I’m always looking for ways to save money on travel. One way I’ve saved thousands of dollars over the past few years is through credit card rewards.
Airline credit cards are a great way to get free flights, but hotel and transportation costs are where it gets a bit more difficult.
Thankfully there is currently a way to get over $1,500 towards your next vacation, enough to cover most or all of a hotel stay.
How to get $1,500 towards your next vacation
As I was planning a winter vacation I was looking at hotels in the Caribbean that were approximately $300 a night. If you know me, you know I’m not going to pay over $2,000 for a week away – especially if we are just talking the cost of the hotel.
So what did I do? I looked at what sort of credit card early spend bonuses were available. My wife and I started planning far enough in advance that we’d have time to get the bonuses and use them for this one specific trip, hence where I got the $1,500+ number.
Between the three credit cards below you can get an equivalent of $1,500+ in rewards. I should note that the travel credit could be used for flights as well. This makes the trip much more affordable. And let’s be honest, trips are so much better when you save hundreds or thousands of dollars!
1) Venture® from Capital One®
The Venture® from Capital One® is one of the best travel rewards credit cards because of how flexible its rewards are.
This card offers 50,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $500 in travel.
This card is great because of its simplicity. You know exactly what you are getting with this card and you don’t have to limit yourself to specific companies or brands when redeeming your rewards.
Credit Card Reward: 50,000 miles
How to Unlock the Reward: Spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of account opening
What the Reward can be used for: Redeemable for $500 in any travel-related costs
Annual Fee: $95 (waived for the first year)
2) Citi Premier℠ Card
The Citi Premier℠ Card isn’t necessarily a travel credit card, but allow me to explain why I think of it as one.
This card offers 50,000 ThankYou Points after you spend $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. If you sign up for the card now and get the 50,000 ThankYou Points it equates to $500 worth of Hotels.com gift cards.
What I like about the gift card option is that you technically don’t have to keep the card open long-term if you don’t want to. There are other benefits to the card that you can learn about here, but if you decide you don’t want the card anymore you can close it and not lose your rewards. Why? Because the points don’t exist anymore, you now have Hotels.com gift cards.
Credit Card Reward: 50,000 ThankYou Points
How to Unlock the Reward: Spend $4,000 within the first 3 months of account opening
What the Reward can be used for: Redeemable for $500 worth of gift cards (including Hotels.com)
Annual Fee: $95 (waived for the first year)
3) Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card is also technically not limited to travel rewards, and that’s okay, because the reward is even more flexible.
This card offers a $500 Cash Back after you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. So, unlike the Venture® from Capital One® card where you are limited to redeeming the miles for travel-related costs, the $500 applies to any purchases.
This card also has some solid “regular” rewards other than a early spend bonus. You earn unlimited 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% cash back at grocery stores, and 1% on all other purchases.
Credit Card Reward: $500 Cash Back
How to Unlock the Reward: Spend $3,000 within the first 3 months of account opening
What the Reward can be used for: Redeemable for $500 statement credit
Annual Fee: $95 (waived for the first year)
And there you have it! Three cards with sign-up bonuses that amount to $1,500+ in gift cards and travel credits.
Of course you don’t have to get all three cards, I just used all three as a way to show how you can save a significant amount of money on your next trip. Even using just one of these early spend bonuses should help you save money on your trip.
To recap:
1) Venture® from Capital One®
2) Citi Premier℠ Card
3) Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
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