A Guide to Beginning Your Journey with Travel Points and Airline Miles in 2024

This article series about credit cards, travel points, and budgeting is presented in collaboration with The Points Guy.

Advertiser Disclosure: This post includes links to products from our advertisers. We may earn compensation when you click these links. Terms apply to the offers mentioned here. This partnership may influence how and where links appear. Not all financial companies or offers are represented. Information about the Hilton Honors Business Card, United Club℠ Business Card, and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card has been gathered independently by Dinogo Planet. These cards are not accessible through Dinogo Planet.Terms apply for American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be necessary for certain benefits. Visit americanexpress.com for further details.

A decade ago, entering the world of points and miles felt like a niche hobby, with limited resources for beginners. I had to sift through numerous blogs and forums, obsessively reading loyalty program details to uncover valuable insights. Today, social media is filled with travel enthusiasts using points and miles for lavish getaways that would typically cost a fortune.

Utilizing miles and points is a fantastic way to save on travel, no matter your goals. By joining airline loyalty programs and obtaining credit cards, you can accumulate rewards for discounted flights, complimentary hotel stays, car rentals, and more. Points and miles not only make travel more affordable, but they also allow for significant upgrades, such as flying first class and enjoying luxurious accommodations.

Curious about points and miles but not sure how to begin? You’ve found the perfect resource. Here’s everything you need to kickstart your journey:

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Set a travel goal: aim high and dream big

Establishing a travel goal before accumulating points and miles is a crucial initial step. This allows you to identify which loyalty program aligns with your needs and optimize its earning potential. If you're a budget traveler, your earning strategy will differ from someone aiming for a luxurious getaway. Knowing what you'll use your points for can also guide your decision on whether to pay credit card annual fees to reach that goal.

You don’t want to accumulate points aimlessly only to discover later that you can't reach your dream destination with those rewards. Or that the airline you saved miles with offers only a couple of seats in the cabin you wanted for your family trip. Planning ahead and setting clear goals is vital for developing an effective rewards strategy.

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Identify the best loyalty program tailored to your needs

When searching for the ideal loyalty program, think about the types of rewards you desire. There are three main categories of loyalty points you should know about. Ideally, you should diversify by having at least two types of points available: airline miles, hotel points, and transferable rewards.

You might find that hotel points don’t align with your travel aspirations if you prefer boutique accommodations or budget options through travel agencies. It's perfectly fine to forgo earning hotel points. You may even feel that flying isn’t in your immediate plans, making airline miles less relevant. However, transferable rewards are a currency you shouldn't overlook. They suit almost any traveler and offer the ultimate flexibility in redemption.

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Airline miles can take you great distances

While most airline miles can cover nearly any travel expense, their best value lies in redeeming them for flights. You’ll maximize your airline miles by using them for international business or first-class travel, although there are always exceptions. Airlines like Delta, Air France, and KLM frequently offer award travel sales, slashing economy ticket prices by up to 50%.

The miles you should aim to earn depend on your travel objectives and the airlines servicing your local airport. For instance, if you reside in San Francisco, you'll find numerous options as all major airlines operate there with both domestic and international flights. A great way to discover available airlines and routes is to check your local airport's Wikipedia page, specifically the “airlines and destinations” section for a detailed list.

If international travel is on your agenda, it's wise to earn miles with an airline that belongs to an alliance: One World, Star Alliance, or SkyTeam. Alliances enable broader travel options, as you can redeem your miles on partner airlines.

For those focusing on domestic travel, consider airlines that primarily cater to these routes. Southwest Airlines is a favored choice for West Coast travelers, while JetBlue has an extensive network on the East Coast and is expanding into international destinations.

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Transferable Rewards

Transferable rewards are the perfect points currency to begin with. They offer maximum flexibility, allowing you to redeem them at a standard rate for travel purchases or transfer them to certain airline and hotel loyalty programs. This flexibility is essential because airline miles and hotel points frequently lose value—sometimes without warning. Transferable rewards safeguard you against such devaluations since you aren't locked into one specific currency.

For instance, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club recently raised redemption rates for All Nippon Airways (ANA) first-class tickets by 42%. Without any notice, these awards now require 145,000 points round trip from the West Coast and 170,000 from the East Coast. This sudden increase left many customers frustrated who had been saving for that award, only to find it now costs significantly more.

If you've been accumulating transferable rewards—especially American Express Membership Rewards—you’re in a favorable position. Membership Rewards is a 1:1 transfer partner with ANA Mileage Club, which charges 150,000 miles for roundtrip flights. Instead of transferring your miles to the devalued Virgin Atlantic program, you can switch them to ANA Mileage Club, requiring only 20,000 points for East Coast-departing flights.

Some excellent options for transferable rewards include American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou points.

