Posts by Ryan Kangail

Million Mile Secrets Feature: How I Learned to Travel for Free

By Ryan Kangail | October 18, 2018

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This weekend our Miles and Points Success story was featured on Million Mile Secrets! I’ve always been a big fan of Million Mile Secrets. They were one of the first travel blogs I started reading. They helped me learn how to travel with points. Before being featured, I answered all of their Interview Series questions with the hopes of getting it featured on their website. Unfortunately, it turns out they’re not currently featuring those interviews. Instead of wasting all my answers, I figured I’ll share them here on Travel Freedom! So, here are my answers to the interview series questions from Million Mile Secrets travel blog.

How and when did you start collecting miles and points?

-Million Mile Secrets

It all started with a root canal. When I saw the jaw-dropping price of my dreaded root canal in 2012, I quickly started looking for a way to make some of that money back. While searching the internet for credit cards that offered cash signup bonuses, I came across a travel blog that caught my interest. It was the one and only Million Mile Secrets and it’s intriguing author Daraius, who explained to me, how I could get much more value by earning travel points instead of cash.

I had never done as much traveling as I’d wanted to do, simply because it was so extremely expensive, and I didn’t make much money following college. I jumped at the opportunity and applied for the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, and I’ve never looked back! I’m now twenty-six credit card approvals deep, have earned nearly 2 MILLION miles, and have saved tens of thousands of dollars. That’s not even the best part of it! I’ve had the chance to experience places and activities that otherwise, I would not have been able to experience. The world of miles and points has changed my life!

Why did you start your blog? What’s special about it?

-Million Mile Secrets

There are a lot of misconceptions when it comes to traveling using points, and more specifically points earned through travel credit cards. Most people’s first thought when they’re introduced to traveling for nearly free, using points and miles, is “What’s the catch?”. I help people who are similar to myself, who deserve to travel, get past these common misconceptions. My goal is to teach as many people as possible how to enjoy the perks of travel, without spending much money at all.

The Travel Freedom blog is just the beginning of the story… Travel Freedom is a work in progress to become a larger travel company. It will eventually include travel courses focused on traveling with points, a mobile forum for talking travel with other like-minded travelers, and we will be a travel products manufacturer. Obviously, not all of these Travel Freedom features have rolled out yet, but they are in the planning stages. We just launched the beta version of our course titled “Travel Using Points (instead of dollars)” and it’s currently available absolutely free of charge.

Ryan, stand up paddle (SUP) boarding along the Maui coast

Starting a travel business is a mix of both worlds that peak my interest. Both, entrepreneurship and traveling with points, have been in my heart for the past few years. I continually learn and grow within each of these topics, so it only makes sense for me to take a shot at joining the two in an attempt to build an everlasting business.

What’s the one single thing people can do to get more miles?

-Million Mile Secrets

Spend more money! No, just kidding… That’s a bad idea unless you can really afford it. The one single thing that will ALWAYS bring in the most miles, is applying for new credit cards. Always be earning an introductory offer. If you aren’t currently busy meeting the minimum spending limit for a new credit card, you’re probably not doing it right.

Just think of it this way: on your next $3000 of purchases, you can earn 3,000 miles (1x miles per $) on a card you already have, or alternatively you can earn 53,000 miles (~17x miles per $) or more if you’re earning an introductory offer! I’ll take the signup bonus, please!

We love to hike, especially when there’s water to jump into at the end!

What’s your most memorable travel experience?

-Million Mile Secrets

I’ve been fortunate enough to visit all of the main Hawaiian islands (some multiple times) thanks to miles and points. Each time I’ve visited, it’s cost me only about $11 per person due to a little trick. I’m sure some of you know about it. Using British Airways miles to book direct flights on their partner, Alaska Airlines, from the west coast to Hawaii. It only takes 25k miles plus the taxes and fees which currently comes out to $11.20 for a round trip!

British Airways is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards, which means that there are multiple credit card offers that will give you two or more round-trip flights to Hawaii. This is actually the most common thing for friends to ask for help with, and I’m happy to help them. Everyone needs a little (or a lot) of Aloha in their life!

Some of the Credit Cards That Earn or Transfer to British Airways

British Airways Visa Signature
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card
Ink Business Preferred Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve Card
American Express Gold: Learn more >
The Platinum Card from American Express: Learn more >

Lake Tahoe is one of our favorites.

As great as Hawaii is, it’s actually not my most memorable travel experience. My absolute best travel experience that is insurmountable, was flying to Virginia to meet my now wife, for the first time. We met through mutual friends, and had been talking 24/7, but lived a whole country apart. I was falling for her, so decided to put my points to use and go meet her in person.

We continued to hit it off and the rest is history! We drove her belongings across the country to begin living together in Oregon and got married a year later. It was by far the best value per point I have ever, and will ever get through traveling with points! (PS: It was also my first flight ever in first class – that’s all that was available)

What Do Your Family and Friends Think of Your Miles & Points Hobby?

-Million Mile Secrets

Friends and family are usually very intrigued, but also somewhat skeptical. It often comes down to misconceptions about credit that they have. I find it unreal what percentage of people have absolutely no clue how their credit score really works. Every time I tell someone I’ve had 30 different credit cards in 6 years and had my credit score climb, they seem stunned. The ones who can see past their credit misconceptions, and see how often my wife and I travel, want to get started earning miles and points for themselves!

I find that most people don’t really want to put in the effort to learn how to use points for travel for themselves. This is why I’m building a video course to make learning as easy as possible. My friends who decide to jump in seem to have great success. For instance, my sister-in-law decided to use credit card points for her Hawaii honeymoon.

Sean and Amber on their two-island Hawaiian honeymoon! Congrats!

With a little guidance, she decided to get the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card. She put all of her wedding expenses on it. Within a month, she earned enough points to book their flights to Maui and Kauai, saving nearly $1,500 (that’s a lot of extra Mai-Tai’s they can afford now)! It’s definitely rewarding to see others find the power of points and knowing that I had a part in pointing them in the right direction.

Is there any tool or trick which you’ve found especially useful in this hobby?

-Million Mile Secrets

Oh yeah! The power of the partner! I mean that in two ways, and I’ll explain each…

First off, using airline partners for booking can save tons of miles, and I’m all about efficient use of miles and points. For instance, the partnership between British Airways and Alaska Airlines allows me to regularly fly from the west coast to Hawaii for only 25k miles! I also plan on using a similar partnership to fly from the East coast to Ireland for the same amount of miles.

Second, having a points travel partner can pay off big time. Whether that’s a friend, a family member, or a spouse, it can help you both travel easier. If you have two people working together, that means you have twice as many signup bonuses available to you. Where I’ve found this to be insanely profitable, is with the Southwest Companion Pass. If you haven’t heard of it, you need to study up. It gives you a free companion on EVERY flight for the year you earn it, AND the following year.

Year 5 and 6 of Having a Southwest Companion Pass! B1G1 FREE FLIGHTS!!!

So, say you earn it in February of 2018… That means you have buy-one-get-one-free flights using either money or miles for a whopping 23 months! Oh, and the Southwest Companion Pass can be earned as easily as signing up for two credit cards… I’m not sure how this deal still exists, but it does! My wife and I trade off earning it every two years so that we almost always have one between the two of us.

What was the least expected way you’ve earned miles or points?

-Million Mile Secrets

When I first began my journey in the world of traveling with points and miles, I would sign up for every single travel blog giveaway I saw. Surprisingly, I ended up winning the grand prize of a contest on Facebook that gave me 100,000 SPG points! I couldn’t believe it when they emailed me to tell me that I won. I figured it must be some sort of scam, but followed through, and I really did win. Those points went on to give me thousands of dollars worth of travel both through their hotels and their airline transfer partners.

We cheered our Ducks on at the PAC-12 Men’s Basketball Championship in Las Vegas

That actually wasn’t the only giveaway that I won. Within a year I won somewhere between 5-10 giveaways from different travel bloggers. I even won two separate giveaways run by Million Mile Secrets! If I remember correctly, one was a pack of Italian products from one of their vacations, and the other was a Swiss Army digital bag tag and travel garment sleeve! So thanks again, for all those giveaways, millionmilesecrets!

Remember, there has to be a winner, so why shouldn’t it be you?!? These events helped give me the mindset “you won’t get it if you don’t ask for it”. I’ve found that it never hurts to ask for an upgrade or a discount. Whatever you ask for, may possibly be given to you!

What do you now know about collecting miles and points which you wish you knew when you started out?

-Million Mile Secrets

Have a Plan! When I started out, I jumped in without much of a plan at all. I wanted to earn as many points as possible but didn’t know what in the world I was going to spend them on. If I were to go back, I would make tentative travel plans and then work backward to get whatever credit card works best for that specific vacation. I’ve found that miles and points are always changing, so it’s best not to hold onto them for long periods of time. They may become devalued while you hold them, or a better offer for those same points may arise.

What would your readers be surprised to know about you?

-Million Mile Secrets

I have an avid interest in bitcoin and cryptocurrencies. I’ve been involved in the space by learning and collecting crypto since 2013 when a friend informed me about it. Since then, I’ve had a wild ride of ups and downs with my crypto investments and ventures. Now, if I could just figure out a way to combine travel and bitcoin to create a new business!!! Let me know if you have any ideas…

I also love playing sports, but I’m getting to the age where my body doesn’t like staying in one piece when I play. My favorite sports are basketball, football and more recently soccer (thanks to Allison who played in college). Golfing is also a lot of fun and my body has an easier time keeping up with it.

Any parting words?

-Million Mile Secrets

If you are someone who is interested in travel and has a good credit score, take advantage of traveling with points! SERIOUSLY!!! With the high prices of travel, and the willingness of banks to hand over free points, you might as well be getting something out of your good credit! There is basically an unlimited amount of points and miles out there for the taking. It might as well be you that takes them!

Earning points through travel credit cards has changed my life in ways I would have never expected. From flying to Hawaii by myself for a few days “just because”, to flying across the country to meet who would end up being my future wife, in first class. These are things I never would have imagined doing just ten years ago because I literally wouldn’t have been able to afford them. If you have an itch for travel, go ahead, jump right in. I’ll take a wild guess that you won’t look back!

If you’re interested in traveling like us, check out our Best Travel Credit Card post. It will explain which travel credit card is the best to get first, and why.

