Guides Archives - Easy Travel Points

Everything You Need To Know About Buying Groups

Rob Dulgarian — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 16:41:32 +0000

Buying groups are a great way to earn extra credit card points. While they do take some effort and you need to be organized, they can be very beneficial. I’m going to show you everything you need to know about them and how to use them successfully.

I have been using buying groups for several years as part of my points earning strategy. They can especially come in handy when I’m trying to meet the minimum spend requirement for a new card.

Buying groups have some nuance to them, but this simple guide will teach you everything you need to know about buying groups and how to successfully use them.

What Are Buying Groups

Buying groups are companies that purchase various goods from people like you and me and pay them a predetermined rate for those items. These types of transactions require a fair amount of trust because you are basically purchasing these goods with the understanding that you will be paid once the item is delivered to the buying group’s warehouse.

I’ve done business with several of them, and my favorite is The Buying Group. They have been the one group that has consistently paid within a reasonable amount of time. I’ve also had very few issues with deliveries but when I do, they get resolved quickly.

How Do Buying Groups Work

All of the buying groups I’ve worked with have a very similar process. As an example, I will outline the process specifically for The Buying Group.

Sign Up – First, you need to sign up for an account with the respective group. You can sign up for The Buying Group here. At the end of the signup process you’ll be given an ID number, which you’ll need later.

Deals – Once you have an account, you can purchase items the buying group is requesting. On the left side of the dashboard there’s a tab that says “Deals”. Here is a list of all the deals they are currently buying along with the price they’re paying for each item.

Please note that some buying groups will frequently offer prices that are BELOW COST, so you might actually lose money on the purchase. (They do this for various reasons that we won’t go into.) But one big reason that I work with The Buying Group is that they offer a good amount of deals that payout full retail price and sometimes they even pay you a small commission, too. Please ensure you read each deal carefully before making a purchase.

Commitment – If you see an item you’d like to buy, you will need to enter a “commitment”. Simply click on the “Commit” button and enter the number of items you purchased. You can update this number at any time. This allows the buying groups to limit and track how many items are purchased.

Sometimes they’ll cap the number of items they’ll buy, so if the deal is “full”, don’t purchase that item. In all cases, if you send them an item that you don’t have a commitment for, they can refuse to accept the item.

Delivery – Each buying group will have specific addresses you need to have the items sent to. They will always have at least one address in a state that is sales tax exempt. Almost all deals will not pay you for sales tax or shipping costs, so be careful where you ship the item to and what shipping method you use.

Tracking – Once the items ship, the retailer will send you a tracking number. You will need to enter this tracking number into the buying group’s portal so they know which shipment is yours. You will enter this on the “Tracking Management” tab within the dashboard.

In addition, you will need to add your buying group ID number to your shipping address when making your purchase. This is an additional way for them to know which items belong to you. For example, if my buying group ID is 1234, I will enter my name as John Doe 1234 when filling out the shipping address for my purchase.

Receiving – Once the item arrives at the buying group’s warehouse, they will “check in” the item. Once this is done, you will be emailed a receipt showing what they received and how much you were paid. The amount paid for that item will then be added to your account.

Timing – Once an item is delivered to the warehouse, it can take a couple days for it to show in your dashboard as “received”. The timing will vary by group and the time of the year. Peak times like Black Friday can take longer. Another reason I like Buying Group is that they are generally very quick to check things in. My first few orders were checked in the day it arrived. On average though, it typically takes 2-3 days.

Payment – Once you have a balance in your account, you can request an e-check for your balance or an ACH payment. Buying Group typically sends your payment in about a week, but again can vary based on the time of year and the number of deals they’re buying. Once the check is generated, you can print the check from your account and then deposit it into your bank account.

Stay Organized

If you want to give buying groups a try, my biggest piece of advice is to STAY ORGANIZED. It is critical to keep track of everything you buy and the details of each purchase. The last thing you want to do is send an item to a buying group, forget to track it and then not get paid for the item.

I keep all of this information in a spreadsheet. It’s an easy way to keep track of everything and make sure you get paid appropriately. And if something goes wrong, you’ll have everything at your fingertips to get it resolved.

Along the lines of staying organized, I would recommend starting slow. Pick a small, inexpensive item to start with. Then go through and learn the entire process. That way, if you make a mistake with a $19 Fire Stick, you won’t lose any sleep while you’re resolving the issue.

What If Something Goes Wrong

I know this all sounds nice and easy. But what if something goes wrong? To date, I have purchased hundreds of items and spent over $100k with buying groups. While infrequent, problems do arise and it can take some time and effort to get things resolved.

If something doesn’t go perfectly, don’t freak out. Keep in mind, all buying groups have a support ticket system where you’ll handle most of these issues.

Here are some of the main issues I’ve run into and how to solve them –

Paid The Wrong Amount – Prices for deals can change from one day to the next. Sometimes when an item is checked in, the wrong amount is paid out. When this happens, I create a ticket with information about the order and it has always been corrected.

Item Not Received – Each group is usually very good about keeping you informed as to their progress of checking in items. But what happens if they say they’ve checked in everything received by a certain day and yours was delivered in that time frame?

I’ve had this happen a couple of times. In all cases, I’ve opened a ticket and sent them the order details, including the item’s serial number if applicable. They will investigate the items and in all cases but one, they have found it and then credited my account.

The one time it wasn’t found, I was able to contact the retailer and they issued me a refund. YMMV with the retailer if this happens to you, but this was my experience.

Damaged Item – Only once has an item I ordered been delivered damaged. When this happened, the buying group contacted me and I processed a return with the retailer. I then emailed them the return shipping label and documents and they sent the item back on my behalf.

Other Buying Groups

I’ve tried out most of the buying groups that are out there and they all follow a very similar process to the one I’ve outlined above. Each buying group has their own pros and cons. Based on my experience, I would recommend the following groups.

Closeout NJ
PFS Buyers Club (This one focuses on infrequent coin deals from the US Mint)
Buy For Me Retail

Once you get the hang of one buying group and want access to more deals, I would definitely give these others a look.

Maximizing Your Buying Group Spend

In addition to the credit card spend and small commissions, there are other ways to maximize your benefit from buying group purchases. My favorite way is to use shopping portals and cash back portals when making any purchases.

New Card Bonus – Buying groups are a great way to hit the minimum spend requirement on a new card. While I wouldn’t depend on them to meet the requirement, they can definitely make it easier.

TopCashBack – TopCashBack is a fantastic portal to use when buying Amazon devices. These are items buying groups need frequently. When you go thru TopCashBack, they give you 2% cash back on all Amazon devices purchases.

Rakuten – I also like using the Rakuten shopping portal when making purchases from stores other than Amazon. I prefer Rakuten because you can earn AMEX Membership Rewards points instead of cash back.

Final Thoughts

I think buying groups can be a great way to earn extra credit card points. If you are willing to put in the effort and stay organized, they can be a great piece of your points earning strategy. If you decide to give them a shot, I would definitely recommend starting with Buying Group.

As with everything, if you have any questions, just leave me a comment below and I’ll be happy to help.

