The Citi Premier® Card earns travel rewards points through the Citi ThankYou® program, and at a favorable 3x point earning rate on a diverse number of bonus categories. Plus, the Citi Premier® comes with a limited-time increased offer for new applicants, at 80,000 bonus points after $4,000 in spend in the first three months of account opening.
You’ll want to save up your points to transfer them to Citi’s 15+ airline and hotel partners, including Air France/KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
For example, you can score a 7,500 one-way flight to Hawaii with Turkish miles or a one-way business class flight to Europe for 50,000 Virgin Atlantic miles.
Tip: Most of Citi’s transfer partners are international airlines, but don’t fret. Leveraging these airline loyalty programs is actually the best way to score immense value from your credit card rewards.
Pros
- Elevated welcome offer of 80,000 bonus points.
- Strong rewards rate on everyday purchases and travel.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- Points transfer to Citi’s 15+ airline and hotel transfer partners.
- Annual $100 hotel statement credit for bookings of $500 or more through thankyou.com.
Cons
- $95 annual fee.
- Lacks travel insurance benefits that come with competing rewards cards.
Apply now or read our full Citi Premier® Card Review.
American Express® Gold Card
- Credit score required: Good to Excellent
- Annual fee: $250
- Interest rate: 17.49-24.49 % variable APR
- Welcome bonus: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 or more in the first three months of account opening.
- What we like:
- Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash credits.
- Up to $120 in annual dining credits for participating restaurants.
- Earn 4x points on U.S. supermarkets (up to the first $25,000 spent annually, then 1x), 4x points on restaurants worldwide, 3x points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel, and 1x point on all other eligible purchases.
Last but not least, the Amex Gold Card is a terrific card that’s rewarding for both travel and everyday purchases. It earns a whopping 4x points on restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 spent annually), making the Amex Gold an ideal card for foodies.
The card also participates in the American Express Membership Rewards® program, where you can transfer your points to the issuer’s airline and hotel transfer partners like Air Canada Aeroplan, Delta SkyMiles, Marriott Bonvoy, and more. Travel hackers love the Amex Gold since the points add up so quickly and transfer to a myriad of useful partners to squeeze 2 cents (or more) of value per Membership Rewards® point.
Tip: American Express offers countless ways to redeem your points on its portal, such as gift cards, Amazon purchases, and more. However, resist the urge to spend your points for anything other than transferring to travel partners — this is the only redemption opportunity to score an expensive business class flight for a fraction of the cost in points.
Pros
- Access to Amex’s 20+ airline and hotel transfer partners.
- Excellent rewards rate for foodies.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- Steep annual fee.
- High purchase APR.
Read more: Amex Gold vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Best Travel Hacking Credit Cards: Overview
| Annual fee | Interest rate | Welcome bonus | Points value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | $0 | 16.49% – 25.24% Variable | Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 in the first year) – worth up to $300 cash back | 1 cent each |
| Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card | $95 | 17.49% – 24.49% Variable | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 or more in the first three months of account opening | 1.25 cents to 2 cents each |
| Citi Premier® Card | $95 | 17.49% – 25.49% (Variable) | Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 or more in the first three months of account opening | Around 2 cents each |
| American Express® Gold Card | $250 | 17.49 – 24.49% variable | Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 or more in the first three months of account opening | Around 2 cents each |
Step 4: Redeem Your Rewards
After 6 to 12 months of card spend, you will have accrued thousands of points in your account. Now, it’s time to redeem your rewards and make that trip happen!
It would take too long to list out the sweet spots of every credit card transfer program, but fortunately there are tons of resources online to help you score your dream flight or hotel stay. Below, we’ve listed some of the best transfer partners from the three programs we discussed (Chase Ultimate Rewards®, Citi ThankYou® Points, and American Express Membership Rewards®).
Chase Ultimate Rewards®:
- Air Canada Aeroplan.
- British Airways Executive Club.
- Iberia Plus.
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
- United MileagePlus.
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
- World of Hyatt.
Citi ThankYou® Rewards:
- Avianca LifeMiles.
- Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
- Wyndham Rewards.
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
American Express Membership Rewards®:
- Air Canada Aeroplan.
- ANA Mileage Club.
- British Airways Executive Club.
- Iberia Plus.
- Qantas Frequent Flyer.
- Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
- Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
Step 5: Think About Your Next Move
Making your first points redemption is a huge deal, and you’ll quickly realize it’s not so difficult after all. Not to mention, it’s incredibly satisfying to know that you paid for an entire flight or hotel stay using points and miles.
Travel hacking is an ongoing hobby, and you’ll want to think about your next move. Do you want to keep putting your everyday spend on one (or two) cards? Do you want to add new cards to your wallet to earn a big welcome bonus or other unique travel benefits?
Read more: How Many Credit Cards Should You Carry?
But if you’ve reached this final step, congratulations! You’ve mastered travel hacking 101 and can unlock a world of travel possibilities.
Summary
A question I’m often asked is, “How do you travel so often?” The photos of lie-flat seats with champagne in the sky and oceanfront resorts only tell a fraction of the story. Travel hacking has enabled these aspirational trips to places far and wide — and you can do the same, too.
Featured image: Africa Studio/Shutterstock.com
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