses, time-consuming planning, and those unexpected hiccups. Travel hacking equips you with strategies to navigate these challenges efficiently.

From leveraging points and miles for free flights and stays to discovering the art of packing light and intelligence, each hack is a step towards a more streamlined journey.

It’s about knowing the right time to book flights, the best ways to find unique accommodations, and even tips on immersing yourself in local cultures without overspending.

Adopting these travel hacking techniques transforms how you travel, turning every trip into an enriching and economical adventure. This is the essence of Travel Hacking 101 – travel more intelligently, not more complex, and watch as the world opens up with possibilities, minus the stress and strain on your wallet.

• Final Thoughts

As we wrap up our journey through the world of Travel Hacking, it’s clear that this isn’t just a set of tips and tricks; it’s a mindset shift. Embracing Travel Hacking means stepping into a world where travel is more accessible, less stressful, and infinitely rewarding.

It’s about breaking free from the traditional constraints of travel, uncovering cost-effective methods, and discovering shortcuts that make the journey as enjoyable as the destination. Whether leveraging loyalty programs, finding hidden gems off the beaten path, or knowing the best time to book your flights, each aspect of Travel Hacking opens up new possibilities.

It transforms how we perceive and approach travel, turning each trip into a well-orchestrated adventure tailored to our preferences and budgets. So, as you embark on your next travel adventure, remember that the essence of Travel Hacking lies in exploring the world on your terms, making each experience uniquely yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Travel Hacking?

Travel Hacking refers to strategies to optimize travel experiences, primarily focusing on reducing costs, maximizing rewards from loyalty programs, and utilizing resources effectively. It includes using credit card points for flights and hotels, finding the best travel deals, and employing clever packing techniques to save time and money.

• Can Travel Hacking Save Me Money?

Absolutely. Travel Hacking can lead to significant savings on travel expenses. By strategically using credit card rewards, taking advantage of airline and hotel loyalty programs, and being flexible with travel dates and destinations, you can dramatically reduce the cost of flights, accommodations, and other travel-related expenses.

• Is Travel Hacking Legal and Ethical?

Yes, Travel Hacking is both legal and ethical. It involves using existing travel and credit card reward programs to your advantage. It’s about being bright with bookings, utilizing rewards, and staying informed about the best travel deals and strategies. It does not involve any deceitful practices.

• Do I Need a Lot of Credit Cards for Travel Hacking?

Not necessarily. While having multiple credit cards can potentially increase your points and rewards, effective Travel Hacking can be achieved even with a single, well-chosen credit card. The key is to select cards that align best with your travel goals and spending habits.

• How Do I Get Started with Travel Hacking?

To start Travel Hacking, assess your current travel goals and spending habits. Sign up for a rewards credit card that aligns with these goals, join airline and hotel loyalty programs, and stay informed about current travel deals and tips. It’s also important to keep track of your points and rewards to optimize their usage.

Hi, I’m Fahim. A software reviewer & AI specialist

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Experts make our reviews before being written and come from real-world experience.Check our Editorial Guidelines and Privacy Policy

• 65. Using Google Flights' Explore Feature

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Best Travel Guides for You

Travel Hacking 101: Your Ultimate Guide to Traveling Smarter and Cheaper

• Last Updated: August 2, 2023
• Posted In: Beginners Guides

In this article, we’ll Discover the ultimate guide to travel hacking – how to travel smarter and cheaper.

Introduction

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on travel hacking, where we reveal the insider secrets to traveling smarter and cheaper.

We understand that wanderlust is an essential part of the human spirit, and we are committed to helping you fulfill your travel dreams without breaking the bank.

In this guide, we will cover various travel hacks, tips, and tricks that will empower you to explore the world with ease and joy.

Table of Contents

1. understanding travel hacking, what is travel hacking.

Travel hacking is the art of using various strategies, loyalty programs, and travel rewards to maximize the value of your trips.

It involves leveraging credit card points, frequent flyer miles, hotel rewards, and other travel-related benefits to save money and earn free or discounted travel experiences.

The Benefits of Travel Hacking

Travel hacking offers a myriad of benefits that can transform your travel experiences:

• Cost Savings: By utilizing travel rewards and points effectively, you can significantly reduce your travel expenses, including flights, accommodations, and activities.
• Upgrade Opportunities: Travel hacking can open doors to luxury travel experiences, such as business-class flights and premium hotel suites.
• Exploring New Destinations: With the savings from travel hacking, you can afford to visit destinations that might have seemed out of reach before.

2. Mastering Credit Card Rewards

Choosing the right travel rewards credit card.

Selecting the right travel rewards credit card is essential for optimizing your travel hacking efforts.

Look for cards that offer generous sign-up bonuses, valuable rewards points, and benefits like travel insurance and no foreign transaction fees.

Maximizing Rewards Points

To make the most of your credit card rewards, strategically plan your spending to meet the minimum spend requirements for sign-up bonuses.

Additionally, focus on using credit cards that offer bonus points for travel-related purchases, such as flights, hotels, and dining.

3. Navigating Frequent Flyer Programs

Joining airline loyalty programs.

Sign up for frequent flyer programs with major airlines and take advantage of their partnerships with other airlines.

This will allow you to earn and redeem miles across a vast network of carriers.

Understanding Elite Status

Achieving elite status with airlines can unlock a range of benefits, such as priority boarding, lounge access, and complimentary upgrades.

Plan your flights strategically to earn enough qualifying miles or segments for elite status.

4. Unveiling Hotel Rewards Programs

Enrolling in hotel loyalty programs.

Similar to airline loyalty programs, hotel rewards programs offer fantastic perks for frequent guests.

Earn points with every stay and enjoy benefits like room upgrades, late check-outs, and exclusive access to promotions.

Leveraging Co-Branded Credit Cards

Many hotel chains offer co-branded credit cards, providing accelerated points-earning opportunities and elite status benefits for cardholders.

Consider applying for these cards if you frequently stay with a specific hotel brand.

5. Embracing Travel Hacking Ethics

Responsible credit card usage.

While travel hacking can be incredibly rewarding, it is essential to use credit cards responsibly. Pay off your balances in full each month to avoid interest charges and potential debt.

Respecting Loyalty Programs

Abide by the rules and terms of loyalty programs, avoiding any unethical practices that could lead to account closure or loss of earned rewards.

6. Travel Hacking for Specific Destinations

Tailoring your approach.

Travel hacking strategies may vary depending on your destination. Research the best credit cards, airlines, and hotels for your specific location to maximize your rewards and savings.

Some regions might have unique travel partnerships or offers that you can take advantage of.

Seasonal Deals and Offers

Keep an eye out for seasonal deals and offers that can further enhance your travel hacking efforts.

Airlines and hotels often run promotions during certain times of the year, providing excellent opportunities to earn bonus points or get discounted rates.

7. Leveraging Travel Blogs and Forums

Tapping into the community.

Connect with like-minded travel enthusiasts on travel blogs and forums. These platforms are goldmines of valuable information, where experienced travelers share their travel hacking success stories and tips.

Engaging with the community can help you discover hidden gems and insider secrets.

Seeking Expert Advice

Look for reputable travel bloggers and influencers who specialize in travel hacking. Their expert advice can provide you with insights and strategies you might not have considered otherwise.

These influencers often share comprehensive guides and tutorials on how to make the most of various loyalty programs.

8. Creating Travel Itineraries

Optimizing layovers and stopovers.

Crafting travel itineraries that include strategic layovers and stopovers can lead to fantastic savings.

Take advantage of extended stopovers in transit cities to explore new destinations without incurring additional flight costs.

Flexible Travel Dates

Flexibility with your travel dates can help you secure better deals and availability for flights and accommodations.

Use fare comparison websites to find the most cost-effective days to fly and plan your trips accordingly.

9. Exploring Alternative Accommodation Options

Embracing the sharing economy.

Consider alternative accommodation options like Airbnb , HomeExchange , or Couchsurfing . These platforms often offer unique and budget-friendly stays that can complement your travel hacking endeavors.

Booking Directly with Hotels

Sometimes, booking directly with hotels can result in better rates and additional perks, especially if you are a loyal member of their rewards program.

Compare prices between third-party booking sites and the hotel’s website before making a reservation.

10. Beyond Travel Rewards: Credit Card Benefits

Travel insurance and protections.

Many travel rewards credit cards offer comprehensive travel insurance and protections. Familiarize yourself with these benefits to ensure you’re covered during your journeys.

Lounge Access and Travel Benefits

Certain credit cards grant access to airport lounges and provide travel-related benefits like baggage fee reimbursements or rental car insurance.

Make the most of these perks to enhance your travel experience.

You are now equipped with an arsenal of travel hacking strategies that will empower you to travel smarter and cheaper.

By leveraging credit card rewards, frequent flyer programs, hotel loyalty schemes, and insider tips, you can unlock a world of affordable travel experiences.

Remember, the key to success lies in staying informed, being proactive, and responsibly managing your credit cards.

Traveling is not just about reaching a destination; it’s about the journey. Embrace the art of travel hacking, and let it elevate your adventures beyond your imagination.

So, pack your bags, embrace wanderlust, and embark on unforgettable journeys that will create memories to last a lifetime.

Happy traveling!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is travel hacking, and how does it work?

Travel hacking is the strategic use of various travel rewards, loyalty programs, and credit card benefits to maximize savings and earn free or discounted travel experiences. By utilizing credit card points, frequent flyer miles, and hotel rewards, travelers can significantly reduce travel expenses and access exclusive perks.

2. Is travel hacking only for frequent travelers?

No, travel hacking is for everyone who enjoys traveling, regardless of how frequently they do so. Even occasional travelers can benefit from travel hacking strategies by earning and redeeming rewards for their trips.

3. Are there any risks involved in travel hacking?

When done responsibly, travel hacking is generally low-risk. However, it’s essential to manage credit card usage carefully and avoid accumulating debt. Also, be mindful of loyalty program terms to avoid account closures due to unethical practices.

4. How can I choose the right travel rewards credit card?

When selecting a travel rewards credit card, consider factors such as sign-up bonuses, rewards points earning potential, annual fees, travel benefits, and partner airline/hotel options. Choose a card that aligns with your travel preferences and spending habits.

5. Can I use travel rewards for destinations outside my loyalty program’s network?

Yes, many loyalty programs have partnerships with other airlines and hotels, allowing you to redeem rewards for travel outside their network. Some flexible rewards programs also offer the option to transfer points to various travel partners.

6. What are some ethical considerations in travel hacking?

Responsible credit card usage and adherence to loyalty program rules are crucial ethical aspects of travel hacking. Avoid practices like manufactured spending or abusing loopholes that could harm loyalty programs or violate terms.

7. Are travel hacking strategies suitable for family travel?

Absolutely! Travel hacking can be especially beneficial for family travel, as the cost savings and rewards earned can be multiplied for multiple travelers. Families can enjoy free or discounted flights and hotel stays with well-planned travel hacking efforts.

8. How can I find the best deals for flights and accommodations?

To find the best flight and accommodation deals, use fare comparison websites, subscribe to airline and hotel newsletters for promotions, and book in advance during off-peak travel seasons. Flexibility with travel dates can also help secure better deals.

9. Can I combine travel rewards with other travel discounts or promotions?

In some cases, yes. However, it depends on the specific terms of the rewards program and the promotion. Check with the loyalty program or travel provider to understand the rules regarding combining rewards with other offers.

10. Can travel hacking help me upgrade to business class or luxury hotels?

Yes, travel hacking can provide opportunities for upgrades to business class flights and luxury hotel accommodations. Some credit cards and loyalty programs offer elite status benefits, which can include complimentary upgrades.

11. Is travel hacking limited to flights and hotels?

No, travel hacking can extend beyond flights and hotels. It can include various travel-related expenses, such as car rentals, travel insurance, airport lounge access, and even travel experiences like tours and activities.

12. How can I stay informed about the latest travel hacking opportunities?

Stay updated by following reputable travel bloggers, influencers, and forums dedicated to travel hacking. These sources often share insights, tips, and exclusive deals that can elevate your travel experiences.

Remember that travel hacking is an ongoing learning process, and new opportunities may arise regularly. Stay curious, stay informed, and let travel hacking open doors to a world of affordable and extraordinary travel adventures.

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What Is Travel Hacking?

I almost cringe at the term “travel hacking”- it sounds like something illegal. But that’s the commonly used phrase for  the art of getting free or discounted travel through award points and miles .

Try not to think of hacking like a guy on his computer in a dark basement breaking into your bank account online. Think more along the lines of a pinterest life-hack, like “you can remove deodorant stains from a shirt by rubbing it with a dryer sheet.”

Helpful hacks. Not illegal.

How to Travel Hack 101

There are numerous strategies for accumulating these award points and miles but the quickest and most common way is strategically opening credit cards with major sign-up bonuses .

Before I learned about all of the people who are successfully traveling the world by opening dozens of credit cards, I was extremely skeptical. I had one credit card to my name, which I almost never used.

A quick word about credit

Yes, spending on credit is a slippery slope for some people. If you cannot stay on top of your finances nor keep your card paid off, then this may not be the hobby for you.

But if you are responsible with credit and have time to put in a little effort to learn the ropes, travel hacking really pays off.

In fact, our credit scores have gone up since we started our travel hacking hobby. This is because we’ve responsibly managed more and more credit.

A travel hacker in action

Just so you don’t have to take  my word for it, here’s an official news report about a travel hacker showing a reporter how it’s done:

How we got started travel hacking

I first learned about travel hacking in 2014. I started small, focusing on miles we could earn with the Alaska Airlines award program to get two of us to Europe.

I soon expanded to the American and United award programs with a few more credit cards. By the end of that year, we had booked two pairs of round-trip international flights (France and Jamaica), all paid for with miles!

I’ll admit: travel hacking has a bit of a learning curve .

While our credit scores have actually gone up, it’s only because I’ve learned the ropes.

Travel Hacking 101

Thankfully, many who have gone before us have created comprehensive guides to travel hacking. I purchased a course, which gave me all the essential info I needed to get started.

These are important things to know before diving in to travel hacking:

– when to apply and when to cancel credit cards – how to find the best sign-up bonuses – creative ways to meet the minimum spend requirements to earn sign up bonuses – which points are most valuable  – how to not to waste miles once you’ve earned them

What are the Benefits of Travel Hacking

Travel hacking is a valuable resource for you to maximize savings on your travels. You don’t have to be a frequent flyer to leverage rewards programs.

More savings. You can significantly reduce expenses on flights, accommodations, dining, and transportation.

Enriched experiences. Travel hacking opens doors to luxurious amenities that might otherwise be out of reach, from flight upgrades to stays in upscale hotels.

Exclusive privileges. Many credit cards and loyalty programs offer exclusive perks such as complimentary checked bags and access to airport lounges.

Flexibility . These days award flights are easy to change or cancel without penalty, so you can book “placeholder” flights until you find something better.

Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Hacking

Is travel hacking legal? Yes, travel hacking is legal. Travel hacking refers to the legitimate practice of leveraging award points and miles to obtain free or discounted travel. It is not associated with illegal activities like hacking into computer systems.

Is travel hacking suitable for everyone? Travel hacking can be beneficial for individuals who are responsible with credit and have the time to learn about the strategies involved.

However, it may not be suitable for those who struggle to manage their finances or cannot pay off their credit card balances regularly.

Responsible management of credit is crucial to avoid falling into debt or damaging your credit score.

Have you tried travel hacking? If not, what are your biggest concerns? If it doesn’t sound right for you, see our other budget travel recommendations in our book, Unconventional Budget Accommodations .

