Your Ultimate 10-Day Portugal Adventure

Portugal truly has it all. Wine that'll make you reconsider your drinking habits (in the best way), beaches carved into dramatic cliffs, rivers winding through ancient valleys, narrow cobblestone streets that were definitely not designed for modern cars, and yes, that famous yellow tram. I traveled from the sun-soaked Algarve in the south all the way north to the terraced vineyards of the Douro Valley and the vibrant streets of Porto, with plenty of stops in Lisbon and charming villages along the way.

This is my 10-day itinerary that actually worked – no rushing, no FOMO, just the right balance of sightseeing and soaking it all in. And if you want help booking this luxury trip for less? Reach out to me.

Getting There: The Flights ✈️

My family flew to Lisbon using points and miles, but here's where it got interesting: we were coming from four different cities, arriving and departing on different days, and arriving and departing on different flights to and from different destinations. Chaos, right?

Actually, it was both complex and simple at the same time. Simple because we were essentially four solo travelers with some flexibility, which makes award bookings much easier to piece together. Complex because keeping track of everyone's itinerary required a detailed spreadsheet and possibly too much coffee.

Want the full breakdown? You can read about exactly how I used points and miles for these flights here.

Days 1-3: Lisbon ☕

Lisbon hits different. Europe's second-oldest capital somehow manages to feel both ancient and alive, with its hilltop neighborhoods cascading down to the Tagus River. The tile-covered alleys of Alfama will have you stopping every five steps for photos, while the contemporary buzz keeps things fresh.

My top picks:

🚶‍♀️ Start with a FREE walking tour – I do this in every city I visit. You'll get the history, the layout, and those crucial local tips about where to actually eat (not the tourist traps).

🚋 Tram 28 – Hop on and let it rattle you through the historic districts. Pay on board, around €2.50. Yes, it's packed with tourists, but there's a reason for that.

⚓ Maritime Museum – Give yourself 2-3 hours here. Portugal's seafaring history is wild, and this place tells it well.

🏛️ Carmo Convent – The roofless ruins are hauntingly beautiful.

📚 Baixa district – Wander through and pop into Livraria Bertrand, the world's oldest bookstore. It still smells like old paper and possibilities.

🌅 Sunset viewpoints – Miradouro da Graça and Miradouro Senhora do Monte are where you want to be when the light turns golden.

🍴 Mercado da Ribeira – Food stalls galore when you need a quick bite.

The Pastéis de Nata situation 🥐

Look, you're going to eat approximately 47 of these custard tarts. Here's where to find the best ones:

• Manteigaria
• Fábrica de Nata
• Pastelaria Santo António
• Pastéis de Belém (the original from 1837 – yes, there will be a line)

Days 3-5: Sintra & Douro Valley 🏰🍷

Sintra is basically a fairy tale that wandered into Portugal and decided to stay. Castles everywhere you look.

Pro tip: Do NOT drive into the town center. Just don't. Park outside and walk in, or take the train from Lisbon as a day trip. If you must drive, grab a parking meter spot (download the parking app so you can add time remotely) and hoof it from there.

There are dozens of castles here. Take a FREE walking tour to see most from the outside, then pick your favorite 2-3 to explore inside. Pena Palace is the famous colorful one on the hill – you'll need to bus up from town to reach it.

🍰 Must-try: Stop at Periquita (on the corner in town center) for local pastries that'll ruin your diet plans.

Douro Valley 🌄

This is where Portugal gets serious about wine and scenery. Most people day-trip from Porto, but I'm begging you – stay overnight. The valley at sunset, with a glass of wine in hand? That's the moment you'll remember.

🏡 Where to stay: Book a vineyard like Quinta da Portela. We spent two nights here, and our host brought breakfast baskets to our villa each morning – fresh pastries, yogurt, eggs, coffee, homemade jams. After a private wine tasting on the terrace overlooking the vines, I never wanted to leave.

🍷 Wine tastings: We did two, both around €20 per person:

• D'Origem – Started with an olive oil factory tour, ended with wine tasting on a deck with valley views that'll make your Instagram followers jealous
• Second vineyard (closer to our quinta) – More commercial vibes but held in an atmospheric wine cellar at a gorgeous table

Also available: hiking, biking, and boat tours on the Douro River.

Days 5-7: Porto 🌉

Porto just works. The history, the architecture stacked on hillsides, the entire culture built around Port wine – it's got everything.

