How We Escape the RV and Trip for Free

Caveat: The quickest, best technique to earn factors for journey hacking is thru bank cards. When you’re horrible at managing bank cards or have accrued bank card debt, this technique just isn’t for you.

Easy methods to Fly For Free (Domestically)

I’m an enormous Southwest Airways fan. They’re pleasant and useful, and so they by no means cost you for canceling your flight or altering your reservation. Plus, our luggage fly free, which may actually add up with different airways. After we fly home, they’re our most well-liked airline.

Southwest has a rewards program referred to as Fast Rewards the place you possibly can redeem factors for flights. You earn factors in a number of other ways: by flying Southwest, by purchasing on-line by their hyperlinks, or by renting vehicles or reserving accommodations with their companions. However the best and quickest method is thru their bank cards.

We use three Southwest Fast Rewards bank cards: the Plus and the Premier, provided by Chase, in addition to a enterprise bank card.

Since we signed up for these playing cards throughout bonus intervals, right here’s a snapshot of what we earned:

The Plus

• 50,000 bonus factors after spending a minimal of $1,000 in your first 3 months
• 3,000 factors on our anniversary yearly
• 2 factors per greenback spent on Southwest Airways and companions
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
• $69 annual charge

The Premier

• 50,000 bonus factors after spending a minimal of $2,000 in your first 3 months
• 6,000 factors on our anniversary yearly
• 2 factors per greenback spent on Southwest Airways and companions
• 1 level per greenback spent on all different purchases
• $99 annual charge

The most important factor with signing up for a journey reward bank card is that you just enroll throughout a bonus interval or use a referral hyperlink. You possibly can earn round 25,000 factors while you enroll usually, however in the event you watch for a bonus interval or enroll by our referral, you possibly can earn as much as 80K bonus factors anytime. (Bonus factors differ primarily based on the kind of CC you select/present promotion.)

We signed up for the plus and the premier playing cards on the similar time, which can not make sense on paper. However it meant we earned 100,000 factors virtually immediately, setting us for much more rewards.

The Companion Cross

Southwest presents one thing each different airline NEEDS. It’s what they name the companion go.

Right here’s the way it works:

If you earn 125,000 factors in a single calendar 12 months, you’re given “companion standing.”

This implies which you can fly one particular person with you wherever without cost till the tip of the subsequent calendar 12 months. Because of this you need to apply for each bank cards above in the identical calendar 12 months. You might be virtually assured to hit companion standing! And in the event you do that early within the 12 months, you possibly can have companion standing for nearly two full years!

When you hit the 125,000 mark, Southwest sends you an e-mail letting that:

1. You’re clearly superior and
2. You could designate who you need to fly with you. You possibly can change this particular person as much as 3 instances whereas your companion go is legitimate.

We might pay for Heath’s flight in factors (we had loads!) and mine was almost free. We have now to pay $5.60 per leg, which is the US authorities tax for home flights. (The fee could also be extra in the event you take a global flight, for instance to Mexico, when there are extra charges and taxes concerned.)

To economize on home flights, Southwest is the most effective place to start out. I can’t advocate it sufficient.

There’s just one small con: They don’t fly in all places, like an American or United. They fly to most main airports and expanded to extra of Mexico and the Caribbean, however you’re undoubtedly taking a look at a trip on this hemisphere.

Easy methods to Fly For Free Internationally

We’ve been dreaming of RVing overseas since we hit all 50 states. Because of this we signed up for Delta SkyMiles American Categorical card.

Skymiles is identical kind of program as Southwest’s Fast Rewards. You earn miles by flying Delta, reserving accommodations and leases by companions, purchasing by their portal, and making use of for his or her bank card.

Disclaimer: Once I say we earn miles, this doesn’t imply literal miles. Delta “factors” are referred to as “miles.” After we flew from Anchorage to Austin, which is 4,000 literal miles, we earned roughly 1,000 Skymiles. When you’re flying 3,000 miles from LA to NYC, your flight doesn’t value 3,000 miles, extra like 30,000. Miles is only a fancy-sounding phrase for factors.

Listed below are the main points from once we signed up:

1. 1. • 60,000 bonus miles after spending $2,000 within the first three months
      • A $50 assertion credit score in the event you make a Delta buy in your first three months
      • 2 miles per greenback spent on Delta
      • 1 mile per greenback on all the things else you spend
      • Baggage fly free (saving you $50 a flight)
      • Precedence boarding
      • No annual charge for the primary 12 months, then $95

Delta modifications their bonus mile choices typically and from what I’ve seen, they provide as much as 70,000 miles max, often throughout a bonus interval or by a referral hyperlink like ours. It’s fairly onerous to catch them on a very good promotion, however completely price it.

The 60,000 miles we earned is the bottom value of a round-trip flight to Europe from America. Their regular bonus of 30,000 miles is a one-way flight to Europe. Both method, you’re taking a look at saving a whole lot or effectively over a thousand {dollars}. (Asia and Australia are round 80,000 factors at their lowest. It’s tens of hundreds of factors you’d have to earn, which is why getting the cardboard throughout a bonus is essential!)