Posted in Traveler Interviews

Chase Freedom Calendar: How to Multiply Your Ultimate Rewards

By Ryan Kangail | October 17, 2018

Are you looking for the current Chase Freedom Calendar? We have the current Chase Freedom rewards calendar as well as all the old calendars dating back to 2013. The Chase Freedom is a great credit card for earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points on purchases. It earns 5X points on quarterly rotating category bonuses. Over the years these bonuses have ranged from grocery stores to gas stations. From movie theaters to Amazon. And, from restaurants to warehouse stores.

Not only does the Chase Freedom credit card have great category bonuses, but it also has no annual fee. Remember to activate your card each quarter. You’ll be reminded through email so it shouldn’t be too hard to remember. Here is the current Chase Freedom cash back calendar: (Remember to activate each quarter)

Chase Freedom Calendar 2018

The Chase Freedom calendar shows us many popular quarterly category bonuses. It should be possible to maximize the bonuses each quarter. I’ve marked categories that sell gift cards to other stores (*):

Gas Stations*, Internet/Cable/Phone Services, Chase Pay/Google Pay/Apple Pay/Samsung Pay
Grocery Stores* (not including Walmart & Target), Paypal, Chase Pay
Gas Stations*, Lyft, Walgreens*
Department Stores*, Wholesale Clubs*, Chase Pay

Did You Know: You Can Multiply the Value of Your Ultimate Rewards?

Not everyone knows about it, but there’s a secret trick that can double the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards. Chase Ultimate Rewards are worth just 1 cent each when redeemed using the Chase Freedom card. Even though Chase doesn’t announce it, your Ultimate Rewards points are transferable between different Chase card accounts. They’re even transferable between different peoples’ accounts (household members). This is important because, with some of the premium Chase credit cards, it’s possible to redeem points at a higher value.

Double Your Ultimate Rewards Value

If you redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards through the travel portal. Only certain Chase credit cards have access to the travel portal though. The Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Ink Preferred offers 1.25 cents per points (25% more value) while the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a whopping 1.5 cents per point (50% more value) by redeeming points through the travel portal!

Credit Cards with Chase Travel Portal Bonuses:

Chase Sapphire Preferred – 1.25 cents per point through the travel portal (50,000 Point Introductory Offer)
Ink Business Preferred – 1.25 cents per point through the travel portal (80,000 Point Introductory Offer)
Chase Sapphire Reserve – 1.5 cents per point through the travel portal (50,000 Point Introductory Offer)

All three of these credit cards also come with the ability to use Chase’s travel transfer partners. You can transfer Ultimate Rewards to these travel partners at a 1:1 ratio. By using your points with airlines or hotels it’s possible to redeem points for well over 2 cents each. Pairing these premium Chase credit cards with your Freedom card multiplies your redemption value by double more.

Chase Sapphire Preferred

50,000 Points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $625 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards and potentially even more if transferred to travel partners.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 2 points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Travel Point Transfer Partners: 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Extra Point Value: Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived in year 1)

This is the best travel credit card to start with. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

50,000 Points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: Earn an introductory 50,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months.
Statement Credits: Receive a $300 in statement credits each year (based on your account anniversary) to cover travel expenses like airfare and hotels.
Receive a $100 Statement credit as reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 3 points per $1 spent on dining and on travel that doesn’t qualify for the $300 travel reimbursement each year and one point per $1 on everything else.
Travel Point Transfer Partners: 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Extra Point Value: Receive 50 percent more value for your points when you redeem for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Airport Lounge Access: Visit more than 1000 airport lounge locations while traveling with a Priority Pass Select membership.
Annual Fee: $450

This is the best premium luxury credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Chase Ink Business Preferred

80,000 Points after spending $5000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories (including social media advertising!) each account anniversary year. You’ll earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases, with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Other Benefits: Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can redeem points for travel, cash back, and gift cards, or transfer your points to an airline or hotel partner. You’ll get a cell phone protection plan of up to $600 when you pay your cell phone bill with the card. You’ll receive rental car loss and damage coverage if your reservation is paid with the card.
Annual Fee: $95

This business rewards card has the most valuable introductory offer of any credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Chase Freedom Calendar 2019 – Coming Soon…

One can only wonder what 2019 will bring in terms of the Chase Freedom category bonuses. I would assume that there will be at least one quarter with gas stations, one with grocery stores, and one with wholesale clubs. I would also bet that Chase Pay is on at least one quarter, if not all of them.

Past Chase Freedom 5% Calendars

If you’re interested, here’s what was offered in the past. The Chase Freedom calendar’s category bonuses have evolved over the years. For the most part, the offers have become better and better. Having the Chase Freedom in your wallet has been quite the benefit over the past few years if you were able to maximize it’s category bonuses. Each year it’s possible to earn up to 30,000 points, which is more than enough to take a round-trip flight.

Chase Freedom Calendar 2017

2017 was a good year for maximizing the bonus categories each quarter. It also introduced Walmart as a category bonus in quarter 4:

Gas Stations, Transportation
Grocery Stores, Drugstores
Restaurants, Movie Theaters
Walmart, Department Stores

Chase Freedom Calendar 2016

2016 was very similar to the previous year. It gave a decent shot at reaching the maximum bonus rewards each quarter. Wholesale clubs were very popular:

Gas Stations, Transportation
Grocery Stores, Wholesale Clubs
Restaurants, Wholesale Clubs
Department Stores, Wholesale Clubs, Drug Stores

Chase Freedom Calendar 2015

In 2015 the categories got a little bit better. There was a real chance of maximizing the category bonuses:

Grocery Stores, Movie Theaters, Starbucks
Restaurants, Bed Bath & Beyond, H&M, Overstock.com
Gas Stations, etc
Amazon.com, etc

Chase Freedom Calendar 2014

2014 was a little more useful than 2013, giving customers a better chance of maximizing their bonuses each quarter:

Gas Stations, Movie Theaters, Starbucks
Restaurants, Lowe’s
Gas Stations, Kohl’s
Amazon.com, Zappos.com, Select Department Stores

Chase Freedom Calendar 2013

2013 brought us a selection of category bonuses, but some of them were difficult to maximize.

Gas Stations, Drugstores, Starbucks
Restaurants, Movie Theaters
Gas Stations, Theme Parks, Kohl’s
Select Department Stores, Amazon.com

As you can see, having a Chase Freedom credit card can pay off. Earning 5X points on many purchases can earn you a free round-trip flight each year or more. When you bundle your Freedom card with other premier Chase credit cards, you can redeem those points for even more. The Chase Ultimate Rewards system is the best in the market. The Chase Freedom is one of the easiest ways to earn Ultimate Rewards. If you don’t have one yet, you should think about adding it to your wallet.

Posted in Travel Freedom Tips

Chase Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited: Is One Better For You?

By Ryan Kangail | October 16, 2018

The Chase Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited debate is a simple one to tackle. Both credit cards are very similar, besides one important factor. How they earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points. They even have such a similar card name that people often confuse which card is which. The Chase Freedom credit card is the original card which offers bonus categories that earn 5 points per $1 spent that rotate quarterly. The Chase Freedom Unlimited credit card is the successor which offers a consistent 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases. The debate of frequent travelers and credit card experts is over which card is better for earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Both Cards are the Same, Except for Earning Points

Everything about the two credit cards is identical besides how they earn points. We will save you from looking at a comparison chart with only one difference. We’ll focus in on the one important difference. First we’ll briefly run through what the cards have in common. Both the Chase Freedom and Freedom Unlimited have the following features:

$150 Introductory Offer (15,000 Ultimate Rewards)
$25 for adding Authorized User (2500 Ultimate Rewards)
0% Introductory APR for 15 months
No Annual Fee

You’ll Need a Good to Great Credit Score

Note that both cards have a 3% foreign transaction fee, so they aren’t the best cards to use while traveling internationally. They both also get approvals with credit scores in the range of good to great (670+). If your credit score is not at this level yet, learn about the credit cards available to those with fair credit. The one difference these two credit cards have is how points are earned.

The Chase Freedom earns 5 points per $1 spent on rotating categories, like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, department stores, phone bills, or cable bills. They also have categories such as using Chase Pay or Apple Pay on your phone. Each quarter there will typically be 3 different categories that earn the 5X bonus. These category bonuses are limited to $1500 of spending each quarter. So, the maximum amount of points earned per quarter is 7,500. All other purchases will earn 1 point per $1 spent.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited has no rotating categories, and simply earns 1.5 points on each and every purchase. It has no spending limit for its earning rate. The Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Freedom debate comes down to which of these two no-fee credit cards is best for you.

Let’s compare the Chase Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited using the scenario of a person who spends $2,000 per month.

Scenario	Quarterly Points Earned with Freedom	Quarterly Points Earned with Freedom Unlimited
1. Max Out All Quarterly Bonuses	8000	3000
2. 50% of Spend in Quarterly Bonuses	5000	3000
3. 25% of Spend in Quarterly Bonuses	3500	3000

Chase Freedom Unlimited Review: Better for Simplification

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is great for people who don’t want to worry about where and when they spend their money, but still want an elevated rate of earning points. By earning 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, you can simply use the card and earn the same amount of points on everything. Never worry about going to a certain store or gas station, or activating any category bonuses. This card is for no-nonsense people who just want simplicity. If this is you, the Chase Freedom Unlimited would be a great addition to your wallet.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

15,000 Points after spending $500 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn a $150 Bonus (via 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Introductory APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%.
Earning Points: You’ll earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases. No worrying about category bonuses.
Free Credit Score: View your credit score, updated every week on Credit Journey.
Annual Fee: No annual fee

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Chase Freedom Review: Better for Maximizing Points

The original Chase Freedom card is better for people who are looking to maximize their points earning with every purchase. Because Chase Freedom has very good category bonuses, it’s possible to get nearly the full amount of bonus points per quarter (7500). Many of the category bonus merchants even have gift card racks. Gift cards can be bought to make purchases at the stores you regularly go to. This technique can allow you to earn 5X points on nearly everything. Personally, if we could only have one of the two cards, we would choose the Freedom because we’re willing to put in the extra effort to maximize points.

Chase Freedom

15,000 Points after spending $500 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn a $150 Bonus (via 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Introductory APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 5 points per $1 spent on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. The categories are things like grocery stores, gas stations, internet, cable, phone services, Walgreens, and even using Chase Pay. You’ll earn unlimited 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Free Credit Score: View your credit score, updated every week on Credit Journey.
Annual Fee: No annual fee

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Chase Freedom vs Freedom Unlimited: How About Both?

