Other Than Flying, How You Can Earn Airline Points

 

This photo is from a cooking class my family and I enjoyed in Buenos Aires, Argentina. I didn't earn points or miles for this class, but there are some great ways to earn points when you dine out. 

Last night, I went out with a group of friends, but the waiter wouldn't accept more than 4 credit cards and there were 15 of us! Argh. 

A few people had cash, amazing! A few people offered to use Venmo. I volunteered super quickly and asked everyone to give me their cash. Then I charged the dinner to my Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card that earns 3x points on dining. 

That's just one way you rack up points without flying. 

Here are some more: 

1. Online shopping through portals - I love shopping portals! You can read all about how to maximize shopping portals here. 

2. Hotel booking sites like Rocketmiles 

3. Dining programs - many of the airlines and hotels offer opportunities to link a credit card to their dining program and earn extra points or miles. 

4. Surveys like this one from Avios - many of the airlines and hotels will offer points in exchange for your opinions.

5. Car rentals - many times you can earn bonus points if you link your car rental to your airline mile account. 

6. Airbnb and Delta or Avios - there is a portal that earns Delta or Avios miles when you book an Airbnb. 

If you use the Southwest Shopping Portal, those points count towards the Southwest Companion Pass too if you are trying to earn the pass. 

Remember, every time you spend money, it should be helping you get your next vacation for FREE. 

That's how we do it here at almostfreefamilytravel.com 

Mission Accomplished! I Got My Southwest Companion Pass

 

The best news of the week! Earned my Southwest Companion Pass and it's valid through December 31, 2024. Woohoo!

The Southwest Companion Pass is a BOGO pass valid for up to two years that you can use to take a companion on any flight anytime and as many times as you want. All you pay is the $5.60 in taxes. Compare that with other passes where you can only use them once or they cost $99. 

You earn the pass by collecting 135,000 Southwest points in a single calendar year. Once you earn the pass it is valid for the rest of that year and the next year. 

Riding in a classic car in Havana, Cuba

I have had this pass for the past 8 years minus last year 😢and it has saved me thousands of dollars. When I took my daughter to visit colleges, yep, she flew for FREE as my companion. When we went back east for a family event, yep, took my son as my companion for FREE. When I went to Cuba, took my husband for FREE. Amazing! 

Mission Accomplished! I Got My Southwest Companion Pass

If you have been following my blog, you can see how I planned to earn the pass, but let me share the exact stats and how it went. 

• I started planning this back in October 2022. 
• I cancelled my Southwest Priority credit card because you can only hold one personal Southwest credit card at a time. 
• I also confirmed that it had been at least 24 months since I received the bonus. 
• After 30 days, I applied for the new Southwest Priority credit card which had a 75,000 bonus offer for a $3,000 minimum spend. I like the Priority card because it comes with a $75 Southwest credit. Even though it has a higher annual fee of $149 once you subtract the credit, it's actually less than the others. You also get FREE upgraded boardings which are helpful when you forget to check in LOL. 
• Next, I applied for the Southwest Performance Business credit card which was offering 80,000 bonus points for a $5,000 minimum spend. I chose this one because I need to renew my Global Entry this year and it comes with a $100 Global Entry credit. 
• Now I directed all my spending to these two cards. Holiday gifts, holiday travel, medical bills, groceries, dining everything. I don't bother changing monthly automated bills especially since I pay those with credit cards that earn extra points on streaming, phone, internet etc. 
• I was very careful to reach the minimum spend after Jan. 1st because you have to accumulate the points in the same calendar year to earn the 135,000 points needed. And you want to earn the points as close to the beginning of the year as you can so the pass is valid for almost two years. 

And bam, mission accomplished! Now if you compare this plan with the new Southwest companion offer of 30,000 bonus points and a companion pass valid through February 2024 by opening one card, you can see that I end with a pass good for an additional 10 months and 120,000 more Southwest points. 

More work, yes. More payoff, yes! 

What do I plan to do with the pass this year? I have already booked two East Coast trips and now I'm looking at going to the countries that Southwest flies to that I haven't been to before. Woohoo! 

Now this plan isn't right for everyone, in my next blog post, I'll share with you who SHOULD definitely take advantage of the new Southwest bonus offer. 

