FAQ: Credit Card Points and Miles for Beginners (How to Travel for Free)
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Are you ready to learn how to start traveling for less? Every week on my Instagram I do an “Ask Me Anything” and these are the most frequently asked questions that I get about credit cards, points and travel. Hope you find them helpful!
WHAT IS POINTS TRAVEL?
Points travel is redeeming points earned from a credit card welcome offer and/or credit card spend for flights and hotels. We are strategically signing up for credit cards that earn lucrative welcome bonuses for a certain amount of spend. Most reward cards require that you make a certain amount of purchases on your card within a set time limit in order to receive your sign-up bonus. Typically spending $3k-$4k in a three-month period.
That’s money you’re already spending on bills, groceries, gas, etc. We are NOT spending $60k to earn 60k points.
The first thing you should do before applying for your first card is calculate your monthly expenses to determine what kind of minimum spend you can earn within your budget. You do not want to apply for a card and be unable to meet the minimum spend.
DO I NEED TO SPEND $60,000 TO EARN 60K POINTS?
No! This is one of the biggest myths. You don’t need to spend $60,000. You just need to hit the minimum spend requirement (usually $3,000–$4,000 in 3 months). Once you do, you’ll unlock the signup bonus, which is where most of your points come from.
Example: Spend $4,000 in three months, and you could earn 60,000–100,000 points. That’s enough for a roundtrip flight to Europe or several domestic flights.
How long does it take to earn enough points for free flights?
For beginners, usually one signup bonus = one free trip.
60,000 points = about 2 domestic roundtrip tickets
100,000 points = roundtrip economy to Europe
Add a partner’s signup bonus, and you can double your points fast.
Many families book their first free trip within 3–6 months.
What’s the first travel credit card I should get?
For most beginners, the best starter card is the Chase Sapphire Preferred®.
75,000 bonus points
Points transfer to airlines and hotels like United, Southwest, and Hyatt
Low $95 annual fee
Extra perks: travel insurance, no foreign transaction fees
For those that travel 3+ times a year, I recommend starting with Chase Sapphire Reserve. It currently has a 125k sign up bonus and come with perks like access to the Reserve Lounge and a $300 credit for travel booked with your card.
Because of Chase’s 5/24 rule (you can only open 5 cards in 24 months), it’s smart to start with Chase cards first. For more information:
All information about the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card has been collected independently by Points for Family Travel. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
DO ALL CARDS EARN THE SAME POINTS?
Not all points are created equal. Let’s take a look at the different kinds of points you can earn and why diversification is so important.
Flexible/Transferable Points - These are points that can be transferred to multiple airline and hotel transfer partners or used to book travel in the bank's travel portal. These points are the most valuable to earn and should make up the bulk of your points. For a complete guide to travel transfer partners, click here. Flexible (or transferable) points programs include:
Chase Ultimate Rewards® Points
Citi ThankYou® Points
American Express Membership Rewards® Points
Capital One Venture Rewards Miles
Fixed Value Points - These are points that allow you to redeem travel for a fixed value, typically redeeming in the bank travel portal for one cent per point. While these are typically not the best value you’ll get with your points, they do help to offset the cost of travel not otherwise covered with other traditional points. Some examples of redemptions for fixed value points include:
Booking non-chain hotels in the travel portal
Redeeming points for car rentals, flights and train travel
Redeeming points for Disney and Universal Studios tickets
Again, in most cases, you will receive the lowest value from your points when redeemed for a fixed-value. A $300 flight will cost you 30,000 points.
Airline Miles and Hotel Points - These are points earned from an airline or hotel co-branded credit card. These points can only be redeemed in the specific airline or hotel website and cannot be transferred to other airlines or hotels.
Not sure which credit card to get first or next? Fill out my free credit card consultation to learn more.
WHAT IS THE SECOND CARD I SHOULD GET?
Because Capital One can be very sensitive to multiple inquiries, you want to get a card from this bank early in your points travel journey. Both cards have the same high welcome offer, they both earn 2x points per dollar which means rewards are easy to earn. Capital One miles can be redeemed on multiple airlines and hotels which makes it a great card for domestic or international travel.
