Few things in life are more fun than going on vacation — but traveling isn’t cheap. You probably know it’s possible to use points from credit cards and loyalty rewards programs to save money on your trip, but perhaps you’re not sure how to go about it.
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Travel influencers are masters at financing much of their vacation with points. Whether you’re trying to spend as little as possible on your next trip or upgrade your standard vacation style — while staying on budget — you should get in on the points game.
The average cost of a domestic round-trip plane ticket was $327 as of the fourth quarter of 2021, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The average cost of a hotel room was $153 per night as of July 2, 2022, according to hospitality industry data company STR.
Ready to start vacationing on points instead of money? GOBankingRates spoke with several travel influencers to learn their top secrets for earning points and maximizing them.
Time Your Travel Credit Card Signup Right
Opening the right credit card can help you save on travel. However, Jessica Schmit, a travel blogger who runs the site Uprooted Traveler, also recommended strategically planning when you open an account.
“One of the biggest tips I have is to wait until some kind of event where you’re going to be spending a ton of money — think a wedding, buying a house or moving — to sign up for a travel credit card,” she said. “Most of the cards come with a huge sign-on bonus if you hit a certain spend threshold in the first three