best ways to earn travel points

Earning Points & Miles: 9 Best Ways To Earn Travel Rewards

R.J. Weiss, CFP®

• Updated December 20, 2023

With the right strategies, you can maximize your travel rewards and earn points and miles for your dream vacation without spending a fortune. 

In this beginner-friendly guide, we’ll reveal effective methods to accumulate points and miles, covering not only common tactics like credit card signup bonuses and optimizing spending but, also underutilized approaches such as referrals and cash-back shopping.

Table of Contents

#1. Credit Card Signup Bonuses

At the top of the list for earning points are credit card signup bonuses, which are also known as welcome offers. With the right card, you can potentially book two first-class international tickets just by earning the signup bonus. 

To qualify for a signup bonus, you’ll typically need to meet a spending threshold on the card within a specified time frame. For instance, you might receive a bonus after spending $3,000 within the first three months of opening the account. 

The spending requirement and time frame differ from card to card, so do your research.

As a personal rule of thumb, my wife and I always ensure that at least one of us is working towards a signup bonus. This approach leads us to apply for approximately four cards per year — one business and one personal card each during every 12-month period. 

By adopting this strategy, we can enjoy two trips per year that cost us little to nothing, while still maintaining a solid credit profile.

When people ask me about my favorite card for beginners, in most cases, it’s the Chase Sapphire Preferred. While there may be more substantial signup bonuses available at times, or while you may have specific travel goals that could change which card is ideal in your particular case, it’s hard to go wrong with the Sapphire Preferred. 

Get started with our easy-to-follow guide on the best credit cards for new travel hackers to find the right card for you. We’ve teamed up with CardRatings to bring you the latest information on credit card signup bonuses. Their list of top travel credit cards not only provides each card’s current signup bonus, but also includes recommended credit scores and other helpful details to help you pick the perfect card for your needs.

#2. Optimizing Your Spending Through Bonus Categories

Maximizing points through bonus categories is another key tactic for earning points. Many credit cards offer bonus rewards for specific purchases, such as travel or dining. Using the right card for each purchase can help you accumulate points faster.

For example, if you spend $36,000 a year on credit cards and are able to earn on average 2 points per dollar spent, you’ll accumulate 72,000 reward points.

And this is without taking into account signup bonuses!

To learn more, check out our guides on booking airfare with points and booking hotels with points .

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card offers 2X points on travel and dining, doubling the points earned compared to a standard 1X rewards rate. You can boost your points balance by strategically using cards with bonus categories.

Pro Tip : The Chase Trifecta is an effective bonus category strategy, combining the Chase Sapphire Preferred, Chase Freedom Flex and Chase Freedom Unlimited cards to maximize points earned across different spending categories.

To optimize your bonus category spending :

• Analyze your spending habits to identify where you spend the most money.
• Research cards that offer bonus rewards in relevant categories.
• Use the appropriate card for each purchase to maximize rewards.
• Track your spending and rewards to ensure you’re earning the bonus rewards as expected.

#3. Use Shopping Portals

Shopping portals are a simple yet powerful way to earn additional points and miles on your online purchases. 

While the most popular shopping portals are known for giving cash-back on purchases, many credit card issuers, airlines and hotels have their own shopping portals that enable you to earn points and miles at popular online stores.

As a personal example, British Airways once offered a limited-time promotion where you could earn 12X points at Apple.com. By using the shopping portal to buy a Macbook, I earned enough points for a one-way domestic business-class flight.

Rakuten is another excellent shopping portal option, especially if you use American Express Membership Rewards points. You can transfer your Rakuten cash-back earnings to American Express Membership Rewards at a rate of $0.01 per point. 

#4. Maximize Points Earning While Booking Travel

Frequent travelers can optimize their rewards by taking advantage of various loyalty programs offered by airlines and hotels.

• Airlines : Choose a preferred airline and join their frequent flier program. By consistently flying with that airline, you can accumulate miles with every trip. Make sure to provide your frequent flier number when booking flights to ensure you earn the rewards.
• Hotels : Similarly, select a preferred hotel chain and sign up for their loyalty program. Each time you stay at one of their properties, you’ll earn points toward future bookings and qualify for other perks, like room upgrades.

For those who frequently travel for work, this strategy can lead to hundreds of thousands of points annually. 

However, if you only book a few trips per year with rewards, the potential to accumulate points or earn great perks through this method is limited. Regardless, it’s essential to be strategic about booking travel to maximize your rewards earnings. 

#5. Refer Friends and Family to Credit Cards

Referring friends and family to credit cards can be a rewarding way to earn additional points or miles, as many card issuers offer bonuses for successful referrals. 

The major card issuers with referral programs are:

• American Express . American Express often allows its cardholders to refer friends or family to their card products. A significant advantage of the American Express referral program is that you can refer someone to any American Express card, even if you don’t have that specific card. 
• Chase . Chase has a “ Refer-a-Friend ” program for some credit cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Freedom Unlimited. Unlike American Express, Chase generally allows you to refer others only to the specific card you hold. 
• Capital One . Capital One’s referral program allows some eligible cardholders to share a personal referral link with friends. The bonus amount depends on the specific card and you can only refer to cards you currently hold. 

One effective strategy for couples is to refer your spouse to a card you already have and vice versa. This way, both of you can benefit from the sign-up bonuses, and the referrer can earn extra points from the referral.

#6. Running a Business

Business credit cards often have some of the most lucrative signup bonuses, making them an essential part of beginner travel hacking.

Many people overlook these cards, thinking they don’t have a “real” business, but you don’t need a large or traditional business to qualify. Even small ventures, like part-time freelancing , selling items on eBay , or renting out a spare room on Airbnb can qualify you for a business credit card. 

In the past, I earned a few thousand dollars a year from freelancing, which was enough to qualify me for some business credit cards. In that case, I listed myself as a sole proprietor, used my social security number, and correctly listed my income. 

Beyond the great bonuses, other benefits of business cards you shouldn’t ignore are:

• Separate expenses . Using a business card helps keep your personal and business expenses separate, making accounting and tax preparation easier.
• Tax breaks . With a business card, you can take advantage of tax breaks for business-related expenses, potentially saving money. This includes credit card annual fees.
• Additional bonus categories . Business cards often have bonus spending categories tailored to common business expenses, such as paid advertising , office supplies, or shipping, which can help you earn points faster.

#7. Earning Points with Bonus Transfers

Bonus transfers can be a powerful tool for beginner travel hackers to reach their rewards goals quickly. Many credit card issuers and loyalty programs offer periodic promotions, where you can transfer your points or miles to partner programs with a bonus, often ranging from 10% to 50% extra.

Transferring points to partners is generally best when you have a specific redemption in mind. Transferring points without a clear goal can lead to devalued points or difficulty using them later. 

#8. Limited-Time Offers

Limited-time offers are another excellent opportunity for beginner travel hackers to earn more points and miles. These offers can include promotions for adding authorized users, spending at specific merchants, or completing other one-time tasks.

Like transfer partners, you’ll want to stay informed by signing up for the credit card issuer or loyalty program email list. 

#9. Buying Points

Buying points can make sense when you have a specific redemption in mind. 

To determine the value of the points you’re considering buying, visit The Points Guy’s valuations . 

Using TPG valuations as a baseline can help you determine if a deal is worth it or not. 

For example, if you can buy Wyndham points for 0.8 cents each and the TPG valuation is 1.1 cents, it’s a solid deal. However, TPG valuations are an average, and you need to consider the specific use of the points you’re buying. 

If you can determine the value of the points based on your own redemption plans, you may find even greater value. For instance, if you spend $1,000 buying Wyndham points and use them to save $2,000 on a specific trip, the purchase is even more worthwhile.

The best time to buy points is during a sale. Many loyalty programs periodically offer discounts or bonuses on purchased points.

Earning Travel Points FAQs

A beginner can earn points and miles by following these steps: 1. Apply for a travel rewards credit card with a generous sign-up bonus. 2. Maximize points earned by strategically using cards with bonus categories. 3. Use shopping portals to earn extra rewards for online purchases. 4. Take advantage of loyalty programs offered by airlines and hotels. 5. Refer friends and family to credit cards for referral bonuses. 6. Apply for business credit cards if eligible. 7. Utilize bonus transfer promotions when available. 8. Watch out for limited-time offers and promotions. 9. Purchase points during a promotional period.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is often recommended as the best credit card for beginners to start earning travel rewards due to its flexible points redemption options and valuable sign-up bonus. However, the best card for you may vary based on your travel goals and spending habits. See our guide on the best credit cards for beginner travel hackers to learn more. 

No, you don’t need a large business to qualify for a business credit card. Small-scale business activities, such as part-time freelancing, online selling through platforms like Facebook Marketplace, or offering short-term rentals, can make you eligible for a business credit card. Of course, be honest on your application.

Points-Powered Adventures Await

Unlocking multiple free trips per year is within your reach by mastering the points and miles game. By implementing the beginner-friendly strategies shared in this guide, you’ll effectively accumulate rewards and transform them into unforgettable travel experiences. 

As you continue exploring our “Travel Hacking 101: Beginner’s Guide to Free Flights & Hotels” series, you’ll unlock even more secrets to maximizing your travel rewards, including advanced strategies and tips tailored to your unique travel goals.

Next in the series is The Beginner’s Guide to Choosing a Travel Rewards Credit Card .

Travel More, Spend Less

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How to get started with travel points and airline miles in 2024

Jan 26, 2024 • 21 min read

An expert's easy guide to everything you need to know to get started with travel points and airline miles © Wera Rodsawang / Getty

This series of articles about credit cards, points and miles, and budgeting for travel is brought to you in partnership with The Points Guy.

Advertiser Disclosure:  This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. This relationship may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. All information about the Hilton Honors Business Card, the United Club℠ Business Card, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card have been collected independently by Lonely Planet. These cards are not available through Lonely Planet. 

When I got into the points and miles world a decade ago, it was a niche “hobby,” and there were few resources to help newbies get started. I had to dig through countless blogs, forums and read loyalty program terms and conditions obsessively to learn all the tips and tricks. Nowadays, social media is swarming with travel optimizers leveraging points and miles for exotic vacations that would otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Miles and points can be an excellent way to save money on travel, regardless of your objectives. By signing up for airline loyalty programs and credit cards, you can save up for discounted flights, free hotel stays, car rentals and more. Not only does travel become more accessible with points and miles, but you can upgrade your travel experience significantly by flying in first class and staying in luxury hotels. 

If you’ve been curious about points and miles but unsure how to get started, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything you need to know to get started:

How to make a travel budget using points and miles

Start with a travel goal: dream big

Setting a travel goal before earning points and miles is an essential first step. By setting a goal, you can determine which loyalty program best suits your needs and maximize its earning potential. If you’re a budget traveler, you’ll need to earn different points than if your goal was a luxury vacation. Figuring out what you’ll use your points for can also help you determine whether credit card annual fees are worth paying to achieve that goal. 

You don’t want to earn points without purpose and realize (too late) that you can’t travel to your dream destination with those rewards. Or that the airline you’ve saved up miles for your family vacation only releases 1-2 seats in the cabin you hoped to fly. Planning ahead and setting goals is the crucial first step in mapping out your rewards strategy.

Traveling to Hawaii with points and miles

Find the best loyalty program to fit your needs

When looking for the best loyalty program to fit your needs, consider what type of rewards you’re looking for. There are three primary types of loyalty points you should familiarize yourself with. Ideally, you should diversify by having at least two types of points readily available: Airline miles, hotel points and transferable rewards. 