🚶 FREE walking tour alert – I love Guruwalk but there are lots of tours available. They focus on the old historic center, which is where Porto's soul lives. After the tour, head downhill to where the magic really happens.

The Riverfront 💙

Seven bridges span the Douro here, with water taxis zipping underneath. The views are absolutely breathtaking – you can walk for hours along the promenade, ducking into shops, grabbing petiscos (Portuguese tapas), and watching street performers.

🍷 Port cellars – All located across the river in Vila Nova de Gaia (thanks to old tax laws). Dozens to choose from, but we loved Ferreira, one of the oldest producers. The cave and cellar tour is fascinating, ending in a proper tasting room where we sampled ruby, white, and tawny ports. Tours run about €20 per person.

🏛️ Palácio da Bolsa – Get tickets (around €11) if you can. Even if you've seen your share of palaces, this one will drop your jaw. Trust me on this.

Days 8-10: Algarve 🏖️

Portugal's southern coast delivers on natural beauty, dramatic cliffs, and that perfect beach vacation energy.

Base yourself in Lagos so you're not packing and unpacking every day.

🚣 Benagil Caves – Absolutely unmissable. Choose between a boat tour or kayaking (heads up: the ocean can get choppy). The view from the water looking back at those golden cliffs is stunning. Plus, you'll hit a secret beach and explore a hidden tunnel.

Other options:

• Wander through historic Silves
• Rent an e-bike and cruise along the coast
• Find your own favorite beach cove

Want more personal help planning your next trip? Book a 1:1 consulting call, download my ebook, custom tracker or Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process.

Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

How My Client Scored a FREE Mediterranean Cruise PLUS Used Points for Extras 🚢

 

Picture this: You've just won a Mediterranean cruise through a work promotion, and you're wondering if you can make it even better without spending a dime. That's exactly what happened to one of my clients, and the answer might surprise you!

The Power Play: Using Points as Statement Credits ✨

My client had already hit the jackpot with her free cruise and flights (earned through reaching her sales goals), but she wanted to know if her credit card points could cover the drink package and shore excursions.

Here's the game-changer: Most flexible points programs let you use points as statement credits to offset ANY purchase – not just traditional travel bookings.

Which Cards Offer Statement Credit Options?

• Capital One: Famous for their "Purchase Eraser" feature
• Chase: Through their "Pay Yourself Back" option
• American Express: Via statement credit redemptions
• Citi: Through their rewards portal

Real Results: 290,000 Points = Major Savings 💳

When my client logged into her Chase Sapphire Preferred account (she hadn't checked in ages!), she discovered 290,000 points just sitting there. Here's how she used them:

• Drink package: 30,000 points
• Shore excursions: Several thousand additional points
• Leftover balance: Saved for her upcoming Alaska adventure

Is This the "Best" Use of Points?

Let's be real – you might not get maximum value compared to transferring points to airline partners. But sometimes convenience and cash flow matter more than squeezing every penny of value from your rewards.

The bottom line: If using points means you can enjoy your vacation worry-free without touching your bank account, that's a win in my book.

How to Redeem Points as Statement Credits

The process is surprisingly simple:

1. Log into your credit card account
2. Navigate to "Redeem Rewards" or "Pay Yourself Back"
3. Select the charges you want to cover
4. Confirm your redemption (usually at 1:1 value)

Pro tip: Keep an eye out for bonus categories that might offer better redemption rates during special promotions!

The Takeaway

Don't let your hard-earned points collect digital dust. Whether you're covering cruise extras, hotel incidentals, or any other travel expenses, your flexible points can work harder for you than you might think.

Have you discovered a stash of forgotten points in your account? Share your best redemption wins in the comments below! 👇

If you need more points, the Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee and right now is offering a 75,000 bonus point offer for a $5,000 minimum spend. 

Want more personal help using points and miles for almost FREE travel? Join my Travel Coaching Program and we will design your personal strategy to travel for almost FREE and guide you through the process. Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the program. Not ready to dive into the coaching program, download the ebook or custom tracker or book a 1:1 consulting call with me.  I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable. 

*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities. 

Why You Should Jump On This Bonus Offer Before It Ends

 

We are hearing that the increased bonus offer for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and the Chase Sapphire Reserve credit cards is ending "soon." 

Though we don't know exactly when soon is, if you are thinking about jumping on this offer, you should do it sooner rather than later. 