The post Everything You Need To Know About Buying Groups appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Credit Card Points & Miles Crash Course

Rob Dulgarian — Fri, 04 Jul 2025 23:51:50 +0000

Are you ready to travel for (almost) free? Here’s the beginner-friendly points and miles crash course you’ve been waiting for.

You can Do it too

If you’ve ever scrolled social media while sitting at home and wondered how that person is always on vacation without a trust fund, we’ve got your answer: it’s points and miles.

No, it’s not magic. Yes, it can be confusing at first. That’s why I created the Points & Miles Crash Course — a no-fluff, beginner-friendly guide to turning your everyday spending into free flights, hotel stays, and the occasional bougie airport lounge experience.

Because here’s the truth: If you’re using a debit card, you’re missing out. Like, big time.

What you’ll Learn

Here’s what you’ll learn (aka how to outsmart the system…legally) in our budget-friendly 3 hour video crash course.

This isn’t some 50-page eBook that collects digital dust in your inbox. This is a practical, easy-to-follow course that walks you through:

How to avoid rookie mistakes like using points on toasters instead of travel (please don’t)
The best starter credit cards for earning rewards
Strategies for ways to earn more points without spending more money
The difference between cash back, airline miles, and flexible points — and why that matters
Real-life examples of how I book free trips for my family (yes, with 5 kids in tow) and step-by-step guides for earning the points you need and how to redeem them for trips to both Hawaii and Europe

This course was designed for normal people — no spreadsheets, no 3 a.m. award searches, and definitely no math degree required. And the best part, it’s only $19!

Why You need this course

Because if you’re going to spend money anyway (hi, groceries and gas), you might as well get rewarded for it. Whether you’re dreaming of a week in Europe, a beach vacay in Hawaii, or just want to take the sting out of your travel budget — this system works.

I’ve personally used points to cover over $100k in airfare, hotel stays and other travel expenses. The best part? Once you understand the basics, the rewards just keep coming. It’s like playing Monopoly, but instead of fake money, you’re earning free vacations.

Who is this course for

Total beginners who want to learn the right way to start
Busy moms and dads who don’t have time for Reddit deep dives
Budget travelers who want luxe experiences without the luxe price tag
Anyone who’s tired of watching others travel while they stay home and pay full price for everything

Let’s Be Real…

The points game can feel like trying to learn a new language. Chase Ultimate Rewards? 5/24? Transfer partners? Player 2? If it makes your eyes glaze over, you’re not alone.

But that’s exactly why I made this course. It breaks down everything you actually need to know to start earning travel rewards today — without the overwhelm. And you won’t need to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.

So if you’re ready to stop leaving free travel on the table, click here to enroll in the Points & Miles Crash Course. Your next vacation (and smug airport selfie) is closer than you think.

Let’s turn your everyday spending into epic adventures together — no coupon clipping required. I promise, this will be the best $19 you spend all year!

The post Credit Card Points & Miles Crash Course appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Things To Do Before Cancelling A Credit Card

Rob Dulgarian — Sat, 24 May 2025 03:30:00 +0000

Cutting up a credit card only takes a few seconds. However, deciding when it’s time to cancel one of your card accounts should be a more thoughtful process. Before you decide to cancel a credit card, here is everything you should consider before making the decision.

It’s always important to take a minute and periodically evaluate your financial situation. As circumstances around us change, so do our goals and needs. Being a points enthusiast, these changes can sometimes affect which credit cards we carry in our wallet.

Generally, I recommend keeping your credit card accounts open when possible. Especially if the card doesn’t carry an annual fee. In that case, you’re almost always better off just sticking it in your sock drawer and just making a purchase or two each year to keep the account active. However, if you still feel you need to close the account, please consider the following before you do.

Should I Cancel A Credit Card

Being Responsible – There are some circumstances the necessitate closing the account regardless of any other consideration. One of our credit card ground rules for participating in the points and miles hobby is that you pay off your credit card balance IN FULL every month. If you’ve found that this has become an issue for you, then YES, close your account and pay your balance as quickly as possible.

Has It Been A Year – I would never recommend closing a credit card before having it for at least 1 year. This is especially true if you received a welcome bonus for opening the account. Card issuers don’t like it when you open an account, earn the bonus and then close it.

They’re trying to create mutually beneficial relationships with consumers, so this can affect your ability to open a new account in the future. In fact, American Express explicitly states that if you “abuse” or “game” the welcome offer, they will take back the bonus points. Besides, it’s difficult to know if a card is right for you if you only have it for a short time.

Evaluate The Card’s Benefits

Typically the reason you begin to question if you should cancel a credit card is when the annual fee is charged to your account. Most cards that charge an annual fee will give you various benefits for being a cardmember. In my opinion, if you can get more value from a card than what they charge as an annual fee, keep it. Here are a couple of examples.

Free Nights – Most hotel co-branded credit cards, give you a free night after each anniversary year. Most cards like this charge around a $100 annual fee, but a free night is easily worth more than the fee. Especially when you consider you don’t pay room tax on an award night and some programs don’t charge resort fees on redemptions.

Bonus Categories – A lot of cards give you bonus points for spending in specific categories. The card_name gives you a whopping 4x Membership Rewards points at US supermarkets (on the first $25,000 spent each year) and restaurants worldwide. Terms apply. AMEX values their points at 1 cent per point.

If you were to spend $10,000 in these categories each year, the points you would earn are worth at least $400 (10,000 x .01 x 4), which is more than the $250 annual fee, see rates and fees. And that’s before consider the statement credits that come with this card.

Statement Credits – Cards like the Capital One Venture X come with statement credits each year. Yes, the card comes with a $395 annual fee but it also has an annual $300 credit towards travel purchases made through Capital One Travel. The travel credits are pretty easy to use so it makes getting a lot of value from the card with the other benefits simple to do.

Learn How To Apply

Retention Offer

The next step in the processing should be to contact your credit card company to see if they have any retention offers for you. Credit card companies don’t like to lose good customers, so frequently they’ll offer you an incentive to stay with them by offering you an incentive.

Retention offers can take on several forms. Some of the most common offers are offering to waive the annual fee or giving you a statement credit or bonus points if you spend a specified amount in a specified period of time. I have received all three of these types of offers. Sometimes the offers were worth keeping the card for another year and sometimes it still didn’t make sense for me.

To find out if you’re eligible for an offer, contact the bank’s customer service by phone or secured message in your online account. Be honest with them. Tell them you’re thinking of closing your account and wanted to see if you were eligible for a retention offer. The worst thing that can happen is they say “no”.

Credit Score Considerations

Closing a credit card can have a negative impact on your credit score. The way companies calculate your score is confidential, so it’s hard to know just how much it will impact you. However, here are the two reasons why it will.

Average Length of Credit – One factor of your credit score is the average length of all of your credit accounts. The longer your accounts are open, the higher the average age of your accounts is. Companies that extend credit like to see a longer average age of your accounts. If you cancel one of your credit card accounts, this will low your average and decrease your score.

Credit Utilization – This calculation shows how much of the credit you use based on what you’ve been given. In this case, the lower the utilization, the better. For example, let’s assume you have 3 credit cards and each card gives you a credit limit of $10,000. If you spend $3,000 per month combined each month on your credit cards your utilization rate is 10% ($3,000 / $30,000 = 10%). If you decide to cancel on of your credit cards, your utilization rate will immediately increases to 15% ($3,000 / $20,000 = 15%).