You may decide that hotel points don’t fit your travel goals because you prefer boutique hotels or cheap bookings through travel agencies. You can certainly go without earning hotel points. You may even decide you don’t want to fly in the near future, and airline miles aren’t useful for your goals. However, transferable rewards are one type of currency you don’t want to skip out on. They’re a good fit for virtually any traveler and provide the ultimate redemption flexibility. 

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Airline miles can take you far

Most airline miles can be used for virtually any travel expense, but the best redemption is for flights. You’ll get the most value from airline miles by using them for international business and first-class travel, though there are always exceptions. Airlines like Delta , Air France and KLM often run award travel sales , discounting economy tickets by as much as 50%.

Which miles you should earn depends on your travel goals and which airline your local airport is serviced by. If you live in San Francisco, you have many options since all the major airlines serve that airport with both domestic and international flights. A great way to determine which airlines and routes are available is to visit your local airport's Wikipedia page. See the “airlines and destinations” section for a comprehensive list. 

If you want to travel internationally, your best bet is to earn miles from an airline that is part of an airline alliance: One World, Star Alliance or SkyTeam. Alliances can help you travel to more places since your miles can be redeemed on partner airlines. 

If you want to stick to domestic travel, look at airlines primarily serving those markets. Southwest Airlines is a popular option for West Coast travelers; while JetBlue has a vast network on the East Coast and is expanding to international markets. 

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Transferable rewards

Transferable rewards are the ideal points currency to start. They provide the most flexibility since you can redeem them at a flat rate towards travel purchases or transfer them to select airline and hotel loyalty points. Why is this so crucial? Because airline miles and hotel points are constantly getting devalued – sometimes with no notice. Transferable rewards protect you against these devaluations because you’re not tied to a single currency.

For example, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club recently increased redemption rates for All Nippon Airways (ANA) first-class tickets by 42%. Overnight, without notice, these awards now cost 145,000 points round trip from the West Coast and 170,000 from the East Coast. That left a lot of customers frustrated who had been saving up for that award and now it costs significantly more. 

If you have been earning transferable rewards – specifically American Express Membership Rewards – you’re in luck. Because Membership Rewards is also a 1:1 transfer partner of ANA Mileage Club, which charges 150,000 miles roundtrip for these trips. Instead of transferring your miles to a devalued Virgin Atlantic program, you can transfer them to ANA Mileage Club and 20,000 points on East Coast-departing flights.

Some good transferable rewards options include American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou points.

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Hotel points

Hotel points are great for covering hotels and even vacation homes during your travels. Seven major hotel chains are worth considering: Accor Live Limitless, Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, IHG One, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt and Wyndham Rewards. These programs partner with transferable rewards currencies, so you don’t need a designated hotel credit card to earn their points. 

Marriott is the largest hotel chain in the world, while Hyatt is popular for its exceptional elite benefits and being one of the few hotels that still publishes an award chart. IHG One has a vast network of budget and luxury hotels, while Hilton can be found virtually anywhere in the world. Wyndham is excellent for families since free nights start at just 1500 points per bedroom. Wyndham has a vast network of timeshares you can book in popular destinations like Hawaii and Las Vegas, making it a great choice to stretch your points further and provide more space for large groups.

10 amazing hotels around the world you can book with points

Start earning points and miles 

Earning points and miles used to require extensive travel, but that’s not the case anymore. Many airlines offer rewards programs that allow you to earn miles by shopping with their partners, using their credit cards, booking hotels and rental cars through them, dining out and shopping with their retail partners. Some methods require minimal effort, making it easy to accrue enough points for your dream vacation. Here’s how to earn points and miles without actually traveling:

Best credit cards for international travel

Credit cards with perks and benefits

Credit cards are the single best way to earn points and miles quickly. The best credit cards offer welcome bonuses ranging from 50,000 or more after you complete a spending requirement. When evaluating credit cards, consider the welcome bonus, your travel goals and spending habits. Be sure to get a credit card that rewards your most significant spending categories (i.e., groceries, dining, gas, travel) at a reasonable annual fee. 

You should also consider credit card perks that might improve your travel experience and lower out-of-pocket costs, like airline fee credits, free checked bags and elite status upgrades. These benefits can save you money on travel and offset the annual fees on these cards. 

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Shopping portals to save

Every major airline and hotel loyalty program has a shopping portal where members get rewarded for shopping with popular retailers. All you have to do is click through these portals to your favorite retailer and you’ll automatically earn extra rewards for every dollar spent. The exact amount varies by retailer, but you’ll typically earn at least 1 additional point per dollar spent. Here’s a list of shopping portals affiliated with popular loyalty programs:

• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Shopping
• American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping
• Barclays RewardsBoost
• Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping
• Delta SkyMiles Shopping
• JetBlue TrueBlue Shopping
• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Shopping
• United Airlines MileagePlus Shopping

During the holidays and back-to-school season, many portals offer additional bonuses for meeting certain spending thresholds. To find the highest payouts, you can head to Cashback Monitor and enter the retailer name you want to shop with. You’ll get a list of the shopping portals offering the highest rewards with that retailer. 

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Dining rewards programs

Earning points with dining rewards programs is one of the easiest ways to earn miles on autopilot. It’s as simple as signing up for the program, registering your credit card and then using it at participating restaurants. You’ll earn up to 8 points for every dollar spent, plus additional bonuses for writing reviews and meeting specific spending requirements. Most of these dining rewards programs are run by the same rewards network, so you can’t register the same credit card with multiple programs at a time. 

You can even register a debit card if you don’t have credit, allowing you to earn points with every purchase automatically. 

• Alaska Mileage Plan Dining : Earn 1,500 Mileage Plan miles after spending $30 and writing a review within 30 days. Plus, earn up to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.
• American AAdvantage Dining : Earn 500 AAdvantage miles after spending $25 within 30 days of registering and writing a review, plus up to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.
• Delta SkyMiles Dining : Earn 500 SkyMiles after spending $30 within 30 days, plus up to 1 per $1 at participating restaurants.
• Free Spirit Dining : Earn 500 Free Spirit bonus points after spending $30 within 30 days of joining and writing a review, plus up to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.
• Hilton Honors Dining : Earn 500 points after spending $25 within 30 days and writing a review. Plus, earn up to 8 points per $1 at participating restaurants.
• IHG Rewards Dining : Earn 1,000 IHG points after spending $30 within 30 days of joining and writing a review. Plus, earn up to 8 points per $1 at participating restaurants.
• JetBlue TrueBlue Dining : Earn 3 points per $1 at participating restaurants.
• Marriott Eat Around Town : Earn up to 6,000 Bonvoy points after spending $90 over three visits within 60 days. Plus, earn up to 6 points per $1 at participating restaurants.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining : Earn 500 points after spending $25 within 30 days and writing a review. Plus, earn up to 3 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.
• United MileagePlus Dining : Earn 500 MileagePlus miles after spending $25 within 30 days of joining and writing a review, plus up to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.

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Sign up for bonus point promotions

To earn the most points possible, you need to sign up for bonus points promotions. Both hotels and airlines periodically offer these on stays and flights. Members have to register for most promotions to earn extra points and miles. Hilton routinely offers double points on stays, while Hyatt gravitates towards flat-rate bonuses (i.e., 1000 bonus points per stay). 

You can navigate to the “offers” page of most hotel and airline loyalty websites to find the latest one. You can also sign up for offers from each program, so you’ll never miss one. Most email notifications allow you to register for promotions with just one click.

If you don’t want an inbox full of promotional emails from loyalty programs, consider setting up a separate email just for that purpose. That way, you keep those emails separate from personal and business emails, assuring you don’t miss out on important messages while staying in the loop.

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Work on earning elite status

Once you’ve figured out which points and miles to earn, it’s time to consider elite status. Airlines and hotels bestow elite status on their most loyal customers. Earning elite status typically requires a lot of traveling, but the benefits pay off in spades. Top-tier elites qualify for upgrades, freebies (checked bags, breakfast, etc.), bonus points and other valuable perks. If you’re planning a trip, having elite status (or some way to leverage those trips for fast-tracking status) can be immensely beneficial. 

Perks like complimentary breakfast and executive lounge access can cut your food budget down significantly while providing convenience during your travels. Free checked bags can add up to hundreds of dollars in savings on a single trip. But you don’t have to fly or stay at hotels frequently to earn status. Most airlines and hotels allow you to earn elite status through credit cards alone. 

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American AAdvantage

American Airlines switched to a new elite status scheme where you earn 1 Loyalty Point for every dollar spent. That includes credit card spending, shopping portal purchases, dining rewards, and everything else. This can help you earn status faster, especially if you have a co-branded credit card. 

American Airlines has five credit cards you can earn Loyalty Points with: The American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard® and AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. The AAdvantage Executive Card even comes with 10,000 bonus Loyalty Points annually when you spend at least $40,000 on the card. 

You earn AAdvantage Gold status after earning 40,000 Loyalty Points and can earn top-tier Executive Platinum status after 200,000.

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Delta SkyMiles

Delta has introduced a  new way to earn Medallion Status. Learn more at  delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges .

The best travel credit cards

Hilton Honors

Hilton is the only hotel loyalty program that offers top-tier status just for having a credit card. The Hilton Honors Aspire Card* has a $450 annual fee but gets you instant Hilton Diamond status. Diamond members enjoy complimentary breakfast or food and beverage credits at most hotels, executive lounge access (think: complimentary afternoon tea, evening appetizers, etc.), 100% bonus points, space-available room upgrades and more. Cardholders also get an annual free night, a $250 resort credit at participating hotels, a $250 airline fee credit and lots of other valuable perks. If you want to bypass Hilton’s 60-night or 30-stay requirement for Diamond status, the Aspire Card is the way to do it. 

For a cheaper alternative (and lower status), you can opt for the following Hilton cards:

• Hilton Honors American Express Card   (no annual fee, see rates and fees ): Hilton Honors Silver status. Upgrade to Gold after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card  ($150 annual fee, see rates and fees ): Hilton Honors Gold status. Upgrade to Diamond after spending $40,000 on eligible purchases in a calendar year.
• Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card  ($95 annual fee, see rates and fees ): Hilton Honors Gold status.

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JetBlue TrueBlue

JetBlue recently switched to a “tile” system for determining Mosaic elite status. Members earn 1 tile for every $100 spent, and it takes 50 tiles to reach the first elite status tier. Alternatively, members can earn 1 tile for every $1000 in credit card spending. Mosaic 1 status unlocks valuable benefits like two free checked bags, priority boarding and security, extra-legroom seat upgrades and more. JetBlue currently has two credit cards you can earn tiles with: The no-annual-fee JetBlue Card and The JetBlue Plus Card, which has a $99 annual fee.

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Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott has four credit cards that provide automatic elite status or credit towards it. The highest status tier is offered by the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card , which offers Bonvoy Platinum status. Platinum is the second highest tier in the Bonvoy program and usually requires 50 nights per year. Platinum members earn 50% more bonus points on stays and receive complimentary room upgrades, a welcome gift choice at check-in, late checkout and other valuable perks. If the card’s $650 annual fee  (see rates and fees)  is outside of your budget, you can opt for one of these other Marriott cards to earn status faster:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card ($95 annual fee): Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in your first three months from account opening.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card  (no annual fee): Earn 30,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first six months from account opening. Plus, Earn up to 14X total points for every $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card *  ($250 annual fee, see rates and fees ): Automatic Bonvoy Gold elite status, plus 15 elite night credits annually towards the next tier. 

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United MileagePlus

To earn elite status with United Airlines, you have to hit one of two metrics: Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) or Premier Qualifying Points (PQP). You can even opt out of the PQF requirement by earning a higher PQP. United Premier status starts at Silver, which requires 12 PQF and 4,000 PQP or just 5,000 PQP. PQFs are earned from segments flown, while PQPs are earned at 1 per $1 spent on qualifying United purchases. 

