Here at TPG, we’re all about maximizing every dollar you spend. Often, you can accomplish that by using the best credit card to enjoy the highest return for a specific purchase. But sometimes, you can go a step further.
Enter “double dipping,” or the practice of earning two different types of points on a single transaction. Taking advantage of double-dipping opportunities will help you accelerate your points-earning — bringing you that much closer to your dream award trip.
Below, we’ve outlined some of our top double-dipping opportunities that you can (and should) work into your everyday points practices.
Use online shopping portals
One of the simplest ways to double dip is to use shopping portals for your online purchases. These third-party sites partner with various retailers to give you points, miles or cash back when you click through their links. This is in addition to the points and miles you earn from putting the transaction on your credit card. So, you earn one bonus from the portal and another from your card.
No matter what type of points you’re trying to earn, there’s likely a portal out there that will suit your needs. Several airlines and hotel chains have their own portals, as does Chase Ultimate Rewards. Meanwhile, Rakuten allows you to receive your earnings in the form of American Express Membership Rewards points as an alternative to its usual cash back. You can even earn a one-time $30 bonus by joining Rakuten and spending $30 in the first 90 days.
Not sure which portal to use? Try using a shopping portal aggregator such as Cashback Monitor to compare earning rates across numerous portals for a given retailer.
Join restaurant rewards programs
Dining out can be a lucrative activity by itself, with cards such as the American Express® Gold Card offering 4 points per dollar on worldwide restaurant purchases. But it’s also an opportunity to double dip using airline and hotel dining rewards programs.
Once you register, participating restaurants will automatically award you points or miles when you pay for a meal with a linked credit card. Once again, these earnings are on top of the points or miles you net just for purchasing with your credit card.
There’s just one key thing to remember: Each of your credit cards can only be registered for one dining program, so you can’t earn through two airline or hotel programs for a single purchase.
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Related: How to earn 1,000 Southwest points the next time you dine out (or order in)
Earn more with Uber and Lyft
Whether you use Uber or Lyft, you can make your rides more valuable by linking certain rewards accounts to earn points on every ride.
With Lyft, you have several choices when it comes to earning bonus points or miles, though you must select one of the following as your designated loyalty rewards partner:
Note that Chase also partners with Lyft. So, in addition to selecting one of the above programs, you can use an eligible card — like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card — to earn up to 10 points per dollar spent on the platform. Sapphire Reserve cardholders also enjoy complimentary Lyft Pink All Access for two years.
Meanwhile with Uber, you can link your Marriott Bonvoy account and earn the following:
6 points per dollar on Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders of $40 or more delivered to a hotel in Marriott’s portfolio
3 points per dollar on rides with UberXL, Uber Comfort, Uber SUV and Uber Black
2 points per dollar on all other Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders above $40.
Make sure you’re also using a credit card with a great return on travel purchases; for instance, the American Express® Green Card, which offers 3 points per dollar spent on travel and transit purchases, including ride-hailing services.
Related: Frequent Uber or Lyft passenger? These credit cards are for you
Rent with Airbnb
Make your Airbnb stays more valuable by booking them through Delta Air Lines’ or British Airways’ online portals. Simply choose a program and click the booking button on its dedicated Airbnb page to rack up extra miles. You’ll earn 1 mile per dollar if you go through Delta SkyMiles and 3 Avios per dollar if you book through British Airways Executive Club. So, expensive Airbnb bookings can quickly add up to award flights.
Like with Uber and Lyft, make sure to pay with a travel credit card that earns a bonus on vacation rentals to maximize your points-earning.
Related: 12 tips for choosing the perfect beach house rental
Earn bonus United miles with MileagePlus X
This app provides endless double-dipping possibilities for those looking to rack up United miles. It awards you bonus miles for buying electronic gift cards through the app, which you can later use online or in person at shops and restaurants. This is particularly great for merchants not included in popular bonus categories on credit cards.
The deal is even sweeter for those with a cobranded United credit card, like the United Explorer Card. If you link your United card to the app, you’ll earn a 25% mileage bonus for every gift card you buy, whether or not you use that card to pay for the purchase.
The best part? With MileagePlus X, you can actually take things to the next level for a triple dip. Simply buy a gift card through the app — earning points from the app and points for the transaction on your credit card — and then use that gift card to make an online purchase while utilizing a shopping portal.
Related: Here’s why it matters which card you use to pay in the United MPX app
Leverage the American Airlines and Hyatt partnership
American Airlines and World of Hyatt have a partnership offering reciprocal points-earning opportunities to elite loyalty program members. Hyatt elites can earn 1 bonus point per dollar spent on qualifying American flights. American elites can earn 1 bonus point per dollar spent on qualifying Hyatt stays — all on top of the points and miles they’d normally earn when flying American or staying at a Hyatt.
Luckily, it doesn’t take much to nab Hyatt elite status. Just take out the World of Hyatt Credit Card for automatic Discoverist status to participate.
Related: Everything you need to know about World of Hyatt
Give RewardsPlus a go
Long before Hyatt and American joined forces, United and Marriott partnered to offer their members elevated benefits and bonus points through the RewardsPlus program.
With this program, United Gold (or higher) elites automatically receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold elite status, while Marriott Titanium and Ambassador elites automatically receive United Premier Silver status. Of course, it’s relatively easy to get Marriott Gold status with credit cards — including The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. As a result, top-tier Marriott elites get the better end of this deal. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
In addition to reciprocal elite benefits, all members enjoy extra miles when transferring Marriott points to United, regardless of status. While most (but not all) of Marriott’s transfer partners receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred, United members get 10,000 bonus miles for transferring 60,000 points. That means you can effectively convert 2 Marriott points to 1 United mile.
Leverage retail loyalty programs
While they won’t get you first-class tickets or luxury hotel stays, many sports retailers, restaurants, office supply stores and pet supply stores offer loyalty programs that you can maximize when purchasing. Most of these programs give you rewards in the form of future discounts (e.g., spend $100 and get a $5 coupon) on top of the standard earnings you’d get from using your credit card.
If you’re not familiar with these programs, you can check out our list of the nine most underrated loyalty programs.
Related: The best credit cards for buying clothes
Credit card offers and discounts
Applying for a new credit card typically comes with a large number of points or miles as a welcome bonus (after you meet the minimum spending requirement, of course). However, once you’ve opened a card, there are a number of other ways to earn bonus rewards or unlock discounts on everyday purchases.
Most of the major issuers offer a program along these lines, including:
These are targeted to each individual cardholder, and you typically must activate them before making a purchase. You also may find several obscure merchants with whom you have no intention of doing business. However, by frequently checking your online accounts, you may be able to find some good opportunities for bonuses or savings.
Here’s just a sampling of the offers that TPG staffers currently have on their cards:
An Amex offer to earn 5 extra American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar spent, up to 1,000 points
An Amex offer to earn 50% back on purchases with Dropbox
Multiple Chase offers to earn 10% back when you spend $100 with multiple Marriott brands — including Autograph Collection, SpringHill Suites and Renaissance Hotels
A Citi offer to earn 5% back on Lyft rides
You can also stack these with many of the other “dips” on this list to create a double dip or triple dip. For example, stack an Amex Offer at a nearby restaurant with a dining rewards program or an online purchase with a shopping portal.
Bottom line
There are plenty of great ways to rack up points and miles quickly, but everyday spending often gets overlooked as one of them. There are many concrete things you can start doing today that will unlock a world of rewards for tomorrow.
With these double-dipping efforts as a part of your overall strategy, you’ll build your account balances and get that much closer to your next award trip.
For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here. For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
Qatar Airways is one of the world’s most premium airlines, with an excellent business-class product and great lounges at its hub in Doha, Qatar’s Hamad International Airport (DOH). The airline has a huge route network as well, with routes to major U.S. airports like Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).
The Oneworld member has its own loyalty program called Qatar Airways Privilege Club and uses the popular points currency Avios. With this loyalty program, you can earn and redeem miles when flying Qatar Airways and its Oneworld partners. Plus, it has three elite status levels that give frequent flyers special privileges like entry to lounges and access to preferred seating.
New to the carrier’s Privilege Club? You’re in the right place. Here is everything you need to know about the program.
What are Avios?
Avios is the points currency used by the following loyalty programs:
Avios can be transferred between any of these programs at a ratio of 1:1, so each Avios is theoretically worth the same in each program. However, there are different ways in which Avios can be redeemed in each program, meaning the savvy reader can achieve different values depending on which program they are used in … and how.
This guide focuses on Avios earned and redeemed through the Qatar Airways Privilege Club program.
Elite status
Qatar Airways has three elite status tiers beyond the entry-level Burgundy level: Silver, Gold and Platinum. You can qualify for these tiers by earning a certain number of Qpoints by flying with Qatar Airways and its partners. To view how many Qpoints you’ll earn with each flight, use the Qatar Airways’ My Calculator.
Below is a look at how many Qpoints you’ll need to qualify for each tier. You must earn these within a single 12-month period. Once you’ve qualified for Silver, you can upgrade by earning a higher number of points within 12 months of earning Silver. This is considered your “renewal date.”
Tier
Qpoints required
Silver
150
Gold
300
Platinum
600
Interestingly enough, fewer Qpoints are required to renew your elite status. You can either earn a smaller number of Qpoints in 12 months or a higher number in 24 months — each calculated from your renewal date.
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Tier
Qpoints required (12 months from renewal date)
Qpoints required (24 months from renewal date)
Silver
135
270
Gold
270
540
Platinum
540
1,080
If you fail to meet renewal requirements, you’ll drop to the tier you did qualify for.
Additionally, you must earn at least 20% of your Qpoints on flights marketed or operated by Qatar Airways to qualify. Alternatively, you can fly four Qatar Airways segments on 12-month renewals or eight Qatar Airways segments on 24-month renewals to meet this requirement.
