Beginner's Guide
Step-by-Step Beginner's Guide to Award Travel with Journey with Reese J
Welcome to Journey with Reese J, your ultimate destination for mastering the art of award travel! Whether you’re a novice looking to dip your toes into the world of affordable travel, or a seasoned explorer seeking to optimize your adventures, this guide is designed to cater to all levels of expertise. By leveraging travel hacking techniques, you can unlock incredible savings, and take some of your bucket list vacations without breaking the bank. Let’s embark on this exciting journey together!
Step 01.
Understanding Award Travel
Before diving into the specifics, it's essential to grasp the fundamentals of Award Travel, also known as Travel Hacking. Award Travel is the strategic use of rewards points, miles, and loyalty programs to travel affordably or even for free. It involves maximizing the value of credit card rewards, loyalty program points, and other perks to minimize travel expenses.
Step 02.
Assess Your Travel Goals
Define your travel objectives. Are you looking to take a dream vacation, visit family and friends more often, or explore new destinations frequently? Understanding your goals will shape your approach to travel hacking.
Step 03.
Evaluate Your Current Financial Situation
Assess your credit score, outstanding debts, and spending habits. Travel hacking requires responsible credit card use, so it's crucial to have a good credit score and manageable finances. The #1 key to this game is to earn points and miles on your everyday spending and expenses without feeling the need to overspend just to earn points and miles or worse, go into debt. If you are currently paying interest on your cards or experiencing a financial hardship, it may be a good idea to wait until your finances are better before jumping into the game. We always want to ensure you are travel hacking responsibly!
Step 04.
Research Travel Rewards Programs
Explore different travel rewards programs offered by airlines, hotels, and credit card issuers. Compare their earning rates, redemption options, and associated perks to find the ones that align with your travel goals. Travel hacking can seem like a tedious task and an overwhelming amount of information, but influencers like myself are here to help make it easier and accessible to the average household and family. I did it, and YOU CAN TOO!
Step 05.
Start with a Starter Card
Once you have learned more about travel hacking and which programs and benefits are tailored to you and your current financial situation, it's time to start researching your STARTER CARD! As a beginner, it's wise to begin with a versatile travel rewards credit card that offers valuable benefits and a straightforward rewards structure. That's where the Chase Sapphire Preferred comes in.
Step 06.
Introducing the Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is an excellent choice for beginners due to its generous sign-up bonus, flexible redemption options, and valuable travel benefits. Here's why it's our top recommendation.
The reason you will notice most seasoned travel hackers recommend Chase cards, and this card specifically, is because of Chase's 5/24 rule. Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of the most popular rewards programs, and in order to be approved for their cards, you must NOT have opened more than 5 cards (from any creditor/lender) within the last 24 months. This includes Discover Card, American Express, Citi Bank, etc. The easiest way to determine this is to pull your credit report and review your opening dates of each credit card.
Step 08.
Meet the Minimum Spending Requirement
Upon approval, focus on meeting the minimum spending requirement to earn the sign-up bonus. Use your card for everyday expenses but ensure you can pay off the balance in full each month to avoid accruing interest.
Step 09.
Maximize Your Points Earnings
Utilize the bonus categories (travel and dining) to maximize your points earnings. Be strategic with your spending and consider using the card for large purchases or recurring expenses and explore stacking opportunities to amplify your rewards earnings.
Step 10.
Diversify Across Banks
Expand your points portfolio by exploring offerings from various banks. Diversification ensures access to a wide range of travel rewards programs and redemption options.
Step 11.
Monitor Your Account and Benefits
Regularly review your account activity, track your points balance, and stay informed about any changes or updates to the card's benefits and terms.
Step 12.
Expand Your Award Travel Skills
As you become more comfortable with award travel, consider diversifying your rewards portfolio, exploring advanced strategies, and maximizing the benefits of additional credit cards and loyalty programs.
Congratulations on embarking on your award travel Journey with Reese J! With the Chase Sapphire Preferred as your starting point, you're well on your way to unlocking incredible travel experiences while saving money along the way. Safe travels!
