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	<title>Citibank Archives - Easy Travel Points</title>
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	<lastBuildDate>Fri, 04 Jul 2025 23:52:22 +0000</lastBuildDate>
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	<url>https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/cropped-ETP-Favicon-32x32.png</url>
	<title>Citibank Archives - Easy Travel Points</title>
	<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/tag/citibank/</link>
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	<item>
		<title>Credit Card Points &#038; Miles Crash Course</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/crash-course/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/crash-course/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 04 Jul 2025 23:51:50 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Points & Miles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Express]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capital One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Course]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hilton]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hyatt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marriott]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Membership Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ultimate Rewards]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://easytravelpoints.com/?p=115481</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Are you ready to travel for (almost) free? Here’s the beginner-friendly points and miles crash course you’ve been waiting...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/crash-course/">Credit Card Points &amp; Miles Crash Course</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Are you ready to travel for (almost) free? Here’s the beginner-friendly points and miles crash course you’ve been waiting for.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img fetchpriority="high" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Santorini-1024x768.png" alt="landscape of Santorini Greece" class="wp-image-115482" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Santorini-1024x768.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Santorini-667x500.png 667w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Santorini-768x576.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Santorini.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">You can Do it too</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If you’ve ever scrolled social media while sitting at home and wondered how <em>that</em> person is always on vacation without a trust fund, we’ve got your answer: it&#8217;s points and miles.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">No, it’s not magic. Yes, it can be confusing at first. That’s why I created the <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/course" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Points &amp; Miles Crash Course </a>— a no-fluff, beginner-friendly guide to turning your everyday spending into free flights, hotel stays, and the occasional bougie airport lounge experience.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because here’s the truth: If you’re using a debit card, you’re missing out. Like, <em>big time</em>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What you&#8217;ll Learn</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Here&#8217;s what you&#8217;ll learn (aka how to outsmart the system…legally) in our budget-friendly 3 hour video crash course.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This isn’t some 50-page eBook that collects digital dust in your inbox. This is a <strong><a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/course" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">practical, easy-to-follow course</a></strong> that walks you through:</p>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>How to avoid rookie mistakes like using points on toasters instead of travel (please don’t)</li>



<li>The best starter credit cards for earning rewards </li>



<li>Strategies for <em>way</em>s to earn more points without spending more money</li>



<li>The difference between cash back, airline miles, and flexible points — and why that matters</li>



<li>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 </li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/course" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">This course</a> was designed for normal people — no spreadsheets, no 3 a.m. award searches, and <em>definitely</em> no math degree required. And the best part, <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/course" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">it&#8217;s only $19</a>!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Family-Prague-1-1024x768.png" alt="" class="wp-image-115486" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Family-Prague-1-1024x768.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Family-Prague-1-667x500.png 667w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Family-Prague-1-768x576.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Family-Prague-1.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why You need this course</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">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.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">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.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Who is this course for</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Total beginners who want to learn the <em>right</em> way to start</li>



<li>Busy moms and dads who don’t have time for Reddit deep dives</li>



<li>Budget travelers who want luxe experiences without the luxe price tag</li>



<li>Anyone who’s tired of watching others travel while they stay home and pay full price for everything</li>
</ul>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Let’s Be Real…</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The points game <em>can</em> 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.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">But that’s exactly why <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/course" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">I made this course</a>. It breaks down everything you <em>actually</em> need to know to start earning travel rewards today — without the overwhelm. And you won&#8217;t need to take out a second mortgage to pay for it.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">So if you’re ready to stop leaving free travel on the table, <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/course" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">click here to enroll in the Points &amp; Miles Crash Course</a>. Your next vacation (and smug airport selfie) is closer than you think.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Let’s turn your everyday spending into epic adventures together — no coupon clipping required. I promise, this will be <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/course" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the best $19 you spend all year</a>!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/crash-course/">Credit Card Points &amp; Miles Crash Course</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Things To Do Before Cancelling A Credit Card</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/cancel-a-credit-card/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/cancel-a-credit-card/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 24 May 2025 03:30:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Express]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capital One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://easytravelpoints.com/?p=1765</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Cutting up a credit card only takes a few seconds.&#160; However, deciding when it&#8217;s time to cancel one of...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/cancel-a-credit-card/">Things To Do Before Cancelling A Credit Card</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">Cutting up a credit card only takes a few seconds.&nbsp; However, deciding when it&#8217;s time to cancel one of your card accounts should be a more thoughtful process.&nbsp; Before you decide to cancel a credit card, here is everything you should consider before making the decision.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img decoding="async" width="700" height="500" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Cancel-Credit-Card.png" alt="cancel a credit card by cutting it" class="wp-image-1770"/></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">It&#8217;s always important to take a minute and periodically evaluate your financial situation.&nbsp; As circumstances around us change, so do our goals and needs.&nbsp; Being a points enthusiast, these changes can sometimes affect which credit cards we carry in our wallet.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Generally, I recommend keeping your credit card accounts open when possible.&nbsp; Especially if the card doesn&#8217;t carry an annual fee.&nbsp; In that case, you&#8217;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.&nbsp; However, if you still feel you need to close the account, please consider the following before you do.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Should I Cancel A Credit Card</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Being Responsible</strong> &#8211; There are some circumstances the necessitate closing the account regardless of any other consideration.&nbsp; One of our <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-ground-rules/">credit card ground rules</a> for participating in the points and miles hobby is that you pay off your credit card balance IN FULL every month.&nbsp; If you&#8217;ve found that this has become an issue for you, then YES, close your account and pay your balance as quickly as possible.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Has It Been A Year</strong> &#8211; I would never recommend closing a credit card before having it for at least 1 year.&nbsp; This is especially true if you received a welcome bonus for opening the account.&nbsp; Card issuers don&#8217;t like it when you open an account, earn the bonus and then close it.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">They&#8217;re trying to create mutually beneficial relationships with consumers, so this can affect your ability to open a new account in the future.&nbsp; In fact, American Express explicitly states that if you &#8220;abuse&#8221; or &#8220;game&#8221; the welcome offer, they will take back the bonus points.&nbsp; Besides, it&#8217;s difficult to know if a card is right for you if you only have it for a short time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Evaluate The Card&#8217;s Benefits</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Typically the reason you begin to question if you should cancel a credit card is when the annual fee is charged to your account.&nbsp; Most cards that charge an annual fee will give you various benefits for being a cardmember.&nbsp; In my opinion, if you can get more value from a card than what they charge as an annual fee, keep it.&nbsp; Here are a couple of examples.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Free Nights</strong> &#8211; Most hotel co-branded credit cards, give you a free night after each anniversary year.&nbsp; Most cards like this charge around a $100 annual fee, but a free night is easily worth more than the fee.&nbsp; Especially when you consider you don&#8217;t pay room tax on an award night and some programs don&#8217;t charge resort fees on redemptions.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus Categories</strong> &#8211; A lot of cards give you bonus points for spending in specific categories. The <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="American Express(R) Gold Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028085*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> gives you a whopping 4x Membership Rewards points at US supermarkets (on the first $25,000 spent each year) and restaurants worldwide. Terms apply.&nbsp; AMEX values their points at 1 cent per point.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">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, <a href="http://c.clapu.com/cgi/r?;n=203;c=1676366;s=7273;x=7936;f=202104161645300;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">see rates and fees</a>.&nbsp; And that&#8217;s before consider the statement credits that come with this card.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Statement Credits</strong> &#8211; Cards like the Capital One Venture X come with statement credits each year.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; 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.</p>



<center><img alt="card_name" class="sh-quidget-markup" height="180" width="300" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048272*,*field*:*LogoImageUrl*,*api*:*cc*}"/>