Strategy continued: If you qualify for business cards, start with one of the Chase business cards. These cards generally have higher welcome offers (but higher minimum spends too). The points can be combined with your Chase Sapphire points from above. There are three Chase business cards I recommend.
Please note: You will not be able to transfer points from the Ink Business Cash or Ink Business Unlimited cards unless you also hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred, or the Ink Business Preferred. Avoid the Chase Ink Premier as those points cannot be transferred to any partners.
All information about the Ink Business Cash, Ink Business Unlimited and Ink Business Preferred has been collected independently by Points for Family Travel. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
WHAT ABOUT THE ANNUAL FEES?
Annual fees scare a lot of beginners, but here’s the reality: the travel perks usually outweigh the cost. Before you cross a credit card off of your list, make sure that you factor in the card perks, benefits and statement credits first.
Here are a few examples of cards that I’m happy to pay the annual fee for:
Chase Sapphire Preferred -Annual fee $95.
This card earns 3x points on streaming services, dining and on-line groceries. It earns 2x points on travel related purchases. It has an annual $50 hotel credit for hotels booked in Chase Travel. And it also comes with benefits like no foreign transaction fees, primary car rental insurance, travel interruption/delay insurance and lost baggage insurance. If you travel 1-2 times a year, it’s worth the $95 to keep this card.
Hotel credit cards are worth keeping every year in my opinion. For $95 I get a free night award that I can use to book a room that may cost anywhere from $350-$700 a night. There’s no way I could or would pay that much for a hotel night, but having these free night awards make it possible. Between my husband and I we earn ten free night awards every year.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card - This card has a $395 annual fee, but it also comes with an annual $300 travel credit I can use to book travel through Capital One Travel, a $120 credit for purchasing TSA PreCheck and/or Global Entry and 10,000 bonus points every anniversary. It comes with unlimited access for me and 2 guests to the Capital One Lounge and Priority Pass Membership (global airport lounge access). This card earns 2x points per dollar on every purchase. No foreign transaction fees, trip delay/cancellation insurance makes it all worth paying the annual fee.
WHAT IS THE CHASE 5/24 RULE?
When I first got into points travel, there were no bank application rules. You could get almost any card and earn the bonus repeatedly. But many people took advantage and were closing their cards immediately after earning the sign-up bonus. In an effort to curb this bad behavior, the banks made new rules which dictate how often we could be approved for cards and their bonuses.
The Chase 5/24 rule is the most important application rule. This post explains everything you need to know. While other banks have their own set of rules, Chase has the most restrictive rule. So that’s why we want to start with credit cards from Chase first.
Will applying for credit cards hurt my credit score?
Your score may drop a few points temporarily after applying, but as long as you:
Pay on time ✅
Keep balances low ✅
Don’t overspend ✅
…your score usually goes up long-term. Many points travelers end up with better credit scores than when they started.
I’M RUNNING OUT OF IDEAS ON HOW TO MEET THE MINIMUM SPEND? HELP!
Here is a post I put together with all the different ways we earn a minimum spend. Don’t forget to take advantage of big, one-time expenses like home and auto repairs, medical, etc. We earned the sign-up bonus on the Ink Business Cash® Credit Card by paying for my daughter’s braces (which we were reimbursed from our Health Savings Account). Every year I make two payments of $4,400 to our auto insurance. I will always try to get a new card before this payment is due.
Remember, don't overspend. If you’re unable to pay your balance off every month, you will be paying a high interest rate and that negates the points you are earning.
I’M A STAY AT HOME PARENT, CAN I APPLY FOR CREDIT CARDS?
Yes! Under income on the application, put down your combined household income and your own social security number.
How many points do I need for a free flight?
Domestic flights → 4,500–15,000 points each way
Europe in economy → 12,000–35,000 points each way.
Business class to Europe → 60,000–110,000 each way.
Pro tip: Partner airlines (like booking Delta flights with Virgin Atlantic miles) can save you tons of points.
IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO ADD MY SPOUSE AS AN AUTHORIZED USER?