You might also like these posts:

–  How to Save on Travel Accommodations with Help Exchange –  How to Eat Well on a Budget While Traveling –  How To Travel On Just $15 A Day

– 

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Click to Order the Book on Amazon Update: Unconventional Budget Accommodations is now available in paperback! The audiobook version will hopefully be ready in early October. For anyone who purchases a paperback during launch week (before October 3, 2018), I’ll send you a free gift! Just forward your e-receipt to michelle[at]intentionaltravelers.com and let me know…

How to Find Pet-Sitting and House-Sitting Gigs

Pet-sitting and house-sitting has been an important ingredient in our nomadic travel life. There are many benefits, including saving money on rent and allowing us to test out different living situations. If you’re curious about pet sitting or house sitting domestically or internationally, this post shares why it’s great for budget travel and how to…

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Travel Hacking For Beginners

Many people ask me how I obtain certain luxury hotel stays or premium airline products. I simply answer, “Oh with credit card points”. Then the real questions start. A short conversation is impossible to convey all the intricacies of credit card point hacking. I hesitated to write a guide since I don’t consider myself an expert and there are masterclasses on this subject. However, I wanted something I could easily share with friends and coworkers who ask, so I decided to write this travel hacking for beginners guide. This is as basic as I can make it for people just getting started.

Table of Contents

What is Travel Hacking?

This is a catch-all phrase that means to utilize credit card bonuses and points to obtain free or upgraded flights and hotel stays. You can accumulate and use loyalty points, and rewards miles to reduce travel costs.

Travel hacking for beginners is daunting. You should keep it simple when you are a beginner. Sometimes just having one card will get you far. You can turn the money you spend on everyday things, like gas, dining, and groceries into rewards. Many people are leaving money on the table by not using the right credit cards.

Some people want these travel rewards so they can reduce the cost of a big family trip with some free flights and hotel stays. Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to fly in a swanky airline’s first-class or stay in an upgraded hotel suite without the exorbitant price. The first thing to do when entering the travel hacking world is to decide your goals. This will be important for where you invest your energy and what strategy you use.

How to Accumulate Points and Miles for Travel

I have divided this post into Accumulating Points and Spending Points. This first part is the easiest of the two but involves having a credit card and spending strategy.

What are the Best Credit Cards to Have for Travel Hacking?

I’m going to start with the most important question. Which credit card to get? Every airline has a credit card as does every big hotel group. However, the best cards to start your travel hacking career with are the ones that have multiple transfer partners such as Chase, American Express, Capital One, or Citi. I’ll do a summary of these below. Remember that most travel points are earned via the introductory signup bonus (SUB) or initial spend bonus. It’s hard to accumulate that many points with regular spending.

Hot Tip: If you are only going to have ONE card for all of your travel hacking, make it either the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the American Express Platinum.

Things to Know About Travel Credit Cards

Before we get into specific cards, these are some general principles you should be familiar with.

All the best travel credit cards have an annual fee. This ranges from $95 to $695. Sometimes, the fee is waived in the first year. You can try calling after the first year or so and say you want to cancel and they may lower the fee. This is NOT foolproof and won’t work for certain cards.

High-Interest Rates

Travel credit cards have high interest rates so you should pay the bill every month in full if you want to travel hack. Otherwise, the benefits you are earning may not be so great.

No Foreign Transaction Fees

Look for cards that have no foreign transaction fees so you can use it while traveling abroad. Most travel credit cards don’t have these fees.

For more information about using cards while traveling, read Accessing and Spending Money Abroad

Big Introductory Point Bonus

The ideal card would have a big juicy welcome bonus. This is the introductory offer to get X amount of points after spending X amount of dollars in X amount of months.

Category Spend Bonuses

Most cards will give you 1 point per 1$ spent. The best cards have special category bonuses such as 3 to 5X points per $1 on travel-related purchases or 2-3X on certain categories like gas or groceries.

Good Credit Card Hygiene

Check your credit score.

No travel hacking for beginners is a good idea until you have good to excellent credit.

Don’t Buy Things You Don’t Need

I cannot stress this enough. You also need a strategy before you go opening cards willy-nilly. You see that some of these require a hefty initial spend and you should not be buying things you don’t need, just to buy them . This defeats the purpose of travel hacking.

Hot Tip: Plan to open one card at a time when you have big purchases you know you need to make .

I have put off making deposits on trips until my new credit card arrived or I’ve waited to buy that new camera until the card arrived for this reason. Not everyone can simply go out and buy thousands of dollars of things they need every 3 months. You don’t want travel hacking to destroy your credit or your finances. There are many hacks out there to spend the money necessary for that initial bonus or to get more points. You can offer to pay for group meals on your card and have your friends Venmo you. I have asked family members if they had big purchases coming up that I could put on my card. You can put your mortgage on your card for a small fee via some 3rd parties. This is not generally a great idea but if you are desperate over the short term you can look into this. Here is an article about paying your mortgage with a credit card .

Certain cards have 3-5X points for grocery purchases. Many people will buy gift cards at the grocery store and get their points growth that way. Keep in mind that you have to read the fine print on your card’s bonus categories as to what counts as groceries. Generally, anything purchased in a grocery store counts whereas this usually does not include convenience stores, superstores, discount stores, warehouse clubs or meal-kit delivery services. It also doesn’t typically include drugstores that also sell food.

Avoid incurring late fees and interest fees

Pay your bill in full every month to avoid late fees or interest fees.

Hot Tip: Set up auto-pay from the start so you never forget or miss a payment . If you’re like me and traveling and don’t like to constantly check email, you may miss a payment reminder. When you have over 10 credit cards to manage, this is easy to do. Auto-pay is your friend.

Will it hurt my credit score?

No. Unless you make some of the mistakes I mentioned above. Late payments hurt credit. Opening tons of cards in a short time frame can give you a slight hit but if this is your only strike and you started with excellent credit, your score will stay in a high range. The ratio of your credit limit to your card balances can hurt your credit. Closing cards is more damaging than opening them but that doesn’t mean you can never close a card. Just never close a card unless you’ve had it for at least a year.

Having a flurry of credit card activity in a short time frame may dip your credit score, however, if you space things out properly, it shouldn’t make a significant dent. Anytime there is a credit inquiry, there is a slight dip. I have had dozens of cards, applied for them, and canceled regularly and my credit has stayed excellent.

Here is some more detail to read about how canceling credit cards affects your credit.

I suggest getting one card to start and put EVERYTHING on it to maximize the points. Once you feel like you have some big purchases to make and can make another initial spend bonus, you can add to your collection. You will have to start keeping track of which cards have category spend bonuses such as which gets the most from gas or from booking a flight etc. I currently use a spreadsheet but there are apps available

You can speed up those point earnings by getting 3X or 10X the points per dollar.

Most Popular General Travel Credit Cards

General travel credit cards that are not co-branded with a particular airline or hotel are considered better since you don’t need any brand loyalty to use and these are the most flexible points you can earn. Just remember that your points with these are tied to the bank that owns the credit card and if you cancel the card, you lose the points.

American Express Platinum

• Annual Fee: $695
• Introductory offer: 80,000 points after $8,000 spent on purchases in 6 months
• 5X rewards per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels on their travel portal. You can also book directly with the airline using your Amex card for these points.
• Airline Lounge Access: Centurion Lounge, Delta Sky Club (if you are flying Delta), and Priority Pass Select
• $189 towards a Clear membership yearly. Clear is a program similar to TSA precheck but better and faster because fewer people have it and you don’t need to show your ID to the TSA agent at security. You have a separate line and get priority over the precheck line.
• $200 in annual credit for airline incidental fees. You choose one qualifying airline (they are only domestic carriers) to receive this credit. You have to enroll on the Amex site and then you can charge incidental fees like checked luggage, in-flight food and beverage or seat upgrades and even lounge passes for that airline to the card.
• $200 toward Uber and Uber Eats yearly (this is a monthly credit of $15). You also are automatically enrolled in Uber VIP status which connects you to top-rated drivers. You get a bonus of up to $35 in December.
• $200 in Annual Hotel Credit: If you book travel at The Hotel Collection (2 night minimum) or the Fine Hotels + Resorts properties) via Amex Travel you will get $200 back per year. Many times you also get VIP services such as free breakfast, free upgrades, a free spa treatment, late checkout, etc.
• $240 Digitial Entertainment credit. This is $20 monthly for digital entertainment. Includes Audible, Peacock, SiriusXM, NYT, WSM, Disney Plus among others. You must enroll first.
• $100 annually at Saks Fifth Avenue. This is divided in $50 from January to June and $50 from July to December.
• You will be automatically Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite Status and Hilton Honors Gold Status

Remember, to get perks with any card, you have to USE that card for the purchases. You won’t get the Uber credit if your Uber account is not associated with the card. That may sound like a no-brainer but people do forget! If you add all these up, you are getting way more than the cost of the card.

American Express Gold

A less expensive alternative to the Platinum.

• Annual Fee $295
• One of the best for grocery spending
• Earn 4X points at restaurants; 4X points on up to $25,000 a year in spending at U.S. supermarkets; 3X on airfare booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com; and 1X on all other spending. There are dining credits and a nice welcome offer, and your points are transferable to airlines and hotels. 

Chase Sapphire Reserve or Sapphire Preferred

The other hard hitter in the travel hacking world is the Chase Sapphire. Like Amex, these cards have multiple airline transfer partners plus hotel partners like Hyatt and Marriott.

Both of these currently have the same signup bonus. You will get 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months. Both allow you to transfer your points to any of Chase’s 14 travel partners. Some of the most valuable partners include Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Air Canada Aeroplan, and World of Hyatt.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

This is their premium card with a higher annual fee and greater rewards but may not necessarily be the best one for you.

• Annual Fee: $550
• 10 points per dollar on hotels, car rentals and Chase Dining purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
• 10 points per dollar on Lyft through March 2025
• 5 points per dollar on flights purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
• 3 points per dollar on dining and all other travel
• 1 point per dollar on everything else
• $300 annual travel credit
• Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus fee credit (up to $100) every four years]
• DoorDash DashPass subscription (activate by Dec. 31, 2024) and $5 in DoorDash credits each month
• One-year complimentary Instacart+ membership (activate by July 31, 2024) and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits per month (through July 2024)
• Access to Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection
• Priority Pass and Sapphire Lounges

Chase Sapphire Preferred

• Annual Fee: $95
• 5 points per dollar on travel purchased through the Ultimate Rewards portal
• 5 points per dollar on Lyft through March 2025
• 5 points per dollar on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $150 or more with a maximum earn of 25,000 total points through March 2025
• 3 points per dollar on dining at restaurants worldwide, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2 points per dollar on all other travel
• $50 annual ultimate rewards hotel credit
• DoorDash DashPass subscription (activate by Dec. 31, 2024)
• Six-month complimentary Instacart+ membership (activate by July 31, 2024) and up to $15 in Instacart statement credits each quarter (through July 2024)
• No lounge benefit

With all Chase cards, you have to be cognizant of the 5/24 Rule. This means that if you have opened 5 credit cards in the past 24 months, you will likely get denied. This is why if you are planning to get several credit cards in the future, get the Chase ones first. This doesn’t always apply to business cards, FYI and the rules regarding this are not always crystal clear.

If you get the SUB from one of them you will have to wait 24-48 months before you can get the bonus from the other one. If you for some reason have one and want the other one instead, the best strategy is to first downgrade to a no-annual-fee Chase card like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®. You can request this by calling the number on the back of your card. Then, you can apply for the other one and earn the welcome bonus.

Some points experts advocate waiting for the higher SUBs that Chase often has. Sometimes it can be 80k and sometimes even 100k. Other experts say you shouldn’t wait because that’s time wasted you could have been earning the 60k points and counting down the 24 months or so until you can get the next bonus.

Citi Premier Card

This would not be the first choice but if you already have the 1st two and looking for some points, the Citi Premier is a good option. I opened it when they had a 90k bonus.

• Annual fee: $95
• Initial Spend Bonus 60,000 bonus points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months. You can only get this once every 48 months.
• 3X restaurants 3X gas stations 3x supermarkets 3x air travel 3x hotels and 10x hotels and car rentals when booked through citi portal
• Partners include Air France, KLM, Emirates, Etihad, Qantas, Qatar, Singapore, Virgin Atlantic and Turkish

Capital One

Venture X is the premium card and one that gets you into the shiny new Capital One Airport lounges that look incredible. Here is the summary of the various cards.

Capital One has a 1:1 transfer ratio for the following loyalty programs:

• Aeromexico Club Premier
• Air Canada – Aeroplan®
• Cathay Pacific – Asia Miles
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Choice Privileges® 2
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Guest
• Finnair Plus
• Flying Blue
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• TAP Miles&Go
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• Wyndham Rewards

Just by owning some credit cards, you have already leveled up your travel experience by having lounge access and elite hotel status. These little perks make a huge difference when you travel. I am spoiled and have a low-key meltdown when I can’t be in a lounge. It’s hard to justify having the premium of all the various card categories but many frequent travelers do have them all and are diligent about getting all the benefits from them to offset the annual fees.

Airline Credit Cards

Once you have gotten the hang of those other cards you may consider one of these depending on how you travel and what you think will work best for you.

I happen to fly United the most domestically and United has the most European partners so I opened a United Business card. It had a high SUB of 100k at the time. Nothing lures me in like a huge SUB. I keep that card open because I get certain perks like 2 free checked bags, free upgrade to premium economy, etc. I don’t have many other airline cards. Here is a summary of the various cards they offer. As you can see there is a range in annual fees and benefits. You can learn more about United credit cards here. When you are on the flight, sometimes they will have a great credit card offer that you won’t find elsewhere. Take the brochures they offer.

American Airlines

If American is the airline you fly the most, it may make sense to get one of their co-branded cards . American is one of the harder airlines to get points on because they don’t have many transfer partners. Chase and Amex don’t transfer to them. It’s sad because some of the BEST international first-class flights I have booked have been via American Airlines. They are partners with Qatar, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, to name a few so great for Asia travel but not as much for Europe. The only card that transfers to them is Bilt , which many people love because it will allow rent payments.

Another American Airlines card out there is the Aviator Card with Barclay Bank. It is a good one because the initial bonus of 60k Advantage points is easy to get. You just need to make one purchase!

As always you have to balance the yearly fee which is around $100 for most basic airline credit cards with the benefits you are getting from it.

I seldom fly Delta based on the airports where I live, so this is the program I know the least about but many people like it and they do have some good international partners. I don’t think their program is as lucrative or has as many options as the previous two but if this is the airline you fly the most, it’s worth looking into the cards they offer . You can compare the various cards. Right now it seems they have higher than normal offers.

Hotel Credit Cards

I have shared graphics from the respective websites for you to have in one handy place but I suggest choosing one based on where you think you will stay the most OR if you have a certain dream luxury hotel goal somewhere in the world that is one of the respective chains. Opening a card is a great way to kick start the points bank and get a reduced or free luxury stay someplace exciting.

Hotel Credit Cards are nice because many of them give you a free night and elite status. With elite status comes perks like club access, free welcome gifts, free upgrades, etc. Using the hotel’s credit card AT one of the hotels lets you get closer to elite status and earn credit card points at a higher rate.

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott has the largest worldwide footprint of any of the hotel groups which makes it a good one to choose. It may not offer as much in terms of luxury as the others, depending on who you ask.

