Why do I sell real estate? I love helping people! But let’s be real… real estate is highly stressful and all consuming for those of us that do it full-time. We are always “on” and working. So to me, travel is my well-deserved break now and again. Points hacking, including credit card points, funds my travel addiction. There’s nothing like experiencing the people, food, and cultures in other countries to me.
In October 2023, my boyfriend and I took a trip to Italy. He’d never been out of the country other than a few Caribbean islands and I am sorry, not sorry, that I ruined him for traveling anywhere in economy again. Had we paid cash, this trip would’ve run around $15,000. We paid for all our business class flights with points and 2/3 of our lodging with credit card points. There were a few cities we went to that did not have big brand hotels (Hyatt, Marriott, Hilton) and we stayed in Airbnbs paid with cash. And I have since learned how to rack up major points on Airbnbs, but oh well, I was still learning then. But everything else was points! We couldn’t believe we were able to take such a luxurious vacation almost completely on points, and we were hooked.
Learning to master credit card points will open doors for amazing travel experiences.
During our travels, we maximized our savings with credit card points by using them for dining and entertainment, allowing us to enjoy more experiences without spending cash.
So then in July of 2024, we decided to do a trip to France. Again, the cash value for this trip was around $15,000-20,000. We paid for our business class flights with credit card points. All our hotels this trip were paid with credit card points. The only things we paid in cash for included food and rental car. Rental cars CAN be paid with credit card points but sometimes are not the best redemption value.
Using credit card points effectively allows me to explore more without the financial burden.
This is a great hobby to do for anyone, but can be especially lucrative if you are a business owner. Whatever you do, DON’T spend those credit card points you’ve earned on Amazon or on gift cards because that is the worst redemption rate you can get. If you do it right, you can 10X your points value when you apply them towards travel!
How did I learn to do this? Stop, hold the phone. Before you do anything, go to 10XTravel. I am not associated with them in anyway – just a huge fan – they are the ones who taught me the basics of how to do this. Then go to the link at the very top that says Take Free Course. Yes, it’s really free, it’s not a scam. And no, it won’t hurt your credit (if you do it the way explained in the course!) You must take the whole course to really understand how to do this correctly so that you don’t negatively impact your credit.
In fact, I have had several friends and even my own dad who thought this points game was not real, until they took the course. Now my dad is traveling free on points too! Who knew I could teach my old man a thing or two?! Now I am by no means expert level at this but I am learning more every day and I’ll keep sharing my tips.
So how did I do it? Well, I followed the 10X rules. I already had a Chase Sapphire and Amex Platinum, but since learning the 10X method, I’ve opened several Chase Ink business cards (yes you can open more than one for the same business) and earned multiple sign up bonuses. I’ve also recently gotten the Capital One Venture X (link below) and JUST signed up for a Southwest Chase card so I can earn my companion pass as I’ll be doing a bit of domestic travel next year and don’t plan to pay cash for any of it!
Our most recent points adventure was to London and then Scotland. I managed to spot a deal on the 10X Facebook page that highlighted a 40% points transfer bonus from Capital One to Virgin. I got us Virgin’s Upper Class tickets from Tampa to London for a mere 45K credit card points, each. From there, we rented a car and drove through Scotland and wow was it incredible! Isle of Skye was just amazing and I’d go back in a heartbeat. More pics from that trip are on my Instagram.
Favorite Personal Cards:
American Express Gold – 4x points on dining, 4x points on groceries, 3x points on travel, 1x on all else, $120 in Uber Credits per year, $120 dining credit
American Express Platinum – $200 airline credit, Global Entry or TSA Pre-check credit, $200 hotel credit, $200 uber cash, $240 digital credit, $100 Saks Credit, $100 Lululemon credit, 5x points on hotels and flights, to name a few!
Chase Sapphire Preferred– 2x–5x points on travel and dining, a 25% points boost when redeeming through Chase Travel, valuable transfer partners for flights and hotels, primary rental car insurance, trip delay/cancellation coverage, no foreign transaction fees, and a relatively low annual fee.