This is where I will generally recommend leaving your account open if the card doesn’t have an annual fee. If there’s no annual fee, it won’t cost you anything to keep it in your sock drawer. This way it will help both your average length of accounts and your utilization rate. Just remember to take it out once or twice a year and make a small purchase with it. This will keep your account active so the bank doesn’t close it thinking you don’t need it any more.

Protect Your Points

After all of these considerations, if you still decide you want to cancel your credit card be sure to protect the points you’ve already earned. This isn’t a problem if you’re closing a co-branded airline or hotel credit card. Those points are automatically deposited into your loyalty accounts each month.

You won’t lose these when you close your account but they are subject to the respective program’s expiration policy. The points for some programs never expire but others do. Make sure you understand how to keep your points active so you don’t lose them.

Cards that earn points with the bank’s own program are at risk of disappearing once you close your account. These programs include but are not limited to, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture Miles and Citi ThankYou points. If you have a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card, have a plan in place before cancelling your card.

Each program is a little different. Some will let you transfer your points to another card, while others will let you keep them if you have another card that earns those points. If neither of these is an option, there are other options to redeem your points. You can transfer them to a partner program, redeem them for gift cards, cash or statement credits. Regardless, just make sure you redeem them prior to cancelling your account so you don’t lose any.

Final Thoughts

Before you cancel a credit card, spend a few minutes going through each of these steps. There are many times it makes sense to close your account. However, I think you’ll be surprised how often it’ll be more beneficial to leave the account open. No matter what you decide, following these steps can help you avoid a costly mistake.

The post Things To Do Before Cancelling A Credit Card appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

How To Get The Hyatt Family Plan Rate

Rob Dulgarian — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 23:33:29 +0000

Did you know Hyatt offers a discount on a second room when you’re traveling with your children? It’s called the Hyatt family rate. Here’s everything you need to know to take advantage of this discount the next time you’re on a family vacation.

Traveling as a family can get expensive fast. So any discount I can find to help lower the cost is a pleasant surprise. About a year ago I heard about Hyatt’s family rate discount. Because we stay at Hyatts so often, I thought this was going to save me a ton of money. Unfortunately, that wasn’t exactly the case.

With that said, here’s everything you need to know about the family rate discount and my experience trying to take advantage of it over the past year.

What Is The Discount

Hyatt will give you up to a 50% discount on a second room when you’re traveling with children under 18 years of age. The exact discount will vary by property, but it can be up to 50% off the daily rate.

While you can book the first room using either cash or points, the second room has to be paid for with cash.

For example, this week I booked two rooms at the Hyatt House Nashville at Vanderbilt over the Thanksgiving weekend. I paid for the first room using 9,000 Hyatt points. The cash rate for that night was $148 (plus tax). The family rate I was offered for that night was $92.50 (plus tax), which is a 38% discount. Not quite 50% but still an excellent rate.

The other nice thing about this rate, is that it’s not an advance purchase rate, so you can cancel (within the properties terms) without a penalty if your plans change.

Is This Rate Available At All Hyatt Properties

Unfortunately, it’s not. Based on my experience, it’s actually not available at a lot of Hyatt properties. Over the past year, I’ve called around a dozen properties in the U.S. and Europe and this was the first hotel that offered it.

I hope you have better luck than me. But I wouldn’t get my hopes up that this rate will be easy to take advantage of.

Based on message I’ve received, and my own experience, here is a list of properties that should offer the family rate. I will continue to update the list as I learn more.

Hyatt House Nashville at Vanderbilt
Hyatt Place Waikiki
Hyatt Regency Vancouver
Hyatt Regency Orlando
Great Scotland Yard Hotel in London
Hyatt Regency London Churchill
Hyatt Centric Portland
Park Hyatt Bangkok
Andaz Munich
Hyatt Regency Etoile Paris
Andaz Prague
Grand Hyatt Playa del Carmen
Hyatt Regency Tokyo
Hyatt Regency Chicago
Hyatt Grand Washington D.C.

How To Get The Hyatt family Rate

You won’t be able to get this discount by booking the room online. You will need to contact Hyatt directly. I booked the first room online and then called Hyatt to ask if the family rate was available at the hotel. They were able to just add the second room to the reservation and apply the discount.

You can also book the second room via the chat function on Hyatt’s website but my preference is to call. The chat function is an easy way to see if the hotel you’re looking at offers the family rate. But when it comes to making the reservation, I think it’s easier to call.

You may interact with an agent who isn’t familiar with the family rate discount. Frankly, I’ve talked to multiple agents who had no clue what I was talking about and told me there was no such rate. If this happens, simply thank them for their time and then call again and speak with someone new.

In fact, when I talked to an agent via the chat for our hotel in Nashville, they told me the rate wasn’t offered. But when I called in, the agent I spoke with said they did have it. Just goes to show, it’s always worth asking at least twice.

Using Points To Book Hyatt Hotels

Hyatt hotels are so easy to book using credit card points. In fact, it’s my favorite way to redeem my Chase points. If you’re new to the world of points and miles and would like to learn more about it, I created a master class that will teach you everything you need to know to book your first trip using credit card points.

But my favorite card to recommend for beginners is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It’s such a great card to start with because the points are super easy to use, especially at Hyatt! Or you can check out my best offers page, that has other great card offers.

card_name

Learn How To Apply

Final Thoughts

The Hyatt family rate discount is a great way to save money when traveling with your kids…if you can find it. While it’s not as widely available as I would like, it’s definitely worth the 5 minutes contacting Hyatt to see if it’s available where you’re going. If you find a hotel that offers this rate, please leave a comment below with the hotel that offered it. Let’s crowdsource a list for everyone to use!

The post How To Get The Hyatt Family Plan Rate appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Credit Card Review

Rob Dulgarian — Sat, 20 May 2023 22:24:00 +0000

All information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® credit cards have been collected independently by Easy Travel Points. Hilton Honors American Express Aspire and Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® credit cards are no longer available through Easy Travel Points.

The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire credit card is arguably one of the best hotel credit cards on the market. This card does carry a higher annual fee than most other cards. However, if you regularly stay at Hilton hotels, this card has a lot of benefits that can easily offset the cost.

Photo Courtesy Of The Conrad Koh Samui

Hotel cobranded credit cards are a great way to compliment other travel credit cards already in your wallet. Simply put, they can provide some excellent perks that other cards just can’t.

Welcome Bonus & Annual Fee

Currently, the American Express Aspire card is offering 150,000 Hilton Honors points to new cardmembers who spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of opening their account. These bonus can used on your next vacation towards free nights at Hilton properties worldwide. Keep in mind this welcome offer is only good for those who have never had this card before.

The Hilton Aspire card is considered a premium card and does come with a higher annual fee of $450 per year. The card also comes with statement credits, a free night certificate, status and other benefits that can easily offset the cost. If you love staying at Hilton properties, the AMEX Hilton Aspire card could be perfect for you.