One unique and wonderful thing about Marriott is that it has the only hotel points that can be converted to airline points. They transfer at a rate of 3:1 so this isn’t the best use of points however in a pinch, they come in handy. For me, these points are easier to get than airline points so I have transferred them to certain airlines that have zero other transfer partners like Korean Air for example. You will get a bonus of 5000 airline points for every 20,000 you transfer. Therefore 60,000 Marriott points = 25,000 airline points.

Marriott credit cards are co-branded with both Chase and American Express. Remember that when you earn points on this card, they are not Chase or Amex points, but Marriott points. This is the same for all the hotel cards. I have seen others be confused by this.

Hilton Honors

Hilton credit cards are co-branded with American Express. It is sort of a mystery how they decide this but if you recently got a huge Amex point bonus on a different card, they may not give you another bonus (even though it would be Hilton points, not Amex points). I had tried several times to get a straight answer from American Express why I was getting denied the signup Hilton point bonus back in 2021 and finally in 2022 they allowed me to get it.

Note: You can transfer your Amex points to Hilton at a 1:2 ratio but many experts don’t consider this a good transfer because Amex points are more valuable than Hilton and are truly worth more than that ratio. Upgraded points values Amex points at 2.2 cents apiece and Hilton points at 0.5 cents apiece. These are not interchangeable. However, sometimes Amex will offer a bonus of 30% to transfer points. If you are short a few thousand Hilton points that you need to top off an award reservation, this can help.

Another option if there is a Hilton room you have your eye on but don’t have the Hilton points is to simply book it through the Amex travel portal. You will get many perks for booking with Amex that are very similar to the perks of having Hilton status such as free breakfast, a free night, etc. Remember I said there are many ways to play this game.

Hyatt at this time only has two options. They are with Chase Bank.

I only mentioned the 3 big ones, Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt because these have the biggest footprint and all of their cards can be useful. You may want to take a gander at which hotels are part of each group and where they are. Perhaps there are more Hilton brand hotels in the places you like to travel or want to visit. Or maybe you have a luxury dream trip you want to do someday. It’s good to have a goal to work towards. Or you could be like me and just keep trying to accumulate a nice point bank in many places to have for some unspecified date in the future when I may want them.

Notice that each brand has several options for cards, each with differing annual fees and perks. I have one of each because the yearly fee pays for itself since I utilize the free nights and other perks.

Once you have an Amex, a Chase, an airline card, and a hotel card, you are now looking at $1000 or more yearly spend on annual fees. So you need to always assess and make sure these cards are giving your money’s worth.

The IHG or Intercontinental Hotel Group is another one to consider but not going to go into much detail. Just know that they offer a personal and business credit card with some great perks and an excellent SUB. This hotel group includes Holiday Inn, Crown Plaza, Kimpton plus many others so fairly easy to find them and rack up points without spending a fortune but then you can redeem points at some seriously luxurious hotels in this group.

Business Credit Cards

I didn’t want to make this post too long but briefly, I will say that if you own a business of any kind, even a small side hustle, you could be eligible for a business credit card. You don’t need an EIN. Business cards don’t all count towards your 5/24 limit. Also, many of these cards offer great SUBs with low annual fees. The con is that you typically have to do a very high initial spend to get the SUB.

Chase Ink has several great business cards to look into. Two of them have ZERO annual fee. Unfortunately, last month they just ended a fantastic high sign-up bonus of 90k points.

How to Book Travel with Points

This is much more complex than earning the points. Earning them is the easy part. Booking them is a different game. I think airline booking is more complex than hotel booking so I will concentrate on that.

Hot Tip: For hotel booking, know that you can find luxury hotels through the various bank card (Chase /Amex/Citi) portals and sometimes get some great perks and deals.

Enroll in the Airline Awards Programs

Make sure before you attempt any airline or hotel point travel that you have an account with that brand. This is easy to do on their website and takes just a few minutes and is free. You should have an account number before you apply for a hotel or airline credit card so they will be associated. Every time you book a hotel or fly with that airline OR its partners, make sure your account number is on your reservation so you get credit. I have accounts for airlines I’ve never flown because I’m always searching for deals.

Learn the Various Airline Partnerships

There are major airline partnerships that are good to have a general idea about. Let’s say you have loyalty to one of the US carriers but you are flying international carriers. You can get points from that on YOUR favorite airline. Keep in mind you can choose which airline account to link to any flight but you can’t get more than one.

Hot Tip: Make sure you find out which US carrier your international carrier is partnered with and make sure your account number is attached so you get the points. You can fly Lufthansa and get United points. You can fly British Airways and get American Airlines points. It is wise to keep all your points in the place you are most likely to use them.

Star Alliance

The Star Alliance has 26 airlines including United, Turkish, Lufthansa, Brussels, Austrian, Air Canada, Aegean, Swiss, TAP, Thai, Copa, Avianca, ANA and Singapore. So if you have points on one of these, you can typically get an award seat on the partner airline. Note you cannot simply transfer points in between. It doesn’t work that way.

One World Alliance

The One World Alliance has American Airlines, Alaska, Cathay Pacific, British Airways, Japan Airlines, Iberia, Qatar, Qantas, Air Tahiti, and Fiji Air among others.

Sky Team Alliance

The SkyTeam Alliance has Delta, Air France, KLM, Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines, Aerolineas Argentinas, and more.

Sometimes you will find a redemption for a United Polaris flight on a partner’s website like Canada Aeroplan or Avianca LifeMiles. A flight that that is 150k points on the United Website may be only 75K on another site. This is where knowledge and research are your friends. I recently booked a business class flight on Air Tahiti for 60,000 points on the Alaska Website and the same flight was 80,000 on American’s website. I go into more of this below.

Booking Economy vs Premium Cabins

Typically booking economy seats on flights is much easier than the premium classes because there will be more award availability. Airlines want cash for those premium cabins so they only release a limited number of award seats, especially to their partners. Same with hotels. You will find more points availability in the lower-tier hotels in the various groups but getting an over-water bungalow at the Ritz Carlton in the Maldives will be harder.

Everyone will have different goals with both airlines and hotels whether it be to reduce your overall costs for a large family or to indulge in a special luxury experience. One-way in first class on some of these luxury airlines can cost around $10,000 but if you get it with points that you earned for spending just $3000 on things you were going to buy anyway, it seems like a bargain. However, for the same amount of points, you may be able to get 4 economy seats.

Where to Start When Looking for a Flight Award

After you’ve been doing this awhile, you just sort of know which airlines fly to certain parts of the world and you know which airlines have great premium products so this helps when you search. But if you are just starting, a good place to begin is by going to Google Flights and searching the route you want. Another resource is FlightsFrom.com . You can find what routes are direct from your airport of choice.

Once you see which route makes sense for you, you will know which airline to look for points for. If it’s not an airline you have points with, you then look to see if your credit card points with the general travel cards like Chase or Amex will transfer to that airline. If you have no points anywhere that will work, you can research how to get those points by opening a new card, provided you have enough time for this process. As I mentioned earlier, transferring Marriott points may be a last-ditch option.

That was a very basic summary of the procedure. Once you go to the airline that you want to book with, you have to make sure you search “award travel” or “book with miles” to see what awards are available. Some airlines’ websites are intuitive and easy but some are seriously a hot mess. You can always call the airline to see what award flights are available. At times the agent can find something I couldn’t on the website. Sometimes nothing may show up on the date you want but if you look at other dates and if you can be flexible, you may find a great award seat.

Hot Tip: Never transfer points to an airline unless you know for sure you are going to use them. You cannot transfer them back to your credit card once they are deposited at the airline.

Practical Example

Since the process of finding an award seat is not always straightforward, I think it is best explained with an example of a flight I actually just booked this week. Iwant to fly from Washington DC to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. I literally had no idea which flights go there or what cities they go through (I knew it wouldn’t be direct). So, a quick Google Flights search showed me this. (Of course, I’m looking at business for this long route) Note, I typically search one-way flights when trying to book awards simply because I have found it to be easier and less complicated.

I was interested in the Turkish Airlines flight because I heard they have a very nice business class and a lot of award availability. I certainly don’t want to pay over $5000 for a one-way flight! So my next step was to go to the Chase travel portal to see if I could get a good award seat through there. You just go to your credit card account page and click on rewards then you get to this page. I then clicked on “Book Flights”.

My initial search of IAD to UBN showed no results so then I just searched IAD to IST.

This a TERRIBLE deal. SO MANY POINTS plus $2000. No, thank you. And it doesn’t get me to the final destination. This is why you generally don’t book points through the portal. Just for shits and giggles, I tried the Citi Bank portal since I also have points there. Spoiler Alert, also a terrible deal.

Ok next step is to go straight to Turkish Airlines. I quickly signed up for a Miles and Smiles Account and began searching for business award seats. Some airlines won’t even let you search for award seats without an account. For this particular search, I couldn’t find all the way to UBN so I looked at round trip for IAD to IST. There was decent availability. Business class round trip would be 210,000 points plus $588 in cash. Best deal I’ve seen so far. Many airlines now have a cash fee you have to pay for airline fuel surcharges or taxes or some BS I don’t fully understand. I am going to look around more for a better deal. But I know this possibility exists and I would just have to transfer points here. But I’m still not seeing the flights I want all the way to Mongolia.

I happen to know that both United Airlines and Canada Aeroplan are partners with Turkish Air so I want to look at their sites as well. I went to Canada Aeroplan first because they are well known for having good awards with low redemptions. Well, I finally hit the jackpot. I found a flight all the way to Ulaanbaatar with minimal fees and it was a way lower redemption than anywhere else.

(FYI I checked United and they had a similar one. I got lucky twice which is rare!). I then went to my Chase account to transfer points to Aeroplan. You go back to that same Chase portal but this time you hit “transfer points to partner”.

Then you choose the airline partner, enter your Airline number, and decide how many points you want to transfer. Right after I clicked the transfer I went back to Aeroplan, refreshed the screen, and my points were there. Easy.

Next, I booked my flight. They give you a nice variety of cash + points options. The fees were fairly low, only $63. FYI United had the same flight for 500 more points and only around $20 in fees, so that would have been the best deal but for some reason, the flight wasn’t showing up for me until it was too late.

Ok so after at least an hour of searching, I got a great award seat. As you can see, this can take time and it’s not as simple as people make it out to be, especially when you are new. That’s why there are services you can pay for that do this legwork for you. Your best plan of action when you are new is to see what flights are going to your destination, and then google how to fly them with points.

Let’s say you want to experience Qatar QSuites, one of the best airline products in the sky, but don’t know how. Just google how to book it with points and multiple experts have written about it like this article about finding QSuites step by step . And there are similar articles for just about every airline out there.

Hot Tip: To snag award travel in premium cabins, look at one-way flights, be flexible with the dates and use the award calendar

Booking Through the Credit Card Portal vs Transferring the Points

Typically it is best to transfer points but not always. You should always compare the deal you are seeing in the Chase or Amex portal vs what is on the airline website. You don’t ever want to waste your points. Again, you must have an airline account number before doing this. Also, don’t transfer unless you know for sure you have a flight that you want because you can’t transfer them back. Sometimes there are “deals”. For example, American Express had a deal that you could transfer points to KLM or Air France with a 25% discount. This is phenomenal because you will get 25% more airline points for the same amount of Amex points. With Chase and Amex, the transfer time is usually immediate so you don’t have to wait and risk losing the flight you want. Remember that the flight award you find won’t hang around forever. Snatch it up!

My Travel Hacking Strategy

As I mentioned earlier, I routinely open a new card once I have completed my initial spend on another card. Of course, I try to be reasonable and only open them when I have big purchases to make. I always keep a Chase, Citi, and Amex for those easily transferrable points. Also, I am constantly looking ahead at trips I think I’d like to do and strategize about which points I need to obtain that trip.

Once you spend the required amount, you will have to wait until the next billing cycle for the points to post. So you may not get the points exactly when you want them. I have been honestly sweating checking the airline psychotically waiting for points to be deposited. There have been tears. Sometimes this is a long game and I don’t recommend you try to do it last minute.

Example 1 : I had always wanted to fly Emirates First Class so I researched how to do it, and what kind of points I would need. I opened the right card, obtained the points, and then booked the flight. This process was started almost a year before the flight.

Example 2 : I had always wanted to stay in the Conrad Bora Bora Nui which is a Hilton Hotel. I opened one of the Hilton cards and began staying in Hilton group hotels every chance I could to specifically gain those points. This process started over two years ago.

Also when booking certain luxury airline products, the seats you want will be gobbled up quickly for any given date so I start as early as possible. I only got my 1st class seat on Japan Airlines by stalking the American Airlines website daily starting a year before my flight. The day they released an award seat on the date I wanted, I grabbed it. They may only release 1 to a partner such as American. This doesn’t mean you can’t snag a great award seat any other time, it is just harder. Some people have last-minute luck. I sadly have not but then again I rarely leave trip planning until the last minute. This works for people who have time off and choose where they go on what type of free flight or hotel they can get.

Booking Award Travel Is Frustrating

I’m saying this because so many influencers make it seem easy. This is a lie. If you get frustrated, just know you are not alone.

There isn’t only one way to book things, which is why it can be complicated. There is no way for me to explain it all in one post which is why I just wanted to give you basic guidelines. I am STILL researching these things all the time. I follow people on social media who post about how they booked certain flights but the way they do it doesn’t always work because the airlines are constantly changing the rules. Very annoying.

If you need extra help, please see the resources I have linked below.

Travel Hacking Resources

This hobby takes time and energy. Loyalty programs are constantly evolving. There are services out there that can search for awards for you but the best ones are going to charge.

Finding Award Flights

Straight To The Points.com They constantly search for premium award availability and flight deals to popular international destinations. They can consistently “alert” you of  premium cabin flight availability  and/or fare sales multiple times weekly. Once they have found a deal, they email you the pertinent information in an Award Alert Newsletter! The yearly premium service is $99/year and may be helpful for people who find themselves spending hours on this and not having luck. Otherwise, you can try their free service.

There is a website and app called seats.aero that many people use. Forbes has a good article about it. In their own words: “Finding the route you want to fly on the dates that work for you can quickly morph into your worst nightmare. You won’t be surprised to find out you’re not the first person to wonder if there’s a better and easier way to find award space availability. The good news is there are better ways, and one of them is Seats.aero.” However, this is not for total newbs because you need to have some idea of flight codes and airport codes and the interface is not the easiest to deal with.

Award Hacker is another free website where you can search a route (not specific dates) and see which airlines fly it and what type of points that airline takes. This one isn’t always helpful either.

A better version of Award Hacker is Roame

In their own words, “Roame is Google flights using credit card points and miles. Using Roame, you can search across 16 airline loyalty programs in one single swoop, enabling you to see the award availability for over 200 airlines. This functionality transforms what is traditionally a time-consuming and often frustrating endeavor into a more efficient and user-friendly experience. Whether you are well-versed in utilizing your credit card rewards or find yourself overwhelmed by the complexity of points and miles, Roame was designed to simplify credit card rewards and to help you maximize the value of your points and miles.”

Just remember, there is a reason people do masterclasses on this topic and charge for award-finding services.

Blogs and Classes

10X Travel Insiders Facebook group and free class. I find this group helpful and the free class is wonderful. However until you take the class and learn the terminology, you may not understand most of what people are posting about. They also offer a service where an expert will look for awards seats for you.

World Travel Adventurers These guys are fantastic people who truly want to help you. I suggest taking their course if you want to get serious. Follow their social media accounts for great tips for family travel.

These others also have websites and fun social media accounts sharing great travel hacking tips!!

