uk travel hacking

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How To Be A Travel Hacker In The United Kingdom

Published: November 11, 2023

Modified: December 28, 2023

by Lida Flick

• Miles & Points

Introduction

Welcome to the world of travel hacking in the United Kingdom! If you’ve ever dreamt of exploring the picturesque countryside, wandering through historic castles, or sipping tea in quaint cafes, then this guide is for you. Travel hacking, the art of leveraging loyalty programs, credit card rewards, and other strategies to maximize the value of your travels, can help turn those dreams into reality.

As a travel hacker, your goal is to minimize your travel expenses while still experiencing the best that England has to offer. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just starting your journey, this guide will provide you with the knowledge and tools you need to become a travel hacking expert in the UK.

Throughout this article, we’ll explore the various aspects of travel hacking in the United Kingdom, from choosing the right credit cards to earning and redeeming travel rewards. We’ll uncover the best airline and hotel loyalty programs, share insider tips for booking affordable flights and accommodations, and highlight useful travel hacking websites and tools.

By the end of this guide, you’ll be armed with the knowledge to travel smarter and stretch your travel budget further. So, fasten your seatbelts and get ready to embark on an exciting journey of travel hacking in England.

Understanding Travel Hacking

Travel hacking is the art of using loyalty programs, credit card rewards, and other strategies to travel for little to no cost. It involves maximizing the value of your spending and earning points, miles, or other rewards that can be used towards flights, accommodations, and other travel expenses. Understanding the basics of travel hacking is essential before diving into the world of discounted travel in the United Kingdom.

One of the fundamental components of travel hacking is credit card rewards. By strategically using credit cards that offer travel-related benefits, you can earn points or miles for every pound you spend. These rewards can then be redeemed for flights, hotel stays, and other travel expenses. It’s important to choose the right credit card that aligns with your travel goals and offers lucrative rewards.

Another important aspect of travel hacking is mastering the art of airline miles and points. Different airlines have their own loyalty programs, where frequent flyers can earn miles or points based on the distance flown, class of service, or other factors. Accumulating these miles and points can help you save money and even afford luxurious travel experiences. Understanding how to earn and redeem airline miles efficiently is key to unlocking the full potential of travel hacking.

In addition to airline loyalty programs, it’s crucial to familiarize yourself with hotel loyalty programs. Many hotel chains offer their own loyalty programs that reward guests with points for each stay. These points can be redeemed for free nights or room upgrades, allowing you to enjoy a comfortable and affordable stay during your travels in the UK.

Travel hacking is a constantly evolving field, and it’s important to stay updated with the latest tools and resources. There are many travel hacking websites and tools available that help you track your rewards, compare prices, find the best deals, and even provide insights into the most effective travel hacking strategies. By leveraging these resources, you can save time and money while planning your trips.

Now that you have a basic understanding of travel hacking, it’s time to delve deeper into the specific strategies for maximizing airline miles and points, finding the best hotel loyalty programs, and using travel hacking websites and tools. So, buckle up and get ready to unlock the secrets of affordable and exhilarating travel in the United Kingdom!

Choosing the Right Credit Card

When it comes to travel hacking in the United Kingdom, choosing the right credit card is essential. A credit card that offers lucrative rewards and benefits tailored towards travelers can help you earn points or miles faster and unlock a world of discounted travel options. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a credit card for travel hacking:

• Rewards Program: Look for a credit card that offers a rewards program with a focus on travel. Whether it’s earning airline miles, hotel points, or flexible rewards that can be redeemed for various travel options, choose a card that aligns with your travel goals.
• Sign-up Bonus: Many travel credit cards offer attractive sign-up bonuses, where you can earn a significant number of points or miles after meeting a minimum spending requirement. These sign-up bonuses can jumpstart your travel hacking journey and provide an immediate boost to your rewards balance.
• Annual Fee: Consider whether the credit card’s annual fee is worth the benefits and rewards it offers. Some premium travel credit cards may have higher annual fees but provide substantial travel perks such as airport lounge access, travel insurance, and statement credits that can offset the fee.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: As you’ll be using your credit card for travel, it’s important to choose a card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees. These fees can add up quickly when making purchases abroad, eating into the value of your travel rewards.
• Travel Benefits: Explore the additional travel benefits provided by the credit card. This can include perks like travel insurance, airport lounge access, concierge services, and exclusive hotel or car rental discounts. These benefits can enhance your travel experience and provide extra value.

It’s also important to assess your own spending habits and travel goals when choosing a credit card for travel hacking. If you frequently fly with a particular airline, a co-branded credit card can provide specific benefits and faster earnings. On the other hand, if you prefer flexibility and options, a travel credit card with transferable points may be a better fit.

Take the time to compare different credit cards, their rewards structure, and the associated benefits. Online resources and comparison websites can help you make an informed decision based on your unique needs. Remember, the right credit card can be a powerful tool in your travel hacking arsenal, opening up a world of discounted travel opportunities in the UK.

Maximizing Airline Miles and Points

When it comes to travel hacking, one of the most valuable resources at your disposal is airline miles and points. These can take you to new destinations, upgrade your travel experience, or even score free flights. Here are some strategies to help you maximize your airline miles and points in the United Kingdom:

• Join Frequent Flyer Programs: Sign up for frequent flyer programs offered by airlines that operate in the UK. This will allow you to earn miles every time you fly with that airline or its partners. Look for airlines that offer extensive route networks and alliances, as it will provide you with more opportunities to earn and redeem miles.
• Optimize Earning Miles: Take advantage of opportunities to earn miles beyond just flying. Many airlines have co-branded credit cards that offer sign-up bonuses and bonus miles for everyday spending. Additionally, look for partnerships with other companies such as hotels, car rental agencies, and online shopping platforms, where you can earn bonus miles for your purchases.
• Strategic Credit Card Spending: Utilize credit cards that allow you to transfer your points or miles to different airline loyalty programs. This flexibility can help you take advantage of promotional offers or find better redemption options for your miles.
• Focus on Elite Status: If you frequently fly with a specific airline, strive to achieve elite status. Elite status comes with additional benefits such as priority boarding, free checked baggage, and access to airport lounges. It also helps you earn extra miles or points per flight and increases the likelihood of getting upgraded.
• Utilize Stopovers and Open-Jaws: Take advantage of airline policies that allow stopovers or open-jaw itineraries. This allows you to visit multiple destinations without using extra miles. Plan your trips strategically to maximize your time and get the most value out of your miles.
• Research Airline Alliances: Familiarize yourself with the airline alliances, such as oneworld, Star Alliance, or SkyTeam. Understanding these alliances can help you utilize your miles across multiple airlines and expand your travel options.
• Stay Flexible: Being flexible with your travel dates, times, and destinations can increase your chances of finding the best award availability. Peak travel times and popular destinations tend to have limited award seats, so consider traveling during off-peak or shoulder seasons to make the most of your miles.

Remember to always check for mileage sales, promotions, and sweet spot redemptions. These can provide excellent value for your miles, allowing you to travel to your desired destinations at a fraction of the cost. Regularly monitoring your mileage balance and staying updated on the latest offers will ensure you make the most of your hard-earned airline miles and points in the UK.

Finding the Best Hotel Loyalty Programs

When it comes to travel hacking in the United Kingdom, finding the best hotel loyalty programs can help you score incredible deals on accommodations and enjoy a range of exclusive benefits. Here are some tips to help you identify and make the most of hotel loyalty programs:

• Research Hotel Chains: Start by researching major hotel chains that operate in the UK. Look for brands that have a strong presence and a wide range of properties in different cities and regions. Having a variety of options will increase your chances of finding hotels where you can earn and redeem loyalty points.
• Join Loyalty Programs: Sign up for the loyalty programs offered by your chosen hotel chains. These programs are usually free to join and provide various benefits like earning points for each stay, member-exclusive discounts, and access to special promotions.
• Understand the Rewards Structure: Take time to understand the rewards structure of each loyalty program. Find out how many points you’ll earn per stay, what other ways you can earn points (such as dining or spa services), and what redemption options are available (such as free nights, room upgrades, or other perks).
• Consider Status Tiers: Many hotel loyalty programs have tiered membership levels, such as silver, gold, or platinum. Achieving higher status levels can unlock additional perks like late checkout, complimentary breakfast, or access to exclusive lounges. Assess your stay patterns and loyalty to determine if reaching elite status is feasible and worthwhile.
• Look for Co-Branded Credit Cards: Some hotel loyalty programs offer co-branded credit cards that allow you to earn points on everyday spending. These cards often come with sign-up bonuses, accelerated earnings at hotel properties, and other perks like free nights or elite status qualification.
• Compare Benefits and Redemption Options: Compare the benefits and redemption options provided by different hotel loyalty programs. Look for programs that offer generous redemption rates, a wide range of participating properties, and additional perks like complimentary Wi-Fi, welcome amenities, and exclusive experiences.
• Utilize Bonus Promotions: Keep an eye out for bonus promotions offered by hotel loyalty programs. These promotions can include limited-time offers for bonus points, discounted stays, or opportunities to earn additional rewards. Taking advantage of these promotions can significantly boost your points balance or provide unique experiences.

Remember that it’s not necessary to limit yourself to just one hotel loyalty program. You can join multiple programs to enjoy a variety of benefits and options. Just be mindful of your ability to earn and redeem points within each program and stay organized with your rewards.

By leveraging hotel loyalty programs, you can not only save money on your accommodations but also enjoy added perks and personalized experiences during your travels in the UK. So, start exploring the various hotel loyalty programs available and make the most of your hotel stays!

Using Travel Hacking Websites and Tools

Travel hacking wouldn’t be complete without the help of various websites and tools that can simplify the process of finding the best deals and maximizing your rewards. Here are some essential travel hacking websites and tools you should consider using:

• Flight Comparison Websites: Websites like Skyscanner, Kayak, and Google Flights allow you to compare prices across multiple airlines and find the best deals for your desired travel dates. These websites often have flexible search options, enabling you to search for flights to and from specific airports or within a range of dates, making it easier to find the most cost-effective options.
• Hotel Comparison Websites: Just like flight comparison websites, hotel comparison websites such as Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia can help you find the best rates for your accommodations. These platforms allow you to filter results based on location, price range, star rating, and other preferences, helping you narrow down your options and save money on your hotel bookings.
• Reward Tracking Tools: Managing your travel rewards and loyalty programs can become overwhelming. Tools like AwardWallet and TripIt allow you to store and track all your loyalty account information in one place. They also provide alerts for upcoming reward expirations and help you stay organized with your travel plans.
• Award Booking Services: If you’re new to travel hacking or simply don’t have the time to research and book complicated award tickets, consider using award booking services like Juicy Miles or PointsPros. These services have experts who can assist you in finding the best award availability, maximizing your redemption value, and even handling the booking process on your behalf.
• Deal and Flash Sale Websites: Keep an eye on websites like Secret Flying, Scott’s Cheap Flights, and The Points Guy for flash sales, mistake fares, and exclusive deals. These websites curate the best travel deals and alert you when there’s a significant price drop or an opportunity to book flights or accommodations at a fraction of the usual cost.
• Online Forums and Communities: Engaging with travel hacking forums and communities, such as FlyerTalk or Reddit’s /r/churning, can provide valuable insights and tips from experienced travel hackers. These communities often share strategies, mistake fares, and other insider information that can help you make the most of your travel hacking efforts.

Using these travel hacking websites and tools can save you time, help you find the best deals, and provide valuable resources for maximizing your travel rewards. Explore and experiment with different platforms to find the ones that suit your needs and make your travel hacking journey even more successful.

Now that you’re armed with knowledge about travel hacking websites and tools, let’s move on to strategies for booking cheap flights and tips for booking affordable accommodations in the United Kingdom.

Strategies for Booking Cheap Flights

Booking cheap flights is a top priority for any travel hacker. By utilizing the right strategies, you can save a significant amount of money on airfare. Here are some effective strategies for booking cheap flights in the United Kingdom:

• Be Flexible with Travel Dates: Being flexible with your travel dates can lead to substantial savings. Look for flights during off-peak seasons or midweek when fares tend to be lower. Use flight search engines that have a flexible date feature to compare prices over a range of dates and find the cheapest options.
• Monitor Special Deals and Promotions: Sign up for airline newsletters and follow them on social media platforms to stay updated on special deals and promotions. Airlines often offer limited-time sales or discounted fares that can provide significant savings on your flights.
• Consider Alternate Airports: Fly into or out of alternate airports to potentially find cheaper flights. For example, in the UK, flying into Gatwick instead of Heathrow in London or flying to Birmingham instead of Manchester can sometimes lead to lower fares.
• Utilize Price Comparison Websites: Take advantage of flight comparison websites like Skyscanner, Kayak, and Google Flights to compare prices across multiple airlines and find the best deals. These platforms allow you to filter results based on price, travel time, and other preferences to help you identify the most cost-effective options.
• Be Open to Connecting Flights: Consider booking flights with layovers instead of opting for direct flights. Connecting flights often come at a lower price, and it can be an opportunity to explore an additional city during your journey.
• Use Points and Miles: If you’ve accumulated frequent flyer miles or credit card points, consider using them to book your flights. By redeeming your points strategically, you can significantly reduce or even eliminate the cost of your airfare.
• Set Fare Alerts: Create fare alerts on flight search engines or specific websites to receive notifications when fares drop for your desired destinations. This way, you’ll be alerted when there’s a price decrease, allowing you to book the flights at the best possible price.
• Book in Advance: In general, booking your flights well in advance can lead to lower fares. Airline ticket prices tend to increase as the departure date approaches, so try to plan and secure your flights as early as possible.

Remember, finding cheap flights requires patience and careful research. Be proactive in your search, compare prices, and consider all the factors that can impact the cost of your flights. By implementing these strategies, you can stretch your travel budget and make your travel hacking efforts even more rewarding.

Now, let’s explore tips for booking affordable accommodation to complement your cheap flights in the United Kingdom.

Tips for Booking Affordable Accommodation

Booking affordable accommodation is a crucial aspect of travel hacking in the United Kingdom. Here are some tips to help you find and book budget-friendly accommodations:

• Consider Alternative Accommodation Options: Look beyond traditional hotels and consider alternative lodging options such as guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, hostels, or vacation rentals. These alternatives can often offer more affordable rates and unique experiences.
• Use Hotel Comparison Websites: Utilize hotel comparison websites like Booking.com, Hotels.com, and Expedia to compare prices and find the best deals. These platforms allow you to filter results based on price, location, and amenities to find the most affordable options that meet your needs.
• Book in Advance: Similar to flights, booking accommodation in advance can lead to lower prices. Many hotels offer early bird discounts or other promotional rates when you book well ahead of your travel dates.
• Be Flexible with Location: Consider staying slightly outside popular tourist areas to find more affordable accommodation options. Public transportation in the UK is extensive, making it easy to access different attractions from various locations.
• Stay During Off-Peak Seasons: Traveling during off-peak seasons can result in significantly lower accommodation rates. Avoid popular holiday periods and peak travel times to take advantage of discounted prices.
• Opt for Non-Refundable Rates: If your travel plans are concrete, consider booking non-refundable rates. These rates often come with a lower price tag but require upfront payment and have a stricter cancellation policy. Only choose this option if you are certain about your travel dates.
• Use Loyalty Program Benefits: If you have memberships with hotel loyalty programs, take advantage of the benefits. Loyalty program members often receive exclusive discounts, early check-in or late check-out privileges, and even complimentary upgrades.
• Consider Homestays and Room-Sharing: Platforms like Airbnb and Homestay offer the opportunity to stay in someone’s home or rent a room at a lower cost than traditional hotels. This option can provide a unique local experience while saving money.
• Research Local Deals and Promotions: Look for local deals and promotions, such as packages that include accommodations and attractions or special rates for extended stays. Check the official tourism websites for the areas you plan to visit for any current promotions or discounts.
• Read Reviews and Check Ratings: While looking for affordable accommodation, don’t compromise on quality. Read reviews from previous guests and check the ratings to ensure the place meets your standards and expectations.

By implementing these tips, you’ll be able to find affordable accommodation options that align with your travel budget while still providing comfort and convenience during your stay in the UK. Remember to be diligent in your search, compare prices, and book in advance for the best deals.

With these strategies for booking cheap flights and tips for affordable accommodations, you’re well on your way to becoming a travel hacking expert in the United Kingdom. Now, let’s explore how to earn and redeem travel rewards in the UK.

Earning and Redeeming Travel Rewards in the UK

Earning and redeeming travel rewards is the core of travel hacking, allowing you to maximize the value of your travels. In the United Kingdom, there are various ways to earn and redeem travel rewards across flights, hotels, and other travel-related expenses. Here’s how you can make the most of these opportunities:

• Airline Miles and Points: Join frequent flyer programs offered by UK-based airlines and their partners to start earning airline miles and points. You can earn miles by flying, using co-branded credit cards, staying at partner hotels, or taking advantage of promotional offers. Once you’ve accumulated enough miles, you can redeem them for free flights, upgrades, or other travel-related benefits.
• Hotel Loyalty Programs: Sign up for hotel loyalty programs and earn points for each stay at participating properties. Some hotel chains also offer co-branded credit cards that allow you to earn additional points. These points can be redeemed for free nights, room upgrades, or other perks, allowing you to save on accommodation costs.
• Credit Card Rewards: Utilize credit cards that offer travel rewards, such as points or cashback, for each pound spent. Some credit cards allow you to transfer these rewards to airline or hotel loyalty programs, providing even more flexibility in earning and redeeming travel rewards. Choose credit cards that align with your travel goals and spending habits to maximize your rewards.
• Online Shopping Portals: Many travel loyalty programs offer online shopping portals where you can earn additional miles or points for your online purchases. Simply access the retailer’s website through the loyalty program’s portal to ensure you receive the extra rewards.
• Travel Experiences and Activities: Some travel loyalty programs offer opportunities to earn rewards for booking experiences and activities. You can earn points or miles by booking tours, attractions, or even car rentals through these programs, adding value to your overall travel experience.
• Transfer Partnerships: Some loyalty programs have transfer partnerships with other travel programs, allowing you to convert your rewards between different programs. This flexibility can help you find the best redemption options or maximize the value of your rewards by taking advantage of promotional transfer rates.
• Stay Updated with Promotions: Keep an eye on promotions and special offers from airlines, hotels, and credit card companies. Many of these companies run limited-time promotions, where you can earn bonus miles, points, or receive exclusive discounts. Staying informed will enable you to take advantage of the best opportunities for maximizing your travel rewards.
• Redemption Strategies: When it comes to redeeming your travel rewards, be strategic. Look for high-value redemption options like booking flights during off-peak periods, taking advantage of discounted award rates, or opting for business or first-class upgrades. Research the various redemption options available and choose the ones that provide the most value for your rewards.

Earning and redeeming travel rewards in the UK requires careful planning, research, and a bit of creativity. By utilizing airline and hotel loyalty programs, credit card rewards, shopping portals, and staying aware of promotions, you can accumulate and maximize your travel rewards to enjoy incredible experiences while minimizing your out-of-pocket expenses.

Now that you have a solid understanding of earning and redeeming travel rewards, let’s explore how to maximize the benefits of travel hacking in the UK.

Maximizing Travel Hacking Benefits

To truly maximize the benefits of travel hacking in the United Kingdom, it’s important to adopt a holistic approach that encompasses various aspects of your travel experience. Here are some tips to help you make the most of your travel hacking efforts:

• Create a Travel Rewards Strategy: Develop a travel rewards strategy that aligns with your travel goals and preferences. Determine the type of rewards you want to focus on, whether it’s airline miles, hotel points, or a combination of both. This will help you tailor your earning and redemption strategies to get the most value out of your rewards.
• Utilize Elite Status Benefits: If you achieve elite status in airline or hotel loyalty programs, take full advantage of the benefits it provides. Enjoy perks like priority boarding, free checked bags, room upgrades, access to exclusive lounges, and other privileges that come with elite status. These benefits can enhance your overall travel experience and provide added value.
• Combine Multiple Strategies: Don’t limit yourself to just one travel hacking strategy. Combine different approaches, such as earning points through credit card spending, taking advantage of airline promotions, and utilizing hotel loyalty programs. By diversifying your earning methods, you can accumulate rewards faster and have more options when it comes to redemption.
• Maximize Point Transfer Opportunities: If you have credit cards that allow point transfers to airline or hotel loyalty programs, make the most of this option. Assess the transfer ratios and take advantage of transfer bonuses or promotional rates to maximize the value of your points.
• Stay Organized: Keep track of your loyalty program memberships, rewards balances, and expiration dates. Utilize loyalty program management tools to stay organized and ensure you don’t miss out on any opportunities to earn or redeem rewards.
• Be Flexible with Redemptions: Stay flexible with your redemption options and travel dates. Look for opportunities to book award flights or hotel stays during off-peak periods when availability is higher and redemption rates may be lower. Being flexible can help you secure the best value for your rewards.
• Take Advantage of Travel Insurance: Many credit cards and elite status benefits offer travel insurance coverage. Familiarize yourself with the details of these policies and utilize them to save on travel insurance expenses. This way, you can enjoy peace of mind during your trips without the extra cost.
• Share Your Experiences: Engage with the travel hacking community and share your experiences, tips, and tricks. Participate in forums, social media groups, or travel blogs to learn from others and contribute valuable insights. Sharing knowledge helps everyone in the travel hacking community benefit and discover new opportunities.