<p class="has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph"><a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/VentureX" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left">Retention Offer</h2>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">The next step in the processing should be to contact your credit card company to see if they have any retention offers for you.&nbsp; Credit card companies don&#8217;t like to lose good customers, so frequently they&#8217;ll offer you an incentive to stay with them by offering you an incentive.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">Retention offers can take on several forms.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; I have received all three of these types of offers.&nbsp; Sometimes the offers were worth keeping the card for another year and sometimes it still didn&#8217;t make sense for me.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">To find out if you&#8217;re eligible for an offer, contact the bank&#8217;s customer service by phone or secured message in your online account.&nbsp; Be honest with them.&nbsp; Tell them you&#8217;re thinking of closing your account and wanted to see if you were eligible for a retention offer.&nbsp; The worst thing that can happen is they say &#8220;no&#8221;.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left">Credit Score Considerations</h2>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">Closing a credit card can have a negative impact on your credit score.&nbsp; The way companies <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/05/creditscorecalculation.asp" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">calculate your score</a> is confidential, so it&#8217;s hard to know just how much it will impact you.&nbsp; However, here are the two reasons why it will.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Average Length of Credit</strong> &#8211; One factor of your credit score is the average length of all of your credit accounts.&nbsp; The longer your accounts are open, the higher the average age of your accounts is.&nbsp; Companies that extend credit like to see a longer average age of your accounts.&nbsp; If you cancel one of your credit card accounts, this will low your average and decrease your score.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Credit Utilization</strong> &#8211; This calculation shows how much of the credit you use based on what you&#8217;ve been given.&nbsp; In this case, the lower the utilization, the better.&nbsp; For example, let&#8217;s assume you have 3 credit cards and each card gives you a credit limit of $10,000.&nbsp; If you spend $3,000 per month combined each month on your credit cards your utilization rate is 10% ($3,000 / $30,000 = 10%).&nbsp; If you decide to cancel on of your credit cards, your utilization rate will immediately increases to 15% ($3,000 / $20,000 = 15%).</p>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">This is where I will generally recommend leaving your account open if the card doesn&#8217;t have an annual fee.&nbsp; If there&#8217;s no annual fee, it won&#8217;t cost you anything to keep it in your sock drawer.&nbsp; This way it will help both your average length of accounts and your utilization rate.&nbsp; Just remember to take it out once or twice a year and make a small purchase with it.&nbsp; This will keep your account active so the bank doesn&#8217;t close it thinking you don&#8217;t need it any more.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left">Protect Your Points</h2>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">After all of these considerations, if you still decide you want to cancel your credit card be sure to protect the points you&#8217;ve already earned.&nbsp; This isn&#8217;t a problem if you&#8217;re closing a co-branded airline or hotel credit card.&nbsp; Those points are automatically deposited into your loyalty accounts each month.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">You won&#8217;t lose these when you close your account but they are subject to the respective program&#8217;s expiration policy.&nbsp; The points for some programs never expire but others do.&nbsp; Make sure you understand how to keep your points active so you don&#8217;t lose them.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">Cards that earn points with the bank&#8217;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 <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/CapitalOneVenture" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Capital One Venture Rewards credit card</a>, have a plan in place before cancelling your card.</p>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">Each program is a little different.&nbsp; 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.&nbsp; If neither of these is an option, there are other options to redeem your points.&nbsp; You can <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">transfer them to a partner program</a>, redeem them for gift cards, cash or statement credits.&nbsp; Regardless, just make sure you redeem them prior to cancelling your account so you don&#8217;t lose any.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left">Final Thoughts</h2>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">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.&nbsp; However, I think you&#8217;ll be surprised how often it&#8217;ll be more beneficial to leave the account open.&nbsp; No matter what you decide, following these steps can help you avoid a costly mistake.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/cancel-a-credit-card/">Things To Do Before Cancelling A Credit Card</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
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			</item>
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		<title>The Best Credit Card Offers Right Now</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/best-credit-card-offers/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/best-credit-card-offers/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 16 Jun 2023 15:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Points & Miles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Express]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capital One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hilton]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marriott]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Membership Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ultimate Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://easytravelpoints.com/?p=640</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Credit card companies routinely change the bonuses they offer you to sign up for a new card.&#160; I get...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/best-credit-card-offers/">The Best Credit Card Offers Right Now</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Credit card companies routinely change the bonuses they offer you to sign up for a new card.&nbsp; I get it, you have a lot going on in your life and you don’t have time to track each offer you see.&nbsp; Don’t worry, let Easy Travel Points do the work for you.&nbsp; I will update this page with all of the best credit card offers currently available to everyone.</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" data-pin-description="These are the best credit card offers that are currently available. From airline, to hotel to travel cards that you can use for just about anything, these cards have the best welcome bonuses of any card on the market. This list will be updated as bonuses change and new offers become available. #bestcreditcardoffers #creditcardoffers #freetravelcreditcardoffers #besthotelcreditcardoffers #bestairlinecreditcardoffers" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/credit-cards.jpg" alt="several different credit cards in two parallel lines"/></figure>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">All you need to do is bookmark this page and you will have all of the best credit card offers at your fingertips anytime you need them.&nbsp; Without further ado, here are my favorite options right now.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; While the&nbsp;<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> isn’t co-branded with a specific airline, you can&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">transfer the points</a>&nbsp;earned with this card to several airlines.&nbsp; With the flexibility this card provides, it’s my top choice for the best airline credit card.&nbsp; You can read why this is&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-sapphire-preferred-review/">the card I recommend most often here</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> is my favorite starter card. If you&#8217;re just starting out, I would recommend you start with this card 99% of the time. The points are easy to redeem so it makes that first award redemption a slam dunk. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Welcome Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span> This welcome bonus is higher than it usually is, so this really is a phenomenal offer!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– These points can easily be redeem through the&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/how-to-redeem-chase-ultimate-rewards-points/">book through the Chase travel portal</a>.&nbsp; If you want to unlock more value, you can also transfer the points to one of several airlines and take advantage of some of the redemption sweet spots like this for&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/how-to-fly-to-hawaii-for-26000-points-or-less/">flying to Hawaii</a>.&nbsp; This card also offers great travel insurance that covers a lot of those unexpected events that come up while traveling.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $95 (not waived during the first year)</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-text-align-left has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048272*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; Capital One recently launched a brand new premium card with a great offer. With the recent improvement of their redemption ratio, and the addition of some great&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">travel partners</a>&nbsp;like&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/">Turkish Airline’s Miles &amp; Smiles</a>, the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048272*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> definitely warrants some serious consideration.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This card comes with some solid benefits like lounge access and Hertz elite status that I use all the time. For anyone who is a frequent traveler, you should definitely give this card a closer look.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048272*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– Get up to a $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel. Cardmembers will also get get a Priority Pass membership and access to Capital One lounges. You also get complimentary access to Hertz President’s Circle which allows you to skip the line and pick your car. Plus, get up to a $120 credit towards TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. On top of all of that, you’ll 2x miles on all other purchases.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $395 (not waived during the first year)</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048272*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048272*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*340040*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; I love this card because it comes with a large welcome bonus and no annual fee. Plus, it has a few great bonus categories that can help you earn points quickly. I also love this card because it <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-trifecta/">pairs great with other Chase cards</a>, so it&#8217;s easy to get more out of the points you earn.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*340040*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– This business card earns 5% back on the first $25,000 spent on combined purchases at office supply stores and internet, phone and cable companies each anniversary year. Plus, earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined restaurant and gas station purchases each anniversary year.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $0</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*340040*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*340040*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One(R) Venture(R) Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006151*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take </strong>&#8211; I like this card because it comes with a valuable welcome bonus, a low annual fee and is packed with some great benefits. I think everyone should have TSA PreCheck, so why not get it for free? Plus, there are some very easy ways to use your miles, so redeeming them on a fun vacation should be a breeze.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One(R) Venture(R) Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006151*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– These points can be redeemed for $750 in travel or the miles can be transferred to one of Capital One’s travel partners.&nbsp; You’ll receive up to a $120 fee credit for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every 4 years.&nbsp; There are no foreign transaction fees on purchases made with this card.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $95 (not waived during the first year)</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One(R) Venture(R) Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006151*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One(R) Venture(R) Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006151*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Unlimited(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048113*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take </strong>&#8211; I love this card because it comes with a large welcome bonus and no annual fee. And if you want a simple earning structure, this card is perfect for you. I also love that this card <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-trifecta/">pairs great with other Chase cards</a>, so it&#8217;s easy to get more out of all the points you be earning.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Unlimited(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048113*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– This business card earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all eligible purchases made with the card. The cash back is awarded using Ultimate Rewards points. If you have one of Chase’s premium cards, you can<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-trifecta/">&nbsp;combine all of your Chase points together to unlock even more value</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $0</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Unlimited(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048113*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Unlimited(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048113*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Reserve(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048084*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; I think this card is perfect for those road warriors out there. This card has a lot of great travel benefits that help make life on the road easier. Plus, the travel credit this card comes with can be used on a lot of things so it should be super easy to use. You&#8217;re also able to earn extra points on dining and travel purchases, so if you&#8217;re on the road a lot, these points will add up quickly.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Reserve(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048084*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> – Receive up to an annual $300 credit towards travel purchases each year.  Plus, every 4 years you’ll receive up to a $120 statement credit for either TSA Pre Check, Global Entry or NEXUS fees.  If redeemed for travel through the Chase travel portal, these points are worth $900!  These points can also be transferred to one of Chase’s travel partners.  You’ll also receive a complimentary <a href="https://www.prioritypass.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Priority Pass membership</a> for participating airport lounges as long as you hold the card.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $550 (not waived during the first year)</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Reserve(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048084*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" style="display:none" /></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Reserve(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048084*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Freedom Unlimited(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006090*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; This card is a simple and easy to use card for everyday spending that has no annual fee. If you&#8217;re looking for a cash back card, I think this is an excellent option. I&#8217;ve had the card for years and use it all the time.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Freedom Unlimited(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006090*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– This card is one of my favorites for everyday spending that isn’t part of a bonus category. This card is a&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-trifecta/">great companion to use with other Chase cards</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $0</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Freedom Unlimited(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006090*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Freedom Unlimited(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006090*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="American Express(R) Gold Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028085*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take </strong>&#8211; I think this card is excellent if you love American Express Membership Rewards® points. What I love most about this card is the ability to earn extra points at U.S. supermarkets. Having a large family, I earn a lot of points with this card. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="American Express(R) Gold Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028085*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span> Terms apply. I love that American Express is giving you twice the normal amount of time to hit the spending threshold to qualify for the bonus!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– You will earn 4x Membership Rewards® Points at restaurants (limited to the first $50,000 in purchases). You will also earn 4x points on purchases made at U.S. supermarkets (limited to the first $25,000 in purchases). This card also comes with annual dining credits, enrollment required, and airline fee credits. You can read my&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/american-express-gold-credit-card-review/">full review of the American Express Gold card here</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="American Express(R) Gold Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028085*,*field*:*annual_fees*,*api*:*cc*}">annual_fees</span><a href="http://c.clapu.com/cgi/r?;n=203;c=1676366;s=7273;x=7936;f=202104161645300;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> See rates and fees</a>.</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="American Express(R) Gold Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028085*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="American Express(R) Gold Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028085*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="IHG(R) Rewards Club Premier Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048106*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; I think this card is perfect for those who love staying at IHG hotels. This card comes with a great welcome bonus and you get a free award night each year. This award night you get each year easily offsets the cost of paying the annual fee, in my opinion. Add in the complimentary elite status and this one becomes an easy decision for IHG loyalists.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="IHG(R) Rewards Club Premier Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048106*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> – You’ll earn a free award night after each card anniversary year at eligible properties.  This card also comes with up to a $120 statement credit on TSA PreCheck, Global Entry or Nexus application fees.  You’ll also earn 26 points per dollar spent at IHG hotels.  Plus, you get complimentary IHG platinum elite status with this card.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $99 (not waived during the first year)</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="IHG(R) Rewards Club Premier Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048106*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="150" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="IHG(R) Rewards Club Premier Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048106*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Bilt Mastercard(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*5048346*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; I think the Bilt Mastercard is a great option for those who pay rent. Living expenses are typically our highest expense each month and normally you can&#8217;t earn any points paying your rent without being charged a fee. This is a great way to earn a lot of points for expenses you already incur. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Plus, in my opinion, Bilt has the best list of transfer partners than any other bank out there. There are so many great options that you can really get some amazing redemptions for your hard earned points. Plus, with monthly &#8220;Rent Day&#8221; promotions (see below), there is a lot of value you can get from this card.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– This card does not offer a welcome bonus for new cardmembers.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Bilt Mastercard(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*5048346*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span>. Plus, on the first of every month is &#8220;Rent Day&#8221; and they offer some great promotions on that day. Some of the past promotions have included higher than normal transfer bonuses to some of their amazing travel partners. Plus, on the first of every month, you number of points you earn on each qualifying purchase is doubled. </p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Bilt Mastercard(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*5048346*,*field*:*LogoImageLiteDetailUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" /></a>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Bilt Mastercard(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*5048346*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Platinum Card(R) from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028089*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; This card is another great option if you love American Express and you travel a lot. The travel perks that come with this card are top-notch, in my opinion. Yes, the annual fee is higher than most, but the benefits you get can easily offset the cost. Add in the welcome bonus you can earn and I think this is a great option for those who travel a lot.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Platinum Card(R) from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028089*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span> Terms apply.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> – You’ll receive an annual credit of up to $200 towards baggage fees on one airline of your choice.  Access to Global Lounge Collection airport lounges throughout the world.  Receive an annual credit of up to $100 for purchases made at Saks Fifth Avenue (enrollment in the offer is required).  Receive up to a $120 credit every 4.5 years for the TSA PreCheck® application fee (when applying through a TSA official enrollment provider) and every 4 years for the Global Entry application fee.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $695&nbsp;<a href="http://b.bremg.com/cgi/r?;n=203;c=1676376;s=7273;x=7936;f=202104161705260;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">See rates and fees</a>.</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Platinum Card(R) from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028089*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Platinum Card(R) from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028089*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Southwest Rapid Rewards(R) Plus Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520080*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; This is a great card for those who love to fly Southwest Airlines. Especially if you&#8217;re traveling as a family. The thing I love most about Southwest&#8217;s programs, is the points are super easy to use. As long as there&#8217;s an open seat on the flight, you can book it with your miles. So when you&#8217;re traveling as a family, you don&#8217;t need to worry about trying to find enough award seats for everyone.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Southwest Rapid Rewards(R) Plus Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520080*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– Earn 2x on Southwest purchases, internet, cable and phone purchases. Earn 3,000 bonus points each anniversary year. Plus get 2 free Early Bird check-ins each year.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– $69 (not waived during the first year)</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Southwest Rapid Rewards(R) Plus Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520080*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Southwest Rapid Rewards(R) Plus Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520080*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Aeroplan(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048274*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong> &#8211; The <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Aeroplan(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048274*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> is a great card for those who fly Air Canada frequently or those who like to redeem their Aeroplan miles to fly on other Star Alliance airlines. There are some great redemption options that are available on their partner airlines. For example, I recently booked a Singapore Airlines flight from Singapore to Houston in business class for 87,500 miles plus fees!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Aeroplan(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048274*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong>&nbsp;– Earn 3x points on every dollar spent when you use this card at grocery stores, restaurants and purchases made directly with Air Canada. Plus, you can earn a bonus 500 points for every $2,000 you spend on this card in a calendar month (limited to 1,500 bonus miles per month).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong>&nbsp;– <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Aeroplan(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048274*,*field*:*annual_fees*,*api*:*cc*}">annual_fees</span></p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Aeroplan(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048274*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" /></a>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Aeroplan(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048274*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">There are other offers out there but in my opinion, these are the best credit card offers on the market.&nbsp; I know there’s not a single credit card that’s perfect for everyone.&nbsp; If you have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below or&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/help/">email me</a>&nbsp;with a specific question.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="American Express(R) Gold Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028085*,*field*:*terms_and_conditions_link*,*api*:*cc*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">See Rates and Fees</a>.</em></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® From American Express, <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Platinum Card(R) from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028089*,*field*:*terms_and_conditions_link*,*api*:*cc*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">See Rates and Fees</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/best-credit-card-offers/">The Best Credit Card Offers Right Now</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>The Ultimate Credit Card Transfer Partners Guide</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 18 May 2023 14:42:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Airlines]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Express]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capital One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Delta]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hilton]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Hyatt]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Marriott]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Membership Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Southwest]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ultimate Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[United]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://easytravelpoints.com/?p=310</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>We all want to get the most value out of our credit card points and transferring them to one...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">The Ultimate Credit Card Transfer Partners Guide</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">We all want to get the most value out of our credit card points and transferring them to one of their travel partners is the best way to do it.&nbsp; However, it can be difficult to keep track of which credit card points can transfer to each airline or hotel. That&#8217;s why I decided to compile a list of all of the major credit card transfer partners into one place.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This master list gives you each of the major banks with their corresponding transfer partners.&nbsp; I have also included the transfer ratio, as well as how long the transfer takes to go through.&nbsp; Hopefully this list makes planning your next vacation a little easier.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="500" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Credit-Card-Rows.jpg" alt="two vertical rows of credit cards, some whose points have great transfer partners, on a white background" class="wp-image-708"/></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Remember, once you transfer your points to one of the travel partners, this can&#8217;t be undone.&nbsp; Be sure there is award availability before you transfer your points.&nbsp; A lot of the points will transfer instantly; however, some can take hours or days.&nbsp; Make sure you take this into consideration you transfer your points.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To make them easier to find, I&#8217;ve listed the transfer partners for each credit card currency in alphabetical order.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Chase Ultimate Rewards</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Airline Transfer Partners</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Aer Lingus &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">British Airways &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Iberia &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">JetBlue &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Singapore Airlines &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 24 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Southwest &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">United &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Virgin Atlantic &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hotel Transfer Partners</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hyatt &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">IHG &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 1 day</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Marriott &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer in 2 days</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">American Express Membership Rewards</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Membership Rewards program from American Express also has fantastic transfer partners.&nbsp; In fact, <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/AmericanExpress" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">American Express</a> is the only credit card company that allows you to transfer points to Delta.&nbsp; They also have 18 other airline and hotel transfer partners so there are a lot of great options to choose from.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If you&#8217;re a frequent traveler, <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Platinum Card(R) from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028089*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> is a great way to earn Membership Rewards points quickly.  <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Platinum Card(R) from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028089*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span>  Terms apply. You can <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/AMEXPlatinum" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">read more about this card here</a>.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Airline Transfer Partners</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Aer Lingus &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Aeromexico &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1.6 &#8211; Points transfer in 24 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Air Canada &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Alitalia &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">All Nippon &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer in 48 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">British Airways &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cathay Pacific &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer in 48 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Delta &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">El Al &#8211; Transfer Ratio 50:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Emirates &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hawaiian Airlines &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Iberia &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer in 48 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">JetBlue &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1.25:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Singapore Airlines &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 24 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Virgin Atlantic &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hotel Transfer Partners</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Choice Hotels &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Hilton &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:2 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Marriott &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Capital One Transfer Partners</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Recently <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/CapitalOne" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Capital One</a> added the ability to transfer their points to one of their 15 airline partners.&nbsp; I love the move because it gives card holders more ways to use their credit card points.&nbsp; Unfortunately, the only US airline transfer partner is Jet Blue, so there&#8217;s still room for improvement.&nbsp; Also, the transfer ratios are a little confusing and a lot of the transfers don&#8217;t happen instantly.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Capital One does have some good airline partners, so it&#8217;s definitely worth taking a look.&nbsp; If you&#8217;re looking to increase your points balance, you should consider adding the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One(R) Venture(R) Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006151*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> to your wallet.&nbsp; Right now, new card holders can earn up to 75,000 bonus points!</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Airline Transfer Partners</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Aeromexico &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Air Canada &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Avianca &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer in 48 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">British Airways &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cathay Pacific &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer in 5 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Emirates &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Etihad &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 24 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Eva &#8211; Transfer Ratio 2:1.5 &#8211; Points transfer in 48 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Finnair &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Qantas &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 24 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Singapore &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer in 48 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">TAP Air Portugal &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Turkish Airlines &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hotel Transfer Partners</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Accor Limitless &#8211; Transfer Ratio 2:1 &#8211; 1 business day</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Choice Privileges &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; TBD points transfer time</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Wyndham Rewards &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Citi Transfer Partners</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Citibank lets you earn ThankYou points when you use some of their cards like the Citi Prestige and <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi Premier(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520083*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a>.&nbsp; These credit card points can then be transferred to one of Citi&#8217;s 15 airline partners.&nbsp; Unfortunately, the only domestic airline on the list you can&#8217;t transfer your points to directly is JetBlue.&nbsp; </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The last thing to consider with ThankYou points is that most of the transfers aren&#8217;t instantaneous, so keep that in mind when you&#8217;re transferring your points.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-left">Airline Transfer Partners</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Avianca &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Cathay Pacific &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 24 hours</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Emirates &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ethidad &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 7 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Eva &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 3 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Flying Blue (Air France/KLM) &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Garuda &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 2 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Jet Airways &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">JetBlue &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Malaysian &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 2 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Qantas &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 2 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Qatar &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 2 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Singapore &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 2 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Thai Royal &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 7 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Turkish Airlines &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer within 2 days</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Virgin Atlantic &#8211; Transfer Ratio 1:1 &#8211; Points transfer instantly</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The best way to get the most out of your credit card points is by using one of their transfer partners to redeem your points.&nbsp; I know it can be a little intimidating when you first start out but just remember, you don&#8217;t have to be an expert in every program to find a great value.&nbsp; Simply start with the airline you fly most often then do a little research.&nbsp; If you ever have questions, or need help, leave me a comment below or send me an email.&nbsp; I&#8217;m always happy to help!</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">The Ultimate Credit Card Transfer Partners Guide</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
					
