The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Credit Card Rewards & Award Travel
Everything you need to know to start traveling in luxury—for less
Maximize Earnings
Earning points and miles isn’t about spending more—it’s about spending smarter. In the process of spending cash, you are generating a new kind of currency, and like any currency, it needs strategy. Most people struggle to explain why they carry the cards they do, and even fewer can confidently recite their earning rates. That gap between intention and optimization is where value gets lost—and where we come in.
Spending Bonus Categories
Not all credit cards are created equal—each one earns points differently depending on the spending category. Take the American Express Gold Card, for instance: it earns 4x points on dining and groceries, two of the biggest everyday expenses for most people. Meanwhile, the Platinum Card earns just 1x on those same purchases. So the next time someone drops their Platinum card at dinner to impress, know they’re leaving points on the table—literally.
Welcome Bonuses
Welcome bonuses are one of the fastest ways to earn a large stash of points or miles—and they’re often overlooked due to misconceptions about credit scores. Applying for a new card might cause a small, temporary dip, but responsible use can actually improve your score over time. I’m not advocating for endless card churning, but there’s real value in building a thoughtful arsenal or doing a one-time strategic sign-up ahead of a dream trip. With the right timing and planning, a single welcome bonus can unlock thousands of dollars in travel in relatively short order.
Redeem for Luxury
If you’ve ever redeemed points for cash back or booked through your bank’s travel portal, you’re not alone—it’s familiar, it’s easy, and it feels like a win. But there’s a whole other level of value waiting in the world of transfer partners. By moving your bank’s transferrable points to certain airline and hotel loyalty programs, you unlock access to premium cabins, luxury resorts, and redemptions that can be worth 2–10x more than their cash equivalents.
The power of transfer partners
Transfer partners are where your points become powerful. Banks like Chase, Amex, Citi, and Capital One let you convert your bank’s flexible, transferable points into specific airline or hotel loyalty currencies—like turning Amex Membership Rewards into Air Canada Aeroplan miles or Chase Ultimate Rewards into World of Hyatt points. This unlocks access to premium travel redemptions that often deliver far more value than booking through a bank portal or redeeming for cash back. With the right transfer, 60,000 points could mean a $3,500 business class flight instead of a $600 statement credit. It’s a game of strategy—and the rewards are first class.
Why it works out well for all sides
Booking through a specific airline or hotel loyalty program often unlocks outsized value because you’re tapping into a system designed to reward loyalty—not just spending. When you transfer bank points into a loyalty currency, you gain access to award charts, partner redemptions, and premium inventory that often costs far less in points than cash. For banks, these partnerships make their rewards programs more competitive and appealing, with more consumer’s signing up for their products. Airlines and hotels benefit by filling seats and rooms that might otherwise go unsold, while also generating significant revenue by selling loyalty points to banks. Lastly, consumers get access to luxury experiences at a fraction of the retail price. It’s a win-win-win—and the savvy traveler comes out ahead.