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Hotel Points

Hotel points are excellent for covering the cost of hotels and even vacation rentals during your trips. Consider seven major hotel chains: Accor Live Limitless, Choice Privileges, Hilton Honors, IHG One, Marriott Bonvoy, World of Hyatt, and Wyndham Rewards. These programs are associated with transferable rewards currencies, meaning you don’t need a specific hotel credit card to earn their points.

Marriott holds the title of the largest hotel chain globally, while Hyatt is renowned for its outstanding elite benefits and one of the few chains that still provides an award chart. IHG One features a wide range of budget and luxury hotels, whereas Hilton has a presence almost everywhere around the globe. Wyndham is a fantastic option for families, with free nights starting at just 1,500 points per room. Additionally, Wyndham offers a large network of timeshares in popular locations like Hawaii and Las Vegas, making it an excellent choice for maximizing your points and accommodating larger groups.

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Begin Accumulating Points and Miles

In the past, accumulating points and miles often meant extensive travel, but that's no longer necessary. Numerous airlines now provide rewards programs that enable you to earn miles through partner shopping, using their credit cards, booking hotels and car rentals, dining out, and shopping at retail outlets. Some of these methods require little effort, making it simple to gather enough points for your dream vacation. Here’s how to accumulate points and miles without traveling:

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Credit Cards with Added Benefits

Credit cards are the most effective way to quickly accumulate points and miles. The best options typically come with welcome bonuses of 50,000 points or more upon meeting spending requirements. When assessing credit cards, take into account the welcome bonus, your travel objectives, and spending patterns. Make sure to choose a card that rewards your highest spending categories (like groceries, dining, gas, travel) at a manageable annual fee.

Additionally, consider the perks that credit cards offer, which can enhance your travel experience and reduce costs, such as airline fee credits, complimentary checked bags, and elite status upgrades. These advantages can lead to savings on travel expenses and help offset the annual fees associated with these cards.

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Shopping Portals for Savings

Each major airline and hotel loyalty program features a shopping portal where members earn rewards for shopping at well-known retailers. Simply click through these portals to your chosen retailer, and you’ll automatically receive extra rewards for each dollar spent. The amount you earn varies by retailer, but you can generally expect to gain at least 1 additional point per dollar. Here’s a rundown of shopping portals linked to popular loyalty programs:

• Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Shopping

• American Airlines AAdvantage eShopping

• Barclays RewardsBoost

• Chase Ultimate Rewards Shopping

• Delta SkyMiles Shopping

• JetBlue TrueBlue Shopping

• Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Shopping

• United Airlines MileagePlus Shopping

During holiday seasons and back-to-school times, many portals provide extra bonuses for reaching specific spending amounts. To discover the best rewards, visit Cashback Monitor and input the retailer’s name you wish to shop with. You’ll receive a list of shopping portals that offer the highest rewards for that retailer.

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Dining rewards programs

Participating in dining rewards programs is a hassle-free way to accumulate miles effortlessly. Simply sign up, link your credit card, and use it at eligible restaurants. You can earn up to 8 points for every dollar spent, along with bonuses for writing reviews and meeting certain spending targets. Most of these programs are managed by the same rewards network, so you can’t register the same credit card with multiple programs simultaneously.

If you don’t have a credit card, you can even register a debit card to earn points on every purchase automatically.

• Alaska Mileage Plan Dining: Earn 1,500 Mileage Plan miles after spending $30 and submitting a review within 30 days, plus earn up to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.

• American AAdvantage Dining: Earn 500 AAdvantage miles after spending $25 within 30 days of registration and writing a review, plus up to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.

• Delta SkyMiles Dining: Earn 500 SkyMiles after spending $30 within 30 days, plus up to 1 mile per $1 at participating restaurants.

• Free Spirit Dining: Earn 500 Free Spirit bonus points after spending $30 within 30 days of joining and writing a review, plus up to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.

• Hilton Honors Dining: Earn 500 points after spending $25 within 30 days and submitting a review, plus earn up to 8 points per $1 at participating restaurants.

• IHG Rewards Dining: Earn 1,000 IHG points after spending $30 within 30 days of joining and writing a review, plus earn up to 8 points per $1 at participating restaurants.

• JetBlue TrueBlue Dining: Earn 3 points per $1 at participating restaurants.

• Marriott Eat Around Town: Earn up to 6,000 Bonvoy points after spending $90 over three visits within 60 days, plus earn up to 6 points per $1 at participating restaurants.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining: Earn 500 points after spending $25 within 30 days and writing a review, plus up to 3 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.

• United MileagePlus Dining: Earn 500 MileagePlus miles after spending $25 within 30 days of joining and submitting a review, plus up to 5 miles per $1 at participating restaurants.