Upgraded Points

Adventure Parks

Frequent Miler

Summary of Travel Hacking for Beginners

Once you have decided on your travel hacking goals, you can figure out the best cards to get started. To obtain points to spend on anything, you will want Chase, American Express, Capitol One, or CIti. If you always stay in a certain hotel chain, get their card. If you typically fly one airline, get that card. Travel Hacking can be simply having 1 or 2 cards. Many people don’t need more than that. You don’t have to make it complicated but you can eventually build on this if you want. I hope this was helpful!! I know it’s A LOT!

Tell me in the comments what questions you have!

About The Author

Cherene Saradar

Cherene is a travel expert with 30 years of experience in over 100 countries and 7 continents. She has traveled solo to over 50 countries. She is also a nurse anesthesiologist with over 20 years of healthcare experience. Her passions include wildlife travel and visiting wine regions of the world.

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[…] and one of many points hacking experts will have a post on this subject! Here is my handy dandy Beginner’s Guide to Travel Hacking, in case you are […]

John Smith | 29th Mar 24

Great tips for beginner travel hackers! Your advice on maximizing rewards and savings is invaluable.

Cherene Saradar | 15th Apr 24

Happy to hear it will help!

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• Travel Hacking 101: 9 Critical Tips to Know

by Nichole | Last updated Jul 25, 2024 | Travel Hacking

Travel hacking 101. Sounds complicated, but it’s not. With a couple of a few pointers, you will be well on your way to earning points and miles to cash in on free flights and hotels. Suddenly that 2-week trip to Africa or exotic vacation to the Maldives becomes obtainable. No more dreaming. I will warn you though travel hacking can become addicting and super thrilling when you score that amazing redemption.

* Some of the links in this post contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. All recommendations are from first-hand experience that I feel will deliver value to you! Thank you for your continued support.

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01- Pick an Airline Alliance & Stay Loyal

Three airline alliances, #1- free flights, #2- airline perks, how to pick an airline alliance, #1- home airport, #2- where you like to travel, which airline alliance we use, 02- pick a travel credit card, chase vs. amex, sign up when there's a big bonus offer, join forces with your partner or spouse, 03- maximize points with the chase trifecta, chase sapphire reserve, chase freedom, chase freedom unlimited, 04- double dip, #1- shopping portals, #2- dining rewards programs, #3- rakuten, #4- amex offers, 05- know the partnerships , uber & marriott, lyft & delta, american airlines & world of hyatt, british airways & airbnb, 06- lookout for mistake fares, 07- always check the redemption value, redemption value formula, points guy calculator, 08- airlines miles are more valuable , 09- redeem at chase travel portal, final thoughts, related content.

What is travel hacking?

Travel hacking refers to using travel credit cards and airline miles to collect points, so you can cash them out on free flights and hotels, upgrades, airport lounge access, and other perks.

Where do you even begin?

There are many advanced techniques, but these are the 9 steps to get you well on your way to free travel. Let’s dive in.

American Airlines plane

What you need to know is there are 3 airline alliances:

• Star Alliance

An airline alliance is a group of partner airlines that span the entire world. If you have status on one airline, then its partner airlines will also recognize you and give you priority treatment.

Pick one alliance, and stick with it for 2 reasons.

The miles you accumulate can be redeemed for free flights. The number of miles needed for that free flight will vary based on the destination and the fare class you want (economy, business, first-class).

Flying is not the only way you obtain airline miles. You can also transfer your Chase and American Express credit card points into airline miles.

Another way to obtain airline miles quickly is by signing up for a big bonus offer with an airline co-branded credit card.

For example, the United Explorer card offers 50,000 United bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months your account is open.

As you accumulate points and gain status, the airline’s loyalty program will usually award you with perks like free checked bags, priority boarding, and lounge access.

* Note, not every airline is part of an alliance. For example, Southwest is not in an alliance.

This will depend on 2 factors: 

What major airlines are at your home airport? This really is the main determining factor.

Do you live in Atlanta, Georgia? You will probably pick Delta.

What about Chicago, Illinois? You are probably going with United.

How about Charlotte, North Carolina? American Airlines will likely be your top pick.

Where do you like to travel? Europe? U.S.? Asia?

Which airlines fly to your desired travel destinations? If you only fly domestically or maybe to the Caribbean every now and then, you might not pick an alliance and just stick with Southwest. Your travel goals will help guide this decision.

If you live in the United States, your major airline choices are as follows:

• United (Star Alliance)
• Delta (SkyTeam Alliance)
• American (Oneworld Alliance)

Once you select your alliance, make sure to SIGN UP with your airline’s loyalty program and add that number to EVERY flight you book. 

An airline alliance is like a marriage. For better or worse, you are in it. Make sure it is a good one and meets your needs, and you will be rewarded for that loyalty. 

PRO TIP : Go to Wikipedia and type in your home airport. It will show all the main airline carriers and the main destinations. Use this information to determine your airline alliance.

Cathay Pacific The Wing Lounge in Hong Kong

Previously, we lived close to a United Airlines hub, so we initially chose Star Alliance and accumulated quite a few points (or I should say my husband did due to his business travel).

Star Alliance is one of the biggest airline alliances and has an incredibly robust network of flight options. You can basically travel anywhere using this alliance.

Now, we live close to an American Airlines hub, so we have switched to Oneworld . We love traveling to Asia.

Cathay Pacific has many routes to Asia and is one of American’s alliance partners. Because of my husband’s status with American, Cathay Pacific recognizes his status which allows access to their top lounges when we travel through Asia.

The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong is probably my favorite lounge ever! Think free wagyu beef cheeseburgers, 15-minute massages, and a private shower after a long flight. Oh, yeah.

The downside to Oneworld is there are not nearly as many travel options as Star Alliance.

If you only can pick one, go with the Chase Sapphire Reserve hands down for two reasons.

The first reason is the $200 airline fee credit with Amex is very difficult to use because it only applies to incidental fees, checked bags, and in-flight refreshments on the one airline you select for the entire year.

You used to get around this by purchasing gift cards from the selected airline and using them to pay for flights, but they closed this loophole. 

The second reason is there are many places internationally that do not accept Amex.

The big perks of using Amex are access to their Centurion lounges, their concierge service, and the Amex offers they send out for select retailers.

On the other hand, getting value out of the Chase Sapphire Reserve card is incredibly easy. The annual fee for Chase Sapphire Reserve is $550.

If you travel at all, you are going to be able to easily use the $300 annual travel credit. This drops it down to $250.

If you already enjoy DoorDash services every year, take another $60 off. Now, you are down to $190.

If you decide to take advantage of the Global Entry credit (which you should! if you love international travel), subtract another $100. You are left with $90.

Now you must decide if you will get more than $90 worth of Priority Pass access, car rental insurance, DoorDash delivery fees, and Lyft perks.

We use the Priority Pass lounges frequently, so for us, that alone adds up to way more than $90 a year. If you cannot tell, I love this travel credit card!

Plus, you can redeem your points through the Chase Travel Portal at 1.5x the rate, which will be explained later in this guide .

PRO TIP : Another consideration in the Chase vs. Amex battle is to consider your airline alliance. Chase and Amex have specific airlines they work with as transfer partners. Check to see which credit card partners with your airline alliance. That may help you decide which credit card is best for you.

Courtesy of Shutterstock: Travel hacking 101- pick a card with a big bonus offer

I would only sign up with a travel credit card WHEN there’s a nice welcome bonus offer.

For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is offering an 80,000 bonus point offer when you sign up and spend $4,000 within the first three months of the open account. At one point, Chase was offering a 100,000 bonus points offer. However, no one has seen that offer floating around for years.

Also, it’s important to know Chase has the 5/24 rule. You will be denied all Chase cards if you’ve opened 5 new credit cards in the last 24 months.

The standard welcome offer for American Express Platinum right now is 100,000 points, BUT you may be matched for even a higher offer of 125,000 or even 150,000 points!

You must spend $8,000 in the first 6 months to receive the points. If you are worried about hitting that minimum spend to get the bonus, time it around a big purchase (like a home renovation project or a new computer).

An easy way to see if you are matched for the lucrative Amex offer is to go to cardmatch.com and input your demographic information. It will not affect your credit score. It’s only a soft pull.

I’ll be honest. The American Express Platinum is not my favorite travel credit especially because not everyone accepts it when you travel internationally. I use it mainly for the Centurion Lounges, the Uber credits, and the occasional Amex offers.

The reason I signed up for it was because I was offered the high bonus offer. The 150K offer is insane. It’s worth roughly around $3,000! Here’s a snapshot of all the amazing free travel you can book with 150K Amex points .

PRO TIP :  If you find that you are not getting value out of the travel credit card after a year, you have two options when it gets close to your card renewal date. Call customer service and let them know you are considering canceling. Oftentimes, they will offer a retention offer in the amount of credit or points to keep you. If there’s no retention offer, another option is to downgrade the card to one with no annual fee.

Do NOT add your spouse or partner to your travel credit card as an authorized user.

It’s best to have your spouse/partner open up their own card, so they can also hit the bonus offer.

This assumes that you are able to spend the minimum required for the welcome offer AND you are still paying off your credit card balance in full every month.

Never pay cash for travel

Never pay cash or use a debit card for purchases.

Use your travel credit card for EVERY purchase.

It all adds up. You always want to earn points. Yes, I am guilty of even charging $1 for a gas station donut. Never lose out on points.  

Travel hacking 101: Use the Chase Trifecta Travel Credit Cards

I use this credit card for all travel-related expenses (flights, hotels, rentals, Uber/Lyft, parking, etc) and dining purchases to get 3x points . $550 annual fee.

This card has rotating 5x quarterly bonuses. For example, one quarter Chase may give you 5x points on all grocery and gas purchases. Then all of my grocery and gas purchases for those 3 months go on this card. I only put the 5x categories on this card. $0 annual fee.

This card will give you 1.5x points on all purchases. If my purchase does not fall in the travel or featured 5x quarterly bonus category, then the purchase goes on this credit card. $0 annual fee.

You can see how easily the points add up.

When I redeem those points, I transfer all the points from Chase Freedom and Chase Freedom Unlimited to my Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card.

Then I redeem those points through the Chase travel portal for hotels (or flights if you choose) at 1.5x the rate .

Say you have 200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which is equal to $2,000 USD. If you redeem those same 200,000 points through the travel portal, they are now worth $3,000 USD. Incredible value!

1 transaction. 2 types of points.

This is my favorite way to accumulate more points and miles. There are four easy ways to double dip when you are first starting out: shopping portals, dining programs, Rakuten, and Amex/Chase offers. 

We are all shopping online now from groceries to clothing to home goods. I don’t know about you, but I rarely go to actual stores now.

In addition to the points you receive on your credit card, what if I told you if you take one extra step you can collect even more points to go towards that free vacation?

Welcome to shopping portals!

These portals offer hundreds of different merchants that you are likely already buying from. Think Apple, Home Depot, Sephora, etc.

Many airlines ( American Airlines and United ) and banks (Chase) offer shopping portals. You must log in to the portal’s website, select the merchant you want, and click the link through the portal to direct you to the merchant’s website.

Once you complete the purchase, it will take a few days or weeks to see the points in your account.

How do you know what shopping portal to use? Go to Cashback Monitor . Type in your merchant, and see which portal is offering the most amount of points or cash back.

Cashback Monitor screenshot

For example, say you need to purchase a cute sundress from Macy’s for that wine vacation you are planning to Portugal this summer.

Type Macy’s into Cashback Monitor’s search box. You find American Airlines Advantage is offering up to 4 miles/$ spent. See the screenshot above.

Log into your American Airlines account and select Macy’s in the shopping portal. American Airlines will take you directly to Macy’s website.

Complete the purchase with your Chase Freedom Unlimited card and receive 4 miles/$ PLUS the 1.5x Chase points! Cha-ching.

Love dining out or grabbing takeout when you don’t feel like cooking?

Here’s yet another opportunity to double dip.

Certain airlines (American, Alaska, Delta, Spirit, JetBlue, Southwest, United) and hotels (Hilton, IHG, Marriott) offer dining rewards programs, which are operated by the Rewards Network.

Most points experts agree airline miles are more lucrative than hotel points.

All you need to do to get started is sign up for the program, register your travel credit card, and pay for your meal at a participating restaurant. Check which restaurants participate by typing in your zip code on the program’s website.

For example, if you join the AAdvantage Dining Program , you’ll get 1 mile per dollar paid, 3 miles per dollar if you agree to receive emails from the program, or 5 miles per dollar if you receive emails AND make 11 transactions in the calendar year.

Now you’ll get extra miles per dollar spent PLUS 3x the points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve card for a lovely meal out.

My Rakuten membership

I have been a member of Rakuten since 2010! It used to be known as Ebates. It’s a rewards program, where you can get cash back or extra Amex points for purchases you were going to make anyway.

To date, I have earned a total of $3,696.76!

Not bad considering there is little extra effort involved.

Go to Rakuten’s website and type the merchant you are looking for in the search box. The merchant will pop up if it’s a participating retailer with Rakuten.

For example, we recently booked a hotel through booking.com. I first went to Rakuten and typed booking.com in the search box. The current offer is 4% cash back.

I clicked on the “shop now” link, which directed me to the booking.com website. Once I complete my stay at the hotel in the next coming months, I will receive a check for 4% cash back.

Not bad for taking that one extra step. 

PRO TIP #1 :  Always check for mobile-only pricing on travel booking websites. When I recently went to booking.com through Rakuten’s website on my cell phone, I was shocked to see the cost of my hotel was $447 cheaper for a 4-night stay in the Maldives!! Not only am I getting 4% cash back with Rakuten but an additional $447 simply because I made the reservation on my phone instead of my desktop.

PRO TIP #2 : Reach the required amount of stays with booking.com and become a Genius member for even deeper discounts (10-20%)!

Screenshot of mobile-only pricing on booking.com

Travel hacking 101: Take advantage of Amex offers

Amex Offers are another great way to double dip. Amex will periodically offer you additional discounts at select retailers. The offers will be listed on your Amex’s home page after you log in.

The Amex Offers will list what you need to spend to get the offer and the expiration date. You have to select “Add to Card” next to the offer to get the discount when you use your Amex card.

Remember these offers are in ADDITION to the points you will already be receiving on your Amex card for the purchase. 

Chase has started a similar program, but I haven’t found the offers to match as well to my personal shopping habits.  

There are certain partnerships you need to remember to keep banking more points. Here are examples of a few of them.

Link your Uber and Marriott Bonvoy accounts and get 3x hotel points per dollar spent on Uber rides and 2x hotel points per dollar spent on Uber Eats.

Link your Lyft and Delta SkyMiles accounts and get 1 mile per dollar spent on Lyft rides. If you use your Chase Sapphire Reserve card to pay for the ride, you can double dip and get 10x the total points!

Link your American Airlines and World of Hyatt accounts . Earn 1 Hyatt point per dollar spent on American Airlines flights. Earn 1 American Airline mile per dollar spent on Hyatt stays.

Sign up for a British Airways account. Book your Airbnb stay or Airbnb experience through this British Airways’ link . Then collect 3 Avios miles per £1/€1/$1 spent with Airbnb. These miles can be used later for reward flights.

Courtesy of Shutterstock: Travel hacking 101- look for mistake fares

I haven’t taken advantage of a mistake fare yet but can’t wait until I do!

A mistake fare occurs when there’s an airline price glitch resulting in a massively cheap flight. This mistake can be due to technology issues, human error, or communication problems.

Think like a $63 roundtrip flight to Chile from The United States. 

