Beating The System: Travel Points Pointers With

Transcript:Beating The System: Travel Points Pointers With:
Beating The System: Travel Points Pointers With Brian Kelly, The Points Guy Earning Redeeming Q & A For more information go to http://thepointsguy.com The Agenda Mile$ vs. Point$ -Airlines -Hotels -Credit Cards The Basics: What Are Points? Credit Card Gravy Train -Sign-up bonuses up to 100,000 points -Category spending bonuses -Redemption bonuses Earning: Credit Cards Understanding your credit score -Payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, new credit, types of credit -2-5 point temporary hit per application Strategy -Start with good credit -Pay off balances or interest rates negate points value -Multiple cards: issuers, business and personal, family and friends -Be cautious before applying for a mortgage! A Note On Your Credit Up to 100,000 points per card -My haul last year: eight credit cards, over 650,000 points Know your spend requirements -Anywhere from first purchase to $10,000 in four months Targeted offers: the only junk mail I like receiving! Earning: Sign-Up Bonuses Never settle for 1 point per dollar spent Popular category bonuses: airfare, gas, groceries, dining, wireless service, business marketing, individual airline/hotel spend on co-branded cards Spend threshold bonuses: points, elite status, elite miles, companion tickets Earning: Spending Bonuses Not all point credit cards were created equal! Credit Card Points 101 Transferable points Fixed-value points Airline miles & hotel points Flexibility, flexibility, flexibility! Sharing points with family/friends Transfer partners = options Don’t forget about partners of partners Don’t put all of your points in one basket Earning: Transferable Points Transfer partners: Delta, Aeroplan, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Virgin America, JetBlue, Aeromexico, El Al, Flying Blue, ANA, Singapore, Frontier, Hilton, Starwood, Best Western, Choice Hotels, Priority Club, etc. - Transfer bonuses Transfer partners: United, British Airways, Korean Air, Southwest, Marriott, Hyatt, Priority Club, Amtrak. Earning: Transferable Points Programs Easiest to understand Least valuable: generally 1 point = 1 cent Examples: Capital One No Hassle Rewards Best for: -Families with non-flexible travel schedules -Domestic flights -Earning elite status NOT for: International premium class travelers Earning: Fixed-Value Points Generally not transferable Exchange flexibility for perks like: priority check in, free checked bags Examples: -Delta and Starwood American Express cards -United MileagePlus Explorer card -Hyatt Visa from Chase -Citi American AAdvantage cards Earning: Airline and Hotel Credit Cards Chase: Sapphire Preferred -Key benefits: 2x points on dining and travel, 50,000-point sign-up bonus, no foreign transaction fees American Express: Premier Rewards Gold Card -Key benefits: 3x airfare, 2x gas and groceries, 25,000-point