✈️ Travel Hacking 101: How to Earn Points Without Going Broke
Week 3 of 4
Hey 👋
Welcome to Week 3 of our Travel Hacking series!
Now that we’ve covered the basics (Week 1: the types of points, Week 2: mistakes to avoid), let’s talk about what everyone really wants to know:
“How do I earn a ton of points without flying all the time or spending money I don’t have?”
Great news: You don’t need to be a globe-trotting business traveler to build up a mountain of points.
Most of the points I’ve earned have come from everyday purchases—groceries, gas, dining, even bills—and, of course, strategic welcome bonuses.
Let’s break it down.
💥 The #1 Way to Earn: Welcome Bonuses
This is the fastest and most powerful way to earn points—no contest.
Most premium cards offer welcome bonuses of 50,000–100,000+ points when you spend a certain amount in the first 3 months.
🔑 Example:
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® often has a 60,000-point bonus after spending $4,000 in 3 months.
That’s enough for:
A roundtrip flight to Europe in economy
A one-way business class seat to Asia
5+ nights at a Hyatt hotel
And for full transparency: I’ve included my referral link —if you use it, I do get a bonus too, so thank you for supporting my travel obsession 💙
⚠️ Important: Never spend more than you normally would just to hit a bonus. That’s not travel hacking—that’s just debt.
🧠 Pro Tips for Meeting Minimum Spend (Without Overspending)
Here are some clever ways to hit that minimum spend without buying random stuff:
Pay for everyday expenses (groceries, gas, subscriptions)
Offer to cover group dinners or shared expenses—then have friends Venmo you
Prepay bills (insurance, utilities, internet) if allowed
Use your card for wedding or vacation expenses you already had planned
Buy gift cards (Target, Amazon, etc.) to use later
🛍️ Earn on Everyday Spending Categories
After you get the bonus, the next step is earning more on what you already spend money on.
Different cards earn extra in different categories. For example:
Amex Gold earns 4x points at restaurants and supermarkets
Chase Freedom Flex rotates 5% cash back categories quarterly
Citi Premier earns 3x on gas, groceries, and dining
Chase Sapphire Preferred earns 2x on travel and dining
You don’t need 10 cards—just 1–2 that match your lifestyle.
🧠 Strategy: Make a list of your top 3 spending categories, then match them to the right cards.
🧠 Get Strategic with Referrals + Bonuses
Most card issuers will give you bonus points when you refer a friend or family member to a card you already have.
Amex referral bonuses can go up to 30,000 points
Chase usually offers 10,000–20,000 points per referral
Sometimes they run promos—so keep an eye on your dashboard
This is a fun way to help others travel better and boost your own stash of points in the process.
🧱 The Foundation: One Card at a Time
If you’re just getting started, don’t rush to open 5 cards at once. That’s a fast way to get overwhelmed (and confused at checkout 😅).
Here’s what I recommend:
Start with one transferable points card like Chase Sapphire Preferred or Amex Gold.
Use it for 90% of your spending and track your points.
After a few months, consider adding a second card to earn more in specific categories.
Build a system that fits your lifestyle—not someone else’s TikTok travel hack.
✨ Quick Win of the Week: Stack Up with Rakuten (Especially for Amex)
If you’re an Amex cardholder, sign up for Rakuten and connect your Membership Rewards account.
Rakuten is a cashback site—but if you link your Amex, you can earn Amex points instead of cash for shopping online.
💡 Example:
You shop at Nike.com through Rakuten → get 10x points
Spend $100 → earn 1,000 Amex points
Do this regularly, and it adds up fast
Bonus: They often give a $30–$40 sign-up bonus just for joining. This is a game changer that not many people know about! Sign up using my referral link.
🧳 What’s Coming Next: Redeem Like a Pro
Next week is the final edition of this series—and it’s the one you’ve been waiting for.
We’ll talk about how to actually book first-class flights and luxury hotels using points, including:
Where to search for award space
Which transfer partners give the best bang for your points
Real examples of how I’ve booked luxury travel for a fraction of the cost
We’ve laid the foundation… now it’s time to take off.
Got a question or want help picking your first card? Just reply—I’ve got you! ✨
To points, perks, and passport stamps,
Liana Shkurman