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			</item>
		<item>
		<title>Turkish Airlines Miles &#038; Smiles: Everything You Need To Know</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/#comments</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sat, 29 Apr 2023 04:41:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Points & Miles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Avios]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[British Airways]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Miles & Smiles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Turkish Airlines]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://easytravelpoints.com/?p=1690</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Recently I discovered the Turkish Airlines Miles &#38; Smiles program and thought I was dreaming.&#160; The program has several...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/">Turkish Airlines Miles &#038; Smiles: Everything You Need To Know</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">Recently I discovered the Turkish Airlines Miles &amp; Smiles program and thought I was dreaming.&nbsp; The program has several great ways to redeem the miles and they&#8217;re fairly easy to earn.&nbsp; How is it possible that I&#8217;ve never known about this program sooner?!</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="500" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Turkish-Airlines-A330.png" alt="Turkish Airlines A330" class="wp-image-1703"/></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Turkish Airlines Miles &amp; Smiles program has been around for a long time.&nbsp; I have seen it listed as a Citibank <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">transfer partner</a> but didn&#8217;t know much about it.&nbsp; I knew the program had a region-based award chart and you can typically find a sweet spot or two with those types of programs.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I&#8217;m a huge fan of British Airways&#8217; Avios distance-based program because there are some excellent redemption options.&nbsp; The most popular redemption is the <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/how-to-fly-to-hawaii-for-26000-points-or-less/">sweet spot from the West Coast to Hawaii</a>.&nbsp; Another great redemption is being able to <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/how-to-fly-to-mexico-using-british-airways-avios-points/">fly from several cities in the U.S. to Mexico for under 10,000 points each way</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With most loyalty programs converting to a dynamic pricing model, I didn&#8217;t think I&#8217;d find another overall program that I would like as much.&nbsp; Boy was I wrong!&nbsp; Turkish&#8217;s Miles &amp; Smiles program has a lot of great redemptions that almost everyone can take advantage of!&nbsp; I promise, you guys are going to love this program!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Earning Turkish Miles &amp; Smiles Miles</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Unless you frequently fly to Istanbul for business, you may be asking yourself, &#8220;How do I earn Turkish Airlines miles&#8221;?</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Credit Cards</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Earning points with your credit cards is the quickest way to earn miles.&nbsp; The Miles &amp; Smiles program is a <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">transfer partner of Citibank&#8217;s ThankYou program</a>.&nbsp; Your ThankYou points will transfer to the Miles &amp; Smiles program at a 1:1 ratio.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">You can quickly earn ThankYou points with cards like the Citi Prestige or the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi Premier(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520083*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a>.&nbsp; Plus, if you also have the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi(R) Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3002009*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a>, you convert your points into ThankYou points on a 1 cent per point basis.&nbsp; Here are a few highlights of these cards:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi Premier(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520083*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></strong> &#8211; <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi Premier(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520083*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span>&nbsp; There are several excellent categories that will be earning 3x ThankYou points.&nbsp; This card has a $95 annual fee.</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi Premier(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520083*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi(R) Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3002009*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></strong> &#8211; This is an excellent card for everyday spending.&nbsp; <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi(R) Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3002009*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span>&nbsp; I think this is such a great card that I&#8217;ve had it in my wallet for several years.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Citi Prestige</strong> &#8211; New cardmembers will get 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 within the first 3 months of opening an account.&nbsp; You&#8217;ll earn 5x points on all restaurant and air travel purchases, as well as 3x on other travel purchases. This card gives you an incredible 4th night free on virtually all hotel bookings made through ThankYou.com.&nbsp; You also get several statement credits and a free Priority Pass membership.&nbsp; The card does carry a $495 annual fee.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other Ways To Earn Miles</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Flying</strong> &#8211; Turkish Airlines is a member of the Star Alliance, so you can earn points by flying on one of their partner airlines.&nbsp; United would be the most popular airline to earn Turkish miles with for those living in the U.S.&nbsp; The amount you&#8217;ll earn will vary by airline and the type of ticket you have.&nbsp; Just be sure to enter your Miles &amp; Smiles number when making a reservation.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Marriott Bonvoy&nbsp;</strong>&#8211; You can transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points to the Turkish Miles &amp; Smiles program at a 3:1 ratio.&nbsp; Plus, for every 60,000 points you transfer, you&#8217;ll get a 5,000 mile bonus.&nbsp; For example, if you can transfer 60,000 Bonvoy points for 25,000 Turkish miles.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Turkish Airlines Miles &amp; Smiles Program Overview</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The more I have looked into this program, the harder it was for me to understand why this program isn&#8217;t more popular.&nbsp; Then I read that the Miles &amp; Smiles program has recently upgraded their website.&nbsp; Apparently, the previous site had a horrible search function and it was next to impossible to find award availability.&nbsp; Sounds like a recipe for turning your loyalty program into something no one wants to use.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The current website is actually really easy to use.&nbsp; I was able to find a lot of availability for the sweet spots I was researching.&nbsp; There were a couple wonky things about it but once you know about them, it&#8217;s pretty easy to use.&nbsp; For example, when <a href="https://www.turkishairlines.com/en-int/miles-and-smiles/sign-up-form/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">setting up a Miles &amp; Smiles account</a>, you are only allowed to use numbers for your password.&nbsp; The site doesn&#8217;t tell you this, so I won&#8217;t tell you how many times I received an error message before I finally figured it out.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before we get into the best uses of your Turkish miles, here are several highlights about the program:</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Program Highlights</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Traveling With Others</strong> &#8211; You can purchase up 5 award tickets at once using miles from your account.&nbsp; You can also purchase an award ticket for someone else even if you&#8217;re not traveling with them.&nbsp; I have read in different forums that booking an award ticket for someone else can range from fairly easy to somewhat tedious.&nbsp; I haven&#8217;t done this yet but when I do, I will update you on the process once I do.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">When you call to put your award reservation on hold, they&#8217;ll be able to tell you how to do it.&nbsp; Just be sure to have everything set up before you transfer your miles.&nbsp; You don&#8217;t want the award space to disappear while you&#8217;re waiting for your miles to show up.&nbsp; You can call them at 1-800-874-8875.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Promo Awards</strong> &#8211; Turkish Airlines periodically will offer promo awards at reduced rates.&nbsp; Be sure to sign up for their newsletter to be notified of these award sales.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Award Reservation Holds</strong> &#8211; You can put an award reservation on hold for up to 72 hours.&nbsp; This is very important because it can take a day or two for <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">the miles to transfer from your Citi ThankYou account</a> to show up in your Miles &amp; Smiles account.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Segments</strong> &#8211; You are allowed to have up to 4 segments on both the outbound and return flights.&nbsp; This is huge!&nbsp; This allows pretty much everyone the ability to take advantage of the sweet spots mentioned below.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Stopovers</strong> &#8211; When flying on Turkish Airlines, you are allowed one stopover in Istanbul.&nbsp; It doesn&#8217;t matter if this is on the outbound or the return flight.&nbsp; Stopovers are great because they allow you the chance to see another city for free.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Open-jaw</strong> &#8211; Open-jaw itineraries are allowed if you&#8217;re booking a round-trip award ticket.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>One-way Awards</strong> &#8211; You are allowed to purchase one-way award tickets.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Change/Cancellation Fees</strong> &#8211; You can change or cancel your award flight for $25.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Surcharges</strong> &#8211; Turkish Airlines doesn&#8217;t pass on any surcharges for flights on United.&nbsp; However, surcharges are imposed on Turkish and other Star Alliance partner flights.&nbsp; For some itineraries, they can be pretty hefty so it won&#8217;t be worth redeeming your miles for those flights.&nbsp; For instance, I found a one-way flight to Venice on Lufthansa that had a fuel surcharge of $263.90.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Mileage Expiration</strong> &#8211; The miles you earn with this program will expire 3 years from the date you earned them.&nbsp; You can pay a fee to extend the expiration date of your miles.&nbsp; The fee can get expensive, so I would simply recommend not transferring them until you&#8217;re ready to use them.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Booking Miles &amp; Smiles Award Tickets</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">From what I&#8217;ve read, redeeming your Miles &amp; Smiles miles before was quite the Herculean task.&nbsp; However, now the process is actually quite simple.&nbsp; Just be aware there is one search tool for Turkish Airlines flights and another to book awards on Star Alliance partners.&nbsp; Don&#8217;t worry, I&#8217;ll walk you through it.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Booking A Flight On Turkish Airlines</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If you want to book a flight on Turkish Airlines, the process is pretty simple.&nbsp; Start by logging in to your Miles &amp; Smiles account.&nbsp; Next, check the &#8220;Award ticket&#8221; box in the search area, which will then take you to the search function.&nbsp; Enter in your itinerary and the search tool will display any available award flights.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="260" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Search-700x260.png" alt="Turkish Airlines Home Page" class="wp-image-1705" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Search-700x260.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Search-1024x380.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Search-768x285.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Search-1536x571.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Search-2048x761.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The results will display both economy and business class availability.&nbsp; The one thing I didn&#8217;t like, was the search tool doesn&#8217;t give you a flexible search option.&nbsp; So if the day you&#8217;re looking to fly doesn&#8217;t have availability, then you&#8217;ll need to search day by day until you find an open seat.&nbsp; Hopefully they&#8217;ll add the ability to search by week or month soon to make it a little easier.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="280" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Availability-700x280.png" alt="screen shot of miles &amp; smiles award availability" class="wp-image-1707" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Availability-700x280.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Availability-1024x409.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Availability-768x307.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Availability-1536x614.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Award-Availability-2048x818.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Booking A Star Alliance Flight</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If you want to fly on a Star Alliance partner, you can&#8217;t use the same search tool that you find on the home page.&nbsp; It&#8217;s a little hidden but once you find it, it&#8217;s just as easy to search for flights.&nbsp; Let me show you how to find it.&nbsp; First, you&#8217;ll need to log into your Miles &amp; Smiles account.&nbsp; Next, click on your name in the top right corner to display the drop down menu and then select &#8220;Miles Transactions&#8221;.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="245" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Airlines-Home-700x245.png" alt="Account menu on Turkish Airlines website" class="wp-image-1730" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Airlines-Home-700x245.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Airlines-Home-1024x359.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Airlines-Home-768x269.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Airlines-Home-1536x538.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Airlines-Home-2048x717.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This will take you to a summary page of your account&#8217;s activity.&nbsp; On the right side of the page you&#8217;ll find the &#8220;Star Alliance award ticket&#8221; section.&nbsp; Click on &#8220;book now&#8221; and it will take you to the search tool for flights on Star Alliance partners.&nbsp; From here, the search tool is the same as the other one as far as I could tell.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="188" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Star-Alliance-Search-1-700x188.png" alt="Turkish Airlines Star Alliance award search tool" class="wp-image-1710" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Star-Alliance-Search-1-700x188.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Star-Alliance-Search-1-1024x275.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Star-Alliance-Search-1-768x206.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Star-Alliance-Search-1-1536x412.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Star-Alliance-Search-1-2048x550.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Miles &amp; Smiles Sweet Spots</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Buckle your seatbelts, this is where the magic happens.&nbsp; A lot of airlines are changing their programs to have a dynamic pricing model.&nbsp; Translation; they can charge you whatever they want, whenever they want.&nbsp; That&#8217;s one reason why I&#8217;m loving the Miles &amp; Smiles program.&nbsp; As long as you can find availability, the rates are fixed no matter when you travel.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">To make it even better, because this program is region-based, allows multiple segments and is a partner of United, virtually anyone can take advantage of these redemption sweet spots.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hawaii</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Last year when I took advantage of the amazing sweet spot to Hawaii I thought it was an absolute steal!&nbsp; Not only does it require fewer miles but it isn&#8217;t limited only to flights from the West Coast.&nbsp; With Turkish miles, you can fly in economy from anywhere in the U.S. to Hawaii for only 7,500 mile each way plus $5.60 in taxes.&nbsp; And if you&#8217;re lucky enough to find availability, you can fly in business class for only 12,500 miles each way!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I found availability from Phoenix (where I live), New York and even South Bend, Indiana to Hawaii.&nbsp; If you&#8217;ve ever wanted to visit Hawaii, this is how you need to do it.&nbsp; Any other airline will easily cost you triple the points to go to Hawaii.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="324" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Hawaii-Results-700x324.png" alt="miles &amp; smiles award availability to Hawaii" class="wp-image-1712" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Hawaii-Results-700x324.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Hawaii-Results-1024x474.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Hawaii-Results-768x356.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Hawaii-Results-1536x712.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Hawaii-Results-2048x949.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Alaska &amp; Puerto Rico</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Alaska has been on my bucket list for a long time.&nbsp; For only 7,500 miles each way, I can check it off my list.&nbsp; You can also fly to Puerto Rico for the same rate and soak up some sun.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="243" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Alaska-Results-700x243.png" alt="Miles &amp; Smiles award flights to Alaska" class="wp-image-1713" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Alaska-Results-700x243.