These cards are my favorites because Chase Ultimate Reward points are so flexible. You can transfer points to dozens of different airlines, hotels, use them in the Chase Travel Portal or even pay yourself back though I don't recommend doing this.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cards also offer great benefits and should have a primary spot in everyone's wallet and travel strategy. The Sapphire Preferred credit card is also an excellent card for a student once they have built enough credit to qualify. 

Right now, you can earn 75,000 CUR bonus points with a $4,000 minimum spend. The Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee and the Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but the Reserve card also comes with a $300 travel credit, $100 global entry credit, Priority Pass membership and an increased value for the points in the Chase Travel Portal.

I love CUR points because of their flexibility. You can:

• transfer them to dozens of different airline loyalty programs 
• transfer them to several hotel chains (Marriott, IHG, Hyatt) 
• use them to buy hotels, flights, activities and car rentals in the Chase Travel Portal 
• pay yourself back 
• get a statement credit 

75,000 points equals $750, however, if you use them in the Chase Travel Portal with your Preferred credit card, you get 25% more value making them worth $1,000. And if you combine the points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, then they will be worth 50% more in the Chase Travel Portal for a whopping total of $1,250. 

If you don't have one of these in your wallet yet, this is the time. If you decide to apply, please consider using my referral link. 

Why You Should Apply For This 75,000 Bonus Offer

 

Two of the best credit cards for Chase Ultimate Rewards just increased their bonus offer! Woohoo! 

The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve cards offer great benefits and should have a primary spot in everyone's wallet and travel strategy. 

Right now, you can earn 75,000 CUR bonus points with a $4,000 minimum spend. The Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee and the Reserve has a $550 annual fee, but also comes with a $300 travel credit, $100 global entry credit, Priority Pass membership and an increased value for the points in the Chase Travel Portal.

I love CUR points because of their flexibility. You can:

• transfer them to dozens of different airline loyalty programs 
• transfer them to several hotel chains (Marriott, IHG, Hyatt) 
• use them to buy hotels, flights, activities and car rentals in the Chase Travel Portal 
• pay yourself back 
• get a statement credit 

75,000 points equals $750, however, if you use them in the Chase Travel Portal with your Preferred credit card, you get 25% more value making them worth $1,000. And if you combine the points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, then they will be worth 50% more in the Chase Travel Portal for a whopping total of $1,250. 

Like this redemption in the Chase Travel Portal through my Chase Sapphire Reserve account, this Hilton in Moorea has rooms at $938 dollars or 62,554 CUR points. 

And if you transfer them to an airline or hotel, the points could be worth even more depending on the specific flight or the number of rewards needed per night.

Plus if you transfer points to IHG and buy three nights, you get a fourth FREE so that could be very lucrative. 

Hyatt hotels usually fall in the sweet spot of redemption value as well.  

You can only hold one of these cards at a time and you can only get the bonus once every 4 years. You can apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve here using my referral link. 

Cracking the Code to Redeem 100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Like a Pro!

 

Near Santiago, Chile

The Chase Ink Business Preferred credit card is offering a huge 100,000 Ultimate Rewards bonus right now, but the question is what can you do with all those points? What value do they hold for you and your travel goals?

Let's break down the different ways you can redeem 100,000 CUR points. 

I love CUR points because of their flexibility. You can:

• transfer them to dozens of different airline loyalty programs 
• transfer them to several hotel chains (Marriott, IHG, Hyatt) 
• use them to buy hotels, flights, activities and car rentals in the Chase Travel Portal 
• pay yourself back for groceries, gas and the annual fee
• get a statement credit 

100,000 points equals $1,000, however, if you use them in the Chase Travel Portal or to pay yourself back, you get 25% more value making them worth $1,250. And if you combine the points with your Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card, then they will be worth 50% more in the Chase Travel Portal for a whopping total of $1,500. 

Like this redemption in the Chase Travel Portal through my Chase Sapphire Reserve account, this Hilton in Moorea has rooms at $938 dollars or 62,554 CUR points. 

And if you transfer them to an airline or hotel, the points could be worth even more depending on the specific flight or the number of rewards needed per night.

Plus if you transfer points to IHG and buy three nights, you get a fourth FREE so that could be very lucrative. 

Hyatt hotels usually fall in the sweet spot of redemption value as well. 