Elite status benefits
Silver (Oneworld Ruby) is Qatar’s lowest elite status tier and includes the following benefits:
Discounted seat reservation
50% bonus Avios
Family member bonus
Lounge access (no guests)
Two guest lounge passes
Free checked baggage
Priority boarding and check-in
Personalized bag tags
Priority wait-listing
Oneworld Ruby status
Gold status (Oneworld Sapphire) includes all Silver benefits, plus the following perks:
Preferred seating
Guaranteed economy awards
75% bonus Avios
5% discount on redemptions
Lounge access (one guest)
Four guest lounge passes
Priority baggage handling
Extra baggage
Priority phone support
Al Maha Gold Service
Qatar’s top-tier Platinum elite status is the equivalent of the valuable Oneworld Emerald status. This tier includes all Gold status benefits, plus the following perks:
100% bonus Avios
Lounge access (two guests)
Five guest lounge passes
Read more: Your complete guide to Oneworld alliance benefits
How to earn Avios with Qatar Airways Privilege Club
Citi ThankYou Rewards
The easiest way for U.S. travelers to earn Qatar Avios is by transferring Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Privilege Club. Points transfer to Qatar Avios at a 1:1 ratio, though transfers usually take around two days to process.
You can earn Citi ThankYou Rewards with the Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees). Note that if you’re still holding on to the Citi Prestige® Card, which is no longer open to new applicants, you also have the full transfer benefits.
That said, like Chase Ultimate Rewards, you can combine your Citi ThankYou Rewards points into a single account for select products, allowing you to effectively “convert” your fixed-value earnings from cards like the Citi Rewards+® Card (see rates and fees) and the Citi® Double Cash Card (see rates and fees) into fully transferable ThankYou rewards.
The information for the Citi Prestige has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Transfer from other Avios programs
You can also transfer Avios from British Airways Executive Club, Iberia Plus or Aer Lingus AerClub at a 1:1 rate in any direction.
The following cards all currently offer strong welcome bonuses that you could easily convert to Avios in these three programs (and then convert to Privilege Club):
American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. Terms apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Check to see if you’re targeted for a 125,000-point welcome offer through CardMatch (offer subject to change at any time). Terms apply.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees): Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees): Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
You can also purchase Avios, which are often on sale.
Transfer from Marriott Bonvoy
Alternatively, you can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Qatar Airways Privilege Club at a 3:1 ratio. As an added perk, you’ll get a 5,000-mile bonus when you transfer 60,000 points. This means transferring 60,000 points nets you 25,000 Privilege Club Avios, a nice chunk of miles.
Earn Avios by flying Qatar Airways
You can also earn Avios when taking paid Qatar-operated flights around the world. The number of Avios you earn depends on your cabin and ticketed fare class. Qatar Airways Privilege Club still awards Avios based on the distance flown, but bear in mind that most discounted fare classes will earn at a much lower rate than higher-tier fares.
Here’s a table that details how you’ll accrue Avios on Qatar flights.
To see information for a specific itinerary, you can use Qatar’s online calculator.
Earn Avios with program partners
You can also earn Qatar Avios for flights on any of the following Oneworld airlines:
Alaska Airlines
American Airlines
British Airways
Cathay Pacific
Finnair
Iberia, including Iberia Express and Air Nostrum
Japan Airlines
Malaysia Airlines
Qantas, including QantasLink and Jetconnect
Royal Air Maroc
Royal Jordanian Airlines
S7 Airlines (currently suspended)
SriLankan Airlines
Privilege Club also partners with the following airlines outside of Oneworld:
These flights follow a similar earning scheme to Qatar Airways, but you can use the aforementioned calculator for more details.
Redeeming Qatar Airways Privilege Club Avios
Booking Qatar Airways flights with miles
Qatar Airways has what is widely considered one of the world’s best business-class products with its award-winning Qsuite product. Even the carrier’s economy product is a solid option. Here are the prices for popular one-way itineraries per person on any date (there is no peak or off-peak pricing).
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to DOH in business class
70,000 + $73.35
JFK to DOH in economy
35,000 + $62.35
JFK to Delhi, India’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) in business class
80,000 + $201.50
JFK to DEL in economy
40,000 + $131.50
JFK to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in business class
95,000 + $202.90
JFK to BKK in economy
47,500 + $132.90
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Dubai International Airport (DXB) in economy
37,500 + $132.90
Edinburgh Airport (EDI) to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) in business class
80,000 + $440.42
Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) to Bali, Indonesia’s Ngurah Rai International Airport (DPS) in economy
40,000 + $175.49
Availability can be limited, especially in premium cabins, so the further in advance you can book, the more likely you are to find one or more seats on the dates you need.
Upgrading Qatar Airways flights with miles
You can also use your Qatar miles to upgrade paid flights operated by the airline. Like award tickets, you must use the airline’s calculator to find the cost of upgrading a specific flight based on your route and fare class.
For example, you can upgrade the cheapest economy class ticket from the East Coast to Doha to a business-class seat for 55,000 miles one-way. This isn’t much cheaper than booking an award ticket, so we recommend steering clear of these unless you have booked an extremely cheap cash fare.
Additionally, you need to find available upgrade space in order to upgrade your ticket. You can do this by calling the airline or attempting to upgrade a ticket online.
Booking partner flights with miles
Earlier this year, Qatar lowered the award prices for many partner-operated flights, bringing them in line with other Avios currencies. Here’s the award chart for all Privilege Club partner redemptions, including Oneworld and other carriers:
Distance (miles)
Economy class (Avios)
Premium economy (Avios)
Business class (Avios)
First class (Avios)
0-650
6,000
9,000
12,500
24,000
651-1,151
9,000
12,500
16,500
33,000
1,152-2,000
11,000
16,500
22,000
44,000
2,001-3,000
13,000
25,250
38,750
51,500
3,001-4,000
20,750
41,250
62,000
82,500
4,001-5,500
25,750
51,500
77,250
103,000
5,501-6,500
31,000
62,000
92,750
123,750
6,501-7,000
36,250
72,250
108,250
144,250
7,001-plus
51,500
103,000
154,500
206,000
The award chart closely resembles British Airways’ partner award chart, meaning both programs have the same sweet spots:
Short-haul redemptions on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines start from just 6,000 Avios each way with no peak or off-peak pricing.
American Airlines regularly flies internationally configured wide-body aircraft on domestic routes, including 777s and 787s. For example, American’s flagship 777-300ER operates some flights between JFK and Miami International Airport (MIA), a 1,089-mile journey. You could book a business-class award on this flight for only 16,500 Avios, which is a great deal.
Fly from major West Coast cities to the Hawaiian Islands for just 13,000 Avios on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines.
Unfortunately, ticketing these awards is challenging. Unless you’re redeeming your Qatar Avios for an American Airlines or a British Airways flight, you won’t be able to book your partner redemption on Qatar’s website. To redeem your Qatar Avios on a partner flight, you can call Qatar Airways Privilege Club at 800-988-6128. Know, though, that the call center is only open during working hours on weekdays.
You can also see flight partner schedules by selecting “book award ticket” on Qatar’s website. You can then submit a request to book a partner flight, and a Qatar agent will process your reservation if there’s award space. We don’t recommend this option since award space can rapidly change. Instead, we suggest transferring Avios to British Airways so you have more partner flight options you can book online.
Related: The best ways to redeem British Airways Avios
Other redemption options
You can also use your Qatar Avios for merchandise, duty-free items, hotel stays and more. We generally recommend staying away from these types of redemptions, as they’ll almost always give you less value than a free flight, often dropping the value to half a cent per mile (or less).
Bottom line
Qatar Airways has fabulous products on the ground and in the air. If you have never flown long-haul business class, you can’t go wrong with the world-famous Qsuites to Doha and beyond.
While the program previously flew under the radar due to some uncompetitive pricing and complex booking options, adopting the already popular Avios currency in 2022 has opened up new ways to easily earn and redeem Avios in the program. The ability to easily transfer Avios between four different airline loyalty programs makes the program much more attractive, especially as Privilege Club now has the same short-haul sweet spots that are so popular when redeeming Avios through the British Airways Executive Club program.
Asking me to pick my favorite credit card would be like asking a father of 22 to pick his favorite child. And yes, I do have that many open, active credit cards (but only one child).
However, there’s one card that I use more frequently than any other in my wallet — and that’s my American Express® Gold Card.
Here’s why the Amex Gold has been (and will remain) a mainstay in my wallet.
Lucrative earning rates
The most appealing feature of the card is a pair of lucrative bonus categories:
4 points per dollar spent at restaurants worldwide
4 points per dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 in purchases every year, then 1 point per dollar)
I often eat out with my family, but we also love to cook at home. While it sometimes seems like our grocery bill is high, we never come anywhere near the Amex Gold’s yearly spending cap ($25,000 a year, equating to $480 a week.) And since the card waives foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), I can confidently swipe it at restaurants abroad to still earn those bonus points.
These bonus categories alone make the Amex Gold a perfect fit for me.
Read more: The best credit cards for dining
Uber and Grubhub benefits
Beyond the everyday earning rates, I’m a big fan of the card’s extra benefits.
I’m not a power Uber user, but we easily find ways to use the $10 in Uber Cash each month that the Amex Gold offers, which is valid for Uber rides or Uber Eats orders in the U.S. I also typically treat myself to lunch through a participating dining partner to receive up to $10 in statement credits each month. Enrollment is required for select benefits.
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By maxing out both benefits, I effectively reduce the annual fee on the card from $250 (see rates and fees) to just $10.
Targeted offers
In my opinion, one of the most underutilized perks of travel cards is access to targeted discounts and offers. And of the major issuers, Amex Offers are my favorite.
In the past three years, I’ve received a total of $265 in statement credits by adding these offers to my Amex Gold card. In addition, I’ve been targeted for a 20,000-point bonus for activating Amex Pay Over Time on the card (worth $400 to me), and I also referred a friend to the card earlier in the year, resulting in a one-time bonus of 20,000 points along with three months of an extra 5 points per dollar on U.S. supermarket purchases (since expired).