Now, you could just get lucky and happen to come across one, or you can constantly search specific routes. Who has the time for that?

A better way to stay informed if a mistake fare does occur is to join a subscription like Scott’s Cheap Flights . Add your home airport, and their expert team will continuously scour the internet to find you the best flight deals.

If you do find a mistake fare, act quickly because normally it only lasts a few hours before the error is corrected.  

Remember the 24-hour rule. Any flight that touches United States soil allows you to cancel your flight for free within 24 hours of booking as long as it’s not too soon before the day of the flight.

Book the mistake fare, figure out the details, and cancel for free in 24 hours if it’s not going to work. 

We love getting good value for the money.

I am always looking for a good coupon or promotion before I make a purchase or going back to get a price adjustment on something I just purchased if the price drops. 

Once you have accumulated all those airline miles or hotel points, you will want to start cashing them in for free flights or hotels. You will need to know if you are getting a good redemption rate for all those hard-earned miles and points.

There are two ways to figure this out. One requires a little math, and the other is plug and chug.

Travel hacking 101: Redemption Value formula

Plug in the information using the formula above. Then go over to the Points Guy’s estimated Monthly Valuations of some of the top hotel brands and airlines.

• If my redemption value is < the estimated Monthly Valuation of that particular airline/hotel, then BOOK WITH POINTS/MILES.
• If my redemption value is < the estimated Monthly Valuation, then PAY CASH. It’s not worth the points.
• If it’s equal, then it’s your call but some factors may lean you in one direction than the other. For example, some locations add an occupancy tax to the hotel rate. But if you pay with points, you may avoid that dreaded tax.

Alternatively, use the Points Guy’s Calculator to quickly determine if you are getting good value if you redeem those airline miles or points.

Courtesy of Shutterstock

You put all these tips into practice, and now you have accumulated a bunch of points on your travel credit card.

Now what? How do you start redeeming this travel currency into free flights and hotels?

Chase and Amex allow you to transfer your points to airline partners and hotel chains.

Chase has 11 airline partners and 3 hotel chains, and Amex has 17 airline partners and 3 hotel chains. When you are ready to redeem your points, transfer your Chase Ultimate Reward (UR) points or your Amex Membership Reward (MR) points to your selected airline or hotel.

Occasionally, Chase and Amex will offer a bonus for point transfer. For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve is currently offering 30% more bonus points if you transfer your credit card points to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.

Once the points are transferred, complete the booking. Always check your redemption value to make sure you are getting good value out of your points.

In general, airline miles are more valuable than hotel points. The redemption values can be pretty incredible. Of course, this all depends on your personal travel needs and goals.

We used airline miles on our Africa trip to get us from the United States to Zimbabwe and from Johannesburg back to the United States. This saved us an incredible $3,296 on flights between the two of us!

Don’t miss my article on how we used airline miles and Chase points to save over $6,800 on our dream Africa trip!

The other way you can redeem points is through the Chase travel portal.

If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve Card, your points get boosted from 1 cent per point to 1.5 cents per point .

For simple math, let’s say you have 200,000 Chase points sitting in your account. Those points are worth $2,000. However, if you go through the Chase travel portal to book that cute little boutique hotel in Aruba , the value gets boosted 1.5x to 300,000 points. A $3,000 value!

Here is an example of how we put our Chase points into practice.

We enjoyed an epic 2-week trip to Africa that would have cost a small fortune. However, our Chase UR points erased most of our hotel costs. We used 239,138 points to save us a whopping $3,587.07 on hotels! Here’s proof below.

Airline and Credit Card Points Used for Africa Trip

I hope this travel hacking 101 guide gets you well on your way to the world of accumulating miles and points toward free travel! 

Pick your airline alliance, get the Chase Trifecta with a big bonus offer, start double dipping, and cash in those points if you’ve got a good redemption value.

You will be earning that free vacation before you know it!

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It starts innocently enough. You open one travel rewards credit card to help subsidize an upcoming trip. While on that trip, the flight attendant announces that you can earn enough miles for two round-trips with a new card, and you jump at the chance to apply in-flight.

From there, you’re hooked. Once you learn how to harness the power of points and miles for travel , you want to do it more and more often. You join the ranks of rewards optimizers and fall down the proverbial rabbit hole. One card leads to another, and before you know it, you’ve amassed a large collection of loyalty accounts, credit cards and free hotel night certificates. You might even wind up with elite status in multiple programs.

From the diary of a self-proclaimed “travel hacker,” here are six realizations you may also have if you fall head-over-heels for points and miles.

1. It's hard to go back

After you've learned how to score lie-flat business class tickets to fly across the world for "free" using your points and miles, it's hard to go back to that cramped coach seat that barely reclines. Once you get accustomed to luxurious hotel suites , that standard room seems sad by comparison.

On those occasions when you can’t score a seat toward the front of the plane, or when you get stuck in a small hotel room with no view, travel disappointment kicks in. If your children are sometimes lucky recipients of the fruits of your travel hacking, their disappointment hits you doubly hard.

“Normal” just doesn’t cut it after you’ve experienced the finer things in life.

» Learn more: How to choose a travel credit card

2. Trips with non-travel hackers can be tough

When you're flush with points, it's easy to book that expensive hotel without a second thought. For your friends who're shelling out cash, it's a different story. You don’t want to be that friend, so you agree to the modest select-service hotel on your weekend away together. But inside, you suffer. (See point No. 1.)

If a group of friends suggests a ski trip, you shudder at the thought of booking a condo. Sure, you can all enjoy a shared space, but you can't use your hotel points to cover the cost and will — gasp — have to pay in cash. Then, your friends have the nerve to complain when you want to charge everyone's lift passes on your credit card to get the points, and ask them to pay you back in cash.

3. Home life FOMO is inevitable

When you're using your stash of points and miles to take off on weekend adventures, that means you're often not at home. Your neighbors stop inviting you to their BBQs because “you can never come anyway." The kids miss soccer practice, yard work piles up, and your suitcase remains perpetually half-packed on the floor. Your cat gives you “the look” every time she realizes you’re getting ready to leave again.

But all that is forgotten when you spot a wide-open three-day weekend on your calendar. The travel bug strikes and plans are quickly made. After all, who wants to pick weeds when you can check out the Japanese Gardens in Portland or walk through the tulips in Amsterdam?

» Learn more: Why you should resist the temptation to hoard your miles

4. Trip planning can be harder than it needs to be

For non-travel hackers, planning flights and hotels for a trip probably involves light research and a few booking platforms. Non-travel hackers book the cheapest flight, find a reasonable hotel in a good location, and call it a day.

For travel hackers, though, planning a trip comes with endless decisions, like:

Do I want to use my free night certificates that expire in a few months, or should I pay cash to earn triple points with the latest promo ?

Should I use a modest number of Avianca LifeMiles to book a just-OK flight, or should I use a larger number of United miles to book a flight with a better travel time?

Should I use my rewards to book through a credit card travel portal, or should I transfer those miles to a partner airline?

Should I pay a little bit more to book my room directly through the hotel so I’ll earn my elite night credit ?

Whew. Talk about analysis paralysis.

5. Destinations can become secondary to maximizing value

When your cup runneth over with hotel points and certificates, the travel planning process can work backward.

Rather than first thinking about where you'd like to go and then figuring out accommodations, you start with the hotel. Which cities have a nice IHG property where I can get the best value out of my free night certificates? Where are the best Hyatts to use my suite upgrade awards and enjoy my status to the fullest?

And when you have a pile of airline miles, it’s tempting to think first about what routes are best on that airline from your local airport.

You may have thought that you wanted to take a scenic trip to the Scottish Highlands. But now, instead, you really want to head to Chicago to get the best possible hotel experience at the best possible value. Or … do you?

» NEW: NerdWallet’s airline partner award bookings tool

6. You'll have constant travel envy

Enthusiasts of many hobbies are known to seek each other out and build a community, and travel hacking is no different. Once you get hooked on points and miles, you’ll find you have a bunch of new friends to nerd out with.

And no matter how much you travel, someone in your circle is always traveling more. A whole lot more. When you're proud of your week in Hawaii, someone else is doing a month-long round-the-world trip , stopping in England, France, Japan and the Maldives . And they’re plastering pictures all over your social feed. Every. Single. Day.

Then, of course, you're compelled to book more travel for yourself. Ah, the vicious cycle of travel hacking.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel.

Travel hacking: Your guide to travel the world for free!

Travel Complete Travel Hacking Guide

If you're an avid traveler who takes an average of six trips a year, you're probably already travel hacking. If you're not, but you aspire to take six trips (or more) a year and not burn a hole in your pocket, you ought to start travel hacking. Here's everything you need to get started on travel hacking and travel the world for free!

Travel Hacking Deconstructed - All Your Questions Answered

What is Travel Hacking?

Is travel hacking legal, do you need specific skills to become a travel hacker, does travel hacking consume a lot of time, do you need to spend a lot of money to travel hack, what are the best proven methods of travel hacking, what are the best credit cards for travel hacking.

Travel hacking is basically working around the existing rules set by airlines, credit cards, and hotels, and using them to your advantage to earn free travel - be it flights, stay or other upgrades. Travel hacking may sound complicated, like an art that needs to be mastered over time, but it's no rocket science and is very easy if done the right way.

This question often comes to mind because we associate the word "hacking" with things illegal. However, travel hacking is completely legal. Cashing in on credit card bonuses is absolutely legal. Banks and airlines are well aware of these hacking tactics and often craft promos and offers around these workabouts. Travel Hacking is simply figuring out the rules of the game and capitalizing on them, thereby maximizing your profits.

Absolutely not! You don't need any specific skills - patience and a keen eye is all you need. As hard as it may sound, earning free flights is relatively simple. A good internet connection, patience for thorough research and keeping a keen eye on the constantly changing rules and promotional offers is good enough to get you started on travel hacking.

Again, no. It's a year round process, a sort of lifestyle you need to adapt. Travel Hacking does not involve sitting in front of your laptop for 5 hours a day straight, so it's not time consuming at all. You need to stay organized and on top of your mile and point accrual, but apart from that, it's all about the spending choices you make and how quickly you spot/chance upon a deal and make the most of it.

Since credit card points are a huge player in travel hacking, it may sound like you'll need to up your spending game just to leverage the miles and points. That's again a myth and absolutely not true. Yes, it is true that credit cards have a limit to meet, but a little financial planning on your part should do the trick. Pick up the group tab at dinner and have everyone pay you back. Fill the fuel with your card. Pay your bills with the card.

Now that you know what travel hacking is, that it's perfectly legal and easy; let's get travel hacking.

#1 Sign up for airlines credit cards and cancel the ones you don't use.

It goes without saying that frequent flying miles is the lifeline of travel hacking. Most major airlines offer a branded credit card and signing up for these cards come with a host of perks. From bonus joining miles, free checked-in luggage, priority boarding etc. these credit cards are a good source for travel hacking. In fact, most airline credit cards offer enough bonus miles for atleast one free flight ticket. Here's a list of the top airline cards you must consider.

While many people are concerned that signing up for new credit cards will hurt your credit score, that's not absolutely true. This can be true if you have pending credit card debt, but if you are relatively debt-free and have good credit, applying for a few new cards won’t hurt. However, avoid opening them, grabbing the bonus, and then closing them, a process known as “churning.” Also, when you sign up for a travel rewards credit card you must meet their minimum spend requirements in order to earn the points bonus. Read the fine print before signing up.

Airline cards have yearly fee, so if you don't find it beneficial, don't hesitate to cancel them. It doesn't hurt your credit score to cancel a card and is anyday better than paying a yearly sum for something you don't find value in. If you have pending credits, you can always transfer it to other cards with that card company.

#2 Search multiple airfare aggregators

While most of us start with Google Flights and then move onto Skyscanner, Momondo and then stop right there, take some time to go beyond the top engines. Many of these aggregators don't list smaller websites with cheap carriers, the domestic airlines etc. Always make it a point to look for the country's local airline websites before you take the final call. Smaller websites don't list on aggregators because of the high commission charges, so you're losing out on the cheapest fares if you skip these. In fact, there many been many cases where the airline website displays fares cheaper than aggregators. A thorough round of research is paramount to travel hacking.

Looking for more cheap ways to score flight tickets? We have 17 tried and tested hacks to snagging cheap flight tickets

#3 Sign up for multiple loyalty rewards and frequent flyer programs

Frequent flyer program sign ups are absolutely free and don't cost you a penny. Whenever you stay at a hotel chain or fly an airline, make sure to sign up for their program to earn credits for that journey. Always (we repeat, always), make sure you earn some sort of credits, points or miles for your journey. You can also check the airline/hotel website before booking to see if they're running a promotion or offer for loyalty points and miles.

Another good way to speeden up travel hacking is to stay a loyalist. If you've signed up for 3 hotel loyalty programs and 3 airline miles, be a dedicated repeat customer and use the same chain as much as possible. Find brands you like and are comfortable with and try your level best to stay a loyalist (provided costs and availability adds up).

As and when you start accumulating points, use the Award Wallet to keep a tab on your miles and points. It's also got an interesting feature that alerts you when your points and miles are about to expire.

#4 Love eating out? Exploit Dining Reward Programs

Most airlines have dining rewards programs that you can leverage, especially if you frequently dine out. Sign up with your frequent flier number, register your credit card, and get extra points when you dine at participating restaurants in the airline’s network . While you can sign up for every other dining program there is, you cannot register a credit card with more than one. That means that if your Chase Sapphire Preferred card is tied to your American Airlines account, you can’t earn miles on your United Airlines account with that same card. But if you plan out different cards for different spends (hotels, shopping, dine-in etc), you won't have this problem. That said, you'll need to maintain the minimum spends for all your cards to make use of the miles and points, so a little financial planning before hand will come handy.

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#5 Take 5 minutes of your day for an E-Rewards Survey

e-Rewards is an invitation-only rewards community. Share your point of view in online surveys, test upcoming products, participate in real-world missions and you stand a chance to earn e-Rewards currency. This currency can be redeemed in exchange for a wide variety of dining and air miles, to loyalty points and tickets to unmissable events. Since it is a reward only program, you'll need one of the partners to send you an invitation when you stay/dine/fly with them. Once you sign up, you'll get surveys via email and when you complete answering them, your account will be credited with a certain number of e-Rewards currency that you can redeem as points for various partnered expenses. They have a strong and varied clientele - Ethihad, British Airways, Radisson, Accor,Hertz, IHG, Starbucks and a lot more. Check out the complete list here .

#6 Don't hesitate to buy some miles and points (when and if it makes sense)

Financially, buying miles only makes sense if you’re looking to travel in first or business class tickets on international airlines. Most airlines charge high prices for miles, and paying cash for a ticket in coach is more cost-effective than buying miles to redeem for economy. However, when there is a promotion that lowers the price of purchased miles, do not let go of the opportunity. There are many websites that send you milege sale mailers, so sign up for a bunch and keep an eye out. If you're planning an international travel in the near future, especially a long-haul flight and you're dreading the thought of crammed leg space in economy, buying miles definitely makes sense. Before going for that latest promotion, you’ll want to price out your tickets in both cash and mileage. One Mile at a Time keeps a good eye on mile sales promotions, so sign up to their newsletter to take advantage of these flash sales.

Can't find direct flights and need ideas for a fulfilling layover? Here are 12 Creative Ways To Make The Most Of Your Airport Layover .

Credit Card companies change their rules yearly, so what's good this year may not be the best as of next year. However, there are a few constants that make it to every travel hackers wallet. The top few are:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Platinum Card® from American Express
• Discover it® Miles

For a complete list of the year's best travel credit cards, head here .

