How We Travel for Nearly Free Using Credit Card Points & Miles
If you’ve followed me for any length of time, you know I love finding ways to make beautiful things happen without spending a fortune.
Turns out that philosophy doesn’t just apply to decorating. It applies to travel too.
This post contains affiliate links. If you apply for a credit card or make a purchase through one of my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. As always, I only share products, services, and resources that I personally use and believe may be helpful to my readers. The information in this post is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Credit card offers, terms, and benefits can change at any time, so always review the current details directly with the card issuer before applying. Please only pursue credit card rewards if you can pay your balances in full every month and use credit responsibly.
Back in 2023, our family was planning a bucket-list trip to Sweden to visit relatives. I started pricing flights for four people and nearly spit out my coffee when I saw the total.
Let’s just say the numbers were eye-watering.
I wasn’t looking for luxury travel. I wasn’t trying to become a professional travel hacker (yes, that’s actually a thing). I simply wanted to make a meaningful family trip possible without draining our savings account.
So I started researching.
One Google search led to another. I started getting targeted for Facebook ads from travel hacking gurus. And finally, my friend Jen at Jen Woodhouse started telling me about it at a blogging conference together. Before long, I had stumbled into the world of credit card points and miles.
At first, I assumed it was one of those things that only worked for people who traveled constantly for business or spent a gazillion dollars every month.
Turns out I had no idea what I was talking about. I was able to earn travel points with just our family’s regular spending on groceries, utilities, our many trips to Home Depot, etc.
Since then, our family has traveled to Sweden, Aruba, Paris, London, Mexico, Disneyland, Universal Orlando, New York City, Charleston, San Diego, and more while saving tens of thousands of dollars on flights and hotels. And that’s only in 3 years!
The best part is we’ve also been able to use our earned points to help family and fellow members of our church when they were in a pinch.
And because so many of you have asked me how we do it, I figured it was finally time to share the beginner-friendly version.
Before We Go Any Further…
I need to put on my responsible mom hat for a second.
I only recommend using credit card points and miles if you pay your credit cards in full every month, have good credit, aren’t carrying debt, and can stick to a budget without overspending.
If you’re currently paying off debt, struggling with credit card balances, or know you’re likely to spend more than you normally would just to earn points, I’d skip this entirely for now.
Seriously.
The last thing I want is for anyone to go into debt trying to earn “free” travel.
The only reason this strategy has worked so well for our family is because we treat credit cards exactly like debit cards. We never buy anything we weren’t already planning to purchase in cash, and we pay every balance in full every month.
This isn’t financial advice. It’s simply what’s worked for our family. Every financial situation is different, so do your own research and only pursue points and miles if it aligns with your financial goals and habits.
Before this hobby, we had only ever owned 1 credit card in case of emergencies and followed the teachings of Dave Ramsey believing credit cards are bad. We’ve learned since then credit cards are only bad if you’re not responsible with them. That is the key difference.
Okay, responsible mom speech over.
How Credit Card Points & Miles Actually Work
The simplest explanation is that many travel credit cards offer large welcome bonuses when you open a card and spend a certain amount within the first few months.
For example, a card might offer enough points for several free flights or hotel nights after meeting its spending requirement.
The trick is that you’re not buying things you wouldn’t have purchased anyway. Groceries? Sure. Gas? Yep. Utility bills? Absolutely. Christmas gifts? Yeah. Lowe’s runs because your project somehow turned into three projects? Been there.
You’re simply routing normal household spending through a credit card, earning points, and paying the balance in full every month.
Those points can then be redeemed for flights, hotels, rental cars, and other travel expenses.
Think of it like couponing for travel.
Except instead of clipping coupons from the Sunday paper, you’re strategically earning points that can dramatically reduce the cost of vacations.
Common Misconceptions About Points & Miles
“You Have to Spend a Ton of Money”
Not necessarily.
Many of the points we’ve earned have come from welcome bonuses rather than everyday spending.
“You Have to Travel All the Time”
Nope.
In fact, points and miles can be incredibly valuable for families who only take one or two major trips per year.
“It’s Too Complicated”
It can be if you want it to be.
Some people turn points and miles into a hobby.
I am not one of those people.
We’ve kept things relatively simple and learned a little more with each trip.
The Best Travel Credit Cards for Beginners
If you’re just getting started, these are the cards I’d personally recommend looking into.
Chase Sapphire Preferred®
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is the card that got us started.