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Alaska-Results-1024x355.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Alaska-Results-768x266.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Alaska-Results-1536x533.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Alaska-Results.png 2042w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Domestic Flights</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These same rates apply to all domestic flights as well.&nbsp; These are perfect if you&#8217;re flying between major cities or to a small town that can typically be very expensive to fly to.&nbsp; How about flying to Rapid City, South Dakota to see Mt. Rushmore?</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="293" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Domestic-Results-700x293.png" alt="Domestic US Miles &amp; Smiles award flights" class="wp-image-1714" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Domestic-Results-700x293.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Domestic-Results-1024x428.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Domestic-Results-768x321.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Domestic-Results-1536x643.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Domestic-Results.png 2044w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Europe</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This program is also a decent value when it comes to award flights to Europe.&nbsp; You can fly each-way for 30,000 miles in economy or 45,000 miles in business class.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="296" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Miles-Smiles-Europe-700x296.png" alt="miles and smiles award space to Venice" class="wp-image-1729" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Miles-Smiles-Europe-700x296.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Miles-Smiles-Europe-1024x432.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Miles-Smiles-Europe-768x324.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Miles-Smiles-Europe-1536x649.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Miles-Smiles-Europe.png 2008w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mexico</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">This summer I took advantage of another <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/how-to-fly-to-mexico-using-british-airways-avios-points/">Avios sweet spot to Mexico</a> but again, this is only good if you live in select U.S. cities.&nbsp; Now everyone can fly to Mexico for cheap!&nbsp; Economy tickets are only 10,000 miles each way and business class is just 15,000!&nbsp; If you find it, definitely spend the extra miles and fly in the front of the plane.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="345" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Mexico-Results-700x345.png" alt="Miles &amp; Smiles award availability to Mexico" class="wp-image-1716" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Mexico-Results-700x345.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Mexico-Results-1024x505.png 1024w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Mexico-Results-768x378.png 768w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Mexico-Results-1536x757.png 1536w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Turkish-Mexico-Results-2048x1009.png 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Other Sweet Spots</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With this program being region-based, I&#8217;m sure there are many more sweet spots to take advantage of.&nbsp; I&#8217;ll update this with more as I find them.&nbsp; In the meantime, play around with it and I&#8217;m sure you&#8217;ll stumble on something great!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The Turkish Airlines Miles &amp; Smiles program is quickly becoming one of my favorites.&nbsp; I love that there are so many great values and they aren&#8217;t limited to just certain cities.&nbsp; I don&#8217;t think this program will stay under the radar for too much longer, so take advantage of some of these deals as quickly as possible.&nbsp; If you find a great redemption that I missed, let me know in the comments so we can add it to the list.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/turkish-airlines-miles-smiles/">Turkish Airlines Miles &#038; Smiles: Everything You Need To Know</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
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		<title>The Best Business Credit Card Offers</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/the-best-business-credit-card-offers/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/the-best-business-credit-card-offers/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 28 Apr 2023 01:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Points & Miles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Express]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capital One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://easytravelpoints.com/?p=762</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>If you are a small business owner, using a business credit card is essential to keeping your finances in...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/the-best-business-credit-card-offers/">The Best Business Credit Card Offers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">If you are a small business owner, using a business credit card is essential to keeping your finances in order.&nbsp; In addition, there are some great benefits and welcome bonuses that are limited to each bank&#8217;s lineup of business cards.&nbsp; If you&#8217;re looking for a new card, here are the best business credit card offers that are currently available.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="500" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Business-card-collage.png" alt="a collage of the best business credit cards that include Chase Ink, Amex and Capital One cards" class="wp-image-896"/></figure>
</div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Unlimited(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048113*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take&nbsp;</strong>– I love this card because it comes with a large welcome bonus and no annual fee. And if you want a simple earning structure, this card is perfect for you. I also love that this card&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-trifecta/">pairs great with other Chase cards</a>, so it’s easy to get more out of all the points you be earning.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong> – <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Unlimited(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048113*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> – You can also <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-trifecta/">pair this card</a> with another one of Chase&#8217;s premium cards in order to redeem these points in other ways like transferring them to one of <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">Chase’s travel partners</a>.&nbsp; You also earn an unlimited 1.5 points for every dollar you spend with this card.&nbsp; In addition, cards for employees are free.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong> – $0</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Unlimited(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048113*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph" style="font-size:24px"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Unlimited(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048113*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006145*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take&nbsp;</strong>– I love this card because it comes with a large welcome bonus and a low annual fee. If you don&#8217;t have any of Chase&#8217;s premium travel rewards cards, you can use this card as an alternative and still be able to transfer your points to one of their excellent travel partners. Plus, this card comes with some great benefits and bonus earning categories that a perfect for small business owners.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong> – <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006145*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> – If <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/how-to-redeem-chase-ultimate-rewards-points/">redeemed for travel</a> through the Chase travel portal, these points are worth 1.25 cents per point!&nbsp; These points can also be transferred to one of <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">Chase’s travel partners</a> where you can easily unlock even more value.&nbsp; This card also gives you various travel insurance benefits if you pay for your travel expenses with this card.&nbsp; You can earn 3 points per dollar on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories each account anniversary year.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong> – $95 (not waived during the first year) which I think is an excellent value considering the welcome bonus and all of the benefits this card comes with.</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006145*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph" style="font-size:24px"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Preferred(R) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006145*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*340040*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong>&nbsp;– I love this card because it comes with a large welcome bonus and no annual fee. Plus, it has a few great bonus categories that can help you earn points quickly. I also love this card because it&nbsp;<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-trifecta/">pairs great with other Chase cards</a>, so it’s easy to get more out of the points you earn.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong> &#8211; <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*340040*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> &#8211; This business card earns 5% back on the first $25,000 spent on combined purchases at office supply stores and internet, phone and cable companies each anniversary year. Plus, earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 in combined restaurant and gas station purchases each anniversary year.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong> &#8211; $0</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*340040*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph" style="font-size:24px"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Ink Business Cash(SM) Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*340040*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Business Platinum(R) Card from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028096*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take </strong>&#8211; This card is another great option if you love American Express and own a small business and travel a lot. The premium benefits that come with this card are top-notch, in my opinion. Yes, the annual fee is higher than most, but the benefits and perks you get can easily offset the cost. Add in the welcome bonus you can earn and I think this is a great option for those who own their own business.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong> – <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Business Platinum(R) Card from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028096*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span> Terms apply.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> – You will earn 5 points for every dollar you spend on airfare and prepaid hotels that you book directly with American Express Travel.&nbsp; You&#8217;ll earn 1.5x points on eligible purchases at U.S construction material and hardware suppliers, electronic goods retailers and software, cloud system providers, and shipping providers, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else, on up to $2 million of these purchases per calendar year.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Each year you&#8217;ll receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year for checked baggage fees, lounge day passes, and more at one selected airline.&nbsp; </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Card Members are eligible to receive a statement credit every 4.5 years for the application fee for TSA PreCheck® and every 4 years for Global Entry when charged to an eligible Card. Card Members will receive a statement credit for the first program (either Global Entry or TSA PreCheck ) to which they apply and pay for with their eligible Card regardless of whether they are approved for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. However, Card Members can receive no more than one credit for up to $85 for TSA PreCheck or $100 credit for Global Entry (but not both programs), depending upon the program the Card Member first applies for, for an application fee charged to an eligible Card.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Card Account is only eligible for up to $200 in statement credits between January and June and up to $200 in statement credits between July and December for a total of $400 per calendar year in statement credits across all Cards on the enrolled Card Account. Valid only on purchases made directly with Dell Technologies or at dell.com in the US and US territories where Dell Technologies is the merchant of record for the purchase.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong> – $695 <a href="http://j.jeekl.com/cgi/r?;n=203;c=1676389;s=7273;x=7936;f=202104161720320;u=j;z=TIMESTAMP;" target="_blank" rel="noopener">See rates and fees</a>.</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Business Platinum(R) Card from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028096*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" style="display:none" /></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Platinum Card(R) from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028089*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Southwest(R) Rapid Rewards(R) Performance Business Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048165*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong>&nbsp;– This card is an excellent choice for small business owners who fly Southwest Airlines frequently. I love this card because it has a welcome bonus that’s higher than a lot of other business cards and comes with some excellent travel benefits as noted below. Plus, Southwest points are super easy to use, so you’ll be able to easily use your points for an upcoming trip.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong> – <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Southwest(R) Rapid Rewards(R) Performance Business Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048165*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span>&nbsp; Remember, all points will be eligible to help you <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/how-to-earn-southwest-companion-pass/">earn the coveted Companion Pass</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> – Earn 2 points per dollar on select business categories.&nbsp; Each year you&#8217;ll receive 4 upgraded boarding passes to positions A1-A15 that can be used on any available flight.&nbsp; Each card anniversary year you will receive 9,000 additional Rapid Rewards points.&nbsp; Every 4 years you can receive up to a $100 statement credit on Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fees.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee</strong> – $199 (not waived during the first year)</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Southwest(R) Rapid Rewards(R) Performance Business Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048165*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph" style="font-size:24px"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Southwest(R) Rapid Rewards(R) Performance Business Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048165*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="IHG(R) Rewards Premier Business Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048281*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong>&nbsp;– I think this card is perfect for those who love staying at IHG hotels. This card comes with a great welcome bonus and you get a free award night each year. This award night you get each year easily offsets the cost of paying the annual fee, in my opinion. Add in the complimentary elite status and this one becomes an easy decision for IHG loyalists.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong> &#8211; <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="IHG(R) Rewards Premier Business Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048281*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> &#8211; You&#8217;ll earn a free night work 40k bonus points after each account anniversary year. You&#8217;ll also get IHG Platinum elite status when you have this card. Plus, you&#8217;ll get reimbursed for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee every 4 years.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">With this card you&#8217;ll earn 10 points per dollar on IHG stays and 5 points per dollar on all other travel. Plus you can earn 5 points per dollar on dining (including takeout and eligible delivery services) and gas stations. Finally, you&#8217;ll earn 3 points per dollar on all other eligible purchases.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee </strong>&#8211; $99 </p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="IHG(R) Rewards Premier Business Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048281*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="IHG(R) Rewards Premier Business Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048281*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How To Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How To Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Business" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*5048345*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>My Take</strong>&nbsp;– I think this is an excellent option for small business owners. While the minimum spend requirement is higher than most, if you can hit that threshold, it&#8217;s a fantastic bonus!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Bonus</strong> &#8211; <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Business" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*5048345*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span></p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Highlights</strong> &#8211; I love that you&#8217;ll earn 2x miles on every purchase you make. These can really add up depending on your businesses&#8217; monthly spend. I also love that it comes with an annual $300 travel credit for purchases made thru the Capital One Travel which makes the annual fee very reasonable.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Annual Fee </strong>&#8211; $395</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Business" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*5048345*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="180" width="300" /></a>