United Premier elites receive complimentary seat upgrades (to Economy Plus and above), free checked bags, bonus miles on flights and more. Rather than flying, you can earn United PQP through the following co-branded credit cards:

• United Quest℠ Card : Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months your account is open.
• United Club℠ Infinite Card : Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Earn up to 10,000 Premier qualifying points (25 PQP for every $500 you spend on purchases).
• United Club℠ Business Card : Earn 75,000 United MileagePlus Miles and 1,000 PQP after you spend $5,000 on qualifying purchases in the first three months of opening an account. This offer ends on April 3, 2024.

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Southwest Rapid Rewards

Southwest Airlines has three status tiers, and while you won’t receive flashy upgrades, the perks can be worthwhile. For example, you can earn a Companion Pass after 100 flights or 135,000 qualifying points for the remainder of the calendar year when the Companion Pass was earned and the following year. The companion you designate will then be able to fly with you free of charge, making it an excellent tool for families to save on travel. You can meet the 135,000-point requirement with the Southwest credit cards. 

The welcome bonus and every dollar spent count towards this requirement, and you can even combine multiple credit card bonuses. Every Southwest card earns 50,000 points after you spend $1000 in the first three months of account opening. The exception is the Premier Business card, which earns up to 60,000 points:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card :  Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card : Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card :   Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card : Earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months. 

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How to use points for travel

When you’re ready to redeem your miles, follow a few precautions to get the most value out of them. First, familiarize yourself with your program’s “sweet spot” awards. These are awards you can book for significantly less compared to other programs. Here’s a quick list of some of the best airline sweet spots you should consider when redeeming points:

• United flights within the U.S. or to Hawaii for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles roundtrip: United often charges that (or more) for the same award. You can get Turkish miles by transferring Capital One miles to the program at a 1:1 ratio.
• Virgin Atlantic flight from the East Coast to London for 10,000 miles each way: You can transfer points to Virgin Atlantic from American Express, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou points.
• Star Alliance business class to Europe for 88,000 miles round-trip: ANA MileagePlan has one of the cheapest fares to Europe, almost half of what other Star Alliance carriers charge. You can get ANA miles by transferring American Express Membership Rewards to the program.

Some airlines also offer off-peak pricing, allowing you to save miles if you’re flexible with your travel dates. For example, Flying Blue discounts Air France and KLM flights worldwide by up to 50% when you book their Promo Rewards . American Airlines offers off-peak pricing to destinations worldwide if you’re willing to travel during the off-peak season. Familiarizing yourself with these programs can help you save on travel and stretch your miles further. 

The same goes for hotel loyalty programs: Hyatt discounts off-peak awards by up to 46%, while Marriott discounts hotels through its PointSavers program. You can save further on hotel redemptions by taking advantage of consecutive-night booking discounts offered by different programs:

• IHG: Fourth night free on award bookings for select IHG credit card holders.
• Hilton: Fifth night free on award bookings for Silver members and above.
• Marriott: Fifth night free on award bookings for all members.

The best credit cards for airport lounge access

Frequently asked questions

How can i use my points for free flights.

Depending on the program, you can redeem points for flights directly through their website or by calling a customer service representative. 

How to use points and miles to save money on travel

How many frequent flyer miles does it take to get a free flight?

The number of frequent flyer miles needed for a free flight depends on the airline, destination, cabin and time of year. Some programs allow you to book flights for as little as 1800 miles, while long-haul first-class tickets can cost well over 150,000 miles round-trip.

Traveling to Japan using points and miles

Are travel points worth it?

Travel points are worth it if you redeem them for upscale travel. You can save on flights and hotels by leveraging travel points even if you're a budget traveler. However, it may not be worth it if you don't like traveling or dealing with restrictions around redemptions.

How to get started with travel points and airline miles

How can I get airline miles quickly?

You can get airline miles quickly by signing up for co-branded credit cards and meeting their spending requirements. You can also earn additional miles through online shopping portals, dining rewards programs and more. Travel isn’t required to earn points and miles.

How to travel to Bali with points and miles

*Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit  americanexpress.com  to learn more.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by Lonely Planet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.  

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

This article was first published August 2023 and updated January 2024

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Best Ways to Earn Travel Points

Related to:.

Top ways to earn miles and points, tips from The Points Guy, Brian Kelly

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It’s been a long time since the most lucrative ways to earn travel points and miles was through flying and staying in hotels. In fact, I fly close to 200,000 miles a year and spend well over 100 nights in hotels, but the majority of my points and miles come from non-travel sources. The same can be true for any budget-conscious traveler, and it’s easier than you may think. There are myriad ways to earn points and miles these days, from getting the right credit cards to tweeting an airline or hotel -- here are some of the best ways you can easily start to accrue miles and points and miles yourself.  1. Get the Right Credit Cards.   Credit cards are the single most lucrative source of points and miles out there. Credit cards are offering huge signup bonuses of up to 100,000 points or miles, just as the Amex Platinum Card or the British Airways Visa have done in the past year.  Many credit cards also offer great ways to rack up bonus points with your everyday spending by creating bonus spending categories where you can earn multiple points per dollar, such as the 5 Chase Ultimate Rewards points you earn per dollar at office stores and on phone, cable and internet bills with the Ink Bold and Ink Plus , or 2 points per dollar on dining and travel with the Sapphire Preferred .  Some credit cards also offer calendar year spending bonuses, such as the Amex Premier Rewards Gold , which gives you a 15,000-point bonus when you spend $30,000 or more in a calendar year, essentially giving you a 50% points boost. Bottom-line: When it comes to credit cards, it really pays to know where the spending power and benefits of yours lie.  2. When Shopping, Skip the Cash.   The way I see it, every time you pay for something in cash, you are throwing away points. If you are financially responsible, you should be charging every single dollar of your normal expenses possible on a points-earning credit card, and these days, you can put almost everything on a credit card, including your phone, utilities, gas, groceries, dining and sometimes even rent, though, in this last case, watch out for processing fees.  Apart from bills, many airlines and hotels, such as American , Delta and Southwest , also offer online shopping portals with bonus offers at various merchants where you can earn multiple points or miles per $1 you spend there. Simply click through to the retailer of your choice -- everything from Target to Nordstrom -- and make your purchase from that retailer’s website as usual.  3. Dine Out for Big Rewards.   Several airlines, including United and US Airways , also have dining rewards networks that you sign up for online and register a credit card with so that every time you use it at a participating restaurant (and there are hundreds in most big cities) you will earn anywhere from 2 to 5 miles per dollar depending on how often you dine. Those thousands of dollars you spend each month will add up to a trip faster than you think.  4. Tweet Your Way to a Trip.   Some of the most enthusiastic adopters of social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the airlines and hotels themselves. There are always bonuses and promotions being offered through these media -- anywhere from earning a few extra miles for liking a Facebook post, to entering contests with prizes of thousands of points on Instagram, and everything in between.  Not only that, but airlines such as American and Southwest , regularly offer thousands of bonus miles for signing up for their various newsletters (a few annoying emails is worth it, in my opinion!), and from time to time, airlines like Delta and hotels like Starwood offer travelers who download their Smartphone apps thousands of extra points for using them to do anything from check in for a flight like Delta has, to tagging their location on Foursquare during their stay, like Starwood offered last year.  Everywhere you look, there are bonus miles and points just waiting to be earned, whether it’s by going about your everyday shopping or simply reading an email. Once you start to take advantage of them, you’ll be earning the points you need to get where you want in no time.

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A beginner's guide to travel credit cards

Key takeaways

• Travel reward programs allow you to earn points or miles when you make purchases with certain credit cards.
• Once you hit a specific spending threshold, points can be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, and other travel-related perks.
• The point-to-dollar exchange rate varies widely with each program and could add up to big savings, but program fees could offset the benefits in some cases.
• Rewards cards that aren't tied to a specific company often let you transfer points to a participating travel partner like a hotel or airline.

Using credit to book travel can unlock cheaper, even free ways to see the world if you play your cards right. Travel credit cards also may offer airport lounge access or rewards you can redeem for travel-related perks like hotel or flight upgrades. There's a reason why 41% of Americans already use a travel rewards credit card, according to a 2023 NerdWallet survey. 1 But choosing one can be daunting. Here's how travel rewards work and how to navigate the options.

Feed your brain. Fund your future.

How do travel rewards work?

Travel reward programs function on a simple premise: You earn points or miles by spending on a designated credit card. Depending on the specific card, transactions such as booking flights or hotel stays through partner companies can earn you these points. Some cards even offer points on everyday purchases, like groceries or gas, or for every dollar spent. You could even earn bonus incentives by signing up (these are called introductory offers) or by passing a spending threshold on certain types of purchases.

Once you've accumulated enough points, you can then spend them on benefits within your travel rewards programs, such as flights, hotel stays, upgrades, and more, depending on the program. And these points can add up to some serious savings. Although it's tricky to assign a specific dollar value to points (more on that later), a 2023 survey found that the average travel card holder had a balance of over 50,000 points. 2

If these rewards would act as a coupon for your current spending habits, a travel rewards credit card could be a good financial move if you'd save more than the annual fees and pay off your balance each month. But if one of these credit cards would encourage you to spend more than you would without it, then a travel rewards program may end up costing you more money than it saves.

Travel rewards and credit card features to consider

Every travel rewards program is unique, but here are some common features to consider when trying to score travel rewards with a credit card.

Annual fees

An annual fee is the cost of owning a travel rewards credit card and reaping the benefits that come with it. Not all travel rewards credit cards have annual fees, but those that do can range from less than $50 to more than $500. 3 While these fees may sound like a drawback, they often correlate with enhanced benefits and rewards potentially including lucrative sign-up bonuses, complimentary travel insurance, and airport lounge access, to name a few.

Before committing to a card with an annual fee, it's important to do a cost-benefit analysis first. Weigh the value of the benefits against the annual fee and decide whether the card would save you money, based on your spending habits and travel aspirations. Also, keep an eye out for waived annual fees in the intro period enabling you to test-drive the card's features without an immediate financial commitment. An introductory bonus offer may cover a card's annual fee for one year, for example, which could be a good trial run to see if the card's perks are worth it.

Initial spend/sign-up bonuses

Sign-up bonuses are an incentive to join a credit card travel rewards program. These bonuses typically come in the form of points or miles awarded to your account—commonly in bulk, at one time—after meeting a minimum spending requirement in a specific timeframe. It gives you a head start on accumulating rewards and can help justify an annual fee (if there is one). Like many promotions, rewards for new cardholders can change at any time, so keep in mind that an offer you see today could be different tomorrow.

And while the allure of a boatload of points may seem irresistible, read the fine print so you know up front whether the required spending aligns with your budget and financial habits. Ultimately, sign-up bonuses (and travel rewards in general) are designed to encourage you to spend more on a given card. This gamification of spending may seem exciting, but it can also foster bad financial habits if you aren't careful. A good guideline to help keep spending in check is to never put more on a credit card than what you can pay off when the bill comes. If the card offers a reward for signing up, consider the long-term value beyond that initial bonus.

Cash-conversion rate for points

Once you've narrowed down your travel rewards program options, get a rough estimate of the cash conversion rate for points or miles. Some programs allow you to directly convert your points to cash and pay down your credit card bill, in which case, the point-to-dollar ratio shouldn't be too hard to figure out. But many don't, only allowing you to spend those points or miles to book travel.

The value of your points or their redemption value aren't always a one-for-one exchange. Online calculators are one way to check whether a specific rewards deal is a good one.