Benefits & Perks

This AMEX Hilton Aspire card comes with a lot of excellent perks just for having the card. Everyone’s situation and travel preferences are different but this is where you can easily decide if this card is right for your. If you’re able to get more value from these benefits than the cost of the annual fee, then you should strongly considering applying for this card. While this isn’t an exhaustive, here are some of the best perks this card has to offer.

Hilton Honors Diamond Status – This is my favorite perk. The AMEX Aspire card gives you complimentary Diamond status just for having the card. No other cobranded hotel card just gives you their highest level of elite status. Diamond status gives you free breakfast for two, upgrades, lounge access and so much more!

Hilton Resort Credits – This card will give you up to $250 in statement credits, each cardmember year, for incidental charges made at participating Hilton resorts. These credits will be applied to things like dining and spa purchases. These can also be used for room purchases as long as they are not nonrefundable or advanced-purchased rates.

Free Reward Nights – You’ll get a free weekend award night when your account is opened and another after each year after your cardmember anniversary. Plus, if you spend $60,000 on the card in a calendar year, you can earn an additional free weekend night reward. These award nights have be used at almost any Hilton property worldwide.

Priority Pass Membership – The Aspire card also gives you a free unlimited Priority Pass membership. This membership give you and 2 guests access to select airport lounges worldwide.

Airline Fee Credit – This card gives you up to $250 in statement credits for incidental airline fees. The tough part about these credits is that you have to designate one airline each year and only fees associated with that airline will be credited. If you consistently fly one airline, the savings can quickly add up. The credits can be used towards things like lounge access, checked bag fees and change fees.

Photo Courtesy Of The Conrad Maldives Hotel

Earning Points

Hilton dynamically prices their award redemptions, so the number of points it can take for your itinerary can be quite high. Fortunately, the American Express Aspire card has a couple of great bonus spend categories that can really add up.

Hilton Purchases – You’ll earn 14x Hilton Honors points for every dollar spent at Hilton hotels. However, because you have Diamond status with the card, you also earn a 100% points bonus. That can be up to an additional 20 points per dollar spent depending on where you stay. Earning up to 34x Honors points on Hilton stays is an incredible value.

Other Bonus Purchases – You will also earn 7x Hilton Honors points on airfare purchases made directly through AMEX Travel, dining purchases made at U.S. restaurants and car rental purchases made directly with select car rental companies.

All Other Purchases – Every other purchase you make with the AMEX Aspire card will hear 3x Hilton Honors points.

Redeeming Points

Hilton Award Nights – The tough part about the Hilton Honors program is that there is no fixed award chart. Redemption rates can vary from one day to the next so it can be tough to know how many points you’ll need for your next vacation. I would recommend using Hilton’s points explorer tool which will give you an idea of what it might cost. Keep in mind Hilton does not charge resort fees if you book your stay with points.

Points & Cash – Hilton also allows you to book rooms using a combination of points and cash. This can be decent value if you’re a little short on points when you need to book your room.

Other Redemptions – The Hilton Honors program also lets you redeem your points for gift cards and other items but I wouldn’t recommend doing that. You’ll get a better value from your points by using them at a Hilton property.

Photo Courtesy Of The Waldorf Grand Wailea

Other Hotel Credit Cards

Keep in mind the AMEX Hilton Aspire card is a premium card that carries premium benefits. Other premium travel cards that are have similar premium benefits would be the card_name or the card_name. However, if you’re interested in other hotel specific cards, here are a few other options to consider. Even though they don’t have the same premium benefits as the Aspire card, they are definitely worth considering.

Hilton – The card_name is a similar card but doesn’t have a lot of the benefits of the Aspire card. bonus_miles_full There is a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees) with this card.

Hyatt – card_name is another good option and one that I have in my wallet. bonus_miles_full The annual fee for this card is $199.

Marriott – For those of you who enjoy staying at Marriott properties, there’s the card_name. bonus_miles_full Terms apply.

IHG – The card_name is great for staying at IHG properties. bonus_miles_full

Final Thoughts

I think the American Express Hilton Aspire card is an excellent option for those who stay at Hilton properties. This card comes with valuable benefits that can easily offset the cost of the annual fee. Frequent travelers should have no problem getting a lot of value from this card. Between the welcome bonus and the incredible benefits, I wouldn’t hesitate to add this card to my wallet.

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The Best Credit Cards With Travel Insurance

Rob Dulgarian — Fri, 19 May 2023 21:32:00 +0000

One of the most underrated benefits some credit cards provide is travel insurance. These protections can help you save a lot of money in the event something goes wrong while you’re traveling.

We’ve all experienced various delays and mishaps while traveling. From flight delays, to lost luggage, these things happen to all of us. Sometimes these events are significant enough that we’ll incur additional expenses as we navigate through the problem. Fortunately, there are several credit cards that offer various travel insurances that will reimburse you for a lot of these expenses.

Each credit card has its own set of rules for which expenses qualify and which items are excluded or limited. Be sure to read your card’s benefits guide so you’re familiar with what’s covered before you run into any problems.

General Guidelines

Each credit card has their own travel insurance rules and limitation. However, there are two items that are pretty standard across the board.

Pay For Travel With The Card – In order for your trip to be covered by the travel insurance, you have to pay for at least part of your travel with the credit card that offers it. Long before I knew anything about credit cards, we decided to take a Mediterranean cruise. Our trip happened to be during the time when the Icelandic volcano was erupting and causing a lot of problems.

We were connecting in London but when we landed our flight to Barcelona was cancelled. In order to make our cruise the next day, we opted to fly to Madrid and then take a train to Barcelona. The train tickets cost us a couple hundred dollars but we didn’t get reimbursed for them because I didn’t pay for our flights with the right credit card.

Reasonable Expenses – Every card benefits guide I’ve ever read states that it will reimburse you for “reasonable” expenses associated with the covered event. This basically means that if you’re stranded overnight and you decide to stay at a high-end luxury hotel when other options are available, you may not get reimbursed.

However, I have seen someone get reimbursed for a $1,000/night hotel room before. Their flight was cancelled because of a snow storm, the roads were closed and that was the only room available in the city. A “reasonable” expense can vary by situation, so just keep that in mind should something happen.

Types Of Travel Insurance

Credit cards can offer a wide range of different travel insurance benefits. Here are some of the most popular types of coverages that are offered. Some cards offer all of these, while others only provide some of them.

Trip delay reimbursement coverage
Trip cancellation or interruption insurance
Protection against lost or damaged baggage
Delayed baggage protection
Rental car insurance
Travel accident insurance

I am a huge fan of these travel protections. They can save you a lot of money if something unexpected happens. Here is a list of my favorite cards that offer excellent travel insurance benefits for free. We’ll start with the personal cards first and then further down we’ll dive into business cards.

card_name

Welcome Bonus – bonus_miles_full

Highlights – Earn 3x points on all travel and dining purchases plus 1x on everything else.

Review – You can read why I think this is the best credit card for frequent travelers here.

Award Travel – The card_name will cover you on award travel as long as your pay for the taxes and fees with this card.