Why treat these cards like competitors when they can play together quite nicely? Like Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry playing together on the basketball court, these two credit cards can be champions together (NBA reference). If you pair the two credit cards, you can earn 5X points on all Chase Freedom category bonuses and 1.5X points on everything else using the Chase Freedom Unlimited. This will give you the best of both worlds and a killer point earning combination. Double the freedom has to be a good thing, right?

Transfer Points to a Premium Chase Card For More Value

Here’s a little secret that you’ll want to know if you have any Ultimate Rewards points. When Chase Ultimate Rewards are redeemed using either of the Freedom credit cards, points are worth 1 cent each. But, because Chase Ultimate Rewards points are transferable between different cards, and even between different people (only household members), point values can be multiplied. With a few of the other premium Chase credit cards, it’s possible to redeem points at a higher value.

Upgrade your Ultimate Rewards

When redeemed through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, points are worth 1.25 cents with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Ink Preferred and 1.5 cents with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. All three of these credit cards also come with the ability to use Chase’s travel transfer partners. By transferring to some of their travel partners at a 1:1 ratio, it’s possible to redeem points for well over 2 cents each. If you’re able to have one of these premium Chase credit cards to go along with your Freedom or Freedom Unlimited, it always makes sense to transfer points before redeeming.

Chase Freedom Activate Quarterly Bonuses

In order to be eligible for the Chase Freedom 5X quarterly bonus categories, you’ll need to activate your card each quarter. You’ll visit this Chase web-page and fill out your last name, last 4 digits of your card, your zip code, and press enter. That’s all. It’s very simple, and Chase will even send you reminders via email. For your category bonuses to work, you’ll need to activate your Chase Freedom by the middle of the last month in that quarter. For instance, you must activate your card by December 14th, 2018 to be eligible for the quarter 4 bonuses in 2018. With Chase’s reminders and the fact that you’ll want to know what the bonus categories are, it’s easy to remember to activate your card.

Chase Freedom Calendar: Rotating Categories

To see the current and upcoming Chase Freedom 5X bonus categories visit the Chase Freedom Calendar. You’ll also be able to activate your card on the same page.

If you’re looking to add a great credit card for earning points by spending, either the Chase Freedom Unlimited or Freedom are great additions to any wallet. They are very similar cards with that one large difference. How points are earned through spending. Pick which card fits your style best, or even better, go with both. Definitely look into the other Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards to partner with these so that you can both maximize your earning and your point redemptions. Just think, if you can earn 5X points on every $1 spent, and then redeem those points for a value of 2 cents or more, you’re essentially getting 10% or better back in value on your spending. That’s pretty impressive, compared to the typical 1% cash back earned with other cards.

Posted in Credit Card Reviews

Where Does Southwest Fly? The Ultimate Destination Guide

By Ryan Kangail | October 12, 2018

A common question I’ve heard recently is “where does Southwest fly?” It’s a good question because, in recent years, their route map has been changing drastically. Just a few years ago, they only had flights within the continental US. Through their expansion, Southwest will soon have 103 destinations that they fly to. Their destinations will include flights within the continental US, internationally to Mexico, Central America, and the Carribean, as well as to all four major Hawaiian islands.

Southwest is quickly becoming much more than a regional airline. They’ve grown substantially in the last decade and continue doing so. Not only have they been growing, but they continue to bring great service and excellent travel features to their customers. They are the home of no fees and continue to go the opposite direction of other airlines. Let’s find out the answer to your question: Where does Southwest Airlines fly? Here’s our complete list:

Where Does Southwest Fly: Listed by Region

Where Does Southwest Fly in the Western United States (21)

Seattle
Spokane
Portland, Or
Sacramento
Oakland
San Francisco
San Jose
Burbank
Ontario
Los Angeles
Long Beach
Orange County
San Diego
Boise
Salt Lake City
Denver
Reno/Tahoe
Las Vegas
Phoenix
Tucson
Albuquerque

Midwest Destinations (17)

Minneapolis
Des Moines
Omaha
Kansas City
St Louis
Wichita
Milwaukie
Chicago
Grand Rapids
Detroit
Cleveland
Columbus
Cincinnati
Indianapolis
Louisville
Tulsa
Oklahoma City

Where Does Southwest Fly in the South (24)

El Paso
Amarillo
Lubbock
Midland
Dallas
Austin
San Antonio
Houston
Corpus Christi
South Padre Island
Little Rock
Memphis
Nashville
New Orleans
Birmingham
Atlanta
Pensacola
Panama City
Jacksonville
Tampa
Orlando
Ft Myers
West Palm Beach
Ft Lauderdale

East Coast Destinations (22)

Portland, ME
Manchester
Boston
Hartford
Providence
Rochester
Buffalo
Albany
Long Island
New York City (La Guardia)
Newark
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
Baltimore
Washington DC (Dulles)
Washington DC (Reagan)
Richmond
Virginia Beach
Raleigh
Charlotte
Greensville
Charleston

Where Does Southwest Fly Internationally (15)

Cabo
Puerto Vallarta
Mexico City
Cancun
Belize City
Liberia
San Jose, CR
Aruba
San Juan
Punta Cana
Turks & Caicos
Montego Bay
Grand Cayman
Havana
Nassau

Southwest Flights to Hawaii (4)

Oahu
Maui
Kauai
Big Island (Hawaii)

Southwest Route Map

If you’re wondering “where does Southwest fly”, but need to see it visually, you can look at their route map. To see where you can fly from each Southwest location check out the Interactive Southwest Route Map.

Fly with a Free Companion on Every Southwest Flight

By earning a Southwest Airlines Companion Pass you can have a free companion on every single Southwest flight you take. The companion pass stays active for the calendar year in which you earn it as well as the following year. That means if you earn the Southwest Companion Pass in January of 2019 you will have it through December of 2020. How do you get Southwest Companion Pass? It’s actually pretty simple.

You must earn 110,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points. It sounds like a lot, but you can actually earn that many points very quickly without ever taking a flight. Amazingly, points earned through the Southwest credit cards count toward earning the companion pass. Both, signup bonuses and earning through spending on the credit cards work.

With typical credit card introductory bonuses ranging between 40-60,000 points, you can earn enough (or close to enough) points simply by being approved for two of the Southwest credit cards. One personal card and one business card (don’t worry, you probably qualify for a business card – or could easily). You can learn more about how to earn it in our detailed Southwest Companion Pass post.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual Point Bonus: Receive 3,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
Earning Bonuses: You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Bags fly free and no change fees.
Annual Fee: $69

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual Point Bonus: Receive 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
Earning Bonuses: You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Bags fly free and no change fees.
No Foreign transaction fees.
Annual Fee: $99

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual Point Bonus: Receive 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
$75 Southwest travel credit every year.
4 Upgraded boardings per year.
20% back on in-flight drinks, wi-fi, messaging, and movies.
Earning Bonuses: You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Bags fly free and no change fees.
No Foreign transaction fees.
Annual Fee: $149

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business

60,000 Points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual Point Bonus: Receive 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
Earning Bonuses: You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Bags fly free and no change fees.
No Foreign transaction fees.
Get employee cards at no additional cost and earn points on employee spending.
Annual Fee: $99

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Even if you don’t have an interest in earning the Southwest Companion Pass, these Southwest credit cards can add up to a lot of free travel. Southwest is one of the best programs for using points to fly. With 103 destinations, you better get started if you want to visit them all. Now that you know all their destinations, you’ll never have to ask “where does southwest fly” ever again.

Posted in Travel Freedom Tips

Southwest Companion Pass is The Best Travel Deal I’ve Ever Seen

By Ryan Kangail | October 12, 2018

If you haven’t heard of the Southwest Companion Pass, you’re about to be enlightened on the best travel deal in the airline industry. It is the best travel deal ever to be seen in the airline industry. If earned, a Southwest Companion Pass allows for you to fly with a complimentary companion on every flight you take for up to two years (on cash-paid or points flights). Achieving Southwest Companion Pass status is done by earning 110,000 Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards points in one calendar year.

While that may sound impossible for the regular traveler, it’s not. My wife and I have done it on three separate occasions. Earning the 110,000 Southwest points does not have to be done solely through flying. In fact, it can be achieved without flying a single flight. The points can also be earned through the Chase Rapid Rewards credit cards. This means that both the credit card introductory bonuses and the money spent on the cards will earn points towards the Southwest Companion Pass!

What is the Southwest Companion Pass?

When you earn a Southwest Companion Pass, you’re essentially getting status that grants you and your companion unlimited (BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE) flights for both the year you earn it and the following year. Yes, you heard that right. If earned in January 2019, you’d have it for all of 2019 and 2020! The free companion tickets are valid on both paid flights and reward flights. That essentially means that those 110,000 miles you just earned are now worth double. They’re worth 220,000 miles if you always take your companion along for free. The only thing to say is about this deal is WOW! It doesn’t get much better than that. If you decide to travel a lot on Southwest while you have the companion pass, you can save thousands upon thousands of dollars.

I almost forgot to mention that Southwest has grown their flight routes over the past few years. They now fly to more destinations than just the USA. They fly to Mexico, Central America, and much of the Caribbean. Also, they plan to begin flights to Hawaii in late 2018 or early 2019. I’m guessing you’re starting to understand why this is my favorite deal in the airline industry. Southwest doesn’t fly worldwide, but for people who are looking to travel within the U.S.A. and to our southern neighboring countries, it’s an amazing deal. Who doesn’t love a good deal?

Who is the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass Right For?

While Southwest doesn’t have first class, they lack a large international route map, and they don’t have seat selection, they make up for it with their excellent customer service and flexibility. All Southwest flights can be rescheduled up to ten minutes before the flight time for no fee. You can also check your bags for no fee. It’s truly an airline that tries to make their customers happy and it shows. That’s hard to say about other airlines these days.

Some people dislike Southwest’s seating procedure, but if you know how it works and you’re on top of checking in exactly 24 hours before your flight, it works out quite well. I simply set an alarm 24 hours and 5 minutes before my departure time. When my alarm goes off I open the Southwest app on my phone and check-in when the time hits. This ensures you will get in the A or B boarding group and likely ensures that you will have a seat with your flight mates. I have never missed out on getting a seat next to the person I was flying with by using this check-in procedure.

