6 Reasons Why You Should Be Using Points and Miles for Travel
Traveling can be expensive but using points and miles that you earned with everyday spending makes it much more budget-friendly. If you read these six reasons and still don’t think using points and miles travel is for you, please let me know why!
1. Free Flights
Using points and miles to book free flights is what got me interested in this hobby. Ticket prices in the economy class can be outrageous during holidays and school breaks when my family can travel. However, with points and careful planning, I usually only pay $5.60 per person for each flight. That’s even less than my Starbucks order!
Since I started tracking my use of points and miles, I’ve saved $84k on flights. That value blows my mind!
2. Fancy Seats
I am excited about finding a nearly free flight in economy class, but I am absolutely over the moon about getting a nearly free flight in business or first class. I never thought I would have the opportunity to fly in those luxurious seats, and now it happens quite regularly. My 7- and 10-year-old kids have flown in business or first class seven times already!
If you’re like me and don’t have the budget to spend thousands of dollars on premium tickets, you can use points to enjoy the luxury of extra legroom, better food, and additional amenities. This is especially fantastic on long overnight flights, where you can have a lie-flat seat that makes the entire travel experience incredible.
3. Free Hotels With Enough Space For A Family
Cramming four people, including two energetic little boys, into a 500-square-foot hotel room is anything but relaxing. My kids need to go to bed early and tend to wake up early, while my preferred vacation sleep schedule is quite different. Thanks to points and miles, we can always book a hotel room with a separate space for the kids.
It’s even better when I can use points to book a suite that includes additional perks. Who doesn’t love having access to a great hotel lounge and enjoying free breakfast?
Another fantastic benefit of using points for hotel stays is that they have allowed me to stay at more luxury hotels that would otherwise be out of budget. Examples below!
Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal, 360 points instead of $10k. Upgraded to a 3-bedroom casita, including free breakfast.
Andaz Peninsula Papagayo Resort, Costa Rica 160k points instead of $5k, included delicious free breakfast, and was, what my husband says the nicest hotel room he’s ever stayed in.
4. Airport Lounge Access
I love airport lounges. I always arrive at the airport early to avoid worrying about parking or getting through security, and then I enjoy relaxing in the lounge. A variety of credit cards that earn points offer lounge access, and since my home airport is DFW, my absolute favorite is the Capital One Venture X Card.
The Capital One lounges are the best I’ve experienced, second only to the Qantas First Class Lounge at SYD. Even if you don’t frequently visit DFW, having access to any lounge with comfortable seating, complimentary food and beverages, and high-speed Wi-Fi is always better than waiting in the terminal. (Although waiting at the gate offers significantly better people watching opportunities.)
5. Boost Flexibility and Freedom
Using points and miles can provide more flexible travel options. Since you’re not restricted to paying cash for flights or hotels, you have greater freedom to choose destinations based on where you can use points or where promotions are available. Utilizing points and miles allows you to adjust your travel plans without the stress of high costs. Additionally, you can book last-minute travel without the concern of high ticket prices, especially if you’re using points from programs that offer flexible cancellation policies. Points have also allowed me to take day trips for events that I would otherwise have missed.
6. More Vacations, Fewer Sad Mondays
Consider this: Every time you choose to use a credit card that earns points, you’re investing in more adventures and fewer days spent staring at an office cubicle. Imagine waking up on a Monday and instead of tackling a mountain of emails, you’re sipping a piña colada on an exotic beach. That’s the power of utilizing points and miles!
When points and miles help lower the overall cost of your trips, you may find yourself traveling more frequently or exploring new destinations.
If you don’t like taking vacations or traveling then why are you even reading this? So, earn those points and miles! Your future self will thank you while basking in the sun.
Bonus: Transforming Your Travel into a Hobby
For me, learning about points and miles evolved from a practical money-saving tactic to a fun hobby. Finding new ways to earn and redeem points, tracking promotions, and planning trips around how to best utilize miles is exciting for me and I hope it can be for you too!
Thanks for reading, friends! Happy Travels!