<p class="has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph"><a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Business" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*5048345*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*Learn How to Apply*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">Learn How to Apply</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Before choosing a new business card, take a minute and review where your business spends a lot of money.&nbsp; Make sure the card you choose will help you maximize the number of miles you&#8217;ll be able to earn.&nbsp; If you&#8217;re still not sure which of the latest business credit card offers is best for you, you can <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/contact/">contact us at any time</a> and we would be happy to help.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® From American Express, <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="The Business Platinum(R) Card from American Express" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4028096*,*field*:*terms_and_conditions_link*,*api*:*cc*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">See Rates and Fees</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/the-best-business-credit-card-offers/">The Best Business Credit Card Offers</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
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		<title>Credit Card Ground Rules</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-ground-rules/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-ground-rules/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 21 Apr 2023 18:47:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Credit Cards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Express]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barclays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Membership Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ultimate Rewards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[US Bank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://easytravelpoints.com/?p=189</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>One of the fastest and easiest ways to earn points and miles towards your next vacation is through the...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-ground-rules/">Credit Card Ground Rules</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">One of the fastest and easiest ways to earn points and miles towards your next vacation is through the use of credit cards.&nbsp; Here is a list of a few credit card ground rules that will help you along the way.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="500" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Card-fan.jpg" alt="several credit cards fanned out on a table" class="wp-image-403" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Card-fan.jpg 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Card-fan-300x214.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">By using them to purchase the things you buy every day, along with the lucrative sign-up bonuses, the points can really add up quickly.&nbsp;However, not using your cards correctly can cost you valuable points, or worse.&nbsp;If you follow the rules, you will be able to maximize the points you earn and avoid some serious pitfalls.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pay Your Bill In Full EVERY Time</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The first credit card ground rule is to pay your bill, in full, EVERY MONTH.&nbsp;Using credit cards is the fastest and easiest way to accumulate points and miles.&nbsp; If you&#8217;re going to use them, you need to do so responsibly.&nbsp;One of the quickest ways to erode the value of your points is to carry a balance on your cards.&nbsp;The fees and interest you&#8217;ll be charge will offset the value of any points you will earn by using them.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Losing value on the points you earn is the smaller problem you will encounter if you don&#8217;t use your cards wisely.&nbsp; The bigger problem you&#8217;ll have is that you will ruin your personal financial situation.&nbsp; Let me be explicitly clear, if you do not pay your credit card bill in full, every month, <span style="color: #ff0000;">DO NOT</span> use credit cards or open any new accounts.&nbsp; No vacation is worth going into debt for.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I know a lot of people who prefer using a debit card because they don&#8217;t like to get a large bill at the end of the month.&nbsp; If you&#8217;re like this, there&#8217;s nothing that says you can&#8217;t pay off your purchases early.&nbsp; Take a look at your account each week and send off a payment to cover what you&#8217;ve spent.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Do A Little Planning</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I&#8217;m not suggesting you sit down and write a 50 page thesis before you start earning points.&nbsp; I am recommending that you have a general idea of what you&#8217;re working towards.&nbsp; Set a travel goal and work backwards from there.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If your bucket list includes staying in an over-water bungalow, don&#8217;t open a hotel branded credit card whose points can&#8217;t be redeemed where you want to stay.&nbsp;&nbsp;Also, take a look at where you spend the most of your money and find a credit card that rewards you for those purchases.&nbsp; Which brings me to my next rule&#8230;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Take Advantage Of Bonus Categories</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Several rewards cards will offer you bonus points when you use their cards to make purchases in select categories.&nbsp; Some of the most popular categories are travel, grocery stores, gas stations and restaurants.&nbsp; Review your spending habits and see where you spend the most money.&nbsp; Then find a card that will reward you for making those purchases.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">For example, the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> will earn 3x the points on dining and the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Reserve(R)" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048084*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> will earn triple the points on travel.  The <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/ChaseFreedom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">Chase Freedom Flex</a> card has rotating categories each month where you can earn five times the points on those purchases.  Just be sure you use the right card at the right time to maximize the amount of points you&#8217;re earning.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cards With Annual Fees Can Be Great</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Most people&#8217;s first reaction to credit cards that have a high annual fee is to run away.&nbsp; While each card is not always a good fit for everyone, they are a good fit for a lot of people.&nbsp; Credit cards that charge an annual fee will typically come with some really great benefits.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">These benefits, along with the sign-up bonus, can easily be more valuable than the cost of the annual fee.&nbsp; In fact, a lot of times, the card issuer will even waive the annual fee during the first year.&nbsp; This will give you sufficient time to use the card and see if how valuable those benefits are to you.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Get Your Sign-Up Bonus</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The quickest way to boost your point balance is through credit card welcome offers. Most cards will give you a bonus after you spend a certain amount in a specific time frame.  For example, my favorite travel card for beginner&#8217;s (<a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-sapphire-preferred-review/">here&#8217;s why I love it</a>) is the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a>.</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none" /></a>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span>&nbsp; This is an incredible offer so you don&#8217;t want to make a mistake that will cause you to miss out on this bonus.&nbsp; Here are a couple things to think of when it comes to a sign-up bonus:</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Your Spending Habits</strong> &#8211; Don&#8217;t sign up for a credit card that requires you to spend $5k in the first 3 months if you typically only spend $500/month.&nbsp; Plan ahead to make sure you&#8217;re able to meet the spending requirement within the required time frame.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Also, don&#8217;t overspend just to meet a welcome bonus threshold.&nbsp; It makes absolutely ZERO sense to spend $1k on something you don&#8217;t need, just to get $500 worth of points.&nbsp; If you can&#8217;t meet the spending requirements through your normal spending patterns, DON&#8217;T open a new account.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>When Does The Clock Start Ticking</strong> &#8211; Generally, the time starts once your application is approved and not when you receive or activate your card.&nbsp; You don&#8217;t want to miss out on a large sign-up bonus by miscalculating the time you have to meet the spending requirement.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Only Actual Spending Counts</strong> &#8211; The only things that count toward the required spending threshold is actual spending.&nbsp; Annual fees, other fees, balances you transfer from other cards, etc. don&#8217;t count.&nbsp; Speaking of fees&#8230;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pay Your Bills On Time</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Make sure you pay your credit card bills on time, every time! Paying your bills late can affect your credit score and your ability to qualify for the best offers. Plus, you have to pay a late fee and interest if you&#8217;re late and nobody likes throwing money away on fees. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Some people recommend using your bank&#8217;s auto-pay features to prevent this from happening but I don&#8217;t like using it.  If my bill is paid automatically, I&#8217;ll get into the bad habit of not reviewing the charges each month.  While it doesn&#8217;t happened a lot, I&#8217;ll occasionally find charges for things I thought I cancelled or fraudulent charges when I review my bill. A better practice would be to set yourself a monthly calendar reminder so you don&#8217;t forget to pay it on time.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Don&#8217;t Let Your Points Expire</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Each program has different requirements for keeping your miles from expiring.&nbsp; And some, like Delta&#8217;s Skymiles, never expire.&nbsp; While each one is different, most of them make it really easy for you to keep your points.&nbsp; A simple thing, like making a purchase through their shopping portal, can reset the expiration clock. Set an annual reminder for yourself to review each of your loyalty programs to make sure none of your points expire.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Don&#8217;t Forfeit Your Points</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Another important ground rule for credit card points is don&#8217;t forfeit any of your hard-earned points.&nbsp; There may be a time where you sign up for a card later decide it&#8217;s not a good fit for your goals.&nbsp; If this happens, be sure to redeem all of your points before closing your account.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If you have a cobranded airline or hotel card, you don&#8217;t have to worry about this because your points are automatically transferred to your loyalty account each month.&nbsp; You worked hard for your points, don&#8217;t give them away!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Earning points and miles isn&#8217;t rocket science.&nbsp; &nbsp;Yes, you&#8217;ll make a few mistakes along the way but that&#8217;s OK.&nbsp; By following these simple ground rules you will get the most out of your credit cards and avoid big mistakes.&nbsp; Just keep moving forward and soon you&#8217;ll be booking your vacation of a lifetime.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-ground-rules/">Credit Card Ground Rules</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
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		<title>How To Visit Skellig Michael</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/skellig-michael/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/skellig-michael/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Sun, 29 Jan 2023 13:00:00 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Destinations]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Tips]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Travel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capital One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ireland]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Ultimate Rewards]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.somewhatsimple.com/?p=59239</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Skellig Michael is a small island off the coast of Ireland. It is one of the most amazing places...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/skellig-michael/">How To Visit Skellig Michael</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><em>Skellig Michael is a small island off the coast of Ireland. It is one of the most amazing places I&#8217;ve ever been. If you ever have the opportunity to travel to Ireland, this has to be at the top of your list of things to see.</em></p>