Remember, travel hacking is a continuous learning process. Stay updated with the latest news, changes in loyalty programs, and emerging trends. Keep a keen eye on promotions and take advantage of opportunities as they arise. By employing these strategies and staying adaptable, you can maximize the benefits of travel hacking and unlock incredible travel experiences in the United Kingdom and beyond.

Now, armed with these strategies for maximizing the benefits of travel hacking, you’re ready to embark on your own journey in the world of discounted travel and unforgettable adventures in the UK!

Congratulations! You’ve reached the end of this comprehensive guide to travel hacking in the United Kingdom. By now, you should have a solid understanding of the strategies and tools you can utilize to travel smart, save money, and maximize the value of your trips. This knowledge will enable you to explore the stunning landscapes, immerse yourself in the rich history, and indulge in the vibrant culture that the UK has to offer.

From choosing the right credit card and maximizing airline miles to finding the best hotel loyalty programs and utilizing travel hacking websites and tools, you now possess the expertise to navigate the world of travel hacking with confidence. Armed with these strategies, you can book cheap flights, find affordable accommodations, and earn and redeem travel rewards like a pro.

Remember that travel hacking is a continuous journey of learning and adapting. Stay informed about new promotions and opportunities, be flexible with your travel plans, and share your experiences with others in the travel hacking community. By doing so, you’ll continue to refine your travel hacking skills, unlocking more incredible adventures and experiences in the process.

So, what are you waiting for? Start implementing these travel hacking strategies and embark on your own unforgettable journey across the United Kingdom. Whether you’re exploring the historic streets of London, marveling at the beauty of the Scottish Highlands, or discovering the charm of the English countryside, travel hacking will make every step of your journey more affordable and rewarding.

Happy travels, and may your adventures in the UK be filled with amazing experiences and cherished memories!

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How to Collect Point and Miles in the United Kingdom

I’ve been writing about points and miles a lot lately, and one question that keeps popping up is “Matt, how can we do that in the UK?” Well, while I know a lot about doing this in the UK, I don’t know as much as Robert (aka Raffles) from Head for Points , the premier points website for the UK. Today, I sit down with him and he explains in great detail how those of you from the UK can get free flights and hotels like the rest of us across the pond!

Nomadic Matt: How did you get into points & miles? Robert: The idea of “getting a deal” was ingrained in me literally from childhood, as my family never had much money. This also meant that my parents never traveled, as it was very expensive to fly in the 1970s. My dad never had a passport, and my mum only got one when she was 50.

I think I first flew when I was 18 in 1988 on a charter to Spain with friends. My first “win” was when I was 20, when I “arranged” to win a flight to Paris in a British Airways competition. This was 1990, and BA gave away every seat on every flight for one day to boost business. You could pick your route, and I was smart enough to realize that 99% of people would pick a long-haul route with a minimal chance of winning. I picked Paris and, despite literally millions of entries, got my free seat — and even in 1990 flights to Paris from London were expensive.

It was only when I discovered FlyerTalk that I realized that I was only scratching the surface. I contributed heavily to FlyerTalk beginning in 2004 — and still do — and in 2012 started Head for Points as the first UK miles-and-points blog.

In January 2016, Head for Points hit one million monthly page views for the first time, almost all from the UK. I also launched Shopper Points to focus on UK supermarket loyalty schemes.

In the United States, it’s easy to collect points and miles because we have so many ways to get them. Describe points and miles in the UK. It’s true that the UK market is not as generous as the US. However, it is still the second-best place in the world for collecting points and miles.

The advantage of doing it from the UK is that you can see a lot more of the world for a lot less. Whilst the low-level US airline saver reward is 25,000 miles (and even they are hard to find), British Airways will fly you to France , Germany , the Netherlands , etc., from 8,000 Avios return [round-trip].

Even a flight to Spain is only 13,000 Avios on an off-peak date. You can get to over 20 countries and see some of the world’s greatest sights for less than the cost in miles of a US domestic reward flight!

The typical UK points and miles pro will generally focus on credit cards, primarily with American Express, and exploiting the promotions run by Tesco. Tesco is the UK’s largest supermarket chain, and its loyalty points can be converted into British Airways Avios points or Virgin Flying Club miles.

Can you explain the Tesco trick a bit more? Tesco has a loyalty scheme called Clubcard. On the face of it, it is rather dull: spend £1 in their stores and you earn 1 point. One point gets you 1p off your shopping or you can swap it for other things, including 2.4 Avios points or 2.5 Virgin Flying Club miles.

The real value comes from regular bonus point promotions run by Tesco. These can be hugely aggressive. For example, they regularly offer 150 bonus points for buying selected CDs or DVDs, which can be as cheap as £3. That means you’re getting 360 Avios points for £3. They also like to offer bonus points on printer ink, which can be easily resold on eBay, often at cost price — which means the miles are free.

It scales up as well. They often offer 5,000 points (12,000 Avios) for taking out Tesco life insurance — with a minimum commitment of just £5 per month for a year. In late 2015 they offered a computer printer for £39 with 2,000 bonus points — that was 4,800 Avios.

All of these deals can be bought online, so you don’t even need to enter a Tesco store. Tesco also offers a free MasterCard credit card, which earns Avios (it works out to 0.3 Avios per £1 spent) This isn’t a great rate but it is the best Avios MasterCard or Visa deal available.

My new site Shopper Points is 75% devoted to Tesco Clubcard, not just for miles collectors but also for people who use the points for non-travel redemptions.

UK-based flights have hefty fuel surcharges (i.e., big taxes and fees) when you book award tickets. How does this impact points & miles in the UK? The key difference between the UK and US frequent flyer scene is that, in the UK, you cannot genuinely “fly for free,” at least not easily. Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic (and indeed all of the other major European carriers) impose heavy fuel surcharges on redemption tickets.

This is compounded in the UK by Air Passenger Duty, a departure tax levied by the UK government that can add up to £166 to a business-class ticket. If you redeem your British Airways Avios points for a Club World (flat-bed business class) seat to New York , you will be asked to pay over £500 per person in taxes and surcharges for your “free” ticket.

This is still a good deal, of course, compared to the cost of buying a similar ticket for cash. However, when a couple needs to find £1,000 to cover the additional charges on a pair of long-haul reward seats, you are obviously restricting your market to people on a decent salary. Unlike the US, this is not a hobby for students or the low paid.

The other issue with the heavy taxes and surcharges is that it has made long-haul redemptions in economy fundamentally pointless, except in peak periods. Who would redeem 40,000 Avios points and £350 in taxes for a return economy flight to New York , when the same ticket can be bought for £400 in cash?

You can work around this, but it’s not easy. Air Berlin is an Avios partner and fellow Oneworld member, and has low-tax (£75 return) redemptions from Germany to the US and Abu Dhabi.

Aer Lingus also has low-tax redemptions from Dublin to the US. However, you need to ring British Airways to book these — and the BA website doesn’t tell you this. Only a handful of people know about it as a result.

Similarly, Iberia has low-tax (£150 instead of £500 for business class) redemptions from Madrid to North and South America .

However, booking these on ba.com incurs a £500+ surcharge. Move your Avios to Iberia Plus (for free, online) and you can book the same seat for just £150 in taxes. BA doesn’t tell you that either!

Does the UK have a lot of good credit card offers like we do here? What are the bonuses typically like? It has improved massively in the last couple of years. American Express has become very aggressive. It runs (for the UK) very high bonuses on the British Airways Premium Plus card — typically 20,000 to 25,000 points or miles.

As long as you know, for example, that the points from the American Express® Gold Card and The Platinum Card® by American Express can be turned into Avios points, then you can do very well. However, I reckon that 90% of Avios collectors are not aware of this.

You get occasional great deals from other issuers. MBNA/Bank of America offered 35,000 American Airlines miles as a sign-up bonus back in 2013, and that card was fee free. That would have gotten you a one-way ticket in business class on Etihad from London to Abu Dhabi!

Are there other cards beyond American Express? The other big issuer is MBNA/Bank of America. They handle the UK credit cards for American Airlines, Etihad, Virgin Atlantic, Miles & More, and United, amongst others.

The standard MBNA bonus offers are pretty weak: the basic Virgin Atlantic credit card only offers 3,000 miles for signing up. You need to time it right and apply during a good bonus promotion. You also cannot get more than one bonus per card per lifetime.

That said, MBNA is a well-run business — they post your miles promptly, and their promos always work as promised.

Lloyds and Barclays, the two “mainstream” banks, also have some loyalty card operations. Lloyds runs cards for avios.com (as opposed to British Airways), and Barclays runs cards for Hilton and IHG Rewards Club. In general, though, their operations are shoddy. I receive lots of complaints about Lloyds not honoring sign-up bonuses, and Barclays has a habit of posting your points 3-4 months late.

The writing may be on the wall for non-American Express cards, however. In late 2015, the EU capped “interchange fees” (a proxy for what shops pay to accept credit cards) at 0.3% for Visa, MasterCard, and third-party–issued American Express cards. The previous rates were around 0.75%.

It is simply not possible to run a free credit card that earns miles with an interchange fee of 0.3%. That doesn’t even pay for the cost of funds for the card issuer, let alone the miles, bad debts, statement costs, etc. You don’t make much in interest payments from airline cards because you have a wealthy customer base.

In the future, we are likely to see more annual fees and lower-earning rates. However, the airline and hotel companies are desperate to keep their logo in your wallet, so compromises will be made. Cards may start to offer elite status, for example, or extra perks such as priority boarding. It will take a couple of years for the market to adjust.

If someone in the UK was looking to get into points & miles, what advice would you give them? Focus on something simple, because once you’ve got your first good redemption under your belt, it will encourage you to become more ambitious.

The Hilton Visa, for example, is free and gives you a free night in any global Hilton Family hotel for spending £750. Using that at, say, the Waldorf-Astoria in Rome or the Conrad in New York or Hong Kong would be a great result. If a couple each got this card, the two free nights would cover a long weekend.

For your first flight redemption, there is nothing wrong with a European redemption on British Airways. Perhaps pay the extra miles for Club Europe on the way out, and spend an hour or so before the flight in BA’s lounges at Heathrow. It will whet your appetite to scale up your collecting.

Do you see points & miles getting easier or harder in the UK? Ignoring BA’s fuel surcharges — which can be mitigated via Air Berlin, Aer Lingus, and Iberia — this is a golden age. As long as your credit is good, it has never been so easy for a UK resident to rack up a large pile of Avios points via credit card sign-up bonuses.

The expansion of Oneworld — with Qatar, Malaysian, and Sri Lankan joining in recent years — also continues to open up great opportunities for redeeming your miles.

Some of the great deals of the past have gone away — it was once ridiculously easy to get free Star Alliance flights via BMI Diamond Club miles, for example. There is now no UK airline in Star Alliance. All in all, though, these are still good times to be playing the game.

Are there online shopping or dining portals like in the US? Where are some ways to multiply your points per dollar spent so as to rack up points more easily?

Both British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have online shopping portals called Gate 365 and Shops Away, respectively. The problem is that they were late to the game.

The UK has two large cash-back websites, Quidco and TopCashback. The majority of merchants on the airline shopping portals are on those cash-back sites, so you are essentially “buying” Avios at a poor rate when you choose not to use them and instead take miles.

The only reason I would use the airline sites is for shopping at a merchant that refuses to work with cash-back sites. The most popular merchant that does this is the department store chain John Lewis.

There is another tweak, where shopping at TopCashback is far more attractive for earning Avios than using BA’s own Gate 365 portal. As I explained in this article , TopCashback lets you send £50 of cash-back per year to Tesco Clubcard. This can itself be converted into 12,400 Avios points. You have basically paid 0.4p each for those 12,400 Avios (£50.00 / 12,400 Avios), which is an excellent deal.

With US-based cards like Citi, Chase, or American Express, you have many transfer partners, so you can move points to where the best deal is. Is that possible in the UK? What is the best way to use points on non-UK–based airlines?

If you are based in the UK but collect miles in a non-UK airline program, there are a couple of options.

(However, for a beginner, this is not something I would recommend. British Airways and — to a lesser extent — Virgin Atlantic offer far more options for redeeming if you are UK based. Only expats or people who end up flying other airlines with their jobs should put substantial efforts into building up miles elsewhere.)

Some non-UK airlines have UK credit cards: Lufthansa, Etihad, Emirates, United, and American. Others are American Express transfer partners, so you can send over points from an American Express® Gold Card or The Platinum Card® by American Express: Emirates, Etihad, KLM, Air France, Singapore, Delta.

Unless you have substantial credit card spend, it is unlikely that you would ever earn enough miles purely for a decent redemption. There are some amazing redemptions you can get — Emirates A380 business or first class, Etihad A380 business or first class, Lufthansa first class, etc. — but you will need at least 100,000 miles to redeem for any of those.

If you don’t fly these airlines for work and can’t build up your balance that way, credit card spend alone is unlikely to get you enough.

If you want to learn more about points & miles in the UK, check out Robert’s website, Head for Points , and follow him on Twitter . We have it really good here in the United States with lucrative point deals and credit card bonuses, but there is clearly a lot of opportunity in the UK.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• InsureMyTrip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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Travel Hacking UK SOS: Why Does It Have To Be So Painful?

Anne 08/01/2018 Frequent Flyer Programs , Travel Tips 9 Comments 1,397 Views

Table of Contents

For years now I’ve been waxing lyrical to my friends Michala and John about the benefits of using credit cards to earn air miles. I use these air miles to fly business class for less than economy . I’ve been trying to convince them to get onboard so we can fly in style together. We take an annual trip overseas together with our partners and are planning a big trip to Vegas to celebrate a ‘special birthday’ in a few years. Until now, Michala has refused point blank to get involved, finding travel hacking uK style simply too much hassle.

No more economy

The straw that broke the camel’s back however, was our trip to South Africa earlier this year. It was a long flight via Qatar from Manchester and we flew economy. By the time I arrived, I was seriously grumpy and vowed never to fly long haul economy again. Warning : once you make the transition to business you will never want to go back, so don’t start this unless you are prepared for a long term commitment. This is no one night stand!

Travel hacking UK SOS

I gave Michala an ultimatum, saying she either needed to start collecting points, or suffer in economy whilst Jason and I enjoy the high life upfront. Until now, she’s always insisted she would simply pay for business class flights, but being a tight Yorkshire lass, I wasn’t quite prepared to give up on her. Ultimately, I had to entice her with the promise of guiding her step by step through the process, so it didn’t seem too arduous. Thank god, she finally agreed to give it a go.

I agreed to give her bite sized chunks and here’s the results.

In three months, Michala and her partner John have earned 121,000 avios. That’s soon to increase by another 24,000 Avios, giving them enough for business class flights to Europe and beyond. You may not realise how spectacular a win that is if you are new to this game but trust me, it will take you a long time to earn those miles by flying, unless you regularly travel long haul.

Phew, at least I don’t need to abandon my buddies now when I waltz into Business or First class for our trip to Vegas!

But what has that got to do with Monica from The Travelhack?

As a member of Monica’s Blogger Course (seriously, if you are thinking of starting a blog, you need to sign up. It is one of the best £125 investments you will ever make!) I was recently fortunate enough to be whisked off to Brussels with WowTrip for a mystery weekend . (Find out how that trip turned out here as I rediscovered my inner party animal .)

What Will You Get Up To On A Fascinating Brussels Beer Tour?

During the weekend, Monica and I got talking about what prevents her from travel hacking despite being an incredibly savvy traveller. It was a familiar story….it is too complicated, doesn’t seem that worthwhile, redemptions are a challenge etc.

I mentioned what I had been doing with Michala, and before you know it we were excitedly, planning a twelve month travel hacking challenge for beginners. You can read more about Monica’s reasons for not travel hacking here, but let me tell you, I am on a mission to demonstrate to her and every one of the cynics out there, that travel hacking in the UK is possible.

UK Travel hacking objections

Here’s a summary of why Monica has never got into travel hacking, and my response to each of her objections.

It is too complex

Yes it can be complex, but follow these step by step guides and it doesn’t need to be.

It isn’t as easy or as worthwhile as in the States

UK travel hacking is definitely not as easy as in the States, but that doesn’t mean it cannot pay dividends. I have saved thousands on flights to Canada , Korea , China , Monaco and more .

It is too much hassle

I am not going to deny that it takes effort. Following our step by step guides will help you, but you will have to make some changes. If you want to fly business class for less than the cost of economy class tickets, surely that is worthwhile?

How To Save Money On Your Business Class Flight To Seoul

I can’t redeem on budget arlines

True, you can’t, but the real benefit in UK travel hacking is in being able to fly long haul in business. That is how you get the most bang for your buck.

If you want to fly budget airlines 100% of the time, travel hacking is not for you. However, if you plan to take long haul trips and would prefer to travel in style, it absolutely is.

Flying economy isn’t that bad

True, some economy class cabins are pretty damned impressive. But how would you feel if you discover that for the same price (or even les, gasp?) as your economy ticket, someone else was flying business. Why wouldn’t you fly business class if it cost you the same or less?

I would not feel comfortable taking kids in business

Maybe travel hacking is something you do for special occasions. Perhaps a romantic weekend away with your partner, or a 30th birthday or honeymoon. Perhaps leave the kids with the grand-parents, or do as Kirsty from ‘Location Location’ does and put your kids in economy while you enjoy the high life. (Obviously this does not work with babies!! Cripes, don’t get arrested for abandoning your children!)

I don’t spend enough

This one is a big one and I am going to come back to this. If you cannot spend £1,000 on credit cards, you are absolutely right…travel hacking is not for you. Before you discount it outright though, we will look at how you might be able to make some changes to your spending to be able to achieve that spending requirement.

I don’t fly enough

This is my personal favourite. Whenever I say I fly business class using airmiles, people wave their hands at me dismissively saying ‘ I don’t fly enough to do that ‘. Luckily for them, they don’t need to! Less than 5% of my airmiles each year come from flying. This is the biggest myth of the lot!!

How much can you spend?

So, let’s get stuck in. As Monica says in her post, my general rule of thumb is that if you can spend £1,000 a month between you and your partner, then you are able to travel hack.

Why is this a magic number?

Well, to really kickstart your airmiles balance, you will need to satisfy minimum spend requirements on a credit card. Typically, this averages at £1,000 a month.

This ready reckoner allows you to determine how much you might reasonably be able to spend. Check your bank statements and any existing credit card statements and pop your numbers into the relevant boxes. The sheet will give you a total estimated spend, allowing you to quickly determine whether this is realistic for you. I have already put in some example numbers, but you can type over these.

Targeting minimum spend

Here’s some of the spend you might not currently put on cards, but could do in order to achieve the minimum spend:

• A few drinks at your local pub costing £15. Maybe you currently pay cash, but these days most places accept credit cards. If they accept cards, pay by card.
• Your morning Starbucks or Costa Coffee. It may only be £3 a cup, but if you indulge on a daily basis, that is over £1,000 a year.
• Your household food shop
• Parking. Many town centre parking machines now accept credit cards. In fact only today I paid £1.50 on my card to pay to park in Harrogate. These small numbers all add up!
• Your lunch – maybe you take a packed lunch to work, but if you simply aren’t a domestic goddess (or God), buy lunch daily on your card.
• Household bills – now, my advice here is to always check which bills will allow you to pay by card. Sadly many insist on payment by direct debit or debit card, however things like iTunes Music, Kindle Unlimited, software services and other more modern monthly subscriptions will almost certainly allow you to pay with a credit card.
• If you buy goods online and find your chosen shop will not accept American Express, elect Paypal payment if this is an option and add your AMEX to your Paypal account.

So, what you waiting for? Fill out the ready reckoner and see how much you really spend. You may be surprised!

So, is the travel hacking UK challenge for you?

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, then it absolutely is.

• Can you spend more than £1,000 a month on credit cards?
• Would you like to be able to fly business class, but are unwilling to pay for it?
• Do you have a good credit rating?
• Are you willing to make some changes to the way you spend if it means you can travel in style?
• Are you willing to spend more on credit cards, especially if we give you tips to ensure you don’t get into financial difficulty?

Note, this is not an excuse to go mad – it’s all about diverting existing spending onto cards and ensuring you pay the bill in full each month.

If you can answer yes to any of these questions, sign up for regular updates from Monica and I to ensure you don’t miss any of the upcoming posts in the series.

So here’s your first baby steps into the travel hacking UK challenge, and more luxurious travel.