Although it varies from card to card, points may have more lucrative redemption values for some rewards over others. For instance, booking travel through the card issuer's portal might mean 100,000 points gets you a $100 flight—but booking that same flight on another platform might cost 150,000 points. If this sounds confusing that's because it is, and each program has its own incredibly nuanced points exchange program. Online communities for travel rewards points could be another resource for decoding the points value for your specific program and getting info about how other travelers have used their points.

Foreign transaction fees

A foreign transaction fee is an extra charge added to transactions that aren't in US dollars. This includes charges on the ground in another country and purchases online from retailers that work in different currencies. Although these fees vary from card to card, they usually range from 1% to 3% of the transaction. 4

If all your travel is domestic or in countries that use US dollars, you won't have to worry about these fees. But if you plan to travel internationally, you might want to look for a card that waives foreign transaction fees. This will ensure that you're not charged extra for that croissant in Paris or for those souvenirs in Tokyo.

General travel vs. specific travel company rewards

Some travel rewards programs are tied to a specific airline or hotel, while others reward you for spending no matter who you book with. If you always book with a specific airline, stay at one brand of hotel, or use a specific rental car company, you could get more value for your points—or earn more points—if you use that company's travel rewards credit card.

Transfer point programs

Many general travel rewards credit cards let you transfer their points to loyalty programs at different hotels and airlines, which you can then redeem for hotel stays and flights. These exchange programs tend to have a higher redemption value than programs offering cash back and, by most estimates, are the best way to maximize the benefits of a travel rewards credit card. Keep in mind that credit card companies have different exchange rates for each hotel and airline partner, so you'll have to determine on a case-by-case basis whether an exchange program is worthwhile for your specific card.

Airport perks

Airport lounge access is a popular perk for travel rewards credit card holders, especially those who travel often. Some programs will also cover the cost of programs that make getting through airport security easier. Consider the annual fees associated with each card and whether these perks would cost less if you paid for them with cash—and without paying for the card.

Consider general cash-back cards

Making the most of a travel rewards program can be a lot of work. Not to mention, travel rewards points can't always be easily redeemed unless you plan to travel. If you're looking for a less fussy and more liquid way to earn rewards for your credit card spending, consider a general cash-back card. Typically, these credit cards give you a percentage of your total spending back in cash without having to calculate exchange rates or redemption values.

One to consider: the Fidelity® Rewards Visa Signature® Credit Card, which can earn you unlimited 2% cash back on everyday spending. 5 That cash back can be deposited into any eligible Fidelity account, 6 giving your money more chances to grow.

Spend and earn at the same time

Spending on your Fidelity ® Rewards Visa Signature ® Card can put money in your Fidelity account.

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Oh, hello again, thanks for subscribing to looking for more ideas and insights you might like these too:, looking for more ideas and insights you might like these too:, fidelity viewpoints ® timely news and insights from our pros on markets, investing, and personal finance. (debug tcm:2 ... decode crypto clarity on crypto every month. build your knowledge with education for all levels. fidelity smart money ℠ what the news means for your money, plus tips to help you spend, save, and invest. active investor our most advanced investment insights, strategies, and tools. insights from fidelity wealth management ℠ timely news, events, and wealth strategies from top fidelity thought leaders. women talk money real talk and helpful tips about money, investing, and careers. educational webinars and events free financial education from fidelity and other leading industry professionals. fidelity viewpoints ® timely news and insights from our pros on markets, investing, and personal finance. (debug tcm:2 ... decode crypto clarity on crypto every month. build your knowledge with education for all levels. fidelity smart money ℠ what the news means for your money, plus tips to help you spend, save, and invest. active investor our most advanced investment insights, strategies, and tools. insights from fidelity wealth management ℠ timely news, events, and wealth strategies from top fidelity thought leaders. women talk money real talk and helpful tips about money, investing, and careers. educational webinars and events free financial education from fidelity and other leading industry professionals. done add subscriptions no, thanks. 1. erin el issa, "how the 41% of americans with a travel credit card can boost rewards," nerdwallet, march 28, 2023. 2. erin el issa, "how the 41% of americans with a travel credit card can boost rewards." 3. beverly harzog, "best travel rewards credit cards of 2024," u.s. news and world report, april 9, 2024. 4. lyle daly, "what happens if a credit card's sign-up bonus increases after you get the card," the accent: motely fool, november 14, 2024 5. you will earn 2 points per dollar in eligible net purchases (net purchases are purchases minus credits and returns) that you charge. account must be open and in good standing to earn and redeem rewards and benefits. upon approval, refer to your program rules for additional information. subject to applicable law, you may not redeem reward points, and you will immediately lose all of your reward points, if your account is closed to future transactions (including, but not limited to, due to program misuse, failure to pay, bankruptcy, or death). reward points will not expire as long as your account remains open. certain transactions are not eligible for reward points, including advances (as defined in the agreement, including wire transfers, travelers checks, money orders, foreign cash transactions, betting transactions, lottery tickets and atm disbursements), convenience checks, balance transfers, unauthorized or fraudulent charges, overdraft advances, interest charges, fees, credit insurance charges, transactions to fund certain prepaid card products, u.s. mint purchases, or transactions to purchase cash convertible items. the 2% cash back rewards value applies only to points redeemed for a deposit into an eligible fidelity ® account. the redemption value is different if you choose to redeem your points for other rewards such as travel options, merchandise, gift cards, and/or statement credit. other restrictions apply. full details appear in the program rules new card customers receive with their card. establishment or ownership of a fidelity ®  account or other relationship with fidelity investments ®  is not required to obtain a card or to be eligible to use points to obtain any rewards offered under the program other than fidelity rewards. 6. eligible accounts include most nonretirement registrations as well as traditional ira, roth ira, rollover ira, sep ira, fidelity charitable ® giving account ® , fidelity hsa ® , and fidelity ® -managed 529 college savings plan accounts. the ability to contribute to an ira or 529 college savings plan account is subject to irs rules and specific program policies, including those on eligibility and annual and maximum contribution limits. full details appear in the program guidelines new card customers receive with their card. contributions to fidelity charitable ® are generally eligible for a federal income tax charitable deduction. please consult with your tax advisor. the list of eligible registration types may change without notice at fidelity’s sole discretion. for more information about whether a particular registration is eligible, please call 1-800-fidelity (800-343-3548). the third parties mentioned herein and fidelity investments are independent entities and are not legally affiliated. the views expressed are as of the date indicated and may change based on market or other conditions. unless otherwise noted, the opinions provided are those of the speaker or author, as applicable, and not necessarily those of fidelity investments. the third-party contributors are not employed by fidelity but are compensated for their services. the fidelity investments and pyramid design logo is a registered service mark of fmr llc. the third-party trademarks and service marks appearing herein are the property of their respective owners. fidelity brokerage services llc, member nyse, sipc , 900 salem street, smithfield, ri 02917 © 2024 fmr llc. all rights reserved. 1141513.1.0 mutual funds etfs fixed income bonds cds options active trader pro investor centers stocks online trading annuities life insurance & long term care small business retirement plans 529 plans iras retirement products retirement planning charitable giving fidsafe , (opens in a new window) finra's brokercheck , (opens in a new window) health savings account stay connected.

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How to Rack Up Points and Miles With Everyday Spending

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Credit card companies are always pushing new travel cards with welcome bonuses that can be too tempting to pass up.

But what if you already have as many cards as you can handle? Or don’t want to pay another annual fee? Or don’t want to learn how to navigate yet another card’s redemption regulations? There are still plenty of ways to rack up points and miles with everyday spending no matter what credit card you have.

Pick an airline

First, choose an airline or two with which you’d like to earn rewards. Selecting too many will just spread whatever points you do earn too thin, and you’ll be in the same boat you started in: the one where you don’t have enough points or miles to book travel anywhere.

Once you’ve chosen a preferred airline, start browsing their site for details on their frequent flyer program to learn the ins and outs of how to earn miles. Most airlines offer many of the same earning avenues, but check which are specific to your favorite and make a list to start earning points.

Shop online

Most airlines offer a dedicated online shopping portal that allows you to register any credit card and earn miles for purchases. Typically, it requires just one or two more steps when making purchases than not using the portal.

Here’s how it works: once you register a credit card (it doesn’t even have to be a travel rewards card), go to the airline’s shopping portal. It will likely look something like this, as many of the large airlines utilize the same platform:

Create an account if you don’t have one, then log in. Search for the site you want to shop with. You can purchase everything from glasses to home goods to building supplies and earn points for every dollar spent.

Keep an eye out for bonuses, too, as offers change frequently. Some stores offer an additional 5 miles per $ spent, though the norm is at least 1 mile per $1.

Unfortunately, Amazon and eBay don’t participate, but Walmart, Target and Lowe's are some of the big names that do. And if you spend a little time browsing through shopping categories, you may be surprised to find how many retailers are available.

Shop in person

You can sometimes even earn rewards for in-person shopping. Stock your fridge at Carrs-Safeway in Alaska and you’ll earn 100 Alaska Airlines miles for every $300 you spend. Just link your Safeway card in your Mileage Plan account. Likewise, Hawaiian Airlines offers 200 HawaiianMiles for every $250 you spend at any Foodland, Sack n Save and Foodland Farms. You can even earn a few extra miles by bringing your own bag.

» Learn more: Use ‘virtual malls’ to rack up airline points on your next hotel

Check out mobile apps

Mobile shopping apps are gaining in popularity. United MileagePlus allows you to earn miles by shopping in store at participating retailers if you use their MileagePlus X app, for example.

Another way to earn points and miles is to register a card with your preferred airline’s dining program. Like e-shopping portals, most airlines offer them and include the same restaurants.

Once you register and link your credit card, start browsing the list of participating restaurants near you and take note of which ones you already frequent (or would like to frequent). Then, it’s just a matter of dining out and using your registered card to pay for the meal (or friends’ meals).

Make sure to read the fine print, though. Occasionally, airlines (like Southwest) will require that you remain signed up for their dining emails to earn the maximum number of miles. You'll get 3x miles per dollar spent if you opt in.

Keep in mind that you can't register the same card with more than one dining rewards program. If you do want to earn miles with multiple programs, you’ll have to register a different card for each one. Just make sure you remember which card is affiliated with which program.

» Learn more: The best dining rewards programs

Travel (without flying)

Of course you can earn miles when you fly with airlines, but did you know you can also earn miles when you book travel with airline partners? Cruises, rental cars and even hotel stays are often included, which means you’ll earn points and miles, including bonuses. United, for example, sometimes offers an additional 100,000 miles when you book certain cruises.

Other options for earning rewards include hotel stays. Every airline will have slightly different partnerships, but there are typically a handful of options with each. Delta even offers miles for Airbnb bookings.

Some airlines also include several options for how to book. United allows bookings right through their booking portal (accessible via your MileagePlus account) to earn 2 miles per $1 spent on hotels, or through sites like Rocketmiles and PointsHound for up to 10,000 points per booking.

Car rentals are another earning category worth mentioning. Book through your favorite frequent flyer website to earn. Most airlines will offer a set amount (e.g., 500 miles per reservation), but sometimes, like with American Airlines, you can earn more miles per booking if you have an airline affiliated credit card, so keep that in mind when searching. Delta has even partnered with Lyft, so you can get to where you’re going while traveling and still earn miles.

Home and lifestyle spending

A last — often overlooked — way to earn miles is in the home, financial and lifestyle spending category. Depending on the airline, this can include everything from signing up for a new cell phone plan to earning points for taking surveys; home and auto insurance policies to loans; your electricity bill to donating money to charity. Take a few minutes to peruse your frequent flyer programs to see what each one offers, then start earning those miles for all the things you’re already paying for.

