Getting Started

Over the last several years, I have learned how to travel more often, more comfortably, and further than I had ever dreamed would be possible, all without breaking the bank. This is an overview of the process

Start with...

Signing up for the best credit card offers available. People ask me how I travel so often, and while my simple answer is "I used points" the assumption that I earned those points through travel couldn't be further from the truth. Credit Card issuers want you to have their product in your wallet and they will pay you to meet that end.

Then...

Meet the minimum spending requirement. There are a variety of ways to do this but the important thing to remember is don't spend money you weren't already going to spend, don't spend money you don't have, and most importantly, pay your bill in full every single month. If you accumulate credit card debt just for a free trip or two, this will set you back further than if you had just paid for the trip.

Finally...

Pack your suitcase. You can redeem these points for the trip of your dreams. Hotel points are often very easy to redeem with their respective programs as long as there is a standard room available. Airline miles can be a bit tricker but often the most valuable redemptions out there, as you need to learn to navigate "Saver Award" space with different airline alliances. In this blog I will detail some of my own experiences and award redemptions in hopes it will help others

Why It's Worth It

This all sounds time consuming, and it is at first. The difficulty in figuring out the ins and outs of travel hacking is exactly why it's possible. Not everyone does it. Here is where points and miles have taken me and my family.

Honolulu, Hawaii

Dunns River Falls, Jamaica

New York, New York

Machu Picchu, Peru

Napa, California

Tokyo, Japan

Austin O'Hara

Writer and Owner

About Me

My personal journey with the points and miles world of free travel started when I asked my travel reluctant wife if she would be willing to take a trip across the pond. We were newly married and her response (which was a very good one by the way) was that we should put any extra money we had toward our outstanding debt at the time. I said, well what if I found a way to travel for free. She said that sounded great, and that's when I did my homework and discovered, it was in fact possible to travel for little to nothing. We still haven't made that trip but she has become much less reluctant to travel and we have enjoyed many trips together, and plan to enjoy many more with our kids along for the ride as well. Follow more of my adventures on my social media.