Chase Sapphire Reserve – elevated points on travel and dining (up to 8x via Chase Travel), a $300 annual travel credit, luxury hotel perks and credits, airport lounge access (Chase + Priority Pass), strong travel protections, Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, flexible points with transfer partners and boosted redemptions, plus a wide range of lifestyle credits for dining, streaming, rides, and events.
Capital One Venture X – 2x points on everything (but points value slightly lower than Chase/AMEX)
Favorite Business Cards (Chase business cards do not count against you in the 5/24 rule!):
Capital One Venture X Business – 2X points on everything, $300 annual travel credit, 10K mile bonus on anniversary, Global entry or precheck credit, unlimited lounge access and more.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited — 1.5X on all purchases unlimited. Note it says cash back in the website but it is paid in POINTS. Which is what you want.
By using credit card points wisely, I’ve been able to travel more frequently without breaking the bank.
Chase Ink Business Premier – EARN 3 POINTS PER $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases in the following categories each account anniversary year*
Shipping purchases, Internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases with social media sites and search engines, earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases — with no limits to the amount you can earn. Earn a total of 5x total points on Lyft rides through March 2025*
Chase Ink Business Cash – This one gives you 5% back on the first $25,000 spent at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services. You also get 2% back on all other purchases up to $25,000. What I’ve learned from some of the points groups is that people will buy gift cards at office supply stores (using a Rakuten link) and stack extra points for purchases this way.
Chase Sapphire Reserve Business – Sizable signup bonuses (I got 200K points!), $3000 towards travel, 8x points on Chase Travel, partner benefits from Google Workspace, ZipRecruiter, DoorDash, Lyft and more.
American Express Business Platinum – 5x points on travel, 1.5x points on business expenses, 1x points on all else, $400/yr Dell Credit, $360 Indeed credit, $150 Adobe Credit, $120 Wireless Bill Credit, $200 Airline Credit, $189 CLEAR credit. Also gives you Centurion Lounge access!
American Express Business Gold – Welcome Offer: Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points on the top two eligible categories where your business spends the most each month from 6 eligible categories. While your top 2 categories may change, you will earn 4X points on the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these categories each calendar year (then 1X thereafter). Only the top 2 categories each billing cycle will count towards the $150,000 cap. Earn up to $20 in statement credits monthly after you use the Business Gold Card for eligible U.S. purchases at FedEx, Grubhub, and Office Supply Stores. This can be an annual savings of up to $240. Enrollment required. Get up to a $12.95 statement credit back each month after you pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with your Business Gold Card.
Once you have AMEX, sign up for Rakuten. Make sure to install the Rakuten browser extension so you are notified when a site you are shopping on is offering cash back. When you use Rakuten to do your online shopping, you can convert your cash back rewards straight into American Express points at a higher value!
If you want to learn even more once you have taken the 10X Course, check out some of these great Facebook Groups:
10X Travel Insiders – don’t dare ask a dumb question if you haven’t taken the course yet or they will jump all over you!
Other fun stuff:
Utilizing credit card points effectively allows me to enjoy activities I wouldn’t normally consider.
Credit Card Points Stickers – I put these on all my cards so I can tell at a glance which card to use at what type of business.
From flights to hotels, credit card points can transform the way you travel.
Maximizing the value of credit card points can lead to incredible savings on travel expenses.
With the right strategy, credit card points can help fund your dream vacations.
Join credit card points groups to learn from others and share tips.
Networking with others who utilize credit card points can open your eyes to new opportunities.
*Offerings above are subject to change
Remember, the more you know about credit card points, the more you can save! Knowledge is power when it comes to travel.
**I am not an expert at this and you take all responsibility for your creditworthiness and following instructions in the 10X Course. I am not affiliated with or employed by 10X or any of the card companies above.**
Every bit of knowledge about credit card points can contribute to a more enjoyable travel experience.
***I may receive a commission or points bonus from the use of the above links.***
Ultimately, understanding how to leverage credit card points will greatly benefit your travel plans.
Credit card points can make your travel dreams a reality if used wisely.