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<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="469" data-pin-description="Skellig Michael - A Must See in Ireland!!! " src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Ireland-top.png" alt="View from the top of skellig michale" class="wp-image-114635"/></figure>
</div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What is Skellig Michael? </h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Skellig Michael is a rocky island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The island was inhabited by monks dating back to as early as the 6th century. These monks built stone staircases that start at the base of the island and reach all the way to the top where they constructed a small Irish Christian monastery. The grounds and structures can still be seen today in their original forms.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Star Wars Island</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Skellig Michael was featured in two of the more recent Star Wars films and has become a popular tourist destination ever since. But you definitely don&#8217;t have to be a Luke Skywalker or Last Jedi fan to enjoy the Skellig islands. It is absolutely breathtaking!</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">On our <a href="https://www.somewhatsimple.com/ireland/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">trip to Ireland</a>,&nbsp;visiting Skellig Michael was easily the highlight of our trip!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Where is Skellig Michael?</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Skellig Michael is an island located about 8 miles off the coast of Kerry, Ireland. To get there, you have to  go with a licensed company and take a small boat out to the island. If you get seasick, you&#8217;ll want to come prepared with Dramamine. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The sea can be a little choppy and some on our boat got sick. Don’t let the ride out discourage you though, it is more than worth it! You&#8217;ll also want to pack a <a href="https://amzn.to/3Dk3k2j" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener sponsored nofollow">poncho</a> because it can rain while you&#8217;re out there as well.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="473" data-pin-description="Skellig Michael - A Must See in Ireland!!! " src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Island.png" alt="view of skellig michael island from a boat" class="wp-image-114637"/></figure>
</div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skellig-michael-tours"><strong>Skellig Michael Tours</strong></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Ireland has limited the number of visitors to Skellig Island each day. Tours only operate between the months of May through September due to the weather.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The only way you are able to visit Skellig Michael is by booking a Skellig Michael landing tour with a boat tour company that is authorized to dock at the island. There are approximately 8 boats that are allowed to dock each day and each boat only carries 10 people.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>IMPORTANT</strong> <strong>NOTE &#8211;</strong>There are several companies that offer tours around the island so you can see it up close from the water, but most boat operators are not able to drop you off. When you are booking a tour, be sure that it is a “landing tour”.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Because of the Star Wars movies, these tours have been known to fill up extremely fast. You will most likely need to book them months in advance. My advice would be to book your tour tickets the minute after you buy your plane tickets to Ireland.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">We booked our tour with <a href="https://skelligislands.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Skellig Islands</a> but I&#8217;m sure the rest are great too. They all had comparable boats from what I could tell.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Almost every tour company leaves from the small town of Portmagee around 9 am. There are a few lodging options in Portmagee; however, we decided to stay in Killarney the night before. If you stay in Killarney, plan on giving yourself an additional 90 minutes in the morning to make the drive to Portmagee.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="956" data-pin-description="Skellig Michael - A Must See in Ireland!!! - #video #lifestyle #travel" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Steps.png" alt="ancient stone steps on skellig michael" class="wp-image-114638" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Steps.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Steps-366x500.png 366w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-skellig-island"><strong>Skellig Island</strong></h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The boat ride from Portmagee to Skellig Michael takes about an hour and the ride can be choppy. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once you arrive you will climb over 600 ancient stone steps to get to the top. There will be plenty of time to reach the top, so take your time and be careful. </p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The stones can be very slippery, especially if it has been raining. Along the way, you will see thousands of puffins flying around and nesting along the cliffs. This is one of the few places in the world where you will get to see these birds up close.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="948" data-pin-description="a puffin bird" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Puffins.png" alt="a puffin bird on skellig michael" class="wp-image-114651" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Puffins.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Puffins-369x500.png 369w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-breathtaking-views">Breathtaking Views</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Once you get about two-thirds of the way up you will arrive at the spot where they filmed scenes from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. From here the views are absolutely breathtaking!</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="469" data-pin-description="Skellig Michael - A Must See in Ireland!!! " src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/skellig-Michael-view-from-the-top.png" alt="looking down a cliff on skellig michael" class="wp-image-114642"/></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">After you catch your breath and enjoy the scenery, there’s one final staircase to climb to reach the top. At the top, you will find a few small houses and buildings constructed by the monks over a thousand years ago. It’s incredible to think about how they built these structures so long ago. It&#8217;s amazing they have survived hundreds of years in such a remote location.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="954" data-pin-description="Skellig Michael - A Must See in Ireland!!! " src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Houses.png" alt="ancient stone huts on top of skellig michael island" class="wp-image-114644" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Houses.png 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Skellig-Michael-Houses-367x500.png 367w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Using Points To Offset The Cost</h2>