Previously 12 months, we earned almost 200K factors, protecting round-trip flights to New Zealand and Italy. All we’ve got to pay is our authorities taxes, that are typically a few hundred {dollars} per particular person relying on the nation you fly to.

We’ve flown Delta a number of instances domestically since becoming a member of Skymiles as effectively and actually take pleasure in it. Typically they’ve a cart of snacks on the gate ready for you, plus, we get to board early. To not point out simply having the cardboard means we by no means should pay for our luggage. I’m a fan. Additionally they have a companion go on the Platinum card, but it surely’s for one flight a 12 months, not each flight like Southwest. We’ve really by no means used our Delta companion go now that I consider it…we have to take benefit!

The most important con with Delta is that it’s an American Categorical card, which many small companies don’t settle for. After we journey overseas, we’ve observed that it’s actually finest to deliver a Visa or Mastercard as a result of you should utilize it in all places.

You possibly can be taught extra about Delta’s SkyMiles program and their Amex card right here.

These are our two massive hacks to fly without cost.

However there’s nonetheless one different hefty expense throughout journey: lodging.

Easy methods to Keep For Free

I really like accommodations. There’s one thing about falling right into a resort mattress that’s extremely enjoyable.

Heath and I are members of just about each resort reward program. That’s as a result of becoming a member of these resort reward applications is free (becoming a member of most airline reward applications can be free!). We have now accounts with Alternative Inns, IHG, Marriott, and Hilton.

However we’ve solely had the bank cards for IHG, Marriott, and Hilton.

I discover resort teams notably complicated since a bunch can have a dozen completely different manufacturers of accommodations below their umbrella. For instance, nobody is aware of what IHG means. It’s Intercontinental Lodge Group. They cowl Vacation Inn, Kimpton, Crowne, Staybridge, Candlewood, and so forth.

Mainly, regardless of the place you’re going, there’s in all probability an IHG resort. Then there’s Hilton, which owns Doubletree, Embassy, Homewood, Hampton and extra. Marriott is at the least fairly good at tagging on “by Marriott” on the finish of all of their accommodations, however IHG and Alternative by no means make it clear which accommodations they personal.

(And people are certainly not the one resort chains on the market, simply a number of the larger ones.)

We’re in all of the applications and have three resort bank cards: IHG and Marriott, each provided by Chase, and Hilton, by American Categorical. We’ve gotten a number of free resort nights with every card. Marriott used to provide annual free nights however stopped a number of years in the past. Hilton factors landed us three free last-minute nights in London in June, however that used up all our sign-up bonus factors. With IHG, I’ve in all probability gotten 20 free nights. I’ve had it the longest, however usually their factors go longer than some other resort model.

Of the three, IHG is my favourite.

Right here’s what we received once we signed up for the IHG Rewards Membership Credit score Card:

1. 1. • 70,000 bonus factors while you spend $2,000 in your first three months
      • 1 free anniversary night time annually
      • Earn 5 factors per greenback spent on IHG accommodations
      • Earn 2 factors per greenback spent at fuel stations, grocery shops, & eating places
      • Automated platinum elite standing
      • $0 charge for the primary 12 months, then $49

These bonuses have modified rather a lot since we signed up, specifically your elite standing and the annual charge. When you use our referral hyperlink, you possibly can rise up 140,000 bonus factors (and see their present promotion interval advantages as these change typically).

This 12 months (2022) IHG has accomplished a large overhaul of its advantages, so I’m questioning if the cardboard will nonetheless be price it sooner or later. However in the event you get the 140,000 bonus factors at sign-up, that’s almost two weeks of free resort nights, which is the very best bonus I’ve ever seen on a resort card.

Proper now, the free anniversary night time annually is why I’ve had this card for nearly a decade. The annual bank card charge is method decrease than the price of a resort night time! They’re phasing out that profit, although.

Inns run wherever from 10K factors to 40K factors an evening (in my expertise), so in the event you select proper, your factors can final some time. You may get simply eight free nights between the bonus factors and the free night time you’re given only for hitting the minimal spend on the cardboard. That’s your whole week-long trip paid for.

Right here’s the hidden better part: By incomes 75,000 factors, which you’ll simply do after hitting the minimal spend, you earn elite standing. We hit the “Spite Elite standing” once we first signed up.

Spire Elite standing has gotten us upgrades at each resort go to. Not simply “Right here’s a complimentary bottle of water” (which sure, they do provide you with), however I’m speaking in regards to the candy upgrades. Virtually each time we keep at an IHG resort, we’ve been upgraded to suites and even had entry to govt lounges with free snacks. We don’t e book or pay for suites. We pay for the most affordable room they’ve, however with our standing, they offer us an automated improve to their nicest room, plus different perks like free breakfast, free drinks from the bar, early check-in, late check-out, and so forth.