The Southwest Companion Pass is perfect for flyers who want to travel within the United States and nearby countries. Their destinations within the US are actually very good. There are few places in the country that you cannot get to by flying Southwest. The addition of Hawaii will add even more options for vacation using a Southwest Companion Pass for flights. I have been flying Southwest for six years and have nothing bad to say about them. I love flying Southwest, especially when I’m flying with my free companion beside me!

How to Get Southwest Companion Pass: The Hard Way or The Easy Way

In order to earn a Southwest Companion Pass, you have to earn 110,000 qualifying points or fly 100 qualifying one-way flights each year. While, for most people, taking 100 flights is out of the question in a single year, it is possible to earn 110,000 points. It’s possible due to the different options available to earn qualifying points. Qualifying points include points earned through revenue flights on Southwest, credit card points (including credit card introductory offers) and points earned through Southwest partners. Points that don’t qualify are purchased points, points transferred from other members (even family), points converted from other loyalty programs (the likes of Chase Ultimate Rewards), e-rewards, e-miles, Valued Opinions, Diners Club, points earned from program enrollment, tier bonus points, flight bonus points and partner bonus points.

Credit Card Bonuses (The Easy Way)

The best way to earn large amounts of Rapid Rewards points is through the introductory offers of the Southwest credit cards. However, you need to be aware of Chase’s rules on applying for Southwest credit cards before you hit submit. Because Chase has it’s 5/24 rule, if you’ve opened more than five credit cards (not just Chase cards) in the past 24 months, you’ll likely be denied. You can’t earn the bonus on any of the Southwest cards if you’ve earned an introductory offer bonus with that specific card in the past two years. Also, a new rule (as of April 2018) prohibits you from owning two of their personal credit cards at once. Meaning you can no longer sign up for two personal cards to earn the bonuses in a single year.

You are, however, allowed to have one personal card and one business card at the same time. Therefore, to earn the most points from credit card bonuses you’d need to apply for one of the three personal cards along with the business premier card. Qualifying for a business card is not as difficult as you might think. Any side hustle or extra income may qualify you. With introductory offers ranging from 40-60,000 points, signing up for two of the Southwest credit cards will get you most of, if not all the way to earning the Companion Pass. As a rule, I wait to apply for any of these credit cards until the introductory offer is at least 50,000 points.

Southwest Credit Card Referrals

Credit card referral bonuses are another great way to rapidly accumulate points toward the Companion Pass. Chase offers 10,000 points for every friend whom you refer through your personalized link and is approved for a Southwest credit card. These referrals are limited to a total earning of 50,000 Rapid Rewards points per year.

Southwest Flights

Other than credit card bonuses and referral bonuses, flying very often on Southwest is your best option for earning Rapid Rewards points. Depending on the fare type, you earn between 6 and 12 points per $1 spent on Southwest airfare. With this method alone, you would need to spend at least $9,000 on airfare to earn enough points for the companion pass.

Southwest has several travel and shopping partners that allow you to earn extra Rapid Rewards points by purchasing rental cars, hotel stays, transportation and experiences. One of the best partners is Rocketmiles, where you can earn up to 10,000 Southwest miles per night on certain hotel stays (extra bonus offer points don’t count towards Companion Pass – base points do). A hotel room booked for a few hundred dollars can earn thousands of points alone. For instance, the booking to the right shows a hotel room that costs $379 and earns 5000 Rapid Rewards points. This is a great way to meet the last of the points you may need to earn the SW companion pass.

Credit Card Spend

Any points you earn through purchases made on the Southwest credit cards will count toward the Companion Pass. All the Southwest credit cards offer the same earning rate: 2X points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases, Rapid Rewards hotel purchases, and partner car rental purchases. 1 point per $1 spent is earned on all other purchases. This would be a difficult way to earn a companion pass unless you spend a very large amount of money each year. You would need to spend over $100k on a Southwest credit card to earn the Southwest Companion Pass through credit card spending only.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining

The Southwest Rapid Rewards Dining program is another good way to add a few extra points to your balance. You’ll earn up to two points per $1 spent at qualifying restaurants. You must sign up for this program and designate your credit card to earn these bonuses.

Rapid Rewards Shopping Portal

You can also earn extra Rapid Rewards points by clicking on a retailer’s link through the Rapid Rewards shopping portal before purchasing. The Rapid Rewards shopping portal includes many retailers you probably use, like Best Buy or World Market. You’ll earn varying point multipliers depending on the retailer but it’s usually between 1-4 points per dollar.

Southwest Credit Card Companion Pass: Earn it Without Flying a Single Mile

As you can see above, the only quick and easy way to earn the Southwest Companion Pass is through credit card bonuses. The other ways to earn Rapid Rewards points are good for topping off any last points you need to meet the 110,000 points for the Southwest Credit Card Companion Pass. Chase currently offers four Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards and they all typically have introductory bonuses of 40-60,000 miles each. Out of the four Southwest credit cards, you can often get approved for two of them (1 personal and 1 business), meet the minimum spends for both, and you’ll instantly earn a Southwest Companion Pass.

Chase offers three personal credit cards (Plus, Premier and Priority) and one business credit card (Business Premier). Yes, you must have your own business to qualify for a business credit card. However, a sole proprietorship is valid. That means if you have any kind of “side hustle” or side income you have a business. Do you sell things on eBay or Craigslist? That’s a business. Maybe you have garage sales… Get creative! If you need inspiration, check out these two blogs: Smart Passive Income & Side Hustle School.

Getting Approved for Southwest Credit Cards

Getting approved for both a personal and business card at the same time is absolutely possible, and even probable if you try. I’ve done it on multiple occasions, my wife has done it, and many travel bloggers have done it as well. Call the reconsideration line If you’re not approved for one of the cards. You can ask them if they’ll manually review your application. You may want a personal card and a business card to keep expenses separate, which is a valid reason for two similar credit cards.

Two Southwest credit card approvals at once are possible. If you aren’t able to get two credit cards at the same time, you can always apply for one and then wait 3 months or more to apply for the other. As long as you are awarded the introductory bonuses in the same calendar year, they will combine to earn points towards the southwest companion pass.

How to Earn Your Southwest Companion Pass in January to Maximize Your Value

Once you are approved for your Southwest credit cards, you’ll need to meet the minimum spends to earn your bonus. If you are trying to earn the Southwest Companion Pass in 2019, you can actually apply for the credit cards at the end of 2018. Because you get 3 months to complete the minimum spends, you can get your credit card anytime after October starts. If you do this, you must make sure to not reach the full minimum spend until after January 1st, 2019. That is when you will earn your bonus points.

For instance, if you were approved for one of the Southwest credit cards on October 15th, 2018 (that earns the bonus after $3000 in first 3 months), you would have until January 15th, 2019 to complete the minimum spending. You could put, say $2800 in spending on the card in 2018, then wait to complete the other $200 of needed spending until after January 1st, 2019. This will allow you to earn your companion pass earlier in the year to maximize the time you have to use it. Just be sure to not complete the minimum spending too early, because you must earn all 110,000 points in the same calendar year.

Southwest Companion Pass Trick: Combine Two Offers

Below are the four Southwest credit cards offered by Chase. To help earn a Southwest Companion Pass, it’s possible to be approved for two of the credit cards. You can get one of the personal cards as well as the business card. This is how I have earned the companion pass three separate times, and have had a free flight companion for nearly six straight years. It’s pretty simple.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual Point Bonus: Receive 3,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
Earning Bonuses: You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Bags fly free and no change fees.
Annual Fee: $69

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual Point Bonus: Receive 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
Earning Bonuses: You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Bags fly free and no change fees.
No Foreign transaction fees.
Annual Fee: $99

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Priority

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 40,000 points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual Point Bonus: Receive 7,500 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
$75 Southwest travel credit every year.
4 Upgraded boardings per year.
20% back on in-flight drinks, wi-fi, messaging, and movies.
Earning Bonuses: You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Bags fly free and no change fees.
No Foreign transaction fees.
Annual Fee: $149

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business

60,000 Points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 60,000 points after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months.
Annual Point Bonus: Receive 6,000 bonus points after your Cardmember anniversary.
Earning Bonuses: You’ll earn 2 points per $1 spent on Southwest purchases and 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
No blackout dates or seat restrictions.
Bags fly free and no change fees.
No Foreign transaction fees.
Get employee cards at no additional cost and earn points on employee spending.
Annual Fee: $99

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

How to Use Southwest Companion Pass Effectively

Now that you know the easy way to get the Southwest Companion Pass, here’s how you’ll use it. Since every flight you take on Southwest in the year you earn companion pass and the year after will include a free companion ticket, you should take advantage of it as much as possible. The more you use your companion pass, the more valuable it is. For instance, if you only use it once for a $300 flight, it’s value is $300. But, if you use your companion pass for 20 $300 flights, it’s value is $6000. The Southwest Companion Pass can be extremely valuable, but it’s inevitably up to you how valuable it will be.

Southwest Points to Dollars: How much is each point really worth?

Each Southwest point is worth about 1.6 cents when used to book a “Wanna Get Away” flight. This is the lowest available price for flights with Southwest and will get you the most value. If you earn the Companion Pass that means you will have 110,000 points to use. You don’t actually have to spend the points you earned for the Companion Pass. You get to keep them. Those 110,000 points are valued at $1760 towards Wanna Get Away flights. But, now that you have a free companion for every single flight, those points are worth double. An astonishing $3520 value if you take a companion on every flight!

How to Use Southwest Points to Book a Flight and Add Your Companion

You’ve got $3520 worth of points if you earned the Southwest Companion Pass. You’ll surely want to know how to use them effectively. I follow the rule of only booking flights at the Wanna Get Away price. Southwest points prices always coincide with the cash prices (~62.5 points per $1). When using your companion pass, you will book your flight as usual, except only book the flight for one person, whoever holds the companion pass status. You’ll add your companion to the flight after booking.

Remember, you can use either cash or points to book even when you’re adding a companion. Sign in to your Southwest account, Find your flights, complete your bookings, and then go to My Account and then My Trips. There you will find all of your upcoming trips and a button that says Add Companion. You’ll click that on each itinerary that you want to add your companion and follow the prompts. You’ll have to pay the taxes and fees to complete booking your companion.

Using Your Companions Rapid Rewards Points to Book a Companion Flight

In my wife and I’s case, she has the companion pass, but I have some Southwest points in my own account. Those points aren’t transferable, but I can use my points to book her a flight. After I book her flight, she can add that flight to her Southwest Rapid Rewards account using the confirmation code. Then, she can add me as a companion for the flight using the process detailed above. This is a great way to take advantage of Southwest points that your companion may have in their account.

