Whether you’re looking to take a quick weekend trip or finally go on that dream vacation, travel can be costly. However, with the right strategy of when and how you are spending money on travel, your next trip could earn you free flights, free hotel stays, or cashback. The trick? Choosing the right travel credit card — and then using it responsibly. Let us go through the steps on how to maximize rewards when booking travel.
1. Find the Right Travel Credit Card
- General travel credit cards (e.g. Chase Sapphire Preferred, Capital One Venture): Good for more flexible travel (good with any airlines and hotels, etc.)
- Co-branded cards (e.g. Delta SkyMiles, Marriott Bonvoy): Best used when you consistently fly with the same airline or use the same brand of hotels.
- Premium travel cards (e.g. Amex Platinum): Top travel credit cards if you want premium travel perks and maximum rewards, but they typically charge higher annual fees.
- Tip: Look for cards that offer sign-up bonuses (i.e. Many offer 50,000+ points if you spend a certain amount in the first 3 months).
2. Use the Card for All Eligible Travel Purchases
- Airline & airline tickets
- Hotels
- Car rentals or car share programs
- Travel packages
- Cruise lines
- Vacation rentals
- Even ridesharing or public transportation (if applicable on your card).
- Some cards earn 2x to 5x points per dollar on these purchases. Be sure that the purchase is made directly with the airline/hotel or through the card’s travel portal (such as Chase Travel or Amex Travel) if it needs to be booked through the travel portal.
3. Book with the card’s travel portal (if the price is better)
- Many credit cards have their own travel booking platforms — and taking advantage of using these can supercharge your rewards.
- Example:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 5x points on travel booked through Chase Travel.
- Capital One Venture X earns 10x points on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Don’t be afraid to run a price check on airline or hotel on the direct booking sites, but if they are the same prices, the bonus points might be worth it.
Also read: Major Credit Card Changes Coming in 2025 – RBI’s New Rules Explained
4. Maximize Your Rewards with Loyalty Programs
- If you’re using a co-branded credit card, be sure to enroll in the accompanying airline or hotel loyalty program. This way, you’ll earn:
- Rewards from your credit card and Rewards from the loyalty program
- Pro Tip: Always put your frequent flyer number or hotel number in the booking.
5. Book Group Travel (And Get Reimbursed)
- Traveling with friends or family? If you are the one booking and paying for everyone’s tickets or hotel rooms with your card, you earn all of the rewards (even if they reimburse you later).
- Just use a good payment system for collecting payment so it is clear and you aren’t accidentally paying for the entire trip, and you can avoid the awkwardness of having to ask them for money.
6. Redeem Points Properly
- Earning points is only half of the equation — redeeming them properly is important too.
- Transfer to travel partners: Some cards allow you to transfer your points to airline or hotel program (1:1 or better) to get even more value.
- Travel portals: You can use points to book flights and hotels directly. Generally, you can redeem points at about 1 cent per point or more.
- Try to avoid gift card or merchandise redemptions — they usually are not the best value.
- Final Tips for Making the Most of Travel Rewards
- Pay in full: Any interest charges will wipe out any rewards you earn.
- Be aware of foreign transaction fees: If you are booking or spending overseas, make sure you use a travel card that waives foreign transaction fees.
- Utilize perks: Many travel cards offer trip insurance, airport lounge access, TSA PreCheck credits, to name a few. These can all save you a ton of money, and stress.
The Bottom Line
If you travel just once or twice a year, utilizing a travel credit card can make a huge difference. If the right card and if you have a plan, you can accumulate rewards more freely, obtain bonuses, and even have free travel. So, the next time you are booking a flight or a hotel — let your credit card do more than pay. Let it work for you.
Written by Pranjal Data