Because being an authorized user on someone’s card can count against your 5/24 status, I never recommend that you do this. If you or your spouse are already an authorized user on a card, just call the bank and ask to have them removed. It’s super easy and you will still qualify for the sign-up bonus as long as you’re not the primary card holder.
WE ARE A FAMILY OF FOUR, IS IT POSSIBLE TO EARN ENOUGH POINTS FOR ALL OF US TO TRAVEL FOR ALMOST FREE?
Yes! Many families fly 4–6 people on points. It just takes a bit longer. If both parents open cards, you can double your points and cover multiple tickets + hotel nights.
Example: A family of four can often fly roundtrip domestically for two signup bonuses.
WE ARE NOT BIG SPENDERS, IS IT STILL POSSIBLE TO EARN ENOUGH POINTS TO TRAVEL FOR FREE?
Yes. There are several cards that have a lower minimum spend, but keep in mind these cards will also have a lower sign-up bonus. Let’s take a look at some of my favorite cards:
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®- this credit card has no minimum spend. To earn the sign-up bonus, just make one purchase in any amount and pay the $95 annual fee.
The Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard® - This card earns 60k miles with just a $2000 minimum spend in three months (or, $667 a month) that can be used to fly Hawaiian Airlines, Alaska Airlines or you can transfer your miles to Alaska to redeem for flights on AA and One World partners.
Chase Freedom Flex® - This is a no-annual fee card with a sign-up bonus of 20k points. This is a work-horse card. It earns 5x points per dollar on rotating quarterly categories and is a great way to earn a lot of points on everyday spend.
All information about the AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard, the Southwest Rapid Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Freedom Flex has been collected independently by Points for Family Travel. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
DO YOU KEEP ALL YOUR CARDS OR DO YOU CANCEL THEM?
I never recommend closing your credit card in the first year. I take into consideration what benefits I get from the card. I keep all the hotel cards that give me a free night every year. I kept my Chase Sapphire Preferred card for over five years and got the bonus again just recently. While the decision to keep or cancel is entirely personal, you can read my decision-making tree on how we decide in this post here. Remember, we always want to maintain a good relationship with the banks. Do no close a card ever after you get the welcome offer.
I’VE EARNED MY SIGN UP BONUS? HOW DO I BOOK A FLIGHT?
To get the most value out of your points, you want to TRANSFER them to an airline or hotel partner. Nine times out of ten, this will be a better value than redeeming them in your banks travel portal.
I have an entire Highlight in my Instagram bio with step by step instructions on how to book a flight with points and how to book a hotel.
HOW DO YOU KEEP EARNING POINTS AFTER EARNING A SIGN-UP BONUS?
We are almost always earning a sign-up bonus. That means that I apply for a new card every 3-4 months, or my husband does. We like to alternate applications. This method allows us to earn a lot of extra points from referral points and it gives each of us a break from constant pulls on our credit. If you are not comfortable applying for multiple cards, then get a card that has a high category multiplier on the things you spend the most on (like groceries).
What are the best travel credit cards for beginners?
Here are my top recommendations:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® or Chase Sapphire Reserve® → Best first card for flexible points.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card → Great for flights and covering the costs of trains, Disney or Universal tickets
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card → Lowest priced card that comes with lounge access.
Southwest Rapid Rewards® Card → Perfect if you fly Southwest.
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red → Easy bonus (only requires one purchase).
WHAT IS THE BEST HOTEL CARD?
Hyatt is by far the most popular hotel amongst points travelers. That’s because award nights start at just 5,000 points and there are many ways to earn Hyatt points. I can book a $500/night room for just 15k-18k points. The easiest way to earn Hyatt points is by earning points on a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points and then transferring those points to Hyatt.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card - Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to Hyatt which I think are the best hotel points redemptions out there.
There are two cards that earn Hyatt points, you can find the best offers here.
Right now, you can earn FIVE free Marriott nights, valued up to 50k points each, by applying for the Chase Marriott card.
I love the IHG card, and it doesn’t get enough press in my opinion. There are IHG properties everywhere! This card earns FOUR free nights. If you and your partner each get it, you’ll have eight free nights to redeem.