Like it? Pin it!

Lakshmi Menon

Born to parents bit by the wander bug, Lakshmi calls her love for travel "hereditary and habitual". Perpetually ensconced with a book in her hand and a mug of coffee in the other, she has been to over 15 countries in her 23 years of existence and is currently saving miles and money for her solo trip to Iceland. Always hustling towards the least trodden path, she has encountered some wonderful people during her escapades and if you ever meet her, she won't stop gushing about them.

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How to Use Travel Hacking to Get Free Flights

Written by Dan

Updated on May 10th, 2024

Is travel hacking worth it? Let’s see the best ways to get free flights and the websites that will let you travel hack your next trip. Here’s our guide to hacking our travel.

This article may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commissions when you purchase via those links — and it's free for you. It's only us (Becca & Dan) working on this website, so we value your support! Read our privacy policy and learn more about us .

Table of contents

• What is travel hacking?
• How does travel hacking work?
• How to get started with travel hacking?
• What are some ideas to hit the minimum spend for the credit card bonuses?
• What is credit card churning?
• Does opening too many credit cards hurt my credit score?
• Understand the features of a credit card
• Can you do travel hacking without a credit card?
• How can I learn more about travel hacking?

Since 2016, we’ve taken countless (okay, if we had to count, probably more than 50) flights. Some of these flights were quick legs from Prague to Lisbon. Other legs were a bit more extreme, like flying from Hanoi, Vietnam, to New York City. Some were flights with long layovers.

Whenever Becca and I travel, we maximize our value and optimize our cost per day as much as we can, within our control. Flights can sometimes be the biggest line item on the trip, and the cost of a flight can push the total trip cost to a figure that is more than our budget.

What if I told you that there was a way to get your flights for free?

This is travel hacking. In this article, I’ll explain what to know about travel hacking, and how you can realistically apply it to your regular set of habits and tricks when you book trips.

What is travel hacking?

Travel hacking is a way to exchange credit card sign-up bonuses and incentives for airline miles. You can use those airline miles (or frequent flyer miles ) to buy discounted (and often free) flights to destinations of your choice.

Depending on the credit card you choose to go with, you can also exchange a miles or points bonus for hotel stays and rental car deals.

How does travel hacking work?

As much as possible, we take advantage of credit card sign-up bonuses and build out our frequent flyer mile programs on a few select airlines (more on this below).

When we’re ready to book a flight, we will first evaluate the cost. If the flight is $200-$300, it’s usually better to pay in cash and accrue more miles for the flight that we take.

When the flights start getting above $500, we look to our airline frequent flyer accounts and evaluate which airline can give us the best deal. We base this on the amount of miles or points in our travel bank for each airline with which we have an account.

This thought process and system above is the essence of how travel hacking works.

Some airlines will exchange 1 mile for 1 penny. So for $1000, you’ll need 100,000 miles.

Other airline programs have more of a value system. With United, for example, 35,000 miles doesn’t necessarily mean you need to spend $350 to get to that amount.

The points and value exchange can get a little complicated, and I’ll cover more details about that below!

How to get started with travel hacking?

I want you to leave this article with a solid base on how to get started with travel hacking. I became fascinated with the topic back in 2016 when I got my first real travel credit card.

I got the Chase Sapphire Reserve, with the 100,000-mile bonus, back when the annual fee was $450 with a $300 travel credit. Those were the days. I talk more about this card in our money guide to international travel .

I was able to take advantage of the $100 Global Entry credit as well. This was an incredible benefit.

I continued to book my travel with this credit card and got 3x points on travel purchases, as well as 1.5x redeemable points in the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. The Chase Ultimate Rewards portal allows you to book travel like regular flight purchases, with your points, in a sort of online marketplace. It’s surely one of the best websites for travel .

This exact deal and situation is a little different now, but let’s go over the basics, first!

Open a credit card with a sign-up bonus

The very first step that you need to do is open a credit card that has some type of sign-up bonus attached to it. There are a lot of great credit cards to choose from that offer a variety of great features and benefits.

The actual credit card that you choose will depend on your preferred airline, spending habits and features that are important to you.

Here are my top credit card picks for travel hacking

These are the cards that I use and they’ve been beneficial in helping me fly free to a lot of different destinations.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase United Explorer
• JetBlue Mastercard
• Capital One Venture X

Hit the minimum spend limit

After you are approved for a credit card, you’ll need to meet the minimum spend limit of the card, in order to get the bonus. Every card is different and the rules for this incentive are typically easy to find on your credit card terms page.

If you don’t meet the minimum spend, you won’t be able to get the bonus. And, you’ll need to cancel the card and wait up to two years before you can apply again and get the bonus.

Make sure that you’re in a position to hit the spend limit before choosing the card. For example, a spend limit could be $3000 in three months, or, it could be $10,000 in six months. After you hit the spend minimum, your bonus points will be awarded in your account.

Wait until your points are posted to your account

After you’ve hit the minimum spend limit, you’ll be eligible to receive your points bonus. The bonuses are usually distributed after your pay cycle. If you got the card and spent the minimum spend limit on the first day, you can expect your bonus in about 30 days.

Every credit card might be a little different. If you are trying to acquire your points for a specific occasion like booking a flight by a specific date, I recommend calling your credit card and asking them when the points will be available.

Redeem your points for a travel credit

Now that you have a points balance, you can redeem these credits for travel. Every credit card will have a different method for redemption. Here are a few examples from the providers that I have the most experience with.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

If you have a Chase card, you can redeem your points in the Ultimate Rewards portal. In the portal, you have access to almost every airline. You can use a combination of points and cash to redeem your travel.

You can book entirely on points if you have the balance for it! Sometimes, we’ll still buy flights on the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal even if we don’t have enough points to cover the whole quoted cost. We pay the balance in cash, and pay it with any credit card.

Keep in mind that Chase is booking your travel and partners with an airline to fulfill the order. In 2020, Becca and I had travel booked with Chase. The itinerary was canceled and we had a hard time going back and forth with the airline and Chase trying to figure out how to get a refund.

When booking directly through United, you can choose your flight to be booked with points or dollars. You can’t combine points and dollars on the same itinerary if you don’t have enough points.

You can buy additional miles if you are a little short and need a few extra points to bump up your balance. Historically, this is never a great deal, though.

For flying domestic, I really enjoy flying JetBlue. I’ve generally had good experiences with JetBlue and the extra legroom and free snacks make the flight more comfortable and enjoyable.

Booking on JetBlue is similar to United, whereby you can either book with JetBlue points or dollars, but not both.

What is unique about JetBlue is that you can pool your points together and have a shared balance. Becca and I share points and we are able to accrue points twice as fast, together. We use a family ‘pool’ of our points so that we can share them. We used this method for a trip to the Dominican Republic !

To use JetBlue’s family sharing system for miles, JetBlue will want to prove that you are really family members, not just friends who want to hack the system.

Enjoy your trip!

Have fun! Hopefully, you were successful in getting a free trip with your credit card bonus. You can check out how to upgrade your flight as well. Some people use the bonus opportunity to find first-class tickets as a highly-discounted (and mostly free) price!

What are some ideas to hit the minimum spend for the credit card bonuses?

On a day-to-day basis, Becca and I are very frugal. We cook at home, rarely go out, audit our monthly subscriptions, stick to a budget and more. We talk about it in our guide to living in NYC on a budget .

So with our level of frugalness, it can be daunting to try and spend thousands of dollars on minimum spend limits to get a credit card bonus.

Well, we’ve been through it several times, and we want to share some of the ways that we’ve been able to meet the minimum spend on our travel credit cards!

Pay your rent

We’re lucky in that we can pay our rent with a credit card. We weren’t able to do this before now. The downside is that we need to pay a 3% fee in order to do so.

The Capital One Venture X card has a $10,000 minimum spend, and there’s no way that we would be able to spend that, normally. The cost of credit card fees was worth the very high miles bonus, so we are okay paying the fees in this scenario.

Pay a medical bill

As for recurring medical bills, a doctor visit or a prescription to fill is usually a great way to hit your minimum spend for your credit card sign-up bonus.

If you are in a situation in which you don’t have any of these, ask your close family if you would be able to pay for them, and they can pay you back. (Becca did this once with an expensive dental appointment.)

Pay off a loan

If you have any student loans, car loans or other loans that you are paying off, consider paying them with your credit card.

But please, make sure that you pay off your credit card balance in full and that you don’t accrue more debt by using this method. Seriously, the bonus isn’t worth the debt!

Ask family if they have large expenses coming up

Talk with your family and ask if they are about to spend a big sum of money on something. Maybe you know someone who needs a new fridge. Or maybe (if you’re really lucky) someone is remodeling a room in their house or apartment.

You can pay for the item or service on your new credit card and this family member can pay you back. Be very careful and make sure that you trust this person and that they understand why this is a favor for you.

If it’s the holiday season, consider buying all of your gifts using your credit card, and opening it a few months before to make sure you have the physical card in time.

Don’t spend more than you were already going to, though! That would not be the point of this hack.

Donate to charity

Donating to charity is always a great way to support a cause. Almost every charity can accept credit card payments, and it’s an excellent way to push you over the final edge to your minimum spend.

If you’re looking for a unique charity, check out Charity Navigator and the charity ratings. Generally, 3 stars and up are ratings for good charities to support!

Also know that when you donate to a charity, they usually need to pay for the credit card processing fee. And, it’s typically 3%! Your $97 charitable gift is usually closer to $100 in total, with the offset of credit card processing fees.

Upgrade your tech

I upgraded my laptop and used a new credit card to hit my minimum spend. It was a perfect use case because I was able to hit my limit instantly.

I knew that I needed to buy the laptop and I shopped around for a card that had a good bonus to use on the purchase.

What is credit card churning?

Travel hacking and credit card churning are like peanut butter and jelly. It’s a sweet deal, but sometimes you get into a sticky situation.

Jokes aside, they really do go together nicely.

Credit card churning is when you cancel a credit card and then re-apply after two years or so, to get the bonus offer (like 50,000 miles), again. There’s a lot more to it, regarding how it impacts your credit score and other rules with certain banks.

Does opening too many credit cards hurt my credit score?

This is a common question that I hear after talking to people about travel hacking. Because a big part of travel hacking is opening and closing credit cards, your credit score is a concern.

Opening a credit card

From what I’ve seen on my own, opening a credit card will temporarily “ding” your credit score after a hard pull on your credit report.

After a few months, the score will return back to normal.

Having more credit cards actually improves your credit score. Because you have a higher credit line, you will be lowering your utilization ratio, which is a positive thing.

If you are still concerned, check out Investopedia’s take on having several credit cards.

Closing a credit card

Churning your credit cards is when you close your account after receiving the sign-up bonus. You wait a certain amount of time (usually two years), and then apply again, and receive the bonus just like the last time.

Closing credit card accounts (then reopening them) is usually bad for a few reasons. You’ll be increasing your credit utilization ratio, your credit is hard-pulled when you apply for a new card and your credit history might be shortened (depending on the card you’re closing).

If you already have a strong credit score with plenty of old credit cards, this strategy shouldn’t do any long-term harm.

If you are in the market for applying for loans, like a mortgage, I would stay away from this strategy in that term, to keep your score as high as possible.

Understand the features of a credit card

When shopping for credit cards that pay out in great bonuses for travel hacking, there are a few considerations to look for in the features category.

The annual fee is the feature that you’ll be the most surprised by every year. Or, at least it’s always surprising to me when I need to pay it. It’s also the catalyst for my choosing to close a card. If I don’t want to pay the fee, I say goodbye to that card!

The annual fee is the end of the bargain that the credit card company gets. They have travel partners that pay you in credits. You pay the credit card company money every year. Most of the travel credit cards with the best sign-on bonuses also have the highest annual fees.

Usually, or at least for cards worth keeping, the annual fee is worth it when you consider the exchange for other value services.

For example, the Capital One Venture X is one of many credit cards that provides an annual subscription to Priority Pass. On its own, Priority Pass is worth anywhere between $99 and $429.

You can read about Priority Pass in our best apps for travel .

A good credit card will provide multipliers on spending categories (more on this below). The privilege to receive more points on the things on which you spend can often add up to more than the annual fee.

For example, if you spend $20,000 per year and receive an average of 1.5x points on your money, you’ll have 30,000 points. This would generally be worth $300 in travel rewards. If this is worth more than your annual fee, then the card pays for itself.

Foreign transaction fee

Having a card with no foreign transaction fee is absolutely critical for you if you travel internationally. Some cards will charge 2 or 3 percent of each transaction that you spend internationally.

This means that if you’re traveling to Portugal and put a $500 hotel on your credit card, you might pay up to $15 extra on fees.

If you travel a few times per year or spend a lot on one international vacation, the fees can really start to add up. Remember that avoiding fees can help you save more money while traveling .

Becca got the Chase Freedom credit card last year and thought that it had no transaction fees just like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve. She was wrong, and in her first few days of traveling in Guatemala , she noticed that she was being charged 3% of every restaurant bill put on this card. Be a savvy traveler and take note of the card’s terms!

The APY is the interest that you’ll pay if you carry a balance. I personally never consider the APY when applying for a credit card because I make sure to always pay off the balance in full.

This is a good habit for anyone who likes staying organized, and avoiding debt! Always put the card on auto-pay.

I wouldn’t recommend ever spending more than you can afford, as a guideline.

Point multipliers

The point multipliers are the credit card company’s way of incentivizing you to spend in various categories. You’ll often see a 5x multiplier for categories like gas and grocery. It’s common to see a 2 or 3x multiplier for travel.

These point multipliers help accelerate your goals. If you spend a lot in one category, like dining, or gas, this can help you make a decision for a specific type of credit card to go with.

Other credit card benefits

There are so many more benefits that credit card companies can offer. I think that Global Entry fee reimbursements are great incentives if you don’t have Global Entry or TSA PreCheck already.

Other airline-specific credit cards can give really high point multipliers when buying flights on their cards. With JetBlue, you can get all the way up to 15x points per $1 when booking JetBlue flights using their card. It’s more typical to see 3x and 6x, though.

Other credit cards offer benefits with Lyft, DoorDash and other airline lounges . I encourage you to shop around and see which benefits exist and which would be beneficial for you.

Can you do travel hacking without a credit card?

Yes, you can do travel hacking without a travel credit card. “Travel hacking” in its true sense means paying less for travel or hacking some sort of system so that you’re getting a better deal. To get a better deal on anything, you need some tips!

Use debit or a prepaid card to buy a flight

A few ways to travel hack without a credit card might be to buy a flight with a debit card or prepaid gift card, and still get those miles to your account. You don’t need a credit card to do this. Just make sure you’re signed up for frequent flyer programs with each airline.

Try basic economy

Flying basic economy is like a way to get a flight somewhere by paying less than the standard cost of a flight. With basic economy, you’ll be giving up a few frills you’d normally find in standard economy class, but you will get to your destination and that is what matters.

Get Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

Want to hack your time in the airport when going through security or coming back to the US from abroad? Never wait in long lines again by applying for Global Entry , which is good for five years for US citizens.

How can I learn more about travel hacking?

To learn more about travel hacking, check out our guides to things like how to make your vacations longer by working remotely while traveling and learning more about websites and apps that can help you travel better .

To learn some hacks we’ve used, check out some features like this podcast we were on and this epic guide of ways to save money while traveling .

We hope you think travel hacking is as much fun as we do!

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Is Travel Hacking Really A Scam?