The bottom line

You don’t have to fly or constantly sign up for new credit card offers to rack up miles for award travel. Earn points and miles with everyday spending by learning which airlines offer rewards for the things you’re already spending on and utilizing those offers so you can go farther faster.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2024 , including those best for:

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice: Find the best travel credit card for you Snag these hotel loyalty perks, even if you’re disloyal Earn more points and miles with these 6 strategies

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

60,000 Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-6.5% Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

$300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

The best way to spend your Amex points, according to the experts

Visit Telegraph Money

Your complete guide to being better off

American Express, or “Amex”, credit cards have made their way into millions of wallets since they first landed in Britain in 1963. Sixty years on and there are still tricks little known to most users that can boost your points far more than you might think.

In their flashy platinum, gold and British Airways branding, Amex cards have become one of the most popular cashback and rewards cards, as well as a status symbol. But are Amex as good as they seem, and are they worth it for everyone?

Here, Telegraph Money explains everything you need to know about the cards and how you can make the most of your points.

Where is Amex accepted?

You can use your Amex card in a large number of retailers across the country, and 66 million businesses globally, but not everywhere. 

For example, it’s accepted at every major supermarket chain in the UK, including Aldi and Lidl. You can also use your card at the Post Office, Argos and Airbnb (in most countries).

In the past few years B&M, Timpson, B&Q, H&M, Dulux and Lego have also started taking Amex payments. In 2023, Amex signed acceptance agreements with a host of further retailers including Savers, McColl’s and Morrisons Daily convenience stores.

Acceptance in charity shops has also recently expanded, and attractions such as Chester Zoo, The London Dungeon and Alton Towers now take Amex payments. 

Where can I use Amex points?

The Amex Membership Rewards scheme is available with certain cards, where you can earn points with eligible card spending.

You can spend your Amex Membership Rewards points online at over 1,000 retailers including Currys, Amazon and Holland & Barrett, order gift cards from a number of well-known brands and book travel on the American Express Travel website. 

You can also use the points as credit to clear your credit card balance. 

Alternatively, points can be donated to more than 9,000 charities via JustGiving or transferred to other travel and hotel loyalty programmes, such as Avios, Virgin Points, Emirates Skywards, Marriott Bonvoy and Hilton Honors points. Amex points converted to Avios can then be switched for Nectar points, too. 

The points you earn depend on what card you have, but the basic offering is typically one point per £1 spent on purchases. There is usually a generous bonus for signing up, which is currently as high as 60,000 points on the Platinum card.

Is it actually worth getting an Amex card?

Not for everyone, according to Rob Burgess, editor of travel and credit card rewards website Head for Points. 

While the lure of bonus points for signing up and making purchases are attractive, when it comes to spending them, the best rewards – flights, hotel rooms and Eurostar seats – require high levels of points. 

Mr Burgess said: “Unless you are spending £100,000 a year on credit cards, Amex points are likely to be used to top up an existing Avios or other travel rewards balance, rather than provide 100pc of the points you need for a free flight or room.  

“Once you’ve spent your card sign-up bonus, most people will struggle to generate enough points for free flights or hotel rooms purely from card spend.”

But if you’re not interested in travel, the best reward is probably a little known trick transferring Amex Membership Rewards to British Airways Avios to Nectar, Sainsbury’s loyalty reward scheme, which gets you 0.66p of Nectar points per Amex point.

This beats the 0.45p per Amex point if you take statement credit and 0.5p per Amex point if you redeem for retailer gift cards. Oddly, it also beats the 0.5p per Amex point you get if you move Amex points directly to Nectar.

Secondly, customers should be mindful of the cost of borrowing on an American Express card.

Mr Burgess said: “As all Amex cards have high interest rates compared to the cheapest cards on the market, they’re not a great option for anyone who doesn’t repay their bill in full every month. This knocks out the 65pc of the UK population who don’t clear their balance every single month without fail.”

Thirdly, as Amex isn’t accepted everywhere, you’ll always need to take an alternative debit Visa or Mastercard card out with you anyway. 

Would an Amex card work for me?

With some cards, you can work out yourself if they are worth it based on your spend and the points you can earn.

There are 16 Amex cards to choose from, so it can be quite tough to know which one best suits you. You need to make sure you pay them off in full each month as, in most cases, the interest rates are comparatively high.

Here is a selection of the most popular and their benefits.

Amex Rewards Credit Card 

One of the most basic of Amex credit cards is the Rewards card. It doesn’t have an upfront cost. 

New members receive 10,000 Amex Rewards points if they spend £2,000 in their first three months. For everyday use, you earn one point for every £1 spent. You can also earn 4,000 points if you invite a friend and they are approved for a card.

The Amex Rewards Credit Card’s representative APR is 31pc variable.

Amex Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card 

The Amex Gold card is free in the first year, but has an annual fee of £195 from year two onwards. In exchange, there are freebies and potential extra points up for grabs.

New cardholders get a bonus of 20,000 Rewards points for spending £3,000 in the first three months. You can get three points for every £1 spent on American Express Travel (where members can book flights, hotels and make other travel purchases), two points for each £1 spent directly with airlines, and one point for every £1 spent elsewhere. 

You can also get up to 12,500 bonus points each year.

The card comes with four free Priority Pass airport lounge visits each year, and the chance to get £5 back on eligible Deliveroo purchases twice a month.

The Amex Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card has a representative APR of 88.8pc variable.

Amex Platinum Card 

The next step up the ladder after gold is the platinum card, which comes with an annual fee of £650. This is predominantly aimed at big spenders who travel a lot.

For the high  price, there are a number of perks available, which repeat each year, including Priority Pass airport lounge access, £150 credit to spend at UK restaurants, £150 credit to spend at international restaurants, £100 Harvey Nichols credit and worldwide family travel insurance. The credit benefits alone add up to £600, more than covering the cost of the card – but they may not appeal to everyone.

If you spend £6,000 in the first three months on the Amex Platinum Card you can earn 40,000 Amex Membership Rewards points. 

The Platinum Card has a representative APR of 704.6pc variable.

The best ways to spend your Amex points

Transfer your points to air miles.

Consider switching Amex Membership Rewards Points to airline miles. The value depends on which scheme you opt for but expect 1:1 conversions for Avios, Virgin Atlantic, Emirates, Etihad, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Flying Blue, Qantas and SAS, and 3:2 for Singapore Airlines. 

The value of your points will depend on a number of factors including your destination, cabin and what class or airline you’d opt for if you weren’t using points. 

Be mindful, only high spenders will be able to earn enough air miles purely from card spend to get premium cabin free flights.

Switch to Club Eurostar points

Club Eurostar lets you use points on any train – if there is a seat available, you can pay for it in points. Mr Burgess values one Club Eurostar point at 12p and the 15:1 transfer rate from Amex points to Club Eurostar points means you are getting 0.8p per point. 

He said: “As with airline miles, you will find that your points have substantially more value if your lifestyle means that you are likely to need to travel at short notice when cash fares are higher.”

Convert to Nectar

Swap your Amex points to Avios and then to Nectar and get 0.66p per point if you use them at Sainsbury’s, eBay or Argos.

You can convert 50,000 Avios per month to Nectar at a rate of 300:400. This is more lucrative than transferring Amex points directly into Nectar which only gets you 0.5p per Amex point. 

Converting via Avios first results in a 32pc increase in points.

Amex does also offer a designated Nectar Credit Card, which is free in the first year (£30 in year two onwards). 

New members can get 20,000 Nectar points when they spend £2,000 in the first three months. You earn two Nectar points for every £1 spent.

This article was first published on May 7 2023, and has since been updated.

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19 Best Ways To Earn Lots of JetBlue TrueBlue Points

Spencer Howard

Former Content Contributor

51 Published Articles

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Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

33 Published Articles 3136 Edited Articles

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Using Co-branded JetBlue and Partner Credit Cards

Sign up for a jetblue trueblue account, 1. barclays jetblue co-branded credit cards, 2. chase ultimate rewards credit cards, 3. citi thankyou rewards credit cards, 4. amex membership rewards credit cards, 5. trueblue shopping portal, 6. the trueblue dining program, 8. airfare and flights, 9. earn more with even more space seats, 10. earn more with mosaic status, 11. share points with points pooling, 12. pet bonus, 13. rent a car with paisly, 14. stay in a hotel with paisly or ihg, 15. book activities or theme park tickets with paisly, 16. book vacation packages, 17. fill out surveys online, 18. buy jetblue trueblue points, 19. earn with airport rewards, final thoughts.

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

JetBlue might not have the same kind of extensive route network compared to Delta Air Lines or American Airlines, but it has gained a reputation for having a good product and solid service.

In this post, you’ll learn about the ways you can use credit cards to earn JetBlue TrueBlue points and other fun ways to earn even more points. Soon you’ll have tons of TrueBlue points to redeem any way you want!

We love getting points using our credit cards, and TrueBlue points can be earned using the Barclays lineup. First, you’ll need to get signed up for the loyalty program and credit card(s).

Here’s how to get started.

Like many other airline programs, you can become a member immediately by just signing up on JetBlue’s site . Once you’ve set up an account, you’ll be ready to earn TrueBlue points.

Your TrueBlue membership number will appear under My Account.  Keep that number handy, as you’ll use it to earn extra points with JetBlue’s various partners.

Check under Current Deals to see if there are any promotions when you sign up. For example, there may be a chance to earn extra points if you fly within a set time period after registering your account.

Earn TrueBlue Points With Credit Cards

There are several credit cards that can help you earn TrueBlue points . Some earn TrueBlue points directly, while other premium credit cards earn transferable points that can be transferred to your TrueBlue account.

Barclays issues 3 co-branded JetBlue cards. When you get one of these cards, you can earn a big chunk of points thanks to the different sign-up bonuses offered by each.

Recommended JetBlue Cards

The JetBlue Card

TrueBlue members will appreciate the sign-up bonus, badges program, High Five bonus, and much more.

The information regarding the JetBlue Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

One of the benefits of being a frequent flyer is the opportunity to accumulate a ton of bonus points. That is, of course, as long as you have the right credit card!

You already fly JetBlue for the perks, like free snacks, beverages, entertainment, and Wi-Fi. Why not get The JetBlue Card and earn more miles too?

• Earn 10,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days.
• Earn 3x points on eligible JetBlue purchases.
• Earn 2x points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores.
• Earn 1x points on all other purchases.
• 50% inflight savings on cocktails and food purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.24% to 29.99% variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Airline Credit Cards
• No Annual Fee Cards

Rewards Center

JetBlue TrueBlue Frequent Flyer Program

The JetBlue Plus Card

Earn major points to redeem for JetBlue flights and more! Earn up to 6x points in various categories and a yearly point bonus.

The information regarding the JetBlue Plus Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 

You can’t complain about spending so much time with your head in the clouds when JetBlue makes it so easy ! Whether booking flights for business or pleasure, they are your go-to airline every time.

Between free entertainment (DirectTV, SiriusXM), Wi-Fi, and unlimited snacks and (non-alcoholic) beverages, what’s not to love?

Now, you can earn and redeem points for those flights when you sign up for The JetBlue Plus Card. It allows you to earn free flights even faster than The JetBlue Card and comes with some pretty nice features too!

• Limited-Time Offer: Earn 60,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases and paying the annual fee in full, both within the first 90 days.
• Earn 6X points on eligible JetBlue purchases 2X points at restaurants and eligible grocery stores and 1X points on all other purchases.
• Earn 5,000 bonus points every year after your account anniversary
• Enjoy Mosaic benefits if you spend $50,000 or more on purchases each calendar year with your card.
• Enjoy an annual $100 statement credit after purchasing a JetBlue Vacations package of $100 or more with your JetBlue Plus Card.
• APR: 21.24 to 29.99% variable

JetBlue TrueBlue Frequent Flyer Program

The JetBlue Business Card

Earn 6 points per $1 on JetBlue purchases, free checked bag, a 10% points rebate, and bonus points each year on your account anniversary.

