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Are You Playing the Points & Miles Game?

There’s a lot to be gained by joining “The Game”.  For me, it’s been a huge money saver. . .we’ve saved more than $10,000 per year in the last three years (not including 2020, of course, when travel opportunities were limited).  It’s a great way to help finance your travel habit. . .but it’s not for everyone.

You need to ask yourself a few qualifying questions first:

 

1

Do you have a solid credit history? In order to qualify for some of the best credit cards, you probably need a credit score of at least 650-700.

2

Do you pay your credit card balances in full every month? If you don’t, the value of those points and miles will be totally offset by the high interest rates that come with your credit card balances.

3

Will you charge enough to your card to qualify for the lucrative welcome bonus? Typically, you need to charge between $2000 and $5000 in your first three to six months to get that juicy bonus. There are a lot of ways to get there, but if you don’t, you’re not going to be able to cash in and get great value for opening that new credit card account.

If The Answer To Each Of These Questions Is Yes, Then You Are A Good Candidate To Take Advantage Of The Game.​

The Basics. Here’s how to get started:

Step 1
Every time you book a room or a flight, make sure you join that travel provider’s loyalty program. Even the smallest purchase will give you some benefit.
Step 2
If possible, pick a preferred hotel group and airline, and use them as much as possible. The more you stay or fly with them means you will receive better perks and earn points or miles that will translate into free travel.
Step 3
Once you make those preferred selections, sign up for a credit card or cards that will give you points or miles for every dollar you charge to that card. Doing this will allow you to accelerate the pace at which you accumulate points and miles that will translate into free travel.
Step 4
Once you’ve accumulated enough points or miles, USE THEM! That free hotel stay or flight will be your reward for playing The Game successfully.
Step 5
Reiterating a key point we can’t stress enough. . .Pay your credit card balances off in full every month. If you have to pay interest charges, those charges will wipe out the value of the free travel very quickly.
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If you’re interested, get started now.

There are a lot of finer points and strategies that can enhance your rewards, and we’ll cover a lot of those in future posts, so check back often to up your Game. We’re here to help guide you along this path.  Contact us at phil@theexceptionaltraveler.com with questions and we’ll respond asap. Additionally, there are numerous websites that provide exhaustive information and great tips about playing The Game. And they’re all free to join (just like us!). Here are the three we like best:

Doctor of Credit
Frequent Miler
The Points Guy

Points & Miles Posts

The Exceptional Traveler

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