Is The New Southwest Companion Pass Offer Right For You?

 

If you are dreaming about visiting someplace like Yosemite National Park this summer, you might be tempted to jump on Chase's new Southwest Companion Pass offer. But let's talk for a minute about whether this offer is the right one for you.

The Southwest Companion pass is a BOGO on any Southwest flight anytime for up to two years. You earn it by accumulating 135,000 Southwest points in a calendar year. 

We recommend applying for two Chase Southwest credit cards, one personal and one business, to earn the pass. I have had this pass for 6 years and have saved thousands of dollars. Last year, I didn't have the pass and I regretted it greatly. 

The new offer is to apply for the Chase Southwest Plus personal credit card, spend the $4,000 minimum and then earn a bonus of 30,000 points and the companion pass for one year. 

Is The New Southwest Companion Pass Offer Right For You? 

So let's compare the new offer with the regular companion pass method we recommend and see how it stacks up so you can decide if it is right for you. 

There are three Chase Southwest personal credit cards, the Plus, Priority and Premier. The bonus offers on these cards range from 40,000 points up to 75,000 points. The minimum spend ranges from $1,000 to $3,000. The cards range in annual fees from $69 to $149. There are varied benefits on each card. 

You can only hold one personal card at a time and you can only get the bonus offer once every 24 months. Chase will also only approve you for 5 cards every 24 months.  

There are also two Chase Southwest business credit cards, the Performance and the Premier Business. The bonus offers range from 60,000 points to 80,000 points and the minimum spend ranges from $3,000 to $5,000. The annual fees range from $99 to $199. 

Is The New Southwest Companion Pass Offer Right For You? 

Usually I recommend applying for one personal card and one business card to earn the companion pass. The minimum spend for the two cards can be as low as $4,000 and as high as $8,000 depending on the offers. You can earn as many as 155,000 Southwest points and as few as 110,000 points. The annual fee for two cards can be as low as $168 or as high as $348. The companion pass is valid for up to two years. 

This new offer is only for the Chase Southwest Plus credit card with an annual fee of $69 and a minimum spend of $4,000. The bonus offer is 30,000 points plus the companion pass. The pass is valid through February 28, 2024. 

So is this new offer right for you? Like everything we talk about, it really depends on you and your travel plans. The pros of this offer are that it is simple, one card, one minimum, one bonus. The cons are that the pass is only good for one year instead of two years. You only earn 30,000 points instead of lots more. 

Let us know what you decide to do. And if you decide to jump on this offer, please consider using my referral link.  

The Basics: Where Do I Start If I want to Travel for FREE

 

We are jumping for joy in a field looking at the Andes Mountains in Chile because it's beautiful, we trekked to get here and our trip was almost FREE. I'm not bragging. Instead, I'm hoping to inspire you that you can travel for FREE too. 

Before I share the basics with you. I want to share some of the questions I have received recently which sparked the need for this post. 

• A friend called me last week and asked me if I could help her family of four travel to Italy this summer for FREE. The answer is no. Next summer, yes. 
• Another friend asked if she could get her hotels for FREE for an upcoming trip. Then she shared that she had opened at least 5 credit cards in the past year including a Williams Sonoma credit card. The answer is maybe. But she may have to wait another year to start and review all of her credit cards. 

So where do you start? 

You have heard the saying that you need to start at the beginning and do a review of where you are now and where you are going. 

Let's look at the steps:

1. Where do you want to go - What are your travel goals? Who will be going with you?

2. What credit cards do you have currently? I would create a spreadsheet with all the cards, the dates you opened them, the credit limit, perks, the annual fee and the card anniversary. Then review them and ask if you are getting benefit out of them. Never cancel your oldest card or cards with high credit limits. But the rest are fair game. 

3. Depending on what type of travel you want to do, domestic or international will determine which card you open first.

• If you are looking at domestic travel, I recommend the Southwest credit card and if you travel with another person, then go for the Southwest companion pass. 
• If you are looking at international travel, I recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve credit card or the Capital One Venture X credit card. These cards offer the most flexibility and ease of use. 

Once you are approved for your credit card, use that card for all of your daily purchases like gas and groceries. I call it leveraged spending. It's making your daily purchases work harder for you.