The information regarding The JetBlue Business Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 

As a small business owner, you don’t have time to waste. That’s why you look for products and services you can depend on.

You already spend money on airline tickets, office supplies, and dining out. Sign up for The JetBlue Business Card and you’ll automatically earn points (and bonus points!) for your expenses.

Even better, give your employees cards at no extra cost and you’ll get the points earned from their purchases too. Then redeem your points for free trips and more!

• Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first 90 days, plus 10,000 bonus points when a purchase is made on an employee card in the first 90 days
• Earn 6x points on eligible JetBlue purchases
• Earn 2x points at restaurants and office supply stores
• Earn 1x points on all other purchases
• Free first checked bag for you and up to three companions on the same reservation when you use your card to book JetBlue-operated flights
• No foreign transaction fees
• APR: 21.24% variable or 29.99% variable
• Business Credit Cards
• How To Apply & Qualify for a Small Business Credit Card

The JetBlue Plus card and The JetBlue Business card both earn 6 points per dollar on all purchases with JetBlue. This rate is particularly useful card if you are paying for JetBlue flights regularly.  Both cards come with a mid-range annual fee but generally come with a hefty sign-up bonus.

If you’d prefer a card with no annual fee that earns TrueBlue points directly, look no further than The JetBlue card . With this card, you’ll earn 3 points per dollar when making purchases with JetBlue.

All 3 of these cards also have 2 bonus categories: restaurants and grocery stores. You will earn 2 points per dollar on these purchases regardless of which JetBlue card you choose.

Additionally, you can spend your way to Mosaic elite status with any of these 3 cards. You’ll earn 1 tile for every $1,000 spent . Once you earn 50 tiles, you’ll be rewarded with Mosaic status.

Hot Tip:  Check out the most valuable benefits of The JetBlue Plus card .

You can transfer Chase points points to JetBlue at a 1:1 ratio.

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred ® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance . With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide
• $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Travel portal
• 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
• Excellent travel and car rental insurance
• 10% annual bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
• Member FDIC
• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Credit Cards
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Best Sign Up Bonuses

Chase Ultimate Rewards

• The Chase Sapphire Preferred 80k or 100k Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Score Requirements
• Military Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Sapphire Preferred vs Reserve
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

Chase Sapphire Reserve ®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve ®  is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access , with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
• 5x points on airfare booked through Chase Travel SM
• 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit
• Priority Pass airport lounge access
• TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
• Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
• Rental car elite status with National and Avis
• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck ®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Chase Sapphire Reserve 100k Bonus Offer
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Airport Lounge Access
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Travel Insurance Benefits
• Chase Sapphire Reserve Military Benefits
• Amex Gold vs Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Amex Platinum vs Chase Sapphire Reserve

If you’re a business owner, see our list of the best Chase business credit cards .

Citi added JetBlue as a transfer partner in the ThankYou Rewards program and is now a 1:1 transfer partner. You’ll need either the Citi Prestige ® Card or the Citi Premier ® Card to transfer at that ratio. Other ThankYou Rewards-participating cards may be able to transfer to JetBlue at 1:0.8 ratio.

Without a transfer bonus , there are better ways to redeem your ThankYou Points , but they’re great to have if you really need them.

Recommended Citi Cards (Personal)

Citi Premier ® Card

Frequent flyers will enjoy 3x ThankYou Points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels.

The Citi Premier ® Card is an excellent option for anyone looking for an all-around travel rewards credit card. The card helps you earn points fast with great 3x bonus categories such as restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotels. Plus, it offers access to airline and hotel transfer partners, doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, and has a reasonable annual fee!

• 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotel purchases
• Access to Citi transfer partners
• Annual hotel credit
• $95 annual fee
• Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou ® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou ® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
• 60,000 ThankYou ® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases
• APR: 21.24% - 29.24% Variable

Citi ThankYou Rewards

• Benefits of the Citi Premier
• Authorized User Benefits of the Citi Premier
• Chase Sapphire Preferred Card vs. Citi Premier Card [Detailed Comparison]
• Best Citi Credit Cards
• Best Credit Card Sign Up Bonuses
• Best Travel Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Groceries and Supermarkets
• Best Virtual Credit Cards

Citi Rewards+ ® Card

This no annual fee card rewards cardholders for everyday purchases. Earn bonus points at supermarkets and gas stations, plus your points are rounded up on every purchase.

• Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
• Plus, as a special offer, earn a total of 5 Thank You ® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on CitiTravel.com through December 31, 2025.*
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 18.74% – 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
• Earn 2X ThankYou ® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou ® Points on All Other Purchases.
• The Citi Rewards+ ® Card – the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase – with no cap.
• No Annual Fee
• APR: 0% intro APR on balance transfers and on purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% - 28.74%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each purchase transaction in US dollars
• Citi Transfer Partners

Citi Double Cash ® Card

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

The Citi Double Cash ® Card  has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!

This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points . This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.

Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.

• Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
• Flexible redemption options
• No annual fee
• No bonus categories
• 3% foreign transaction fees
• Lack of premium travel benefits
• Bonus Offer: Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou ® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
• To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
• Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
• If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
• There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
• Citi Double Cash ® Card Travel Portal Limited Time Offer: Earn a total of 5 ThankYou Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rental, and attractions, excluding air travel, when booked through the Citi Travel SM portal on ThankYou.com or by calling 1-800-Thankyou and saying “Travel.” Offer is valid through 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) 12/31/2024.
• APR: 0% Intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase
• Cash Back Credit Cards
• Capital One Venture vs Citi Double Cash
• The 8 Best 2% Cash-back Credit Cards [2024]
• Best 0% Interest Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Bills and Utilities
• Best Everyday Credit Cards

Citi Custom Cash ® Card

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!

The Citi Custom Cash ® Card is inventive when it comes to cash-back credit cards. Instead of earning a set amount of cash-back on predetermined bonus categories, the Citi Custom Cash card earns 5% cash-back on your highest eligible spend category each billing cycle, without an annual fee.

Thanks to that unique perk, you’ll never need to worry about whether you’re using the right card for the right purchase, as your Citi Custom Cash card will always pay you 5% back on whichever category you end up spending the most on each month.

• 5% cash-back (on up to $500 each billing cycle) from your largest purchase category, including restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment
• Multiple redemption options
• No redemption minimums
• Your 5% category is limited to $500 in spend ($25 in cash-back) each month
• Not particularly rewarding for any purchases outside of your top 5% cash-back category
• Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou ® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
• 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
• Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Special Travel Offer: Earn an additional 4% cash back on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked via the Citi Travel℠ portal through 6/30/2025.
• No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
• Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash ® Card account per person.
• APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%
• Citi Custom Cash Card Launches [Earn 5% Back on Your Top Purchases]

JetBlue is also an American Express transfer partner at a rate of 1:0.8. Sometimes, you can take advantage of promotional periods that bump up the transfer rate to 1:1.

Generally, you can find better ways to redeem Membership Rewards points , but they can come through in a pinch if you need a JetBlue flight. Try to wait for promotional transfer rates so you can get more value out of your Membership Rewards points.

Hot Tip: Use our transfer partner calculator to easily find out how many TrueBlue points you’ll get when transferring from Amex.

Recommended Amex Cards (Personal)

The Platinum Card ® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card ® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card  is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access , hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com
• Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment ( airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit )
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
• Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
• Access to Amex International Airline Program
• No foreign transaction fees ( rates and fees )
• $695 annual fee ( rates and fees )
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards ® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card ® , Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards ® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts ® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card ® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card ® . Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card ® .
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Terms Apply.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card ® . Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
• $189 CLEAR ® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card ® . Learn more.
• $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck ® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card ® . Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card ® . That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card ® . An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
• Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card ® to your Resy profile.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.
• APR: See Pay Over Time APR

American Express Membership Rewards

• Amex Platinum 150k Welcome Bonus Offer
• Benefits of The Amex Platinum
• How to Use 100,000 Amex Platinum Points
• Amex Platinum Card Requirements
• American Express Platinum Military Benefits
• Amex Platinum and Business Platinum Lounge Access
• Amex Platinum Benefits for Authorized Users
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Platinum
• Capital One Venture X vs Amex Platinum
• Amex Platinum vs Delta Reserve

American Express ® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

The American Express ® Gold Card  is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
• Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com , Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
• Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash : get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
• No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees )
• Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
• Access to American Express transfer partners
• $250 annual fee (see rates and fees )
• No lounge access
• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards ® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards ® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards ® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards ® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express ® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
• Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
• Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $250.
• Find the Amex Gold 75k or 90k Welcome Bonus Offer
• Benefits of the Amex Gold
• Upgrade Amex Gold to Amex Platinum
• Amex Gold Benefits for Military
• Amex Gold vs Blue Cash Preferred
• Amex Platinum vs Amex Gold
• Amex Gold vs Delta Gold

Business owner? See our list of the best Amex business credit cards .

Earn Points Through Shopping and Dining

Like many other airlines, JetBlue has an online shopping portal and a dining program that can help you earn even more miles on your purchases.

JetBlue has a shopping portal called TrueBlue Shopping that gives members opportunities to earn points through their favorite merchants when shopping online.

The JetBlue shopping portal has over 700 participating retailers offering up to 15 points per dollar.

Keep tabs on these bonus deals to see when your favorite retailers are offering more points than usual for a limited period of time.

Though somewhat lower value than other dining programs out there, TrueBlue Dining will earn you 1 TrueBlue point per dollar when dining at restaurants in the network. Mosaic members earn 2 TrueBlue points per dollar.

See our guide to TrueBlue Dining for how to maximize your point earnings.

Hot Tip: Use The JetBlue card   when you eat at restaurants participating in the dining program to earn 2x points for every dollar spent. You’ll earn these points in addition to what you already earn through the dining program and as a Mosaic member.

When logged into your TrueBlue account and connected to Fly-Fi, you can earn 3 TrueBlue points for every eligible dollar spent on inflight purchases at Amazon.com .

Earning Points for Travel With JetBlue and Partners

JetBlue has many ways to earn points within its own points rewards system, but it also has a bunch of partners you can use to earn points as well.

Purchase JetBlue flights or flights on any of JetBlue’s airline partners to earn TrueBlue points the old-fashioned way — taking a flight.

Flying JetBlue Airways

Every dollar spent on a JetBlue flight will yield 1 to 3 TrueBlue points simply for being a TrueBlue member. If you purchase your flight via JetBlue.com , you’ll earn an additional 1 to 3 TrueBlue points per dollar as a bonus. That’s 2 to 6 points per dollar spent on JetBlue tickets!

Overall, you could earn between 8 and 15 points per dollar on your JetBlue ticket purchases!

Flying With JetBlue Partners

Since JetBlue is not a member of any airline alliance, your options are limited for earning TrueBlue points with other airlines.

However, the airlines it does partner with are pretty awesome! All you have to do is add your TrueBlue number on the passenger info page at booking to get the points.

Click on each name of the following JetBlue partners to learn more about the points you can earn by flying them:

• American Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Qatar Airways
• Silver Airways
• Singapore Airlines
• South African Airways

Request your seat to have Even More Space  on JetBlue flights. This is an add-on to your ticket purchase that typically yields an extra 200 points per flight. Sweet!

TrueBlue Mosaic status is earned through the collection of tiles.

You’ll earn 1 tile for every $100 spent on any of the following:

• JetBlue flights
• JetBlue Vacations
• Paisly by JetBlue (hotels, car rentals, activities, etc.)

Additionally, you’ll earn 1 tile for every $1,000 spent on any JetBlue credit card .

With  Points Pooling ,  up to 7 travelers can   earn and share rewards together.