These offers help boost my Membership Rewards points balance.
Related: How to refer friends and earn points, miles or cash credits
Valuable transfer partners
Finally, I love redeeming American Express Membership Rewards points. We value Amex points at 2 cents apiece here at TPG, thanks to the program’s valuable transfer partners — including Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles and British Airways Avios.
Earlier this year, I booked round-trip, business-class flights on Philippine Airlines from the U.S. to Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) by transferring just 95,000 points to ANA Mileage Club. These flights would’ve set me back more than $6,000 had I paid out of pocket.
I also frequently convert my Amex points to Avios to book Iberia business-class tickets to Spain. On off-peak dates, nonstop flights are just 42,500 Avios from nearby Miami International Airport (MIA) to Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) — though they start at just 34,000 Avios from Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD).
In fact, thanks to the current 30% transfer bonus, you can snag these flights for as little as 27,000 Amex points each way.
Related: The best American Express cards
Bottom line
I get a ton of value from my 22 travel cards, but the Amex Gold card stands out. I love earning 4 points per dollar on a large part of my everyday spending, and Amex’s transfer partners help me and my family travel the world. The added perks and targeted offers are just icing on the cake.
If you’re not yet a cardholder, you can apply today to earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases on your new card in your first six months of card membership. However, you should also check the CardMatch tool to see if you’re targeted for an even higher welcome bonus (offer subject to change at any time).
Official application link: American Express Gold Card
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
Airline credit cards typically offer standard benefits, like bonus miles on airfare purchases, free checked bags and priority boarding. But one of the most valuable perks any airline credit card can offer is a companion ticket that can cut your cost of travel in half.
Thanks to its high welcome bonuses, earning structure and airfare discounts, the British Airways Visa Signature Card has long been considered one of the best credit cards from a foreign airline offered in the U.S., especially when you consider British Airways’ extensive U.S. route network. But it also comes with one of the most interesting companion travel benefits: the Travel Together Ticket.
The rules around redeeming this perk have recently been improved, and it is now easier to use and more valuable than ever.
Here are the details on this companion deal and how to maximize it.
How to earn the British Airways Travel Together Ticket
U.S.-based British Airways Visa Signature Card cardholders who spend $30,000 on their card in a calendar year can earn a Travel Together Ticket (posted within 4-6 weeks). The voucher is valid for outbound travel up to 24 months from the issue date (the return flight can be after that).
The British Airways Visa Signature Card offers 75,000 Avios after spending $5,000 in the first three months and exclusive offers when flying the carrier, such as a 10% discount on British Airways flights originating in the U.S., up to $600 in statement credits for award flight taxes and fees every year and earns 3 Avios per $1 spent with British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia and Level. The annual fee is $95.
Only the main cardholder with a registered address in the U.S. is eligible to earn the Travel Together Ticket; additional cardholers are not. Only one voucher can be earned each calendar year, even if the cardholder spends more than $30,000 on the card.
Rules for redeeming The Travel Together Ticket
The Travel Together Ticket comes with several conditions worth considering when it comes time to redeem it, some of which are positive and some negative.
Previously, these vouchers could only be applied to award bookings using British Airways Avios and on British Airways-operated flights. However, this rule has recently been relaxed, so they can now be redeemed on flights operated by Aer Lingus and Iberia, though note you must still book your flight(s) through British Airways Executive Club.
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The Travel Together Ticket differs from other companion tickets, which are more like a two-for-one paid deal. In this case, you’re getting a two-for-one award redemption but are still responsible for the taxes and other carrier-imposed charges on your ticket (which can be substantial). This also means you’ve got to find two awards open on the same itinerary in the same cabin. If you wish to travel in first class, two award seats on the same flight can be tough to come by.
For solo travel, you can redeem it for 50% of the Avios required for one passenger, which is a handy perk if you would rather travel alone and save Avios.
Previously, the voucher could only be used on round-trip itineraries originating in the United States. However, this rule has also recently been relaxed, so voucher holders can now commence their itinerary anywhere in the world that British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus operates from (provided there is Avios availability).
Your companion must be booked in the same cabin on your itinerary (unless you redeem it for solo travel). So if you book a business-class award for yourself, you must find a second one for your companion on the same itinerary. Stopovers are allowed.
Though the terms are not explicit, you should plan to have your card open and in good standing at the time your want to use your Travel Together Ticket.
Related: How to avoid fuel surcharges on award travel
When it makes sense to redeem the Travel Together Ticket
Now we come to the real question: Is it worth using the Travel Together Ticket? The answer depends on how you plan to redeem it.
British Airways awards are notorious for high taxes and surcharges on flights through London. While this generally makes economy awards a bad value, it can still be worth paying less than $2,000 per person to fly in business or first class as part of an award ticket compared to shelling out the cash fare, which will be many thousands of dollars, especially with premium fares across the Atlantic as high as they currently are.
BA introduced a new option in 2022 called Reward Flight Saver to use more Avios to reduce the cost of the taxes and surcharges on Avios redemptions.
British Airways award availability between the U.S. and Europe tends to be much better than what U.S. and other European carriers make available. So if you want to book an award, your chances of finding it are good.
The other key benefit is that British Airways has retained an award chart, so you can be confident of how many Avios you will need on any day — no 400,000 points per flight pricing with this program.
Related: Dynamic pricing vs. fuel surcharges — which is the lesser of two evils for your next redemption?
Now, let’s take four scenarios and compare the cost of using the Travel Together Ticket compared to purchasing airfare to determine whether this is a good deal.
To make things simpler, we’ll look at a single route from Atlanta (ATL) to London Heathrow (LHR) over a single set of dates in November since award availability was open across all four cabins offered by BA on these flights (these are off-peak dates). The taxes and fees are typical examples of what you would expect to pay, both for two people traveling together and solo travelers, given the ticket can also be redeemed for solo travel.
First up, economy. A round-trip award on this itinerary for two people using the lowest surcharge Reward Flight Saver option would cost 120,000 Avios plus 300 British pounds ($393) in taxes/fees.
If you were using this as a Travel Together Ticket, you’d still be paying 60,000 Avios plus $393 for two tickets. This is because you would only be charged the Avios for one passenger but the fees, taxes and surcharges for both. Compare that to the regular economy fare on the same dates of around $1,000 per person for non-stop flights and this would be a great way to use Avios to save hundreds of dollars.
If you are a solo traveler, you can redeem the Travel Together Ticket for 30,000 Avios plus $196 in fees, taxes and surcharges, saving over $800 on the cash fares for the same flight.
Related: A review of British Airways’ A350 in economy from London to Dubai
Now for premium economy. Here’s a sample award from the same week that would cost 190,000 Avios plus 660 British pounds ($864) for two passengers.
A paid fare on the same dates would be $1,813 per person, so $3,626 for two passengers. With a Travel Together Ticket for two passengers, you would be charged 95,000 Avios plus $864, saving you thousands off the cash ticket.
Solo travelers could redeem 45,000 Avios plus pay $432 in taxes and surcharges, another excellent way to save big on the $1,813 cash fare.
Related: Is British Airways premium economy worth it on the Boeing 777-300ER?
In business class, British Airways will charge 360,000 Avios plus 900 British pounds ($1,179) in taxes and surcharges for two passengers at the Reward Flight Saver rate.
With the 50% reduction in Avios with the Travel Together Ticker, you would still be charged a huge 180,000 Avios plus the full $1,179 co-payment. However, with cash fares on these dates close to $4,000 each roundtrip in business class, you would still save thousands of dollars using the voucher.
For solo travelers, just 90,000 Avios plus under $600 in taxes and fees saves versus $4,000 for a cash ticket is a great deal.
Related: British Airways’ Club Suites don’t disappoint: On board a retrofitted 777 from London to New York
Reward Flight Savers are not offered in first class, so while you’ll only need marginally more Avios than the business class rates above, you must pay the full fees, taxes and surcharges. For two passengers using a Travel Together Ticket this would be 170,000 Avios roundtrip plus an eye-watering 3,263 British pounds ($4,279).
While this would represent a decent saving on the cash fares of almost $6,000 per person, given the thousands of dollars of surcharges you must pay for a first class redemption, using the voucher for business class instead would be a much better deal.
How to earn Avios
If you want to use a Travel Together Ticket but don’t have enough British Airways Avios in your Executive Club account, British Airways is a transfer partner of Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, making Avios one of the easiest currencies to earn.
Points transfer from Chase, Bilt and Amex at a 1:1 ratio (in addition to occasional transfer bonuses of up to 40%), while Marriott points transfer to Avios at a 3:1 ratio. Plus, you’ll get a 5,000-Avios bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred.
The following cards all currently offer strong welcome bonuses that you could easily convert to Avios:
American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first six months of account opening. Terms apply.
The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Check to see if you’re targeted for a 125,000-point welcome offer through CardMatch (offer subject to change at any time). Terms apply.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: (see rates and fees) Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: (see rates and fees) Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Ink Business Preferred Credit Card: Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Bottom line
The British Airways Visa Signature Card’s Travel Together Ticket can save you thousands of dollars on British Airways, Iberia or Aer Lingus flights from anywhere in the world by allowing two passengers to travel together, in any cabin with award availability and only pay the Avios required for one passenger. The spending requirement to earn the perk is high, though.
Following last years Reward Flight Saver rollout to allow passengers to reduce the notorious BA carrier-imposed surcharges by paying more Avios, this voucher is a valuable credit card perk for economy, premium economy and business class flights. However, the savings are less in first class as the Reward Flight Saver option is not available.
“Where are you from?” It’s a common question when you meet someone new while traveling. And it’s an easy question for most people. But for me, it’s complicated if I want to give more details than “the United States.”
