The Easiest Way to Earn Travel Points: 5 Cards Beginners Need to Know
You want to earn points for nearly free travel! That is amazing! I am proud of you for diving in and trying this out! Feel free to start slow and go at a pace that is comfortable for you!
This is simply a guide to help you get started on the right foot! There are lots of credit card offers out there, but the list here is the one I go back to time and time again. They offer points that are so useful for booking tons of nearly free travel.
Remember, after you apply for the card, don’t forget to add it to your Travel Freely app. This is going to keep your card profile organized, track your 5/24, track your points progress, alert you for bonus deadlines, and more!
Many of these cards have affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission at no cost to you. I am truly thankful anytime you use my links, and thank you for your support. This allows me to keep putting out travel content for you guys to keep saving money!
1. Chase Sapphire Preferred (My Favorite Beginner Card)
A few reasons we suggest this card towards the beginning of your journey. It earns great points that are easy to use and transfer. The travel portal system is easy to work with. With this bank, you can transfer points to your spouse (player 2) to combine points. This card has access to the Chase Travel Portal, and if you decide to open any Chase cash back cards later on, you can easily transfer those points to this card and use them for travel! Check out the current offer HERE.
2. Capital One Venture Or Venture X
Having both Chase and Capital One points will maximize your redemption options and give you more flexibility when it comes time to book your travel. Capital One is also known for being a little trickier when it comes to approvals. Getting a card in the earlier stages ups your chances of approval. There are two personal cards, and you can choose which one you are more comfortable with. Venture X has the higher annual fee but comes with lounge access and lots of perks. Click here to learn 7 ways I use my Venture X miles to save money and make the annual trip not a high cost. The Venture card is the lower annual fee version. Same great points, but no lounge access. Check out the current Venture card offer HERE.
3. Chase Ink Business Cash (No Annual Fee Business Card)
This is a no-annual-fee credit card that earns you a lot of points! Check out the current welcome offer HERE. Now this card is advertised as a business cash back card. Once you earn points from this card, you will transfer them to your Chase Sapphire Preferred to use them for travel. On this card, they can only be redeemed for cash. I keep this one in my wallet because of the 5x category for office supply stores. Anything that is sold in office supply stores can earn you 5x. I stock up on greeting cards, school supplies, and have learned other favorite items I always grab during my weekly run into the office supply store. If you need help maximizing that 5x category, reach out, and I would love to help you. Don’t be worried about it being a business card! Did you know that any small side hustle could count as a business?
4. Southwest or a Favorite Airline card
Now that you have 3 cards worth of flexible points, we can start adding in cobranded cards! Southwest is our family favorite! You can also use your Chase points to transfer them directly to your Southwest account to book flights if you need more points. If you are doing the Southwest Companion pass, where you can earn a pass that allows you to book a free flight with you anytime you book a flight, check out my guide HERE! That might change your card strategy a little bit. Check out the best offers page to see what other airlines you fly on frequently that you might want to add to your wallet.
5. Hotel Cobranded Card like Hyatt, IHG, Marriott, or Hilton
Next, we will finish off with a co-branded hotel card. Many of these cards come with annual free night certificates, hotel status, and more points to book at your favorite hotel brand. Currently, I love Hyatt because Chase points transfer there, and you can get hotels as low as 3,500 points! The Hyatt personal card earns you points, will help you earn some status, and every year you get a free award stay for a category 1-4 hotel! Now you may prefer another hotel card, so check out the offers HERE and choose the hotel card that will meet your travel needs. Need help? Please feel free to reach out.
Helpful Tips
- After you apply for a card and get approved, add the card to your Travel Freely app so you have the most accurate date.
- Don’t put your spouse as an authorized user; instead, refer them using your card link, and you earn extra referral bonus points! (Thank you for using my links for your first time applying, but please refer your spouse for this part.)
- Don’t be scared to apply for business cards because they don’t apply to your personal 5/24, which means you have more options
- After the last two cobranded cards, go back to earning more flexible points!