Be careful:

• When you join a TrueBlue Pool, 100% of your points go into the pool
• The Pool Leader can manage members and who is allowed to use points
• The Pool Leader can redeem any points in the pool without further authorization from a pool member
• If the Pool Leader removes a member, no member can be added for 6 months
• A member who leaves a pool only receives back the number of points left in their own account

Bring your pet on board and earn bonus TrueBlue points. You can earn 300 bonus TrueBlue points on every flight segment you fly with your pet as a TrueBlue member.

Get bonus points when you drive a rental car booked through Paisly . Earn 100 points per day (200 if Mosaic) on Avis and Budget car rentals — plus, save up to 35% on your booking.

JetBlue has also partnered with IHG  to offer bonus points at a rate of 2 points per dollar spent on rooms at all IHG brands except for Candlewood Suites, Staybridge Suites, and The Venetian Resort Las Vegas. Stays at Candlewood Suites and Staybridge Suites earn 1 point per dollar spent, and stays at The Venetian Resort Las Vegas earn 500 points per qualifying stay.

Whether you want to take a traditional sightseeing tour, go kayaking, or explore street food, there’s an activity bookable on Paisly at a variety of destinations. Activities or theme park tickets booked through Paisly earn 1 point per dollar spent.

JetBlue Vacations provides opportunities to book a vacation package to die for.

If you plan on booking a getaway and want to earn some TrueBlue points for your effort, JetBlue Vacations is the way to go.

Specialty Earnings for JetBlue Points

There are tons of other ways to earn TrueBlue points that don’t fit into any of the above categories. Some of these options could give you a nice boost to your TrueBlue balance.

TrueBlue has partnered with Jet Opinions for members to earn TrueBlue points by taking surveys online. You can earn 400 TrueBlue points when you take your first survey!

If you’re looking to boost your balance because there’s a redemption that you really want to make (in the very short term) then you could look at buying TrueBlue points. We do not recommend buying points just because there’s a good promotion as points can devalue overnight. This is only a viable strategy (in our opinion) if you’re in real need of a top-up for a specific redemption just around the corner.

Earn TruBlue Points when you dine, shop, and park at over 100 participating airports through the Airport Rewards program . All you need to do is register and link a credit card to your account. When you use that card at participating airports, you’ll earn 1 point per dollar spent.

The JetBlue credit cards provide some great ways to earn TrueBlue points. Each card earns bonus points for groceries and restaurants.

Take advantage of JetBlue’s partners and its shopping and dining programs to earn more TrueBlue points.

The information regarding The JetBlue Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding The JetBlue Plus Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. The information regarding The JetBlue Business Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.  The information for the Citi Prestige ® Card has been collected independently by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card ® from American Express, click here . For rates and fees of the American Express ® Gold Card, click  here .

Frequently Asked Questions

How much is a trueblue point worth.

TrueBlue points carry a value of around 1.3 cents ($0.013) per point. When redeeming Mint seats, the value is even better at about 1.7 cents per point.

How do I get TrueBlue points for past flights?

If you took a flight on JetBlue in the past but didn’t receive points, contact JetBlue to claim your points.

Travel that is still eligible for points must have occurred within the last year (defined as the previous 364 days). Make requests through your account under Manage My Points . Scroll down to Request missing points and enter your ticket number.

You may also call 800-JETBLUE (538-2583) to make requests for points.

How do I keep JetBlue points from expiring?

Luckily, TrueBlue points never expire , so you won’t have to do things like earn points by taking surveys simply to keep them from expiring. Instead, TrueBlue members can earn and use points at their own pace .

How many TrueBlue points do I need for a free flight?

JetBlue used to have a 5,000-point minimum to redeem award flights. Now the minimum is only 3,500 points. This is the equivalent of about a $49 ticket.

What is the JetBlue credit card?

JetBlue has a partnership with Barclays, and there are 3 different cards: The JetBlue card, The JetBlue Plus card, and The JetBlue Business card.

How else can I earn JetBlue TrueBlue points?

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points or Citi ThankYou Points to your TrueBlue account at a 1:1 ratio. Amex Membership Rewards points can be transferred at a 1:0.8 ratio.

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About Spencer Howard

Always a fan of flying, it was only natural that Spencer was drawn to finding a way to improve the travel experience.

Like many, he started this journey searching for cheap flights to take him around the world. This was fun for a while, but Spencer was intrigued by the idea of flying in business and first class!

Throwing himself into what became an extensive research project, Spencer spent 3-4 hours per night learning everything he could about frequent flyer miles over the course of several months (he thinks this is normal). He runs Straight to the Points, an award-seat alert platform.

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UP's Bonus Valuation

This bonus value is an estimated valuation calculated by UP after analyzing redemption options, transfer partners, award availability and how much UP would pay to buy these points.

Best ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points: From hotel stays and credit card spending to travel partners

Editor's Note

Marriott's loyalty program has gone through many changes over the years.

We've seen Marriott integrate Starwood Preferred Guest into its existing loyalty program and eventually rebrand to Marriott Bonvoy in 2019. That same year, the hotel loyalty program launched Category 8 pricing as well as peak and off-peak pricing on award nights.

Finally, in March 2022, Marriott made the switch to dynamic pricing , which removed award categories altogether. Gone are the days of predictable award prices.

So, how does this affect the way you earn Marriott Bonvoy points? From hotel stays to spending on cobranded credit cards , keep reading to find out the different ways you can earn Marriott Bonvoy points.

Earn Marriott Bonvoy points at Marriott hotels

You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points when staying at Marriott properties worldwide. Marriott's properties span 30 unique brands across 139 countries and territories.

Like most hotel programs, you earn points based on how much you spend, your status tier and the type of Marriott hotel you're staying at.

Most Marriott hotels earn 10 points per dollar spent on stays. Unfortunately, long-term stay hotels — including Element, TownPlace Suites, Residence Inn, Four Points Express by Sheraton, City Express, Apartments by Marriott Bonvoy and Protea Hotels — only award 5 points per dollar. This lower earn rate applies to vacation rentals booked with Homes and Villas by Marriott International, too. Additionally, you will only earn one elite night credit for every two nights when staying at Protea Hotels, City Express or Four Points Express properties.

You can also earn points when staying at Marriott Executive Apartments, but you'll earn just 2.5 points per dollar spent and one elite night credit for every three nights you stay.

Related: Your complete guide to Marriott hotel brands

More than one room on a reservation

With Marriott, you can earn points on more than one hotel room . Specifically, you can earn points on up to three hotel rooms if you meet all of the conditions. In order to earn points, you must occupy one of the rooms, pay for all of the rooms, pay a qualifying rate or apply an award redemption; the check-in and checkout dates must match for all rooms booked.

Elite status bonuses

You can boost your point earnings on paid stays with Marriott Bonvoy elite status . The higher the status, the higher the bonus you will earn.

Marriott Bonvoy members will earn 10 base points per dollar on qualifying charges at most Marriott brands, but there are some brands where you'll only earn 5 or 2.5 base points per dollar. When you reach an elite tier, you can expect to earn a bonus on your stay.

Here's an overview of the rate you can expect to earn at most Marriott hotels based on your elite status tier:

• Silver Elite: 10% bonus
• Gold Elite: 25% bonus
• Platinum Elite: 50% bonus
• Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite: 75% bonus

Members with Gold Elite status receive a welcome gift of 250 to 500 points at check-in at most brands. The number of points varies by property; Courtyard, Fairfield Inn and SpringHill Suites are among the properties providing just 250 points as a welcome gift.

The welcome gift for members with Platinum Elite, Titanium Elite or Ambassador Elite status is a higher value, and members with these status levels can choose to earn bonus points or an amenity gift (excluding City Express properties that aren't City Centro locations). The specific welcome gift offerings and points values vary by brand, and you can expect to earn either 500 or 1,000 points depending on where you stay.

Plus, you usually earn points on your entire hotel bill. This means that if you order room service or get a drink at the bar and charge it to your room, those purchases will earn points, too. Make sure to charge on-site expenses to your room to earn even more points.

Related: Booking direct: How much value does Marriott status provide?

Earn bonus points with promotions

Keeping track of the latest hotel promotions is difficult — especially if you're juggling elite status at Marriott and other hotel brands like Hyatt or Hilton. However, promotions can be the best way to quickly boost your account balances and unlock some outstanding awards.

At the time of writing, Marriott's promotions include earning 10,000 bonus points on stays at all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean and Latin America this summer and fall. There's also a promotion where you can earn 1,000 bonus points and one bonus elite night credit per eligible night completed between Feb. 13 and April 29.

You can see your eligible promotions by heading to Marriott's promotion page and signing in to your account. You should see all public and targeted offers on this page. Enroll in promotions by clicking the "Register" button located to the right of the promotion's name.

Related: Your complete guide to all current hotel promotions

Host an event at a Marriott hotel

Marriott's events program lets you earn extra points on meetings, weddings and other special events you host at Marriott properties.

You'll earn 2 points per dollar spent on room, food, drink and other charges. Elite bonuses also apply here, so you can expect to earn as follows based on your status:

• General member: 2 points per dollar, no bonus (with a maximum of 60,000 points per event)
• Silver Elite: 10% point bonus (with a maximum of 66,000 points per event)
• Gold Elite: 25% point bonus (with a maximum of 75,000 points per event)
• Platinum Elite: 50% point bonus (with a maximum of 90,000 points per event)
• Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite: 75% point bonus (with a maximum of 105,000 points per event)

You'll also earn one elite night credit for every 20 room nights you book when you host an event (up to 20 elite night credits per event). So, if you host a large event, you could fast-track your way to Marriott elite status .

Play golf or go to the spa

Marriott Bonvoy members can also stack up 10 points for every dollar spent at participating Marriott Golf Resorts or spas.

Earn with credit cards

Marriott offers six credit cards: three with American Express and three with Chase. Each of these cards has different benefits and welcome bonuses as well as some strong bonuses you could earn through limited-time offers on certain cards .

Here's a quick breakdown of each Marriott credit card . Use the information here to find which is best for your wallet.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Annual fee: $95

The Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card offers three free night awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. Certain hotels have resort fees.

• 6 points per dollar spent at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
• 3 points per dollar spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on gas stations, grocery stores and dining
• 2 points per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases

You'll enjoy a free night award (up to 35,000 points) every year after your account anniversary (certain hotels have resort fees). This more than covers the card's annual fee for most of us. TPG valuations estimate that Marriott points are worth 0.84 cents each, on average, which means this annual free night is worth $294.

Additionally, the card offers complimentary Silver Elite status as long as your card is open and in good standing. You can upgrade to Gold status when you spend $35,000 or more on the card each calendar year.

Plus, every year your card is open, you'll enjoy 15 elite night credits to help you reach the next elite status tier. You can also earn one elite night credit toward status for every $5,000 you spend on your card.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

Annual fee: $0

The Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card offers 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after using the card to spend $1,000 on eligible purchases in the first three months. You'll also earn:

• 3 points per dollar spent at participating Marriott hotels
• 2 points per dollar spent on travel purchases (ends July 10)
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases

Plus, you'll earn 15 Elite Night Credits each year the card is open, automatically qualifying you for Silver Elite status. However, this perk also ends July 10.

Related: Marriott Bonvoy Bold card review

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

Annual fee: $650 (see rates and fees )

The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card currently offers a welcome bonus of 185,000 points after you spend $6,000 in purchases within your first six months of card membership. This offer ends May 1.

• 6 points per dollar spent on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
• 3 points per dollar spent at U.S. restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and on flights booked directly with airlines

You'll receive one free night award every year after your account anniversary, valid for up to 85,000 points (certain hotels have resort fees) and a monthly dining credit worth up to $25.

