Travel Tip Tuesday is back with why all travelers should invest in a travel rewards card – and which one to consider.
Jordan, from The Solo Life, talks about her number one travel tip – buying the right travel rewards cards. Learn about how you can choose the right travel card for you and why every traveler should invest in one!
Why invest in a travel rewards card
My #1 travel tip is to invest in a rewards credit card. You may or may not have heard this advice many times, but it bears repeating. Invest in a travel rewards card!
When I first started traveling solo on my own dime as a broke college graduate, my penny-pinching soul cringed at the prices for even the shortest or simplest weekend trips. And cross-country or international flights? Those were usually out of the question. Being my typical frugal self, I started researching ways to save money on travel.
The one thing that kept popping up was the suggestion to pay for travel with credit card points. At the time, I had no idea what this meant, but knew I was interested in anything that saved me money.
Also being my typical Type A personality, I researched and compared and even made a spreadsheet of all the different rewards cards and the benefits and drawbacks of each. I ended up going with Chase, and three credit cards later (I know, I got a little carried away), I’m happy with my decision.
Although each person’s credit card needs are different, and I highly recommend you do your own research, I will tell you which Chase card is my favorite.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is worth its weight in hard plastic, and then some.
Not only does Chase usually offer amazing sign-up bonuses like 60,000 bonus points, which is $750 towards travel when you book through their site, but they also have tons of other great benefits.
With the Sapphire Preferred card, you also receive 2X points on travel and dining around the world and 1 point per dollar spent on everything else.
That translates to 2.5% cashback when you redeem for travel. You are also not limited to just travel rewards. You can use your points for cash back, gift cards, and even to pay for your Amazon purchases.
On top of all that, cardholders receive travel insurance, no foreign transaction fees, and special cashback discounts on a wide variety of ever-changing goods and services, like Airbnb, Blue Apron, Massage Envy, local restaurants and many more. There is a $95 annual fee, but if you take advantage of all the benefits mentioned, that fee is well worth it.
Regardless of which brand you choose, a rewards credit card is a game-changer when it comes to travel. If you apply it wisely, you can use your everyday purchases to your benefit by earning rewards on them. You are already paying for gas each week, your Friday night happy hour drinks, or your groceries.
By paying for these things with your new card, you are rewarding yourself. To give you an example, I put almost everything on my Chase card, including my rent. In 2019 to date, I have booked 4 free flights through my rewards.
Yes, I said FREE.
I’ve also used my rewards to pay for many Amazon purchases, and I still have points left over. If you are considering traveling more or have been traveling for a while and have not taken advantage of what a rewards card can do for you, don’t wait any longer! Seriously. Invest in a rewards card for travel!
About The Solo Life
Jordan Bradford is the creator of The Solo Life blog. She is a southerner from Georgia who currently resides in the DC area. Jordan embraced solo travel 3 years ago when she realized that waiting for travel companions was hindering her from her travel goals. Her favorite solo activities are hiking, people watching and hunting tirelessly for the best dessert/sweet treat to be found.
 Â
