How to Travel for FREE with Points and Miles (Beginner's Guide)

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Helpful links:
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How to Travel for FREE with Points and Miles. Welcome to Travel Rewards for Beginners. In this guide, we unlock the secrets of Credit Card Travel Rewards 101. Learn how my wife and I amassed over 1.7 million points and miles to travel six months through Europe and Asia without draining our life savings. From how to earn points and miles, to ways you could redeem them, this is your ultimate guide to flying first class and staying in 5-star hotels without breaking the bank.
⏰ Timecodes ⏰
0:00 How to Travel Free with Points and Miles
01:25 Disclaimer
02:00 How do Credit Scores Work?
03:55 Travel Rewards for Beginners
04:35 The 4 Major Types of Points and Miles
4:24 Capital One Venture X Overview
6:46 How to Earn Points and Miles
7:00 Method #1: Credit Card Welcome Bonuses
7:20 What is a Minimum Spending Requirement?
7:55 How to Meet a Minimum Spending Requirement
8:17 Method #2: Spending
9:15 Method #3: Credit Card Travel Portal
9:42 Method #4: Credit Card Shopping Portal
10:17 Creative Strategies to Maximize Travel Rewards
10:35 Creative Strategy #1: Large Purchases
11:11 Creative Strategy #2: Add an Authorized User
11:46 Creative Strategy #3: Pay for Work Travel
12:20 Ways to Use Points and Miles
12:41 Epic Travel Hacking Example
13:30 Get Clear on Your Goal
14:15 PART 2: REDEEMING TRAVEL REWARDS
15:35 Points Redemption Strategies
16:24 How to Use Airline Miles
17:06 Taxes and Fees
17:39 How to Use Points for Hotels
18:17 Pay with Points and Cash
18:30 Hotel Free Night Award
18:56 Multi Night Discounts
19:11 Credit Card Travel Portals
20:24 Travel Credit Card Transfer Partners
20:50 How to Transfer Points to Travel Partners
21:27 Airline Alliances
22:31 Travel Card Points Valuation
23:19 The Points Guy Values
23:55 How to Calculate Points Redemption Value
24:48 Points Redemption Calculator
26:24 Case Study: Austrian Airlines Business Class
27:05 United Airlines Reservations
27:37 Avianca Airlines Reservations
28:00 Points Sweet Spots
28:28 Austrian Airlines Business Class Flight Review
28:58 Flight Connections
29:49 Daily Drop
30:15 PART 3: SIGNING UP FOR CREDIT CARDS
30:37 7 Tips to Choosing the Best Travel Credit Card
31:17 Consideration #1: Your Credit Score
32:11 Consideration #2: Chase 5/24 Rule
33:00 Consideration #3: The Points Currency
34:40 Consideration #4: Credit Card Welcome Bonus
35:20 Consideration #5: Minimum Spending Requirement
36:30 Consideration #6: Credit Card Annual Fee
38:37 Consideration #7: Who is this Card For?
38:48 Two Player Mode
40:14 Business Credit Cards
40:41 Which Travel Credit Card is Best?
41:20 Chase Sapphire Preferred Limited Time Offer
42:30 Unique Considerations
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[@jeff.0-3]

This was one of the most informative points and miles video I've ever seen!! I'm sitting on a bunch of points and this video will definitely help me deploy these points for my next trip

[@dianeradtke8638]

Wow! Fantastic information. Big thanks and I will need to see this again and take notes. I am so happy I found you.

[@encryptx]

Stellar video. Love how much work you put into it. Great info and very informative!

[@gray_man76]

I appreciate your videos. They have been instrumental (packing, do’s and don’ts, credit card points, redemption strategies, traveling, gadgets, etc.) in allowing my wife and I to take our first trip to Europe. Well, the first of many!

[@austinmijares]

It's always fun discovering a channel for a specific video/topic, then coming across the channel again way later and seeing how they've evolved. Great content, Nik and Allie, love seeing the growth!

[@ventcurtisburkett532]

Best video I've seen for travel points. Thanks

[@mickij3]

Your content is always SOOO helpful! Thank you!!

[@ChiacchieraconMichele]

This is the best, well thought out guide for all travellers!

[@mitchman4148]

King of travel has spoken!

[@niksrushil]

Awesome content!

[@NurseMichaelTravels]

Great overview of the game covering a lot of topics within the niche!

