There are so many credit cards on the market that it can be hard to know where to start. If you read our Intro to Travel Hacking blog, you may remember that one of our tips was to, “Set Goals!” And that’s the lens through which we’ll approach what cards to start with. Once you know where you want to go or what you want to do with your points, it’s easy to filter down what card to apply for first!
Most travel cards come with a Sign-Up Bonus; it’s an extra chunk of points that you only earn if you spend a certain amount (known as minimum spend) on that card within a fixed time frame. Sign-Up Bonuses are where the majority of your points will come from, so make sure that your typical monthly expenses allow you to hit your minimum spend! Remember, the goal of travel hacking is to maximize the return on your normal expenses, not to overextend yourself on things you can’t afford.
When we first started travel hacking, we didn’t have a particular trip in mind, but we wanted to have the flexibility to book travel when we saw the opportunity arise. So, we were looking for cards that offer points that are easy to use across a number of airlines and hotels.
The general consensus across travel hacking blogs is that the best card to get started is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Points with Chase are easily transferred to tons of different airlines or hotel partners. Also, for adventures booked through the Chase Travel Portal, your points are worth an extra 25%! That means that instead of 1 point being worth 1 cent, 1 point is worth 1.25 cents. That might seem insignificant, but it means that the current 80,000 point Sign-Up Bonus is worth $1000 through the Chase Portal.
If, for whatever reason, you don’t think you’ll qualify for a Chase card (generally, you need a credit score of 700+), another great card to get started is the Capital One Venture. Capital One has recently added a number of travel partners that you can transfer points to, but the best use of their points is typically their Purchase Eraser. Basically, you can use your points to cover *any* travel related purchase on your card. This is great for something like, say, Disney World tickets, or fun excursions on your trips that can’t be booked directly through something like a Chase Travel Portal. And, like Samuel L. Jackson has told us a million times in their commercials, Capital One Venture earns 2 points for every dollar spent!
If you know you’re saving points for a specific adventure, you may be better served by a card that earns you miles for an airline that has great options for getting to your destination.
To start, do your research! Learn what airlines offer the best flights and service to where you’re going, and find out what airlines those flights can be booked through. The goal of our site isn’t to be a travel hacking epicenter, but there are a number of great sites that spend all of their time in the travel hacking game. Head to 10xTravel or The Points Guy, where they’ve got tons of information on what points work on what airlines to help give a base for what airlines you should try earning points on!
The three I want to highlight for either their value or flexibility are American, United, and Southwest.
American Airlines is part of the Oneworld Alliance, meaning that you can book awards flights on tons of different airlines to basically any destination around the world. While we personally haven’t ever had an American card, they’ve got a few different options with solid Sign-Up Bonuses that are definitely worth looking at. The Citi/Aadvantage Platinum Select is probably their best card to get started, and you guessed it, you can also transfer points earned on Citi cards to American Airlines! That gives you a few solid options for earning Sign-Up Bonuses that can be used towards American flights.
United is part of the Star Alliance, which we’ve found especially useful for getting to destinations in the Pacific! Their partnership with Al Nippon Air makes long-haul business class trips to Japan super affordable, and they often offer great deals to Australia and New Zealand. The United Explorer is a great card of theirs for getting started, and its extra perks of United Club Passes and a credit for Global Entry/TSA Precheck are huge pluses! It’s also partnered with Chase, so any points earned on Chase Sapphire cards can be transferred here as well.
The crown jewel of the travel hacking world is the Southwest Companion Pass, where you pick one companion to fly with you for free (plus $5.60 in taxes and fees) on any Southwest flight. That’s right...literally every flight becomes two-for-one while you’ve got a Companion Pass! Earning a CP takes accruing 125,000 Southwest points in one calendar year, and their credit cards are the perfect way to make a large dent in that. All of their cards are really solid for getting started, so if you are near a Southwest hub and know you want to do a lot of US Domestic or Caribbean travel, this is a great place to start.
Even more than just having a destination in mind, maybe you’ve got a hotel you’re just dying to stay in. From overwater bungalows to all-inclusive getaways, hotel branded cards are great for getting to that goal.
Hyatt is a Chase partner, and their World of Hyatt cards have recently been stepping up their game in both Sign-Up Bonuses and earning at least 2 points on almost any purchase. Hotel points are typically less valuable than airline-associated points, but these perks go a long way towards bridging that gap!
Also a Chase partner, Marriott Bonvoy cards offer great perks if you frequently find yourself looking at Marriott properties. Anything from The Ritz-Carltons to Fairfield Inns fall under the purview of Marriott Bonvoy rewards, making these points super flexible for stays almost anywhere around the world!
These cards should be helpful in at least getting your feet wet for your first card! While there are so many options for getting going with travel hacking, remember ultimately to choose cards that get you closer to your travel goals. And as always, if you have questions, feel free to reach out!
