Each time I speak about journeys I take, it could seem to be I’ve a limiteless stash of factors. Spoiler alert: I do not. As a substitute, I be certain that to make use of the suitable technique to earn as many factors and miles as I can yearly.
There isn’t any secret or hack. I simply rigorously use the suitable bank cards in my pockets and comply with my golden guidelines to assist me keep my premium journey way of life.
Whether or not it is redeeming factors for flights and motels or getting access to lounges, here’s what I do to assist make my travels extra comfy.
Put the king of premium bank cards to good use for flights
Considered as one of many final journey bank cards, The Platinum Card® from American Categorical is synonymous with luxurious journey due to its perks (corresponding to lounge entry) and the attract it offers off from being a steel bank card.
Airfare
Among the many Amex Platinum’s listing of advantages, the cardboard’s capability to earn 5 factors per greenback spent on airfare bought immediately with the airline or by way of American Categorical Journey® (on as much as $500,000 in purchases per calendar yr, then 1 level per greenback after that) is what helps me essentially the most when planning journeys.
This incomes fee for flights is the best of any bank card, aside from reserving journey by way of an issuer’s respective journey website, corresponding to Chase Journey℠ or Capital One Journey.
If my airfare prices $1,500 or extra, I’ll at all times cost it to the Amex Platinum. This fashion, I earn no less than 7,500 Membership Rewards factors per transaction and construct up my factors stability all year long.
I made a decision on $1,500 as a result of I attempt to earn 100,000 Amex factors per yr. As a household of three, when our airfare is no less than $1,500 per particular person, I web about 22,500 factors when utilizing my Amex Platinum. Touring no less than 4 instances a yr, the numbers labored out to no less than 90,000 factors per yr simply from airfare.
Amex’s 5 factors per greenback helps me construct up my factors stability quick sufficient to make no less than one redemption every year.
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Lately, that meant transferring 100,000 Amex factors to Air Canada Aeroplan to e-book a nonstop one-way Polaris business-class ticket on United Airways from Sydney Airport (SYD) to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX).
For reference, the money fare for a similar ticket averages $5,100, so my redemption equates to about 5.1 cents per level. That is far larger than 2 cents per level for Amex or 1.4 cents per level for Aeroplan, in keeping with TPG’s July 2025 valuations.
Associated: Is the Amex Platinum value it for a factors and miles beginner? I booked a visit to seek out out
Lounge entry
However the premium journey expertise with the Amex Platinum is not restricted to flying; it begins on the bottom with Amex’s World Lounge Assortment community, which incorporates its spectacular assortment of Centurion Lounges.
That includes 26 lounges worldwide, Amex’s Centurion Lounges supply every part from elevated meals and beverage choices to showers and personal rooms. Some also have a youngsters’s playroom.
Journey days may be hectic, so I like with the ability to chill out in a lounge, take pleasure in free meals and drinks and let my child burn some power in a playroom. It is a great way to get that premium journey expertise, particularly whenever you’re not flying in a premium cabin.
What else to think about
Remember the fact that this card isn’t for everybody. To make holding it worthwhile, it’s worthwhile to maximize its perks or use it repeatedly for airfare purchases. In any other case, the $695 annual price (see charges and charges) is tough to disregard, even if you happen to use its array of coupon book-style credit.
Associated: How to decide on a bank card for airport lounge entry
Maximize my secondary card for journey and eating purchases
The following card in my pockets that helps me sustain my premium journey way of life is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges).
This card has been in my pockets for practically a decade, and it is all due to the broadly outlined bonus classes of journey and eating. Though all different journey incomes charges have modified as a result of card’s current refresh, I am nonetheless conserving the cardboard.
Chase additionally has its personal set of Sapphire lounges, giving me entry to further lounges worldwide.
All different journey
Whereas the Amex Platinum is my main card for pricier airfare, at any time when I buy flights that price lower than $1,500, I at all times cost them to my Sapphire Reserve.
This helps me accrue Chase Final Rewards at a fee of three factors per greenback, every of which is value 2.05 cents, in keeping with TPG’s July 2025 valuations.
After October 26, when the Sapphire Reserve’s modifications go dwell for me, I am going to begin to earn 4 factors per greenback on airfare. Although I am going to cease incomes 3 factors per greenback on different journey purchases, I am going to nonetheless cost them to my Sapphire Reserve to earn Final Rewards factors.
Associated: This is why I am conserving the Amex Platinum after the Sapphire Reserve’s modifications
Motels and eating
I’ve held off on having a cobranded resort bank card for years now, as resort loyalty packages can bear drastic modifications to their award charts that usually lead to will increase to the variety of factors wanted for a free night time.
It is a safer guess for me to make use of my Sapphire Reserve for all resort costs as a result of I am going to quickly earn 4 factors per greenback, barely greater than the earlier incomes fee, due to the cardboard’s current modifications.
Chase additionally broadly defines eating purchases as these made at eating places, meals carts, espresso retailers and extra.
So, reasonably than fear about which purchases will qualify and if there’s an annual spending cap to maintain monitor of — as is the case with the American Categorical® Gold Card, which earns 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide till hitting an annual buy cap of $50,000 (then 1 level per greenback for the remainder of the yr) and has some exclusions to what counts as a restaurant buy — I can use my Sapphire Reserve to earn 3 factors per greenback with out considering twice.
What I might do in a different way
If I wish to maximize my points-earning functionality, I ought to open the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card.
With it, I am going to earn 2 miles per greenback on all my different purchases. That is particularly helpful now that different journey purchases on the Sapphire Reserve solely earn 1 level per greenback. By doing this, I increase the range of my transferable factors.
I estimate this might present me with one other 20,000 to 30,000 Capital One Miles every year, which I might switch to accomplice airways that overlap with Amex and Chase.
Depend on a distinct card for fuel and grocery purchases
Driving in California is a reality of life and may be fairly pricey. Fuel costs hover round $4.50 a gallon, so filling up two automobiles a number of instances a month is pricey.
To earn rewards and reduce that sting, I take advantage of my Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and charges). With it, I earn 3 Citi ThankYou Rewards factors per greenback spent on fuel, and there’s no cap on what number of factors I can earn.
One other easy approach I rack up rewards for journey is to place all my grocery purchases on the Citi Strata Premier, as these additionally earn 3 factors per greenback.
And now, Citi simply introduced American Airways as a switch accomplice, so I am going to have the ability to stretch my ThankYou factors even additional.
Go all in on 2-player mode
In my private expertise, having my partner who additionally has her personal set of journey bank cards is a sport changer.
She earns her personal transferable factors with Chase and Amex, in addition to American Airways AAdvantage miles along with her Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard®.
This offers us further factors and miles to play with, and I may even mix her Chase factors with mine, as Chase permits factors sharing with members of your family.
The data for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.
Associated: Ought to my accomplice get their very own card or be added as a licensed consumer?
Backside line
Premium journey redemptions for airline tickets or motels are pricey, however due to some cautious strategizing round which playing cards to make use of for which purchases, I’ve collected half one million factors and miles a yr with these particular playing cards, plus these held by my spouse, this fashion for practically a decade.
With out these spending guidelines in place, I would not have the ability to maintain my premium journey habits.
Everybody’s bills and journey objectives are completely different, so it is essential you do what most closely fits your way of life and journey aspirations.
For me, paying over $1,200 for these three playing cards is smart, as I simply recoup the price by ensuring nearly all of my factors and miles go towards premium cabin redemptions on airfare — one thing that might in any other case price me over $40,000 a yr.
Associated: One of the best premium bank cards: A side-by-side comparability
For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum please click on right here.