Published: November 10, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Rianon Bill

Introduction

Are you looking to travel the world without breaking the bank? If so, then travel hacking might be the solution for you. But hold on, what exactly is travel hacking, and is it too good to be true? In this article, we’ll explore the world of travel hacking, debunk some common myths, and provide insights into how you can ethically take advantage of its benefits.

Travel hacking is the art of leveraging airline miles, hotel points, and credit card rewards to maximize your travel experiences. It’s about using smart strategies and taking advantage of loyalty programs to save money, fly in premium cabins, and stay in luxurious hotels for a fraction of the regular price. The goal is to unlock the hidden value of these programs and make the most of your travel budget.

There are various types of travel hacking techniques, each with its own perks and advantages. Some travelers focus on earning frequent flyer miles through airline loyalty programs, while others prioritize hotel rewards programs. Some even combine both to achieve maximum savings and benefits.

Travel hacking comes with a plethora of benefits. First and foremost, it allows you to travel more frequently and to destinations that may have been previously considered out of reach due to high costs. By utilizing these hacks, you can save a significant amount of money on flights and accommodations, leaving you with more budget for other aspects of your trip, such as exploring local attractions, trying new foods, and immersing yourself in the local culture.

Furthermore, a key advantage of travel hacking is the ability to enjoy elite status perks. By accumulating points and miles, you can achieve elite status with certain airlines or hotel chains. This often grants you access to exclusive lounges, priority check-in, complimentary upgrades, and other amenities that enhance the overall travel experience.

While travel hacking may sound like an enticing concept, it is essential to be aware of the risks and concerns associated with these strategies. It is crucial to use these techniques responsibly and within the guidelines set by the loyalty programs and credit card companies. Misuse or abuse of these programs can result in account closures, loss of points, and even legal consequences.

What is Travel Hacking?

Travel hacking is a term used to describe the art of strategically and intelligently utilizing loyalty programs and credit card rewards to maximize travel benefits. It involves employing various techniques to accumulate and redeem points, miles, or rewards for flights, hotels, and other travel-related expenses.

One of the primary aspects of travel hacking is earning airline miles or hotel points. This can be achieved through several methods, such as flying with specific airlines, staying at partner hotels, utilizing co-branded credit cards, or participating in promotional offers. The accumulated miles or points can then be redeemed for free or heavily discounted flights, hotel stays, upgrades, and other travel perks.

Travel hackers often take advantage of the sign-up bonuses offered by credit cards. These bonuses can range from a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of miles or points, providing an excellent jumpstart for maximizing travel benefits. By strategically applying for and utilizing these credit cards, travel hackers can quickly accumulate a substantial number of rewards.

Another aspect of travel hacking is the concept of manufactured spending. This technique involves using credit cards to make everyday purchases, such as groceries or bills, to earn points or miles. Travel hackers may also dive into more advanced methods like buying gift cards or utilizing specific payment platforms to meet minimum spending requirements set by credit card issuers in order to unlock sign-up bonuses.

Combining different travel hacking techniques can result in a significant accumulation of rewards, enabling travelers to enjoy premium travel experiences that would otherwise be out of their budget. Travel hackers often strategize and plan their trips meticulously, taking advantage of loopholes, limited-time promotions, and sweet-spot redemptions to maximize the value of their rewards.

It is important to note that travel hacking is not about exploiting or cheating loyalty programs. Instead, it is about understanding the rules and utilizing the programs’ benefits to their fullest extent. Travel hackers aim to make the most of their spending and loyalty to travel further, stay longer, and experience more.

In the next sections, we will delve into specific types of travel hacking techniques, as well as the benefits, risks, and concerns associated with this practice.

Types of Travel Hacking

Travel hacking encompasses a wide range of techniques and strategies. Here are some of the most common types of travel hacking:

• Airline Loyalty Programs: This type of travel hacking focuses on earning and redeeming airline miles. Travelers can sign up for frequent flyer programs offered by various airlines and earn miles by flying with their preferred carriers or utilizing partner airlines. These miles can then be used to book free or discounted flights.
• Hotel Rewards Programs: Similar to airline loyalty programs, hotel rewards programs allow travelers to accumulate points by booking stays at participating hotels. These points can be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, and other benefits. Many hotel chains offer co-branded credit cards that provide additional opportunities to earn rewards.
• Credit Card Rewards: Credit card rewards play a significant role in travel hacking. Travelers can earn points, miles, or cashback by using travel rewards credit cards. These cards often offer sign-up bonuses, category bonuses (e.g., bonus points for dining or travel purchases), and other perks. The accumulated rewards can then be transferred to airline or hotel loyalty programs or used directly for travel-related expenses.
• Manufactured Spending: This technique involves utilizing credit cards to generate spending in order to earn rewards. Travel hackers may employ various methods, such as buying gift cards, funding bank accounts, or using specific payment platforms, to meet the minimum spending requirements of credit cards and unlock valuable sign-up bonuses.
• Churning and Product Cycling: Churning refers to applying for multiple credit cards to earn the sign-up bonuses repeatedly. Travel hackers may utilize product cycling, where they cancel a card after earning the bonus and reapply for it after a certain period to receive the bonus again. This technique requires careful planning to avoid negative impacts on credit scores.
• Travel Hacking Communities and Forums: Joining online travel hacking communities and forums can provide valuable insights, tips, and tricks from experienced travel hackers. These communities share information about current promotions, loopholes, and strategies to maximize rewards.

It’s important to note that travel hacking techniques may evolve over time as loyalty programs change their terms and conditions. Stay informed and adapt your strategies accordingly to continue reaping the benefits of travel hacking.

Now that we’ve explored the different types of travel hacking, let’s move on to the benefits and risks associated with this practice.

The Benefits of Travel Hacking

Travel hacking offers a plethora of benefits for savvy travelers. Here are some of the key advantages:

• Cost Savings: The most obvious benefit of travel hacking is the significant cost savings. By utilizing airline miles, hotel points, and credit card rewards, travelers can drastically reduce their expenses on flights and accommodations. This opens up opportunities to explore more destinations, stay in higher-end hotels, or extend trips without worrying about exorbitant costs.
• Premium Travel Experiences: Travel hacking allows you to experience luxury travel options that may have been out of your reach otherwise. Through accumulated reward points and elite status perks, travelers can enjoy complimentary upgrades to business or first class, access exclusive airport lounges, and receive priority treatment throughout their journey.
• More Frequent Travel: With travel hacking, you can make your travel dreams a reality more frequently. By strategically earning and redeeming points, you can take advantage of discounted or free flights and accommodations, enabling you to explore new destinations or revisit your favorite ones more often.
• Elite Status Benefits: Accumulating points and miles through travel hacking can lead to attaining elite status with airlines and hotel chains. Elite status offers numerous perks like priority check-in, priority boarding, free checked bags, and access to exclusive amenities. These benefits enhance the overall travel experience and make your journey more enjoyable and comfortable.
• Flexible Travel Itineraries: Travel hacking provides flexibility in planning your trips. Having a stockpile of rewards allows you to be more spontaneous and take advantage of last-minute deals or special promotions. You can book a trip on short notice without worrying about the high cost of flights or accommodations.
• Travel Insurance and Protections: Many travel rewards credit cards offer travel insurance benefits, including coverage for trip cancellations, baggage loss, or emergency medical expenses. This added protection can provide peace of mind during your travels.

Overall, travel hacking empowers you to travel more, travel better, and make the most of your travel budget. While it may require some time and effort to learn the ins and outs of loyalty programs and credit card rewards, the benefits far outweigh the investment.

However, it’s important to be aware of the risks and concerns associated with travel hacking, which we will explore in the next section.

The Risks and Concerns of Travel Hacking

While travel hacking can be highly rewarding, it is crucial to be aware of the potential risks and concerns involved. Here are some key considerations:

• Credit Score Impact: Applying for multiple credit cards and managing various rewards programs can potentially have an impact on your credit score. Opening and closing credit card accounts frequently, known as “churning,” can lower your average account age and increase your credit utilization ratio. It’s important to be mindful of your credit score and understand the potential consequences before engaging in travel hacking.
• Misuse of Rewards Programs: Some individuals may be tempted to engage in unethical practices, such as creating multiple accounts or manufacturing spending through unethical means. Misusing rewards programs can lead to account closure and loss of accumulated points or miles. It’s important to understand and follow the terms and conditions set by loyalty programs to ensure ethical participation in travel hacking.
• Annual Fees: Many travel rewards credit cards come with annual fees. While these fees can sometimes be offset by the benefits and rewards earned, it’s essential to assess if the fees align with your travel patterns and spending habits. Make sure to consider the long-term value of the card before committing to it.
• Availability and Restrictions: While loyalty programs offer fantastic opportunities, reward availability can sometimes be limited, especially during peak travel seasons or for popular destinations. It’s important to have flexibility in your travel plans and be prepared to book well in advance or be open to alternative options. Additionally, some rewards programs have blackout dates or restrictions on redeeming points, so it’s crucial to be aware of these limitations.
• Organizational Effort: Travel hacking requires planning, organization, and ongoing management of rewards programs and credit cards. It involves staying updated on the latest promotions, tracking spending requirements, and maximizing the value of accumulated rewards. If you’re not prepared to devote time and effort to these tasks, travel hacking may not be the best fit for you.
• Cancellation and Change Fees: While travel hacking can provide flexibility in booking trips, it’s important to be mindful of potential cancellation or change fees associated with flights or hotel reservations. Ensure you understand the terms and conditions to avoid unexpected costs in case you need to modify or cancel your travel plans.

By being aware of these risks and concerns and taking a responsible approach to travel hacking, you can mitigate potential drawbacks and maximize the benefits of this practice. In the next section, we will debunk the misconception that travel hacking is a scam.

Debunking the Scam Myth

Travel hacking often faces misconceptions and skepticism from those who believe it to be a scam or too good to be true. However, it’s important to separate fact from fiction and debunk the myth surrounding travel hacking. Here are the key points to consider:

• Legitimate Loyalty Programs: Travel hacking is based on the utilization of legitimate loyalty programs offered by airlines, hotels, and credit card companies. These programs have been in existence for years and are an integral part of the travel industry. They are not scams, but rather business initiatives to reward customer loyalty and promote brand loyalty.
• Strategic Point Accumulation: Travel hacking relies on strategic accumulation and redemption of points, miles, or rewards. Travel hackers use various techniques to earn rewards through legitimate means like flying with airlines, staying at hotels, or using credit cards for everyday expenses. It’s about understanding the rules and programs to maximize the benefits, rather than trying to cheat the system.
• Responsible Usage: While it’s possible to earn significant rewards through travel hacking, it requires responsible usage and adherence to loyalty program rules. Misuse or abuse of these programs, such as creating multiple accounts or manufacturing spending through unethical means, can result in account closure and loss of accumulated rewards. Responsible travel hackers focus on ethical strategies that comply with program guidelines.
• Genuine Benefits: The benefits of travel hacking, such as cost savings, premium travel experiences, and elite status perks, are indeed real. Many individuals have successfully utilized travel hacking techniques to travel the world at a fraction of the cost and enjoy enhanced travel experiences. Numerous success stories and testimonials attest to the genuine rewards and benefits of travel hacking.
• Community of Travel Hackers: Travel hacking has a thriving community of enthusiasts who share their knowledge and experiences. Online forums and communities provide a platform for travelers to exchange tips, discuss strategies, and stay updated on the latest promotions. This sense of community further validates the legitimacy and effectiveness of travel hacking.

It’s important to approach travel hacking with a realistic mindset and an understanding that it is not a guaranteed shortcut to unlimited free travel. It requires dedication, research, and ongoing effort to make the most of loyalty programs and credit card rewards.

By dispelling the myth that travel hacking is a scam, we can appreciate the legitimate opportunities it offers to travel enthusiasts who are willing to invest time and effort into maximizing their travel experiences. In the next section, we will provide tips for ethical travel hacking.

Tips for Ethical Travel Hacking

When engaging in travel hacking, it’s important to maintain ethical practices and follow the guidelines set by loyalty programs and credit card issuers. Here are some tips to ensure you approach travel hacking in an ethical and responsible manner:

• Read and Understand Program Terms: Take the time to thoroughly read and understand the terms and conditions of loyalty programs and credit cards. Familiarize yourself with the rules regarding earning, redeeming, and transferring points or miles. This will help you stay compliant and avoid any misuse that could jeopardize your rewards or accounts.
• Plan and Strategize: Approach travel hacking with a well-thought-out plan. Set clear travel goals and determine the loyalty programs and credit cards that align with those goals. Develop a strategy for earning and redeeming points effectively to maximize value and benefits. Research different travel hacking techniques and stay informed about program changes and promotions.
• Be Mindful of Credit Score: Always prioritize your credit score and financial health. Avoid applying for too many credit cards within a short period, as this can have a negative impact on your credit score. Monitor your credit utilization ratio and make timely payments to maintain a healthy credit profile.
• Utilize Your Points Efficiently: Try to maximize the value of your points or miles by redeeming them for high-value rewards. Look for opportunities to book flights or hotel stays during off-peak seasons or in regions where redemption rates offer greater value. Utilize reward charts and sweet-spot redemptions to get the most out of your accumulated rewards.
• Respect Program Rules and Limitations: Loyalty programs have rules and limitations in place to ensure fair participation. Adhere to these guidelines, including blackout dates, reservation requirements, and booking policies. Avoid creating multiple accounts or engaging in activities that may be deemed as fraudulent or unethical by the loyalty programs.
• Stay Organized: Keep track of your loyalty program accounts, credit card statements, and reward expiration dates. Use spreadsheets, mobile apps, or other tools to stay organized and monitor your points or miles. This will help you avoid missed opportunities, wasted rewards, or account closures due to inactivity.
• Share and Contribute Ethically: When engaging in travel hacking communities and forums, contribute ethically by sharing accurate information, helping others, and not advocating for unethical practices. Be respectful of loyalty program rules and avoid promoting practices that may lead to misuse or abuse of the programs.
• Review and Adjust Your Strategy: Regularly review and evaluate your travel hacking strategy. Loyalty programs and credit card rewards can change over time, so stay updated on program updates, new promotions, or changes in redemption policies. Adjust your strategy accordingly to continue maximizing your rewards and benefits.

By following these tips, you can ensure that your travel hacking activities are conducted in an ethical and responsible manner. Enjoy the benefits of travel hacking while maintaining a positive relationship with loyalty programs and credit card issuers.

Finally, let’s conclude with a summary of the key points discussed in this article.

Travel hacking is a legitimate and rewarding practice for those seeking to maximize their travel experiences while saving money. By intelligently leveraging airline miles, hotel points, and credit card rewards, travelers can unlock incredible benefits and enjoy luxury travel at a fraction of the cost.

Throughout this article, we have explored the different aspects of travel hacking, debunked the misconception that it is a scam, and provided tips for ethical travel hacking. It is essential to approach travel hacking responsibly, adhering to loyalty program rules and credit card terms to ensure a positive and sustainable experience.

The benefits of travel hacking are numerous, including significant cost savings, access to premium travel experiences, and the ability to travel more frequently. By strategizing and utilizing various techniques, you can accumulate points, earn elite status, and enjoy exclusive perks that enhance your travel adventures.

However, it’s important to be aware of the risks and concerns associated with travel hacking, such as potential impacts on your credit score, program restrictions, and the need for organizational effort. By staying informed and maintaining responsible practices, you can navigate these challenges and continue to reap the rewards of travel hacking.