Your first travel hacking UK challenges

• Work out if you can satisfy the minimum spend of £1,000 per month.
• Sign up for my newsletter and Monica’s . That way, you will receive all my tips and see how Monica is getting on with the challenge. You can jump in and join her on the challenge at any time.
• Don’t miss next month’s post which considers which card you should start with. If you really cannot wait to find out, sign up for the AMEX Gold Card (use this referral link to bag an extra 2,000 referral points). I will explain why this is a great place to start next time, but if you decide to jump in now, please read the details of minimum spend when you click through.

Have your say

Feel free to ask any other burning questions you may have below and keep us posted on how you are getting on with the challenge. Happy travel hacking!

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You’re indeed a great teacher, Anne. I’ve never considered acquiring miles but it’s obviously a great thing to do. Plus, no matter how difficult it gets, it always rewarding at the end!

Completely agree I really didn’t want to do it because of the hassle and not truly understanding what I was doing, but with your guidance we are already seeing the results 😄

And we’ve already got your first business class flights booked! Croatia here we come

I am interested in how your year goes. I did this last year and have over 120,000 air miles from then. But now I do not spend the £1000 a month, most of my travel is from Stansted and budget airlines. Will be reading and following how you get on !

That’s a pretty damn good amount you’ve built up. Well done. Maybe next time you go to China you could focus on going first. I’m so excited for our trip in a few weeks when that’s wha5 we are doing.

Maybe but so many other places I would to travel health permitting first !

That’s the problem isn’t it. There’s so many amazing places that I’d like to go back and explore but there’s always other places tugging at my heart strings. Just please don’t let those points expire..

Acquiring miles is not so much an issue indeed if you are systematic about it. But being able to spend them is near impossible as there are so very few business tickets available during school holidays if you have a family. I’ll be really interested in that part of the challenge. Hope you have great tips on that.

My best tip on redemptions for now is forward thinking and flexibility. Each flight may only have two reward flights so travelling with a family is always going to be a challenge. I recently discovered this when I was trying to find flights with Michala and John for next summer. I managed it but 1) we ended up going to Croatia rather than Greece which was our original plan and 2) I booked those flights problem the full 355 days in advance. For school holidays you will almost certainly need to be booking flights as soon as they are available, especially if you are heading to traditional summer holiday destinations. Will cover this in more detail later in the challenge though.

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Home » Blog Posts » Travel Tips & Planning Guides » How To Use Air Miles & Points for Cheap Travel – UK Guide

How To Use Air Miles & Points for Cheap Travel – UK Guide

Some posts contain affiliate links. I make a small commission if you buy from my links, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my site.

Ever seen those articles that claim you can use points and air miles to fly for free? It’s known as travel hacking and I’ve been doing it for years. In this post, I’ll share my tips for how to do it yourself. At the end, I’ve included what happened the year I really focused on collecting points for free travel – the points I collected and the trips it got me. Since I’m a UK resident, this is about travel hacking in the UK.

Table of Contents

What is travel hacking?

Travel hacking means using air miles, points and other loyalty schemes to get free or discounted travel, which can include flights, hotels or travel extras like car hire. Often these points are collected by using a promotional credit card that offers a large number of air mile points as a sign-up bonus. However, you can also collect points from other schemes including supermarkets. As with air miles, you can turn those points into flights, hotel stays or other travel-related activities such as days out, railcards, airport parking and ferries.

Can you really travel for free?

“Fly for free!” It’s a catchy headline but is it really possible to use travel hacking to fly for free? The short answer is it depends. In the UK you cannot fly for free because there are always taxes and fees. However, with some fees as low as 50p for a flight to Europe it’s as close as you can get to free travel.

If you decide to collect and spend points on other travel experiences like hotel stays, it is possible to spend your points and book travel for free.

5 Best schemes for collecting travel points in the UK

When we think of travel hacking, air miles credit cards spring to mind but there are many ways in the UK to collect points for free or discounted travel.

1. Air miles credit cards

I’ve got a few sections below dedicated to air miles credit cards because these often give you a large number of bonus points when you sign up. You can then use those points for discounted flights or other travel experiences. Air miles credit cards can be from a bank like Barclaycard or directly from an airline like British Airways.

2. Direct with British Airways Avios scheme

As well as collecting air miles via a credit card, you can join an airline’s air miles scheme directly. Avios is the British Airways points scheme. You can collect points by flying with British Airways, by signing up to a BA air miles credit card or by collecting points with a partner e.g. Sainsbury’s Nectar points can be used with British Airways. Avios used to be a wonderful scheme letting you use points across the BA One World Group as well as many additional travel services. It’s not as good as it was, but it’s still got the best range of flight destinations. And you’re not restricted to spending your points on flights. You can use your Avios points towards hotels and car hire.

3. Direct with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Similar to Avios, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club is an airline-specific scheme. You can usually sign up for a points-collecting credit card for Virgin, to get a lump of bonus points. In addition, you can collect points by taking flights or shopping with Virgin partners (e.g. Tesco Clubcard). You can then spend your points on flights, holidays and hotels. Virgin has an online retail portal where you can earn points when you buy from various brands from Nike to Calvin Klein.

4. Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar points

Supermarket loyalty schemes are a big travel hacking opportunity in the UK. Both Tesco Clubcard and Sainsbury’s Nectar have very generous points schemes. First off, you can collect points in a whole range of ways beyond your supermarket shop. You can usually collect with various partners like Halfords, Argos, Evri, Ebay and Esso. Both supermarkets also have credit cards which let you collect extra points. Then, when you’re stacked up with points, you have an extensive choice for spending them – from flights to hotels to holidays and days out.

Quick guide: Tesco partners with Virgin Atlantic and Hotels.com. Sainsbury’s partners with British Airways and Booking.com. Both partner with Eurostar. Tesco has more ways to spend on travel but fewer partners for collecting points. Sainsbury’s has fewer ways to spend but more partners for collecting.

5. Other airline air miles schemes

Every time you fly with an airline you can usually collect points. Over time, these points add up and can be traded towards flights. You can sign up to any air miles scheme in the world. I have joined schemes for British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Hawaiian Airlines (I got free checked luggage), Air Asia, Emirates, United Airlines and many more. It costs nothing and airlines that are part of an alliance often let you spend points across the group. For example, if you collect points with Emirates, you can spend them on Easyjet flights (even though I have fallen out with Easyjet since they denied me boarding one time because they wrongly claimed my passport had expired). You have nothing to lose. Collect on every flight.

15 Tips for Boosting Your Travel Points

With a bit of practice, you can easily get into the points-pursuing mindset. It can become pleasantly addictive, with a trip at the end of it. Here are my tips for upping your travel hacking points.

1. Start with an air miles credit card

The fastest way to get a big boost of points is to get an air miles credit card. As well as a sign-up bonus, you collect points whenever you shop using your credit card.

2. Get a supermarket credit card

If you don’t want to go down the air miles credit card route, consider a credit card with Tesco or Sainsbury’s. You can then collect credit card points in addition to the usual shopping points, all of which can be used towards travel.

3. Shop with points partners

Once you’ve picked your schemes – Avios, Virgin, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, all of them (!) – check to see where you can collect points. Virgin Atlantic, for example, has a shopping portal on its website. The supermarkets also offer a great range of ways to collect points; you can collect points on everything from your mobile phone bill to petrol to wine.

4. Look out for bonus points when you shop

Whether it’s an extra 20 points on your spinach at Sainsbury’s or 20,000 points when you buy a promotional case of wine or change your mobile contract, keep an eye out for deals that boost your points.

5. Double the value of your points at Tesco

You have to love the fact that Tesco Clubcard points have 2x the value when you spend them on reward partners like British Airways (rather than spend them in-store on your shopping).

6. Renew your insurance with a supermarket bank

Both Tesco and Sainsbury’s offer insurance products from home to car to pet to travel, check whether there are any points deals on offer. But beware of false economies if the insurance isn’t competitively priced.

7. Move all your spending to your points credit card

If you’ve got more than one bank card, get into the habit of using your points card every time. Just remember to pay it off each month to avoid paying interest.

8. Offer to shop for family and friends

Mum buying a new TV? Brother getting a new Macbook? Offer to pay and get your family and friends to transfer the money to you. You collect points. They get their new product.

9. Get a household account to collect points

If there is a chance for you and your partner to collect points on the same scheme e.g. Tesco Clubcard, combine your accounts and double your points collection.

10. Share and transfer miles

If you have friends or family who travel a lot but who don’t care about travel hacking, ask if they are prepared to share or gift their points to you rather than let them expire. Tell them it can be your birthday/Christmas gift.

11. Claim missing points

From air miles to shopping, don’t let any points go unclaimed.

12. Travel but stay loyal

One of the fastest ways to collect travel points is to travel. Collect points on flights, ferries, holidays, hotel stays and car hire. But don’t scatter your points collecting around. Pick your preferred travel brands and websites and stick with them where sensible. That way you can collect points quicker rather than having fewer points spread across Avis, Budget, Expedia and Booking.com.

13. Buy airline points

Airlines will let you buy points. This is useful if you’re just a bit short of what you need to take a reward flight. Do the maths but this can be a good deal. A few times a year, airlines offer boosted points giving you 1.5x to 2x the points when you buy them during the deal period.

14. Take surveys

Some schemes e.g. Virgin and Sainsbury’s will give you points if you take surveys. Read the privacy rules before you hand over your data and ensure you don’t share any personal information you’re uncomfortable sharing.

15. Beware false economies

Don’t shop outside your usual spending just to earn flyer miles. Wouldn’t it be better to just use that extra money directly on travel?

Top tip : if you truly want to maximise your travel hacking, choose a scheme e.g. Virgin Atlantic and get an airline credit card for the bonus points and/or the associated supermarket credit card for collecting everyday points (e.g. Tesco credit card). Then do your shopping at that supermarket (using your points collecting credit card), and shop with every partner you can e.g. Tesco petrol, Tesco insurance, etc. You can set up a similar system for collecting points with British Airways and Sainsbury’s.

15 Tips for choosing an air miles credit card

When you’re comparing the air miles credit card deals, here are my tips for things to think about.

1. Have a travel goal

Do you want a lump sum of air miles after a large minimum spend or free companion flights or business class upgrades? Do you have a preferred airline? Are you looking for luxury travel or cheap flights? Do you want to travel long-haul (higher fees) or take multiple Europe trips (lower fees)?

2. Use a credit card comparison site

To make life easier, head to a credit card comparison site to choose your air miles credit card. The best and most trustworthy UK websites for comparing UK air miles credit cards are Money Saving Expert, Money and Money Supermarket. However, Money and Money Supermarket want a lot of personal details to give you a quote. Sigh. Money Saving Expert is the one I use as you don’t have to fill in any info, and it’s well-researched and up-to-date, which is important as credit card bonus offers change regularly.

3. Can you meet the minimum spend in time?

Bonus points always have a minimum spend in a set period e.g. £3,000 in 3 months. Work out which spending you’re going to transfer to your card to achieve it. It’s especially good to sign up when you have some big bills coming up like a kitchen extension.

4. Compare annual fees

Some cards, particularly the “Premium” and “Platinum” versions come with an annual fee. British Airways has one that costs a painful £250 a year and Barclays has one card that costs £20 a month (they both have other cards with lower fees). My fee was £50 for the year but I would have paid nearly £500 to buy 30,000 points so it was worth the cost. I cancelled my credit card before a second annual fee became due.

5. Check the eligibility criteria and your credit rating

All credit cards have basic eligibility rules. These are typically a minimum age of 18, a minimum income and permanent UK residence. Check the details before you apply. Some of the comparison websites link to the criteria so you can check them easily.

Also check your credit rating, a score that can determine how likely you are to get accepted for a credit card. Experian is an expert in credit ratings. Experian has a summary of what your credit score means and you can also check your score for free. This is the service I use and it doesn’t cost anything.

6. Compare interest rates

Air miles credit card interest rates can be eye-watering. Last time I checked, Amex Gold charged 88.8% and the British Airways Amex Premium was 113.1%. Yes, you read that right! I believe loan sharks aren’t much more expensive (but only offer hospital points). Some cards are as ‘low’ as 30%. Ideally, you will be paying off your card each month so it won’t matter. But do keep an eye on interest rates just in case you forget to pay one month.

7. Know your repayment date

While you want to collect points, you don’t want to pay interest. Find out your repayment date and settle your bill in advance to make sure your payment clears on time. If there is a small chance you won’t remember, set up a direct debit to pay the whole lot each month.

8. Understand when you will get your points

If you’re planning to use your points for a specific trip, check the fine print to understand how and when you will get your points. I had to wait 30 days for mine to be credited to my account after I hit the minimum spend. It meant I missed out on using them on the trip I wanted.

9. Check if you can use vouchers together

I had planned to use both my bonus points and free companion flight together but ‘cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer’ was the small print that squashed my plan. Of course, I only found this out when I tried to use my vouchers.

10. Are there other spending conditions?

I was also tied into using the Avios website to book a hotel when I spent some of my points. I knew this in advance and was ok with it. The important thing is to know the rules before you sign up.

11. Check bonus points expiry dates

My flyer miles and partner flight came with an expiry date of 1 year. Make sure you understand when your points expire and, importantly, book well ahead. Airlines allocate a limited number of ‘points’ flights each route/flight and when they’re booked, they’re booked.

12. Know the air miles scheme you’re getting into

It’s easy to get distracted by the sparkle of free points. However, make sure you understand which air mile scheme you’re getting into and what is on offer. Avios (British Airways) and Virgin Atlantic are the two main UK schemes. But they each offer additional ways to spend your points like hotels, Eurostar, airport lounges and airport parking.

13. Plan your route

Before you sign up, make sure you understand where your airline goes.  If you’re planning a backpacking trip to Colombia with your flyer miles, there’s little point signing up for a scheme with an airline that doesn’t go there.

14. Understand the points per spend reward

As well as working towards your target spend (£3,000 in my case) to gain your bonus points (30,000 flyer miles and a free companion flight), most schemes let you collect points when you spend on your card. I got 1.5 points for every £1 on my Amex and 1 point for every £5 spent on my Mastercard. In a year, I collected around 30,000 extra points. Each scheme is different so check the rate. Most comparison websites show the rate so you can compare it easily.

15. Remember AMEX isn’t accepted everywhere

AMEX (American Express) is an American credit card and due to high fees for retailers, many shops don’t accept it. That can impact your points collection. However, I was able to use my AMEX around 90% of the time.

10 Tips for spending your points on travel

It’s a great thing to have a virtual wallet full of points to book a trip. Here are my tips for when it comes to redeeming your air miles and travel points.

1. Do early research on availability

When you’re looking to spend your air miles, start to regularly check the availability of the reward flights (or hotels or car hire) you want.

2. Book months ahead

Most air mile schemes allocate a set number of reward seats per flight. To give you an idea, BA offers 8 seats on European economy flights. If you’re looking at a popular destination at a popular time of year with only a few flights per week, then you’re probably going to need to book your reward flights months in advance, especially if you’re travelling outside low-season. For example, to get a  London to LA flight, the next reward seats were booked 3.5 months ahead during summer. I’ve never had the same issue with hotel bookings when I was using points.

3. Be flexible

We all know that being flexible on dates, routes, times and destinations (as well as avoiding dynamic pricing !) is the best way to get cheap flights or travel. Why not let the whim of what’s on offer decide where and when you go?

4. Do the maths on long-haul flights

Unfortunately, long-haul flights often aren’t the best way to use points because of the high taxes and fuel fees. A couple of examples:

Flying to Los Angeles with BA from London

Cost: 50,000 air miles + £387.11 in taxes Cost without air miles: £589.11 Saving by using air miles = £202

Flying to Bangkok with BA from London

Cost: 60,000 air miles + £381.11 in taxes Cost without air miles: £666.11 Saving by using air miles = £285

5. Book Europe flights for the lowest fees

Typically, you can get a better range of reward flights with far lower fees if you travel to Europe. For example, with BA you can pay just 50p in fees and 16,500 points to travel from London to Geneva . Keep this in mind when you decide which scheme to collect points with. If you opt for Virgin Atlantic, most flights will be long-haul.

6. Use points plus cash

Not got enough points to book your flight? Consider adding cash. For example, for a BA return economy flight from London to Paris it’s just 9,500 points and £35 in cash. This is a good deal since it costs around £200 to buy 10,000 Avios points.

7. Consider using points for a flight upgrade

Turning left into Business class or even heading to Premium economy is a sweet way to use your points. Again, do the maths. Some airlines only let you upgrade one class. That means you’ll have to buy a Premium ticket to be able to upgrade to Business.

8. Use points for hotels

One of the simplest ways to use your points is by booking hotels. I’ve done this very successfully and it’s the essence of free travel because there are no fees to pay. Last year I booked a lovely 4-star hotel with a pool in Greece for £0. And since there are far more hotel options than reward flights, it can be the easiest way to use your points. I usually go through Tesco because I get 2x the voucher value (and shop there regularly).

9. Use points for travel extras

From holidays to airport parking, lounge access, ferries and car hire, there are many travel costs when booking a trip. And using your points to buy something other than flights can be a great way to spend them. You won’t face the airline taxes and fees and there really is a good range of travel extras to choose from.

10. Don’t make any booking mistakes

It’s difficult enough to make changes to your travels if you make a mistake using cash. But if you make a mistake using points or vouchers, you’re at real risk of losing the lot. I know this because I booked the wrong date for my Greece hotel and it was only down to my pleading (and 1 hour on the phone) that the lady agreed to reissue my points so I could re-book. When they’re spent, they’re spent. Beware!

My travel hacking experience

Starting in January, I dedicated a whole year to collecting points. Here’s how it went.

My credit card deal

The best deal at the time was Lloyds Premier Avios Credit Card (no longer available). It offered:

• collecting points: an AMEX that offered 1.5 points per £1 spent and a Mastercard that offered 1 points per £5 spent.
• bonus points: 30,000 bonus points if I spent £3,000 within 3 months.
• free partner flight up to 25,000 points if I spent £15,000 within 12 months.

It was a significant spend but I signed up in a year where I had some big bills (lawyers, dentists and estate agents).

The points I collected

I hit the £3,000 and £15,000 spending requirements which meant I got the bonus points and free partner flight. Both had an expiry date of 12 months. In addition, I collected over 31,000 air miles from my day-to-day spending on my credit cards.

The flights I took for my points

Within 12 months, I traded my points for:

2 one-way economy class flights from London to Cancun with BA . This cost:

• 25,000 of my collected points.
• I redeemed the free partner flight voucher to take a friend with me.
• £461.38 in cash (£230.69 per person)

I booked a one-way ticket to Cancun in Mexico’s Yucatan state because I was travelling on a longer trip. If I’d bought two return tickets, it would have cost 50,000 in collected points (which I didn’t have) and £736 in taxes (£367 per person). My friend had to buy a separate return flight to the UK after her holiday but she was happy as she was able to get a cheap price.

2 return business-class flights to Amsterdam . This cost:

• 36,000 points (9,000 per one-way ticket). For this, I used the 30,000 bonus points and 6,000 collected points.
• £100 in cash (£50 per person) in fees for the return flight.
• £194.50 in cash for 2 nights in a 4-star hotel (the scheme terms meant that I had to book a minimum 2-night hotel stay alongside my flight booking).

Learn from my mistakes

Like most things we do for the first time, there were things I definitely could have done better. These are the mistakes I made:

Overestimating how quickly I’d receive my points: My goal was to use my points to go to Tokyo. However, despite hitting my minimum spend threshold in time, my points took 30 days to be allocated to my account. And not in time for my Spring trip to Japan. Consequently, I didn’t get to use my points until a year later.

Not reading the small print about using points and vouchers on the same trip: Flying Business Class to Amsterdam from London wasn’t the best use of points. The flight is under 1 hour and there are lots of low-cost airlines that could have got me there just as cheaply. But, I hadn’t read the small print closely enough. I wasn’t allowed to use my bonus points and free partner flight voucher on the same trip. I only realised this when I tried to book the Mexico flight.

Booking too close to expiry dates: It worked out better to use the free partner flight voucher on the Mexico trip. But since the bonus points were about to expire, I had to cram in the extra trip to Amsterdam to use them. I upgraded to Business Class to get the most benefit from bonus points. Two return Economy Class flights to Amsterdam would have used only 18,000 points (no refund on the unused points). I did have to spend an extra 6,000 of my collected points to book the Business Class tickets, but that felt like a better deal than letting 12,000 points expire. I drank enough free Champagne on the flight to take the sting out of my mistake.

Not maximising my points collection: I could have collected a lot more points had I been in the UK more. As it was, I was travelling outside the UK for more than 7 months (such is the life of a digital nomad ) and my cards had large international fees which meant I didn’t use them very often.

Travelling long haul: Had I taken multiple short trips to Europe and used some of the points for hotels, I’d have gotten much more value from my points. And I’d have paid far less in cash.

Is travel hacking worth it?

Is it all worthwhile? It will depend on your circumstances. For me, it is. For you? Here are the main pros and cons.