After all, my husband and I gave up our Austin, Texas, apartment in June 2017, sold or donated most of our belongings and then set out as digital nomads on July 2, 2017. So, excluding some extended time living with family early in the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve traveled full time while working remotely for the last six years.
In 2020, I wrote about my first three years as a digital nomad. But in this story, I’ll look back at the past six years. In doing so, I’ll discuss how I became a digital nomad, some of my travel statistics and how travel has changed for me during the past six years.
How I became a digital nomad
On a bus from Aguas Calientes to Machu Picchu in Peru in 2013, I first heard of a gap year or sabbatical year. I hadn’t gotten into points and miles yet, but my husband and I loved the idea of taking a year off to travel after I finished graduate school. Well, fast forward four years to 2017, when it was time to leave on our “gap year.” By this time, we were already working as writers in the award travel space.
So, we hit the road as digital nomads instead of taking a gap year. And we quickly fell in love with the freedom and flexibility of the lifestyle. I appreciate experiencing different cultures, landscapes, experiences and cuisines daily. And I’ve found that frequently visiting new destinations inspires me.
I also enjoy using the topics I write about — points, miles, credit cards and elite status — on a daily basis. We make award redemptions most weeks (and often multiple times a week), and we’re constantly traveling. So, I know many of the airline, hotel and credit card programs I write about from personal experience. And I’m personally invested when these programs change or devalue their rewards.
Points and miles certainly fuel some of our travel. But we also book paid flights and nights when it makes sense. After all, we only have a finite amount of points and miles, and we’ve found that paid partner-operated premium-cabin flights are often the best way to earn airline elite status.
Related: 6 ways award travel and elite status pair well with my digital nomad life
1,121,959 miles on 575 flights
Over the last six years, I’ve taken 575 flights on 62 airlines to 180 airports in 58 countries. I’ve taken so many flights in the last six years that my flight map is difficult to read.
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I flew 1,121,959 direct flight miles in the last six years, with an average flight distance of 1,951 miles (about the distance from Atlanta to Los Angeles). My longest flight was 9,532 miles, from New York to Singapore. And my shortest flight was just 11 miles from Tahiti to Moorea in French Polynesia.
But my most memorable flight was on Sri Lanka’s Cinnamon Air from Polgolla Reservoir Aerodrome (KDZ) to Koggala Airport (KCT) on a Cessna 208 amphibious caravan.
I frequently fly American Airlines and often use Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) when visiting family. So, it’s not surprising that my three most frequent routes by flight segments are between American Airlines’ hubs and Atlanta. Here’s a look at my top 10 most frequent flight segments over the last six years:
New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) to/from ATL: 15 flights
Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to/from ATL: 11 flights
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to/from ATL: 10 flights
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) to/from Kualanamu International Airport (KNO): 10 flights while I earned Malaysia Airlines Enrich Gold status in 2019
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to/from ATL: Nine flights
Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) to/from LAX: Eight flights
DFW to/from LGA: Six flights
London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to/from LAX: Six flights
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG) to/from Da Nang International Airport (DAD): Six flights booked during Cathay Pacific’s New Year’s deal in 2019
DFW to/from LAS: Five flights
And my loyalty to American Airlines AAdvantage and its Oneworld partners shows when you look at the airlines I flew most by flight segments:
American Airlines: 224 flights, including reviews of American’s A321T business class, 787-9 business class, 777-200 business class with B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seats, 787-8 Main Cabin Extra, 757-200 Main Cabin Extra and 757-200 business class
United Airlines: 31 flights, including reviews of United’s 787-8 economy class and 757-200 economy class
Southwest Airlines: 29 flights, including a review of Southwest’s 737-800 from Oakland, California, to Newark
Malaysia Airlines: 26 flights
Qatar Airways: 23 flights, including reviews of Qatar Qsuite on a 777-300ER and Qatar Qsuite on an A350-1000
Delta Air Lines: 22 flights, including when I was one of the first American tourists to fly to Italy on a COVID-19-tested flight
British Airways: 20 flights, including a review of British Airways’ A380 economy class
Cathay Pacific: 17 flights
Japan Airlines: 14 flights, including a review of Japan Airlines’ 777-300ER premium economy
Qantas: 12 flights
However, if you look at the airlines on which I flew the most mileage, the ranking is a bit different due to some mileage runs:
American Airlines: 404,296 miles
Cathay Pacific: 104,481 miles
Qatar Airways: 89,630 miles
British Airways: 53,357 miles
Delta Air Lines: 49,603 miles
United Airlines: 42,237 miles
Singapore Airlines: 36,176 miles, including a review of Singapore Airlines’ A350-900ULR premium economy
Japan Airlines: 33,756 miles
Air Canada: 30,792 miles
All Nippon Airways: 28,938 miles
I track all my flights in OpenFlights. So, although it’s relatively easy for me to gather statistics on my flights, I don’t have a simple way to determine the amount I paid in points and cash for my 575 flights during the last six years.
Related: The best credit cards for booking flights
1,103 nights in hotels
I’ve spent over half of the last six years living out of hotel rooms. In particular, I’ve spent 894 nights at 75 major hotel brands within the last six years. And I’ve spent 209 nights at other brands and independent hotels.
Here’s the breakdown of my stays by loyalty program and brand over the last six years, including notes about my favorite programs.
390 nights at 15 IHG brands
Holiday Inn Express: 120 nights
Holiday Inn: 66 nights
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts: 51 nights, including five nights at the InterContinental Hayman Island Resort in Australia, four nights at the InterContinental Phuket Resort in Thailand, four nights at the InterContinental Phu Quoc Long Beach Resort in Vietnam, three nights at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort in Vietnam, three nights at the InterContinental New York Times Square in New York and two nights at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa in Fiji
Candlewood Suites: 28 nights
Hotel Indigo: 26 nights, including five nights at the Hotel Indigo Austin Downtown-University in Texas and four nights at the Hotel Indigo Birmingham Five Points South – UAB in Alabama
Staybridge Suites: 22 nights
Crowne Plaza Hotels & Resorts: 19 nights, including three nights at the Crowne Plaza Beijing Wangfujing in China and three nights at the Crowne Plaza Times Square in New York
Holiday Inn Resort: 19 nights, including 10 nights at the Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Maldives in the Maldives
Voco: 11 nights, including six nights at Voco Gold Coast in Australia
Regent: Nine nights
Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants: Eight nights
Six Senses: Six nights, including four nights at Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and two nights at Six Senses Yao Noi in Thailand
Atwell Suites: Two nights at Atwell Suites Miami Brickell in Florida
Avid: Two nights at Avid hotel Oklahoma City — Quail Springs in Oklahoma
Even: One night
Over the last six years, I’ve stayed 161 paid nights at IHG properties for an average of $152 per night. The least I paid was $48 per night at the Holiday Inn Express Berlin — Alexanderplatz in Germany. And the most I paid was $1,564 per night during a review of the InterContinental Maldives Maamunagau Resort in the Maldives.
Meanwhile, we redeemed IHG points for 209 nights over the last six years, including 36 fourth-night-free rewards. On average, we redeemed 15,591 IHG points per night. We also redeemed 20 anniversary nights over the last six years, including at the InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa in French Polynesia and the Kimpton De Witt Amsterdam in the Netherlands.
You might wonder how we earned so many IHG points and anniversary nights. We maximize IHG promotions to earn points on stays. And we often buy points during IHG points sales with a 100% bonus when we can do so for 0.5 cents per point. As for the anniversary night certificates, we both have multiple IHG credit cards, so we’ve each earned two anniversary nights for most of the last six years.
We frequently stay at IHG One Rewards hotels and resorts due to the high value we often get when redeeming IHG points. But, with the launch of the new IHG One Rewards program last year, we are also getting good value from the annual lounge membership you can select through IHG’s Milestone Rewards program after staying 40 nights in a year.
Related: 9 budget strategies for getting the most out of your points and miles
209 nights at other brands and independent hotels
These days, we usually stay at major hotel brands to earn and use elite status perks and benefit from the consistency provided by these brands. But we often stayed at independent hotels when we first hit the road as digital nomads in 2017. And even now, we sometimes find ourselves in a destination without major hotel brands or where staying at a property outside our brand loyalties makes the most sense.
For example, we couldn’t pass up staying in a twin cell at YHA Fremantle Prison in Australia and a robot hotel in Japan. Likewise, staying within Addo Elephant and Kruger national parks in South Africa let us maximize our time seeing wildlife in these parks.
We often book these stays through online travel agencies since we don’t have to worry about missing out on elite status benefits and earnings while staying at properties outside our primary brands. For example, we’ll sometimes book through credit card portals to use credits, like the $50 hotel credit each account anniversary year on the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. And we’ll occasionally book through American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts to snag extra perks and use the prepaid hotel credit we get each calendar year as a perk of The Platinum Card® from American Express. We’ll also sometimes use Rocketmiles to earn American Airlines miles and Loyalty Points on our stays.
On average, I paid $83 per night on these stays. But, my least expensive night was $18 per night for a private room with a shared bathroom at Stella Di Notte in Belgrade, Serbia. And my most expensive night was $235 per night at the RLJ Kendeja Resort & Villas in Liberia during PeaceJam.
203 nights at 21 Marriott brands
Over the last six years, I’ve stayed 140 paid nights at Marriott properties for an average of $121 per night. The least I paid was $44 per night at the Four Points by Sheraton Bogota in Colombia. And the most I paid was $350 per night during a review of the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa in Hawaii.
Meanwhile, we redeemed Marriott points for 49 nights over the last six years, including six fifth-night-free benefits. On average, we redeemed 16,167 points per night on Marriott award stays. We also redeemed 14 free night awards we earned through Marriott credit cards and promotions over the last six years.