Always Book One-Way Flights Separately

Whenever booking flights on Southwest, it’s smart to book each one-way flight separately (not as a round-trip ticket). Southwest offers no fee rescheduling of all flights, so if one of your flights becomes cheaper after purchasing it, you can easily reschedule either the departing flight or arriving flight. It makes sense to only book one-way tickets because if, for instance, your departure flight gets cheaper and your arrival flight gets more expensive, you can’t reschedule just half of your itinerary if booked together as a round-trip. Using this one-way booking process, you’ll easily be able to change your flights, guaranteeing the best price.

Book Your Flights During a Sale

Southwest has sales on their flights very often. The great thing about their points being equal to a dollar amount is that when they have flight sales, the points price becomes cheaper as well. During past sales, I’ve been able to find flights for as little as 2-3000 points. Remember that there are no fees to reschedule a flight, so you can book your flight now, but continue to check prices, especially during sales. If either way of your flight becomes cheaper, just reschedule it for the cheaper price. You will be refunded the difference of points or dollars.

Southwest Companion Pass Rules

You are allowed to change your designated companion up to three times each calendar year.
Once you qualify, you can begin booking flights with your Companion Pass immediately, and it is good through the remainder of the year you earn it as well as the next calendar year (up to two years, depending on when you qualify).
You can pay for your flight with cash or points before you add your companion.
Your companion can’t fly without you – they must be booked on the same flight and dates.
If you cancel your ticket, the companion ticket will also be canceled.
You have to pay for your ticket (cash or points) to bring a companion (you can’t use a companion pass to fly with a partner also using a companion pass).

Where Does Southwest Fly?

As of October 2018, Southwest Airlines flies to 99 destinations across the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Central America, and the Caribbean. Also, they will be adding four new destinations come this winter. Southwest will fly to Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island of Hawaii. Soon, there will be over 100 Southwest Airlines destinations to use your Southwest Companion Pass on including Hawaii.

Here are some of my favorite locations to fly via Southwest Airlines:

Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Charleston, South Carolina
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Boston, Massachusetts
Austin, Texas
Tucson, Arizona
Havana, Cuba
Virginia Beach, Virginia
San Diego, California
Salt Lake City, Utah
Niagara Falls, New York
Nassau, Bahamas
Washington D.C.
Los Angeles, California
San Francisco, California
Hawaii – Southwest Airlines Hawaii flights are coming in late 2018/early 2019!

Think of all the amazing adventures and vacations you and your companion could take advantage of with a Southwest Companion Pass. For a full list of Southwest destinations: Check out our post: Where Does Southwest Fly?

Southwest Hawaii Flights

Beginning in 2018 or 2019 Southwest will begin flying to Hawaii for the first time. Flights will go to all of the major islands: Oahu (HNL), Maui (OGG), Kauai (LIH), and the Big Island (KOA). The original four mainland departure airports will be Sacramento (SMF), San Jose (SJC), Oakland (OAK), and San Diego (SAN). In the future, I would expect to see more departure airports along the west coast. The airports that could be next are Portland (PDX) and Seattle (SEA). They both have similar flight times to California to Hawaii flights.

Southwest Airlines Hawaii Inter-Island Flights

Southwest will also offer inter-island routes. Currently, there aren’t many options to fly between the islands. This will hopefully create some cheaper fares to get from island to island. It currently costs around $100 with other carriers. I love Hawaii and travel there often, so it’s nice to be able to split up a vacation between multiple islands, like my wife and I did for both our honeymoon and our one year anniversary. It also brings another option to use points to travel between islands. Plus if you have a companion pass it will be 2 for 1 pricing.

Who Will You Choose to be Your Companion?

If you’re looking to do a lot of traveling in upcoming years with a companion, this deal is perfect for you. It’s absolutely worth attempting to achieve, especially for couples or best friends. I choose my wife as my companion, and she chooses me. As long as this deal stays alive through credit card bonuses, we’ll likely have one for a long time to come. My wife and I now have a Southwest Companion Pass status for the third straight year (and 4th next year) thanks to the Southwest credit cards.

My wife, Allison applied for both the Southwest Rapid Rewards Plus, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Business credit cards at the same time. The personal card was automatically approved. The business credit card, on the other hand, received a pending status. After about a week, they approved her business card as well (patience is a virtue). At the time, the introductory bonuses for those two credit cards were 50,000 Rapid Rewards & 60,000 Rapid Rewards respectively. After meeting the minimum spends on both Southwest credit cards, she earned around 115,000 Southwest miles and one SW Companion Pass!

Now we have a free companion ticket on every flight we take for the rest of 2018 and the entirety of 2019. Even better is that those 115,000 miles are essentially doubled (230,000 miles) worth approximately $3,700. That’s a lot of Southwest Airlines destinations we’ll be able to fulfill without spending any money (besides taxes & fees)! This is the best deal in the travel industry. Don’t miss out. It likely won’t be around forever. Who will be your companion?

Posted in Miles & Points Tutorials

Credit Score Range: How to Reach Excellent?

By Ryan Kangail | October 5, 2018

If you’re trying to understand the credit score range better, you’ve come to the right place. You’ll learn what the credit score range is, what good credit scores are, and what excellent credit scores are. Have you ever wondered what goes into calculating a credit score, or how to improve your own credit score? It’s possible to get into your desired credit score range if you understand a few simple facts.

There are different types of credit scores, so you’ll learn the difference between them. The main scores are Experian, Transunion, Equifax, and the most popular FICO credit scores. Because FICO is the most used credit score that lenders see, we’ll focus on it mostly. If you have a good credit score you can use it to your advantage. You can even travel for free (or close to it) by earning travel points and miles through credit card introductory bonuses. Learn how this is possible after understanding how the credit scores range works.

What is Credit?

Simply put, credit is money borrowed for purchases or services that must be paid back within a certain timeframe. This money is typically borrowed from a bank or financial institution. Credit usually involves paying a fee, called interest over the time period that the money is borrowed. Credit can come in the form of a house mortgage, a car loan, or credit cards to pay for smaller purchases.

The better your credit score is, the better the terms (lower interest) will be on your borrowed money. Also, with better credit scores you are able to be approved for travel credit cards that can earn thousands of dollars worth of travel for free. I am a frequent traveler who uses my excellent credit to earn millions of points to use toward travel for my family. I’ll show you how that is possible later.

What is the Credit Score Range?

The most common credit score range is between 300 and 850. Almost all types of credit score use this range or something very similar. Within this credit score range, 300 is the worst possible score and 850 is the best. It is thought that any credit score above 800 is essentially the best because you will always receive the best interest rates and be approved for the best credit cards. For this reason, you should strive to earn an 800 or better on the credit score range. Knowing the possible scores within the credit score range is the first step to understanding credit.

FICO Credit Score Range

Now you may be wondering what scores mean and what credit score ranges are bad, fair, good or excellent. To the right, you will find a chart that shows the credit score ranges for each of the ratings. This chart separates the top scores into good, very good, and exceptional credit scores, while most ratings only have either good or excellent. It also shows what percentage of people in the United States fall into each of the categories. As you can see 66% of Americans have at least good credit. If you have at least a good credit score, you’ll have a better chance of being approved for some of the best travel credit cards.

What is a Good Credit Score?

A good credit score is one that falls between 670-749. With a score in this range, it is possible to be approved for credit cards that require good credit or better. Having a score of 700+ gives your chances of being approved for those higher level credit cards a boost. 670-699 is more of a gray area. Some lenders qualify this credit score range as good and others consider it to be fair. If you have a good credit score, you will likely be approved for loans, but will not get the best terms available to the market.

What is an Excellent Credit Score?

An excellent credit score is one that falls between 750-850. A perfect credit score is 850, but it is not very important what the number is after you reach 800. Anyone with a credit score over 800 will have the best chance of being approved for any credit card, and get the best interest rate on loans. Having a credit score of 800+ puts you in an exclusive club joining only about 20% of all credit scores. This high of a credit score is only possible if you’ve been responsibly using credit cards and loans for multiple years. With a score of 750-799 you should qualify for all credit cards and loans, but may not always get the best terms.

How are Credit Scores Calculated?

In order to have a FICO credit score, you need to have had at least one account open for six months. It must also have been reported to the credit bureau within the same time frame. Also, you must not show as deceased on your credit report. If you have a joint account with someone who passed away, you may need to close it or have the name of the deceased person removed from the account before your credit score will show up. While there are three major credit bureaus, with whom you’ll have slightly different credit scores, we’re going to focus on FICO. As mentioned before FICO scores are within the credit score range of 300-850.

FICO credit scores are calculated by using five differently weighted factors. The chart to the left shows the five factors and what percentage each is weighted in calculating a credit score. The most important factor is payment history, followed closely by credit utilization. The last three factors: credit age, types of credit, and inquiries combined are weighted about as much as the first two. This means that when you are considering how to improve your credit score, the two largest factors should be focused on the most.

Credit Score Range Factors

Payment History (35%)

Paying your loans and credit cards off in full and on time will help your credit score the most. An easy way to make this happen every time is by using automatic payments. It’s also wise to think about your credit card as if it were a debit card. Don’t spend money that you don’t actually have. Not only will it hurt your credit score, but you will be paying high-interest charges.
Credit Utilization (30%)

In terms of a credit card, this means that you want to keep the amount you spend to be less than 30% of the amount of total credit you have been given. So, if you have a credit line of $10,000 you never want to have more than $3,000 of debt on the card at any time. If you want to have an excellent credit score you should really try to keep this amount under 5% utilization. That means the higher credit line you have the better your utilization should be.
Credit Age (15%)

The longer you’ve had your accounts open, the more it will help your credit score. Just because you stop using a credit card very often doesn’t mean you should close it. If the card has no annual fee, keep it open and try to make a charge on it each year so that it doesn’t get automatically closed. If the credit card does have an annual fee, call the credit card issuer and ask if there are any no fee options that you can convert to. This is often an option and will help your credit score in the long run. For instance, if you have had a Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card, but no longer get enough value out of it to validate paying the annual fee, you can convert it into the no annual fee, Chase Freedom card. This will extend your overall credit age.
Different Types of Credit (10%)

Having different types of credit will slightly help your credit score. This means having multiple loans, such as credit cards, car loan, and mortgages actually help your score. While this does slightly affect your credit score, it is a very small factor.
Number of Inquiries (10%)

The number of hard credit inquiries you have within the past two years slightly affects your credit score. A hard inquiry happens each time you apply for a loan or credit card. Hard inquiries can also occur for things like rental applications. Typically, each time you apply for a credit card, your credit score will dip 3-5 points. Over the course of having a credit card, your score will improve more than that, due to the heavier factors above.