• Supermarket schemes are a low-risk, easy way to collect points without much behaviour change – you’re shopping anyway.
• While flights may not be free, using the points for hotels and other extras can be free.
• European flight routes can offer amazing value.
• Often you’re travelling with nicer airlines which is an all-round better experience.
• If you’re able to outsmart the air miles credit cards – follow the rules and pay it off monthly, you get a big stack of points for your everyday spending.
• Any points towards travel are better than paying full price.
• Points can help reduce some of the cost in a ‘stuck’ travel moment, like that time I missed my flight or had to do an emergency repatriation back from Costa Rica .
• You can’t fly for free.
• Your points expire so you need a plan to use them in time.
• It can take a lot of effort and dedication to maximise your points and spending.
• It can lead to false economies – spending more than you might to get points.
• There are some great, cheap flight and hotel deals around outside the points schemes (though fewer in recent years).
• You have to be more organised with dates because of flight availability restrictions.

There you have it, my guide to travel hacking in the UK. Have you done it? Are you going to give it a try? Drop any comments or questions below.

Hi, I'm Jo, the writer behind Indiana Jo. In 2010 I quit my job as a lawyer and booked an around the world ticket. As a solo female traveller, I hopped from South America to Central America, across Asia, the Middle East and Europe. It was supposed to be a one-year trip but over a decade later, it's yet to end. I've lived in a cave, climbed down a volcano barefoot, spent years as a digital nomad, worked as a freelance travel writer, and eaten deadly Fugu. Now I'm home, back in the UK, but still travelling far and wide. You can find out more About Me .

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Travel Hacking: The Complete Beginner’s Guide

Travel hacking is something that you have probably heard of, but there’s a good chance that you don’t fully understand what it is or how it works.

The word ‘hacking’ tends to imply some sort of shady activity, but the truth is that travel hacking – just like gym hacking – is about taking advantage of certain bonuses, offers and incentives to save yourself money.

Not only is it completely legal, but it is actually encouraged. A big part of travel hacking is earning miles, reward points, and statuses to exchange for free flights and accommodation. Banks purchase millions of miles and points in bulk from airlines and hotels so that they can distribute them as signup bonuses and ongoing incentives for their new customers. It’s a win-win for everyone involved.

These incentives – along with some other simple ‘hacks’ – make it possible to take big trips on a small budget, explore parts of the world that you’ve only dreamed about, and travel more often without each trip costing you a small fortune.

There are hardcore travel hackers who dedicate their lives to this stuff. They’re willing to take multiple flights to earn certain bonuses, plan trips based on which route will earn them the most miles, and spend hours reading the fine print in hopes of finding a loophole. While that stuff works, it’s completely up to you how far you take it, and in the end it all comes down to how hard you are willing to work for a bargain.

For me, travel hacking is about minimising the costs of travel so I can travel further, and more often. On my last big trip, I used some of the hacks in this guide – like WWOOFing and RTW tickets (more on these later) – to significantly reduce the cost of 6 months travel in Asia, Australia and New Zealand. If I hadn’t, my dream trip wouldn’t have been possible.

This guide is an introduction to travel hacking, so if you’re already a black-belt travel hacking ninja, it probably won’t be much use to you. But for everybody else, it covers the basics and is a resource you can come back to time and time again.

How To Get Free Flights & Accommodation

How to find cheap flights, round-the-world tickets.

The cornerstone of travel hacking is to maintain multiple accounts of Frequent Flyer miles and points. As your balances build up over time, you’ll be able to redeem the miles and points for valuable rewards all over the world.

The simplest way of getting starting is by signing up for a Frequent Flyer program with your favourite airline, and a loyalty program with a hotel chain of your choice. Most major brands offer some sort of loyalty scheme to keep you as a customer, but the catch is that you only get upgrades and benefits when using that brand. There’s nothing to stop you signing up to multiple loyalty schemes though, and if you’re serious about travel hacking this is something you should do. You can view a list of the top loyalty programs on The Points Guy’s website .

If you do decide to sign up for multiple loyalty programs, then use a service such AwardWallet or TripIt to track all of your points.

If you frequently travel with the same airline or use the same hotels, then joining their free rewards program is a no-brainer. But many of these programs have become less valuable in the last few years due to airline mergers, flight cutbacks, and just general program changes.

Today, the single best way to earn large amounts of miles and points that you can use with multiple airlines and hotels is through credit cards. Just one credit card can be enough to earn a free flight, but in my opinion, you should only consider this as an option if you know you can do the two following things:

1. Pay your credit card bill in full every month.

I’m not a financial advisor, but it is absolutely crucial that you only take on new credit cards if you have the ability to pay your bill in full monthly, and no existing credit card debt.

If you’re new to this, you should start conservatively. Earn a free flight or two and make sure you can handle the responsibility of an extra credit card. After that you can step up your game. After all, what’s the point of earning free flights if you don’t have any spending money!

2. Meet the minimum spend requirements to earn the points.

When you sign up for a travel rewards credit card you must meet their minimum spend requirements in order to earn the points bonus. There is absolutely no point in signing up for one if you can’t reach the minimum spend.

The minimum spend can be anything up to $5000 in the first 3 months.

That sounds like a lot of money, but the idea here is that you charge things to it that you already pay for. Rather than going out and buying a new TV that you don’t need, use it to pay your bills and for other big purchases that you would have made anyway.

The bonuses and minimum spends vary from card to card, and are generally much better in the US than they are anywhere else in the world. That said, there are still some great opportunities for those outside of the US, too. Some long-standing favorites are listed below:

In addition to the initial signing-up bonus, these cards come with incentives to keep using them. For example, the Barclays Arrival Plus gives you 2x miles for every dollar you spend. That means if you spend $2000, you’ll get 4000 miles to redeem.

You’re probably wondering what these points actually entitle you to.

Well, it actually depends on how you spend them. Here are a few examples:

• Domestic Economy Airfare: $250 Required Miles: 25,000 ($0.01 point value) Not usually the best use of your miles.
• International Short Haul Economy Airfare: $750 Miles: 35,000 ($0.02 point value) Good value.
• International Long Haul Business Class Airfare: $4,500 Miles: 80,000 ($0.05 point value) Great value.

To get the most value out of your points you should redeem them for high-value experiences. International, premium cabin redemptions are usually the best use of miles.

If you’re not ready to sign up for a credit card, then you can still save money on flights by taking the time to do some research before you book anything.

If you’re planning on taking a longer trip and visiting multiple destinations, you would probably be better off with a round-the-world ticket (which I’ll cover later), but if you’re going to take a short trip, or you only plan on going to a single destination, this first method is perfect:

Step 1: Use Skyscanner as your baseline

There are a lot of great tools out there that are designed to find cheap flights, but my personal favorites are Skyscanner , Kayak and Momondo . Websites like these search for prices from multiple airlines so you can be sure that you’re getting the best deal.

Out of the three of them, Skyscanner makes the best starting point because it offers the most flexibility, which is the key to finding cheap flights.

We can search for flights on any given, day, week, month or even year, and from multiple airports as opposed to just one. The more flexible you are with your search, the more likely you are to find a great deal.

As an example, let’s say that I want to fly from the UK to New York next year. I can get to almost any airport in the UK without too much difficulty, so I’ll search from ‘all airports’, and I don’t mind when I go so I’ll set the departure date to ‘whole year’:

Here are the results:

Woah! A flight with Norwegian airlines for $250/£155! That’s a serious bargain, but before we get too excited we need to see the dates flights at that price are available:

According to Skyscanner , there’s a flight on Saturday the 31st of January 2015 for $242/£150 (cheaper still!), but let’s say I don’t want to go to New York in January because it’s too cold:

Using the little arrow keys either side of the month, I’ve found a a flight in May (a great time to visit New York) for $291/£180. That’s still a great price. Click on the date you want to fly, and then ‘show flights’ for more details:

Step 2: Crosscheck that price with Kayak and Momondo

We’ve managed to find an amazing deal using Skyscanner in this case, but it’s still worth checking other sites to make sure we are really getting the best deal. My gut feeling is that we won’t be able to beat this, but for flights in other instances you might be able to. Two other sites that might be worth checking are Mobissimo and Vayama.

Here are the results from Kayak :

And Momondo :

So although the price showed up as a few dollars more on Kayak, we can see that this flight with Norwegian is definitely the best deal. We even got an economy rating of 10 and a smiley face on Momondo!

Step 3: Head to the cheapest airline site to confirm the price

The last thing to do is to head over the airline’s – in this case Norweigan’s – own website to confirm the price. Instead of clicking through from one of these search aggregators, head to the airlines website directly or through Google. Sometimes airlines price tickets less on their own websites than they do on aggregators as a way of enticing people to book directly.

One thing that is worth doing is checking the price on the company’s foreign websites. Sometimes the price can be totally different, or you might be able to take advantage of a difference in exchange rates. In the above example I am viewing Norwegian’s UK site, and the example below I am viewing the price on their US site:

When converted back to GBP, $306 works out to £190, which means that booking the same flight from the US site would cost you extra. Although the saving in this example isn’t huge, it is always worth checking an airline’s foreign sites.

The last thing to mention is baggage fees. These ‘LowFare’ Norwegian flights charge extra for baggage, so if you’re going to need to check in bags just make sure that you factor that into the cost of the flight.

In the example above I’ve found a cheap one-way ticket, but you can also use this same process to find a great deal on return tickets too. Skyscanner, Kayak, and Momondo all support return flights – just select that option before beginning your search.

But what if you don’t want to book a one-way ticket or return flight? What if you want to keep traveling from one destination to another?

Round-the-world (RTW) tickets are commonly used by people who want to fly from one destination to another as part of a big trip.

They involve quite a big upfront cost, but can save you a huge amount of money overall – especially if you pick one of the more popular routes. Last year I used a RTW ticket to fly from London > Dubai > Bangkok > overland to Singapore > Sydney > overland to Melbourne > Christchurch > overland to Auckland > Dubai > London for a total cost £1200 (around $2000). A good deal when you consider the individual prices of those flights.

Most RTW tickets are actually airline alliance passes. An ‘airline alliance’ is a partnership in which airlines share seats on planes, passengers, and elite status benefits. The two largest airline alliances are Star Alliance and Oneworld . Their free planners enable you map out a route and see the cost. It takes a bit of time to get used to the tools, but a well-optimised ticket can provide value far beyond what it would cost to otherwise buy round-trip tickets.

One of the main benefits of using a RTW ticket is that, within a window of one year, you can change the dates and times of your flights at no extra charge so long as you don’t change the destinations. If you have a flight from Bangkok to Los Angeles you want to change, you can change the date and time without a fee. However, if you decide to fly from Bangkok to San Francisco instead then you have to pay a fee that is usually around £100/$125.

It’s important to note that these alliances don’t include budget airlines. A budget airline is an airline that usually offers fewer amenities (think: cattle class) and cheaper fares than the bigger airlines. Some budget airlines include:

• Ryanair (Europe)
• Easyjet (Europe)
• Southwest (US)
• Spirit (US)
• Air Asia (Asia)
• Tiger (Asia/Australia)
• Jetstar (Australia)

Another option, and my personal preference, is to get a RTW ticket through a specialist travel agent. This isn’t quite the same as getting one through an alliance. Instead, these travel agencies string together a series of one-way tickets to essentially create a DIY RTW ticket. Due to the fact that travel agencies incorporate budget airlines into their itineraries it can often work out cheaper, and of course they take away the stress by doing all the planning for you.

I booked my trip through Travel Nation (who I highly recommend to British travellers), but for those outside of the UK, I have heard a lot of good things AirTreks . STA are one of the bigger travel agents that specialise in RTW trips, but they seem to be more expensive than the others.

How To Find Cheap Accommodation

After flights, accommodation is usually the next big expense when it comes to travel. No matter what you look for in accommodation, one thing almost everyone has in common is that no one wants to pay a fortune for it. Luckily, there are a number of ways travellers can find a decent place to stay without forking over their entire vacation fund :

AirBNB is a service that allows people to rent out their rooms, apartments, or spaces for short-term stays.

You could end up staying in anything from a tiny bedroom to a castle, or even a private island. As a group of four, we rented a house in Sydney over New Year’s Eve through AirBNB for $25AUD each per night. To stay in a hostel over that period would have cost around $55 AUD a night (minimum), and that’s assuming there would have been availability.

Despite recently re-branding and settling on a really weird logo (I won’t say what it looks like!), AirBNB is still my favorite method of finding accommodation when I travel.

Get $25 to spend on your first rental through this link.

People tend to think that hostels are just meant for young people who want to party, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The majority have dorm rooms that are perfect for backpackers and other budget travellers (costing just a few dollars a night), but they also have private rooms designed for solo travellers and couples. I’ve met people from all walks of life in hostels, and even people in their 50s and 60s. They’re not just for 20 year olds!

As with most things in life, you get what you pay for. If you choose the cheapest hostel in the city, then you can’t expect the best amenities. But if you pay a little bit extra, then you will often find that hostels can be just as good – if not better – than hotels.

My favorite hostel booking website is Hostelworld .

‘WWOOF’ stands for ‘Willing Workers On Organic Farms’. You can work on farms in over 99 countries, and in exchange your hosts provide you with food and accommodation. You can read about my experiences, and find out how to give it a go, here.

Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing is similar to AirBNB in so far as private parties open their places to travellers seeking short-term accommodation. The major difference, however, is that Couchsurfing is totally free.

The idea behind Couchsurfing is that people can score somewhere free to stay, while connecting with travellers from all over the globe. So rather than having the place to yourself, you’ll be sharing it with the owner. It’s as much about meeting people and making friends as it is about having a roof over you head. If you’re on a tight schedule and only have a couple of nights in a location, this could really limit the amount you get to see.

When All Else Fails…

It’s not much of a ‘hack’ – given that pretty much everyone already knows about it – but when none of the above are working out for you, jump on TripAdvisor .

The fact is that there is more accommodation listed on TripAdvisor than there is anywhere else. This is great for us, because it means there’s more competition which drives the prices down, and of course you can see reviews left by other people.

When we were travelling in SE Asia there were a couple of occasions where we couldn’t find any hotels, hostels or other places to stay that were quite what we were looking for. The best example of TripAdvisor really paying off for us was in Phu Quoc (a tiny Vietnamese island just off the coast of Cambodia). We managed to find some amazing bungalows right on the beach for just $25 a night for 2 people (the place was called Phuong Binh House just in case you were wondering) and we couldn’t have been happier – this actually ended up being one of our favorite parts of the entire trip.

Phuong Binh House in Phu Quoc, Vietnam

Although we managed to great deal on that occasion, there will be times when you simply can’t find what you’re looking for. When that happens, consider splashing out and staying in a more luxurious hotel. In all likelihood you will be able to find some great budget accommodation in most other locations, so just think of it as a one-off.

Where Can I Go For More Information?

Undoubtedly the biggest expenses of any trip are the flights and accommodation. My hope is that you’ll be able to use the advice above to travel further and for longer, but this is really just a primer on travel hacking.

If you’re looking for more information and advice from people who dedicate their lives to this stuff, I highly recommend the blogs of these two travel hacking veterans:

• Nomadic Matt – Matt has been travelling around the world since 2005 and runs the most popular travel blog on the internet.
• Chris Guilleabeau – Chris has visited every country in the world and has a number of books and services to help with travel hacking, along with some great articles on his blog.

There’s a tonne of information on their websites and hopefully you will be able to pick up some great tips, but don’t get lost in the details – after all, miles are meant to be spent on life-changing experiences outside your comfort zone.

Happy travels!

Lot’s of good information. I travel a lot as well mostly to developing countries and have used many of your suggestions including RTW, but was not familiar many as well so very helpful. I find agoda.com good for locating hotels around the world and Bootsnall.com as good source of “indie” travel.

Glad you found it useful Steve 🙂

Agoda’s a site I really like, but somehow forgot to include it here! Not seen boots n all before – going to check that out now. Thanks for the tip!

Sincerely speaking, i always thought i could never find a legitimate hacker until a friend introduced me to this Russian hacker who helped hack into my ex husbands facebook, whatsapp,bank account and sms under 48hours.He is a professional who also track calls,changing school grades,clearing online records(bad driving and criminal records) to mention a few. This is for those who really need help. contact smith on his email [email protected] Thank me later.

One of the best travel hacks posts I’ve read in a long time. Thanks for sharing!

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Travel hacking 101: A beginner’s guide to travel hacking like a pro

When I started travel hacking 11 years ago, it was an obscure “hobby” that few had heard about and most dismissed as a scam . Nowadays, seemingly everyone is doing it to some degree. Whether getting in on the latest credit card promotion or snagging a first-class seat for the price of coach, travel hacking has become more popular than ever.

It’s the easiest way to save on travel and improve your experience. Utilizing travel hacking methods, you can fast-track your way to top-tier elite status and earn frequent flyer miles without ever stepping on a plane.

There is endless information about maximizing every dollar (and mile) spent. But if you’re new to this “game” and just want a simple explanation of how it works, you’ve come to the right place.

Here is everything you need to know about getting started with travel hacking.

What is travel hacking?

Travel hacking involves earning frequent flyer miles or points through non-traditional methods and redeeming them for nearly-free travel.

The most common travel hacks include leveraging credit card welcome bonuses for premium cabin flights and taking advantage of sweet spots and generous routing rules to get the best deal on award flights.

How much are points and miles worth?

Points are worth 1-2 cents each, depending on the loyalty program and how you use them. You’ll generally get the highest value by redeeming points for premium cabin flights and luxury hotel stays. Some programs impose a fixed value on points, depending on the fare cost. For example, Southwest Rapid Rewards points are worth 1.3 cents towards Wanna Get Away fares.

The same goes for transferrable rewards. Most of them are worth at least one cent each towards direct travel bookings. For example, Chase Ultimate Rewards® are worth 1.25 cents each towards direct travel bookings for Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card  cardholders and 1.5 cents for those with a Chase Sapphire Reserve®  through Chase Travel℠.

The difference between points, miles, and rewards

Points, miles, and rewards are different types of loyalty currencies. There are exceptions, but airlines usually issue miles, while points come from hotel loyalty programs or bank rewards.

A good travel hacking strategy involves having a mix of all three currencies.

Transferable rewards

Thanks to their flexibility, transferable bank rewards are the gold standard of loyalty currency. You can transfer them to airline miles or hotel points, usually at a 1:1 ratio or better.

Examples of transferrable rewards include Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Venture Rewards miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and Citi ThankYou® points.

Airline miles

You might be wondering if it’s worth earning airline miles when you can just transfer your bank rewards points instead.

Well, you should earn airline miles from a co-branded airline credit card for several reasons. For starters, you can supplement welcome bonuses from airline cards with a bonus from a transferrable rewards card to reach your travel goals faster.

In addition, some airlines incentivize you to earn miles (through a co-branded credit card or otherwise). For example, American Airlines counts all co-branded credit card spending towards elite status. Meanwhile, Southwest Rapid Rewards issues the Companion Pass after you earn 125,000 points in a calendar year (which increases to 135,000 next year). Earning airline miles can pay off.

Hotel points

Hotel points can go a long way in reducing out-of-pocket travel expenses. You can earn hotel points from co-branded hotel credit cards, by shopping online, and even by participating in surveys. Hotel credit cards offer generous welcome bonuses, with perks like elite status and annual free nights.

Examples of hotel points you should consider earning include World of Hyatt, Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and IHG One Rewards.

How to start travel hacking

Travel hacking is fun and rewarding but can also be a lot of work. There is a wealth of information about ways to earn and burn points for maximum value. But if you’re just learning and want to know the basics, here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started.

Step 1: Set a goal

Before you embark on your travel hacking journey, you’ll want to set a goal. Are you hoping to redeem miles for international travel ? Or perhaps you’re saving up for a family trip to Disneyland. Regardless of your goals, it’s important to identify them early on to determine which credit cards and loyalty programs will help you get there.

Step 2: Choose your rewards program(s)

Once you’ve determined your travel goals, it’s time to pick your loyalty programs. Start with your home airport; if you live in an airline hub city, that airline can be a good starting point. There’s no sense in earning Southwest points if you live in Alaska. You might be better off with the Alaska Mileage Plan program since the airline serves the region and offers domestic and international partners. You’ll have more opportunities to redeem miles, and if you fly the airline often enough, you’ll even earn elite status.

When choosing a loyalty program, keep partner airlines in mind. For example, if you’re saving up for a Hawaiian vacation and want to fly United, you should consider collecting Turkish Miles&Smiles instead. Turkish Airlines is a Star Alliance member, like United, and offers domestic United flights for just 15,000 miles round-trip in economy. Exploring partner programs can help you save on award travel, stretching your miles further.

Choosing a hotel loyalty program might be easier. Think about which hotels you like when traveling and which elite benefits you care about. Most hotel loyalty programs let you earn top-tier status from credit cards alone, so think about which programs offer the best perks and properties in the destinations you like to travel to.