Related: Here’s why you need both a personal and business Marriott Bonvoy credit card
115 nights at 6 Choice brands
Ascend Hotel Collection: 54 nights, including 28 nights at Emotions All Inclusive Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, nine nights at Gowanus Inn & Yard in New York (no longer bookable through Choice Hotels) and three nights at Bluegreen Vacations Fountains in Florida
Comfort: 37 nights, including 19 nights in Japan
Quality Inn: 13 nights
Cambria Hotels: Four nights
Rodeway Inn: Four nights
Clarion: Three nights
Over the last six years, I’ve stayed 34 paid nights at Choice Privileges properties for an average of $93 per night. The least I paid was $54 per night at the Comfort Hotel Airport CDG in France. And the most I paid was $239 per night at Cambria Hotel New York — Times Square in New York.
Meanwhile, we redeemed Choice points for 81 nights over the last six years. On average, we redeemed 9,531 Choice points per night. I’ve found I can get excellent value when redeeming Choice points for unique redemptions and for stays in Japan, Europe and destinations that typically feature high paid hotel rates. So, as with IHG, we often buy Choice points during sales or through Daily Getaways promotions.
87 nights at 11 Hyatt brands and partners
I didn’t stay much with World of Hyatt until the program offered reduced qualification requirements and double elite night credits in early 2021. I earned Globalist status in 2021 for far fewer nights than is usually required, but I’ve prioritized maintaining it due to the on-site perks it provides.
I’ve stayed 53 paid nights at Hyatt properties for an average of $139 per night over the last six years. The least I paid was $24 per night at the Excalibur Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. And the most I paid was $353 per night at Hyatt House New York/Chelsea in New York.
Meanwhile, I redeemed Hyatt points for 27 free nights over the last six years. I’ve found some excellent Category 1 Hyatt hotels that provide wonderful value on award stays. So, it isn’t surprising that I’ve redeemed 5,563 points per night on average and just 3,500 points per night for nine nights. Additionally, I redeemed seven free night certificates that I earned through Hyatt credit cards, Hyatt Milestone Rewards and the Hyatt Brand Explorer promotion over the last six years.
40 nights at 10 Wyndham brands
Days Inn: 10 nights
Ramada: Nine nights
Ramada Encore: Five nights
Microtel: Five nights
Club Wyndham: Three nights
Super 8: Three nights
Viva Wyndham: Two nights at Viva Wyndham Azteca — All-Inclusive Resort in Mexico
Baymont: One night
Howard Johnson: One night
Travelodge: One night
Over the last six years, I’ve stayed 29 paid nights at Wyndham properties for an average of $103 per night. The least I paid was $48 per night at the Days Inn Guam-Tamuning in Guam. And the most I paid was $200 per night during a review of the Viva Wyndham Azteca — All-Inclusive Resort in Mexico.
Meanwhile, we redeemed Wyndham points for 11 nights over the last six years. On average, we redeemed 9,068 points per night on Wyndham award stays. And we love getting a 10% redemption discount when we redeem Wyndham points as a benefit of our Wyndham Rewards credit card, as this brings an award night that would typically cost 7,500 points down to just 6,750 points.
32 nights at 6 Hilton brands
Over the last six years, I’ve stayed 18 paid nights at Hilton properties for an average of $130 per night. The least I’ve paid was $58 per night at the Hilton Jaipur in India. And the most I paid was $168 per night at the Hilton Niseko Village in Japan.
Meanwhile, we redeemed Hilton points for eight nights over the last six years, including one fifth-night-free benefit. On average, we redeemed 46,250 points per night on Hilton award stays. We also redeemed six Hilton free night certificates that we earned through Hilton credit cards over the last six years for excellent value at the Conrad New York Midtown, the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island and the Hilton Maldives Amingiri Resort & Spa.
The average amount we redeemed per night with Hilton Honors is significantly higher than with other hotel loyalty programs. This, combined with my struggle to get more than TPG’s valuation (0.6 cents per point) when redeeming Hilton points, is why I don’t frequently stay at Hilton brands despite having Hilton Diamond status through a Hilton credit card.
19 nights at 4 Accor brands
Ibis: 12 nights
Mercure: Four nights
Grand Mercure: Two nights
Ibis Budget: One night
Over the last six years, I’ve stayed 19 nights at Accor properties for an average of $56 per night. The least I paid was $36 per night at the Ibis Muenchen City Nord in Germany. And the most I paid was $84 per night at the Ibis Madrid Alcobendas in Spain.
8 nights at 2 Best Western brands
Best Western: Six nights
Best Western Plus: Two nights
Over the last six years, I’ve stayed eight nights at Best Western properties for an average of $78 per night. The least I paid was $57 per night at the Best Western Amsterdam Airport Hotel in the Netherlands. And the most I paid was $147 per night at the Best Western Plus Mountain View Auburn Inn in Washington.
452 nights camping
When I became a digital nomad in 2017, I didn’t think there was any chance I’d camp 452 nights in the next six years. And even three years ago, I’d only spent three nights tent camping for a concert at The Gorge in Washington state and three nights in a rental RV doing a relocation from Las Vegas to Denver.
But, as it became apparent the coronavirus pandemic would affect international travel for more than just a few months, my husband and I tried out a six-night RV relocation rental in July 2020. Then in August 2020, we decided to buy the same RV model we’d relocated.
When we bought our Class C RV, we expected we’d sell it as soon as international travel to most destinations became relatively simple again. But, we discovered we enjoy working remotely from our RV while in the U.S. We’ve now spent 440 nights camping in our RV since buying it — 97 nights in 2020, 234 nights in 2021, 80 nights in 2022 and 29 nights so far in 2023.
Nineteen nights in our RV have been free at locations (like select Walmarts, select Cracker Barrels and businesses that participate in Harvest Hosts) that allow RVers to stay overnight upon asking permission. We’ve also spent 37 nights sleeping in the driveways of friends and family while visiting them.
But we usually find paid RV campsites with power and water. We’ve paid for campsites on 393 nights as follows:
171 nights at city and county campgrounds ($32 per night on average)
133 nights at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers campgrounds ($27 per night on average)
66 nights at state park campgrounds ($34 per night on average)
37 nights at private campgrounds ($52 per night on average)
Four nights at national park campgrounds ($48 per night on average)
On average, we’ve paid $33 per night for our RV campsites. The highest we paid was $104 per night at Orlando / Kissimmee KOA Holiday in Florida. And the least we paid was $17 per night at Shady Grove Campground in Cumming, Georgia, during a half-off promotion.
Related: The cheapest place to stay at Disney World is a tent — so I tried it
443 nights with family and friends
One aspect my husband and I appreciate about being digital nomads is seeing our family more than when we lived in one place. Here’s a breakdown of our nights with friends and family over the last six years:
July 2 to the end of 2017: 32 nights
2018: 90 nights
2019: 83 nights
2020: 167 nights
2021: 29 nights
2022: 27 nights
So far in 2023: 15 nights
We spent significant time with each of our parents in March through August of 2020 as much of the world locked down. However, the nights since August 2020 are lower than pre-pandemic since we now stay in our RV (either in the driveway or a nearby campground) while visiting most friends and family members.
Related: 43 real-world family travel tips that actually work
104 nights in transit
Over the past six years, I’ve spent 101 nights in flight or sleeping in airports. I typically avoid overnight flights, but sometimes overnight flights are unavoidable (and they’re enjoyable if I book a lie-flat seat or luck into a row to myself in economy).
If I have an overnight layover at an airport, I’ll book a hotel if the layover is long enough and I can find a modestly priced hotel on-site or with a free shuttle. But sometimes the layover is too short, or it just doesn’t make sense to get a hotel. In these cases, I’ll usually sleep in a lounge — ideally one with a sleeping area or at least lounge chairs — or in a Minute Suites (or a similar type of space) that participates in Priority Pass.
I’ve also spent three nights on trains, including two on the Amtrak Empire Builder from Portland, Oregon, to Chicago and one on a Trans-Mongolian train from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, to Hohhot, China. I thoroughly enjoyed both experiences, so it’s surprising that I haven’t taken any other overnight trains in the last six years. However, low-cost flights on many routes served by overnight trains often make flying a more convenient and less expensive alternative.
Related: 11 of the most scenic train rides on Earth
90 nights in vacation rentals
Vacation rentals are the accommodation of choice for many digital nomads, especially those who stay in each location for at least a month and appreciate having their own kitchen. And I spent 39 nights in vacation rentals in 2017 after becoming nomadic July 2.
However, one particularly bad Airbnb experience in 2018 and an increasing interest in hotel elite status caused me to switch most of my nights to hotels instead of vacation rentals. I stayed in vacation rentals for 17 nights in 2018 and 20 nights in 2019. I only stayed in one vacation rental each in 2020 (for three nights), 2021 (for two nights) and 2022 (for two nights). And so far, I’ve only stayed in one vacation rental (for seven nights) in 2023.
On average, I paid $53 per night for vacation rentals across my six years as a digital nomad. My least expensive vacation rental was $17 per night for a private studio apartment in Da Nang, Vietnam, that I booked through Airbnb. And my most expensive vacation rental was $129 per night for a waterfront apartment in Auckland, New Zealand, through Hotels.com.
I’ll still stay in vacation rentals when they’re my best option. But I generally prefer to stay at hotels for consistency and to earn and use my elite status perks.