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Register for bonus point promotions

To maximize your points earnings, you should enroll in bonus point promotions. Hotels and airlines frequently run these for stays and flights. Most promotions require members to register to receive additional points and miles. Hilton often provides double points on stays, while Hyatt tends to offer flat-rate bonuses (e.g., 1,000 bonus points per stay).

You can check the “offers” section on most hotel and airline loyalty websites to discover the latest promotions. Additionally, signing up for offers from each program ensures you won’t miss any opportunities. Most email alerts let you register for promotions with a single click.

If you prefer to avoid a cluttered inbox filled with promotional emails from loyalty programs, consider creating a dedicated email account for this purpose. This way, you can keep those emails distinct from your personal and business communications, ensuring you don’t miss essential messages while staying informed.

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Focus on achieving elite status

After determining which points and miles to accumulate, it’s time to think about elite status. Airlines and hotels grant elite status to their most dedicated customers. While earning this status usually requires substantial travel, the rewards are well worth it. Top-tier elites enjoy upgrades, complimentary services (such as checked bags and breakfast), bonus points, and various other valuable benefits. If you have elite status (or a method to expedite achieving it), it can greatly enhance your travel experience.

Benefits like free breakfast and access to executive lounges can significantly reduce your food expenses while offering convenience on your journeys. Savings from complimentary checked bags can amount to hundreds of dollars on one trip. However, frequent flying or hotel stays isn’t the only way to attain status; many airlines and hotels allow you to earn elite status through credit card usage alone.

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American AAdvantage

American Airlines has implemented a new elite status program where you earn 1 Loyalty Point for every dollar you spend. This includes expenses from credit cards, purchases through shopping portals, dining rewards, and more. This change can accelerate your path to elite status, especially if you hold a co-branded credit card.

You can accumulate Loyalty Points with five American Airlines credit cards: the American Airlines AAdvantage® MileUp® Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive Mastercard®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, and AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. Notably, the AAdvantage Executive Card offers an annual bonus of 10,000 Loyalty Points when you spend at least $40,000 on it.

To achieve AAdvantage Gold status, you need to earn 40,000 Loyalty Points, while top-tier Executive Platinum status requires 200,000 Loyalty Points.

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Delta SkyMiles

Delta has rolled out a new method for earning Medallion Status. Find out more at delta.com/skymilesprogramchanges.

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Hilton Honors

Hilton is unique in offering elite status simply for holding a credit card. The Hilton Honors Aspire Card* comes with a $450 annual fee, granting you immediate Hilton Diamond status. Diamond members receive perks such as complimentary breakfast or food and beverage credits at most properties, access to executive lounges (think: free afternoon tea and evening snacks), a 100% bonus on points, room upgrades when available, and more. Cardholders also benefit from an annual free night, a $250 resort credit at participating locations, a $250 airline fee credit, and numerous other valuable advantages. If you aim to skip Hilton's 60-night or 30-stay requirement for Diamond status, the Aspire Card is the ideal choice.

For a more budget-friendly option (with lower status), consider these Hilton cards:

• Hilton Honors American Express Card (no annual fee; check rates and fees): Grants Hilton Honors Silver status. Upgrade to Gold after spending $20,000 on eligible purchases within a calendar year.

• Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card ($150 annual fee; check rates and fees): Provides Hilton Honors Gold status. Upgrade to Diamond after spending $40,000 on eligible purchases during a calendar year.

• Hilton Honors American Express Business Credit Card ($95 annual fee; check rates and fees): Offers Hilton Honors Gold status.

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JetBlue TrueBlue

JetBlue has recently adopted a 'tile' system for its Mosaic elite status. Members receive 1 tile for every $100 spent, requiring 50 tiles to achieve the first tier of elite status. Alternatively, spending $1,000 on a credit card also earns 1 tile. Mosaic 1 status offers perks like two free checked bags, priority boarding and security, seat upgrades for extra legroom, and more. You can earn tiles with two JetBlue credit cards: the no-annual-fee JetBlue Card and the JetBlue Plus Card, which has a $99 annual fee.

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Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott offers four credit cards that grant automatic elite status or contribute towards it. The highest tier is provided by the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, which grants Bonvoy Platinum status. Platinum is the second highest level in the Bonvoy program, typically requiring 50 nights annually. Platinum members enjoy 50% more bonus points on stays, complimentary room upgrades, a welcome gift selection at check-in, late checkout, and additional benefits. If the card’s $650 annual fee (see rates and fees) is too steep, consider one of the other Marriott cards to earn status more quickly:

• Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card ($95 annual fee): Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Bonus Points after spending $5,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening with your Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® credit card.

• Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (no annual fee): Earn 60,000 Bonus Points and 1 Free Night Award after spending $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The Free Night is valued at 50,000 points, and some hotels may charge resort fees.

• Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card* ($250 annual fee; see rates and fees): Automatically receive Bonvoy Gold elite status and 15 elite night credits each year towards the next tier.

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United MileagePlus

To achieve elite status with United Airlines, you must meet one of two criteria: Premier Qualifying Flights (PQF) or Premier Qualifying Points (PQP). You can bypass the PQF requirement by accumulating a higher PQP. United's Premier status begins at Silver, which necessitates either 12 PQF and 4,000 PQP or simply 5,000 PQP. PQFs are earned based on segments flown, while PQPs accumulate at a rate of 1 per $1 spent on eligible United purchases.

United Premier elites enjoy perks like complimentary seat upgrades (to Economy Plus and higher), free checked luggage, bonus miles on flights, and more. Alternatively, you can earn United PQP through the following co-branded credit cards:

• United Quest℠ Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles and 500 Premier qualifying points after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

• United Club℠ Infinite Card: Earn 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

• United Club℠ Business Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles and 1,000 Premier qualifying points after spending $5,000 in the first three months after opening the account.

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Southwest Rapid Rewards

Southwest Airlines offers three tiers of status, and while you might not receive extravagant upgrades, the benefits can be valuable. For instance, you can earn a Companion Pass after either 100 flights or accumulating 135,000 qualifying points for the rest of the calendar year when you earn the pass and the following year. The companion you choose will be able to fly with you for free, making it a fantastic option for families looking to save on travel. You can achieve the 135,000-point requirement through Southwest credit cards.

Both the welcome bonus and every dollar spent contribute towards this requirement, and you can even combine bonuses from multiple credit cards.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card: Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Earn 50,000 bonus points after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn 85,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 60,000 points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.

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How to utilize points for travel

When you’re set to redeem your miles, keep a few tips in mind to maximize their value. Start by understanding your program’s “sweet spot” awards, which can be booked for significantly fewer points than other options. Here’s a brief list of some of the best airline sweet spots to consider when using your points:

• Roundtrip United flights within the U.S. or to Hawaii for 15,000 Turkish Airlines miles: United frequently charges this amount (or more) for the same award. You can obtain Turkish miles by transferring Capital One miles to the program at a 1:1 ratio.

• Virgin Atlantic flights from the East Coast to London for 10,000 miles each way: You can transfer points to Virgin Atlantic from American Express, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Citi ThankYou points.

• Star Alliance business class to Europe for 88,000 miles round-trip: ANA MileagePlan offers some of the lowest fares to Europe, nearly half the price of other Star Alliance carriers. You can earn ANA miles by transferring American Express Membership Rewards to the program.

Many airlines provide off-peak pricing, allowing you to save miles if you're flexible with your travel dates. For instance, Flying Blue offers discounts of up to 50% on Air France and KLM flights worldwide when you book their Promo Rewards. American Airlines also provides off-peak pricing to global destinations if you’re willing to travel during less busy seasons. Understanding these programs can help you save on travel and maximize your miles.

Similarly, hotel loyalty programs offer discounts on off-peak awards: Hyatt provides up to 46% off, and Marriott has its PointSavers program for further savings. Additionally, you can save on hotel redemptions through consecutive-night booking discounts available from various programs:

• IHG: Fourth night free on award bookings for eligible IHG credit card holders.

• Hilton: Fifth night free on award bookings for Silver members and above.

• Marriott: Fifth night free on award bookings for all members.

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Common inquiries

How can I redeem my points for complimentary flights?

Depending on the loyalty program, you can exchange points for flights either directly on their website or by contacting customer service.

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How many frequent flyer miles are required for a complimentary flight?

The amount of frequent flyer miles necessary for a free flight varies based on the airline, destination, class of service, and season. Some programs offer flights starting at just 1,800 miles, while premium long-haul first-class tickets may exceed 150,000 miles for a round-trip.

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Are travel points beneficial?

Travel points are valuable if used for premium experiences. Even budget travelers can save on flights and accommodations by utilizing travel points. However, if you dislike traveling or find redemption restrictions cumbersome, they might not be worthwhile.

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What’s the fastest way to accumulate airline miles?

You can quickly accumulate airline miles by applying for co-branded credit cards and fulfilling their spending thresholds. Additional miles can also be earned through online shopping platforms, dining rewards programs, and other avenues. Traveling isn't necessary to accumulate points and miles.

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*Terms and conditions apply to benefits and offers from American Express. Enrollment may be necessary for certain benefits and offers. For more details, visit americanexpress.com.

The details for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card have been gathered independently by Dinogo Planet. The information provided on this page has not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

Editorial note: The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not reflect those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline, or hotel chain, and have not been verified, approved, or endorsed by these entities.