How to Travel the World for (Almost) Free Using Miles and Points

Do you wish to learn to journey the world utilizing miles and factors?

Right this moment, I’m sharing an thrilling interview with Megan, an knowledgeable in journey bank card rewards who has mastered the artwork of utilizing miles and factors to see the world for much less. Megan has traveled to unbelievable locations just like the Maldives, Europe, and even taken a Mediterranean cruise—saving tens of 1000’s of {dollars} alongside the best way.

Megan’s ardour for journey began in her twenties, and he or she shortly realized how miles and factors might make her dream journeys a actuality, even on a finances. Now, as a part of Day by day Drop (based by the extremely popular journey YouTubers Kara and Nate), a website devoted to serving to others maximize their rewards, Megan teaches miles and factors methods via lessons and a podcast.

In right now’s interview, questions answered embrace:

• How did Megan get monetary savings on journeys just like the Maldives and Europe?
• What are the most effective bank cards for freshmen trying to earn factors?
• How can somebody maximize factors with out overspending or moving into debt?
• What errors ought to freshmen keep away from when beginning with journey rewards?
• What are some well-liked locations you possibly can simply go to utilizing miles and factors?

Whether or not you’re simply beginning out or trying to take your journey rewards to the subsequent degree, Megan’s suggestions and experiences will encourage you to begin planning your subsequent journey right now!

If you wish to learn to guide your subsequent journey for nearly free, the Day by day Drop e-newsletter is a superb useful resource. It’s a free e-newsletter that teaches you the way to earn and redeem miles and factors, discover low cost flights, and journey smarter—all in just some minutes a day. Click on right here to affix over 1 million readers and begin saving in your travels right now!

How you can Journey the World for (Virtually) Free Utilizing Miles and Factors

For those who’re prepared to begin touring with miles and factors, choosing the right bank card is step one. The precise card may help you earn factors quicker and get monetary savings in your journeys. Click on right here to check out the Greatest Journey Rewards Playing cards to seek out the most effective playing cards for incomes journey rewards.

1. Inform me your story. Who’re you, and what makes you an knowledgeable in the case of journey miles and factors?

Hello! I’m Megan and I grew to become obsessive about journey in 2015 once I lastly took my first worldwide journey in my twenties. I knew I wanted to make extra journey occur however my recent out of faculty finances wasn’t so positive. 

That’s once I got here the world over of miles and factors. I began, the place many individuals start testing miles and factors, via reserving just a few journeys utilizing the bank card journey portal. However once I met a pair in an airport lounge who had been additionally touring the world utilizing miles and factors I began to learn to make my factors go even additional utilizing switch factors and since then I’ve saved tens of 1000’s of {dollars} in journey. 

It’s allowed me to see areas of the world that I as soon as solely had on my Pinterest boards and studying alongside different vacationers has been my favourite method to be taught and turn into an knowledgeable in touring utilizing factors. 

Since immersing myself on the earth of journey rewards I landed a job at Day by day Drop, a media firm all about maximizing miles and factors. Now I get to show individuals the methods that proceed to assist me to journey the world via our group areas permitting different individuals to know the good thing about studying collectively. I additionally educate all of our miles and factors 101 lessons, and co-host our podcast alongside our Head Author, Mike. 

The miles and factors world is at all times altering so I immerse myself in it each day and proceed to be taught as I’m going. Largely via Day by day Drop as a result of our writing workforce makes it so easy to be taught however I lean on our group areas lots too! 

2. What are the most effective journeys you’ve taken as a consequence of miles and factors? How a lot cash did you spend?

I went to the Maldives in 2017 and spent lower than $300 on the whole journey, together with flights, accommodations, meals, excursions… all the pieces! 

This yr I did a two-month journey to Europe my flights there and again price about $200 in taxes and costs. For this journey, I combined level stays at accommodations with just a few housesits and for the whole 2 months, I spent lower than $1,000 on lodging. 

In 2024 I took a Mediterranean cruise with Virgin Voyages for $0.00. Because it was a cruise, all meals was included and I took benefit of that. We went to Athens, Greece, Break up, Croatia, Dubrovnik, Croatia, Kotor, Montenegro, and Crete, Greece. To be truthful we did must guide a flight to get to the cruise. We had been already within the UK so we grabbed an affordable EasyJet flight over to Greece which price about $300 roundtrip. Total for a seven-night cruise and visiting three new nations $300 isn’t unhealthy in any respect! 

3. Are you able to share your first expertise utilizing miles or factors to guide a visit? How did it really feel?

My first expertise utilizing miles and factors to guide a visit was to The Maldives, I began out setting a excessive bar for factors journeys to return. I booked via the journey portal that the majority journey bank cards give you, nevertheless, after studying all that I learn about miles and factors now I do know that this usually isn’t the most effective worth or use of your factors. 