The card comes with Priority Pass lounge privileges and automatic Platinum Elite status . You're also eligible for 25 elite night credits every year your card is open. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

Annual fee: $250 ( see rates and fees )

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card currently has a welcome offer of 155,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after using your card to spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first six months of card membership. This offer ends May 1.

• 6 points per dollar spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
• 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2 points per dollar)

The card offers complimentary Gold Elite status to cardholders. You'll also receive 15 elite night credits every year.

Although the card doesn't come with an annual free night, the card does offer an annual free night award via spending. Cardholders who make at least $15,000 in eligible purchases in a calendar year can earn a free night award worth up to 50,000 points (certain hotels have resort fees).

Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card from Chase

Annual fee: $250

The Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful Card from Chase is practically identical to the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy. The Bountiful current welcome offer is 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account.

It's got the same return rates, too:

• 6 points per dollar at participating Marriott hotels.

The information for the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The card even provides the same benefits of Gold Elite status, 15 elite night credits per calendar year, and a free night award worth up to 50,000 points after you spend $15,000 in eligible purchases during a cardmember year. Certain hotels have resort fees.

Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card

Annual fee: $125 (see rates and fees )

With the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card , you can earn three free night awards after you use your new card to make $6,000 in eligible purchases within the first six months of card membership. Each free night award has a redemption level of up to 50,000 points at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Certain hotels have resort fees.

You'll also earn:

• 6 points per dollar of eligible purchases spent at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program
• 4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping

The card also comes with a free award night after each cardmember anniversary, valid for up to 35,000 points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program. You'll also earn another free night award after you spend $60,000 in purchases on your card in a calendar year.

The card offers complimentary Gold Elite status as long as your card is open and in good standing. You'll also enjoy 15 elite night credits every year your card is open. This benefit can be stacked with the nights you earn with any Marriott personal card, allowing you to fast-track up to 40 elite nights per year.

The card also comes with a 7% Marriott Bonvoy room rate discount off eligible standard rates for reservations of standard guest rooms when you book directly with Marriott at participating properties.

Related: Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex review

Transfer points

You can transfer three different types of points to your Marriott Bonvoy account. Here's a look at your options:

Transfer points from Chase or American Express

Marriott Bonvoy is a partner of both American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards . Both of these programs allow you to transfer points at a 1:1 ratio, meaning that 1,000 Ultimate Rewards or Membership Rewards points equal 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

However, we don't necessarily recommend making this transfer. TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents per point and Ultimate Rewards points at 2.05 cents per point, while Marriott points are worth 0.84 cents per point. This means you'll lose more than half the value of your points in this transfer.

Transfer miles from United MileagePlus

You can also transfer United MileagePlus miles to Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio.

United and Marriott have long had a partnership that provides reciprocal elite status benefits for United and Marriott elite members. Unfortunately, you can only transfer up to 100,000 United miles to Marriott Bonvoy each year.

There's no fee to make this transfer, but we don't recommend it as you'll lose value when you transfer. This is because TPG values United MileagePlus miles at 1.4 cents apiece. You'll usually only want to transfer United miles to Marriott if you're topping up for a specific redemption.

Note that you must hold United Airlines elite status (Gold or above) to make this conversion.

Transfer miles from other airlines

Marriott Bonvoy also partners with six other airline loyalty programs to transfer miles into Marriott Bonvoy points.

These programs are ANA Mileage Club (1:1 ratio), Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (2:1 ratio), Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles (2:1 ratio), Japan Airlines JAL Mileage Bank (4:3 ratio), Korean Air SkyPass (2:1 ratio) and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer (2:1 ratio).

To make these transfers, you must be a member of both the participating airline and Marriott Bonvoy. Each airline program has varying requirements and minimums to complete a transfer. You can check out all of this information via Marriott's transfer partner webpage .

Transfer points between accounts

One perk of the Marriott Bonvoy program is the ability to transfer points between accounts for free .

Each year, you can transfer up to 100,000 Marriott Bonvoy points from a single account. Likewise, you can receive up to 500,000 points per year on a single account. Each account must be at least 30 days old (with activity) or 90 days (without activity) to participate in transfers.

You can initiate a transfer with Marriott's online tool by logging into your Marriott Bonvoy account and then providing the recipient's first and last name and Marriott Bonvoy member number.

This is helpful for families who want to combine multiple account balances for a single redemption. Likewise, a friend with expiring points may opt to transfer points to you if they don't have an immediate use for them.

Related: Your ultimate guide to family points pooling

Earn points by shopping and dining

Marriott doesn't have a shopping portal , but it does offer a couple of other ways to earn points on everyday purchases. Here's a look at your options.

Marriott dining rewards

Marriott has the Eat Around Town dining rewards program. This program offers Marriott elite members 6 Marriott points per dollar spent and non-elite members 4 points per dollar spent at participating restaurants. You'll earn these points in addition to whatever rewards you'd otherwise earn from your credit card. Just remember to link your credit card to the program and dine at participating restaurants.

Want to earn even more points? Link a card that earns bonus points on dining . One of the best starter cards is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , which earns 3 points per dollar spent on dining. If you use this card to purchase a $100 meal at a participating restaurant, you'll earn 600 Marriott Bonvoy points as an elite member and 300 Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Related: Can I earn miles from two dining programs at the same time?

Buy a mattress

If you need a new mattress, consider buying one from your favorite Marriott hotel.

Bonvoy members earn 10,000 Marriott points (worth $84, according to our valuations ) when buying a mattress on any of Marriott International's online retail websites: Shop Edition , The Ritz-Carlton Shops , The Luxury Collection Store , St. Regis Boutique , W Hotels, The Store , Curated by JW , Shop Marriott , Sheraton Store , Westin Store , Collect Renaissance , Gaylord Hotels The Store , Shop Courtyard and Fairfield Store .

Earn points with travel partners

You can earn Marriott Bonvoy points when booking other types of travel, too. Here's a look at how to earn points when booking rental cars, vacation activities and cruises.

Earn points on Hertz rental cars

You can earn up to 500 Marriott Bonvoy points on your Hertz car rentals. Simply book rentals through Marriott's Hertz portal . You'll earn 500 points on rentals with Hertz or 250 points with Dollar and Thrifty.

Related: How to never pay full price for a rental car

Book cruises through the Marriott portal

Booking a cruise through Marriott's Cruise with Points can net you a huge number of bonus Marriott Bonvoy points, depending on the cost. You'll earn 3 points per dollar spent on cruises booked through CruisesOnly, up to 30,000 points per cruise.

Book vacation activities

You can also earn points when purchasing qualifying vacation activities through Marriott Bonvoy Tours & Activities . The site offers a wide variety of tours, transfers and events in the U.S. and around the world.

The number of points you'll earn depends on how much you spend and the experience you book. For instance, you can book a Chicago food tour for $80 per person and earn 400 Marriott points. A four-day Icelandic tour runs a whopping $1,053 per head and earns 5,263 Marriott Points.

Be sure to comparison shop to ensure the tour or activity isn't available for a lower price elsewhere.

Ride or order food with Uber

You can earn Marriott points from rides with Uber and food orders with Uber Eats. You'll earn 3 points per dollar spent on Uber Premium rides (including Uber XL, Uber Black, Uber SUV and Uber Comfort). You'll earn 6 points per dollar spent when you order Uber Eats delivery while staying at a Marriott Bonvoy hotel. Plus, you'll earn 2 points per dollar spent when you order Uber Eats at home or on the road.

Additionally, if you haven't yet linked your Marriott Bonvoy and Uber accounts, you have until April 15 to do so and earn up to 2,500 bonus points . You'll earn 500 bonus points when you link your two accounts, stack up 1,000 bonus points when you complete a qualifying ride with Uber and get another 1,000 bonus points when you place a qualifying food or grocery order for delivery with Uber Eats. This brings the total up to 2,500.

Related: Food delivery promo codes and offers to help you save money on your next meal

Need Marriott Bonvoy points quickly? You can buy them in a pinch. Marriott typically sells po ints at 1.25 cents apiece, which is higher than TPG's 0.84 cent valuation. You can purchase up to 100,000 points per calendar year, although the hotel group frequently raises this limit during points sales. Additionally, you can buy 100,000 additional points each year when you're booking a hotel stay and don't have enough rewards.

We don't recommend buying points speculatively, but it can make sense if you're topping up your account for a specific high-end award night. Likewise, it makes sense to buy points if you can buy the points required for a particular stay at a lower cost than paying for the hotel in cash.

Related: You can currently buy points and miles with a bonus

Bottom line

There are many different ways you can beef up your Marriott Bonvoy points balance. If you're looking for a quick boost, consider applying for a Marriott credit card and spending enough to earn the welcome bonus. This will easily pad your Marriott Bonvoy account with tens of thousands of points — more than enough for a night or two away.

Likewise, enroll in all your applicable promotions and sign up for the Marriott dining program. Combined with a Marriott credit card, you'll be well on your way to a free night in no time.

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Amex Card, click here .

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Amex Card, click here .

For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Amex Card, click here .

Bucket list travel on a budget: Expert tips for airfare, loyalty programs, credit card perks and more

Nicky Kelvin from The Points Guy dives into ways to save this summer.

Many travelers have their sights set on summer getaways , but with everything from baggage fees to fuel costs impacting the price of a ticket, "Good Morning America" is asking travel experts to share tips for booking bucket list destinations on a budget and finding savings along the way.

Travel expert Nicky Kelvin, senior director of content for The Points Guy, offered his tips for affordable travel techniques.

Where to find the best flight deals

Kelvin encourages travelers to utilize Google Flights and other free price-tracking tools to compare fare prices and snag the best deal.

He also suggests using both the calendar and map features within Google Flights to see which airports, dates and destinations how the lowest fare.

From the Google Flights homepage on a computer, click "explore destinations" and select a departure city without adding a destination. Then zoom out on the map to see the best prices for destinations all over the world.

Get the most out of free travel loyalty programs

Travelers should be earning points for anything and everything that they are buying or booking from airline and hotels to car rentals, Kelvin said.

In addition to the points that can can help travelers earn free flights and hotel stays, Kelvin said to look for extra perks just for joining.

Hyatt rewards, for example, offers all guests free breakfast.

For Thrifty Car Rental and Dollar Car Rental, he said you can add your spouse or domestic partner as an additional driver for free.

Loyalty programs are great for airlines too. JetBlue, for example, allows enrolled customers -- even if they don't have enough points for a flight -- to use points for discounts. Plus, with any airline, as you accumulate points to earn status, you can get free seating upgrades.

Travel credit cards with cash back perks

Along with earning points, travel credit cards give you protection for your trip like insurance to help with lost or damaged baggage and trip cancellation protection

Chase debuts new airport lounge: Gourmet menus, sleek interiors, free facials redefine hospitality for airport travel

As for credit cards, The Points Guy team suggests the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card as an all-around pick -- you get 75,000 miles after meeting your minimum spend in the first three months. Which Kelvin said is a value of over $1,300.

If you're looking to earn the most miles, he said look to the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card.

"You'll earn the most points on all your purchases with this one," he said.

Finally, if you want a credit card with no fee, Kelvin suggested the Bilt Mastercard, which he said is particularly great for renters because you can earn points on what's likely someone's biggest expense.

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Save money on international phone plans for summer trips

If someone's trip is taking them out of the country, using a cell phone internationally can cost $10 to 15 per day. For a family of four, that's more than $400 for a week.

If your phones support eSIM, Kelvin suggested purchasing a data plan for your destination through an app such as Airalo, Truphone or GigSky.

For example, one of Airalo's global SIM plans costs $9 for one week, which could save a family close to $350 dollars, depending on their existing international coverage.

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