While we love our Hyatt stays, Marriott has great properties for families, especially overseas. There are very strict approval rules for the Marriott Bonvoy cards between Chase and AMEX so always read the T&C’s before you apply to make sure you are eligible and make sure that you are getting the highest sign up possible.
Do I need a business to get a business card?
Not necessarily! If you sell anything: babysitting, freelancing, Etsy shop, eBayd/Facebook reselling you qualify as a sole proprietor. Use your SSN instead of a business EIN. Business cards help you earn more points while staying under Chase’s 5/24 rule.
WILL I LOSE MY POINTS IF CLOSE MY CARD?
If you have transferable points from cards like the Chase Sapphire or Capital One Venture, those points are tied to your credit card account. You must use or transfer your points before you close your card, or you will lose them. If you choose to downgrade your card, your points are safe and will transfer to the new card.
If you have points with a hotel or airline credit card, those points are in your loyalty account program (including the free night certs), and you will not lose your points if you close your card.
DO POINTS EXPIRE?
As long as you keep your credit card open your points will never expire. Hotel and airline co-branded cards are a little bit different; most points will expire with no activity in 24 months.
Points in these programs expire with no activity in 24 months:
Hyatt
Marriott
American Airlines
Radisson Rewards
Points never expire in these programs:
United Airlines
Delta Airlines
Southwest Airlines
JetBlue
Points with IHG expire with no activity in 12 months
HOW DO I KEEP POINTS FROM EXPIRING?
Book a flight or hotel night stay with points from your loyalty account
Many travel programs have an online shopping portal where you can earn additional points just by clicking through the portal. This is a great way to earn extra points and to keep your account open. I like to check evreward.com to see what portal is offering the most points. This is my favorite way to keep my accounts active.
Buy miles: This should be a last resort in my opinion. All loyalty accounts allow you to purchase points.
THIS SEEMS SO OVERWHELMING, HOW DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF ALL YOUR CARDS?
When I started getting into credit card points travel, I kept track of everything in a notebook, then an excel spreadsheet. Now there are several point tracking apps that make everything so much easier. Here are the ones I use the most:
Travel Freely - As soon as you get a new credit card, add it to your Travel Freely account. It’s absolutely free and does not require that you enter your account number. It tracks your cards, annual fees, 5/24 status, etc.
Award Wallet - This app has been around since 2014. It tracks all of your point balances, free night awards and expiration dates. This one does require your account numbers and login information. We have never had an issue in the nine years we’ve held an account with them.
CAN I EARN A SIGN UP BONUS MORE THAN ONE TIME ON THE SAME CARD?
Yes. Most banks allow you to earn the welcome bonus more than once, although the rules get stricter every year. The clock starts from the date you get the bonus, not the date you applied. There are many cards, and each have their own rules so it’s important to look at the application rules on this one.
For a more detailed look at bank application rules across all banks, click here.
IS IT BETTER TO BOOK TRAVEL IN THE PORTAL OR TRANSFER POINTS?
You will almost always get a better value from your points when you transfer points to a travel partner rather than booking in the bank travel portal. If you book travel in the portal, your points are only worth one cent per point. So, you would need to use 30k points for a $300 room. If I transferred those 30k points to Hyatt I could book a $700 room or I could transfer to Flying Blue and book a roundtrip flight to Europe. I always recommend price checking both before booking.
IS IT OK TO CLOSE MY CARD AFTER I EARN THE SIGN UP BONUS?
No. Never close your card the first year. You pay the annual fee on your first statement so there is no reason to close it. You want to do this long term and build a relationship with the bank.
HOW DO I BOOK MY FIRST TRIP?
I have many tutorials on Instagram on how to search and book for award flights and hotel nights. Several blog posts with examples are here below:
Final Thoughts
Earning points and miles isn’t about spending more it’s about being strategic. Start with one beginner-friendly card, hit the signup bonus, and you’ll be shocked how quickly free flights and hotel nights add up.
Happy Travels!
New to credit cards and points travel? Read my Free Beginner’s Guide here