<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Flights</strong> &#8211; There is a great sweet spot using British Airways Avios miles from the East Coast to Ireland. You can fly there for only 26k miles roundtrip, plus taxes and fee. Most of the major banks transfer to British Airways, so it&#8217;s easy to earn points. Here&#8217;s a list of all of the <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/credit-card-transfer-partners/">transfer partners</a>.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Hotels</strong> &#8211; Outside of Dublin, there aren&#8217;t any major hotel chains. So if you wanted to use points, you would have to book your lodging through your bank&#8217;s travel portal. The <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> gives you the best redemption rate. However, you can also use the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One(R) Venture(R) Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*3006151*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a>, <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*4048272*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> and <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Citi Premier(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*520083*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a> as well.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Tour</strong> &#8211; The only way to use points for this would be if the tour costs codes as travel on your credit card statement. If that&#8217;s true, you could use one of the Capital One cards above to &#8220;erase&#8221; the cost. It&#8217;s been a few years since we went, so I can&#8217;t remember how the charge codes.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If you&#8217;re thinking about using points to help cover the cost of your trip, here&#8217;s a link to the <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/best-credit-card-offers/">best public credit card offers</a> currently available.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">If Ireland is on your bucket list, you really need to make time to visit Skellig Michael. It takes a little time and planning but it is more than worth it! I promise you won&#8217;t be disappointed. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/skellig-michael/">How To Visit Skellig Michael</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
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		<title>A Beginner&#8217;s Guide To Points &#038; Miles</title>
		<link>https://easytravelpoints.com/beginners-guide/</link>
					<comments>https://easytravelpoints.com/beginners-guide/#respond</comments>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Rob Dulgarian]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 08 Aug 2019 19:25:26 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Guides]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Points & Miles]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[American Express]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[AMEX]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Bank of America]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Barclays]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Capital One]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Chase]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Citibank]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Wells Fargo]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://easytravelpoints.com/?p=176</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p>Let me be the first to welcome you to Easy Travel Points and exciting world of points and miles.&#160;...</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/beginners-guide/">A Beginner&#8217;s Guide To Points &#038; Miles</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[
<p class="has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph">Let me be the first to welcome you to Easy Travel Points and exciting world of points and miles.&nbsp; If you&#8217;re reading this beginner&#8217;s guide, you&#8217;ve probably heard of people travelling across the globe in a luxury first class suite and spent only a few dollars on the ticket.&nbsp; At first, you probably thought there&#8217;s no way it could be true or there had to be a &#8220;catch&#8221;.&nbsp; Then you decided, if it really was true, you needed to figure out how they did it so you could travel in luxury as well.</p>


