What could be better than traveling to your dream destinations around the globe? Doing it with credit card points. With the right travel hacks using credit card points, you can turn your everyday spending into free flights and hotel stays.

It sounds like a dream, but using credit card points for travel can feel intimidating. In fact, a survey from 2023 found that 23% of rewards cardholders hadn’t redeemed any rewards in the past year. 

If you’re in a similar boat, remember: using credit card points for travel isn’t just for experts or frequent flyers. Anyone can do it with the right strategy. From earning points faster to booking smarter, this guide breaks down the best ways to maximize credit card rewards for travel.

✈️ Before we take off, let KashKick be your travel companion. With KashKick, you can earn rewards when you play games, take surveys and try out apps. As soon as you earn $10, you can cash out through PayPal.

What Are Credit Card Points and How Do They Work for Travel?

When you use a rewards credit card, you can earn points or miles based on your spending. These points can be redeemed for travel expenses like flights, hotels, rental cars and even experiences.

Here are three primary ways people apply their credit card points toward their travel:

• Travel portals: Many credit card issuers have their own travel portal that lets you book flights and hotels directly with their points. Just log into your account and look for a “Rewards” or “Travel” section. A NerdWallet analysis found that Citi, Chase and Capital One’s portals had lower prices and were easier to use than American Express.

Note: You can also book travel through these portals with cash and often earn more points than booking through an airline or hotel site.

• Transfer partners: Airlines and hotels have loyalty programs that allow you to transfer your points over for potentially more value. Check out this guide on transferring points and miles.
• Statement credits: Some credit cards let you erase travel purchases with points after you’ve paid for them with statement credits. For example, Chase Sapphire Reserve offers up to $300 in travel credits. Just be sure you understand what’s covered!

Many travel credit cards come with an annual fee, so do a quick analysis and make sure the fee is worth the savings. Keep in mind, too, that many of these cards come with extra benefits, like lounge access and statement credits for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fees.

How to Choose the Right Credit Card for Travel Points

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with options when it comes to choosing the best travel credit cards. Here’s what you’ll want to consider:

Introductory Offers and Bonuses

Some cards offer bonus points or miles if you hit a specific spending amount within a certain amount of time. (Of course, don’t blow your savings to earn this!)

Annual Fees

Many travel credit cards have an annual fee. These could range from under $100 to nearly $1,000 a year. You’ll want to crunch some numbers to ensure the fee is worth the perks.

Reward Rates

Think about what you spend the most money on. Groceries? Travel? Dining? Streaming services? Choose a card (or cards) based on the best rewards rates. For example, if your grocery spending is high, look into a card that gives you 3x or 4x rewards on those purchases.

If you find yourself spending across all categories fairly equally, then there are flat-rate cards that offer the same earning rate on all your purchases. Think: 2x rewards on all purchases.

Perks

Beyond the standard bonuses and rewards rates, many cards come with extra perks. These can include:

• Airport lounge access
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credits
• Priority services (think: free checked bags, priority boarding, priority security lines)
• Trip cancellation or travel insurance
• Lost or delayed baggage insurance (Some travel cards will reimburse you for essential purchases when bags are delayed.)
• Rental car insurance
• Hotel elite statuses (This can help you snag complimentary room upgrades, early check-in, late check-out and property credits.)

Cards that offer all of these benefits likely come with higher annual fees, but if you’re a frequent traveler, it could be worth it depending on your priorities! 

Flexibility

If you’re not loyal to a specific airline or hotel group, then consider flexibility when it comes to choosing a travel rewards card. This can allow you to more easily use the points you earn.

Reviews

There are a ton of resources on the internet to help you make the most informed decision. Dive deeper with these experts:

• The Points Guy
• Thrifty Traveler
• Upgraded Points

Best Travel Hacks Credit Card Points Users Should Know

Using travel hacks with credit card points isn’t just about booking flights—it’s about squeezing maximum value from every point you earn.

1. Compare Portal vs. Transfer Redemptions

Booking through your credit card’s portal is often the easiest way to redeem points—but it doesn’t always offer the best redemption rates. Look into transferring points to airlines to unlock premium seats for less.

Compare both options before booking!

2. Book One-Way Flights

When booking flights, you probably automatically look for round-trip tickets, but when it comes to using points, booking one-way can sometimes offer better award pricing and gives you extra flexibility.

3. Watch for Transfer Bonuses

Some issuers offer bonuses—like 20% to 40% extra miles—if you transfer points to partners. These promotions can get you way more bang for your buck (or miles for your points). Several sites track these, including NerdWallet, The Points Guy and Roame.

4. Mix Points and Cash

You don’t always need to cover everything with points. Many travelers use points for flights and pay cash for hotels—or vice versa—depending on where they get the best value.

5. Use Points on Expensive Routes

The best value for travel hacks using credit card points usually comes from long-haul or international flights where cash prices are high but point prices stay reasonable.