On the time it was extremely value it to me as a 20-something who had solely ever been to Mexico and Central America. 

I positively thought The Maldives was someplace I’d have the ability to go on a honeymoon or for retirement, so whereas it wasn’t the most effective use of my factors, I’ll by no means remorse that journey. it’s nonetheless considered one of my all-time favourite miles and factors reminiscences. 

4. How would you outline “incomes miles and factors” for somebody fully new to the idea?

I’d outline incomes miles and factors as utilizing your on a regular basis spend to earn rewards that you should utilize for journey.

5. What are a number of the greatest varieties of bank cards for freshmen trying to earn factors?

I believe the most effective kind of bank cards for freshmen to have a look at are playing cards which can be going to assist you to earn versatile journey factors. 

For instance, when you have a Delta bank card, this looks as if the proper path to go as a result of it’s journey centered. Nevertheless, that is what is known as a “co-branded card” (it’s a financial institution + journey firm partnership) and your factors are then locked into solely getting used with Delta. 

Versus when you have an American Categorical Gold Card, now you should utilize your factors with Delta however you might additionally use them with Virgin Atlantic, Air France, KLM, Air Canada, Hilton, and several other different journey companions. 

So that you wish to search for playing cards that earn versatile journey factors, due to this fact you’re not restricted to utilizing these factors in just one method. 

At Day by day Drop, we preserve our Prime Playing cards Web page updated with the most effective provides. You’ll positively discover co-branded playing cards on there when there’s an superior supply as a result of there’s area for these in your pockets as you develop your miles and factors expertise! This web page may help you filter out what provides are too good to overlook on the time you’re searching for a brand new card. 

6. What ought to somebody take into consideration earlier than signing up for his or her first rewards bank card?

Nicely, the very very first thing somebody ought to take into consideration is; can I be accountable with my bank cards? Incomes factors whereas racking up debt is extraordinarily counterproductive. You’ll be able to solely maximize journey rewards on playing cards in the event you’re paying off your card stability in full.

If that seems like one thing you possibly can handle, then I believe the three most necessary questions somebody can ask can be: 

1. What airways do I fly typically?
2. What airways does my dwelling airport serve?
3. Is there a visit that I take into consideration that makes it make sense to earn a particular kind of factors?

Now we have a free useful resource known as the Switch Accomplice Cheat Sheet that exhibits you immediately what sort of factors try to be incomes based mostly on the airways and accommodations you wish to earn with.

7. How do sign-up provides work, and the way can freshmen reap the benefits of them?

Signal-up provides are one of many best methods to shortly earn an enormous lump sum of factors that won’t in any other case be accessible by on a regular basis spending.

Mainly, in the event you’re new to the world of bank card factors, a sign-up supply is an incentive the banks supply so that you can be a part of them.

Generally these provides are elevated, supplying you with much more factors.

It’s usually connected to a minimal spend in a sure time-frame. Oftentimes it is sufficient to cowl your whole journey or to land you a enterprise class seat if that’s one thing you might have been dreaming about!

8. Are there any frequent errors freshmen make when attempting to earn miles and factors?

I at all times like to think about starting “errors” extra as classes in the case of miles and factors. Usually, even while you make a “mistake” with miles and factors there’s a journey on the finish of it. 

That being stated, listed below are some issues to look out for: 

1. Not studying the way to use Switch Companions.
   Switch Companions are basically particular journey companions that assist you to switch factors from financial institution to airline or financial institution to lodge. These factors usually offer you extra worth than in the event you guide in a portal.

   If you guide in a portal your factors are fastened at usually one thing like 1 cent per level. Whereas in the event you switch out you possibly can land offers which can be 2 cent per level all the best way as much as 17 cents per level and past. So now out of the blue your factors go even additional.

   For instance, in the event you had been a $500 flight in a portal and the worth in that portal was 1 cent per level you then would want 50,000 factors for that flight. Nevertheless, if that very same flight is on the market instantly with the airline for 20,000 factors, you’re now getting 2.5 cents per level and you’ve got 30,000 extra factors to make use of at a later date than in the event you had gone via the portal.

2. Not taking step one.
   There can actually be lots to be taught on the earth of miles and factors however the easiest way to be taught it’s taking it one step at a time and beginning with incomes.

   Lots of people can get caught up with what’s the most effective card, or am I doing this the best method? The reality is there are such a lot of “proper methods” to do that you simply have to seek out the technique that works for you and never be afraid to start incomes. All of it begins with incomes.

9. How can individuals maximize their factors with out overspending or moving into debt?

This one’s simple as a result of it’s the primary rule within the miles and factors world you’re solely placing in your playing cards what you’re already spending.

