A true jetsetting technique is to fly for free. How? Travel rewards credit cards.
It’s easy to want to travel, but making the trips happen is a little tougher. It’s not that most people don’t want to travel; traveling is just plain expensive. Not to mention, international flights require some serious cash. Airline tickets today are higher than they ever were, and getting to point A to point B is no easy, or economical feat. Instead of swearing off airlines and kissing your travel dreams goodbye, why not take a different route? A true jetsetting technique is to fly for free. How? Travel rewards credit cards.
I know, I know, this may sound super credit loving/debt-accruing/stereotypically American of me, but I assure you, this technique—when done right—will only build your credit and your rewards. The key, as with all credit cards, is to always pay your balances on time. With the travel reward credit cards, signing up and spending a certain amount in the first few months will give you around $300-$400 toward a flight on average. And remember, having a credit card doesn’t mean you need to splurge on unnecessaries. Pay your bills, rent, and anything else with your credit card, and you’ll easily reach spend target to activate your miles.
These days, I buy hardly everything with my travel rewards credit cards. Except when it’s a dingy cash only bar, of course. Speaking of buying, most travel rewards cards have zero foreign transaction fees. That in itself is a travel win, since ATM withdrawals, shopping, and any other transactions can really add up when there are fees involved.
Currently, I’m using the Barclay’s Arrival Card, and I’m loving it. Like promised, I earned 40,000 miles in the first three months for spending $3,000, and since gained enough points for a free flight to Europe this summer. This is because every purchase I make gets double the reward points, which is definitely one of the best perks of this particular card. A few more months, and I’ll be able to give a more comprehensive review of the card, but so far, so good. I’m also thinking about signing up for another one, because why not pay your bills and get a free flight while you’re at it?
What travel cards are you using? We’d love to hear your recommendations!
