Learn How to Travel Hack Your Way to Amazing Destinations

Hi there, fellow travelers!

Are you ready to learn some amazing tips and tricks on how to travel the world for less? If so, you're in the right place. The Miles Matrix is all about sharing real life travel hacking tips, tricks, and experiences. I'll be continuing to post content that will aim to educate, inspire, and motivate you to travel hack as well! Recently I was sharing my upcoming 45 day trip across 9 countries with a co-worker and she said, "Oh I see, you're rich." But that's hardly the case and the thing is, you don't need to be rich or famous to enjoy the wonders of our planet. You just need to be smart and savvy. And learning the art of travel hacking can get you to more places than you ever thought possible, often in more luxury than you can get paying cash! I hope you'll stick around and learn with me on this journey!

SO--What is Travel Hacking?

Travel hacking is the art of using various strategies and tools to save money and earn rewards when you travel. It can involve things like using credit cards, loyalty programs, coupons, discounts, and more. By applying these techniques, you can slash your travel costs by up to 90% or even travel for free!

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, it's not. I just started this travel hacking journey in the last few months and I've already saved over $33,000 dollars and earned hundreds of thousands of points and miles so far. And I'm not alone. There are thousands of other travel hackers out there who are doing the same thing.

So how can you join this awesome community and start your own travel hacking journey? It's simple. All you need is a bit of curiosity, a willingness to learn, and a sense of adventure. And of course, you need to follow this blog, where I'll be posting regular updates on the best deals, hacks, and resources for travelers like you.

Getting Started

Step 1: Set Your Goals or Start to Dream

Set your travel goals. Before you dive into the world of travel hacking, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve. Do you want to visit a specific destination, or are you open to exploring new places? How often do you want to travel, and for how long? What kind of travel style do you prefer, and what is your budget? Having these answers will help you choose the best travel hacking strategies for your needs.

***There tend to be two types of people who get into points and miles--those with a specific travel goal, and those who just earn as many points as possible and figure out what to do with them as they go! So, even if you don't have a specific travel goal in mind, I recommend jumping in and start earning points and miles while you figure it out! Regardless, the main thing is to JUST GET STARTED!***

Step 2: Check Your Credit Score

Check your credit score. To qualify for the best travel credit cards, you need a good or excellent credit score. You can check your score for free on sites like Credit Karma or Credit Sesame. If you already have a credit card, many credit cards show you your score for free as well. If your score is low, work on improving it by paying your bills on time, reducing your debt, and disputing any errors on your report. There are also a lot of free resources on the internet on fixing your credit if this is something that you need to do.

Step 3: Sign Up for Loyalty Programs

Sign up for loyalty programs. One of the easiest ways to start travel hacking is to join loyalty programs from airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and other travel providers. These programs allow you to earn points or miles every time you book with them, which you can then redeem for free or discounted travel. Many programs also have shopping portals that allow you to earn points by completing every day shopping via their portal. Some of them also offer perks like free upgrades, priority boarding, lounge access, and more. To maximize your earnings, sign up for as many programs as possible, and use them whenever you can.

Step 4: Apply for Travel Credit Cards

Apply for travel credit cards. The most powerful way to start travel hacking is to apply for travel credit cards that offer generous sign-up bonuses and rewards. These cards can help you earn thousands of points or miles in a short period of time, which can translate into free or cheap flights, hotels, and more. Plus, some of them also offer benefits like travel insurance, airport lounge access, no foreign transaction fees, and much more. Check out my post here on my current favorite travel cards and look for more posts soon about other cards that are worth considering! For the longest time, I was sure cash was king, but, when used responsibly, credit card rewards are definitely worth it in my book! As always: To get the most out of your travel credit cards, make sure you pay your balance in full every month, and only apply for cards that suit your spending habits and travel goals. By doing this, our credit scores have gone up, not down!

Step 5: Maximize your rewards!

To get the most out of your travel credit cards, you need to know how to use them wisely. Here are some tips:

• Pay your balance in full every month. This will help you avoid interest charges and maintain a good credit score.

• Meet the minimum spending requirements. Each card will comeThis is crucial to earn the sign-up bonuses, which are usually the biggest source of rewards. Always make sure you have a plan to meet the minimum spending bonus prior to applying for a new card. You'd never want to waste an opportunity to earn a huge bonus because you couldn't meet the minimum spending requirements.

• Use the right card for the right purchase. Some cards offer bonus points for certain categories, such as travel, dining, or groceries. Make sure you use the card that gives you the most points for each purchase.

• Learn ways to stack offers by using shopping portals. Check out my post about my current favorite shopping portal here!

Step 6: Redeem Strategically!

Depending on the card and the program, you might have different options for redeeming your points, such as transferring them to airline or hotel partners, booking travel through a portal, or getting cash back or gift cards. Compare the value of each option and choose the one that gives you the best deal for your travel goals. Send me an email below if you have any questions about redeeming points!

Now Rinse and Repeat Because You Realize the Value Potential Here!

After taking the steps above, you will likely be hooked and continue to sign up for new loyalty programs and credit cards. You'll also want to maximize your earnings by spending strategically on each card according to their bonus categories!

So far, this year my husband and I have signed up for 6 cards combined and are working on earning our last 2 welcome bonuses. In total, once we complete these welcome bonuses, we will have signed up for and received the following welcome bonuses:

• Chase Sapphire Preferred: 80K points

• American Express Platinum x2 (we both signed up): 150K points each! (A HUGE welcome bonus worth a minimum of $1500 each if redeemed for 1 cent/point--but you can get even more value than that! Check out my post here on how we used Amex points at 5.5 cents/point to book our upcoming British Airways Business Class award tickets via Cathay Pacific)

• American Express Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card: 200K

• Capital One Venture X Card: 75K points

• Wyndham Rewards Earner Business Card: 75K points plus a free night! (look for an upcoming post on how you can easily qualify for a small business card whether you have a full blown business or just a side hustle that you earn income from!) There's a travel hack related to this card which is why I went after it as my first business card. Once I've completed the hack, I'll post all about it here! If it all goes according to plan, it will end in a free cruise!

***If you're interested in any of these cards, I'd love for you to head to my post here and use one of my referral links! We'll both get a bonus!***

Additionally, you'll also want to explore the deeper depths of travel hacking, such as shopping portals, stacks, and other tricks to your travel hacking arsenal. Stay tuned for an upcoming post on some of my favorite Travel Hacking Tools to help you get started on the journey!

That's it! You are now ready to start travel hacking and enjoy the benefits of traveling smarter and cheaper. Remember, travel hacking is not a one-time thing, but a continuous process of learning and applying new tips and tricks. The more you do it, the more you will save and earn.

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Happy travels!