Here’s a look at every major hotel program’s global footprint to help you choose:

• Marriott Bonvoy: Over 8,000 properties in 139 countries
• Hilton Honors: Over 7,000 hotels in 122 countries
• Choice Privileges: Over 7,000 hotels in 40 countries
• IHG One Rewards: Over 6,000 properties worldwide
• Radisson Rewards: Over 1,700 hotels worldwide
• World of Hyatt: Over 1,150 hotels in 70 countries

While it’s good to identify at least one airline and hotel program, you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. Try to collect at least one transferable rewards currency, so you’re not limited to only a few programs.

Transferrable rewards can also protect you against program devaluations — if one airline or hotel increases its redemption requirements, you can transfer your points to another.

Here are some of the most popular transferrable rewards programs:

• American Express Membership Rewards®
• Bilt Rewards
• Capital One Miles
• Chase Ultimate Rewards®
• Citi ThankYou® Rewards

Step 3: Choose a credit card

Once you’ve identified the loyalty program you want to earn points with (and incorporated at least one transferrable currency), it’s time to find a credit card.

When choosing a credit card, you should consider the following features:

Welcome bonus

A high welcome bonus will help you achieve your travel goals much faster. Some credit card bonuses are high enough to cover a round-trip international business class ticket. You’ll incur a 2-5 point credit score hit from every inquiry, so make it count. You should aim for a welcome bonus of at least 50,000 points, and plenty of cards meet that criteria.

Credit card application rules

Remember that some banks have strict application rules when applying for credit cards. For example, American Express limits welcome bonuses to one per lifetime. Meanwhile, Chase’s infamous 5/24 rule prevents you from being approved for a new card if you’ve had five or more in the last 24 months.

Be sure to familiarize yourself with these rules before applying for a card to avoid unnecessary rejection.

Travel perks

Many travel rewards cards come with valuable perks like elite status, airport lounge access, airline fee credits, and annual free nights. Think about which of these perks you’re likely to maximize every year. Doing so can help you choose the best credit card and figure out if the card is worth renewing every year.

Annual fees

Travel hacking can get expensive if you’re not careful about annual fees. Rewards credit card annual fees range from $89-$695. It’s easy to get tempted by a high welcome bonus, but annual fees can dent your travel budget if you’re not careful.

Before settling on a credit card, explore the lower or no-annual-fee version to see if it’s a better fit.

For example, the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card may seem appealing with its welcome bonus, but you’ll pay a lower annual fee with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card .

Step 4: Other ways to earn points

Credit card welcome bonuses are the fastest way to earn points, but they’re not the only way. You can earn points from shopping portals, dining rewards programs, completing surveys, and more.

Shopping portals:

• American AAdvantage eShopping
• Alaska Mileage Plan Shopping
• Delta SkyMiles Shopping
• Free Spirit Online Mall
• Hilton Honors Shopping Mall
• JetBlue TrueBlue Shopping
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Shopping
• United MileagePlus Shopping

Dining rewards programs:

• American AAdvantage Dining
• Alaska Mileage Plan Dining
• Delta SkyMiles Dining
• Free Spirit Dining
• Hilton Honors Dining
• IHG Rewards Club Dining
• JetBlue TrueBlue Dining
• Marriott Eat Around Town
• Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining
• United MileagePlus Dining

Airline companion passes

Airline companion passes are one of the best travel hacking tools to stretch your points further. Some passes are issued annually as a credit card benefit, while others have to be earned. In most cases, you can save 50% or more on airfare with a companion pass.

Here’s a look at companion passes you should consider adding to your travel hacking arsenal:

Alaska Airlines Famous Companion Fare

The Alaska Airlines Famous Companion Fare is a great travel hacking tool for west coast flyers. The pass is issued as part of the welcome bonus on the Alaska Airlines Visa® credit card and reissued annually. Considering the Alaska card has a reasonable annual fee, this is a terrific benefit.

Simply book a companion on the same flight and pay just $99 (plus taxes and fees).

American AAdvantage

You can get an American Airlines Companion Certificate from one of four co-branded credit cards. The spending requirement ranges from $20,000 to $30,000 per year. Once you’ve secured the certificate, you can use it to cover a companion’s airfare for just $99 plus taxes and fees.

• Barclays Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard: Spend $20,000 in a year
• AAdvantage Aviator Silver Mastercard: Spend $20,000 in a year
• AAdvantage Aviator Business Mastercard: Spend $30,000 in a year
• CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®: Spend $30,000 in a year

The American Airlines Companion Certificate is only valid on round-trip economy class tickets within the contiguous U.S. For Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Island residents, the pass is good for round-trip flights originating in those destinations.

British Airways Travel Together Ticket

The British Airways Travel Together Ticket is issued to British Airways Visa Signature® cardholders who spend $30,000 in a calendar year . This perk can take the sting out of high fuel surcharges imposed on British Airways award tickets transiting through London.

The Travel Together Ticket is valid in all cabins, including first class and international fares .

Delta Companion Passes

Delta has two companion passes: one is valid on economy class tickets only, while the one issued through the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Card can be applied to first-class travel. You’ll pay just $80 for your companion’s ticket, which is a bargain — especially when using it for first-class flights.

Note that the Delta companion tickets are not valid on award flights or basic economy tickets.

Here’s a list of cards you can earn the companion pass with:

• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card
• Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card

Iberia airfare discount

Iberia offers a $1,000 airfare discount on two tickets booked on the same flight. You can earn it by spending $30,000 on the Iberia Visa Signature® Card per calendar year. It’s valid in all cabins, providing ultimate flexibility.

Southwest Companion Pass

The Southwest Companion Pass is one of the most popular travel hacking tools out there. You can get one after completing 100 segments or earning 125,000 Southwest points in a calendar year, though the requirement is increased to 135,000 points in 2023. However, points earned from the Southwest credit card welcome bonuses count towards the pass.

It only takes one business or one personal card welcome bonus to earn the Southwest Companion Pass:

• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card : Earn 50,000 points after you spend $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card: Earn 50,000 points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card: Earn 50,000 points after spending $1,000 within the first three months of account opening
• Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Business Credit Card: Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 within the first three months of account opening

Redeeming points

You’ve accrued thousands of points and are ready to start booking your dream vacation. Now what? Redeeming points isn’t exactly easy, and that’s by design. Loyalty programs count on members not doing their due diligence to get as much out of their points and miles as possible.

While booking the first award that pops up in the search result is easy, that’s not the best way to stretch your points. Here are a few concepts you should familiarize yourself with to get the most out of your points:

Stopovers and open jaws

While a simple round-trip flight is great, you can stretch your points further by incorporating stopovers and open jaws into your flights.

A stopover is when you visit an additional destination on your way to your final destination or home. Several airline loyalty programs allow you to add a free stopover to award flights:

• Alaska Mileage Plan (free stopover on one-way awards)
• ANA Mileage Club ( one free stopover and one open-jaw on round-trip awards)
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles ( up to four destinations per itinerary)
• Emirates Skywards (one free stopover per round-trip)
• Japan Airlines Mileage Bank ( three stopovers or two stopovers and one open-jaw )
• Singapore Krisflyer ( one stopover and one open-jaw per roundtrip flight )
• United MileagePlus (one free stopover within the same region per round-trip flight)

Open jaws are another great way to add a destination to your itinerary. An open jaw is when you return from a different destination than you flew into.

One example of an open-jaw ticket is if you fly from New York to London and then return home from Paris. Many people book this route with Avios because British Airways imposes hefty fuel surcharges on flights departing from London. Savvy travelers will take a train to Paris and fly back from Charles de Gaulle to save money.

But booking an open-jaw doesn’t have to be about saving money. It’s a great way to see multiple destinations on the same trip, especially in Europe, where connecting flights are relatively cheap. Here’s a list of loyalty programs that allow open jaws on round-trip award tickets:

Fourth and fifth night free

Some hotel programs offer free nights when you redeem points for consecutive nights at one property. These deals can help you save as much as 25% on an award stay. The most generous is IHG One, which offers a fourth night free to IHG Rewards Traveler, IHG Rewards Premier, and IHG Rewards Premier Business card members. Meanwhile, Marriott members and Hilton elites get the fifth night free on award stays.

These discounted award rates can help you save thousands of points and book extra free nights at no cost. Factor this into your award-booking strategy, and you’ll stretch your points further.

Take advantage of sweet spots

Sweet spots are awards that are significantly discounted compared to other loyalty programs. Both hotels and airlines have sweet spot awards that can help up your travel hacking game.

For example, Turkish Airlines offers round-trip economy class tickets between the mainland U.S. and Hawaii for just 15,000 miles. That’s what some loyalty programs charge for a one-way ticket, making this an excellent sweet spot award.

Travel hacking is all about finding ways to stretch your points further. You can do this with tactics like searching for generous credit card welcome bonuses, booking flights with stopovers and open jaws, taking advantage of hotel programs that offer free nights, and looking for airline sweet spots.

With a little bit of effort, you can travel hack your way to (nearly) free travel.

Happy travels!

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Last updated:  February 14, 2024

Mastering Travel Hacking: Ultimate Guide to Maximising Rewards and Flying for Free

Unlock the world of travel hacking with our guide, teaching you how to earn points, score upgrades, and travel smarter to make your dream trips a reality without breaking the bank.

Introduction to Travel Hacking

Imagine yourself, sunhat tilted down, sipping a tropical cocktail on the beach of your dreams. 

Or you may be revelling in the plush comfort of a first-class cabin en route to an exciting city getaway. 

All of this without your wallet taking a hit! 

Welcome to the world of travel hacking. It’s the nifty practice of collecting credit card points, hotel points, and airline miles to earn travel rewards, including free flights and hotel stays. 

And don’t worry; it’s entirely legal and won’t negatively affect your credit score if handled responsibly.

Good to remember:

• What is travel hacking?  It’s the art of earning points and miles to unlock free flights, hotel stays, and more.
• Is it legal?  Absolutely, as long as you manage your credit responsibly.

Choosing the Right Credit Card for Travel Hacking

Think of your credit card as your travel partner-in-crime, the Robin to your Batman. You need one that complements your spending habits and matches your travel aspirations. 

• Your travel goals:  Are you dreaming of Paris or Phuket?
• Spending patterns:  Where does your money go every month?

Insider Tip:  Review the best travel credit cards of 2023 to see which fits you like a glove.

In the travel hacking community in the UK, American Express (Amex) cards are the unsung heroes. They don’t just offer rewards; they shower you with bonuses. Picture this: you could be sipping a cocktail on a beach in Spain, thanks to the 20,000 to 25,000 points or miles earned from your Amex card. 

Insider tip: Don’t dismiss cards with annual fees right away. They may come with a price tag, but the perks often outweigh the costs. Remember, it’s not about the journey but the destination, so choose a card to get you where you want to go.

Maximising Your Credit Card Rewards

You’ve got your card; it’s time to make it work. 

Get to know your card’s terms inside and out, and put your regular spending to work. 

Hitting the minimum spend threshold unlocks those tantalising welcome bonuses. Category bonuses are your secret weapon to earning points faster. If your card offers extra points for dining or travel expenses, make it your go-to for restaurant outings and holiday bookings.

Remember to use shopping portals and dining rewards programs linked to your card for added bonuses. Every point is a step closer to your dream holiday!

• Meet the minimum spending requirements:  This is your ticket to bonus points.
• Maximise points through category bonuses:  Extra points for groceries? Yes, please!
• Use shopping portals and dining rewards programs:  These are your secret weapons for earning more points.

Understanding Timing and Booking Strategies

Timing is an art in travel hacking, similar to catching the perfect wave when surfing. 

Being flexible and knowing when to book can save you a bundle. 

Booking data suggests that January, especially Sundays, is generally the cheapest time to fly. But remember, flexibility is vital. 

• Be flexible:  This could mean flying on a Tuesday or taking a red-eye flight.
• Know the cheapest times to book flights:  Each destination has its own ‘sweet spot’.
• Skyscanner’s Savings Generator:  Your personal travel hacking assistant.

Exploiting Online Travel Agents and Companion Passes

Don’t overlook online travel agents (OTAs) when hunting for deals. Websites like Expedia or Booking.com often offer discounts on package deals that beat booking separately. Another secret weapon of mine is the companion pass. When used smartly, these can effectively halve the cost of travelling with a partner. Remember, two’s company but also a great way to save!

• OTAs offer discounts on package deals:  Websites like Expedia or Booking.com could save you a bundle.
• Companion passes can halve your travel costs:  Two’s company and a great way to save!

Using Points and Miles Effectively

You’ve collected your points, but how do you use them wisely? 

Not all points are created equal. Some, like airline-specific miles, may have restrictions, while others, like credit card points, offer more flexibility. 

Please do some research to understand their value and the best redemption options. Look out for special offers from loyalty programs and your credit card. 

There’s nothing quite like the thrill of nabbing a business-class upgrade with your hard-earned points!

Key points:

• Not all points are created equal:  Research their value and best redemption options.
• Look out for special offers:  From loyalty programs and your credit card.

Advanced Travel Hacking Strategies

Ready to take your travel hacking to the next level? 

Embrace the world of codesharing. This airline practice allows you to book flights on partner airlines, potentially unlocking better routes or deals. 

Explore the possibilities of stopovers and open jaws (flights from a different city to your outbound destination) to squeeze in an extra city or two on your trip. 

And don’t forget to consider pre-booking airport parking or sending your luggage separately – it could save you a pretty penny!

• Embrace codesharing:  Unlock better routes or deals.
• Explore stopovers and open jaws:  Squeeze in an extra city or two on your trip.
• Consider pre-booking airport parking or sending luggage separately:  It could save you a pretty penny!

Conclusion: Travel Hacking for the Future

Travel hacking is an adventure that can open doors to experiences you’ve only dreamt of. 

It’s a journey of learning, experimenting, and sometimes failing. But with every point earned and mile redeemed, you’re crafting your unique path to affordable travel. 

So why not give it a whirl? Your dream vacation may be just a few hacks away!

Responsible credit card management is critical; not every strategy will work for everyone. But the world can be your oyster with patience, planning, and daring. 

Here’s to your travel hacking adventure!

About the author,  James

James and the team at Turtle Trip are seasoned travelers with experience in the travel industry. We've worked for major holiday booking sites, and have explored the world on foot for our own travels. Our goal is to make travel accessible to everyone, by providing you with the most comprehensive and easy-to-digest guides about the destinations you’re traveling to. We believe that planning a trip should be fun and exciting, not overwhelming, so, whether you’re a first-time traveler or a seasoned adventurer, we’ve got you covered. We wrote this Turtle Trip guide to give you our best tips all in one place, so thanks for reading and have a great time!

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Travel hacking uk – see the uk for as cheap as possible.

The UK is full of history culture and great pubs. If you didn’t already know, the UK (United Kingdom) consists of England , Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It is a small island with an excellent public transport network, making it ideal for a solo traveler.

However, if you want to spend time and travel in the UK, it will not be cheap. In fact, London is one of the most expensive cities in the world to visit or to live.

So how can you travel to the UK on a budget? Here are my top five tips for travel hacking UK.

Top 5 Tips for Travel Hacks – UK

#1 get out of london.

Get out of London ! Get out of London as soon as possible. London is 3 times more expensive than the rest of England, particularly for accommodation. If you head off to Liverpool, Manchester, and York , you will find that there is just as much to do at half the price!

#2 Learn Travel Hacks – UK Trains

Trains can be very expensive in the UK. So learn travel hacks – UK trains to get good deals on transport. Book online and in advance with Virgin Trains. There are also cheap coaches available, such as the Mega Bus and National Express.

#3 Book Cheap Accommodation in Advance

Also, book accommodation in advance in the UK using a cheap booking service search as  hostelworld.com  or booking.com. You can also get cheaper last minute deals on laterooms.com and lastminute.com.  If you are a student, ask if you can get a student discount with your ISIC card. If you are a blogger, ask if they offer a media rate.

#4 Food and drink

Food and drink can be expensive in the UK, particularly if you are buying drinks out at cafes and bars. If you really want to save the pounds, go out during the day with a packed lunch of sandwiches or croissants.

If you really want to be a cheapskate, find a Poundland! The UK has pound stores and home bargains in most of its towns and cities. You can buy drinks very cheap – sometimes six pack for 1 pound. You can also get cheap crisps and snacks – stock up your backpack!

When I was traveling in the UK, I found that I was spending between £15 and £30 a day on food eating out and using cafes. When I started to take a packed lunch and drinks with me, and cook in hostels, this was dramatically reduced to £3 or £4 pounds a day – up to a tenth of the price!

#5 Use Discount Cards and Coupons

Make sure that you ask for student discounts everywhere you go! Your ISIC student discount card can be used to enter many UNESCO world heritage sites and buses. Teachers can get an ITIC card (International Teachers Identity Card).

Also, research relevant discounts for the places that you visit. Many restaurants will coupons in the Time Out and Tourist Guides. You can also get discounts for meals and activities on Groupon .

If you have a Nectar Card , you can collect points on shopping at places like Sainsbury’s and redeem them on shopping and travel with Virgin Trains. You can also get Cashback on your shopping in the UK with TopCashback .

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Templeseeker

Hi, I'm Amy and I have over 25 years of travel experience. I love seeking out temples, Churches and other religious and historical buildings. My BA (Religions and Theology) and MA (South Asian Studies) were gained from the University of Manchester. When I'm not blogging about Europe, Asia and the Middle East you will find me at home in Liverpool with my husband and Blake the Patterdale terrier! Come and join me on my templeseeking journey around the world!

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101 Essential Travel Hacking Tips for 2024

Last updated Mar 4, 2024

Fahim Joharder, an expert in software review & AI, blends deep tech insight with practical advice. Known for his critical analyses & innovative solutions.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of modern travel? You’re not alone. With ever-changing regulations, rising costs, and the endless quest for the best experiences, navigating the world of travel can be daunting. But what if I told you that mastering the art of travel hacking could turn these challenges into opportunities?

Travel hacking isn’t just about saving money; it’s about enhancing your travel experience. This comprehensive guide unveils 101 essential travel hacking tips that will empower you to travel smarter, cheaper, and more efficiently in 2024. Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or planning your first big trip, these insights will revolutionize how you approach travel.

• Travel hacking can simplify and enhance your travel experience.
• These 101 tips cater to both beginners and experienced travelers.
• Learn to travel more efficiently, saving both time and money.
• Discover innovative strategies to make the most of your journeys in 2024.

What Are the Best Travel Hacking Strategies for 2024?

• 1. Maximizing Credit Card Rewards

Utilizing credit cards specifically for their travel rewards can be a game-changer. By strategically using cards that offer high points on travel-related purchases, I’ve accumulated enough points for entire trips. It’s all about choosing the right card and understanding its reward structure.

• 2. Leveraging Airline Miles

One of my most successful travel hacks has been mastering airline miles. By choosing one airline as my primary carrier and sticking to it, I’ve earned elite status, with significant benefits like free upgrades and lounge access.

• 3. Smart Packing Techniques

Traveling light can save you money and time. I learned to pack only essentials and use compression bags to save space. This approach not only eases mobility but also helps avoid checked baggage fees.

• 4. Flexible Travel Dates

Being flexible with your travel dates can lead to massive savings. I often use tools that allow me to view price trends and book when prices are lowest. This flexibility has led to some unexpected and budget-friendly adventures.

• 5. Utilizing Budget Airlines

Budget airlines are a boon for travel hackers. While amenities are fewer, the cost savings are significant. I compare prices with budget carriers and often find deals too good to pass up.

• 6. Off-Season Travel

Traveling during the off-season has allowed me to enjoy destinations without the crowds and at a fraction of the price. Accommodations and activities are often much cheaper, making luxury experiences more accessible.

• 7. House Sitting or Swapping

House-sitting or swapping can mean free accommodation. I’ve used various platforms to find opportunities to stay in beautiful homes worldwide without paying a dime for lodging.

• 8. Joining Travel Forums and Groups

Being part of online travel communities has provided me with insider tips and exclusive deals. These forums are a treasure trove of information, from finding cheap flights to discovering hidden gems.

• 9. Taking Advantage of Layovers

Long layovers can be an opportunity to explore a new city. Instead of seeing them as a hassle, I use them to experience a place I might not have visited otherwise, often without extra flight costs.

• 10. Booking Accommodations with Free Cancellation

Flexibility is critical in travel hacking. Booking accommodations that offer free cancellation allows me to change plans or take advantage of a last-minute deal without penalty.

• 11. Using Incognito Mode for Booking

Prices can increase based on your search history. I always use incognito mode when booking flights and hotels to ensure I see the lowest prices available.

• 12. Earn and Burn Points Philosophy

‘Accumulating points is only half the battle; using them effectively is crucial. I follow the ” earnn and burn’ philosophy, using points before they devalue, ensuring I get the best bang for my buck.’Accumulating points is only half the battle; using them effectively is crucial. I follow the ‘earn and burn’ philosophy, using points before they devalue, ensuring I get the best bang for my buck.