<div class="wp-block-image">
<figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="700" height="500" src="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Credit-cards.jpg" alt="several multi-colored credit cards fanned out and a beginner's guide to credit card points" class="wp-image-339" srcset="https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Credit-cards.jpg 700w, https://easytravelpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Credit-cards-300x214.jpg 300w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px" /></figure>
</div>


<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Spoiler alert; this is absolutely possible, anyone can do it and no, there isn&#8217;t a &#8220;catch&#8221;.&nbsp; A few years ago, I was in the same boat you are and was determined to figure out how I could travel the world without spending a fortune.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While there is definitely some strategy that goes into getting the most value out of each point, let&#8217;s start with the basics.&nbsp; Even if you never want to dive into the more complex parts of this hobby, you can save a lot of money traveling the world.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">That&#8217;s why I have compiled this beginner&#8217;s guide to points and miles.&nbsp; It contains all of the information I wish I knew when I started.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Are Points And Miles</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The best way to describe them is to think of old fashioned loyalty punch cards.&nbsp; You know, the ones that give you a free smoothie after you purchase ten.&nbsp; Points and miles work the exact same way.&nbsp; They are what credit cards, airlines and hotels will give you to encourage you to be a loyal customer.&nbsp; You can then redeem these points to be used for free travel with that company.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Easy Airline Example</strong> &#8211; You travel a lot for work and you always fly on your favorite airline.&nbsp; After each flight you take, the airline deposits miles into your frequent flyer account.&nbsp; After you have earned enough miles, you can redeem them for a free flight with that airline.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Simple Credit Card Example</strong> &#8211; You have a credit card that gives you a point for every dollar you spend when you use the card.&nbsp; The credit card company will then let you redeem those points in exchange for a plane ticket.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Each airline, hotel and credit card company has a different set of guidelines for their loyalty programs.&nbsp; Some programs are definitely more valuable and easier to use than others.&nbsp; Which leads us to the big question; what are my points worth?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Are My Points Worth</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The next step in this beginner&#8217;s guide is understanding what your points are worth.&nbsp; The simple answer is they&#8217;re worth whatever you can redeem them for.&nbsp; I know that sounds like a cop out but here me out.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The truth is, each loyalty program values their points a little differently.&nbsp; Some programs allow you to redeem each point at a fixed value which makes it easy.&nbsp; Others give you a variety of ways to use them, so they can be worth more depending on how you choose to use them.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Regardless of how the program is structured, I&#8217;m going to show you how to figure out what each point or mile is worth.&nbsp; All you need to figure out how much your points are worth is a little elementary school math.&nbsp; Don&#8217;t roll your eyes at me math-haters, it&#8217;s easy, you can do this.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Dream Vacation Example</strong> &#8211; We&#8217;ve all seen those over-water bungalows in a gorgeous tropical location, right?&nbsp; You find on the hotel&#8217;s website that you can book the bungalow for $1,000 per night.&nbsp;&nbsp;Let&#8217;s pretend there are two loyalty programs that let you use their points to book that exact same room.&nbsp; Program A requires you to redeem 100,000 points per night and Program B requires you to only use 50,000 points per night.&nbsp; In this example, we can see that Program A&#8217;s points are worth 1 cent each ($1,000 / 100,000 = $.01).&nbsp; However, programs B&#8217;s points are worth double at 2 cents per point ($1,000 / 50,000 = $.02).</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Using this basic calculation, it will help you figure out what each loyalty program&#8217;s points are worth.&nbsp; While programs that have a fixed redemption value are easier to understand, using those that don&#8217;t have a fixed value can help you get more value out of each point.&nbsp; Figuring out how to get the most value out of each point is what makes this hobby so much fun.&nbsp; Plus, that&#8217;s how you&#8217;ll be able to travel around the world for less.</p>







<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Do I Earn Points &amp; Miles</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Remember, this is just a beginner&#8217;s guide, so this isn&#8217;t a complete list.&nbsp; However, here are a few of the easiest and most popular ways to earn points and miles.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Traveling</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">While not the most efficient, the most popular way to earn points is to travel.&nbsp; Each time you fly, or stay at a hotel, you earn points or miles with that program.&nbsp; Unless you are a road warrior, it can be tough to earn enough points to use on a vacation.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The fastest way to earn points is to sign up for a credit card that offers you a welcome bonus.&nbsp; Each credit card will have their own unique offer but each one typically will require you to spend a minimum amount within a specific time frame in order to qualify for the bonus.&nbsp; Also, the sign-up bonus for a card can fluctuate throughout the year, so keep an eye when for when they increase.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">My favorite card for beginners is the <a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LinkTagPDPUrl*,*api*:*cc*,*linkText*:*card_name*,*linkTarget*:*_blank*,*linkRel*:*sponsored*}">card_name</a>.&nbsp; <span class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*bonus_miles_full*,*api*:*cc*}">bonus_miles_full</span>&nbsp; You can <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/chase-sapphire-preferred-review">read here why I love this card</a> and recommend it so often.</p>



<a class="sh-quidget-markup" data-rate-name="Chase Sapphire Preferred(R) Card" data-content="{*credit_card_id*:*2061159*,*field*:*LogoImageListingUrl*,*api*:*cc*}" rel="sponsored noopener" target="_blank"><img alt="card_name" height="185" width="300" style="display:none"></a>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Credit Card Purchases</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">You can earn points and miles using a travel rewards card to make everyday purchases.&nbsp; Depending on how much you spend each month, this can really add up quickly.&nbsp; Most cards also have &#8220;bonus categories&#8221; which allow you to earn extra points on certain purchases.&nbsp; For example, a card may offer you 3 points for every dollar you spend at a gas station.&nbsp; So if you spend $40 to fill up your tank, you earn 120 points.</p>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Shopping Portals</h3>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">A lot of retailers partner with various shopping portals to give you points for by their products.&nbsp; In fact, just the other day, I earned 110 points with an airline when I bought pizza for dinner.&nbsp; I first went to the sopping portals and found the pizza chain that I was going to order dinner from.&nbsp; I clicked on their logo which took me to the pizza chain&#8217;s website where I ordered dinner.&nbsp; By taking this one extra step I was able to earn miles for my next vacation.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Do I Redeem My Points</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">The last, but also the most important, topic of this beginner&#8217;s guide is knowing how to redeem the points you earn.&nbsp; After you have accumulated a healthy stash of points, the fun of planning your next trip begins.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">Being flexible is the key to getting the most value out of your points.&nbsp; With our trip to Hawaii, we had to leave a day earlier that we had wanted or it would have cost us almost twice the amount of points to go.&nbsp; With that in mind, here are a few ways to use your miles to travel the world.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Airline Miles</strong> &#8211; Each airline has an award chart that will tell you how many miles you need for specific redemption options.&nbsp; You can use these miles to fly on that airline or any of the airlines in their &#8220;alliance&#8221;.&nbsp; This will allow you to visit virtually any location in the world.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Hotel Points</strong> &#8211; Hotel points are very similar to airline miles.&nbsp; Each hotel chain also has an award chart that will show you how many points you need to stay at each of their properties.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Credit Card Travel Portals</strong> &#8211; Some credit cards will allow you to redeem their points, at a fixed rate, with almost any airline or hotel.&nbsp; For example, a credit card issuer can value each point at 1.25 cents if used to book travel through their portal.&nbsp; If you found a great flight to Europe for $500, you could book that by using 40,000 credit card points.&nbsp; While you could get more value redeeming your points a different way, this is a very easy and straightforward redemption option.</p>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph"><strong>Credit Card Transfer Partners</strong> &#8211; Some credit cards have also partnered with various airlines and hotels to allow you to transfer their points to these partners&#8217; loyalty programs.&nbsp; Once you transfer the points to a partner, they can be used as described in the first two options above.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Final Thoughts</h2>



<p class="wp-block-paragraph">I know there&#8217;s a lot of information in this beginner&#8217;s guide to digest but don&#8217;t worry, you&#8217;ll quickly get the hang of it.&nbsp; Be sure to sign up for our newsletter, follow us on Instagram and Twitter and like us on Facebook for helpful tips and guides to help you along the way.&nbsp; I absolutely LOVE helping people travel plan their dream vacation, so if you have any questions along the way, please <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/contact/">Contact Me</a>!&nbsp; I&#8217;m always available to help.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com/beginners-guide/">A Beginner&#8217;s Guide To Points &#038; Miles</a> appeared first on <a href="https://easytravelpoints.com">Easy Travel Points</a>.</p>
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