The key is to identify your travel goals and then decide if CUR points will help you achieve it. Of course, this is also a business card so you will need at least a side hustle to qualify. You can click here to find out what types of businesses qualify. 

If they will and you can swing the hefty $8,000 minimum spend, then you will want to jump on this offer soon. We are hearing it will end September 23rd.  If this offer is for you, please consider using my referral link. 

 

How To Squeeze More Value Out Of Your CUR Points

 

My favorite flexible travel points are the Chase Ultimate Reward points. I used them to fly our family of five to Europe a few years ago. 

You can transfer them to dozens of airlines and a few hotel chains plus use them in the travel portal or just pay yourself back. 

Right now, the Chase Ink Business Preferred is offering 100,000 bonus points with a $8,000 minimum spend. Wow! That's $1,250 worth of travel. 

The secret here is to have the right mix of Chase cards to max the value out of the points. 

The Chase Ink Business Preferred and the Sapphire Preferred gives you 25% more for your points in the pay yourself back and Chase Travel Portal, but the Chase Sapphire Reserve gives you 50% more. 

How To Squeeze More Value Out Of Your CUR Points 

So here's the secret. Chase allows you to combine your points from one credit card to another. So you can easily move your points from your FREEDOM FLEX or Unlimited card to your Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve to get more value. 

 

• Just log into your Chase.com account

• Click on the earn/use points and you'll see this dashboard. It's expanded a lot since the pandemic started. One of the things I love about Chase is how user friendly the site is. You can see exactly how many points you have, how to use them, and how to earn them. 

• Click on combine points and you will see the option to move points from one card to another. You can also move points from one family member to another if your family member only has a no fee card or even a Preferred card. 

Chase will ask you how many points you want to move, review your order and bam, instant transfer. 

How To Squeeze More Value Out Of Your CUR Points 

Now you can use those points for travel or to pay yourself back for any qualified purchases you made in the past 90 days. 

If you decide to apply for the Chase FREEDOM Flex, Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve or Business Ink please consider using my referral link. You get the same bonus and I also get a small bonus for referring you. That's how we do it at almostFREEfamilytravel.com 

Trekking A Glacier In Patagonia Is A Once In A Lifetime Experience

 

One of the most incredible once in a lifetime experience is trekking a glacier in Patagonia. The trek on the Perito Moreno Glacier departs from the town of El Calafate in Argentina. There are flights to this small town on Aerolineas Argentinas from the AEP airport in Buenos Aires and other cities in Argentina. There is very limited award availability on Aerolineas Argentinas. Instead I booked this flight through the Capital One Travel portal and then erased it with points. 

The tour to the glacier is an all day event so don't plan to fly in or out on the same day. This tour is also weather permitting so you may want to give yourself some extra days if possible. Though many tours sell the mini trek, the only company actually operating the tour is Hielo y Aventura. You can book directly with that tour company or book through a third party like Viator. No matter where you book or what tour company is listed, all the tours end up with Hielo y Aventura. 

Plan to spend about $250 per person for this adventure, but it's worth every penny. 

This company is top notch. They pick you up at your hotel with a mini shuttle around 7:30am. They advise you to bring warm layering clothes, jacket, good walking shoes, water, sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. You also need to bring your own lunch and money for the national park entrance fee. 

We ordered a box lunch from our hotel, but you could bring along a sandwich from a grocery store.

The mini shuttle runs around town picking up all the customers and then drops them off at the tour bus. Once all the customers arrive, the bus leaves for an approximately 1.5 hour drive to the Los Glaciares National Park. At the entrance to the park, customers are advised to go inside and pay the entrance fee. We were told many times to bring 5,500 pesos per person, but at the entrance, they accepted credit cards. You may also be able to pay online in advance. 

After everyone pays, the bus continues another 30 minutes to the boat dock where you board a ferry type boat for the approximately 15 minute ride across the lake. Once you arrive there, the guides quickly divide the passengers into English and Spanish speaking groups of 20. They go over safety, what the day will look like and show you where to leave your lunches and bags. 

Next, the groups start to walk towards the glacier stopping a few times for photos and information about glacier formation and history. Then it's onto the crampon station where guides fit the crampons to your shoes. 

Once the group is ready, the guides teach you how to hike the glacier in crampons. It's pretty intuitive and easy to follow. And then you are off heading up the side of the glacier. The guides position themselves in front and back of the group ready to lend a hand. i found them extremely attentive and passionate about their work. 