• 13. Local SIM Cards for Data

Buying a local SIM card for data is often cheaper and more reliable than international plans. This hack has kept me connected without breaking the bank.

• 14. Avoiding Currency Exchange at Airports

Airport currency exchanges typically have unfavorable rates. I use local ATMs or currency exchange services in the city for better rates, saving significantly over time.

• 15. Travel Insurance Hacks

Choosing the right travel insurance can save money and provide peace of mind. I look for policies that cover precisely what I need, avoiding overpriced packages with unnecessary extras.

• 16. Leveraging Stopovers for Extra Trips

Some airlines offer free or low-cost stopovers in their hub cities. I’ve used these to explore additional destinations at no extra flight cost, effectively getting two trips for the price of one.

• 17. Free Walking Tours

Free walking tours are budget-friendly and great for learning about a new place. I’ve found these tours to be informative and an excellent way to meet fellow travelers.

• 18. Eating Like a Local

Eating where locals eat has saved me money and led to some of the most authentic culinary experiences. Street food and local markets are often cheaper and tastier than tourist traps.

• 19. Using Public Transportation

Public transportation is usually much cheaper than taxis or rental cars. I’ve found that navigating the local transit system adds an authentic touch to the travel experience.

• 20. Early Morning Flights

Booking the day’s first flight is often cheaper and less prone to delays. I’ve saved money and enjoyed quieter airports by choosing early departures.

• 21. Travel Reward Programs

Joining multiple travel reward programs has been a game-changer. I sign up for every program available, from airlines to hotels and even dining rewards. The points accumulate surprisingly fast and lead to significant savings.

• 22. Exploring Alternative Airports

Flying into less popular airports can dramatically reduce costs. I’ve saved hundreds by choosing an airport just a bit further from my final destination and then using local transport to reach my target city.

• 23. Night Trains and Buses

Using night trains and buses has saved me the cost of a night’s accommodation and allowed me to wake up in a new destination, ready to explore.

• 24. Travel During Shoulder Season

Traveling during the shoulder season – the period between peak and off-peak – strikes a balance between cost and weather. I’ve enjoyed many destinations with fewer crowds and moderate prices during these periods.

• 25. Student and Youth Discounts

If you qualify, taking advantage of student and youth discounts can lead to substantial savings on transport, attractions, and accommodations. Always carry your student or youth ID when traveling.

• 26. Booking Apartments Instead of Hotels

Renting apartments instead of hotels can be a budget-friendly option, especially for extended stays. I’ve enjoyed having extra space and the ability to cook meals, reducing food costs.

• 27. Volunteering Abroad

Volunteering abroad has allowed me to extend my travels while giving back. Many programs offer free room and board in exchange for work, providing a unique and fulfilling travel experience.

• 28. Travel Blogging

Starting a travel blog can open doors to unique experiences and savings. As a blogger, I’ve been offered discounts and even free stays in exchange for coverage on my blog.

• 29. Avoiding Tourist Hotspots for Accommodations

Staying just outside major tourist areas can significantly reduce accommodation costs. I’ve often found quieter, more authentic neighborhoods just a short walk or ride from the main attractions.

• 30. Cooking Your Meals

Cooking meals, especially when traveling in expensive countries, can save money. Staying in places with kitchen facilities has been a critical strategy in my travel budgeting.

• 31. Cashback Sites and Apps

Using cashback sites and apps for booking flights, hotels, and activities has helped me recover some of my spending, which I then redirect into future travel funds.

• 32. Staying in Hostels

Hostels are not just for young backpackers. They offer affordable accommodations and a chance to meet fellow travelers. Many now offer private rooms, combining the social aspect with privacy.

• 33. Couchsurfing

Couchsurfing has allowed me to stay for free while meeting locals. It’s a community of travelers and hosts who offer a couch or spare room at no cost.

• 34. Carry-On Only

Traveling with carry-on luggage only has saved me time and fees on many airlines. It also makes moving around easier and faster, especially on multi-destination trips.

• 35. Researching Free Attractions

Many cities offer free attractions, from museums with no entry fee to public parks and historic sites. I constantly research free things to do before I travel, which enriches the experience without impacting my budget.

• 36. Traveling with a Group

Group travel can offer significant savings, as costs for accommodation, transportation, and activities can often be split. It also adds a social element to the journey.

• 37. Using Bike-Sharing Services

I’ve found bike-sharing affordable and enjoyable in cities where it’s available. It’s cheaper than taxis and more flexible than public transport.

• 38. Airport Lounge Access with Credit Cards

Some credit cards offer complimentary airport lounge access, a perk I’ve enjoyed for relaxing and enjoying food and drinks without extra cost during layovers.

• 39. Free Airport WiFi

Instead of using data, I use free WiFi, available at most airports. It’s perfect for last-minute research or downloading entertainment for the flight.

• 40. International Driving Permit

I’ve found having an International Driving Permit invaluable for those places where driving is necessary. It’s recognized globally and can save a lot of hassle with car rentals.

• 41. Taking Advantage of City Passes

City passes often offer great value, bundling entry fees to multiple attractions for a discounted rate. I’ve saved significantly in major cities using these passes for museums, tours, and public transportation.

• 42. Using Rail Passes for Multi-City Trips

Rail passes like the Eurail or Japan Rail Pass can be cost-effective for multi-city trips in certain countries. They offer flexibility and can be cheaper than individual train tickets, especially for frequent travel.

• 43. Finding Work Abroad

Working while traveling, such as teaching English or seasonal jobs, can extend your travel duration significantly. I’ve met many travelers who fund their adventures this way, gaining unique experiences and insights into different cultures.

• 44. Travel Credit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees

Using a credit card that doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees saves money on every purchase abroad. It’s a small saving that adds up, especially on longer trips.

• 45. Staying in Monasteries or Religious Guesthouses

For a unique experience, staying in monasteries or religious guesthouses can be an affordable alternative. These accommodations often come with a peaceful and spiritual atmosphere.

• 46. Attend Free Local Events

Many cities host free events, from concerts in the park to street festivals. These events save on entertainment costs and glimpse local culture and community.

• 47. Hitchhiking in Safe Countries

Hitchhiking can be an accessible mode of transportation in countries where it’s safe and familiar. It’s also a way to meet locals and fellow travelers, though safety should always be a priority.

• 48. Using WhatsApp for Communication

I use WhatsApp for text, voice, and video calls to avoid high international fees. It’s widely used globally and only requires a data connection.

• 49. Following Travel Deals Websites and Alerts

Signing up for travel deal alerts from websites and forums has led me to some incredibly cheap fares and last-minute offers that I wouldn’t have found otherwise.

• 50. Traveling with a Water Bottle with Filter

Carrying a water bottle with a built-in filter has saved money on bottled water and has been environmentally friendly. It’s beneficial in countries where tap water isn’t safe to drink.

• 51. Avoiding Peak Travel Times

Traveling outside peak times – like early morning or late night – often means cheaper fares and less crowded transport. I’ve enjoyed quieter journeys and more affordable tickets by avoiding rush hours.

• 52. Long-Term Rental Negotiations

For extended stays, negotiating the rent for a long-term stay can lead to substantial savings. Landlords are often willing to offer a discount for longer commitments.

• 53. Using Trusted Housesitters

For longer trips, using platforms like Trusted Housesitters can secure free accommodation in exchange for pet-sitting or house-sitting. It’s a win-win for both the homeowner and the traveler.

• 54. Participating in Time-Share Presentations

Participating in time-share presentations can sometimes offer free or heavily discounted stays. While they require sitting through a sales pitch, the rewards can be worth it for the savings.

• 55. Using Apps for Last-Minute Hotel Deals

Apps like HotelTonight offer last-minute deals on unsold hotel rooms, often at a fraction of the regular price. I’ve found some great bargains on high-quality accommodations this way.

• 56. Booking Flights in the Middle of the Week

Flight prices can fluctuate based on the day of the week. I’ve found that booking on a Tuesday or Wednesday often results in lower fares than on weekends.

• 57. Exploring Multiple Flight Search Engines

Using various flight search engines and comparing prices can unearth better deals. Each machine has its own set of airline partners and special rates.

• 58. Backpacking and Camping

Backpacking and camping can be an inexpensive way to travel , especially in areas with stunning natural landscapes. It’s not only budget-friendly but also offers an immersive nature experience. There are tons of travel hacks for camping, including ways to make camping more comfortable .

• 59. Traveling with a Reusable Shopping Bag

Carrying a reusable shopping bag helps the environment and avoids charges for plastic bags in many countries. It’s a small but practical hack.

• 60. Joining Frequent Flyer Programs

If you don’t fly often, joining frequent flyer programs is worthwhile. The miles can increase over time, leading to free flights or upgrades.

• 61. Exploring Alternative Accommodation Platforms

Beyond the usual hotel booking sites, exploring platforms like Airbnb or local guesthouses can offer unique and often more affordable stays. I’ve discovered charming places that provide a more authentic experience than traditional hotels.

• 62. Using Multi-City Flight Searches

The multi-city search option is often cheaper when planning trips involving multiple destinations than booking separate one-way tickets. It’s a great way to see more places without significantly increasing the travel budget.

• 63. Avoiding In-Room Snacks and Minibars

Minibar items are notoriously overpriced. I avoid them and instead stock up on snacks and drinks from local supermarkets, saving money and enjoying local treats.

• 64. Choosing Lesser-Known Destinations

Opting for less popular destinations can lead to surprising discoveries and significant savings. These places often offer authentic experiences without the crowds and high prices of tourist hotspots.

65. Using Google Flights’ Explore Feature

Google Flights’ Explore tool allows you to see the cheapest destinations from your airport within your travel dates. I’ve found amazing deals to destinations I hadn’t even considered.

• 66. Opting for Overnight Transportation

Taking overnight buses or trains can save a night’s accommodation cost. It’s a strategy I’ve used for longer distances, waking up at my next destination without the price of a hotel.

• 67. Earning Money Through Travel Photography

If you have a knack for photography, selling your travel photos can be a way to earn extra cash. Websites like Shutterstock or Adobe Stock are platforms where I’ve sold my photos.

• 68. Travel Nursing for Healthcare Professionals

For healthcare professionals, travel nursing can be a way to see the world. Agencies offer short-term contracts in different locations, often with housing stipends, making it a viable way to travel and work.

• 69. Use of Travel Agents for Complex Trips

While I usually book trips myself, using a travel agent for more complex itineraries can sometimes save money and time. They often have access to deals not available to the public.

• 70. Participating in Cultural Exchange Programs

Cultural exchange programs like Workaway or WWOOF provide opportunities for free accommodation and meals in exchange for a few hours of work, offering a unique and affordable way to travel.

• 71. Joining Local Meetups and Events

Local meetups or expat events can be a great way to meet people and get insider tips on the best deals in the area. I’ve found fantastic recommendations through these gatherings.

• 72. Eating at University Campuses

University campuses often have affordable dining options. When traveling in expensive cities, I’ve eaten at campus cafeterias for a fraction of the cost of eating out.

• 73. Using Ride-Sharing Apps

In cities with ride-sharing apps, they can be a cheaper alternative to taxis. I’ve also shared rides with fellow travelers to split the costs.

• 74. Finding Free WiFi Spots

Cafés, libraries, and public spaces often offer free WiFi. I use apps like WiFi Map to find spots near me, saving on data charges.

• 75. Traveling with a Lightweight Laptop or Tablet

A lightweight laptop or tablet instead of a full-sized notebook saves space and weight for longer trips. As a blogger, I must keep in touch with family.

• 76. Using VPN for Cheaper Flights and Hotels

Sometimes, prices for flights and hotels vary based on location. Using a VPN to change my virtual location has sometimes led to cheaper booking options.

• 77. Avoiding Dynamic Currency Conversion

When paying with a card abroad, I always choose to be charged in the local currency. Dynamic currency conversion rates are usually poor compared to my card’s speed.

• 78. Checking Baggage Allowance Before Flying

I always check baggage allowances before flying to avoid unexpected fees. Some budget airlines have strict limits, and being aware of them has saved me from costly charges.

• 79. Teaching English Online

Teaching English online is a flexible way to earn income while traveling. It requires minimal equipment and can be done anywhere with a good internet connection.

• 80. Taking Advantage of Free Museum Days

Many museums offer free entry on certain days of the month. Planning visits around these days can provide cultural enrichment without the cost.

• 81. Avoiding Roaming Charges

I always switch off data roaming before landing in a new country to avoid high charges. Instead, I rely on WiFi or local SIM cards for internet access.

• 82. Using Social Media for Local Insights

Social media platforms can be a goldmine for travel tips and local insights. I follow my destinations’ local bloggers and tourism pages to discover hidden gems and current events.

• 83. Participating in Frequent Diner Programs

Just like frequent flyer programs, regular diner programs can offer rewards for dining out. I’ve earned free meals and exclusive discounts through these programs, especially in larger cities.

• 84. Learning Basic Local Language Phrases

Knowing basic phrases in the local language enriches the travel experience and can lead to better deals in markets and local shops. It’s a sign of respect that’s often appreciated.

• 85. Using Price Tracking Tools for Flights and Hotels

Price tracking tools notify you of price drops for flights and hotels. I’ve set alerts for my desired destinations and dates, allowing me to book when prices are at their lowest.

• 86. Exploring by Foot

Walking around a city is free and offers a more intimate experience of the locale. I’ve discovered quaint cafes, unique shops, and street art that I would have missed otherwise.

• 87. Traveling with a First-Aid Kit

Carrying a basic first-aid kit helps avoid the need for expensive pharmacy visits for minor ailments. It’s a small but essential part of my travel gear.

• 88. Avoiding Data Overages with Offline Maps

Downloading offline maps on my phone prevents data overages and ensures I can navigate without an internet connection. Apps like Google Maps allow for easy offline map downloads.

• 89. Staying Hydrated with Reusable Bottles

Carrying a reusable water bottle keeps me hydrated without the cost of buying bottled water. In countries with safe drinking water, it’s a no-brainer for savings and sustainability.

• 90. Utilizing Free Airport Transfers

Some credit cards and travel packages include complimentary airport transfers. I always check this perk as it can save significant money on taxi fares.

• 91. Visiting Local Markets

Local markets are not just for shopping; they’re cultural experiences. They are perfect for inexpensive meals, fresh produce, and unique souvenirs.

• 92. Using Contactless Payment Methods

Contactless payments, like Apple Pay or Google Wallet, are often more convenient and secure than carrying cash. Many countries have widely adopted contactless transactions, making it a hassle-free way to pay.

• 93. Purchasing Souvenirs Away from Tourist Spots

Buying souvenirs away from main tourist areas can lead to better prices and more authentic goods. I enjoy exploring local shops and markets for unique finds.

• 94. Subscribing to Airline Newsletters

Subscribing to airlines’ newsletters has alerted me to flash sales and special promotions, leading to unexpectedly cheap flight bookings.

• 95. Using a Money Belt or Hidden Wallet

I use a money belt or hidden wallet to keep money and documents safe. It’s a simple way to ensure security, especially in crowded tourist areas.

• 96. Traveling with a Compact Camera or Smartphone

Instead of a bulky DSLR, traveling with a compact camera or a smartphone for photography is more convenient and lighter. Modern smartphones have excellent cameras suitable for most travel photography needs.

• 97. Checking Mobile Plans for International Options

Before traveling, I check my mobile plan’s international options. Some carriers offer affordable travel add-ons, which can be more convenient than buying a local SIM card.

• 98. Attending Timeshare Presentations for Perks

Attending timeshare presentations can sometimes offer perks like free meals, tours, or accommodation. While they require time and sitting through sales pitches, the rewards can be substantial.

• 99. Using Credit Card Concierge Services

Some premium credit cards offer concierge services, which can be invaluable for making travel arrangements, especially in unfamiliar destinations.

• 100. Enjoying Nature and Public Spaces

Exploring nature and public spaces like beaches, parks, and hiking trails offers enriching experiences without any cost. I always make time to enjoy the natural beauty of my travel destinations.

• 101. Keeping a Travel Journal

Keeping a travel journal helps reflect on experiences and track spending. It’s a budgeting tool and an excellent way to preserve memories from each trip.

• How Travel Hacking Can Save You Time, Money & Stress

Embracing Travel Hacking 101 isn’t just about cutting costs; it’s a comprehensive approach to making your travel experiences smoother, more affordable, and enjoyable. Imagine bypassing the usual stressors of travel – the hefty expenses, time-consuming planning, and those unexpected hiccups. Travel hacking equips you with strategies to navigate these challenges efficiently.

From leveraging points and miles for free flights and stays to discovering the art of packing light and intelligence, each hack is a step towards a more streamlined journey.

It’s about knowing the right time to book flights, the best ways to find unique accommodations, and even tips on immersing yourself in local cultures without overspending.

Adopting these travel hacking techniques transforms how you travel, turning every trip into an enriching and economical adventure. This is the essence of Travel Hacking 101 – travel more intelligently, not more complex, and watch as the world opens up with possibilities, minus the stress and strain on your wallet.

• Final Thoughts

As we wrap up our journey through the world of Travel Hacking, it’s clear that this isn’t just a set of tips and tricks; it’s a mindset shift. Embracing Travel Hacking means stepping into a world where travel is more accessible, less stressful, and infinitely rewarding.

It’s about breaking free from the traditional constraints of travel, uncovering cost-effective methods, and discovering shortcuts that make the journey as enjoyable as the destination. Whether leveraging loyalty programs, finding hidden gems off the beaten path, or knowing the best time to book your flights, each aspect of Travel Hacking opens up new possibilities.

It transforms how we perceive and approach travel, turning each trip into a well-orchestrated adventure tailored to our preferences and budgets. So, as you embark on your next travel adventure, remember that the essence of Travel Hacking lies in exploring the world on your terms, making each experience uniquely yours.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is Travel Hacking?

Travel Hacking refers to strategies to optimize travel experiences, primarily focusing on reducing costs, maximizing rewards from loyalty programs, and utilizing resources effectively. It includes using credit card points for flights and hotels, finding the best travel deals, and employing clever packing techniques to save time and money.

• Can Travel Hacking Save Me Money?

Absolutely. Travel Hacking can lead to significant savings on travel expenses. By strategically using credit card rewards, taking advantage of airline and hotel loyalty programs, and being flexible with travel dates and destinations, you can dramatically reduce the cost of flights, accommodations, and other travel-related expenses.

• Is Travel Hacking Legal and Ethical?

Yes, Travel Hacking is both legal and ethical. It involves using existing travel and credit card reward programs to your advantage. It’s about being bright with bookings, utilizing rewards, and staying informed about the best travel deals and strategies. It does not involve any deceitful practices.

• Do I Need a Lot of Credit Cards for Travel Hacking?

Not necessarily. While having multiple credit cards can potentially increase your points and rewards, effective Travel Hacking can be achieved even with a single, well-chosen credit card. The key is to select cards that align best with your travel goals and spending habits.

• How Do I Get Started with Travel Hacking?

To start Travel Hacking, assess your current travel goals and spending habits. Sign up for a rewards credit card that aligns with these goals, join airline and hotel loyalty programs, and stay informed about current travel deals and tips. It’s also important to keep track of your points and rewards to optimize their usage.

Hi, I’m Fahim. A software reviewer & AI specialist

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• 65. Using Google Flights' Explore Feature

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Home » Travel Hacking

Travel Hacking

Frequent traveler programs (points and miles) are a mainstay of many people’s travel plans. Here’s our travel hacking guide with our top eight tips for earning points and miles.

When we became frequent business travelers after college, we immediately signed up for all the frequent traveler programs we could. At the time, we weren’t travelling for business all that much (maybe only once a month) and it seemed like it would take forever for the points to accumulate into reward travel. But we signed up for those programs because someone told us to. And we’re glad we did!

Companies offer frequent traveler (points and miles) to secure your loyalty – and get more money out of you. In a way, they are gambling on you to increase your share of business with them. But you can play that game too. Points and miles addicts play the game back and amass huge amounts of points/miles to travel for practically free (as seen in the movie Up in the Air ). A popular term these days to explain the game is Travel Hacking or Points Hacking.

Everyone has their own definition of travel hacking, but we define it as involving two related goals: 1) Traveling for the least amount of money possible. The goal is to reduce your expenses to practically zero. 2) Traveling above your means by employing upgrades and perks that you would not otherwise pay for. The goal is to make the experience of travel more relaxing and enjoyable. Travel hacking is about changing the value equation and getting the absolute best travel experience possible for the least amount of money.

We frequently write about maximizing your business travel into personal benefit and how to be a better travel hacker. Here, we share our top tips for travel hacking—

Sign up for all the mileage/points programs

The biggest mistake travelers make is not signing up or not signing up early. They say, “we travel so infrequently, we’ll never get the reward.” You won’t get the reward if you don’t play the game. Initially, that was our thinking. But we signed up anyway once we learned how travel rewards programs work. Now, we tell travelers to sign up for every program they can – because you can never predict your future travel plans. Check out our comprehensive list of travel loyalty programs .