Like once we received to Paris in June and so they gave us a card without cost wine. It’s the primary time a resort has ever given me a wine tasting to assist me select my crimson:

Basically, if you wish to stroll right into a resort and really feel like a queen, this card is ideal for you.

Now, all accommodations and airways will provide you with higher remedy for being a member of their reward program (you don’t even should be a bank card holder), however IHG has given us the most important bang for our buck. Marriott enables you to skip the check-in line in the event you’re a reward member and Starwood enables you to verify in early. Each reward program has perks. However nobody has been nearly as good to us as IHG, so I’ll brag on them essentially the most.

Holding Observe of Reward Applications

Again in 2013, I began a word on my telephone that appears like this:

Alternative Lodge

#

username:

Southwest 

Alyssa #

username:

Heath #:

username:

Hilton Honors HH

And so forth and so forth. It’s a really lengthy word all these years later! It shops my Skymiles/Fast Rewards/Lodge quantity and my username for every account so I can simply reference them. Any time I e book a flight on Delta, like I actually did this morning, I can simply open the word and duplicate Heath’s Skymiles quantity and even Ellie’s quantity! Sure, even Ellie has her personal account. (Not her personal bank cards, to be clear, however her personal Skymiles account so she will earn factors for each flight. When she turns 18, she will go on a free epic journey of her personal.)

Our (Present) Favourite Credit score Card for Flight and Lodge Factors

Having plenty of flight and resort playing cards can negatively have an effect on your credit score (particularly in the event you’re signing up for lots in a single calendar 12 months or in the event you’re not paying off your bank cards each month like it’s best to).

Which is when it’s good to think about a card that will get you factors for each!

Our present fave is the Chase Sapphire Most well-liked card.

(You might even see from this put up that plenty of the CCs we use are Chase bank cards. I like their app the most effective for managing banking, notably once we’re overseas.)

On the time we signed up, the cardboard sign-up bonus gave you 100,000—actually the very best it had ever been. On the time of writing, it’s at 60,000, which continues to be good, however that promo was critically spectacular. Signing up for any card throughout a giant promo makes a giant distinction!

The Chase Sapphire Most well-liked will earn you factors which you can switch to a number of airways and resort teams. Presently, you possibly can switch factors with no charge to:

Airline Journey Companions

• Aer Lingus, AerClub
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• British Airways Government Membership
• Emirates Skywards^®
• Flying Blue AIR FRANCE KLM
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue
• Singapore Airways KrisFlyer
• Southwest Airways Fast Rewards^®
• United MileagePlus^®
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership

Lodge Journey Companions

• IHG^® Rewards Membership
• Marriott Bonvoy^®
• World of Hyatt^®

I lately transferred factors to our Southwest Airways Fast Rewards account after I was 10,000 factors shy of reserving flights for our household of 4 to go to Mexico. The method was very simple and it took round 5 minutes for me to refresh my Southwest account and see that the factors had been deposited.

I really like the pliability of this card since it will possibly accomplice with so many firms. If I would like a resort night time and I’m shy a number of factors, I can simply cowl the distinction by transferring factors—making this an ideal card to have along side my different journey playing cards.

Mistake Fares and Low-cost Flight Offers

I really like free flights, however there’s a time for shelling out for a flight.

We love the Faredrop app to seek out ultra-cheap flights from the US to nations all around the world. Faredrop, created by our pals Kara and Nate, is an app that sends you flight offers on to your telephone or e-mail. You possibly can set your “house airport” AKA the place you wish to fly out of and which area of the world you’re most taken with touring to. Then you definately’ll get updates instantly as their software program finds offers.

Some offers are mistake fares. Errors fares are unintentional worth errors made by airways. Different offers could also be promotions airways are operating, short-term gross sales, or simply sudden low costs. Offers often solely final a few days (if that lengthy) so that you need to hold watch in your notifications to see if there are offers on the locations you’re wanting to go to.

For our first worldwide journey with our daughter when she was 4 months outdated, we discovered a Faredrop deal to Italy.

Flights to Venice had been below $500—usually $1,150!

We rapidly booked two round-trip tickets to spend a month in Italy. Flights had been below $1,000 for us each, and we paid a nominal charge for an infant-in-arms ticket.

Every time we’re in search of flight offers however don’t have factors, Faredrop is our go-to useful resource for saving cash.

Heath and I are fairly frugal individuals who like to journey. When you’re fiscally accountable sufficient to repay your bank cards and never accrue debt, I can’t advocate journey hacking sufficient. Heath and I hardly ever pay for flights or accommodations, and that may be a nice feeling.

As a result of we journey as typically as we do, the entire annual charges on all of those bank cards are price it.

Do you make the most of journey advantages from bank cards? What’s your favourite? I’m at all times in search of one other whole lot!

Word: We’re under no circumstances related to the above firms or banks, we simply actually like flying without cost and needed to share the love!