Do You Know Your Current Credit Score? Check for Free!

Is your credit score a sports car or a clunker? You should be regularly watching your credit score. Errors do occur, and it’s always wise to keep an eye on what is going on with such an important factor in your finances. You can check your credit score for free with Credit Sesame.

Along with your overall credit score, they give you a grade A-F for each of the five credit score factors. They also send you updates and alerts via email anytime major changes happen to your credit. It’s an easy and completely free way to make sure your credit is safe. They even have an app now that you can check your score anytime you want conveniently on your cell phone.

700 Is the Magic Number for Travel Credit Cards

If you have a credit score of 700 or higher, you are in great shape to apply for travel credit cards that offer excellent rewards. With a score in this credit score range, you will likely be approved for any credit card you want. Many credit cards come with introductory offers that can be redeemed for more than $1000 in travel rewards. The best travel credit card to start with is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. It typically offers a 50,000 point introductory offer and waives its annual fee for the first year. That’s enough points to take a very nice vacation with.

This was the first ever travel credit card I applied for back in 2012 and it’s still the best card to start out with. In this post I wrote, you can find out how I spent those first points I earned through the Chase Sapphire Preferred card. You’ll also learn more details about this card and what makes it so great. If you’re interested in traveling, points can be your savior. You don’t have to be rich to travel like you are.

The Best Travel Credit Card Offers

While there are hundreds of rewards-earning credit cards, there are a few that really stand out. The main reason that certain credit cards stand out above the rest is the introductory offers for travel points. Travel credit cards offer an array of introductory offers ranging from 30,000 points to over 100,000 points. Two important factors in deciding what travel credit card to apply for are how many bonus points are offered and what the value of those bonus points are. Not all points are worth the same value when it comes to travel. When redeemed, some rewards points may be worth less than one cent, while others may be worth more than two cents each. Here are some of the best offers:

BEST STARTER TRAVEL CREDIT CARD

Chase Sapphire Preferred

50,000 Points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $625 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards and potentially even more if transferred to travel partners.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 2 points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Travel Point Transfer Partners: 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Extra Point Value: Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived in year 1)

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

TOP RANKED BUSINESS CARDS

Ink Business Preferred

80,000 Points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Category Spend Bonuses: You’ll earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories (including social media advertising!) each account anniversary year. You’ll earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases, with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Other Benefits: Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can redeem points for travel, cash back, and gift cards, or transfer your points to an airline or hotel partner. You’ll get a cell phone protection plan of up to $600 when you pay your cell phone bill with the card. You’ll receive rental car loss and damage coverage if your reservation is paid with the card.
Annual Fee: $95 Annual Fee

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Ink Business Cash

50,000 Points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn $500 bonus cash back (via 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Category Spend Bonuses: You’ll earn 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent on purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. You’ll earn 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. You’ll earn 1% cash back on all other purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Special Introductory APR: 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers.
Annual Fee: There is no annual fee.

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

*For more information on even more great business credit cards check out this post: Best Business Travel Credit Cards.

BEST NO FEE CREDIT CARDS

Chase Freedom

15,000 Points after spending $500 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn a $150 Bonus (via 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Introductory APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 5 points per $1 spent on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. The categories are things like grocery stores, gas stations, internet, cable, phone services, Walgreens, and even using Chase Pay. You’ll earn unlimited 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Free Credit Score: View your credit score, updated every week on Credit Journey.
Annual Fee: No annual fee

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Wells Fargo Propel

30,000 Points after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: Earn 30K bonus points when you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first 3 months.
Category Spend Bonuses: You’ll earn 3X points for dining out and ordering delivery. 3X points at gas stations, on rideshare and transit. 3X points for travel including flights, hotels, home rentals, and car rentals. You’ll then earn 1X points on other purchases.
Introductory APR: 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers (fees apply), then 14.49%-26.99% variable APR; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rates and fees.
Annual Fee: No Annual Fee

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

PREMIUM TRAVEL CREDIT CARDS WITH EXTREME BENEFITS

Chase Sapphire Reserve

50,000 Points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: Earn an introductory 50,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months.
Statement Credits: Receive a $300 in statement credits each year (based on your account anniversary) to cover travel expenses like airfare and hotels.
Receive a $100 Statement credit as reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 3 points per $1 spent on dining and on travel that doesn’t qualify for the $300 travel reimbursement each year and one point per $1 on everything else.
Travel Point Transfer Partners: 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Extra Point Value: Receive 50 percent more value for your points when you redeem for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Airport Lounge Access: Visit more than 1000 airport lounge locations while traveling with a Priority Pass Select membership.
Annual Fee: $450

Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

The Platinum Card from American Express

60,000 Points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months

LEARN MORE >

Welcome Offer: You’ll earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months.
Uber: Enjoy Uber VIP status and free rides in the U.S. up to $15 each month (bonus $20 in December).
Category Spend Bonuses: You’ll earn 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel. You’ll earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com.
Airport Lounge Access: Enjoy access to the exclusive Global Lounge Collection.
Statement Credits: $200 Airline Fee Credit, up to $200 every calendar year with one qualifying airline. Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue on your card. Enrollment required.
Annual Fee: $550 annual fee.
Terms Apply.

LEARN MORE >

How to Improve Your Credit Score

If your credit is not yet within the 700+ credit score range you need to work on building your credit. “How?”, you may ask yourself, is it possible to improve your credit score? Start by understanding the five factors that go into a credit score: Payment History, Credit Utilization, Credit Age, Types of Credit, and Inquiries. If you only focus on two things, let them be the two most important factors that add up to 65% of how credit score ranges are calculated.

Focus on the Most Important Factors

First, make sure your payments are always, always, always paid on time! ALWAYS! Second, get your credit utilization under 5%. Paying off your credit card in full every month will help with this. There are two ways to help this utilization percentage. Lower the amount of credit you use, or raise the amount of credit given to you. You can spend $500 monthly of a $10,000 total credit line, or $5,000 of a $100,000 credit line. If you keep your spending as is, and gradually add credit cards with $5-10,000 credit limits, ultimately your credit utilization will go down. Also, if you are in the market for a new car or home, don’t pay in full. Taking out a loan for either will help your credit mix which will improve your position in the credit score range.

Credit Scores Range Conclusion

Now that you have a better understanding of credit score ranges, you can take advantage of, or work to improve your own score. You’ve learned what the credit score range is, what good credit scores are, and what excellent credit scores are. You know how a credit score is calculated and how to improve your own credit score. It is possible to get your credit score into your desired credit score range and to take advantage of the benefits of your good score. If you love to travel, go use your credit score to earn the vacation of your dreams. Over and over again!

Posted in Travel Freedom Tips

Airplane Etiquette, Egypt & The Westin Hapuna Beach

By Ryan Kangail | October 3, 2018

Every day I personally look through hundreds of blog posts from the best travel blogs on the internet. When I find posts that I feel would be valuable to you, I put them together in a Travel Blog News article. Today I found a few travel articles that meet the standards. Here are the best of the best from today.

Airplane Etiquette – Live & Let’s Fly

Always be aware of your surroundings. If you’re thinking about reclining your airplane seat, that’s fine, but make sure to check behind you first. It’s possible that the person sitting behind you has things on their tray table that could be broken with the sudden recline of your seat. This almost happened to Matthew, when his laptop became jammed between the tray table and the back of the reclined seat.

Add Egypt Back to the Bucket List – The Points Guy

Egypt has a lot going for it. The safety concerns stemming from its 2011 revolution have been stabilized, a new sphinx has recently been uncovered, new hotels are being built, and a huge museum focused on the Egyptian civilization is about to open. I have always been fascinated with the Egyptian civilization, but have not yet been able to travel there. I hope to make the trip within the next five years, to see the pyramids, Sphinx’s, the Nile River, and experience the culture first hand.

Over the past few years, I haven’t felt comfortable enough to travel there due to safety concerns. This article, along with other news has helped ease my worries about traveling to Egypt. I can’t wait to see it all and check it off my bucket list.

THE BEST TRAVEL CREDIT CARD - It's Offering a 50,000 Point Signup Bonus (waived annual fee) See why, after all our research, we chose this travel credit card as the best. Also, see how we used our points, when we applied for this card. Last Updated: 10/02/2018

Westin Hapuna Beach Hawaii – The Points Guy

Next time I go to Hawaii I think I’ll spend at least some of the time at this hotel. With a decent redemption rate through Marriott, this resort is a good deal if using points. I’ve never stayed at this hotel, but have been to Hapuna Beach and enjoy the area. It’s just North of Kona and very near to some amazing beaches on the Big Island of Hawaii.

Hopefully, the redemption rate stays the same at this property so that we can get multiple free nights with the Marriott Rewards Premier Plus credit card, SPG credit card (Read more – terms apply), or the SPG Business credit card (Read more – terms apply). They all earn points and free annual nights in the newly merged SPG/Marriott program.

PS: Check out our favorite Travel Credit Cards. Take your next vacation using points instead of dollars!

Posted in Travel & Leisure News

African Safari Photos, Top College Towns & Being Single

By Ryan Kangail | October 2, 2018

african safari leopard travel and leisure

17 Incredible Safari Photos – Million Mile Secrets

Going on an African Safari is one of my top bucket list ideas. They were lucky enough to see a huge assortment of animals on the game reserve in South Africa. When I go on a safari, I’d like it to be in Kenya or Tanzania during the Great Migration. I’d really like to go on a camping safari for a week, even though it’s probably not quite as safe as some other African Safari’s. It would be amazing to be able to see so many exotic animals in their natural habitat.

16 Amazing College Towns – Million Mile Secrets

Have you ever visited any of these college towns? Maybe you happen to live in one, like I do! I’ve been to three of the cities on the list and live in one of them. I’ve been to Boulder, Charlottesville, and Berkeley. I have lived in Eugene, Oregon for all but one year of my life and will expand on Million Mile Secrets’ explanation. It’s the home of the University of Oregon Ducks, many outdoor activities, breweries, vineyards, running enthusiasts (Track Town USA), and great bike paths. Also, the Oregon Ducks aren’t the only green thing you can legally experience while in the state (if you can read between the lines and you’re into that). Eugene is nestled between the mountains, the Pacific Ocean, rivers, lakes, and the city (Portland). All of which are within a two hour drive, making this a great place to visit or live!