Consolidate travel activity

The travel companies offer these programs in the hopes that you will consolidate all of your business with them. And the more you fly/stay with a company, the more rewards you get (they offer incremental 40%, 60%, 80% and even 120% bonuses on their programs once you get to higher-tier levels). This makes a compelling advantage to consolidate your travel rewards programs. And that is the recommendation you’ll see everywhere else about points hacking.

But don’t consolidate too much! If you put ALL of eggs in the airline basket or with a specific hotel program, you are locked in. And that’s what the airlines and hotels are counting on. We’ve found it beneficial to have a primary airline and two hotel chains that we focus on.

Focus on bonus periods

When you signed up for the programs you gave them your e-mail address and they began e-mailing you (A LOT). You’re skimming those e-mails looking for special promotions and you ALWAYS sign up for every promotion (remember you don’t reap the reward if you don’t play the game). Even if you don’t think you’ll meet the minimums to receive the reward, you sign up anyway (because you can never predict your future travel).

All of the major hotel companies run special promotional campaigns or bonus periods. To get the benefit you have to sign up (which takes less than 30 seconds). Another advantage to you, the bonus periods sometimes do not overlap, so you make the choice to consolidate your travel with the company that is currently running a bonus – and reap the rewards.

The airlines have experimented with this. Back in the early 2000s, United Airlines used to run a lot of mileage bonuses and U.S. Airways ran a Grand Slam program for many years, but most of those programs have been eliminated. What you still see are selective promotions to launch a new route, specific routes, or volume-based promotions (if you fly 10 times within a quarter, etc.).

Keep your points and miles active

The airline and hotel companies don’t want you accumulating rewards indefinitely. They want to see activity – ideally, they want you paying them money for more flights or stays. But they also want to see you using your points (it decreases their “liabilities”). Each airline has a different point expiration policy so you’ll need to do your homework, keep track of expirations, and also monitor programs for changes. For example, Delta Sky Miles don’t ever expire and Frontier Airlines Miles expire every 6 months. And some programs like American and United set 24 months as the window.

Over time, we’ve found it useful to have some activity in each reward program at least once in a 12 month period. That keeps your accounts active and you still receive bonus incentives from the airline or hotel.

Here’s an example on how point expirations work. If you took a flight on American Airlines in December 2022, those miles would expire in 24 months, or December 2024. But if you took a flight in September 2023, that resets the expiration date on ALL miles to September 2025. The point to remember – the expiration is from the last activity. And that activity does not need to be a flight!

I have a lot of United Airlines miles and ultimately will probably use them for a free flight eventually, but I haven’t flown on United in years (although I used to live in a United hub market). I keep those miles “active” by accumulating “partner” mileage. In other words, I spend money with an United Airlines partner and chose to have the reward accumulate with United. Twice a year, like clockwork, my mother receives flowers on her birthday and on Mother’s Day. I order the flowers with the United Airlines shopping mall and get a mileage credit in my United account, which keeps my miles active. (Note: Technically, United’s miles don’t expire as long as your account is “active,” but United closes some accounts without activity in 24 months).

We do the same thing with hotels. Many of the hotel chains (Hilton and Marriott come to mind), offer surveys where they give you points just for taking 10 minutes out of your day to answer a few questions. The points we receive for the surveys keep all of our point totals active for another year. Some hotel chains also have partnerships with Uber or Lyft, where you get points for taking ride share trips.

We recommend using an online points or mileage tracker, such as Award Wallet, TripIt or similar to keep track of points/mileage balances.

The best reward might be the upgrade

The idea of free flights or free hotel nights is appealing, but sometimes your best perk is actually using the points/miles to secure a travel upgrade. Don’t want to pay $4,800 for a business class flight to Europe? Pay the airline the $900 for the coach flight, and then upgrade with frequent flyer miles. Or, use your hotel points to upgrade to the Club Level and get free drinks and meals.

But – if you’re a loyal guest, sometimes you get the upgrades automatically without paying for them. I travel frequently for business (sometimes weekly) and fly First Class about half the time because of free upgrades. This works with hotels too. I’m frequently upgraded to suites or the VIP club level at hotels because of status within the loyalty program.

And some airlines allow you to be a yearly pass to their airline lounge using miles. Over time, we’ve found this to be a great value.

This all goes back to goal #2 of travel hacking: upgrading your travel experience to enjoy things you would not otherwise pay for.

Not all points are “valued” the same

It’s true – not all points are valued the same and a dollar is not a dollar in the world of hotel points.

Grand Hyatt Istanbul is a Category 4 in the Hyatt Program and is 15,000 for a standard room (21,000 for the Regency/Club Level). The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul, basically across the street, is a Tier 3 in the Marriott Bonvoy Program and is 45,000 points for a standard room. The Ritz-Carlton is more than twice as expensive in terms of points. Now, you might think the Ritz-Carlton is the better property, but based on what? A point is not a point.

Some hotels (Marriott) offer more opportunities for bonus points. Therefore the “value” of those points is less than in other programs (the points buy you less; or you need more points to buy the same experience). But, those programs also offer you more points per dollar or in bonuses.

Do your homework. Once you accumulate points in different programs and begin spending them on free travel, some points may prove to be more valuable. Also, if you accumulate large balances in one program or need points in another program, it is possible to exchange your reward points and flight miles between your existing programs. For Hilton, allows you convert points between airline, rail and other programs into Hilton Honors points.

Even with points/miles, it can take cash

Points and miles are considered currency. And they have a tangible value. In the event of a divorce, they are considered an asset that is divided. And some airlines will allow you leave your miles to someone in your will when you die.

But even if they have a value on their own, many programs, particularly the airline programs, won’t let you actually use your miles without a cash fee on top of it. Those fees vary, but you need to factor them into your calculations.

However, one of the biggest changes to the hotel programs in the last few years is the addition of Cash and Points rewards. You put up some points and some cash. This can be either a fantastic value or a terrific waste of points – depending on the property and the room rate for the exact dates you want to visit. Do your homework before using a Point-and-Cash scheme.

Earn points for shopping

All the major frequent traveler programs have mileage malls or online shopping malls. Essentially, you earn miles or points per dollar spent in the online malls. If you do any amount of online shopping, you should always go through a mileage mall to earn points for something you are doing anyway. This is a great way to earn large bonuses!

To get big rewards, you need to go for credit cards

To receive the really big mileage/points benefits, you need to sign up for credit cards with their lucrative perks. This is a massive topic and we write about frequently, however, here is a short version to travel hacking with credit cards.

Yes, you can travel hack without a credit card, however, to really scale your activities, you need a travel credit card. The best travel credit card is the one that works for you and your goals. You need to know what you want to accomplish (free flights, free hotels, a mix of both, etc.) and then register for the card that meets your goals.

If you live in a major airline hub, you might register for a specific airline card. For example, if you live in Atlanta, you might get the Delta credit card, or a United card in Denver or an American card in Dallas. If your goals are hotels, you might register for a hotel-specific card.

But, if your goals are more general and you don’t have a specific travel provider, consider getting a general travel card that will allow you use your points with any airline or hotel. The much advertised Capital One Venture card and Chase Sapphire are two of the more popular general cards.

To make hacking with credit card work, look for a card with a nice welcome bonus (for example, many airline cards offer 25,000, 40,000 and even up to 100,000 bonus miles). At the same time, make sure that the required spending level is achievable for you. If you can’t spend the $5,000 in 3 months to get the 40,000 miles, that is of no benefit to you. Pick the largest welcome gift for the least amount of spend. Then check and try to find a card with the lowest annual fee. Most cards will waive the annual fee for the first year. This is ONLY a good idea if you have decent credit and you pay off your bills in full and don’t carry a balance.

That welcome gift and the spending will get you a long way to your goals. But most travel hackers also “churn” their credit cards. Signing up for a card, keeping it through the welcome period and for a while beyond, and then cancelling. And then coming back and signing up for the same card again after a period of time. Each credit card has rules for “churning” and they may have a waiting period of 12 to 48 months before applying again. But in the meantime, there are other programs or credit cards. This is really pro-level travel hacking.

Manufacture spending to realize big rewards

Once you have your travel rewards credit card, you can earn massive amounts of miles/points through a process of “manufactured spending.” You can manufacture spending on your credit card and then get reimbursement for it. If you work for a company, see if they will let you use your personal card for business expenses and then you get reimbursed for it.

If you go out to dinner with a group, be the person who pays and then get cash from your friends. There are almost an unlimited number of options if you think creatively. The key is: manufacture spending on your credit card and while obtaining cash to pay it off.

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What is Travel Hacking?

Posted on Sat 29 May 2021

Travel hacking is a phrase that is banded around in travelling circles more and more frequently. With our modern need to ‘hack’ everything, including the popular phrase ‘life hacks’, it’s no surprise that travel has started to be added into the mix. But what exactly is travel hacking? Definitions typically vary but normally revolve around the premise of being able to maximise points, rewards and loyalty programmes to be able to travel and visit locations for much cheaper than a standard tourist! Most, if not all travel hacks are legitimate and legal, but many will require at least some research and time dedication to really understand how they can benefit you. In this article, we look to uncover the basic principles of travel hacking will show some examples of how you can get started.

First off, it’s important to point out that travel hacking is much more prevalent in the US. This is because banks, hotels and airlines have many more loyalty, points and miles programmes than over here in the UK. The US has a wide plethora of credit cards, many with generous rewards. That said, if you’re in the UK, it certainly isn’t impossible to bag yourself some super cheap flights using these tips.

They Value Loyalty

Loyalty is at the core of the travel hacking phenomenon, although rather ironically, successful travel hackers are far from loyal. Loyalty programmes such as frequent flyer and hotel loyalty schemes require people to sign up, a short process that many people often never bother to do. It doesn’t matter whether you’re planning on staying in the same hotel chain, or flying with the same airline again, or not, you should be signing up for these programmes. Collect as many points as possible and try to squeeze as much value from your money as possible.

Credit Cards are King

Credit cards are the enabler which makes travel hacking possible. Credit cards, both in the UK and the US come with rewards such as bonus miles or a certain amount of loyalty points. Additionally, they will offer a certain amount of points per pound you spend meaning that the more you use the card, the more points you earn. Assuming that you pay off the card at the end of every month, you’ll be able to accumulate points without spending beyond your usual allocation.

To be a successful hacker, taking out more than one card is a must; however, this should only be done when you have become accustomed to being able to manage your cards. You should never take out a credit card if you are unable to repay the sum in full at the end of each month as the interest on the card will eliminate any benefits you are gaining. For this method to work, credit cards should be treated as debit cards.

It’s also important to be aware of which cards offer which bonuses. Some cards will come with a signing-up bonus while others offer benefits when you spend on specific products or at certain stores. When taking out multiple cards, make sure you read the small print to best understand where you can get the most value for money and maximise your rewards.

Travel Hacking in the UK

As we mentioned at the start of the article, the UK is still lagging behind the US when it comes to dishing out juicy credit card rewards and bonuses, so don’t expect to be earning free flights every month. However, if you stick with the programme and stay committed, you’ll soon see your points racking up! If you’re in the UK and would like to start your travel hacking adventures, here are a few tips to get you started.

Tesco Clubcard Points

The Tesco Clubcard is an excellent introduction into the travel hacking world. Clubcard points can be traded in for Avios; these are points which can be redeemed on British Airways flights. This is a gentle way to get into the mindset of maximising value and, over time, can contribute to some cheaper flights.

British Airways Credit Card

If you’re a frequent flyer with British Airways, this is a great option for a first credit card. The basic version of the card comes with a 5,000 Avios bonus if you spend £1,000 within the first three months; achievable for many. If you’re a bigger spender, then the premium version of the card may be more appealing. The card comes with a £195 annual fee but offers 25,000 Avios welcome bonus if you spend £3,000 in the first three months. You also get 3 Avios for every £1 spent on BA flights.

Shopping Portals

If you do a lot of your shopping online, whether you’re buying clothes, home products or groceries, then shopping portals are a great way to maximise your value. Many airlines and credit cards have shopping portals for many popular online retailers, many you’ll be more than familiar with. You’ll be able to earn points just through shopping as you would!

Why not redeem some of your points on a trip to come skiing in Morocco with us? We have loads of great experience holidays   on our site, from Ethiopia to Slovenia! We’d also love to know how you make the most of your money through travel, get in touch with us with your tips on Facebook and Twitter.

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Travelex hack: how a cyber attack by Sodinokibi ransomware hit the travel money firm – and what it means for you

The hackers are threatening to release 5gb of customers' personal data into the public domain unless the company pays up.

Foreign exchange giant Travelex is reportedly being held to ransom by cyber hackers .

The hackers struck on New Year’s Eve forcing the London-headquartered firm to take down all its global websites.

Travelex has a presence in more than 70 countries, with more than 1,200 branches and 1,000 ATMs worldwide.

Here’s everything we know about the attack:

Read more: How to protect your travel money from Brexit and changing pound exchange rates if you buy it in advance

What do the hackers want?

A ransomware gang called “Sodinokibi” told the BBC it is behind the hack, and is demanding cash – thought to be about 6 million US dollars (£4.6 million) – from Travelex to give the firm access to its computer systems after they attacked the sites.

They are reportedly threatening to release 5GB of customers’ personal data – including social security numbers, dates of birth and payment card information – into the public domain unless the company pays up.

The hackers – also known as “REvil” – told the BBC: “In the case of payment, we will delete and will not use that [data]base and restore them the entire network.

“The deadline for doubling the payment is two days. Then another seven days and the sale of the entire base.”

Travelex says there is no evidence customer data has been compromised.

What is being done about the attack?

Travelex sites have now been offline for over a week, with the firm forced to provide foreign exchange services manually in its branches.

The group’s sites carry a message to visitors that online services are down due to “planned maintenance”.

“The system will be back online shortly,” according to the message.

Officers from the Metropolitan Police are leading the investigation into the attack, but the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said it had not received a data breach report from Travelex.

An ICO spokeswoman told the BBC: “Organisations must notify the ICO within 72 hours of becoming aware of a personal data breach unless it does not pose a risk to people’s rights and freedoms.

“If an organisation decides that a breach doesn’t need to be reported, they should keep their own record of it and be able to explain why it wasn’t reported if necessary.”

In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “On Thursday, 2 January, the Met’s Cyber Crime Team were contacted with regards to a reported ransomware attack involving a foreign currency exchange. Inquiries into the circumstances are ongoing.”

How does the hack affect me?

Travelex first revealed the New Year’s Eve attack on January 2, when it sought to assure the public that no customer data had yet been compromised as a result of the breach.

It has drafted in teams of IT specialists and external cyber security experts in an attempt to isolate the virus and get affected systems back online, but has so far been unable to gain access and overthrow the hackers.

The hack came at a crucial time for the group, with its services in high demand over the Christmas holidays.

The attack also had a knock-on effect on online travel money services for its partners, such as Tesco Bank, Sainsbury’s Bank, Virgin Money and First Direct, who also cannot sell currency online.

And now, the effect have spread to a number of High Street banks, who have stopped customers ordering foreign currency.

Lloyds, Barclays and Royal Bank of Scotland – who all get their foreign notes from Travelex – are affected while Travelex’s computer system is down.

Can I still use Travelex’s services?

Customers have not been sent any email communication about the cyber-attack, but queries are being replied to on social media by the company.

“We apologise to all our customers for any inconvenience caused as a result,” Travelex boss Tony D’Souza said in a statement.

“Existing cards continue to function as normal and customers in the UK can continue to spend and withdraw money from ATMs.

“For customers who have ordered money online, please contact Travelex customer services by phone or via social media to discuss their individual situation and requirements.”

Can I get a refund?

Travelex has started issuing refunds to customers, with its website still down two weeks after being hit by the cyber attack.

In an update on their website , the company said that they have been providing refunds to customers “where appropriate”, and encouraged customers to get in touch to discuss their specific situation.

“The 24/7 global customer support desks are fully operational to offer advice, workarounds and to discuss any customer concerns,” they said.

“Customers are encouraged to check their local website for the best way to get in touch with customer support in their respective country.”

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How to Use Travel Hacking to Get Free Flights

Written by Dan

Updated on May 10th, 2024

Is travel hacking worth it? Let’s see the best ways to get free flights and the websites that will let you travel hack your next trip. Here’s our guide to hacking our travel.

This article may contain affiliate links. We earn a small commissions when you purchase via those links — and it's free for you. It's only us (Becca & Dan) working on this website, so we value your support! Read our privacy policy and learn more about us .

Table of contents

• What is travel hacking?
• How does travel hacking work?
• How to get started with travel hacking?
• What are some ideas to hit the minimum spend for the credit card bonuses?
• What is credit card churning?
• Does opening too many credit cards hurt my credit score?
• Understand the features of a credit card
• Can you do travel hacking without a credit card?
• How can I learn more about travel hacking?

Since 2016, we’ve taken countless (okay, if we had to count, probably more than 50) flights. Some of these flights were quick legs from Prague to Lisbon. Other legs were a bit more extreme, like flying from Hanoi, Vietnam, to New York City. Some were flights with long layovers.

Whenever Becca and I travel, we maximize our value and optimize our cost per day as much as we can, within our control. Flights can sometimes be the biggest line item on the trip, and the cost of a flight can push the total trip cost to a figure that is more than our budget.

What if I told you that there was a way to get your flights for free?

This is travel hacking. In this article, I’ll explain what to know about travel hacking, and how you can realistically apply it to your regular set of habits and tricks when you book trips.

What is travel hacking?

Travel hacking is a way to exchange credit card sign-up bonuses and incentives for airline miles. You can use those airline miles (or frequent flyer miles ) to buy discounted (and often free) flights to destinations of your choice.

Depending on the credit card you choose to go with, you can also exchange a miles or points bonus for hotel stays and rental car deals.

How does travel hacking work?

As much as possible, we take advantage of credit card sign-up bonuses and build out our frequent flyer mile programs on a few select airlines (more on this below).

When we’re ready to book a flight, we will first evaluate the cost. If the flight is $200-$300, it’s usually better to pay in cash and accrue more miles for the flight that we take.

When the flights start getting above $500, we look to our airline frequent flyer accounts and evaluate which airline can give us the best deal. We base this on the amount of miles or points in our travel bank for each airline with which we have an account.

This thought process and system above is the essence of how travel hacking works.

Some airlines will exchange 1 mile for 1 penny. So for $1000, you’ll need 100,000 miles.

Other airline programs have more of a value system. With United, for example, 35,000 miles doesn’t necessarily mean you need to spend $350 to get to that amount.

The points and value exchange can get a little complicated, and I’ll cover more details about that below!

How to get started with travel hacking?

I want you to leave this article with a solid base on how to get started with travel hacking. I became fascinated with the topic back in 2016 when I got my first real travel credit card.

I got the Chase Sapphire Reserve, with the 100,000-mile bonus, back when the annual fee was $450 with a $300 travel credit. Those were the days. I talk more about this card in our money guide to international travel .

I was able to take advantage of the $100 Global Entry credit as well. This was an incredible benefit.

I continued to book my travel with this credit card and got 3x points on travel purchases, as well as 1.5x redeemable points in the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. The Chase Ultimate Rewards portal allows you to book travel like regular flight purchases, with your points, in a sort of online marketplace. It’s surely one of the best websites for travel .

This exact deal and situation is a little different now, but let’s go over the basics, first!

Open a credit card with a sign-up bonus

The very first step that you need to do is open a credit card that has some type of sign-up bonus attached to it. There are a lot of great credit cards to choose from that offer a variety of great features and benefits.

The actual credit card that you choose will depend on your preferred airline, spending habits and features that are important to you.

Here are my top credit card picks for travel hacking

These are the cards that I use and they’ve been beneficial in helping me fly free to a lot of different destinations.

• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase United Explorer
• JetBlue Mastercard
• Capital One Venture X

Hit the minimum spend limit

After you are approved for a credit card, you’ll need to meet the minimum spend limit of the card, in order to get the bonus. Every card is different and the rules for this incentive are typically easy to find on your credit card terms page.

If you don’t meet the minimum spend, you won’t be able to get the bonus. And, you’ll need to cancel the card and wait up to two years before you can apply again and get the bonus.

Make sure that you’re in a position to hit the spend limit before choosing the card. For example, a spend limit could be $3000 in three months, or, it could be $10,000 in six months. After you hit the spend minimum, your bonus points will be awarded in your account.

Wait until your points are posted to your account

After you’ve hit the minimum spend limit, you’ll be eligible to receive your points bonus. The bonuses are usually distributed after your pay cycle. If you got the card and spent the minimum spend limit on the first day, you can expect your bonus in about 30 days.

Every credit card might be a little different. If you are trying to acquire your points for a specific occasion like booking a flight by a specific date, I recommend calling your credit card and asking them when the points will be available.

