'Just start' your points and miles journey: TPG's millennial staff shares credit card tips

We all started our points and miles journey somewhere — even TPG's experts.

Award travel, premium credit cards and aspirational redemptions aren't limited to high spenders or the elite. If you're ready to unlock free flights and discounted luxury hotel stays, you also have to be ready to take your first steps.

Cardholders of any age can find incredible value in rewards credit cards. Our staff here at TPG covers a wide range of generations and offers a variety of perspectives.

In this guide, I'll introduce you to some of our millennial staff members, detail how they got into points and miles, and share their advice for beginners.

Sophia Fen

Role: Director, partnerships

First transferable points card: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees)

How did you start your points and miles journey?

My travel journey started as early as I can remember. My dad is from Germany, so I was flying internationally at a very young age, and I have loved to travel ever since. I'm from Minneapolis, so I primarily flew Delta Air Lines out of Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), and my mom added me as an authorized user to her Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card.

My points and miles journey started as soon as I graduated from college. I got my first real job in San Francisco and was barely able to afford the sky-high rent at the time, let alone trips. I used that same Delta Amex to earn SkyMiles so that I could still travel on my entry-level salary.

Advice for an award travel beginner

Start with a transferable points card from Chase, Capital One or American Express before a cobranded airline or hotel card. That's something I wish I had known. While I love my Delta Amex, I could have been earning more points (and with more flexibility) had I started with another card at the time.

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Also, don't redeem your points via the cards' travel portals or "Pay Yourself Back" unless it's a rare exception. These typically don't provide good value — especially compared to what you can get when you transfer your points.

Giselle Gomez

Role: Senior credit cards editor

First transferable points card: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

How did you start your points and miles journey?

Growing up, I was fortunate to visit a few states and countries with my family. In college, I wanted to start venturing out on my own and quickly realized my small budget would not get me very far. In what I'd consider a full-circle moment, I actually came across The Points Guy and thought, "Well, I can do this too."

I was initially declined when I applied for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® and ended up getting what is now the Citi Strata℠ Card (see rates and fees) to help build my credit and show I was a responsible borrower.

A year later, I was able to secure the AAdvantage Platinum Select (which is still a staple in my wallet), and it's been a journey to 20-plus cards over the last decade.

The information for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Advice for an award travel beginner

Just start. Having any sort of points or miles is better than not having any. Think about your spending and what cards would serve you best. Recognize that sometimes your habits change, and that means your card usage may change too.

Think about your travel experience and what's important to you. I'm a big "stretch my points and miles" kind of gal when it comes to a redemption, whereas others like to splurge on a business-class seat. I do love an airport lounge, though.

Travel cards come in all shapes and sizes, and what works for you is likely different from what works for me. Over time, diversify your wallet and make sure to include a transferable rewards card so you have options when redeeming.

To read more from Giselle Gomez, check out her author page.

Carly Helfand

Role: Director of content for points, miles and credit cards

First transferable points card: Citi Premier — which has since changed into the Citi Strata Premier® Card (see rates and fees). I took it out in 2013!

How did you start your points and miles journey?

My dad was a road warrior with Million Miler status on United Airlines and American Airlines, so he was very plugged in to points, miles and credit cards from the early days of loyalty programs. I got my MileagePlus and AAdvantage numbers when I was 2 years old, and I grew up flying business class back when it was easy (and cheap!) to find award space for an entire family of five.

When I got my first full-time job in the U.S., he sent me some credit card applications to fill out, and from there, reading TPG taught me the rest.

Advice for an award travel beginner

Find a credit card that really suits your lifestyle, spending habits and travel goals, and learn the ins and outs of it before taking out another. Once you really understand your first card and everything it can do for you, you'll know what (if any) gaps you need to fill and can be strategic with future applications.

At the same time, mistakes are part of the journey, and we all make them. There's no "wrong" card to apply or "bad" points and miles redemption. If this stuff were easy, everyone would do it!

To read more from Carly Helfand, check out her author page.

Daisy Hernandez

Role: Credit cards editor

First transferable points card: Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees)

How did you start your points and miles journey?

I solo-traveled for a little while in my early 20s, and as a college student on a budget, I thought about how I could save money in different ways while still enjoying (what I think) is an extremely expensive hobby.

My first foray into points and miles was with cash-back cards, and once I saw the value there, I began looking into points- and miles-earning cards that could cut the costs of flights and hotels or completely cover them.

Advice for an award travel beginner

If you're at the beginning of your points, miles and cash-back journey and feeling stuck, that's totally normal. You don't have to dive in and get a premium card with a huge annual fee. Cash-back cards are pretty straightforward to use. Start here and see how it feels to earn and redeem cash.

There are some cards that earn transferable points and miles for no or very low annual fees. If you want to prioritize these reward currencies, consider products like the Bilt Mastercard® (especially if you rent), the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, and the Chase Sapphire Preferred.

There's a wealth of free resources on our site from staff members who prefer earning cash back to those who prioritize transferable points and miles. We use cards that earn cash back, points and miles on a daily basis and turn those rewards into weekend trips, dream vacations and beyond.

To read more from Daisy Hernandez, check out her author page.

The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Zoe Jablow

Role: Engineering manager

First transferable points card: My first card ever that I wasn't an authorized user on was a Chase Freedom Unlimited® (see rates and fees) and was followed up by the Chase Sapphire Reserve within a year.

How did you start your points and miles journey?

I was born into it. My points and miles journey started with watching my dad use them. Growing up, my family went to the Caribbean every year on Christmas break, mostly subsidized by points and miles!

Advice for an award travel beginner

I hoarded my points for a very long time, thinking I shouldn't spend them on smaller trips, but devaluation is so real. The deal you can get today is very likely not going to be around tomorrow, so use them when it makes sense!

Stephanie Stevens

Role: Associate credit cards writer

First transferable points card: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

How did you start your points and miles journey?

My journey started with free airline rewards programs — I've loved to travel for as long as I can remember, so earning a few extra miles felt like a no-brainer. Once I realized I could earn miles on money I was already spending and use them to book trips, I was hooked.

Advice for an award travel beginner

Start with one versatile card that earns transferable points. The amount of information out there can feel overwhelming, but you don't need to know everything at once — learn one program, book one award and build from there.

To read more from Stephanie Stevens, check out her author page.

Emily Thompson

Role: Newsletter and partnerships editor

First transferable points card: Chase Sapphire Preferred Card

How did you start your points and miles journey?

I was really lucky! My dad has been in the points and miles game for years, so most of our family vacations were booked on points. When I graduated from high school, my dad helped me choose my first student credit card. He's been my points and miles coach ever since.

Advice for an award travel beginner

Don't worry about getting the "best" redemption. Just use your points and miles for whatever you need or want to do! When I was in my early 20s and got my first real job, I redeemed all my points for gift cards to buy a professional wardrobe. Most experts would call gift cards a bad redemption, but I think it was amazing because it got me what I needed at the time.

To read more from Emily Thompson, check out her author page.

Bottom line

There are multiple paths to take when you're getting into points and miles, but the most important step to take is the first one.

Our experts all came from different backgrounds and figured out their own ways to maximize their rewards. At the end of the day, the best redemptions are ones that you get value from.

Related: Key travel tips you need to know — whether you're a first-time or frequent traveler