It earns flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards points that can be redeemed for travel or transferred to airline and hotel partners.
Capital One Venture
The Capital One Venture card has become one of our favorite cards because of the flexible redemption options (like being able to erase the cost of Universal Orlando park tickets).
Before applying for any card, always review the current welcome offer, annual fee, benefits, and terms to determine whether it’s a good fit for your situation.
How We Actually Use Our Points
We’re not flying first class to Bora Bora.
Most of the time, we’re using points for practical family travel.
International economy flights, family-friendly hotels, quick weekend getaways, spring break theme park trips, and bucket-list vacations to introduce our kids to new cultures.
The goal isn’t luxury for luxury’s sake. It’s simply stretching our travel budget so we can create more memories together.
How Much Have We Saved?
I haven’t tracked every redemption down to the penny, but points and miles have easily saved our family tens of thousands of dollars over the last few years.
Some of our favorite trips made possible by points and miles include:
- Aruba – $12,816 saved
- Paris / London / Sweden – $11,272 saved (this was all in one trip)
- Mexico – $5,416 saved
- Disneyland LA – $6,195 saved
- Universal Orlando – $9,501 saved
- New York City – $2,584 saved
- Charleston & Isle of Palms – $3,077 saved
- Washington DC – $2,075 saved
Total Saved: $52,936
We’ve taken even more trips than that, but I haven’t calculated the rest of them. Many of those trips would have been significantly more expensive, or might not have happened at all, without points and miles.
It’s allowed us to take trips to visit out-of-town family (like Robert’s grandmother we don’t get to see often).
It’s allowed us to give the girls experience gifts for birthdays (like a mommy/daughter 13th birthday concert to see Benson Boone in Raleigh or Regan’s 6th birthday present to see Lion King on Broadway).
It’s allowed us to travel with my parents to visit a World War II memorial in France where my grandfather earned a Silver Star in the Army.
It’s allowed us to gift hotel stays to friends who were displaced during a move or hardship.
It has forged stronger relationships in our family, exposed our girls to art and history, broadened our palettes with new foods… it has been life-changing.
Truly, we’ve learned that travel is priceless to us. (And that’s saying something coming from this homebody.)
Resources That Helped Me Learn
I am by no means an expert on this topic, but these resources helped me learn the basics:
If you’re curious about points and miles, those are excellent places to continue learning. I especially prefer Jen Woodhouse and Points Talk Squad because they’re provided for moms by moms and make the information feel less intimidating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Really Travel for Free Using Credit Card Points?
Sometimes, yes.
You’ll often still pay taxes, fees, or small out-of-pocket costs, which is why I prefer to say we travel “nearly free” rather than completely free.
Some cards have annual fees that are outweighed by benefits like travel credits, TSA/global entry credits, etc. But I’d steer clear of high annual fee cards and just stick to the $0 or low annual fee cards until you know if this hobby is right for you.
Will Opening Credit Cards Hurt My Credit Score?
Everyone’s situation is different, but many people find that responsible credit card use can actually improve their credit over time. I started out with a 760 credit score, and since starting this hobby, my credit score has stayed in the 800+ range.
Always do your own research before applying for new credit.
What Is the Best Travel Credit Card for Beginners?
For most beginners, I’d start by researching the Chase Sapphire Preferred because it’s relatively straightforward and offers flexible travel rewards.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, this isn’t really about credit cards. It’s not even about travel.
It’s about making room in your budget for the things that matter to you.
For us, that has meant visiting family in Sweden, exploring new cities together, and giving our girls experiences they’ll remember for the rest of their lives.
The points and miles are simply the vehicle that helped us get there.
Travel has given our family some of our favorite memories together. If learning a little bit about points and miles helps another family create memories they otherwise couldn’t afford, then sharing what I’ve learned is worth it.
And when it comes to decorating, it has expanded my design influences to translate into projects in my home. I mean… how can you not be inspired by the interior design sprinkled all around Paris, NYC, and Cape Cod?
If you’re curious about getting started, don’t feel pressured to become a points-and-miles expert overnight.
Start with one card, learn the basics, and book your first trip. The rest will come with time. And if you decide it’s not for you, well, hey at least you got a free trip out of it.
That’s exactly how we got started, and what began as a way to make a family trip to Sweden more affordable has turned into some of our favorite memories together.
If you have questions, let me know! I’m by no means a top expert about travel points and miles, but I’m happy to point you in the right direction to the resources I use.