Redeem your points for a travel credit

Now that you have a points balance, you can redeem these credits for travel. Every credit card will have a different method for redemption. Here are a few examples from the providers that I have the most experience with.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

If you have a Chase card, you can redeem your points in the Ultimate Rewards portal. In the portal, you have access to almost every airline. You can use a combination of points and cash to redeem your travel.

You can book entirely on points if you have the balance for it! Sometimes, we’ll still buy flights on the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal even if we don’t have enough points to cover the whole quoted cost. We pay the balance in cash, and pay it with any credit card.

Keep in mind that Chase is booking your travel and partners with an airline to fulfill the order. In 2020, Becca and I had travel booked with Chase. The itinerary was canceled and we had a hard time going back and forth with the airline and Chase trying to figure out how to get a refund.

When booking directly through United, you can choose your flight to be booked with points or dollars. You can’t combine points and dollars on the same itinerary if you don’t have enough points.

You can buy additional miles if you are a little short and need a few extra points to bump up your balance. Historically, this is never a great deal, though.

For flying domestic, I really enjoy flying JetBlue. I’ve generally had good experiences with JetBlue and the extra legroom and free snacks make the flight more comfortable and enjoyable.

Booking on JetBlue is similar to United, whereby you can either book with JetBlue points or dollars, but not both.

What is unique about JetBlue is that you can pool your points together and have a shared balance. Becca and I share points and we are able to accrue points twice as fast, together. We use a family ‘pool’ of our points so that we can share them. We used this method for a trip to the Dominican Republic !

To use JetBlue’s family sharing system for miles, JetBlue will want to prove that you are really family members, not just friends who want to hack the system.

Enjoy your trip!

Have fun! Hopefully, you were successful in getting a free trip with your credit card bonus. You can check out how to upgrade your flight as well. Some people use the bonus opportunity to find first-class tickets as a highly-discounted (and mostly free) price!

What are some ideas to hit the minimum spend for the credit card bonuses?

On a day-to-day basis, Becca and I are very frugal. We cook at home, rarely go out, audit our monthly subscriptions, stick to a budget and more. We talk about it in our guide to living in NYC on a budget .

So with our level of frugalness, it can be daunting to try and spend thousands of dollars on minimum spend limits to get a credit card bonus.

Well, we’ve been through it several times, and we want to share some of the ways that we’ve been able to meet the minimum spend on our travel credit cards!

Pay your rent

We’re lucky in that we can pay our rent with a credit card. We weren’t able to do this before now. The downside is that we need to pay a 3% fee in order to do so.

The Capital One Venture X card has a $10,000 minimum spend, and there’s no way that we would be able to spend that, normally. The cost of credit card fees was worth the very high miles bonus, so we are okay paying the fees in this scenario.

Pay a medical bill

As for recurring medical bills, a doctor visit or a prescription to fill is usually a great way to hit your minimum spend for your credit card sign-up bonus.

If you are in a situation in which you don’t have any of these, ask your close family if you would be able to pay for them, and they can pay you back. (Becca did this once with an expensive dental appointment.)

Pay off a loan

If you have any student loans, car loans or other loans that you are paying off, consider paying them with your credit card.

But please, make sure that you pay off your credit card balance in full and that you don’t accrue more debt by using this method. Seriously, the bonus isn’t worth the debt!

Ask family if they have large expenses coming up

Talk with your family and ask if they are about to spend a big sum of money on something. Maybe you know someone who needs a new fridge. Or maybe (if you’re really lucky) someone is remodeling a room in their house or apartment.

You can pay for the item or service on your new credit card and this family member can pay you back. Be very careful and make sure that you trust this person and that they understand why this is a favor for you.

If it’s the holiday season, consider buying all of your gifts using your credit card, and opening it a few months before to make sure you have the physical card in time.

Don’t spend more than you were already going to, though! That would not be the point of this hack.

Donate to charity

Donating to charity is always a great way to support a cause. Almost every charity can accept credit card payments, and it’s an excellent way to push you over the final edge to your minimum spend.

If you’re looking for a unique charity, check out Charity Navigator and the charity ratings. Generally, 3 stars and up are ratings for good charities to support!

Also know that when you donate to a charity, they usually need to pay for the credit card processing fee. And, it’s typically 3%! Your $97 charitable gift is usually closer to $100 in total, with the offset of credit card processing fees.

Upgrade your tech

I upgraded my laptop and used a new credit card to hit my minimum spend. It was a perfect use case because I was able to hit my limit instantly.

I knew that I needed to buy the laptop and I shopped around for a card that had a good bonus to use on the purchase.

What is credit card churning?

Travel hacking and credit card churning are like peanut butter and jelly. It’s a sweet deal, but sometimes you get into a sticky situation.

Jokes aside, they really do go together nicely.

Credit card churning is when you cancel a credit card and then re-apply after two years or so, to get the bonus offer (like 50,000 miles), again. There’s a lot more to it, regarding how it impacts your credit score and other rules with certain banks.

Does opening too many credit cards hurt my credit score?

This is a common question that I hear after talking to people about travel hacking. Because a big part of travel hacking is opening and closing credit cards, your credit score is a concern.

Opening a credit card

From what I’ve seen on my own, opening a credit card will temporarily “ding” your credit score after a hard pull on your credit report.

After a few months, the score will return back to normal.

Having more credit cards actually improves your credit score. Because you have a higher credit line, you will be lowering your utilization ratio, which is a positive thing.

If you are still concerned, check out Investopedia’s take on having several credit cards.

Closing a credit card

Churning your credit cards is when you close your account after receiving the sign-up bonus. You wait a certain amount of time (usually two years), and then apply again, and receive the bonus just like the last time.

Closing credit card accounts (then reopening them) is usually bad for a few reasons. You’ll be increasing your credit utilization ratio, your credit is hard-pulled when you apply for a new card and your credit history might be shortened (depending on the card you’re closing).

If you already have a strong credit score with plenty of old credit cards, this strategy shouldn’t do any long-term harm.

If you are in the market for applying for loans, like a mortgage, I would stay away from this strategy in that term, to keep your score as high as possible.

Understand the features of a credit card

When shopping for credit cards that pay out in great bonuses for travel hacking, there are a few considerations to look for in the features category.

The annual fee is the feature that you’ll be the most surprised by every year. Or, at least it’s always surprising to me when I need to pay it. It’s also the catalyst for my choosing to close a card. If I don’t want to pay the fee, I say goodbye to that card!

The annual fee is the end of the bargain that the credit card company gets. They have travel partners that pay you in credits. You pay the credit card company money every year. Most of the travel credit cards with the best sign-on bonuses also have the highest annual fees.

Usually, or at least for cards worth keeping, the annual fee is worth it when you consider the exchange for other value services.

For example, the Capital One Venture X is one of many credit cards that provides an annual subscription to Priority Pass. On its own, Priority Pass is worth anywhere between $99 and $429.

You can read about Priority Pass in our best apps for travel .

A good credit card will provide multipliers on spending categories (more on this below). The privilege to receive more points on the things on which you spend can often add up to more than the annual fee.

For example, if you spend $20,000 per year and receive an average of 1.5x points on your money, you’ll have 30,000 points. This would generally be worth $300 in travel rewards. If this is worth more than your annual fee, then the card pays for itself.

Foreign transaction fee

Having a card with no foreign transaction fee is absolutely critical for you if you travel internationally. Some cards will charge 2 or 3 percent of each transaction that you spend internationally.

This means that if you’re traveling to Portugal and put a $500 hotel on your credit card, you might pay up to $15 extra on fees.

If you travel a few times per year or spend a lot on one international vacation, the fees can really start to add up. Remember that avoiding fees can help you save more money while traveling .

Becca got the Chase Freedom credit card last year and thought that it had no transaction fees just like the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Chase Sapphire Reserve. She was wrong, and in her first few days of traveling in Guatemala , she noticed that she was being charged 3% of every restaurant bill put on this card. Be a savvy traveler and take note of the card’s terms!

The APY is the interest that you’ll pay if you carry a balance. I personally never consider the APY when applying for a credit card because I make sure to always pay off the balance in full.

This is a good habit for anyone who likes staying organized, and avoiding debt! Always put the card on auto-pay.

I wouldn’t recommend ever spending more than you can afford, as a guideline.

Point multipliers

The point multipliers are the credit card company’s way of incentivizing you to spend in various categories. You’ll often see a 5x multiplier for categories like gas and grocery. It’s common to see a 2 or 3x multiplier for travel.

These point multipliers help accelerate your goals. If you spend a lot in one category, like dining, or gas, this can help you make a decision for a specific type of credit card to go with.

Other credit card benefits

There are so many more benefits that credit card companies can offer. I think that Global Entry fee reimbursements are great incentives if you don’t have Global Entry or TSA PreCheck already.

Other airline-specific credit cards can give really high point multipliers when buying flights on their cards. With JetBlue, you can get all the way up to 15x points per $1 when booking JetBlue flights using their card. It’s more typical to see 3x and 6x, though.

Other credit cards offer benefits with Lyft, DoorDash and other airline lounges . I encourage you to shop around and see which benefits exist and which would be beneficial for you.

Can you do travel hacking without a credit card?

Yes, you can do travel hacking without a travel credit card. “Travel hacking” in its true sense means paying less for travel or hacking some sort of system so that you’re getting a better deal. To get a better deal on anything, you need some tips!

Use debit or a prepaid card to buy a flight

A few ways to travel hack without a credit card might be to buy a flight with a debit card or prepaid gift card, and still get those miles to your account. You don’t need a credit card to do this. Just make sure you’re signed up for frequent flyer programs with each airline.

Try basic economy

Flying basic economy is like a way to get a flight somewhere by paying less than the standard cost of a flight. With basic economy, you’ll be giving up a few frills you’d normally find in standard economy class, but you will get to your destination and that is what matters.

Get Global Entry and TSA PreCheck

Want to hack your time in the airport when going through security or coming back to the US from abroad? Never wait in long lines again by applying for Global Entry , which is good for five years for US citizens.

How can I learn more about travel hacking?

To learn more about travel hacking, check out our guides to things like how to make your vacations longer by working remotely while traveling and learning more about websites and apps that can help you travel better .

To learn some hacks we’ve used, check out some features like this podcast we were on and this epic guide of ways to save money while traveling .

We hope you think travel hacking is as much fun as we do!

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​Britons can fly across the world for 'ridiculously' low prices with a clever Google hack

A travel enthusiast shared advice for cheap flights

By Sarra Gray

Published: 16/10/2023

Updated: 16/10/2023

A travel hack could help Britons find the cheapest place to go when booking a holiay

Don't miss, guardiola 'feared being sacked by man city' and 'nearly left after one year', have your say - are harry and meghan hypocritical to travel to colombia and not the uk comment now, millions of britons at risk of 'nasty' parking scams as drivers face 'hefty fine from the council', 'i'll stop going' britons hit back as portugal increases tourist tax, britons warned of 'highly dangerous' threat in europe holiday destination, street cleaner denied holiday by employers finally gets dream trip after 'winning competition', trending on gb news, harry and meghan rush to downplay split as 'mutual agreement'.

Holidays can be pricey so finding ways to cut the costs are always welcome.

A travel enthusiast has shared tips to make sure holidaymakers visit the cheapest location.

It is the perfect hack for those who are not sure where they want to travel to.

The social media user urged Britons to go to Google and type in 'Google flights'.

GB News found cheap return flights across Europe

This will bring up a portal to search for flights.

Rather than typing in a destination, simply select 'anywhere'.

This will bring up a map with how much it will cost to fly to destinations across the world.

Britons will be able to see what the cheapest deals are and find "ridiculous" bargains, according to TikTok user @aroundtheatlas.

​ Prices will vary depending on the starting destination and dates and times of flights.

GB News found return flights from London to Venice or Barcelona for £30, return flights to Prague for £40 and Paris for £50.

This could make an affordable trip for anyone looking for a last minute European getaway.

Getting a good deal is essential for many holidaymakers, so experts have shared how to avoid being caught out if travelling by cruise.

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Cheap flights can help holidaymakers decide where to go

Britons have been warned to "think carefully" before booking a luxury cruise .

There are lots of options when booking cruises which should be considered depending on the needs of the holidaymaker.

There are some additional costs on board, such as extra charges for excursions and alcoholic drinks.

This comes amid a cruise price hike warning as Britons could be paying more than they did a year ago .

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McDonald's debuts Happy Meals for adults, complete with collector cups. How to get yours.

Collectors cups that come with the meals include designs that are a throwback to products that were popular in the 1990s and early 2000s, like jurassic park, shrek, beanie babies and hot wheels..

For many Americans, McDonald's Happy Meals used to be an event. Sure, there was the food but there were also toys like the Hamburglar and nuggets dressed like cowboys.

You never knew what you were going to get and scoring a new toy became an event.

McDonald's is trying to tap into that energy with a grown-up version of the Happy Meal, which officially launched on Tuesday. Called Collector's Meals, the new menu item is a combo meal that comes with six unique cups.

The fast food chain wants customers to create new memories inspired by the designs on the collectible cups, challenging them to chase the “undeniable thrill” of finding an elusive design or completing a collection, company executive Morgan Flatley said in a news release. 

“We’re bringing back some of our most-loved keepsakes with a twist, giving fans a memory that they can hold in their hand,” Flatley said. “These new collectible cups commemorate some of our most unforgettable designs and global collaborations over the years, allowing longtime fans to relive treasured moments and helping a new generation make their own lasting memories.”  

Here's what to know about the new cups, their designs and how to get them.

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When will McDonald’s Collector’s Meals be available? 

McDonald’s Collector’s Meals and the six collectible cups became available at participating U.S. locations on Tuesday, Aug. 13. They're available online, in stores and at the drive-thru. 

Haven't you heard? Sign up for USA TODAY's Everyone's Talking newsletter for all the internet buzz.

What does McDonald’s Collector’s Meal come with? 

If you happen to go to McDonald's during breakfast hours, then you get your Collector’s Meal with a sausage and egg sandwich, hash brown and a hot coffee.

A Collector’s Meal ordered during lunch gives you some more options, with customers being able to choose from a 10-piece nugget or Big Mac, along with fries and a drink. 

The Collector’s Meal is set to be available all day, which means that “you can add to your collection whenever the mood strikes,” McDonald’s said. 

What kind of cups come with the McDonald’s Collector’s Meal? 

The designs picked to adorn the fast-food chain’s new line of collectible cups are a blast from the past, a nod to a time when childhood toys and McDonald’s for dinner were some of life’s simple joys. 

The cups were designed to highlight classic keepsakes, which were at “the heart of fans’ McDonald’s experiences,” like the 1998 Cowpoke McNugget Buddy or 1993 McDonald’s Dragster. 

“Did you miss out on the Hello Kitty Crew Keychain in 2000?" McDonald's writes in the news release. "Well, now is your chance – this time, presented on the new Hello Kitty collectible cup."

The cup designs include: 

• McDonald’s 
• Hello Kitty & Peanuts 
• Beanie Babies 
• Barbie & Hot Wheels
• Shrek, Jurassic Park & Minions 

Cups are collected with every purchase of a McDonalds’ Collector’s Meal. 

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Google says it observed Iran trying to hack the Trump and Biden-Harris campaigns

Google said in a research report Wednesday that it detected efforts by Iranian hackers to target both the Trump and the Biden-Harris campaigns in May and June, part of a larger email phishing operation that still persists.

Google’s announcement adds credence to the Trump campaign’s claim Saturday that it had been hacked as part of an Iranian campaign to interfere with the election.

In its report, Google’s Threat Analysis Group, which tracks government-backed cyberattacks, said it had disrupted a “small but steady” phishing operation from a hacking unit tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

In May and June, “targets included the personal email accounts of roughly a dozen individuals affiliated with President Biden and with former President Trump, including current and former officials in the U.S. government and individuals associated with the respective campaigns,” Google said in its report. The company blocked “numerous” attempts to log in to the targets’ personal email addresses, it said.

Google said the hacking operation accessed the Gmail account of at least one high-profile political consultant in July. The company said it went on to secure the account and referred the matter to law enforcement. The company didn’t disclose the identity of the consultant or whether the consultant was involved with either campaign.

Like many elite government-affiliated hacking groups, the Revolutionary Guard hackers are known for their dogged persistence. Google said it “continues to observe” unsuccessful attempts to break into accounts affiliated with Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Trump.

The attempted hacks, part of a larger campaign to hack U.S. and Israeli targets, have used Google products like Sites, Drive and Gmail, Google said.

Reports of a credible hacking threat to U.S. presidential campaigns began last week, when Microsoft said hackers affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard had broken into the email account of a former senior adviser to a presidential campaign. Microsoft didn’t provide more details about who was hacked.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Mission to the United Nations didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment. Iranian state news previously reported that a representative for the mission had denied Iranian involvement in hacking Trump’s campaign.

Over the weekend, three U.S. news outlets — Politico, The Washington Post and The New York Times — said they had received emails including what appeared to be Trump campaign files in what appeared to be a “hack-and-leak” operation to embarrass Trump. The FBI said Monday it was investigating efforts to hack both the Trump and the Biden-Harris campaigns but didn’t provide further details.

Only the Trump campaign has claimed to have been hacked . The initial round of phishing emails this spring happened before Biden dropped out of the race and Harris became the Democrats’ nominee. A Harris official told NBC News the campaign was unaware of any security breach.

No major cybersecurity company or government agency has so far explicitly said that Iran successfully hacked the Trump campaign. Microsoft has declined to comment further on its report. A Microsoft spokesperson told NBC News its policy is to refrain from publicly disclosing details about a hacking victim unless that victim clearly asks it to.

The series of events comes after a U.S. intelligence official from the Foreign Malign Influence Center, one of the few arms of the U.S. government devoted to countering foreign propaganda campaigns, warned that Iran was likely to continue efforts to denigrate Trump.

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com

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Why are Harry and Meghan doing a tour of Colombia?

• Harry and Meghan
• Thursday 15 August 2024 at 5:23pm

Royal Editor

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are embarking on their second high profile international "tour" after arriving in the capital of Colombia .

Harry and Meghan have been invited to the South American nation by the country’s vice president, and the couple will visit Bogotá as well as cities on Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coasts.

They will make the visit despite warnings from the government of Harry’s home country, the UK, that tourists should “avoid all but essential travel” to many regions.

Meghan’s government, in the form of the State Department, categorises Colombia as a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” country due to “crime and terrorism” and warns US citizens to “exercise increased caution due to civil unrest and kidnapping."

The border region with Venezuela is listed as a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” area.

In one increasingly popular tourist destination, Medellin, which was home to the famous drug lord Pablo Escobar, there has been one tourist death per week in 2024, according to recent reporting by the Spanish newspaper, El Pais.

Both the Duke and Duchess have made the trip, even though Harry told ITV recently that he didn’t consider the UK a safe place to being his wife, blaming years of tabloid newspaper phone hacking and vitriol.

The exact purpose of the visit is not clear, but the couple accepted an invitation from Vice President Francia Márquez, who is the first Afro-Colombian woman to hold that post and leads on equality issues and female empowerment.

It means there will be a natural meeting of minds between Márquez and Meghan.

The Duke and Duchess’ office says the visit will be centred around “meaningful cultural engagements rooted in the history of the country”.

But they are not going as part of an official British or American government trip, they no longer travel on behalf of the Royal Family and neither Harry nor Meghan has any Colombian heritage.

In Bogotá, Cartagena and Cali, Vice President Márquez said the Sussexes will visit three “vibrant locations” and they “will have the exceptional opportunity to engage with leaders, youth and women who embody the aspirations of voices of Colombians committed to progress".

But Márquez has been accused of inviting the high-profile couple to her country to divert attention from recent controversies surrounding President Gustavo Francisco and his administration.

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The president is facing a probe into the claims his re-election campaign was financed illegally, and his son is facing an investigation into corruption allegations. They both deny claims of wrongdoing.

Nearly a third of Colombia’s population of 50 million people live below the poverty line but income from tourism is growing rapidly.

The government will seize the opportunities from a visit by the former royals – and all the media attention they generate – in its ambition to overturn Colombia’s decades-long reputation for violent drug gangs and kidnappings.

Local media reports the Sussexes will travel to the village of San Basilio de Palenque, one of the last remaining habitations formed by escaped West African slaves in the 16th century.

It is now a cultural village which celebrates its unique blend of African traditions and indigenous customs.

Spanish settlers first arrived in 1499 and Colombia was a colony of Spain until its independence was gained in 1819.

Harry and Meghan also plan a school visit in the capital city, to further their recent campaigning on digital safety for young people who are too often exposed to incidents of cyber-bullying and online exploitation.

Harry’s Invictus Games for wounded and sick military personnel will also be part of the trip, when the couple meet some Colombian competitors.

The Sussexes’ most senior aide who would have completed a lot of the organising of the trip left his job earlier this week after both sides concluded he wasn’t the right fit.

A number of senior members of staff have left their roles working for Harry and Meghan both during their times in the Royal Household and since they re-settled in California and set up their Archewell Foundation.

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