I don’t know about you, but I can use a free flight to anywhere in the world right about now. We can all use a break from the year 2020 right? While US citizens aren’t currently allowed to travel to most international destinations (COVID-19 pandemic), there’s something you can do to set yourself up for a free trip in 2021. It is called a travel credit card!

Did you know if you choose the right travel credit card, you can score a free trip to any destination of your choice? I managed to score a free plane ticket to Cameroon earlier this year with the right credit card. Read here.

Here’s everything that I know about traveling using a travel credit card and my recommendations on the best cards.

1. Do your research. Research is extremely important when trying to decide what credit card you can get the most out of. That’s the dirty work that needs to be done, whether you like it or not. I did loads of research before picking the travel credit card that would accomplish my goal; get me to Cameroon for free and it did.

2. Look for the travel rewards card with the most perks. You have to find the travel card that can help you earn the most rewards. Travel cards allow you to earn; sign up bonus points, points on travel and dining, 25% more points in travel redemption etc. Ultimately, you have to find a card that works for your budget because you need to spend a ‘certain amount’ in a certain time frame to receive the sign up bonus.

3. SIGN UP BONUS is the way to go. That is exactly what you need to land a front row sit to a free flight. The other rewards come later. If you don’t make it through the sign up bonus requirement, then you may have just gotten yourself another credit card.

4. The best reward cards have an annual fee.  It’s so important to establish a goal prior to getting a credit card because that annual fee needs to make sense. The fees range from $95 to $195, so what does your budget look like?

The best travel credit card for beginners: Chase Sapphire Preferred

I’ve been traveling for 5 years, and tried a few cards along the way. After loads of research and unfortunate experiences, I can safely recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred card to anyone who wants to get started on this reward journey. Their sign up bonus is impeccable! Here’s what you should know;

• You earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4000 within the first 3 months. That’s $750 in travel rewards when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards. This could easily be achieved. Charge all your bills (student loans, health insurance, phone bill), big purchases and whatever else on this card. This is the money you were going to spend anyways, so why not make it work for you? At the time, Chase Sapphire ran a promotion for 80,000 points and my plane ticket was $800.

• Earn 2x points on travel and dining. Every time you dine out, you earn twice the points. Every time you book a flight, you earn twice the points. That adds up quickly. If you are going out for a beer, street food, cupcake stop or even taking the train, you earn twice the point.

• Your points are worth 25% more in travel redemption. Always redeem your points for airfare, hotels, and car rentals because it is worth 25% more! I currently charge everything to this card, and I already have over 20,000 bonus points redeemable for travel.

More Perks

• Chase is partnering with services like DoorDash to bring cardholders discounts on the app. Download the app, add your card to the app and get up to a year of this service for free. It is normally $9.99.

• Chase also partnered with Lyft for card holders to get 5x on Lyft rides.

How does the reward points work for you?

It’s important to book directly through the Chase travel portal, instead of Google flights or Kayak. The points are worth a flat 1.25 cents each.

You can transfer your points to one of Chase’s airline, and get the most of your points when you transfer to partners like United and Hyatt. Transferring to these partners will help unlock redemption opportunities, such as hotel nights.

The best travel credit card for intermediate: Chase Sapphire Reserved

I did an Instagram poll, asking what everyone’s’ recommendation were in terms of best travel credit card. A lot of my followers vouched for the Chase Sapphire Reserved card. If used properly, you can score a free trip overseas with any of these two cards mentioned above. Here’s what you get;

• 3x points on travel worldwide immediately after earning your $300 annual travel credit.

• 3x points on dining at restaurants worldwide including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out.

• Points are worth 50% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. For example, 50,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.

• $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.

Please remember, you always want to redeem your travels through Chase Travel Rewards. I currently have over 21,000 points allocated towards my next trip! By the end of the year, I should be able to cumulate enough points for another free plane ticket.

It’s all about smart spending. While I have your attention, you can grab my free solo guide to Egypt here.

Xx, Kris