Annual Fee – $550 (Not waived the first year)

Travel Insurance

Rental Car – You get up to $75,000 in primary rental car insurance that covers damage from collisions or theft on rentals of 31 days or less.
Trip Delay Reimbursement – You can get reimbursed up to $500 per ticket if you’re delayed more than 6 hours or an overnight stay is required. This is the best trip delay coverage from any credit card.
Baggage Delay – If your bags are delays for more than 6 hours, you can get reimbursed up to $100 per day for up to 5 days.
Lost or Damaged Baggage – You can get reimbursed for up to $3,000 per passenger. Electronic equipment, jewelry, cameras and watches are limited to $500.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption – Pre-paid, nonrefundable travel expenses are covered up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 for each trip.
Other Coverages – This card also offers an emergency medical and dental benefit, travel accident insurance and a medical evacuation benefit. Please read the benefits guide for the details associated with these coverages.

card_name

Welcome Bonus – bonus_miles_full

Highlights – Earn 2x points on all travel and dining purchases plus 1x on everything else.

Review – You can read why I think this is the best starter rewards credit card.

Award Travel – The card_name will cover you on award travel as long as your pay for the taxes and fees with this card.

Annual Fee – $95 (Not waived the first year)

Travel Insurance

Rental Car – You get primary rental car insurance that covers damage from collisions or theft on rentals of 31 days or less up to the actual cash value of most rental cars.
Trip Delay Reimbursement – You can get reimbursed up to $500 per ticket if you’re delayed more than 6 hours or an overnight stay is required. This is the best trip delay coverage from any credit card.
Baggage Delay – If your bags are delays for more than 12 hours, you can get reimbursed up to $100 per day for up to 5 days.
Lost or Damaged Baggage – You can get reimbursed for up to $3,000 per passenger. Electronic equipment, jewelry, cameras and watches are limited to $500.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption – Pre-paid, nonrefundable travel expenses are covered up to $10,000 per person and $20,000 for each trip.
Travel Accident Insurance – Accidental death or dismemberment coverage of up to $100,000 (up to $500,000 for common carrier travel).

card_name

Welcome Bonus – bonus_miles_full Terms apply.

Highlights – Earn a generous 5x points on up to $500,000 in flights booked directly with the airline or through AMEX travel each calendar year and on all eligible prepaid hotel stays booked through American Express Travel. You’ll also earn 1x on other eligible purchases.

Review – You can read my full review of The Platinum Card from American Express here.

Award Travel – card_name will cover you on award travel as long as your pay for the taxes and fees with this card.

Annual Fee – $695 See rates and fees.

Travel Insurance

Rental Car – Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. erms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Trip Delay Reimbursement – You can get reimbursed up to $500 per covered trip if you’re delayed more than 6 hours. You are limited to 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. In order for your trip to be covered, you have to pay for the entire round-trip ticket with your card. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Lost or Damaged Baggage – Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption – Prepaid, nonrefundable travel expenses are covered with a maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. You have to pay for the entire round-trip ticket with your card. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

card_name

Welcome Bonus – bonus_miles_full

Highlights – You will earn 3 Ultimate Rewards points on the first $150,000 dollars spent each year on all travel, shipping, Internet, cable, phone services and advertising purchases you make with social media sites and search engines.

Award Travel – The card_name will cover you on award travel as long as you pay for the taxes and fees with this card.

Annual Fee – $95 (Not waived the first year)

Travel Insurance

Rental Car – You get primary rental car coverage that covers damage from collisions or theft up to the full cash value of most rental cars on rentals, that are for business purposes, of 31 days or less. If you’re renting the car for personal reasons in your country of residence, then the coverage becomes secondary.
Trip Delay Reimbursement – You can get reimbursed up to $500 per ticket if you’re delayed as a result of a covered hazard for more than 12 hours or an overnight stay is required.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption – Pre-paid, nonrefundable travel expenses are covered up to $5,000 per person and $10,000 for each trip.

card_name

Welcome Bonus – bonus_miles_full Terms apply.

Highlights – Earn a generous 5x points on all flights and pre-paid hotels booked directly with American Express Travel. You can also earn 1.5x points on all eligible purchases that are $5,000 or more on up to 2 million dollars of these purchases each calendar year. You’ll also earn 1x on other eligible purchases.

Award Travel – To be covered on award travel you must pay for the taxes and fees with card_name

Annual Fee – $695 See rates and fees.

Travel Insurance

Rental Car – Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance can provide coverage up to $75,000 for theft of or damage to most rental vehicles when you use your eligible Card to reserve and pay for the entire eligible vehicle rental and decline the collision damage waiver or similar option offered by the Commercial Car Rental Company. This product provides secondary coverage and does not include liability coverage. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered. Geographic restrictions apply. erms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Car Rental Loss or Damage Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
Trip Delay Reimbursement – You can get reimbursed up to $500 per covered trip if you’re delayed more than 6 hours. You are limited to 2 claims per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. In order for your trip to be covered, you have to pay for the entire round-trip ticket with your card. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Lost or Damaged Baggage – Baggage Insurance Plan coverage can be in effect for Covered Persons for eligible lost, damaged, or stolen Baggage during their travel on a Common Carrier Vehicle (e.g. plane, train, ship, or bus) when the Entire Fare for a ticket for the trip (one-way or round-trip) is charged to an Eligible Card. Coverage can be provided for up to $2,000 for checked Baggage and up to a combined maximum of $3,000 for checked and carry-on Baggage, in excess of coverage provided by the Common Carrier. The coverage is also subject to a $3,000 aggregate limit per Covered Trip. For New York State residents, there is a $2,000 per bag/suitcase limit for each Covered Person with a $10,000 aggregate maximum for all Covered Persons per Covered Trip. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
Trip Cancellation/Interruption – Pre-paid, nonrefundable travel expenses are covered with a maximum benefit amount for Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance is $10,000 per Covered Trip and $20,000 per Eligible Card per 12 consecutive month period. You have to pay for the entire round-trip ticket with your card. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

How To File A Claim

Each credit card has a slightly different process for filing a claim. Start by calling the toll free number on the back of your credit card. The representative will connect you with a benefits administrator who will then explain the process. When I have filed a claim in the past, everything was done online.

You will need to gather copies of your receipts and any other documentation they need. Once you have everything, you’ll upload them to a secure online portal. Once your claim is approved, they’ll issue you a reimbursement payment. Be sure to start your claim as soon as you so you don’t miss the window to file a claim.

Final Thoughts

In my opinion the card_name is the best credit card that offers travel insurance. They have the best set of protections, with the least amount of restrictions. If you’re a frequent traveler, this would be the card I would strongly recommend. If you don’t travel a lot, the card_name is another solid option with a much lower annual fee. American Express cards also offer great protections while you’re traveling. My only complaint is they have a few more restrictions than other travel cards.

For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® From American Express, See Rates and Fees

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® From American Express, See Rates and Fees

The post The Best Credit Cards With Travel Insurance appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

The Platinum Card® by American Express Review

Rob Dulgarian — Fri, 19 May 2023 20:57:00 +0000

card_name is one of the best premium rewards cards you can have. It comes with a great welcome bonus and some fantastic perks; especially if you’re a frequent traveler. If you’re in the market for a new premium card, you need to give this one a good look and see if it’s right for you.

American Express has always been synonymous with luxury. This card definitely reenforces that image. Just by having this card, you will gain access to some fantastic airport lounges, elevated status with select brands and access to the Fine Hotels and Resorts collection. Plus, you’ll be able to earn valuable Membership Rewards points with every qualifying purchase.