And if you go out for dinner with friends, pick up the check and ask them to give you cash or venmo you. 

If you have an event coming up, pay for it with that credit card. 

Home repair project, see if you can pay with a credit card. 

College tuition due, pay with the credit card, but watch out for fees. 

Insurance premium, medical bills, yep, put it all on the same credit card. 

Now you MUST pay off the credit card entirely! I put all of my credit cards on auto pay as soon as I get them. If you pay interest, then it defeats the point of the game. 

Once the bonus is triggered, you can move onto the next credit card. In the next blog post, we will talk about some more advanced methods of earning points and of course, the best part, how to spend the points. 

If you apply for any credit cards, please use the referral links in this post. You get the same deal you would anywhere else and I get a reward for referring you. 

Chase Launches Biggest Bonus Offer Ever On IHG

 

Last summer, we went to Ireland and hiked the Cliffs of Moher. Incredible! We also spent 5 nights in Dublin at the Holiday Inn Express City Centre for FREE on IHG points. Now Chase is offering the largest bonus ever on its IHG Premier and Business cards. 

I'm going to go over the offer, the perks of the cards and how to use IHG points so you can decide if this offer is one you want to jump on. Just note, I don't usually recommend hotel brand credit cards, I prefer more flexible cards, but that being said when there is a great offer and if you can see how those points will be useful in your future travel plans, then go for it. 

Chase Launches Biggest Bonus Offer Ever On IHG

First, let's talk about IHG. The 16 brands included in the IHG brand are:

• Holiday Inn 
• Holiday Inn Express
• Crowne Plaza 
• Kimpton 
• Regent 
• Intercontinental
• Even 
• Voco
• Hotel Indigo
• Avid
• Staybridge Suites 
• Candlewood Suites 
• Atwell Suites 
• Holiday Inn Vacation Club 
• Hualuxe
• Vignette Collection 
• Six Senses

If you are like me, you have probably only even heard of a few of these brands, but just leveraging Holiday Inn Express can be a very good value. 

The Holiday Inn Express City Centre in Dublin Ireland costs approximately $250 per night or 42,000 points and includes breakfast. IHG allows credit card holders to book 3 nights and get a fourth night FREE. 

IHG also has some luxury resorts like this Intercontinental in the Maldives. Picture over the water bungalows, yes! 

Chase announced the largest bonus ever on its Rewards Premier card. Here's the offer: 

• $3,000 minimum spend in three months
• 175,000 IHG bonus points 
• $99 annual fee
• $100 Global Entry credit 
• Complimentary Platinum Elite status  
• FREE night on your anniversary up to 40,000 points 
• $50 United Travel Bank credit 

You can only hold one IHG personal card at a time and you are only allowed to earn the bonus every 24 months. Plus this card falls under the Chase 5/24 rule. You will only get approved for 5 cards over a 24 month period. 

Chase Launches Biggest Bonus Offer Ever On IHG

There is also a no fee card, the Traveler card, that is offering a bonus of 120,000 points for a minimum spend of $2,000. It also includes the fourth night FREE, but no FREE anniversary night. 

And there is a business card that is offering 140,000 points for a minimum spend of $3,000. It has a $99 annual fee. This card includes the fourth night FREE, the FREE anniversary night up to 40,000 points, $100 Global Entry credit,  

You may hold a business card and personal card at the same time. 

Chase IHG is not allowing me to refer you to this great offer, so just go straight to Chase to apply. 

Looking For An Affordable Family Vacation, Try Visiting Argentina

 

I just got back from two weeks travelling in Chile and Argentina and wow! So much history, culture, nature, it's overwhelming and wonderful at the same time. The highlight for our family was trekking on the Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia. A once in a lifetime experience like no other!

With so much to do, you might think this is an expensive vacation, but it's actually quite affordable right now for those with US dollars.  

This is a picture of the Argentine pesos I got when I exchanged $400 USD. Each of those 1,000 peso notes equals about $3 USD. 

Right now, Argentina is suffering through 96% inflation which is terrible for the residents of that country, but a huge plus for tourists if you handle your money correctly. 

