Like many travel lovers, I tick a few destinations off my bucket list each year. The problem is always how to do it most cost-effectively. While I often use my credit card rewards to book flights, I never really know if I’m getting great value from my rewards.
So, I decided a few years back that one of my New Year’s resolutions was to learn how to use my points and miles better. After all, more efficient reward usage means I can travel at a lower cost and subsequently visit more destinations.
Here’s how I’m striving to maximize my travel rewards without having to become a dedicated award travel master.
Use Chase points for Hyatt stays
Whenever I plan a trip, I consider using the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal to book my flights. But there is so much more you can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for — including hotels, experiences and sporting events — that can help reduce the cost of your vacation.
For example, you can use Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book a Hyatt stay by transferring them to World of Hyatt. You can also transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to IHG One Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, but Hyatt points are generally worth significantly more.
Twenty-five thousand Hyatt points are enough for a standard free night at a Category 6 property like the Park Hyatt Aviara or Park Hyatt Chicago. Redeeming these points could get you into a room that would otherwise cost more than $500 per night on most dates. World of Hyatt gives all members waived resort fees on award stays, which can add to the savings.
If you want to earn fully transferable Ultimate Rewards points, consider adding the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve or Ink Business Preferred Credit Card to your wallet.
Related: How I’m spending 1 million World of Hyatt points
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Learn how to transfer rewards
You might consider using your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book travel directly in the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. But let’s look at what that means for a one-way flight from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD).
I picked a sample flight that would cost $428.60 if I booked directly on United’s website.
If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards points for travel through the portal at 1.5 cents apiece. So, this flight would require 28,573 Ultimate Rewards points if you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve and redeem for this flight through Chase’s travel portal.
Alternatively, you can book this flight for 15,000 MileagePlus miles and $5.60 in taxes and fees. Remember, you can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio.
Of course, when you transfer credit card rewards to an award program, you usually won’t earn frequent flyer miles on your ticket (which you usually would when booking through the Ultimate Rewards travel portal).
Check award rates with transfer partners before redeeming rewards directly through your credit card issuer’s travel portal. In particular, it can make sense to transfer rewards to book award flights or stays when paid rates are high or award rates are low.
Related: How (and why) you should earn transferable points
Track your points and miles
Using your points and miles properly is difficult if you don’t track them properly. Luckily, there are many ways to track your points and miles.
I used to track my rewards manually in a Word document, but this was time-consuming and cumbersome to keep up to date. So, you might want to use an automated tool. One option is the TPG app, which keeps track of all your balances in the same place, automatically calculates their value and gives you a heads-up when they will expire.
The TPG app gives you a snapshot of where you stand and can help inform your travel plans. When you log in, you’ll see where you have the most rewards with the accounts you’ve synced (and the value using TPG’s valuations).
Related: Change the way you travel — download the TPG app
Sign up for all loyalty programs
Many people (including yours truly) fail to sign up for every loyalty program because they think, “Oh, I never really fly JetBlue or stay at a Hilton.” But that mindset has cost me thousands of points and miles.
Even if you aren’t loyal to one airline or hotel chain, signing up for the program when you fly or stay means adding more rewards to your balance whenever you use the program again. You might even get extra perks, such as free Wi-Fi during your hotel stay, just for being a member.
You might not want to join every program out there today. But consider this resolution: I’ll ensure I have a frequent flyer number listed on every flight I take.
Doing so will build up rewards in various programs that could eventually get you a free trip.
Related: Hilton, Marriott and other loyalty programs are offering free points for new members
Use online shopping portals
I buy items online regularly. But I could earn more rewards on my purchases by going through the shopping portal of my preferred credit card, airline or hotel. These portals are essentially online shopping malls that partner with hundreds of merchants. By starting at the portal rather than going directly to the retailer’s site, you can earn bonus points or miles on thousands of items.
For example, let’s assume you want to buy makeup from Sephora. If you go directly to Sephora’s website, you’ll only earn rewards for your credit card purchase. But you could snag extra rewards if you click through the AAdvantage shopping portal, for example, before making your purchase.
If you prefer earning cash instead of points and miles, you can explore online shopping portals like Rakuten and TopCashback. I recommend using a shopping portal aggregator each time you make an online purchase to find the program that offers the best return for your merchant.
Related: Your guide to maximizing shopping portals for your online purchases
Bottom line
A new year brings a wealth of opportunities to adjust your approach to earning and redeeming points and miles, and there are several simple steps you can take right now. Small steps like ensuring that you have a frequent flyer number linked to each flight can make a significant difference. I, for one, already have my eyes set on my next award trip.
Additional reporting by Kyle Olsen.
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