Along with these fantastic perks, the card_name charges a higher annual fee of $695, see rates and fees. This is right in line with another excellent premium rewards card, the card_name. Yes, the annual fee is a lot but the benefits can easily be worth more than the cost. Let’s dive in and see if this card is right for you.

The Welcome Bonus

Currently American Express is offering new card_name members a solid welcome bonus. bonus_miles_full Terms apply. Keep in mind that American Express only allows you to earn one welcome bonus in your lifetime per card. If you have already applied for this card in the past and received a bonus, you won’t be eligible to earn another one.

Occasionally, American Express will also offer targeted offers with a higher bonus for this card. I will keep this page updated with the most current public offer that’s available to everyone. However, if you happen to see an elevated offer show up in your mailbox, you’ll want to take a closer look.

The Benefits & Perks

card_name comes with several incredible benefits that includes statement credits on select purchases. This is where the rubber meets the road when you’re deciding if this card is right for you. If you can get more value out of these benefits than the cost of the annual fee, then this is a no-brainer. The quickest way to getting value is through the several credits this card offers. Let’s take a look at top benefits that come with this card.

Global Entry – You get up to a $100 statement credit towards TSA PreCheck ($85) or Global Entry ($100) fees when you charge them to the card, enrollment required. After applying for one of the programs, you will again be eligible for this credit once every 4 years for Global Entry or every 4.5 years for TSA PreCheck. If you’re already enrolled, you can use the credit towards a family member or friend’s application.

Airline Fee Credits – Each year you can receive up to $200 in statement credits good towards airline incidental fees. This credit is only good for one airline that you select each year.

Saks Credit – Each year you’ll get up to $100 in credits towards purchases made at Saks, enrollment required. These credits are split into two $50 credits that are valid in each half of the year.

Airport Lounges – card_name gives you access to the American Express Global Lounge Collection, enrollment required. This includes Centurion Lounges, Delta Sky Clubs (when flying Delta), Priority Pass lounges and others. This is an excellent perk if you’re a frequent traveler.

AMEX Fine Hotels & Resorts – You’ll have access to book hotel stays with this program. Each stay booked through this program comes with great perks like free breakfast for two and spa credits.

Hotel Status – You’ll get complimentary Gold status with both the Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors programs.

Earning Membership Rewards Points

card_name offers two excellent bonus categories for earning Membership Rewards points. You can earn 5x points on up to $500,000 per calendar year on flights booked directly with the airlines or through AMEX travel. You will also earn 5x points on all prepaid hotel stays booked through AMEX travel. Terms apply. If you book most of your travel this way, the points can really add up quickly.

While other cards let you earn 2x or 3x on a broader range of travel purchases, these categories can still be very lucrative. If you travel a lot, you can easily earn significantly more points with this card.

In addition to the bonus categories, you will also earn 1x points on all other eligible purchases.

Redeeming Your Points

Membership Rewards points are some of the best out there because they are so flexible to use. If you want to get the most value, the best way to redeem them is by transferring them to one of AMEX’s 19 travel partners. If you love to fly Delta, AMEX is their exclusive transfer partner so this is one way to quickly boost your SkyMiles account.

In most cases, these points transfer immediately but others can take a day or two. You can see a full list of AMEX’s transfer partners and the time it takes to transfer your points here. When you transfer your points, you can take advantage of some really great redemption options.

American Express also gives you another easy redemption option. You can use your points to book flights and hotels through AMEX Travel. Your points are worth 1 cent per point when redeemed for airfare and less than that for hotels when booked directly with AMEX Travel. Compared to value you can get by transferring your points, I would never recommend doing this but it is an option.

However, if you also have card_name you can get a 35% rebate on your points when you book your airfare through American Express Travel.

Other Considerations

Chase 5/24 – If you are below the Chase 5/24 Rule, I would recommend waiting to get this card. My favorite way to earn points quickly is through the Chase Trifecta, so I would prioritize getting these cards first. Once you have that established, then I would move on to this card.

Your Travel Schedule – If you travel infrequently, this card may not be the best option for you. The majority of the benefits and perks that come with this card cater to the frequent traveler. If you aren’t able to take advantage of these, then it’s probably worth looking at a different card until you can utilize these benefits.

Final Thoughts

card_name is an excellent choice for frequent travelers. With a high earning rate on select travel purchases and so many great perks, it can make traveling even more enjoyable and rewarding. If you’re going to pay the high annual fee, just make sure you’re able to get sufficient value out of the credits and other benefits. If you can, this card could be perfect for you. However, if you don’t travel very often but love American Express, you may want to look at the card_name.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® From American Express, See Rates and Fees.

The post The Platinum Card® by American Express Review appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Why The Platinum Card® by American Express Is Great For Active Duty Military

Rob Dulgarian — Fri, 19 May 2023 14:10:00 +0000

We are all incredibly thankful to those who serve in our military to protect our freedoms. American Express is going the extra mile by waiving credit card annual fees for all active duty service members. That’s why The Platinum Card® from American Express is an excellent option for those who are on active duty in the military.

The Platinum Card® from American Express normally comes with a $695 annual fee, see rates and fees. Thanks to the fee waiver, active duty military service members can have all of the phenomenal benefits for free!

Plus, The Platinum Card® from American Express is currently offering new card holders a valuable welcome bonus. bonus_miles_full Terms apply. When you combine the welcome bonus, card benefits and no annual fee, this quickly becomes an easy decision. Now I’ll show you how easily it is to take advantage of this offer.

How To Qualify

American Express has generously waived the annual fees on their personal credit cards for active duty personnel. While not required by the the Military Lending Act (MLA) and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), American Express has chosen to go the extra mile for military members. To qualify for these benefits, you have to be on active duty for at least 30 days with any of the major branches of the military

There are a couple ways to have these benefits applied to your account. Log into your American Express account, under Account Services, then SCRA, and then submit the required documentation. You can also submit a request, or ask any additional questions, by calling them at 1-800-253-1720. You can also call them collect at 1-336-393-1111 if you are out of the country. American Express will issue you a statement credit for the annual fee within a few weeks after confirming eligibility.

Which Card Should I Get

In my opinion, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (which also waives the annual fee for active duty military) barely edges out the The Platinum Card® from American Express. Don’t get me wrong, the AMEX Platinum is an excellent card with fantastic benefits. Especially when you don’t have to pay the annual fee. It really comes down to which benefits you think you’ll use the most. I would review the perks and benefits that come with each card and choose the one you value the most.

There’s no rule that says you can’t have both cards in your wallet. If you decide to get both, be sure to give yourself enough time to earn each welcome bonus. I would recommend prioritizing the Chase cards you want because of their infamous 5/24 rule. You don’t want to be declined for a card you like just because you didn’t apply for them in the right order. Now let’s review a lot of the incredible benefits of the The Platinum Card® from American Express.

American Express Platinum Card Benefits

Centurion Lounge Access – I am a huge fan of the Centurion lounges so this is one of my favorite benefits of the The Platinum Card® from American Express. There aren’t many of these lounges but if you can find one, they’re fantastic!