Plus of course, if you follow my blog and get your flights and hotels with points and miles then wow, it's almost like a FREE vacation. 

Looking For An Affordable Family Vacation, Try Visiting Argentina

What does 96% inflation look like? It means that you can change your USD to pesos today for let's say 310 pesos per $1 and by tomorrow, the rate will be 340 pesos per $1. 

The inflation is so crazy that there are actually two exchange rates - the official rate and the blue rate. 

The official rate is about 175 pesos per $1 USD. 

The blue rate changes daily, but is running about 350 pesos per $1 USD. 

So you can see if you get the official rate, then you will probably think prices in Argentina are equal to any European country. BUT if you change money at the blue rate, you get a 50% discount. 

It's a bit hard to follow, but check this out. I visited a Starbucks in Buenos Aires. Each of my drinks were priced at about 800 pesos. The parfait was 950 pesos. 

For the three drinks and the parfait, the total was 3630 pesos. If you get the official rate 175 pesos per $1, this Starbucks run will cost you $20. Pretty typical for the US. BUT if you get the blue exchange rate 350 pesos per $1, this Starbucks run will cost you $10.50. Crazy, right?

Looking For An Affordable Family Vacation, Try Visiting Argentina

Now the question is how do you get the blue rate rather than the official rate? Usually, we recommend changing money at the ATM's, but NOT in Argentina. The ATM's will give you the official rate. There are two ways to get the blue rate that we recommend. 

1. Look for money change signs at restaurants and grocery stores - The signs will indicate if the business is changing money and at what rate. Do some research to find the best rate and then go for it. Right now, the largest currency is the 1,000 peso note which equals $3 at the blue rate. So be prepared for a lot of paper when you exchange money. 

2. Use your credit card - Argentina just passed a law requiring foreign credit cards to honor the blue rate. 

That's the email receipt from Uber, but look at the amount that actually ended up on my credit card. 

You may see some websites talk about changing money on Calle Florida in Buenos Aires. I don't recommend doing that. The cambios on this street are illegal and ripe for scams. It's much safer to change money in a restaurant or use your credit card. 

Keep in mind if you tip for a FREE tour, try tipping in USD. If you tip in pesos, you will end up giving someone a very small tip. 

And of course, always use the right credit card for your purchases and you may be able to erase the purchase altogether. 

The #1 Reason Why I Love Flying on Southwest Points

                              

Even with the meltdown over the holiday by Southwest Airlines, I will continue to fly them. Why? Well, there are a number of reasons:

• The Southwest Companion pass 
• Two checked bags for FREE 
• No fuel charges 
• Points are easy to earn 

But my #1 reason is the fact that if you book on points, you can change your flight without any penalty and you may even get points back! 

The #1 Reason Why I Love Flying on Southwest Points 

Confused? Let me explain. You book a flight on Southwest using points. If you don't have enough points, open a Southwest credit card and earn them or even buy them. But don't pay cash for your ticket because then you may get stuck with a credit voucher, yuck! 

If you pay with points and make a change or cancel, the points just return to your account. Easy! 

That's a great perk right there, but wait there's more. 

The #1 Reason Why I Love Flying on Southwest Points 

Once you book a flight, anytime Southwest has a sale or even on random Tuesday or Wednesday, use the change flight option to see if the number of points for that flight has dropped. If it has, rebook the flight and you get the difference returned to your account. 

Let me show you how this works. 

Log into your account, click on trips and click on change flight. 

Check the flight that you want to change. Don't make any updates to the selected flight and click on explore options. 

Then you will see all the flights for that day, find the one that you are already booked on. If you see a + sign, that means it now costs MORE points to book, but if you see a - sign that means it now costs LESS points to book. 

If you see that it costs LESS now than it did when you originally booked, click on the flight, review changes and purchase. 

The points will return to your account immediately. You can do this as many times as you want up until your flight departs. 

The #1 Reason Why I Love Flying on Southwest Points 

If you have a companion booked on the flight with you, you will need to cancel the companion's flight BEFORE you make the change. 

Pretty sweet! 

If you do not have a Southwest credit card yet, please use my referral link. The current offer is 50,000 bonus miles for a $3,000 minimum spend for each of the personal cards. You can check out which card I prefer here.