You at all times wish to match a sign-up supply with both your on daily basis spend or a big buy you might have developing. 

For instance, if a sign-up supply will get you 90,000 factors (simply to offer you an concept of how far 90,000 factors can go, I booked 2 enterprise class seats to Europe for 89,000 factors) after spending $4,000 in 90 days the query turns into – Do you already spend about $1,333 every month ($4,000/3)? Or do you might have a big invoice developing that you just’re already paying?
Generally individuals will take a look at issues like whether or not they pays sure payments in bulk, like paying their full yr of insurance coverage upfront.

Relating to a big expense an excellent instance of this and a method that folks earn tons of factors is in the event you’re planning a marriage or one other occasion. As somebody who simply did this and earned a whole bunch of 1000’s of factors, I can inform you it’s completely value it.

Let’s say you’re occurring a bunch journey. You could possibly be the one to place the lodging in your card and everybody sends you cash. 

There are such a lot of methods to get inventive with hitting your minimal spend with out moving into bother! 

10. How necessary is it to repay your bank card stability in full when incomes rewards?

It’s crucial rule. Generally I really feel like I sound like a damaged file with the quantity of instances I say this one nevertheless it actually is so counterproductive in the event you’re incomes factors and never paying off your stability.

11. What are some misconceptions about incomes miles and factors that you just’d wish to clear up?

It is a enjoyable query I’d say my prime three are:

1. Bank cards are unhealthy – There’s completely a method to do that responsibly as I’ve talked about earlier than. There’s additionally a method to have a number of bank cards whereas nonetheless sustaining an ideal credit score rating.
2. It’s important to journey on a regular basis so as to get the advantages – You’ll be able to actually maximize on journey it doesn’t matter what your journey fashion is! Since you’re maximizing in your on a regular basis spend, you don’t must journey in any respect so as to earn tons of factors!
3. That miles and factors equal free journey — The reality is there are occasions it’s free however you’re nonetheless going to return up towards some unavoidable charges, particularly airline taxes and costs. However typically even when it’s not free you’re saving 80%… 90%… or extra on a visit.
4. You will get into all the airport lounges – An enormous perk that usually will get talked about within the bank card reward area is accessing airport lounges. Oftentimes premium journey playing cards embrace lounge entry. What this doesn’t imply is which you can enter each lounge in each airport. It’s necessary to arrange your expectations accurately for this perk. 

12. What are some well-liked locations individuals can simply journey to utilizing factors and miles? Are you able to give some examples of journeys individuals can take and what number of factors it might price them?

Wow, we may very well be right here without end with this one! Our Day by day Drop Group has wins shared inside virtually each single day. Our head author Mike travels full-time virtually completely utilizing miles and factors. So, actually, your potentialities are limitless however only for the sake of giving just a few examples listed below are a few of my favorites that I’ve seen in our group.

• Chicago, USA to Edinburgh, Scotland enterprise class for 69,000 factors
• Seattle, USA to Dubai, UAE enterprise class for 95,000 factors
• New York, USA to Madrid enterprise class for 34,000 factors
• Chicago, USA to Amsterdam, Netherlands enterprise class for 56,000 factors
• Tokyo, Japan to Los Angeles, USA enterprise class for 50,000 factors
• Toronto, Canada to Florence, Italy enterprise class for 50,000 factors
• Michigan, USA to Hawaii, USA for 20,000 factors

13. What suggestions do you might have for somebody who needs to dive deeper into this world of rewards and journey with factors?

Exterior of taking it sluggish and one step at a time, earn factors first. I do assume Day by day Drop has a number of the greatest instruments on the market within the miles and level area! Everybody on our workforce implements what we educate and we attempt to preserve all of it so simple as attainable so that you can be taught. Listed below are 3 methods we may help:

1. Undoubtedly join the Day by day Drop e-newsletter, 5x per week we preserve you updated on the world of miles and factors together with instructing you the way to earn and redeem alongside the best way! (Oh and it’s free!)
2. Discover some journey buddies you possibly can be taught alongside! It’s at all times enjoyable to share offers and suggestions with one another!

Check out Day by day Drop Professional without cost right here, this provides you entry to money flight offers and in addition offers you 5 searches on the free plan so you possibly can experiment with discovering journeys utilizing factors that give you the results you want!

Do you utilize rewards bank cards to journey the world for (virtually) free utilizing miles and factors? What different questions do you might have?

Really helpful studying:

Disclosure concerning the feedback part beneath: The responses beneath usually are not supplied or commissioned by the financial institution advertiser. Responses haven’t been reviewed, authorized, or in any other case endorsed by the financial institution advertiser. It isn’t the financial institution advertiser’s accountability to make sure all posts and/or questions are answered.