Related: When a vacation rental makes more sense than a hotel
259 cities in 52 countries and territories
Finally, let’s talk about destinations. Over the last six years, I’ve visited 259 cities in 52 countries and territories. Here’s a look at the number of nights I stayed in each:
1,253 nights: United States of America (including 318 nights in hotels or vacation rentals)
88 nights: Germany
69 nights: Japan
56 nights: Australia
54 nights: South Africa (including 32 nights in or near South African national parks)
36 nights: Dominican Republic
27 nights: Maldives, Thailand
24 nights: Spain
22 nights: Hong Kong, Malaysia
21 nights: New Zealand, Serbia, Vietnam
20 nights: Canada, Colombia, Italy
19 nights: India
18 nights: Netherlands, United Arab Emirates
16 nights: Singapore
14 nights: Bahamas, French Polynesia, Indonesia
13 nights: Fiji, South Korea
11 nights: Brazil, Mongolia
10 nights: China
Nine nights: Bulgaria, England, France, Pakistan
Eight nights: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Latvia, Liberia, Mexico, Sri Lanka
Seven nights: Greece, Guam
Six nights: Turkey
Five nights: Belgium, Marshall Islands
Four nights: Sweden
Three nights: Argentina, Chile
Two nights: Panama
One night: Ethiopia, Finland, Ireland, Northern Mariana Islands, Taiwan
As you can see, I would have spent the most time in the U.S. even if the coronavirus pandemic hadn’t kept me in the country for much of 2020 and 2021. And interestingly, even my most visited country outside the U.S. (Germany) accounted for just 88 nights across the last six years.
I also visited 14 other countries and territories before becoming a digital nomad. So, although I’m not striving to visit every country in the world, I’ve visited 66 different countries and territories so far. My husband and I are trying to visit a few new-to-us countries each year while also returning to some of our favorite destinations like Germany, Japan, South Africa, Australia and Hong Kong.
Related: The 18 best places to travel in 2023
Bottom line
I feel incredibly thankful for the last six years I’ve spent as a digital nomad. I’ve grown significantly as a person and content creator while traveling full-time.
And I’ve had some amazing experiences, including swimming with manta rays in French Polynesia and the Maldives, watching a sea turtle dig a nest and lay her eggs on a Florida beach, staying at some awesome resorts (Six Senses Laamu, Six Senses Yao Noi and Alila Fort Bishangarh immediately come to mind), and overnighting in second-class hard bunks on a Trans-Mongolian train.
But it’s not these epic experiences that keep me on the road. After all, I could enjoy many of these experiences on vacation. Instead, the daily things like being surrounded by languages I don’t know, enjoying delicious local foods and exploring new cities and neighborhoods on foot keep me attached to the digital nomad lifestyle.
You can currently receive a 30% transfer bonus when you transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to British Airways Avios. Normally you can transfer 1,000 MR points and receive 1,000 Avios, during this promotion you’ll receive 1,300
The Fine Print
Valid until August 31, 2023
Our Verdict
Not as good as the 40% transfer bonus last year. Full list of previous transfer bonuses below:
April 2 – unknown end date, 022: 40%
June 10th – unknown end date, 2019: 40-50% (YMMV)
September 16th -November 15th, 2018: 40%
July 17th – September 17th, 2017: 40%
July 13th, 2017: Transfer rate restored to 1:1
August 10th – October 10th, 2016: 50%
December 15th, 2014 – January 31st, 2015: 40%
October 1st, 2015: Transfer rate decreased from 1:1 to 250:200
October 15th – December 31st, 2013: 20%
April 22nd, 2013 – June 7th, 2013: 35%
December 3, 2012 – January 14, 2013: 30%
August 28th, 2012 – September 27th, 2012: 40%
March 15, 2012 – May 31, 2012: 50%
March 1, 2012 – March 31, 2012: 50%
November 28, 2011 – January 31, 2012: 30%
June 1, 2011 – July 31, 2011: 50%
February 2, 2011 – March 31, 2011: 40%
November 2, 2010 – December 31, 2010: 30%
April 1 – June 30, 2010: 20% (only for Platinum & Centurion cardholders)
You can find a complete list of transfer bonuses by clicking here.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Virgin Atlantic has a great new offer to save thousands of points on your next redemption.
Virgin has discounted the cost of all redemptions between the U.S. and the U.K. by 30% for travel from now until Sep. 30. The carrier is following the lead of Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue Promo Rewards and Singapore Airlines’ Spontaneous Escapes,
The offer isn’t quite as generous as the “redemption deal of the year” we saw in 2022, which offered a 50% reduction in the Virgin points required for redemptions to almost all destinations. This new offer is only 30% off the cost of a standard redemption. However, all classes of service are included, and there are no blackout dates this summer.
The 30% off applies to Virgin Atlantic flights between London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) and:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS)
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Miami International Airport (MIA)
New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS)
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Washington’s Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Virgin Atlantic’s routes from New York, Atlanta and Orlando to Manchester Airport (MAN) are also included — as is the nonstop flight from Orlando to Edinburgh Airport (EDI).
The discounts apply to flights in either direction, in any cabin with award availability. This offer is available for redemptions, upgrades and companion tickets. Virgin Atlantic must operate the flights to qualify for the promotion.
Related: Video alert! TPG reviews all cabins on Virgin Atlantic’s brand-new Airbus A330-900neo
Even for peak summer travel, round-trip redemptions start from just 28,000 Virgin points from the East Coast or 35,000 from the West Coast. You’ll see the points discount applied when booking online.
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Unfortunately, the full fees, taxes and substantial surcharges are payable on all routes in all cabins. Unlike British Airways, there is no way to reduce the carrier-imposed surcharges by redeeming more points. Even in economy, you can expect to pay hundreds of dollars extra; in business class, the total is more than $1,000 round trip. These surcharges remain the biggest frustration with the Flying Club program.
Related: Is Virgin Atlantic premium economy worth it on the A330-900neo?
To take advantage of this great offer, you must book by July 24 and complete travel by Sep. 30. Unfortunately, the discount does not apply to existing bookings. You may consider canceling and rebooking if your existing flight falls within the eligibility window. However, availability is not guaranteed.
If you need to earn Virgin points for one of these awards, you can transfer them from American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards and Citi ThankYou. All of these transfers process at a 1:1 ratio and should post instantaneously to your Virgin account.
This is a great initiative from Flying Club, and it is generous, given it covers peak summer travel across the Atlantic in all classes. Just be mindful of those pesky surcharges when booking.
It seems almost every airline, hotel chain and credit card issuer has launched its own premium credit card, enticing customers with luxury travel perks paired with hefty annual fees. Many of these cards offer solid value, especially if you’re loyal to the underlying brand.
There are two long-standing titans of the premium card market. Of course, we’re talking about The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve. The former built the market for premium rewards cards decades ago, while the latter is responsible for growing its mass appeal.
Since the Sapphire Reserve debuted in 2016, competition between these two cards has been fierce. Today, we will look at how they stack up against each other and whether you should consider adding one (or both) to your wallet.
Related: The best travel credit cards
Welcome offer
When considering a new card, especially one with a $500-plus annual fee, most people first look at the welcome offer to see how much of that annual fee they can start recouping immediately.
With its $695 annual fee (see rates and fees), the Amex Platinum is currently offering new applicants 80,000 Membership Rewards points after they spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months of cardmembership. However, it’s worth checking to see if you’re targeted for a higher offer of up to 125,000 points through the CardMatch tool (offer subject to change at any time).
TPG values Membership Rewards points at 2 cents each, making the initial welcome offer of 80,000 points worth $1,600 alone. Since Amex only allows you to earn a welcome offer on each of its cards once per lifetime, it might be tempting to hold off on applying for the Amex Platinum in hopes that you may be targeted through CardMatch for a higher bonus at some point in the future.
Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers a sign-up bonus of 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
TPG also values Ultimate Rewards points at 2 cents each, making this bonus worth $1,200. That’s significantly lower than the Amex Platinum offer, though the spending requirement to earn the bonus is also lower.
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Winner: The Amex Platinum takes the lead in this first category, especially if you are targeted for an elevated offer through CardMatch.
Related: The best time to apply for these popular cards based on offer history
Earning
Long after your bonus has been earned and spent, you’ll want a card to help you quickly rack up valuable transferable points.
Both of these cards get that done but in very different ways. Your best option depends on which other Chase or Amex cards you currently have in your wallet and how the bonus categories on those other cards overlap with the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum.
Here are the bonus categories for these two cards:
Bonus multiplier
Amex Platinum
Chase Sapphire Reserve
10 points per dollar
N/A.
Lyft rides (through March 2025.)
Hotels and car rentals booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal.
Chase Dining purchases made through the Ultimate Rewards portal.
Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $250 or more, with a maximum of 50,000 points (through March 2025).
5 points per dollar
Airfare booked directly with airlines and airfare booked with American Express Travel, on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year.
Prepaid hotels booked with Amex Travel.
Airfare booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal.
3 points per dollar
N/A.
Travel and dining.
1 point per dollar
All other purchases.
All other purchases.
Chase offers a broader range of bonus categories, including everyday purchases like travel and dining.
While the Amex Platinum does pull ahead on airfare booked directly with airlines (with a terrific 10% return), the Chase Sapphire Reserve pulls ahead for dozens of other travel expenses, including most hotels, ride-hailing services, parking fees, tolls and tours. It also has an equally broad 3 points per dollar spent on dining that the Platinum can’t match.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve is the best for earning thanks to its favorable everyday bonus categories that help you earn more points in the long term.
Related: Best reward cards for each bonus category
Redemption options
With Chase Ultimate Rewards and Amex Membership Rewards tied at 2 cents apiece in TPG’s valuations, it’s worth looking at the different transfer partners to decide which ones best suit your needs.
Let’s start with the Chase Sapphire Reserve. In addition to 11 airline and three hotel transfer partners, Sapphire Reserve customers get a 50% bonus when redeeming points for travel directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. This gives you an absolute minimum redemption value of 1.5 cents per point, meaning you can book a seat on any flight that’s for sale, even if there isn’t award space available.
That said, you’ll often get a better value by transferring your points to the loyalty programs of airlines and hotels instead. All Chase partner transfers are at a 1:1 ratio, and most of them are instant. Ultimate Rewards has a real edge for hotel bookings because of its partnership with World of Hyatt, where you can book an award night for as low as 3,500 points per night.
