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.

I've taken my family on international trips with the help of credit-card points and miles.

Jamie Davis Smith

• I've become something of an expert when it comes to booking trips with points and miles.
• It's usually worth it to spring for a card with an annual fee because they tend to earn more points.
• Keep an eye out for transfer and referral bonuses if you want to easily up your stash.

I've taken my family on international trips with the help of credit-card points and miles.

Jamie Davis Smith

I've taken my family on international trips with the help of credit-card points and miles.

Jamie Davis Smith

I've taken my family on international trips with the help of credit-card points and miles.

Jamie Davis Smith

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.

Now is the best time to start

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 card's travel portal doesn't always have the best deals

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.

Cards with annual fees almost always end up paying for themselves

I like to spring for credit cards that give me the most bang for my buck — even if there's a fee.

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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.

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.

Diversifying your cards can help you save even more

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.

Transfer bonuses are a gold mine for points

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.

Miles are meant to be spent, not hoarded

Use your miles when you book your next flight.

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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 points by using them in a timely fashion unless I'm saving up for a big trip.

Points can offset transaction fees

I used to avoid paying with a card if I was going to have to cover a transaction fee. I didn't see the point in paying an extra 2% when I could use cash.

But I've learned that it makes sense to pay a little more if the value of the points outweighs the additional cost. It takes a little math, but it helps me maximize my earnings.

Points and miles aren't the only perks that come with credit cards

The main reason I use credit cards is to earn points and miles. But many of the cards in my wallet come with other perks, too, and they shouldn't be overlooked.

For example, my Amex regularly offers money-off deals on movie tickets.

Because of my laser-like focus on earning rewards, I didn't pay enough attention to these other perks and missed out on some good deals.

Know where your card earns the most points

One of my cards earns more points at restaurants.

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Many credit cards earn more rewards in certain categories, such as restaurants or gas.

It took me too long to really start paying attention to which of my cards would earn me the most points. For example, one of mine gives triple points at restaurants, but when the bill came, I'd forget and reach into my wallet to grab any old card.

Now, I make sure to use the cards for their intended purposes to earn more points on every purchase.

Getting your friends on board helps everyone earn more points

Many credit cards offer a bonus to current cardholders for referring friends.

I was reluctant to encourage friends to open credit cards. But when they started asking me how I travel so frequently, I had an easy in to send them my referral link.

If they signed up, I'd get a nice bonus, and they'd start earning their own miles — it's a win-win.

Don't overthink it

The more seriously I get into the points and miles game, the more I find myself painstakingly analyzing the best deals. But if I overcomplicate these decisions too much, I'm probably going to burn out and waste my hard-earned stash.

At the end of the day, I'm grateful that these perks have allowed me to travel more, even if I don't catch every bonus deal or extra point.