How to Start Using Credit Card Points to Help Your Family Travel More

Do you want to travel more often for less money? One way to accomplish this is to use credit card points to book flights, hotels cruises, rental cars, and more. Our guest in this episode is Katie Holden from Katie’s Travel Tricks. We talk about which credit card to consider first if you want to use the travel perks, how to spend credit card points on travel, and ideas on how to keep it all organized! Ready to discover ways to save big on travel, listen in!

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What are some basic benefits for spending on a credit card?

Treat your credit card like a debit card. Pay it off every month.
Credit cards have extended warranty coverage on items that you purchase on the card.
Many cards include travel insurance which can include trip delays.
A lot of credit cards also include rental car insurance.

How do you find out if your card has certain benefits?

Read the fine print when you sign up for a credit card.
Google your credit card and you should be able to find the fine print for your card.

Will multiple credit cards ruin a credit score?

It is not really rational on how it’s calculated.
One measure for your score is credit utilization (how much you owe vs. how much is extended to you.) If you don’t carry a balance, that will not affect you.
Payment history - do you pay your bills on time?
The length of your credit history is a small factory and new credit inquiries can slightly affect it.
Katie and her husband have opened 80 cards in the past 5 years and their scores are in the low 800’s. Having a lot of cards will not make you have a low score so don’t let that detour you.
What is a great starter traveler credit card?

If you have a specific airline that you love, you may want to get that airline’s credit card.
Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great first travel-focused credit card. Includes travel insurance. Flexible use of points. You can use them for cashback (lowest value, but if you want cash, it’s a great option), book flights, hotels, and rental cars through the Chase travel portal. You can also transfer points to partners like Hyatt, Southwest, and United Airlines.
You can pool points with others in your household so you can have one spouse sign up for a card, refer your spouse for a bonus, and then pool your points together.
Capital One VentureX lets you get your whole family into some travel lounges in airports.

What are some great things you can do with credit card points?

Many credit cards include lounge access in airports. These have more space, comfortable seating, and some include food options. This makes the travel day more enjoyable.
Katie and her family took a 9-month family trip and spent points to make it possible. All flights and all big-city hotel stays were coverage with points.
Some hotel credit cards give you a free stay at a hotel every year. Even with an annual fee, this is still a discounted amount for a nice hotel room.

How do you manage all of the credit cards?

Some apps make it easier. Travel Freely tracks credit cards and reminds you when you need to meet the minimum spend and reminders to keep the card for a year.
Work on the spend on a new card for about 3 months. Depends on how long it takes to meet the minimum spend. Once the minimum spend is met, Katie moves on to a new card.
Set up autopay on the credit card to avoid late payment.
Don't miss a monthly payment.
If you do miss a payment, call the credit card and ask for forgiveness. They will usually waive the late fee for first-time offenders.

Tips for Making Using Points Fun

Pick a travel goal and then find a card that will help you meet that goal.
Do you want to fly to visit family every year? Maybe you would like an airline credit card.
Do you want a long weekend family getaway to an all-inclusive? Pick a card that will let you use airline and hotel points.
Do you want a big Disney trip? Maybe the Disney card would be a good match.
Dream about where you want to go if you didn’t need to worry about the money. Start with a small goal and a big goal. Figure out how to use points to make your dream a reality.
If you do nothing else, open one credit card per year. Most new cards will give you $1000 in value.

Connect with Katie!

@katiestraveltricks on Instagram

Katie’s Travel Tricks Website

Reach out to Katie if you have any questions about using credit cards to help you travel more. She is happy to do a free consultation to help you figure out which card will be best or how to best use your points.

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