I've saved thousands on travel this year by maximizing points and miles. But there are lots of things I wish I'd known when I first started.

08.09.2024 - 13:10 / insider.com

Points and miles have helped me travel more (and better) this year. In fact, I've already saved thousands of dollars, and it's only September.

I earn some rewards through loyalty programs, but the bulk of my points and miles come from using a variety of credit cards.

If you're new to the game or trying to maximize your points before your next trip, here are some of the best tips I wish I'd known when I first started.

The only real regret I have when it comes to points and miles is not starting sooner.

Getting free travel with points sounded too good to be true, and I didn't want to be scammed. But once I started looking into it more seriously, I saw it for the money-saving hack that it is.

If you're considering upgrading to a credit card with a better points system, my best advice is to do it sooner rather than later. Waiting around will only cost you potential points.

The first time I used my points, I purchased airline tickets through my credit card's travel portal. But I now know that's rarely a good approach.

I likely could've gotten the same tickets for less if I had transferred my points and redeemed them through the airline directly.

I used to think paying an annual fee for a credit card was a terrible idea. But these more prestigious cards typically offer more points and better signing bonuses.

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Even my highest annual fees are easily offset by the value of the points I earn with the card. It still hurts to pay a lump sum, but I know it's a good investment.

Major card issuers, like Chase, American Express, and Capital One, have different travel partners. For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards can be transferred to United Airlines and Hyatt.

Having a large number of points with one account can be beneficial, but it sometimes limits how you can maximize the points' value.

I try to earn with a few different credit cards to diversify the payoff. That way, I can have pools of transferrable points for flights, hotel stays, and other broad travel categories.

Travel partners will periodically offer bonuses for transferring points from your card to their program.

For example, under a recent promotion, transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott Bonvoy earned a 70% bonus — 1,000 credit-card points turned into 70,000 Bonvoy points.

The only downside is that the points can't be transferred back. I like having flexibility, so I'm usually reluctant to transfer. But since Marriott has nice hotels worldwide, taking advantage of its generous bonus is kind of a no-brainer.

At first, I was obsessed with accumulating points and miles. But I quickly saw the value of my stash diminish as airlines and hotels raised the number of points they required for bookings.

Now, I "earn and churn" my