Being Single Makes Travel More Expensive – The Points Guy

While this is up for debate in the comments of the post, I’d have to agree that traveling with a partner is much more frugal. While flights remain the same per person, hotels and such end up costing the same price no matter how many people are staying with you. For a $100 hotel room, it will cost the full amount for a single traveler, while it will cut the price in half if you’re traveling as a pair. Sometimes my wife and I will save on food as well by sharing plates at a restaurant. Especially when we go somewhere with huge portions and we lack the equipment to save or reheat them.

PS: Check out our favorite Travel Credit Cards. Take your next vacation using points instead of dollars!

Posted in Travel & Leisure News

The Best Travel Credit Card: Why You Should Get it First

By Ryan Kangail | October 1, 2018

If you want to earn the most possible points for travel, you’ll need to start with the best travel credit card available. There are a few factors that you should pay close attention to while shopping for a new credit card. Obviously, you’re getting a travel credit card because you want to travel more. With the best travel credit cards you will earn tons of travel points and receive travel benefits that you may have thought were only for the rich. Credit cards are a great way to earn free travel for you and your family.

Since I started traveling with points and miles, I’ve earned nearly 2 million points and traveled as often as I want. I’ve been to Hawaii (my favorite place) at least once every year for the past 7 years. I don’t think I’ve paid more than the taxes and fees ($11.20 round trip) for any of those flights. I figure if you have good credit, you might as well put it to work for yourself.

Important Factors in Finding the Best Travel Credit Card

Introductory Offers
Minimum Spending Requirement
Point Earning Potential
Travel Benefits
Annual Fees
Annual bonuses

Introductory Offers

The best travel credit cards all offer an introductory bonus offer. These offers are structured so that you earn a select amount of bonus points after spending so much money on your new credit card within a certain time frame. For example, with the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card you earn 50,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months of having the card. Obviously, this is a very important feature because it gives you extreme value right away.

Minimum Spending Requirement

Introductory offers aren’t usually automatically given to you after being approved for a credit card. You’ll typically have to complete a minimum spending requirement within a specified time frame. Then your points bonus will be released into your account. Minimum spending requirement amounts vary, but typically are between $500-5000 within the first 3-4 months.

Point Earning Potential

Some of the best travel credit cards have spending categories that will earn bonus points. These bonus categories range from groceries, to gas stations, all the way to office supply stores and online advertising for businesses. Typically bonus spend categories will earn 2-5x points for every dollar you spend. Each credit card has a different set of bonus categories, which allows a lot of potential to earn points.

Travel Benefits

Another feature of travel credit cards is that many of them come with special travel benefits. Airline cards may come with priority boarding, free checked bags, or airport lounge access. Hotel cards often come with elite status at the hotel chain, which might allow for upgrades when you stay. Many of the transferable point system credit cards come with free Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. A few credit cards also come with airport lounge access through Priority Pass, and even offer statement credits for travel purchases.

Annual Fees

All of these features sometimes come with an annual fee. It’s important to review how much an annual fee is, and whether it is worth paying it for all the benefits you will receive. Usually, the higher the annual fee is for a credit card, the more travel benefits you will receive. Even though some annual fees can be very high, they’re often worth paying, especially if you’ll be traveling a lot. Some travel credit cards will waive the annual fee in the first card member year.

Annual Bonuses

Some of the best travel credit cards offer a bonus on the card member anniversary. These bonuses are automatically applied, and some are only earned if you spend a certain amount throughout the year. Hotel credit cards often offer a free night at their hotels each year. A few airlines give you a free companion fare each calendar year. These annual bonuses can help offset the annual fee a credit card may have.

My First Travel Credit Card Ever

I was fortunate enough to start out with the best travel credit card ever: the Chase Sapphire Preferred. My points journey all started when I had to get a root canal on my tooth. After seeing how much the procedure was going to cost me out of pocket, I quickly started looking for a way to get some of that money back. I had seen advertisements for credit cards that had introductory bonuses after being approved so I started my research online. My plan wasn’t specifically to get a travel credit card until I accidentally came across a few travel blogs, while researching.

I read a few posts, and quickly learned how lucrative using credit card points for travel could be. Instead of redeeming at a value of one cent per point with cash back or purchases on the likes of Amazon, I learned that you can redeem points for travel at a value of greater than two cents per point. Essentially getting double the value out of your points by using them for travel. I had always wanted to travel more, but couldn’t afford it, so I jumped on the opportunity. I applied for the Chase Sapphire Preferred, because almost every travel blogger I came across said it was the best travel credit card of them all.

Introductory Offer Worth Two Round Trip Flights to Hawaii

With my good credit score, I was approved instantly for the best travel credit card. Quickly, I started meeting the minimum spend to earn my bonus of 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards. I had my root canal procedure (ugh), paid for it, and met the rest of the minimum spend with my regular purchases. When I received my 50,000 point introductory bonus, I didn’t waste much time. After reading about the Ultimate Rewards transfer partners, I did my research and transferred my points to British Airways to book two round trip flights to Maui for 25,000 points each.

I was on my way. Little did I know, I would read almost every travel blog post in the industry over the next few years and become an expert myself. It’s pretty amazing that the Chase Sapphire Preferred is still the best credit card for new points travelers after all this time. It has withstood the test of time, and I still recommend it more often than not when someone asks me which is the best travel credit card to get first.

Chase Sapphire Preferred: The Best Travel Credit Card to Start With

50,000 Points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $625 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards and potentially even more if transferred to travel partners.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 2 points on travel and dining at restaurants worldwide & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Travel Point Transfer Partners: 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Extra Point Value: Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived in year 1)

This is the best travel credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

What Makes This The Best Travel Credit Card

Versatility. The number one reason the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best travel credit card is that it’s so easy to redeem points. It’s especially good for people who are new to traveling with points because of this ease of use. The points can be redeemed either through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal for a fixed rate of 1.25 cents per point, or by converting points to one of the transfer partners, which can net an average of over 2 cents per point. Both options give an elevated redemption value. If you’re willing to put in some effort in researching airline award charts, you’ll get the most out of your points by taking advantage of the transfer partners.

chase ultimate rewards transfer partner airlines

Chase Airline Transfer Partners

chase ultimate reward transfer partner hotels

Chase Hotel Transfer Partners

Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal – 1.25c/pt

At 1.25 cents per point, redeeming through the Chase Ultimate Rewards Travel Portal is a good option. Especially if you want to keep things as simple as possible.

Travel Transfer Partners – ~2c/pt

By transferring your points to one of the Ultimate Rewards Transfer Partners, you’ll have the opportunity to earn over 2 cents per point on your rewards. There are 13 travel transfer partners. They include 9 airlines and 4 hotel chains, all of which transfer at a 1:1 ratio. I regularly transfer my points to Ultimate Rewards travel partners. I transfer to both British Airways to use their travel partners for flights, and Hyatt to most often stay at Hyatt Place properties. I’ve found that by using these two transfer partners, we often get over 2 cents of value per point.

Other Redemption Options – 1c/pt

There are also a few other redemption offers that don’t involve travel, but they won’t get you as much value. You have the option of using your points as cash back, to spend on Amazon, to spend on exclusive experiences, or to purchase gift cards. All of these options give a fixed value of 1 cent per point. I wouldn’t recommend using your points in this fashion, unless you really want something and don’t have the money for it. It just doesn’t get you as much value as travel does.

Combine Other Chase Cards with the Sapphire Preferred

Another reason that the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best travel credit card, is because there are a handful of other Chase cards that pair very well alongside the Sapphire Preferred. In total there are six other cards that can be used to earn Ultimate Rewards points. Three personal cards and three business cards. They are all very valuable in their own ways and can be used together for the perfect storm of point earning. If you have both personal and business expenses, you should look into which of these cards can help you earn even more free travel. Between my wife and I, we have five of these cards and can earn category bonuses on almost every purchase we make. This largely helps to earn enough points to travel as much as we want.

7 Credit Cards That Earn Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase Sapphire Preferred Card*** – 50,000 Point Introductory Offer
Chase Freedom – 15,000 Point Introductory Offer
Freedom Unlimited – 15,000 Point Introductory Offer
Sapphire Reserve Card*** – 50,000 Point Introductory Offer
Chase Ink Business Preferred Credit Card*** – 80,000 Point Introductory Offer
Ink Business Cash Credit Card – 50,000 Point Introductory Offer
Ink Business Unlimited – 50,000 Point Introductory Offer

***Only these cards have travel portal bonus redemption rates and transfer partners.

Ultimate Rewards Can Be Transferred Between Card Accounts

The best part of pairing up multiple Chase credit cards, is that the ultimate rewards from one card account can be transferred and combined with the points in another card account. This means that, for instance, if you earn Ultimate Rewards with the Chase Freedom (which normally doesn’t have transfer partners available), you can transfer them over to your Chase Sapphire Preferred account to redeem them (either with the 25% portal bonus or with transfer partners).

Note in the chart above, that you will need one of the three starred (***) Chase credit cards in order to get a bonus and to have the option of redeeming through transfer partners. While four of these credit cards are technically listed as cash back cards, you will still earn Ultimate Rewards. These “cash back” Ultimate Rewards can be transferred to your other card accounts that have the full Ultimate Rewards travel benefits, so that you can get more value out of them.

Chase Freedom Has Tons of Earning Potential with No Annual Fee

15,000 Points after spending $500 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn a $150 Bonus (via 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
Introductory APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 5 points per $1 spent on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate. The categories are things like grocery stores, gas stations, internet, cable, phone services, Walgreens, and even using Chase Pay. You’ll earn unlimited 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases.
Free Credit Score: View your credit score, updated every week on Credit Journey.
Annual Fee: No annual fee

This rewards card pairs well with the best travel credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Chase Freedom Quarterly Spending Category Bonuses

Each quarter, you can earn up to 7,500 bonus Chase Ultimate Rewards through the Chase Freedom’s category bonuses. That means in a calendar year you could potentially have an extra 30,000 points to spend on travel. For instance, that’s more than enough for a round-trip flight to Hawaii using transfer partners. While you may not spend $1,500 in a quarter on gas, groceries or at Walgreens, they all happen to sell gift cards to an assortment of businesses that you may regularly make purchases at. Those gift cards can be used for your future purchases.