On the airline side of things, popular redemption options include United MileagePlus, Southwest Rapid Rewards, British Airways Avios, Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Air France-KLM Flying Blue — though the last three also partner with Amex Membership Rewards. The same holds true for Air Canada Aeroplan — though if you also hold the Aeroplan Credit Card, you can enjoy a 10% bonus on certain transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards to your Aeroplan account.
Finally, you also have the Pay Yourself Back option with the Sapphire Reserve, allowing you to use points to cover certain purchases at higher values:
1.5 cents per point for select charitable donations (through Dec. 31, 2023.)
1.25 cents per point for purchases at gas stations and grocery stores (through Sept. 30, 2023.)
1.25 cents per point to cover your annual fee (through Sept. 30, 2023.)
Again, though, the best redemption option will typically come from maximizing Chase’s transfer partners.
Meanwhile, Amex Membership Rewards has a whopping 20 transfer partners, but not all are worth your attention. Some have transfer ratios below 1:1, have longer transfer times (which means you risk watching your award space disappear) or simply don’t have reasonably priced redemption options.
Some of the best are ANA Mileage Club, Air Canada Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles, each of which offers attractively priced options for booking Star Alliance tickets. Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, British Airways Executive Club and Delta SkyMiles are also popular transfer options.
However, if you opt to use your points directly through American Express Travel, you won’t get nearly the value you do through Chase. Flight bookings are a flat 1 cent per point, while hotel reservations clock in at just 0.7 cents apiece. As a result, you’re typically much better off with the transfer options.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve comes out on top for redemption options since it offers a 1:1 transfer ratio for all of its airline and hotel partners, the Pay Yourself Back feature and more flexibility with its 50% bonus for travel booked in Ultimate Rewards.
Perks and benefits
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and Amex Platinum are two of the most valuable rewards cards on the market, but they’re also two of the most expensive. You’ll pay a $550 annual fee with the Sapphire Reserve and a $695 annual fee with the Amex Platinum.
So, what do you get in exchange for that upfront cost? For starters, both cards feature airport lounge access and additional travel and food delivery credits, among other benefits. Let’s take a look below at the most popular and valuable perks available (note that enrollment is required for select benefits):
*Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Not all vehicle types or rentals are covered, and geographic restrictions apply. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company. Coverage is offered through American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
**Eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for details. Policies are underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
This is by far the trickiest part of the comparison, with many different pieces to unpack. It’s also the one where your own personal preferences may sway you to one card or another.
For starters, the Sapphire Reserve still has an edge over Amex regarding the $300 annual travel credit. Not only is it a higher amount than the up-to-$200 airline fee credit that comes with the Amex Platinum, but it’s also much less restrictive. It will automatically apply to a broad range of travel purchases. In contrast, the $200 Amex airline credit only applies to select fees such as seat assignments or checked bags — and you’re limited to a single airline you designate each year.
Regarding ride-hailing services, some people see the up-to-$200 in annual (U.S.) Uber Cash (broken into $15 a month, with a $20 bonus in December) that comes with the Amex Platinum card as a cash-like credit. However, not everyone uses a ride-hailing service or places an Uber Eats order in the U.S. once a month, which means the 10 points per dollar spent on Lyft rides with the Sapphire Reserve might be a more valuable option.
On the flip side, if you live in a smaller city or never order food, you might find the DoorDash partnership with Chase useless.
The same can be said of certain perks on the Amex Platinum — including statement credits with Saks Fifth Avenue, Clear and select digital entertainment providers. If you already use these services or merchants, it’s like money back in your pocket. If not, you may find they aren’t a real value-add relative to the annual fee.
Meanwhile, the Amex Platinum is widely considered the most comprehensive card for airport lounge access. Although the Priority Pass Select membership that comes with this card no longer allows you to access participating restaurants (you can with a Chase-issued Priority Pass membership), the access to Amex’s wide collection of Centurion Lounges and Delta Sky Clubs on same-day Delta flights should be enough to make up for that.
Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve only offers Priority Pass access, they are expanding their network of Chase lounges, with the first U.S. location open in Boston.
Another area where Amex excels is by offering Gold elite status with both Marriott and Hilton to Platinum cardholders. Chase offers no equivalent benefit.
Chase has historically been the leader in travel insurance, with generous terms. Amex has partially closed the gap, adding a suite of travel protection benefits to the Amex Platinum card (see here for more).
Winner: Amex Platinum is the clear winner when it comes to perks and benefits, which include its $1,400-plus in annual statement credits, expanded airport lounge access, travel protections, and elite status with Marriott and Hilton. However, if you’re looking for a more flexible travel credit, comprehensive protections and fewer lifestyle perks, the Sapphire Reserve could be a better option.
Related: How long it takes to receive statement credits
Bottom line
The Chase Sapphire Reserve and The Platinum Card from American Express are two of the most popular premium rewards cards on the market. However, they offer slightly different value propositions.
Between hotel elite status and Centurion Lounge access, the Amex Platinum is better suited for those looking to enjoy a more luxurious travel lifestyle. If you frequently purchase airfare qualifying for 5 points per dollar, this card deserves a spot in your wallet.
The Sapphire Reserve, by comparison, is a premium card that’s simple enough for beginners and pros alike. The $300 annual travel credit is automatically applied to a wide range of purchases. Plus, you earn 3 points per dollar on travel (excluding the $300 travel credit) and dining and these categories are broad enough that you won’t be scratching your head trying to decide if you’re swiping the right card.
However, some may even find that it makes sense to carry both cards. If you can take advantage of all the annual statement credits and luxury perks, these cards can actually complement each other well.
Official application link: Amex Platinum Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum, click here.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Ryan Wilcox, Stella Shon, Juan Ruiz and Chris Dong.
For years, the unquestionable leaders of the premium card market were The Platinum Card® from American Express and the Chase Sapphire Reserve.
That all changed when Capital One shook up the industry with its debut of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) in late 2021 — undercutting both of its rivals by offering competitive perks at a lower $395 annual fee.
Perhaps you’re one of the many Sapphire Reserve cardmembers who’ve questioned your loyalty to Chase with the launch of the Venture X. Or, maybe you’re on the hunt for your first premium travel rewards card.
Today, we’ll help you decide whether the Capital One Venture X or the Chase Sapphire Reserve is the better card for you.
Comparing the Capital One Venture X and the Chase Sapphire Reserve
Feature
Capital One Venture X
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Annual fee
$395.
$550.
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months of account opening.
Earning rate
10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
2 miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
5 points per dollar on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards.
3 points per dollar on all other travel and dining.
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Statement credits
Up to $300 in annual statement credit toward travel booked through Capital One Travel.
Up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit, every four years.
Up to $300 in annual statement credit toward travel purchases.
Up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck/Nexus credit, every four years.
Other card benefits
Priority Pass lounge access for the primary cardholder and complimentary access for two guests.
Capital One lounge access for the primary cardholder and up to two guests.
10,000 bonus miles received every card anniversary.
Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle status*.
Travel and purchase protections.
No foreign transaction fees.
Priority Pass lounge access for the primary cardholder and up to two guests.
Chase lounge access for the primary cardholder and up to two guests.
Complimentary car rental elite status with National Car Rental, Avis and Silvercar.
Partner benefits like a DoorDash DashPass membership (through 2024).
Travel and purchase protections.
No foreign transaction fees.
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at upgraded status level through December 31, 2024. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply.
Annual fee
The annual fee on the the Sapphire Reserve is $550. Note that it costs an additional $75 to add an authorized user.
At $395 per year, the Capital One Venture X is one of the most affordable premium cards. Best of all, you can add up to four authorized users for no additional cost.
Winner: The Capital One Venture X for its lower annual fee for the primary cardholder and no additional cost for up to four authorized users.
Welcome bonus
Both cards require the same amount of spend in a given time frame ($4,000 in the first three months of account opening) to unlock their introductory offers.
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TPG values Chase Ultimate Rewards points slightly higher than Capital One miles due to its superior transfer partners — we estimate that Ultimate Rewards points are worth 2 cents apiece while Capital One miles are worth 1.85 cents apiece.
The Capital One Venture X’s welcome bonus of 75,000 miles is worth about $1,388, while the Sapphire Reserve’s bonus of 60,000 points is worth $1,200.
Winner: Capital One Venture X.
Earning
Which premium card will offer better returns in the long run? For this analysis, we factored in the value of each currency to their rewards rates:
Capital One Venture X
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Earning rate
10 miles per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel (18.5% return).
5 miles per dollar on flights booked through Capital One Travel (9.25% return).
2 miles per dollar on all other eligible purchases (3.7% return).
10 points per dollar on hotels and car rentals booked through Ultimate Rewards (20% return).
5 points per dollar on flights booked through Ultimate Rewards (10% return).
3 points per dollar on all other travel and dining purchases (6% return).
1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases (2% return).
Both the Venture X and the Sapphire Reserve offer fantastic returns for travel purchased through their respective portals.
While the Venture X offers simplicity, with 2 miles per dollar on all other purchases, the Chase Sapphire Reserve offers higher returns for two lucrative bonus categories — travel (booked outside of Ultimate Rewards) and dining purchases.
Chase defines travel as a broad category, including everything from rental homes and buses to rideshares and parking fees. Similarly, dining purchases include takeout and delivery services, widening the spectrum for what falls under this category.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve, as it offers bonus categories beyond travel portal bookings. However, non-bonus purchases only garner 1 point per dollar. If you’re the type of consumer who has a ton of varied spend outside of travel and dining, then the Venture X may be a better card for you for its simple earning rate.
Redeeming
With both of these programs, transferring your points to travel partners is the most rewarding way to redeem your points and miles.
The Chase Ultimate Rewards program is a long-time crowd favorite. You can transfer your Ultimate Rewards points at a simple, 1:1 ratio (so every 1,000 Chase points equates to 1,000 points or miles in a Chase transfer partner program).
On the other hand, the Capital One miles program has partners that transfer at a 1:1 ratio for the most part, but there are a few exceptions that transfer at a less favorable ratio.
