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This page may include: credit card ads that we may be paid for (“advertiser listing”); and general information about credit card products (“editorial content”). Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Apply Now” button or “Learn More” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. When you click on that hyperlink or button, you may be directed to the credit card issuer’s website where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer. Each advertiser is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its ad offer details, but we attempt to verify those offer details. We have partnerships with advertisers such as Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Discover. We also include editorial content to educate consumers about financial products and services. Some of that content may also contain ads, including links to advertisers’ sites, and we may be paid on those ads or links.
We are an independent publisher. Our reporters create honest, accurate, and objective content to help you make decisions. To support our work, we are paid for providing advertising services. Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Next” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. The compensation we receive and other factors, such as your location, may impact what ads and links appear on our site, and how, where, and in what order ads and links appear. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, our site does not include information about every product or service that may be available to you. We strive to keep our information accurate and up-to-date, but some information may not be current. So, your actual offer terms from an advertiser may be different than the offer terms on this site. And the advertised offers may be subject to additional terms and conditions of the advertiser. All information is presented without any warranty or guarantee to you.
This page may include: credit card ads that we may be paid for (“advertiser listing”); and general information about credit card products (“editorial content”). Many, but not all, of the offers and clickable hyperlinks (such as a “Apply Now” button or “Learn More” button) that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. When you click on that hyperlink or button, you may be directed to the credit card issuer’s website where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer. Each advertiser is responsible for the accuracy and availability of its ad offer details, but we attempt to verify those offer details. We have partnerships with advertisers such as Brex, Capital One, Chase, Citi, Wells Fargo and Discover. We also include editorial content to educate consumers about financial products and services. Some of that content may also contain ads, including links to advertisers’ sites, and we may be paid on those ads or links.
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Update: One or more card offers in this post are no longer available. Check our Hot Deals for the latest offers.Update: Beginning July 23, 2017, the Citi Prestige 4th night free perk will refund the average cost of a 4-night stay, NOT including taxes. And Citi ThankYou points with the Citi Prestige card will be worth 1.25 cents each toward flights.
To get really Big Travel with Small Money, it’s wise to invest some time and effort learning award booking tricks. It takes practice!
But there are some deals that are so easy to earn and book, even folks who arenew to miles & points can get traveling right away! You Can Jump Right in to Big Travel With Awards That Are Easy to Book – No Experience Required!
I’ll share my favorite no-brainer awards and deals that can get you on the road to Big Travel in no time!
Southwest award tickets are easy to book. Their frequent flyer program is revenue-based, which means the number of points required for an award flight depends on the cash price of the ticket.
Booking Southwest Award Tickets Is Simple! And an Even Better Deal If You Earn the Southwest Companion Pass!
And there are no blackout dates! As long as there’s a paid seat available, you can book it with Southwest points.
Keep in mind, you’ll pay fewer points if seats are on sale. And more if the ticket you want is very expensive (for example, if you’re booking last-minute).
And folks who’ve earned the Southwest Companion Pass get an especially good deal. With the Companion Pass, a friend or family member flies with you for almost free on both paid and award tickets!
Use Your Southwest Points to Fly Within the US or to International Destinations Like Mexico, the Bahamas, or Costa Rica
And if you’ve had a Hyatt stay since May 1, 2015, there’s an even better offer which also comes with a $50 statement credit after your 1st purchase.
Use Your Hyatt Free Nights for a Stay at the Luxury Park Hyatt Sydney, Which Normally Costs $750+ per Night! I Had a Wonderful Experience Here With My Mom for Her 60th Birthday!There’s no worrying about an award chart with this deal, because all Hyatt hotels are eligible for the free nights. And each year on your card anniversary, you’ll get another free night in a category 1 to 4 Hyatt hotel!
You Could Use Your Citi Prestige Perks as Soon as You Get Your Card Towards a Tropical Getaway!
Using these perks is simple. To get the 4th night free on a paid stay, just call the Citi Prestige concierge to book your room. I’ve found the prices to be similar to what other sites charge.