On the 1.5 hour hike, the guides pointed out different fissures, cracks and streams of water. We even got a chance to drink glacier water. At the end of the hike, there is a surprise that involves whiskey and glacier ice. 

Then back to the crampon station to remove the spikes and a short walk back to the base to eat lunch. The boat ride back involves a drive by the glacier for a different view. The bus makes one last stop at the viewing platforms for yet another different view of the glacier. The ride back to town takes about two hours and then mini shuttle shows up to deliver passengers back to their hotels. 

The day ran like clockwork, this company is a well oiled machine. This experience is not to be missed and definitely earns a place on the top of the bucket list. 

If you pay for the trek using your Capital One Venture X, you may be able to erase it as a travel purchase. Also check Capital One for a discount offer if you book through Viator.com. I got 8% back which equaled almost $90. Woohoo! 

 

How You Can Vacation in South America For Pennies

 

My family and I just returned from two weeks in Chile and Argentina. This was a redo trip from a vacation that was supposed to happen in March 2020. That trip was going to be almost FREE so the question was could we repeat it almost three years later and still do the trip for almost FREE. The answer is yes. 

I'm going to break it down for you so you can see how I do it and hopefully see how you could do it for your family. 

I believe everyone can play this game and travel for almost FREE. 

I start planning big trips like this one almost two years in advance. Why so early? You need time to earn the points and miles and then the airlines open flight reservations approximately 330 days in advance. Depending on when you want to travel especially if you are looking at summer or the holidays, you need to be ready with your points/miles when those reservations open. 

How You Can Vacation in South America For Pennies 

For this trip, we were planning to travel over winter break. It's high season so I needed to be ready. 

The first thing I do is figure out what airlines fly to the destination. In this case, I targeted American Airlines. Between American miles and Marriott points, I had collected enough miles to fly our family of five one way to Santiago, Chile. I looked at several dates and it looked like I could find flights for 30,000 miles one way from San Diego to Santiago, Chile. 

You can see below if you click on the calendar, you can look at the entire month and pinpoint which days offer the best value. Right now, you could fly to Santiago for just 22,000 American miles one way. 

But the return from Buenos Aires was showing 50,000 to 100,000 miles on American. The key is to be flexible with dates and cities. So I tried multiple cities and dates and nothing. 

So I started looking at other airlines. I checked Avianca, United and Delta. Delta Airlines was showing returns for 25,000 miles pretty consistently. 

I decided to target Delta Airlines and start figuring out how to collect those miles. All of us had various amounts of Delta miles already due to flights over the years, earning miles with Airbnb and other random promotions. But only a few of us had the full 25,000 miles needed. Marriott points transfer to Delta Airlines at 3:1 with a 5,000 point bonus for every 60,000 points. So I could top off with Marriott points and bam, 125,000 Delta miles gets all five of us home for FREE. 

As soon as the flights open up, I book them. Now I will book one way flights when they open and then book the return when that opens. So for two weeks, I will sit with flights to the destination and no flights home. It's a bit nerve racking, but has worked for me every time. 

Once I secure the flights, I move onto accommodations. For our family of five with teens and young adults, Airbnb seemed like the way to go. In South America, Airbnb are very affordable and with the Chase Pay Yourself Back program allowing you to erase Airbnb purchases with points, it was a no brainer. Unfortunately, you can no longer erase Airbnb purchases with Chase points. BUT you can still erase Airbnb purchases with Capital One points. 

I booked Airbnb in Santiago, Mendoza and Buenos Aires and erased all of them with Chase points. Check out how to combine your points onto your Sapphire Reserve credit card to max out the value. 

For tours like this Tango lesson in Buenos Aires, I booked through Viator, Trip Advisor and Airbnb experiences. The ones I booked through Airbnb, I went ahead and erased with Chase points. I paid for the Glacier trek with my new Southwest credit card which will help me reach the minimum spend and earn the Southwest companion pass. 

I also leveraged some points on the Capital One Venture X credit card to erase a few travel purchases. 

There were a few flights we took during the trip. I booked those through the Capital One travel portal and the Chase travel portal so I could either use points or erase them with points. 

I will continue to erase dining purchases through the Chase Pay Yourself Back program for the next 90 days. 

All in all, flights and accommodations were FREE. Some tours were FREE. Some meals and taxis will also be FREE. 