In conclusion, travel hacking opens up a world of possibilities for travelers, enabling them to explore new destinations, indulge in luxury experiences, and make the most of their travel budget. With careful planning, ethical participation, and a willingness to adapt to changing loyalty program landscapes, you can unlock the full potential of travel hacking and embark on unforgettable adventures around the globe.

So, why wait? Start exploring the world through the lens of travel hacking and unlock the incredible benefits that await you. Happy travels!

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GOBankingRates

11 Travel Hacks To Avoid in 2024

Posted: February 26, 2024 | Last updated: February 26, 2024

When it comes to traveling, frequent and casual travelers alike often look for ways to save money and time, or make the trip the best it can be. Common travel hacks include searching for flights in incognito tabs, traveling during the off-season, and using hotel booking sites to score the cheapest accommodations.

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While some of these travel hacks have served people well over the years, many of them either don't work anymore or don't work like they used to. Sometimes, these so-called travel hacks end up costing more money in the long run -- or they detract from the entire experience.

Before you book your next trip, here are 11 travel hacks to avoid in 2024, according to experts .

Hidden City Ticketing, aka Skiplagging

"Booking a flight with a layover at your actual destination, and then skipping the connecting flight will backfire because the airline will cancel the remaining parts of your ticket, leaving you stranded or facing additional fees," said Kat Fleishman , a luxury travel expert and CEO of Do-Tell PR .

This so-called travel hack referred to as "skiplagging" might seem more cost effective than booking a direct flight. However, you won't be able to check any bags if you do this. It's also technically legal, but could result in lost miles or lifetime bans from that specific airline.

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Buying a Cheap Flight Over a Pricier Train Ticket

You might save money by purchasing a cheap airplane ticket over a train ticket, but money isn't everything when it comes to traveling.

"Some train journeys may cost more than a cheap flight but the beauty of a train ride is the greater flexibility from the booking system to being able to jump off at a certain point in the journey -- much less stressful and also enjoyable," said Jessica Dante , a leading travel expert at Love and London. "Boarding is much also less hassle, there are no luggage restrictions and inevitably more leg room."

Plus, you could save money -- or at least break even -- by taking a train over a flight. Luggage fees can add up when you fly, and many airports are located far from the city center, which means you'll need to spend more money on a taxi or public transport to reach your destination.

Explore More: I'm a Luxury Travel Agent: 10 Destinations My Wealthy Clients Are Booking for 2024

Exchanging Money at the Airport

"Using currency exchange services at airports or hotels can be convenient, but they charge higher and hidden fees with really bad exchange rates compared to local banks or ATMs," said Fleishman. "It's better to withdraw local currency from ATMs or exchange money at local banks."

Traveling Only During the Off-Season

Off-season travel is often less expensive than any other time, but not always.

"There has been a lot of talk around the benefits of off-season travel recently, which presents this as a travel hack for getting the best prices. In some cases, visiting during these quieter periods can offer a unique and more affordable experience. However, sometimes, they are just less popular times to visit for a reason," said Jan Luescher, CEO of luxury travel social network, ASmallWorld .

"Visiting certain destinations during their quieter periods significantly limits what you can do there and causes you to miss out on some of the best things to do and see because they are not open or safe to visit at this time," she continued.

If you miss something you really wanted to do, it might require a second trip to the same place. Or you might not enjoy yourself quite as much as you'd hoped.

Booking Non-Refundable Accommodations Early

"While early bookings can secure lower rates, committing to non-refundable accommodations too far in advance puts a damper on flexibility," said Fleishman. "Plans can change, and unforeseen circumstances always arise, leading to potential financial loss. Always better to book a hotel with a flexible cancellation policy if you are booking in advance."

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Buying Cheap Airline Tickets but Ignoring Layover Times

"Traveling further afield often means catching a connecting flight and a common hack or tip for planning an indirect journey is checking the layover time to ensure it gives you enough time to disembark one flight and get onto the next," said Luescher.

But even if you account for the layover time, you might be forgetting a very important detail: The size and layout of the connecting airport.

"It's easy to get lulled in a false sense of security that because these connecting flights are available to buy, the layover time must be fine," Luescher continued. "However, each airport and airline can have very different rules for connecting travelers that require you to set aside different lengths of time."

Most international airports, for instance, have additional security checkpoints or requirements. You might even have to claim and recheck your luggage during the layover, depending on your destination. This can cut into your layover time quite a bit.

Some airports are also massive, so it could take you even more time to get to your gate. If you don't account for all of these factors, you could end up missing your flight -- and having to buy a new ticket.

On the flipside, if your layover time is substantial, you could end up wasting valuable time that cuts into your trip.

Getting Bulk Airline Miles

Airline miles, or frequent flyer points, rack up for frequent travelers. When you have enough of them, you can redeem them for discounted future flights, rental cars, accommodations and more.

But don't buy them in bulk to try to get more points quickly.

"Buying airline miles or loyalty points at a discounted rate is not OK by the airlines and there's a risk of having your account suspended or worse," said Fleishman.

Searching for Flights in Incognito Tabs

"A common travel tip people have been following for years is that you should search for flights in private Incognito mode and clear your browser cookies to see the lowest fares," said Mercedes Zach, travel expert at ASAP Tickets , part of Trevolution Group.

"This approach comes from the belief that airlines are using browser cookies to track your searches and will show you higher prices if you do several searches for a particular destination within a short period of time," Zach continued. "In reality, airfare pricing is dynamic and constantly fluctuates and Incognito mode has no impact on it."

Just because a price drops for a specific flight doesn't mean it's because of the way you searched for it. If you want to get the best fares, set up alerts on Google Flights or a similar platform.

Discover More: 7 Cheap, Beautiful Places for a Winter Vacation

Using Free Wi-Fi

There are lots of hidden fees when it comes to traveling, so you might be tempted to find even small ways to save money. One such way is to use free Wi-Fi, but there are many scams that can end up costing you.

"Beware of hackers who set up fake Wi-Fi networks with names similar to legitimate hotel networks to trick travelers into connecting," said Fleishman. "Using unsecured networks can expose personal information. It's safer to use a hotel's official Wi-Fi or a virtual private network (VPN) for added security."

Booking Flights on Tuesdays

If you've been booking flights on Tuesdays in the hopes of saving money, chances are it isn't actually working.

"I have been with a flight booking agency for several years now and I cannot say for sure that Tuesdays are cheaper than other days. Flight fares are dynamic and constantly fluctuate," said Shreya Patel, marketing manager at Lowest Flight Fares . "A flight from Austin to Boston may cost you around $114 on a Tuesday and $89 on a Saturday."

Instead of booking flights based on the day of the week, compare different options around the time when you want to travel. Patel also suggested booking between 21 and 115 days before your trip for the best prices.

Dressing Nicely To Get Upgrades

Some travelers swear by this travel hack, but there's not much proof that it actually works.

"What you are wearing at the check-in counter has no influence on the agent. Moreover, the airline already decides where its passengers are going to sit before they even leave the house," said Patel.

"For example, British Airways' check-in automatically upgrades passengers if it is required, based on the ticket cost, frequent flyer status, whom you are traveling with or if you have any special needs," Patel said. "The agents on the ground can no longer upgrade you."

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Help! I’ve Been Ripped Off. I Want My Money Back!

Our columnist addresses a case of wire fraud, a credit card scheme and a dubious website — just three examples of the types of reader woe that regularly surface in the Tripped Up inbox.

By Seth Kugel

Dear Tripped Up,

I took a 7.95-euro taxi ride in Paris and charged it to my Citi credit card, but the driver refused to provide a receipt, and my card was charged $795.85. Citi would not reimburse this obvious fraud. Can you help? Ann, Philadelphia

We booked a $5,500 stay at an apartment in Amsterdam via Vrbo, and soon after, the property owner contacted us requiring that we wire him the full cost of the rental. We were reluctant but had successfully wired money before for a stay in Italy, so we went ahead with it. The owner canceled at the last minute, and the refund he promised never came through. Vrbo is stalling. Can you help? Kevin, Seattle

I wanted to enroll my two college-age children in Global Entry , the program run by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency, so they could speed through passport checkpoints with me. So I Googled “Global Entry application” and clicked on the top link, which looked at first glance like an official government site. I filled in the forms and was charged $249 per application. When I realized my mistake — the actual government fee is $100 — I asked for a refund and eventually got everything but the $100 fees back. The applications did go through, but these people were super sketchy, and I’m worried about identity theft. Doesn’t Google have an obligation not to promote a fraudulent site? Christine, New York

Dear Ann, Kevin and Christine,

You are all experienced travelers, and yet you were caught in three schemes that, unfortunately, regularly surface in the Tripped Up inbox of reader woe.

The Olympics are underway in France, so let’s start with Ann. The taxi driver took your credit card, overcharged you and didn’t supply a receipt.

In the last few months, I’ve received multiple reader complaints specifically about Paris taxis, but such things happen just about everywhere. In fact, we covered a similar scam in Mexico in June. Doubly frustrating in situations like these is that the fraudsters are individuals or small businesses that are hard to track down, especially in a country where you don’t speak the language. So Ann, like other victims, you turned to your credit card issuer’s fraud department.

But that’s a crapshoot, as you learned. Different card issuers have different policies, not to mention inconsistent applications of those policies. And if you didn’t actually lose the card, and the transaction happened through a chip, you may be out of luck.

I intervened on the behalf of three victims of the Paris taxi scam: Ann, Nabeel from Atlanta (also a Citi customer), and Ronald from Sarasota, Fla., who used a Chase card. I had mixed results. Two days after I got in touch with Citi, Ann received an email with what sounded like a very final denial, “respectfully” declining to reimburse her because she did not provide a receipt. In a happy coda, Laura Barganier, a spokeswoman for Citi, then told me that after further review Ann would be reimbursed.

Nabeel turns out to have filed the wrong kind of claim, Ms. Barganier said, and Citi has reached out to him for further information. And a spokesman for Chase said that Ronald was denied correctly because he did not provide a receipt or other evidence.

While there’s no singular solution for this type of fraud, the best policy to prevent it is to avoid handing your physical credit card to anyone. Americans have long been accustomed to parting with their cards, particularly in restaurants, but break the practice by insisting on tapping (or better, inserting) the card yourself. Then keep a careful eye on the screen, require a receipt and cause a scandal if you don’t get one. If you suspect fraud, call your credit card company immediately.

As a backup, always carry cash, so if the merchant insists that you hand over the card or the machine isn’t wireless, you can avoid using a card at all. (Of course, you must then be sure you are very familiar with the denominations of local bills and triple-check your change.)

If you booked a car or hailed a taxi, take a photo of your driver’s hack license when you get in, if there’s one visible, so if you do get scammed, you can report the crime to the local authorities and help prevent such crimes in the future. According to the Parisian police, such incidents should be reported via an English-language site called Signal Conso . (I learned the very cool French word for scam: “escroquerie.”)

Now over to Kevin and the all-too-common travel fraud using money wires. Good news, Kevin — Vrbo agreed to reimburse you for the rental, as well as the two nights you spent in a hotel as you arranged another rental.

You were covered by Vrbo’s Book With Confidence Guarantee , which, according to a statement from Mel Fish, a company spokeswoman, includes “safeguards against fraudulent listings, lodging assistance if travelers are unable to check in, and rebooking support if a host cancels at the last minute.” You will receive $7,079.

But all travelers: Pay with your credit cards whenever possible. Wiring money to individuals is the reddest of red flags in travel, as it’s almost impossible to claw back international wire transfers. Kevin’s long fight for reimbursement was ultimately successful because some blame lay on a deep-pocketed intermediary like Vrbo, part of the Expedia Group. But if he had booked directly through the company offering the Amsterdam rental, Grand Stay BV, he would have been out of luck. When I checked it out last week, its website was bare on details (and not surprisingly, the company didn’t respond to my requests for comment through its listed WhatsApp number). Vrbo told me that it had actually removed the company from its listings months ago, and the website has now been taken down.

That brings us to Christine and her desire to help expedite her children through passport control. Christine, in your online search for Global Entry, you said you received a page of Google search results and clicked on a sponsored website — Globaleny-travelus.com — that appeared, you told me, above the official Global Entry site, hosted by Customs and Border Protection.

When I checked a few weeks later, that site was no longer advertised on Google, but a very similar site was — one that even used the same email addresses, according to other complaints I found on online message boards. Then that one disappeared and another took its place. There are countless other sites that look very similar and purport to help you with the application form, though all they do is have you fill out a similar form.

The ad violated Google’s rules, said Nate Funkhouser, a Google spokesman. The only entities that may advertise government services like this one, according to Google policy, are the government sites themselves and companies explicitly authorized to do so by the government.

“Our team is always working to prevent scams on our platforms and removed the ads violating our policies,” Mr. Funkhouser wrote, but added, “Sometimes bad ads can temporarily evade our detection.” He said Google encourages users to report any possible violations. It appears that, at least for now, Google has expunged dubious ads from searches for Global Entry applications.

But sketchy travel companies everywhere purchase ads on Google and other search engines, and then book reservations for travelers, charging them fees or charging commissions to the companies with which they book.

One example of a typical complaint came from Rebecca, a reader in Pacifica, Calif. She booked a room at the Cambria Hotel Calabasas in Malibu after clicking on an ad that prominently displayed the URL, or web address, cambriacalabasas.guestreservations.com.

But the actual web address for the hotel is cambriacalabasas.com . The company Rebecca booked through, GuestReservations.com, had set up a subdomain on its own servers to mimic the hotel’s web address, as it does for countless other hotels.

GuestReservations.com has the veneer of a legitimate website, with a media contact listed at the bottom. (No one responded when I wrote to it.) It operates by booking rooms for clients through Priceline Partner Solutions , a business-to-business service that allows small agencies to book Priceline inventory.

When Rebecca arrived at the Cambria, hotel staff members said it was overbooked and that she could go to a nearby Marriott. They initially told her she would be reimbursed — yet when the Cambria realized she had not booked directly, they said she would have to seek reimbursement from the third-party site. It created a frustrating and confusing situation for Rebecca, as she thought she was booking directly in the first place.

The Cambria and other hotels can’t do much about it without spending a huge amount on Google ads themselves: Mr. Funkhouser, the Google spokesman, told me that such ads generally do not violate its policies (unless the company does not deliver the services).

“It’s very frustrating,” said Kylie Chen, the senior digital marketing manager for 24seven Hotels , which owns the Cambria. She told me that sites like GuestReservations.com pull photos from the hotels’ own sites, but when the hotel group reaches out to them to remove them, “it’s always hard to find any point of response or contact.”

“I feel like Google will let anyone advertise,” she added.

This is, of course, not true . But to be safe, travelers should skip right past sponsored results and pay careful attention to the web address of the site they are clicking on, whether it’s on Google or any other search engine.

If you need advice about a best-laid travel plan that went awry, send an email to [email protected] .

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Seth Kugel is the columnist for “ Tripped Up ,” an advice column that helps readers navigate the often confusing world of travel. More about Seth Kugel

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

Salzburg, Austria:  The compact Austrian city of medieval alleys, majestic Alpine views and just 150,000 residents bursts to life in the summer .

Southern Sardinia:  This overlooked island region of Italy, with its idyllic beaches and buzzing capital , is ready to share its essence.

Adirondacks :  New York’s Adirondack Park draws more than 12 million visitors each year. Here’s where to go to avoid the crowds .

Los Angeles:  The California city has one of the most diverse urban forests in the world and each neighborhood has its own characteristic plantings .

Nighttime Activities :  Travel adventures, from goat hikes to snorkeling , get even better when they’re done under the stars.