Delta Sky Club – The AMEX Platinum card also gives you free access to the Delta Sky Clubs. Access is restricted only to the cardholder on the day you’re flying on Delta. If you’re traveling with a companion, up to 2 companions can join you in the club for an additional fee.

Airline Fee Credit – Each year you get up to $200 in statement credits towards fees charged by an airline that you choose. These credits can be used towards baggage fees, food and other eligible items. Since you didn’t have to pay the annual fee for this card, that’s just free money!

PreCheck or Global Entry Fee Credit – The Platinum Card® from American Express also comes with an fee credit worth up to $100 on your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application. Simply pay for the application fee with your Platinum card and a credit will issued to your account. That’s right, more free money! If you already PreCheck, you can also use the credit for someone else’s application fee.

Priority Pass Membership – When you have the Sapphire Reserve card you also get a free membership to Priority Pass lounges. There are over 1,000 airport lounges worldwide you can access for free. Plus, you are able to bring guests traveling with you into the lounges for free as well. There are also several airport restaurants that give you a food credit as part of your membership.

Hotel Status – Just for having The Platinum Card® from American Express in your wallet, you’ll get gold status at both Marriott and Hilton. This perk will make traveling for work a little more enjoyable.

There are several other benefits that accompany this card just for having it. Be sure to look those over as well when you apply for the card so you can get the most out of using it.

More American Express Cards To Consider

American Express® Gold Card – bonus_miles_full Terms apply. You’ll receive 4x Membership Rewards points on purchases at U.S. supermarkets and dining on the first $25,000 spent each year and then 1x after that. Plus you’ll earn 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines.

Each month you’ll also receive a $10 credit when you use your card with Grubhub, Cheesecake Factory and other select restaurants.

Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card – This card is great if you enjoy flying with Delta. bonus_miles_full Terms apply. This card comes with excellent benefits like a free Sky Club membership and a free companion certificate each anniversary year.

Final Thoughts

The Platinum Card® from American Express is a great option for those who are on active duty in the military. There are so many fantastic benefits that come with the card. When you’re not paying the annual fee it should be easy to extract a lot of value from the card. This deal is so good, be sure to share it will all of your friends who serve alongside you. Thank you all for your service!

The post Why The Platinum Card® by American Express Is Great For Active Duty Military appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Best Disney World Hotels You Can Book With Points

Rob Dulgarian — Fri, 19 May 2023 08:43:00 +0000

Taking your family to Disney World can be one of the most memorable vacations you can plan. It’s no wonder why millions of people flock to Orlando every year to visit these theme parks. However, anyone who has ever looked into going here knows it can be extremely expensive. Fortunately, there are some great hotels around Disney World where you can use your points to save a lot of money on your vacation.

Photo Courtesy Of Walt Disney World

Over the years we have taken our 5 kids to Disney World a couple of times. As you can imagine, it can get real pricey, real quick for a family of 7. However, each time we went, we used a stash of our points to make it affordable (pronounced possible). With a little planning, it can be pretty easy to offset a lot of the expense with a couple credit card sign up bonuses.

First, we used points to cover our flights. With so many flights to Orlando, it’s pretty easy to find availability throughout the year. If you need recommendations, here are some of my favorite credit cards for flights. Be sure to check cash fares too. On one trip we used points to fly us there but then found $69 return fares on a different airline so we just paid cash and saved our points for another time.

Each time we’ve visited, we have stayed at one of Disney’s hotels. The problem is, just like at Disneyland, you can’t book most Walt Disney World hotels with points. We just love the ambiance and some of the benefits of staying on property so we chose to go that route.

Official Disney World Hotels

I’ve always been impressed with everything Disney does. From their hotels, to their shops, they always seem to deliver an incredible experience. If you want to stay at a Disney hotel, there is one way to do it using your points. While not the most valuable way use your points, it’s still possible.

Don’t get me wrong, I love squeezing a lot of value out of my points. Even though this option doesn’t provide the best monetary value, sometimes the best value is being able to have an unforgettable experience. If you want to enjoy a Disney hotel experience using points, you’ll need to get the card_name.

This card has a feature that allows you to redeem your points as a statement credit on any travel purchase. That’s right, you can use these points to offset the cost of ANY Disney hotel.

Simply pay for your Disney World hotel with your card, then you can redeem your points for a statement credit to offset the purchase. When you redeem your points this way, they are worth 1 cent per point.

bonus_miles_full You can read about the other great benefits of this card in my full review of the Capital One Venture card.

Disney Hotel Benefits

Staying at one of the Walt Disney World hotels has some really great benefits. Here are a few of my favorites:

FastPass+ – You have the ability to reserve a select number of fast passes up to 60 days before you arrive. This can be vital to save you from waiting hours on some of the most popular rides. (I’m looking at you Avatar – my favorite ride at any of the parks!)

Magic Hours – When you stay at a Disney hotel you get access to extended hours at a different park each day. If you weren’t able to snag a fast pass for your favorite ride, this can be a big help.

Complimentary Magic Bands – These typically cost $15 but when you stay at a Disney hotel, they’re free. Not only do they make things more convenient but they’re great souvenirs! My younger kids wore these for weeks after our trip.

Free Transfers Between Hotels – If you want to splurge on a night or two and one of the higher end hotels and then move to a more budget friendly option, they’ll transfer your luggage for free! On one trip, we wanted to try 2 different hotels. You simply talk to the front desk and they’ll arrange everything. Just leave your bags outside of your room when you head to the park and they’ll be waiting for you at your next hotel when you get back.

Other Disney World Hotel Options

Walt Disney Dolphin Resort – This hotel is located on the Disney property and is a Marriott hotel. From everything I read, award availability can be hard to come by. If you’re able to find space, you can redeem your Marriott points here. An average night here will cost you 50K Marriott points. Keep in mind, they charge a resort fee that’s over $30/night plus parking if you have a car.

Walt Disney Swan Resort – While the amenities are a little different the cost structure is similar to the Dolphin Resort. You’ll pay an average of 50k Marriott points and similar parking and resort fees. If you’re dying to stay at one of these hotels but are short on points, you might consider the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.

Photo Courtesy Of The Disney World Swan Resort

Disney Springs Hotel Options

If you aren’t staying at a Disney World hotel, the next best location to use your points is at one of the 7 hotels at Disney Springs. Disney Springs is a fun dining and entertainment district close to Disney World. Here you’ll find properties from larger hotel chains where you can redeem your points.

Previously, these hotels had arraignments with Disney World that provided guests with some of the perks of staying at a Disney hotel; like the FastPass+ reservations. Keep an eye out to see if these perks return because they’ll be super valuable if they do. Here are a couple of the great options to choose from where you can redeem your points.

I’ve only highlighted the two Hilton options for one of two reasons. 1) The other hotels in Disney Springs don’t have a point currency that I would recommend accumulating or 2) The hotel reviews weren’t very good.

Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista

This is a great option that can give you a lot of value. A standard night here will run between 35k-50k points per night depending on the time of year. Hilton doesn’t charge resort fees on award stays, so that will save you $35/night. Plus, if you have Hilton elite status, you’ll get your 5th free on award stays.