Grand total for five people for two weeks in South America comes to approximately $3,000 out of pocket and that included the expensive mini trek on the glacier. If we had paid instead of using points, this trip would easily have cost $15,000. Does it take some planning? Yes. Does it take some time? Yes. But it is worth it, I think so. 

That's how we do it at almost FREE family travel. 

 

Almost FREE travel is the name of the game! And as the year winds down to a close, there are some things you may want to do before Dec. 31st. And if you are working on your Southwest Companion Pass along with me, keep using that card for all your purchases, but watch that minimum spend threshold. 

Here are my top 5 recommendations: 

• The number 1 thing is to use up any benefits that may be ending at the end of the year. 
• At this point, we believe that Chase is ending the pay yourself back program benefit to erase Airbnb purchases, dining and the annual fee with points. You may want to check to see if you have any eligible charges that you can "erase" or make some purchases that you can "erase" before the end of the year. 
• When I went to erase my Airbnb purchases this morning, I saw the grocery purchases were listed again, but at 25% value instead of 50%. So I would recommend erasing those dining and Airbnb purchases immediately to get more value out of your points. 
• Remember to move any points over from your freebie cards like the FREEDOM or INK cards to your higher redemption value cards like the Sapphire Preferred or Reserve. 

Top 5 Things To Do This Week Re: Points And Miles 

• Number 2 - Did you use your travel credits? Check to make sure any credit card travel credits, vouchers, points or miles do not expire at the end of the year. You should be tracking this on a spreadsheet so it's easy to see. 
• Number 3 - I use the end of the year or the beginning of the new year as a time to do a review of all my cards. I decide which ones I would like to keep for another year and which ones I would like to cancel. Remember Southwest allows you to get the bonus once every 24 months and Chase Sapphire once every four years. Capital One is a once in a lifetime bonus. 

Top 5 Things To Do This Week Re: Points And Miles 

• Number 4 - I always use the end of the year or beginning of the new year to set some travel goals for the year and for the following year. Will you travel mostly domestic or international? Do you anticipate some special travel events in the coming year? What are your travel goals for this year and next? What points or miles do you need to accumulate to reach those goals? Now is the time to plan. 

• Number 5 - Before you cancel any cards, be sure to check the benefits. Do you have a Global Entry credit to use before you cancel? How about those Southwest early boarding passes or upgrades? 

The end of the year or January are great times to review strategy and goals. The key to this game is planning early and taking advantage of opportunities. 

Enjoy the holiday season! 

Chase Pay Yourself Back Program Extended To Dec. 31st

 

Updated September 30th 2022

Chase has extended the Pay Yourself Back categories again, this time through December 31st 2022. You can use your Chase Ultimate Rewards Points to erase Airbnb.com and dining purchases. During the pandemic, Chase.com expanded the ways you could redeem points so not just for travel since we weren't traveling, but also for dining, home improvement and groceries. 

They ended the grocery and home improvement categories last year, but extended the Airbnb.com and dining portion of the program. 

However, the deadline has been extended so you have until the end of the year to erase those dining and airbnb purchases.  

If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve, you will want to combine your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to this card before you erase purchases. That's because the Reserve gives you a 50% bonus on your points. If you have the Sapphire Preferred, it gives you a 25% bonus so that would be the next choice. If you have the Chase Freedom, Unlimited or Flex card, you don't get a bonus in the Pay Yourself Back program so you should transfer your points to your Preferred or Reserve card. However, there are other reasons to have a Chase FREEDOM Unlimited or Flex credit card. 

Once you combine your points, 

• login to your Chase online account, 
• click on the Preferred or Reserve card, 
• click on the three bars in the top left 
• click on pay yourself back. 

You will see a list like the one above of all your purchases that qualify to be erased and the points needed to do that. 

Click on the purchases you want to erase, enter the amount of points you want to use, click confirm and done. 

This is way better than the cash back option because you get the 25-50% bonus depending on which card you have. The cash back option is 1:1. 

If you are thinking about making some airbnb.com reservations for the holiday or next year, do it now and then erase them by December 31st. That's how we do it at almostfreefamilytravel.com 

If you don't have the Chase Sapphire Preferred card yet, this is one of my favorite flex cards, right now the bonus is 60,000 points when you spend a minimum of $4,000. That's like $750 in FREE travel. Please consider using my referral link if you decide to apply for this card.