9 Ways to Stretch Your Travel Rewards
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Finding new ways to earn points and miles is an important part of being an award travel enthusiast, but there's more to it than that. How strategically you spend your travel rewards is at least as important as how well you earn them. In today's post, I want to discuss nine creative ways to stretch your travel rewards even further than you may have thought possible.
1. Pool your rewards among family and friends.
When anyone in my family has an unexplained illness, we talk to my cousin the doctor. But when someone needs help with award travel, they call me, and I'm sure many TPG readers find themselves in the same position. Eventually, we started sharing our rewards with each other as a way to stretch them even further. If my parents need an award night at a hotel somewhere, I'll redeem my points to make a reservation in their name. And sometime later, they might use their miles to book a flight in my name. In keeping with the terms and conditions of most loyalty programs, we never sell or barter our rewards; we always gift them. But over the years, we've all come through for each other numerous times, often saving hundreds of dollars on necessary travel reservations. Remember: You can redeem most airline and hotel rewards in anyone's name; you don't have to pay to have your points or miles transferred to another account.
2. Maximize redemptions within your immediate family.
My children have belonged to numerous frequent flyer programs almost since their birth. I enroll them so they can earn miles from paid travel, and so that I can sign them up for occasional promotions that offer miles for subscribing to emails or other online activities. As a result, we're occasionally able to redeem rewards from their accounts for use by any one of us.
3. Book one-way flights.
Another way to stretch your rewards is to book one-way flights. This strategy has several advantages: First, you can use small amounts of miles from multiple accounts to book each leg of your journey. In fact, it's not uncommon for my wife and I to scrape together enough rewards for a round-trip flight using miles from four different accounts, one for each of our one-way tickets. Plus, booking one-way flights allows you to fly one airline out and a different one back, or to mix paid and award tickets on the same itinerary when prices are low or the award requires too many points or miles.
4. Place a value on your points and miles.
If you have a limited amount of travel rewards, it's vital that you save them for the most valuable redemptions. To quickly figure out if you should redeem for an award or pay out of pocket, you need to compare the value of your rewards to the price you'd pay for a reservation in cash.
TPG's monthly valuations are a great place to start when trying to figure out a value for your rewards with each program. This list provides an estimated value for each point or mile. Those who have low rewards balances and accumulate their points and miles slowly might value each currency slightly higher, while those who have a surplus of rewards might use a slightly lower valuation. When the price in dollars is very close to what I value my rewards at, my personal rule of thumb is to spend my rewards and save my dollars, since with points and miles there's always the risk that they'll become less valuable in the future.
5. Get the best use from your rewards.
A TPGtv episode on how to book Singapore Suites in 90 seconds provides a good example of comparing your travel rewards redemption options. In it, TPG demonstrates how he decided which flexible rewards points to transfer to Singapore. The carrier's KrisFlyer program partners with all four major reward programs that offer transfers to airline miles: American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest.
TPG chose to use his Citi ThankYou points because Singapore is that program's best transfer partner, while the other three programs have more valuable transfer options. Citi ThankYou points are also the least valuable of these four programs according to TPG's valuations, so it made sense to redeem those points first.
6. Leverage companion tickets.
There's no better way to stretch your miles than to get two awards for the price of one, which is what a companion ticket can offer. There are a handful of airlines that offer companion passes in some form or another, with the Southwest Companion Pass being by far the most generous. This perk offers unlimited companion tickets on both paid and award bookings.
The British Airways Travel Together ticket is a benefit of the British Airways Visa Signature Card which you can earn when you $30,000 in purchases on the card within a calendar year. Unfortunately, you can only redeem the Travel Together ticket for BA-operated flights originating in and returning to the US, and you'll still have to pay both taxes and fuel surcharges for the companion ticket (but not any additional Avios). Additionally, if you have the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature credit card, you'll get an annual companion fare from $121 ($99 plus taxes and fees starting at $22).
7. Fight for the best award availability.
Another trick to is to pursue the available awards using any means possible by knowing the ins and outs of different loyalty programs. For example, having a United MileagePlus Explorer Card or a United MileagePlus Club Card offers an undocumented benefit of increased award availability at the Saver level.
As another example, with partner programs you can only book first class on Lufthansa within about two weeks of departure. Thankfully, Miles and More is a Starwood transfer partner, so you can move Starpoints to the program to get around this rule. In addition, Singapore never releases Suites awards to its partners, and in general partner awards are limited to business-class flights on regional routes and on older planes.
Also note that you can search for awards that don't appear online and then call to book them. For example, the American Airlines website doesn't show award space for carriers like Cathay Pacific, Iberia, JAL and LAN. To get around this problem, search for awards on the website of another Oneworld carrier such as British Airways or Qantas, and then call American to book. Finally, I've found that you can often call a hotel's loyalty program to help you open up award space, especially when the property still has standard rooms for sale.
8. Compare different airlines' charts to find the cheapest awards.
When you have points with rewards programs that offer transfers to airline miles, you're faced with many redemption options. For example, if you wanted to redeem your valuable Starpoints for a round-trip business-class flight to Europe on American Airlines, you could transfer enough points to have the necessary 115,000 miles with American, but you'd typically have to transfer more rewards to have enough miles for an award on the same American flight when you go through other programs like British Airways Executive Club or Asia Miles (Cathay Pacific). But at the same time, you would only need 100,000 Alaska miles t0 book the same flight, making that carrier's Mileage Plan program your best choice.
It's also important to look for loopholes that offer exceptional value on award charts. For example, I was able to book four round-trip business-class tickets to Hawaii on Delta for 45,000 miles each using Korean Air miles that I transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards. That same award could cost 80,000 miles or more with other frequent flyer programs. For more information on booking this award, read my post on How To Book Award Flights with Korean Air SkyPass and find out about some more unique award travel bargains in my post on Using Airline Geography to Find Award Chart Sweet Spots.
9. Use positioning flights to make award travel possible.
For a long time, it seemed impossible for me to find award flights overseas. As a Denver resident, I often have a harder time finding a domestic award flight to an international gateway than I do booking the rest of my itinerary. I found this out only after finding award tickets from other major cities, but no connecting flights to Denver. So in many cases, we have to book paid or award tickets to a domestic gateway in order to complete an award flight. If you do so, just be sure to leave plenty of time between flights on separate reservations.
What are your favorite tips and tricks for stretching your travel rewards?
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.