Many travelers use travel rewards credit cards. These credit cards include travel-specific benefits and allow cardholders to earn valuable rewards when they spend money with their cards. If you like to travel, you may benefit by having one of these rewards credit cards in your wallet, since your card could unlock travel deals.
I’ll share a few ways you can use your travel credit card to score amazing deals so you can explore more of the world while keeping more money in the bank.
1. Book through a travel portal to get a better deal
Some travel credit cards allow cardholders to redeem rewards for travel through the card issuer’s travel portal. You can book hotels, flights, rental cars, and more. But some cards take it to the next level by providing a better redemption rate when you book travel this way.
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That means your points or miles may go further if you do this instead of redeeming them for cash back or a statement credit to your credit card account. Getting a better deal on travel redemptions can save you money on your next vacation.
Two such cards include the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve®. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Cardholders get 25% more value from their points when they redeem them for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Those with the Chase Sapphire Reserve® get 50% more value when redeeming their points for travel this way.
2. Activate money-saving offers
Another way to access deals on everyday purchases, including travel expenses, is to activate cardholder deals made available by your credit card issuer. Some credit card issuers offer additional ways for consumers to save money by earning statement credits on eligible purchases.
One example is the Chase Offers program. It often includes valuable travel deals. For example, you could earn statement credit on an eligible hotel stay after activating an offer and using your card to pay for your purchase. I currently see multiple 10% cash back offers from various hotel chains through Chase Offers.
Keep in mind that these offers are targeted for individual customers, so not all cardholders will see the same deals. But reviewing offers like these is a good idea so you can take advantage of extra savings. Earning a statement credit is similar to getting a discount on travel.
3. Transfer your points to a travel partner
Travel credit card users can also get a deal by taking advantage of travel partners made available through their card issuer’s rewards program. Some travel rewards programs allow cardholders to transfer their rewards to select airline and hotel transfer partners.
After doing this, you can use your points to book flights and hotel stays directly. You can stay alert for award travel booking deals that airline and hotel rewards programs run and plan to redeem your rewards during sales to save on travel costs. Many travelers can stretch their credit card rewards further by taking advantage of travel partner redemptions.
Don’t ignore travel credit card benefits
It pays to get the most out of your travel credit cards. In addition to using these cards to earn rewards, you can also benefit from less obvious perks that allow you to get a better deal on travel bookings. Paying less for a trip is a win for your personal finances.
If you’re looking for a new credit card, check out our list of the best travel rewards credit cards to learn more.
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