Dream. Hack. Travel.
That’s Hello Sunny Skies Motto. Before you can really dig into which credit cards can help earn you free travel, you’ll need to understand what type of traveler you are. Once you find your travel type, then it’s easier to nail down which credit card points can get you there! Adding only 1 credit card at a time will add points, but usually you will need 2-3 credit cards with sign up bonuses for each trip.
And of course, I can help you choose the exact credit cards for your trip with
Hello Sunny Sky 1:1 coaching. Click here to learn how.
Regardless of the type of traveler, there is an easy process to choosing credit cards.
- Choose destination.
- Choose airports for your round trip travel.
- Search airlines that fly in and out of those airports.
- Choose accommodations.
- Join those hotel & airline loyalty programs.
- Look into which credit cards can get you there for free. (Again, this is where I can really help you)
The Domestic Traveler
The Domestic Traveler wants to travel within the United States. Your goal may be to fly to see family for free or to visit sunny Florida. This traveler may want to focus on 2 credit cards with high sign-on bonus points. The first should be an airline credit card and the next a hotel credit card. Another option would be to chose credit cards like Chase or American Express that allow you to transfer points to airline miles.
The Luxury Traveler
The Luxury Traveler is one that obviously loves the finer accommodations! First class plane tickets and luxury resorts. This traveler should sign up for loyalty rewards on airlines and hotel awards through the properties they want to stay at. Chase Sapphire Reserve, Chase Ink Business Preferred, Chase IHG Credit Card, American Express Platinum are great cards that allow you to transfer or book a luxury seat on an airplane and luxury hotel stays. You can transfer points to first class airline tickets, stays at The Four Season Properties on points, etc. Also, Marriott’s Platinum and Titanium status allows you complimentary suite upgrades, free breakfast in the club lounge, etc. With Marriott’s portfolio continuing to grow, luxury stays include their properties; St. Regis, Ritz Carlton, JW Marriott, and more.
The International Traveler
The international traveler may want to focus on free airfare first and then free accommodations. Let’s take traveling to Europe as an example. Most of the time, you will visit more than one country while in Europe. With this in mind, you’ll want to fly one way international flights and then use a discount airline country to country. This takes a bit more planning and strategizing with credit cards and points. The great news is that you don’t have to stay with one airline. For example, you could fly Delta from Detroit to Rome, fly Easy Jet from Rome to Paris (usually around $100) and then fly United Airlines from Paris to Detroit. There are several different credit cards that will help maximize credit card points. A specific airline credit card, particular chase credit cards as well as American Express.
The Road Tripper
The Road Tripper is so much fun and very easy to earn a quick free trip. When planning for a road trip, decide how long you want to be gone, how many cities you want to stop in and what type of accommodations are you looking for? I highly suggest The Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton credit credit cards for this depending on sign-on bonuses. Hilton and Marriott own thousands of properties, so the likelihood of one of their properties falling in your chosen cites are very good!
The Planner
The Planner is one that maps out several vacations per year. This traveler will really have to pay close attention to Chase’s 5/24 rule and will want to know ways to get around this rule. This will take more time to collect points and rewards and will take strategic planning to open each appropriate credit card at certain times per year. I am this type of traveler for sure. Each fall, I plan the trips we wish to take the following year. Once destinations, airline partners, world alliance partners, accommodations are chosen…it’s easier nail down which credit cards to open and which months to do so. This is important as you’ll have to meet each credit card’s minimum spending to acquire the bonus points. There are many tips & tricks to planning multiple vacations at once.
The Tiffany Traveler, LOL
I fall into almost every category per year. We love road tripping in the summer with the kids. We try and plan a honeymoon trip every year, a spring break trip, a girl’s trip as well as a trip overseas. So, don’t feel like you only need to be one type of traveler. Every type of trip is rewarding for different reasons. And when you travel for free, it allows so much more of your budget for site seeing, fine dining, car rentals, etc.
Now…tell me, where do you want to go next?
Beth S.
Tiffany is truly a credit card point guru. She was very patient and helped my husband and I navigate our credit card point game.
William F.
WE’VE SAT ON THOUSANDS OF POINTS FOR YEARS WITH NO CLUE HOW TO REALLY USE THEM. TIFFANY COACHED US HOW TO COMBINE OUR POINTS, TRANSFER POINTS AND ADD MORE POINTS THROUGH CREDIT CARD SIGN-ON BONUSES. AWESOME SERVICE.
SUZANNE M.
WE OWN A SMALL BUSINESS AND HAVE ALWAYS WRITTEN CHECKS OR USED OUR DEBIT CARD EARNING ZERO TRAVEL REWARDS. WE’VE CHANGED OUR WHOLE WAY OF MANAGING MONEY AND ARE ON OUR WAY TO A FREE LUXURY VACATION THANKS TO TIFFANY.
JANET M.
TIFFANY HELPED MY HUSBAND AND I EARN A VACATION TO CROATIA BY USING SPECIFIC TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS ON OUR DAUGHTER’S WEDDING. WE HAD PLANNED TO WRITE CHECKS TO ALL OF THE VENDORS, SO GLAD WE MADE A 1:1 COACHING CALL.
Liz R.
WITH TIFFANY’S GUIDANCE, we EARNED 400,000 CREDIT CARD POINTS BUT WE DIDN’T KNOW HOW BEST TO USE THEM. WE HIRED HER TO PLAN OUR TRIP USING A COMBINATION OF POINTS, MILES AND CASH (CREDIT CARD). HIRING HER WAS THE BEST MONEY I’VE EVER SPENT. SHE WENT WAY ABOVE AND BEYOND. PARIS HERE WE COME.
