The Ultimate Guide to Earning Flexible Reward Points for Incredible Redemptions

What Are Flexible Points?

Flexible reward points have revolutionized the way we think about loyalty programs. With the ability to transfer points to a variety of hotel and airline partners, these flexible points offer the ultimate freedom in redeeming your reward points. Whether it's booking a bucket list flight, a dream vacation for the family, or simply opting for cash back, these points cater to a wide range of preferences and needs. The versatility of flexible points means that with a bit of savvy planning, you can maximize the value of every point earned. This adaptability makes them a favorite among those who love to "play the game" of points and miles.

So what exactly are these points and how do you earn them? In the United States, we have 5 main flexible point options: American Express Membership Reward Points, Chase Ultimate Reward Points, Capital One Miles, Bilt Rewards, and Citi Thank You Points. These points can be earned through various credit cards offered by each of these four companies such as the Amex Platinum Card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the Capital One Venture X, the Bilt Card, and the Citi Strata Premiere. Points earned on these types of cards can be transferred to these banks' hotel and airline partners (these partners are detailed below). Transferring your points to airline or hotel partners are in my humble opinion and in my personal experience, the absolute best way to maximize the value of your points. For an example of transferring American Express Membership Reward Points for max value, check out this blog post.

Let's get into each program and their transfer partners.

American Express Membership Reward Points

American Express Membership Rewards points are regarded as some of the most versatile travel rewards in the market. These points can be accumulated through various channels, including credit card sign-up bonuses, everyday spending, and special promotions. The initial method to earn these points is by taking advantage of credit card sign-up bonuses, which often offer significant rewards after meeting a specified spending threshold within the first few months of card ownership.

Everyday spending is another effective way to gather Membership Rewards points. American Express offers a variety of credit cards designed to cater to different spending habits, from dining and groceries to travel and entertainment. For instance, the American Express® Gold Card is ideal for dining enthusiasts, while the American Express® Green Card targets frequent travelers. Choosing a card that aligns with your spending patterns allows you to maximize point accrual in categories where you naturally spend more.

Special promotions, typically referred to as Amex Offers (like this awesome Amex offer from last summer), are also a key avenue for earning additional points. American Express frequently runs limited-time offers that provide bonus points for specific purchases or through partnerships with select merchants. Keeping an eye on these promotions in your account and enrolling in them when applicable can significantly boost your points balance.

One of the standout features of American Express Membership Rewards points is their transferability to a broad array of hotel and airline partners. This flexibility allows you to redeem points for travel experiences tailored to your preferences.

Maximizing Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are a highly valued currency among travel enthusiasts due to their amazing transfer partners, offering flexibility and substantial value when redeemed effectively. Several Chase credit cards enable users to earn these coveted points, each with distinct earning rates and sign-up bonuses. The Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve®, and Chase Freedom Unlimited® are among the most popular options.

Chase Ultimate Rewards points can also be transferred to various hotel and airline partners, providing even greater flexibility. Transferring points to these partners can often yield more value, especially when booking premium cabins or luxury accommodations.

Capital One, Citi, and Bilt

Capital One and Citi present comprehensive travel rewards programs that cater to a diverse range of travelers. With Capital One's Venture Miles, Citi's ThankYou Points, and Bilt Rewards cardholders have the opportunity to accumulate points through a variety of credit cards and spending strategies, each designed to maximize rewards. All three of these programs offer valuable transfer partners. Let's get into each program below:

Capital One Venture Miles are primarily earned through the Capital One Venture credit cards. The Venture and Venture X cards offer 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, while the no-annual-fee VentureOne card gives 1.25 miles per dollar. Additionally, Capital One provides a generous sign-up bonus for new cardholders, which can significantly boost your miles balance right from the start. The Venture X is one of my favorite cards and is a great card to have in your wallet for any purchases that don't fall into a bonus category so you can ensure you are always earning at least 2x points for any purchase.

Summary

Earning flexible points through credit card programs like American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards can lead to significant value when redeemed through their respective transfer partners. Whether it's booking flights, upgrading experiences, or securing fine hotel stays, transferring points to partners often yields the best value. Be sure to subscribe below and follow on Instagram for more tips and tricks on redeeming these flexible points for maximum value.

Citi's ThankYou Points are accumulated through several credit cards, including the Citi Strata Premier card, which earns 3 points per dollar on air travel, hotels, gas stations, EV charging, restaurants, and grocery stores, and 1 point on all other purchases. Like Capital One, Citi also offers substantial sign-up bonuses that can add a significant amount of points to your account early on.

Bilt Rewards is revolutionizing the way renters accumulate points, transforming monthly rent into a ticket to travel and other perks. With Bilt, tenants can earn points on their rent payments without any transaction fees, and these points can be used for travel, transferred to partners, or even applied towards a future down payment on a home. The program extends its benefits through the Bilt Mastercard®, offering additional points on dining, travel, and other purchases. It's a smart financial move for renters looking to get more from their biggest monthly expense.

***World of Hyatt is the standout favorite of hotel transfer partners when it comes to the points and miles space due to the incredible value you can get for your Hyatt Points. As Chase is one of only two major transfer partners (Bilt being the other and Bilt rewards being more difficult to earn, especially if you don't pay rent) making this one of the main reasons Chase points are regarded so highly.***

Taking advantage of strategic transfers, especially during promotions or for high-value redemptions, can really boost the value of your Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Check out this blog post to see how I used Chase Ultimate Reward Points to book the coveted Qatar Airways Qsuites for my family of 4. I honestly cannot wait to take that bucket list flight later this year.