Introduction to Points & Miles
If you’ve ever wondered how people get started with points and miles, let me help you! Once you understand a few basic concepts about how this wonderful world of reward travel works, you will be amazed! And if you are like me, you will kick yourself for not starting sooner. Credit cards, when used responsibly, can unlock an entire world of travel opportunities. So if you are ready to travel more for less, just by getting rewarded for things you are already spending money on, keep reading!
A Few Caveats
Even though it may seem obvious, I only recommend opening a credit card if you can pay your balance off every month. Otherwise these points will end up costing you money, with accrued interest charges and/or late fees, which completely defeats the purpose.
Whenever anyone asks me which credit card they should open, I have them identify their main spending categories and their travel goals. Not surprisingly, my main credit card spend is on travel and dining. And my goal is to be able to fly back and forth to Europe inexpensively. So I look for cards where I can rack up the most points and miles in those categories. For someone else, it may be groceries and gas, with the goal of booking hotel rooms for their family for free. It’s definitely not a one size fits all, and your specific spending & goals will determine your strategy.
So Where to Start with Points & Miles?
My best piece of advice is to look for cards with transferrable points. A Delta branded AmEx is great, but only if you fly Delta or its SkyTeam partners. A Marriott Bonvoy Visa card from Chase can be beneficial, if you value staying loyal to Marriott. Southwest Airlines has a Visa card, but do you only fly Southwest? You get my point.
The better option is to use cards that (1) reward you for the things you spend money on, (2) earn points that can be used with multiple transfer partners, and (3) have a good sign up bonus. This is the secret sauce that a lot of people miss!
Best Travel Rewards Cards
Chase Sapphire offers two great options: the Reserve and the Preferred. They both earn Chase points (“Ultimate Rewards”) and they both have great transfer partners. The Reserve has a $795 annual fee, vs $95 for the Preferred. And I know what you’re thinking. Who in their right mind pays $795 for a credit card? Well, me for one. This card offers annual credits for things I actually use/spend money on: travel ($300), DoorDash ($300), StubHub ($300), Lyft ($120), Priority Pass Select (airport lounge network) for me + 2 guests, AppleTV, and MORE. So when I say “this card pays for itself,” it honestly does!
As I mentioned, the fastest way to earn points is by taking advantage of sign up bonuses. And currently, the Reserve is offering their highest bonus ever. So if you are on the fence, I highly recommend taking advantage of this offer before it expires. The sign up bonus alone could cover 2.5 roundtrip flights to Europe! But always keep your strategy in mind, and choose a card that supports your travel goals. Click the links below to learn more about each card, its earning categories, benefits and transfer partners.
Disclaimer: I receive a small points bonus for each credit card sign up. So I truly appreciate it when anyone uses one of my referral links versus just looking it up randomly on Google. At no extra cost to you, this helps support my travels, and hopefully will allow me to keep bringing you more content like this!
chase
This card has been in my wallet since the beginning (2016) and has given me so much value! And right now, they are offering their highest sign up bonus ever (enough points for at least 2 round trip flights to Europe)!!!
This card just got a major overhaul, and the new benefits, with an estimated $2700 value, go into effect October 26, 2025. Some of my favorite perks, like the $300 annual travel credit and 3x points on dining, are here to stay. But just a few of the new card benefits I’m excited about include:
- $300 annual StubHub credit
- Apple TV + Apple Music subscriptions
- 4x points on flights + hotels booked directly
Like the Reserve, this card offers 3x points on dining, $120 DoorDash credits and a list of purchase protections such as trip delay reimbursement and car rental coverage. Other perks unique to this card include:
- 5x points on Lyft
- 3x points on select streaming
- 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel portal
- 2x points on all other travel
This card currently has a 75k point sign up bonus!
capital one
I have only had this card for about 3 months, but the sign up bonus has already “paid” for 2 flights. So far what I like about this card is that its earning categories aren’t difficult to remember. You earn 2x points on every single purchase. Plus, Capital One Miles transfer to 18 different airline and hotel partners.
Some other perks include:
- Capital One Lounge access & Priority Pass membership
- $300 annual Capital One travel credit
- Global Entry/TSA PreCheck reimbursement
- Cell phone protection (theft and/or damage)