To earn the airfare credit, use your Citi Prestige card to book a paid flight directly from the airline.
And because you’re booking paid rooms and tickets, there are no blackout dates. Plus, you’ll earn miles and points for your stay or flight.
You’ll earn 2 weekend (Friday, Saturday, or Sunday) night certificates after you spend $2,500 in the 1st 4 months of opening your Citi Hilton HHonors Reserve account.
This is a terrific deal because you can use your certificates at almost any Hilton. Even their most expensive luxury resorts!
So you don’t have to worry about calculating the number of Hilton points required for your stay.
Make the Most of Your Hilton Weekend Night Certificates by Using Them for Stays at Top-Tier Resorts, Like the Grand Wailea in Maui
Plus, the card gets you Hilton Gold Elite status, which means free breakfast at many Hilton hotels, plus possible room upgrade.
Here’s another easy way to get 2 nights at a luxury hotel. You’ll earn 2 stay certificates good at anyFairmont hotel after you complete the minimum spending on the Chase Fairmont card.
Use Your Complimentary Fairmont Hotel Nights for a Stay at the Iconic Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta, Canada
The $95 annual fee on this card is waived for the 1st year, which makes this deal even more amazing!
Note: There are blackout dates and some hotels have booking restrictions. Check this page for all the exclusions.
You’ll earn the certificates once you spend $3,000 on purchases in the 1st 3 months of opening your account. And they’re valid for 1 year from the date of issue.
This card is an easy way to earn very Big Travel quickly!
Don’t be turned off by the $395 annual fee on the Chase Ritz-Carlton card. After you spend $4,000 on purchases in the 1st 3 months of opening your account, you’ll earn 2 complimentary nights at a tier 1 to 4 Ritz-Carlton hotel.
And those nights could be worth hundreds of dollars more than the annual fee!
Rooms at the Tier 4 Ritz-Carlton New York, Battery Park Often Cost ~$450+ per Night!
Note: The certificates are good for 6 months from the date of issue, not a year like other cards.
Keep in mind, you can almost make up for the annual fee because this card comes with a $300 annual travel credit. You can use it for airline lounge day passes, a yearly lounge membership, airline seat upgrades, baggage fees, in-flight internet & entertainment, in-flight meals, and Global Entry fees.
However, you can NOT claim the credit for airfare purchases.
Pick a Destination and Use Your US Bank FlexPerks Points Towards a Paid Flight With 150+ Airlines
It makes the most sense to book a ticket as close to $400 (but not above) as possible. That’s because you’ll pay 20,000 US Bank FlexPerks points whether your ticket costs $99 or $399!
This is a terrific use of points if you want the most flexibility. And remember, you’ll earn miles and points for your flights and stays, without blackout dates!
Not all Big Travel with Small Money can be booked with miles & points. For example, some folks prefer non-chain hotels, campgrounds, or booking stays with Airbnb.
Others may prefer taking the bus or train instead of flying, or enjoy cruises instead of staying in 1 spot.
With the Barclaycard Arrival Plus, you’ll earns miles which you can redeem for statement credits toward $100+ travel purchases, including:
Airlines
Hotels, motels, timeshares, & campgrounds
Car rental agencies
Cruise lines
Travel agencies & discount travel sites
Trains, buses, taxis, limousines, and ferries
Use Barclaycard Arrival Plus Miles for Statement Credits for a Wide Variety of $100+ Travel Purchases, Including Cruises!
You’ll earn 40,000Barclaycard Arrival miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the 1st 90 days of opening your Barclaycard Arrival Plus account. That’s worth $400 in travel statement credits.
Plus, you’ll get 5% of your miles back when you redeem them for travel.
Editorial Note: We're the Million Mile Secrets team. And we're proud of our content, opinions and analysis, and of our reader's comments. These haven’t been reviewed, approved or endorsed by any of the airlines, hotels, or credit card issuers which we often write about. And that’s just how we like it! :)
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