[@susandiekmann]

This video is phenomenal! You broke everything down just right, gave expert advice (from a true expert!), and provided the info with caution to those who shouldn't be trying this. From someone who will be booking free business class flights from the US to Japan soon, using my points wisely, I appreciate your information very much!

[@woodyiswhere]

Razorback here living in Austin. Love the videos, next trip to Fville would love to take you to out to dinner.

[@mickij3]

Thanks!

[@deborahmaddry3615]

Yall have it going on, Nik! How long did it take you to save up those massive points for your 6 month travel? We are much older than you but enjoy your enthusiasm and that you are exploring while young. 😊

[@user-cy6tp6xe5b]

I just had my house repainted last month, I guess I could have gotten a free trip to Europe out of it. wow. I wish I had started these points years ago. Better late than never I suppose. Thank you for the helpful video!

[@awaytogether]

The amount of times I said sentences like you just said.... it's best not to think about all the missed opportunities haha. Happy travels!

[@MathewRyan111]

I've been looking for a video like this. Can't wait to watch!

[@awaytogether]

Hope it helps!!!!

[@tkozikow]

10X Travel offers a complete course on this and there multiple Facebook groups which can provide a wealth of guidance. At the end of the day you need to determine what your needs, interests, limits, and risk tolerance are. No question, however, that travel hacking can be very satisfying and rewarding if done right.

[@DChatburn1]

What is your thought about "cash back" versus "miles" credit cards? For years I have used cards that offer a cash credit bonus which I can then apply to my balance. So, when I book a flight on that card, I earn cash, which I can then apply to a future balance. Have you thought about this option?

[@callieflynn3080]

This was a great breakdown thank you! - looks like the chase Sappire preferred card is back to 60,000 miles for the welcome bonus - any idea how frequently that changes? thanks again!

[@NurseMichaelTravels]

Sadly there’s not really a predictable schedule but roughly once a year it happens. I typically try to keep opportunity cost in mind when trying to figure out if I should wait for an elevated sign up bonus. Will these points make or break the possibility on me going on this trip? If the current bonus will get me where I want to go then I’ll take it at the standard bonus, but if it’s a “nice to have thing” I’ll wait for it to be elevated

[@kristypollard6400]

Do you consult on an individual basis-on transferring points and booking of flights? Thanks

[@wd1598]

Also “credit available”

[@ChronicSurfer]

Great video! Couple questions, I just got married and my credit is 795+. My wife’s credit 750+ and only holds one credit card. Should I refer her to a Chase card to get the sign up and referral bonus, or should I add her to my preferred card? Second, how do you justify the $695 annual fee of the AMEX platinum card? Thank you so much for the wonderful video.

[@NurseMichaelTravels]

I’d say referring her for the Sapphire Preferred so you get a referral bonus, and she would also get a sign up bonus is the winning situation. There’s not much to gain by adding her as an authorized user.

[@StewartBridge]

Maybe obvious, but do you book your wife's flights with "your" points, or must you use her own points and airline account to book?

[@awaytogether]

Not obvious, great question! So, if the points are from a program where we can pool points (like Ultimate Rewards) and we both have points balances, I'll typically transfer hers to mine (or mine to hers - whoever has the bigger balance) so we've got one large sum. Then I'll book both our seats using the points that way. But sometimes pooling isn't allowed or we don't both have that same type of currency in our names. In that case, I'll transfer her points to the airline currency needed, and book her ticket individually in her name. E.g. when you transfer currencies like UR or Membership Rewards to transfer partners, the account names need to match. So in the Avianca example I gave in the video, I couldn't transfer her Membership Rewards points to my avianca account - needed to go to hers. Hope that makes sense!

[@StewartBridge]

@@awaytogether Thanks. Very helpful when considering the best way to get both of us there.

[@TwT6]

Exist an European alternative, or its valid for everyone?

[@LK_EBM]

Not really. Only US credit cards award you meaningful points

[@TwT6]

@@LK_EBM but I could use those US credit card here, or it's not possible?

[@LK_EBM]

@@TwT6 Yes, as long as you get approved for the card. I would also note which charge doesn't charge foreign transaction fees

[@TwT6]

@@LK_EBM thanks bro 🙏 Thankfully I have a good credit score 💯

[@GregRutkowski]

Free Points Redemption Calculator: is worthless since it's a google doc.