If you don’t have status, consider looking into the card_name. bonus_miles_full Terms apply. This card comes with complimentary status level at Hilton that will allow you to get your 5th night free. The Hilton Honors has no annual fee (see rates and fees).

Photo Courtesy Of The Hilton Lake Buena Vista

Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace

Hilton has another great option to choose from in Disney Springs. Nights at the Buena Vista Palace also start at 50k points per night for a standard room. They have a beautiful pool with a lazy river that are perfect for a day of relaxation when you’re not at the park. There is also no resort fees when you pay with points and you get your 5th night free when you have status. If you need more points, take a look at the same card recommendations above.

Photo Courtesy Of The Hilton Buena Vista Palace

Other Hotel Options

If you go outside of Disney Springs you’ll find more hotels from other large hotel chains. These are great Disney World hotel options whose points are easy to come by. Here are a few of my favorites.

Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista

The Embassy Suites is located really close to Disney World and has some wonderful amenities. Not only are the rooms larger than most hotels but they have a fun splash pad area if you’re traveling with your kids. Here you will also enjoy a free daily breakfast and you don’t have to pay for parking. Plus, they have a free shuttle to the Disney theme parks. If you’re looking for the most bang for your buck, this is my top recommendation. You really can’t beat the value this hotel provides.

Here you can redeem your Hilton points at an average rate of 40k points per night. Just like the Hilton hotels at Disney Springs above, you don’t pay a resort fee when you use your points to stay here. And with Honors status, you can get your 5th night free. If you need a few more points for your Disney vacation, or need status, take a look a the card recommendations above.

Photo Courtesy Of The Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista

Hyatt Hotels

Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress – Located just a few miles down the road from Disney World, the Hyatt Regency is a great option. Standard rooms here are a reasonable 12k points per night. Hyatt also doesn’t charge a resort fee when you pay with points so that will save you some extra money. They do charge a parking fee but they provide a free shuttle to the theme parks.

Hyatt Place Orlando/Convention Center – This hotel is even further away but provides a great value. Here you won’t have to pay for parking and Hyatt members get free breakfast. Rooms here will only cost you an average of 8k points per night which can really help you stretch your points.

To use points for these Hyatt hotels, I would recommend getting the card_name. bonus_miles_full These points can then be transferred to Hyatt so you can stay at these hotels for free.

Residence Inn Orlando Convention Center

This one is also located a little further away but is another economical choice. Standard rooms start at only 25k Bonvoy points per night. Plus, all Bonvoy members will get their 5th night free when booking their stay with points. Plus, you’ll enjoy a free breakfast when you stay here. If you’re a little short on points, you might want to look at the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card.

Final Thoughts

Going on a Disney vacation can be expensive but it’s an experience that will last a lifetime. As you can see though, there are several Disney World hotel options where you can use your points to bring the cost down. If you’ve been dreaming of taking your family here but haven’t been able to make it work financially, hopefully this has given you some new ideas on how to make it work. What other money saving tips do you have for Disney vacations? Leave a comment below and let us know!

For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, See Rates and Fees.

The post Best Disney World Hotels You Can Book With Points appeared first on Easy Travel Points.

Why Allegiant Tickets Are Cheaper At The Airport

Rob Dulgarian — Fri, 19 May 2023 04:26:00 +0000

Allegiant Air is a low cost carrier that flies to several cities across the country. Even though their airfares are notoriously inexpensive, did you know Allegiant tickets are even cheaper when you buy them at the airport? I’m going to show you why that is and how you can save $36 per person on each roundtrip ticket.

We live in the eastern suburbs of Phoenix and constantly see Allegiant flights coming and going from the Mesa Gateway Airport. Every time I see an Allegiant plane I can’t stop thinking about how nice it would be to fly out of a small airport instead of Phoenix.

I’ve never had much of a desire to fly a low cost carrier like Allegiant. Like Spirit or Frontier, Allegiant’s business model is to charge you a low price for the flight and then charge additional fees for each service you use. Everything from choosing a seat to an inflight drink will cost extra. When I’ve compared airfares in the past, the low cost carriers haven’t been much cheaper on the routes we’ve flown. Plus, I have several airline credit cards which helps me save on fees with those carriers.

The nice thing about Allegiant Air is they typically fly nonstop to several smaller airports around the country. These airports are usually not serviced by the legacy carriers or they’re expensive to get to. However, if you need to go where Allegiant flies, you really can’t beat the convenience.

Why It’s Cheaper

My wife and I love to travel and we’ll look for any excuse to get away. When I saw Allegiant had flights to our old college town for $77 per person round trip, I figured it was a great time to fly them for the first time. As I was researching flights, I heard that it’s actually cheaper to buy your tickets at the airport.

From what I knew about Allegiant, this couldn’t be possible. Why would Allegiant want me to go to the airport and talk with an actual person? Isn’t it more expensive that way instead of having me book my flights on their website? I did a little digging and not only found out that it was true but that it also made sense.

Airlines have to pay a 7.5% tax on the airfare portion of every ticket they sell. However, they don’t have to pay this tax on the fees they charge for extra services. By lowering the amount they charge for airfare, they’re able to save money on taxes. While they only save a couple dollars on each ticket, it really adds up when you consider the number of tickets they sell each year. In order for the airlines to be able to call it a fee, it has to be optional. Meaning, there has to be a way for the customer to avoid paying the fee.

Save Money By Purchasing Tickets At The Airport

One fee is called an “electronic carrier usage charge“. Everyone who buys a ticket using Allegiant’s website will pay a fee of $18 per person, per segment. That’s $36 per person roundtrip. Think of it as something similar to a convenience you pay when you buy movie or concert tickets online. You’ll find this fee under the “taxes, carrier charges and government fees” section of the fare breakdown. That means my tickets to Utah could be as little as $41 roundtrip!!!

If you want to avoid this fee, you can purchase your tickets at the airport. Unless you live close to the airport, this probably doesn’t make a lot of sense to do. Allegiant knows this and figures most people won’t deal with the hassle of driving to the airport. For those who do go, Allegiant doesn’t make it easy on them.

According to Allegiant’s website, they only sell tickets at the airport during designated times. As you can see below, the days and times aren’t the most convenient. Here’s a link to the page that shows the full list of times at each airport location. You’ll notice that it also says, “in most cities, airport ticket purchase will be available for one hour following each scheduled departure”. You can take a look at the flight schedule at the airport near you to see what additional days and times might be available. Regardless, I would strongly recommend calling them before you go down to confirm you’ll be able to purchase tickets.

How To Pay For Your Tickets

If you want to pay for your tickets with your points you don’t have many options. Allegiant isn’t part of any of the major alliances so you won’t find any award flights there. Allegiant flights also don’t show up on any of the major banks travel portals, so you’re out of luck there.

The only way to use your points would be to use a card like the card_name that lets you redeem your points to get a statement credit for travel purchases. bonus_miles_full

Final Thoughts

Purchasing your Allegiant tickets at the airport is definitely cheaper than buying them online. Unfortunately, for most people, the hassle of getting to the airport will offset money you’ll save. However, if you’re going somewhere as a family, or happen to be close by, you can save a significant amount of money. Have you ever purchased your tickets at the airport? How did it go? We’d love to hear your thoughts about Allegiant.

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