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Simplifying Points and Miles

Summary

Want to learn about simplifying points and miles? In this episode of Bon Voyage Besties, hosts Rosa and Rachel are joined by Genni Franklin, founder of Traveling Franklins, to discuss the ins and outs of simplifying travel through points and miles. They explore the concept of rewards programs, the power of travel credit cards, common misconceptions about credit, and effective strategies for earning and redeeming points. Genni shares valuable insights on maximizing rewards through referrals, shopping portals, and dining programs, while also emphasizing the importance of flexibility and personal preferences in travel planning. The conversation wraps up with practical advice for beginners and a reminder to enjoy the journey of travel without the stress of perfection.

Takeaways

• Rewards programs are a way for companies to thank loyal customers.
• Travel credit cards can help earn points on everyday purchases.
• It’s important to understand the value of different points and miles.
• There are no bad redemptions if they work for you.
• Flexibility in travel plans can lead to better rewards.
• Using shopping portals can maximize points earned on purchases.
• Dining programs offer a passive way to earn points.
• Choosing the right credit card depends on personal travel goals.
• Annual fees can be worth it if they provide significant benefits.
• Don’t hoard points; use them before they devalue.

Listen on APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE

Simplifying Points and Miles: Everything You Need to Know to Start Saving on Travel

If you’ve ever watched someone on social media announce they just flew business class to Europe for $288 and thought, there is absolutely no way that’s real … welp, this episode is going to change your mind.

On this week’s Bon Voyage Besties, we sat down with Genni Franklin, founder of Traveling Franklins and the Lazy Budget Travel Tips Facebook group, to talk all about simplifying points and miles for everyday travelers. No elite status required.

So what actually are points and miles?

Travel rewards programs were created as a thank-you to loyal customers of airlines, hotels, and rental car companies. The points and miles you earn through those programs are essentially currency. Yup, just like the US dollar or the Canadian dollar, except you spend them on travel instead of groceries. And just like different currencies hold different values, not all points and miles are created equal.

Ultimately, you can earn them by paying to fly with an airline or stay at a hotel chain, but unless you’re traveling constantly for work, that’s a slow burn.

Furthermore, travel rewards credit cards, which let you earn points on everyday spending. Seriously, every day normal boring spending, such as groceries, dining, gas, candles, whatever you’re already buying, and then redeem them for flights and hotel stays.

Start with flexible points

One of Genni’s core principles for simplifying points and miles is to prioritize flexible currencies over airline- or hotel-specific ones. Flexible points, like those earned through the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Capital One Venture, can be transferred to a wide variety of airline and hotel partners or used directly through a bank portal for flights, hotels, activities, and car rentals. That optionality is everything, especially when you’re starting out and don’t yet know how you’ll want to redeem.

Genni recommends Chase as the ideal starting point for beginners. The program has a wide range of credit cards, generous earning opportunities, and a transfer partner list that gives you real flexibility.

One important note for new players: Chase has what’s known as the 5/24 rule, meaning they’re unlikely to approve you if you’ve opened five or more credit cards in the last 24 months. That’s actually a good reason to start with Chase before branching out to other issuers.

Welcome bonuses are your best friend

The single fastest way to accumulate a meaningful stash of points is through welcome bonuses (also called sign-up bonuses). When you open a new travel credit card, the issuer typically offers a large chunk of bonus points if you spend a set amount within the first few months. The Chase Sapphire Preferred, for example, often offers 60,000 bonus points after spending $4,000 in three months.

That’s not $4,000 per month, friends.

I’s just $4,000 total over 90 days, which for most people is just regular spending shifted to a new card.

Sixty thousand points, redeemed strategically, can be worth well over $1,000 in travel. The card’s annual fee is $95.

As Genni puts it: if someone offered you $1,000 in exchange for $95, you’d say yes every time.

More ways to stack your earnings

Beyond welcome bonuses, there are several passive ways to keep points accumulating. Shopping portals, like the United Shopping Portal or Rakuten, let you earn extra miles or cash back just by clicking through before you shop online. Rachel uses the United portal for everything from makeup to Yankee Candles.

For example, Rosa recently stacked a Rakuten trip to Foot Locker with an Amex offer for a three-way earning stack on a single purchase. Genni calls this “stacking,” and it’s one of the most powerful habits you can build.

Dining programs are another underutilized tool. Programs like the one offered by Hilton let you link your existing credit cards once, and then automatically earn bonus points whenever you dine at a participating restaurant … no activation needed! You’ll sometimes get a surprise email saying you earned points at a restaurant you had no idea was part of the program.

Busting Common Points and Miles Misconceptions

The biggest myth Genni hears is that you need to know everything before you get started. You don’t.

For real, you truly don’t.

Nobody who’s now redeeming business class flights for a few hundred dollars started out as an expert. They started by getting one card, earning one welcome bonus, and making one redemption.

For example, Genni’s first redemption involved booking through a bank portal, which isn’t the most optimized strategy. She doesn’t care. She got three free nights in London and has never looked back.

The second myth: that travel credit cards will tank your credit score. Genni’s score sits consistently between 830 and 850, and it’s risen as she’s added more cards, not fallen.

Sure, applying for a new card does cause a temporary dip, but responsible use (paying your statement in full and on time, every month) will bring it back up, often higher than before.

The third myth: that there’s a “right” way to redeem. There isn’t. Rosa once flew to Cuba for $75 using accumulated miles and thought it was incredible. Someone else might save for years for a first-class redemption to Tokyo. Both are valid.

As Genni says: there’s no such thing as a bad redemption.

One more rule: don’t hoard points!

Loyalty programs can and do devalue their currencies without warning. Marriott did it recently. Flying Blue did too. Points sitting unused in an account are points at risk. Genni’s motto: earn and burn. If you’re saving for a specific trip (ex. she’s currently stockpiling Chase points for a Japan trip), then that’s fine.

But open-ended hoarding, waiting for the “perfect” redemption that never comes, is how people end up with 200,000 points worth half what they used to be.

Use them. Travel now. Give yourself grace when you don’t optimize perfectly. And if you want a community that makes simplifying points and miles feel genuinely approachable, Genni’s Lazy Budget Travel Tips Facebook group is the place to be. Full of real questions, real answers, and zero judgment for using 50,000 miles on a Miami weekend.

Follow Genni at @TravelingFranklins on Instagram, join the Lazy Budget Travel Tips Facebook group, and subscribe to her new podcast, Lazy Budget Travel Tips, on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Listen to the full Bon Voyage Besties episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, and iHeart — and follow us at @BonVoyageBesties.

Listen on APPLE PODCASTS | SPOTIFY | YOUTUBE