Again, this is where mixing points and cash can help unlock the best value. For example, if you’re flying through JFK to Tokyo, you might use cash to buy a regional flight to JFK—then points to get over to Tokyo.

✈️ Advanced Strategies for Booking Flights with Points

Flights are often the biggest travel expense, which makes them the best place to use credit card points. To level up your points usage, consider:

Timing Your Redemptions

Award seats (or seats you can purchase with points) become available at different times depending on the airline.

• 330 to 350 days before departure: Airlines often release award seats up to a year in advance.
• 3 to 6 months before departure: This is a solid window for booking travel for off-peak times.
• Days before departure: If you’re flexible, airlines sometimes release unsold award seats in the days leading up to departure, especially for premium cabins. Some travelers hedge by booking a fully refundable cash ticket as a backup, then switching to points if award space opens later. Just be sure the ticket is truly refundable (not just airline credit), and remember that this strategy involves some risk if award seats never appear.

Using fare alerts and award search tools helps you spot deals as soon as they appear.

Navigating Blackout Dates

If your preferred dates are unavailable, try:

• Traveling during off-peak times. For example, one peak travel time to Tokyo is cherry blossom season, from late March to early April. You can avoid crowds and get better deals when you travel in February. (Just pack a warm coat!)
• Check nearby airports. Many flight search platforms allow you to search “all airports” in particular cities. For example, London has six major airports. If you’re visiting from the U.S., you can check flights to both Heathrow (LHR) and Gatwick (LGW).
• Consider connecting routes vs. nonstop flights. Although an extra stop isn’t ideal, it could get you better points deals.
• Be flexible. Use flexible date search tools to open up more options.

Maximizing Point Value

Understanding airline alliances and transfer partners is essential in maximizing your point value.

• Airline Alliances: Leveraging alliances like Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam allows you to use points from one airline to book flights on partner airlines, increasing your flight options and potential value.
• Transfer Partners: Many credit card programs, such as Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards, allow you to transfer points to a variety of airline partners. This can often provide better value than booking directly through the credit card’s travel portal.

You can also use:

• Stopovers: Some airlines allow you to include a stopover (a stay of over 24 hours in a connecting city) in your award booking at no additional points cost, effectively giving you two trips for the price of one.
• Open-jaw tickets: These tickets allow you to fly into one city and out of another, which can be especially useful for multi-destination trips and maximizing the value of your points​​.

🏨 Mastering Hotel Rewards

Hotels are usually the second-largest travel expense, making them perfect for points redemptions.

Choosing the Best Hotel Loyalty Programs

When selecting a hotel program, evaluate:

• Reward rates
• Redemption flexibility
• Elite status perks

Elite status can unlock free upgrades, late checkout and bonus points. Many cards also give automatic elite status just for holding the card.

Booking Award Nights

Award availability varies by hotel chain. Some programs use fixed award charts while others use dynamic pricing. Understanding how many points a free night costs helps you plan better and avoid overpaying with points.

Maximizing Point Value

Deciding whether to use points or cash depends on the situation. As a general rule of thumb, use points when:

• Hotel prices are unusually high
• You’re staying in premium locations
• Promotions offer bonus nights

Pay cash when prices are cheap and save your points for better redemptions later.

🚁 Unlocking Unique Travel Experiences

Using Points for Tours and Activities

Many programs let you redeem points for experiences like:

• City tours
• Museum passes
• Food tastings
• Outdoor adventures

While value per point varies, these redemptions can help cover activities you’d otherwise pay cash for.

Leveraging Transfer Partners

Again, strategic transfers can allow you to turn points into luxury flights, boutique hotels and exclusive experiences. Some cards even boost your point value when booking travel through their portal, stretching your rewards further.

Common Mistakes to Avoid When Traveling with Credit Card Points

Traveling with credit card points is powerful, but some common mistakes can reduce their value, including:

• Redeeming for low-value rewards: Using your points for merchandise or gift cards usually gives less value than travel bookings. Besides, you can earn plenty of gift cards through KashKick! 
• Letting points expire: With some programs, your points can expire after a period of inactivity. If you’re in a pickle, simply make small redemptions or occasionally earn to hang onto your points.
• Ignoring taxes and fees: Using points to pay for tickets is thrilling—but keep in mind you could still have to pay taxes or surcharges, so always double-check the total before booking!
• Carrying a balance: With credit card interest rates being so high, it’s important to pay off your card each month. If you carry a balance, those interest payments can quickly outweigh any travel rewards you earn.

From Points to Paradise: Travel Even Smarter with KashKick

Travel hacks with credit card points work even better when you combine them with extra income streams. Platforms like KashKick let you earn real cash from shopping, games and offers. This allows you to use your credit card points for flights and hotels—while your KashKick earnings can help cover meals, activities and upgrades.

Ready for takeoff? With the right strategies, your everyday spending can turn into your next adventure!

👋 Bon voyage!