Let’s compare the partners side-by-side (all transfer at a 1:1 ratio unless otherwise stated).
Capital One miles
Chase Ultimate Rewards
Aeromexico Club Premier.
Air Canada Aeroplan.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
ALL Accor Live Limitless (2:1).
Avianca LifeMiles.
British Airways Executive Club.
Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.
Choice Privileges.
Emirates Skywards.
Etihad Guest.
EVA Infinity MileageLands (2:1.5).
Finnair Plus.
Qantas Frequent Flyer.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
TAP Portugal Miles&Go.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
Virgin Red.
Wyndham Rewards.
Aer Lingus AerClub.
Air Canada Aeroplan.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue.
British Airways Executive Club.
Emirates Skywards.
Iberia Plus.
IHG Rewards.
JetBlue TrueBlue.
Marriott Bonvoy.
Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer.
Southwest Rapid Rewards.
United MileagePlus.
Virgin Atlantic Flying Club.
World of Hyatt.
As you can see, there are quite a few overlaps. While Capital One offers more loyalty partners, there are no domestic airlines (after it lost JetBlue TrueBlue as a partner).
Meanwhile, Chase offers three domestic airlines — JetBlue, Southwest and United — as well as one particularly lucrative hotel program, World of Hyatt.
Of course, both the Venture X and Sapphire Reserve offer other (less lucrative) redemption options, such as gift cards and cash back.
However, with the Sapphire Reserve, your points are worth 50% more toward any travel booked through the Ultimate Rewards portal, making your points worth 1.5 cents apiece. While this isn’t as rewarding as transferring your points to Chase’s transfer partners, this redemption option is useful if you are having trouble finding award space.
Meanwhile, the Venture X offers fixed-rate travel redemptions at just 1 cent per mile — and while this can be applied to any travel purchase you charge to the card, it’s still notably lower.
Winner: Chase Sapphire Reserve. More partners doesn’t necessarily equate to more value, which is why we peg Ultimate Rewards points at a higher value than Capital One miles. And even the fixed-value redemption option is 50% more lucrative.
Other benefits
Let’s talk about what makes these cards truly premium.
For starters, there’s an up to $300 annual travel statement credit on both cards. However, the Venture X’s travel credit is less flexible since you’ll have to book all travel on the Capital One portal in order to receive reimbursement. Meanwhile, the Sapphire Reserve will automatically reimburse for any purchases under the “travel” umbrella up to the $300 limit — and they don’t necessarily have to be booked directly with Chase.
As for lounge access, both cards offer Priority Pass membership, giving you access to 1,300-plus lounges worldwide.
On the one hand, the Venture X gets you Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests, whereas the Sapphire Reserve limits to you to two free guests (and then $27 each for additional guests.) Where the Sapphire Reserve fights back is that you can visit Priority Pass restaurants and spas, whereas you’re limited to lounges with the Venture X.
Both issuers are getting into the lounge game themselves, with Capital One’s first lounge open at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) and more to come. The Venture X gets you access.
Chase has its first U.S. lounge open in Boston and the Sapphire Reserve card will get you access.
Finally, both are Visa Infinite cards, giving you high-level travel and purchase protections. Both also come with ancillary benefits that won’t necessarily move the needle for prospective applicants (such as the 10,000-mile anniversary bonus on the Venture X and partner benefits with the Sapphire Reserve), but these perks are all worth taking advantage of if you decide to apply for either card.
Winner: Tie. While the Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $300 travel credit is much more flexible, the Capital One Venture X comes with 10,000 bonus anniversary miles. They’re very similar on lounges.
Bottom line
Both the Venture X and the Sapphire Reserve have their own strengths and weaknesses, so it’s impossible to generalize which card comes out on top.
However, for a much more manageable annual fee, the Venture X is a fantastic offering — if you don’t mind using the travel portal to unlock many of the benefits on the card.
For those who prefer to book directly with travel providers, the Sapphire Reserve is likely the better option for you — but at the cost of a higher $550 annual fee.
Official application link: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Official application link: Chase Sapphire Reserve
For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
Editor’s note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Chase Sapphire Preferred Card overview
The Chase Sapphire Preferred Card is one of the best-known travel rewards credit cards, featuring 5 points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase travel portal and Lyft purchases, 3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs), 2 points per dollar on all other travel purchases and 1 point per dollar on everything else. These valuable points can be transferred to airline and hotel partners or redeemed directly for travel at a rate of 1.25 cents per point through Chase Ultimate Rewards. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐⭐½
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
At TPG, we always get asked an important question from beginner travelers looking to plan trips: Which travel credit card should you start with?
We almost universally recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. It earns one of our favorite rewards currencies. It offers lucrative perks. It features a low annual fee. In fact, many of us started our journey into points and miles with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is designed for frequent and casual travelers. With a $95 annual fee, it’s not an expensive card, which makes it an especially good choice for beginners.
The card is currently offering a sign-up bonus of 60,000 Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Here’s what you need to know about the Chase Sapphire Preferred and why it’s one of the best cards out there.
Ready to get the card? Apply here for the Chase Sapphire Preferred
Chase Sapphire Preferred welcome offer
With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you’ll earn a sign-up bonus of 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening, enough to take you just about anywhere in the world you want to go.
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This haul of points is worth a minimum of $750 when redeemed for travel through the Chase portal, but if you maximize Chase’s transfer partners, TPG’s valuations peg the full value of the bonus at $1,200.
Related: How to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards for maximum value
Earning points on the Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a simple earning structure that is easy to maximize:
5 points per dollar on travel booked through the Chase travel portal.
5 points per dollar on Lyft purchases (through March 2025).
5 points per dollar on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases of $250 or more (through March 2025, with a limit of 25,000 bonus points).
3 points per dollar on dining, select streaming services and online grocery store purchases (excludes Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs).
2 points per dollar on all travel not booked through the Chase travel portal.
1 point per dollar on everything else.
Related: Why you’ll want to pay the $95 annual fee on the Chase Sapphire Preferred
Redeeming points on the Chase Sapphire Preferred
When you’re ready to redeem the points you’ve earned with the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you’ll understand why the card shines.
Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal
You can use your points to purchase airfare, reserve hotel rooms and even rent a car through Chase Travel — all at a fixed rate of 1.25 cents per point. That means you don’t need to worry about blackout dates or finding award space; you’ll always have the option to book travel using your points. As long as there’s a seat for sale on the flight you want, or a hotel room available to reserve with cash, you can pay for it with your points.
Just note that hotel reservations booked through third-party sites (including Chase Travel) typically won’t earn points or count toward elite status qualification.
Transfer to Chase travel partners
It’s possible to receive more than 1.25 cents per point in value by transferring rewards to Chase 14 airline and hotel partners. Some of the best Chase transfer partners include Hyatt, United, British Airways and Singapore Airlines for fancy hotels or plane seats.
Pay Yourself Back
If you want to use the points from your Sapphire Preferred at a fixed value for something other than travel, consider Chase’s Pay Yourself Back option. Cardholders can use points for a value of 1.25 cents apiece to cover donations to select charities (through Dec. 31, 2023) or a value of 1 cent per point for gas station and grocery purchases (through Sept. 30, 2023).
Related: How to donate points and miles to help Ukraine
Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits
In addition to the sign-up bonus, there are many appealing perks on the Sapphire Preferred.
$50 annual hotel credit
You’ll receive a $50 statement credit on hotel stays purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal upon opening the card and each following cardmember anniversary. It’s automatically applied to your account each year when you make an eligible charge. Note that the $50 credit does not earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Related: How to use the new $50 hotel credit on the Chase Sapphire Preferred
10% annual points bonus
Another change Chase added to the card is a 10% anniversary points bonus. Cardholders will receive a 10% bonus based on their total spending during the account anniversary year at a rate of 1 point for each $10 spent. For example, if you spent $100,000 on your Sapphire Preferred during your cardmember year, you’ll receive 10,000 bonus points at the end of the year.
Note that this 10% is calculated on the dollars you spent rather than the points you earned. You won’t receive additional points by leveraging the card’s bonus categories.
DoorDash
The Chase Sapphire Preferred also includes at least one year of complimentary DashPass membership with DoorDash, which gives you free delivery and reduced service fees on eligible purchases (activate by Dec. 31, 2024). There is a cost associated with using food delivery services such as DoorDash, but this can be a valuable benefit if you already use the service.
Travel protections
This card is an ideal choice to pay for travel bookings such as car rentals, cruises, plane tickets and hotels because of the comprehensive travel and purchase protections it affords. Among them, cardholders can expect the following:
You can read more about the Chase Sapphire Preferred shopping and travel benefits here.
Related: 7 Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits you might not know about
Which cards compete with the Chase Sapphire Preferred?
Many worthwhile mid-tier travel credit cards exist, but only a few can go toe-to-toe with the Sapphire Preferred. If trying to decide, think about which one’s earning formula suits your spending habit and which one’s transfer partners you’re more likely to maximize.
For additional options, check out our full list of the best starter credit cards.
Read more: Chase Sapphire showdown: Sapphire Preferred vs. Sapphire Reserve
Bottom line
If you’re ready to move beyond cash-back or fixed-value travel rewards credit cards, there is no better place to start than with the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
After its debut over a decade ago, it’s still regarded as one of the best rewards credit cards. It earns some of the most valuable points and is flexible enough to meet the travel rewards needs of practically every points and miles skill level. It also comes with a low enough price tag for many to be able to give it a try.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred continues to represent a solid value proposition for a wide swath of the public. So long as you’re using the card frequently enough to get more than $95 in value from the rewards earned and benefits utilized, this card is definitely worth the annual cost.
Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred with an 60,000-point bonus.
For rates and fees of the Amex Green Card, please click here.
Additional reporting by Emily Thompson, Ryan Wilcox, Chris Dong, Stella Shon, Jennifer Yellin, Joseph Hostetler and Eric Rosen.