While they try to make “Chase Pay” more utilized, Chase continually adds it as a bonus category almost every quarter. That means that you can earn 5 points per dollar anywhere that accepts Chase Pay. You can find a list of merchants who accept it on the Chase website.

Don’t Want to Worry About Category Bonuses? Freedom Unlimited Earns 1.5 Points on All Purchases

15,000 Points after spending $500 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn a $150 Bonus (via 15,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening.
Introductory APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 16.74-25.49%.
Earning Points: You’ll earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases. No worrying about category bonuses.
Free Credit Score: View your credit score, updated every week on Credit Journey.
Annual Fee: No annual fee

This rewards card pairs well with the best travel credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Looking for More Luxury while Traveling?

If it’s luxurious travel that you’re looking for, look no further than the Chase Sapphire Reserve. It’s the best travel credit card for luxury. It boasts, arguably, the best overall travel benefits of any travel credit card. With the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card you will be living lavishly the second you step foot in the airport.

First off, you’ll go through airport security in a breeze with TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. That means less of a line to wait in, your shoes and belt can stay on, and your laptop can stay in the bag. You won’t want to spend much time in the security line with everyone else, because you’ll also have airport lounge access in over 1,200 locations worldwide. Instead of sitting out in the terminal, you’ll be in a private area with comfortable seating, amenities like television and newspapers, and best of all: free food and drinks. Once you travel in luxury like this, you’ll never want to go back… Trust me!

The Best Premier Travel Credit Card: Chase Sapphire Reserve Gives You Airport Lounge Access

50,000 Points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: Earn an introductory 50,000 points after spending $4,000 within the first three months.
Statement Credits: Receive a $300 in statement credits each year (based on your account anniversary) to cover travel expenses like airfare and hotels.
Receive a $100 Statement credit as reimbursement for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck enrollment.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 3 points per $1 spent on dining and on travel that doesn’t qualify for the $300 travel reimbursement each year and one point per $1 on everything else.
Travel Point Transfer Partners: 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs.
Extra Point Value: Receive 50 percent more value for your points when you redeem for travel via Chase Ultimate Rewards.
Airport Lounge Access: Visit more than 1000 airport lounge locations while traveling with a Priority Pass Select membership.
Annual Fee: $450

This rewards card pairs well with the best travel credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Have a Business or Side Hustle? Get Business Credit Cards to Earn More Rewards

If you have a business or even just a side hustle, you should be keeping your expenses separate with a business credit card. There are some amazing introductory offers and point earning potential with business travel credit cards. In my opinion, the Ink Business Preferred has the top introductory offer of ALL the best travel credit cards (personal or business). Along with great introductory offers, these cards can earn a ton of points with their extremely useful category bonuses for spending. They offer bonuses of 3-5X points on things like phone bills, internet bills, and office supply stores. Even if you don’t have an incorporated business, it still counts.

You can apply for business credit cards for your sole proprietorship, using your social security number instead of an EIN. You may technically have a sole proprietorship and not even know it. Do you make any money outside of your employed job? Sell stuff on eBay? Have garage sales? Do handy work on the side? Sell crafts? You have a sole proprietorship, and a reason to get a business credit card to earn more points. Here is the best travel credit card for businesses.

Chase Ink Business Preferred Has an Introductory Bonus of 80,000 Points

80,000 Points after spending $5000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from your account opening.
Earning Categories: You’ll earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent on travel and select business categories (including social media advertising!) each account anniversary year. You’ll earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases, with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Other Benefits: Points are worth 25% more when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You can redeem points for travel, cash back, and gift cards, or transfer your points to an airline or hotel partner. You’ll get a cell phone protection plan of up to $600 when you pay your cell phone bill with the card. You’ll receive rental car loss and damage coverage if your reservation is paid with the card.
Annual Fee: $95

This business rewards card pairs well with the best travel credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Chase Ink Business Cash is the Best Kept Secret for Points Earning

50,000 Points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn $500 bonus cash back (via 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Category Spend Bonuses: You’ll earn 5 points per $1 spent on the first $25,000 spent on purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. You’ll earn 2 points per $1 on the first $25,000 spent at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year. You’ll earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases with no limit to the amount you can earn.
Special Introductory APR: 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers.
Annual Fee: There is no annual fee.

This business rewards card pairs well with the best travel credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Ink Business Unlimited is Similar to the Freedom Unlimited – 1.5 Points Everywhere

50,000 Points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months

Introductory Offer: You’ll earn $500 bonus cash back (via 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Category Spend Bonuses: You’ll earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on every purchase made for your business.
Special Introductory APR: 0% introductory APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers.
Annual Fee: There is no annual fee.

This business rewards card pairs well with the best travel credit card. Learn more about this card and find out how to apply HERE.

Keep It Simple With One Point System: Chase Ultimate Rewards

As you can see, there are many reasons why the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best travel credit card. It has a great introductory offer with a reasonable minimum spending requirement. The annual fee is waived in the first year of having the card. Most importantly, the reward points earned are very valuable when used for travel. It’s very possible to use the introductory offer points to book flights for multiple people or for multiple vacations.

It’s also a great jumping off point to start traveling with points. Because there are so many other Chase credit cards that also have the potential to earn Ultimate Rewards when paired together, you’ll be able to earn free travel for a long time to come. With the travel credit cards mentioned above, there are 310,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points up for grabs! And, that only includes the introductory offers. You can earn even more points with their variety of category bonuses. The bottom line is, if you want to travel more, start traveling using points instead of dollars.

Posted in Credit Card Reviews

Best Hawaii Hotels, Free In-Flight Messaging & VR

By Ryan Kangail | September 26, 2018

Free Messaging on Southwest – The Gate

It’s always nice to be able to communicate with friends and family while in the sky. Southwest is rolling out free messaging on their flights and should be done in October. This means you can message whoever is picking you up with an accurate time of when you should be arriving at the airport. Or you can get in on that group chat that you’d normally come back to with hundreds of unread messages.

From experience on Alaska’s free messaging, I noticed that it also allows some other apps to work, whether on purpose or not. While I was flying to and from Washington DC this summer I was able to receive updates on twitter through the free messaging.

Best Hawaii Hotels Using Points – Million Mile Secrets

While we normally stay in a condo in Hawaii, we’ve also stayed in two of these hotels as well as a few others. Hawaii is our favorite destination due to it’s beauty and ease of travel from the west coast. We typically stay in condos so that we can prepare most of our own meals. But, with these options available using points, we may try booking a hotel for “free” next time. I say “free” with quotations because many of these hotels have resort fees, which you still have to pay on reward stays. I’m not a fan of resort fees. Why should a hotel have a set price for a room and then for no particular reason add another fee to the price?

We stayed at the Grand Hyatt Kauai using our free nights through the World of Hyatt credit card. The hotel was in a great location in Poipu and was beautiful. The sand bottom pool was great for relaxing if we didn’t want to make the trek another 100 yards to the beach. It had nice white sand beaches just in front of the property. We even made S’mores one night out near the pools!

Another of these hotels that we stayed at was the Hyatt Place Waikiki Beach, which we did not enjoy. It’s a few blocks from Waikiki Beach and in a great location if you like that area. We found the hotel to be pretty run down and not what you’d typically expect from a Hyatt Place Property (they usually have nice chic rooms with the somewhat separated bed and living space with modern shower). Also, we dislike the Waikiki area. The beaches are not nice and it being overcrowded is an understatement.

Alaska Airlines Has VR Headsets on Flights – The Points Guy

Virtual reality has hit the skies. Alaska Airlines has rolled out VR headseats on a few of their flights. You’re only able to watch a few movies in virtual reality 3D. Fortunately the films that are on the headsets are only forward facing VR. If not you might have passengers moving all over the place on the plane! I’ve never watched a movie with one of these headsets, but it’s supposed to give the feel of being in the theater. It seems like a good touch for Alaska Airlines. I just hope they wipe off the headsets with sanitizer after each use.

PS: Check out our favorite Travel Credit Cards. Take your next vacation using points instead of dollars!

Posted in Travel & Leisure News

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Some of the Credit Cards That Earn or Transfer to British Airways

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Is there any tool or trick which you’ve found especially useful in this hobby?

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Chase Freedom Calendar 2018

Did You Know: You Can Multiply the Value of Your Ultimate Rewards?

Double Your Ultimate Rewards Value

50,000 Points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months

50,000 Points after spending $4000 in the first 3 months

80,000 Points after spending $5000 in the first 3 months

Chase Freedom Calendar 2019 – Coming Soon…

Past Chase Freedom 5% Calendars

Chase Freedom Calendar 2017

Chase Freedom Calendar 2016

Chase Freedom Calendar 2015

Chase Freedom Calendar 2014

Chase Freedom Calendar 2013

Both Cards are the Same, Except for Earning Points

You’ll Need a Good to Great Credit Score

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15,000 Points after spending $500 in the first 3 months

Chase Freedom Review: Better for Maximizing Points

15,000 Points after spending $500 in the first 3 months

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Chase Freedom Calendar: Rotating Categories

Where Does Southwest Fly: Listed by Region

Where Does Southwest Fly in the Western United States (21)

Midwest Destinations (17)

Where Does Southwest Fly in the South (24)

East Coast Destinations (22)

Where Does Southwest Fly Internationally (15)

Southwest Flights to Hawaii (4)

Southwest Route Map

Fly with a Free Companion on Every Southwest Flight

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

60,000 Points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months

What is the Southwest Companion Pass?

Who is the Southwest Airlines Companion Pass Right For?

How to Get Southwest Companion Pass: The Hard Way or The Easy Way

Credit Card Bonuses (The Easy Way)

Southwest Credit Card Referrals

Southwest Flights

Rapid Rewards Partners

Credit Card Spend

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Rapid Rewards Shopping Portal

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Getting Approved for Southwest Credit Cards

How to Earn Your Southwest Companion Pass in January to Maximize Your Value

Southwest Companion Pass Trick: Combine Two Offers

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

40,000 Points after spending $1000 in the first 3 months

60,000 Points after spending $3000 in the first 3 months

How to Use Southwest Companion Pass Effectively

Southwest Points to Dollars: How much is each point really worth?

How to Use Southwest Points to Book a Flight and Add Your Companion

Using Your Companions Rapid Rewards Points to Book a Companion Flight