I’ve always loved to travel and have been fortunate to visit 30 countries and most of the states in the U.S. However, travel can be expensive. So, I found that my budget was often holding me back.
Five years ago I started travel hacking; the process of gathering points from premium travel credit cards and using them to purchase airfare and accommodations. Just a quick explanation of points; they are awarded according to each dollar spent. Cards may award multiple points per dollar in certain spending categories like travel and dining.
For five years I’ve taken our family of four to Europe and secured all the airfare with points, traveled to Italy for two weeks and didn’t pay a dime for our hotel rooms, and spent a week in Hong Kong with both our airfare and hotels covered.
Along the way, I learned that these cards come with benefits in addition to the points; airport lounge passes, perks at high-end hotels, travel insurance, and much more. While the points alone make these cards worth it, the additional benefits made me a repeat customer, happily paying the annual fee each year so I could access the benefits that have made travel so much more enjoyable.
A few caveats about travel hacking. First, it should only be done if you can pay off the balance on your cards each month. Second, you should be clear that the annual fee is less than the cost of benefits that you’ll use.
Over the years we’ve acquired many different cards, and most don’t live up to all the hype. These are the three cards that we preferred for the combination of points received and benefits used. While all are good, there is definitely one that stands out.
1. American Express Platinum
Like all of the three cards I’ll review, I acquired the American Express Platinum card during a promotional period when 100,000 points were offered for signing up. The fine print stipulates a minimum amount of spending in a certain time, so be sure you can reach these minimums so that your points will be awarded. Unfortunately, the AMEX Platinum also has the highest annual fee of $695.
Currently, these are the travel benefits associated with this card:
- Earn 1 point per dollar spent.
- Earn 5 points per dollar for purchasing airfare directly from airlines and purchasing airfare and hotels through the AMEX portal.
- $200 airline credit with one pre-selected and qualifying airline.
- Access to over 1,400 airport lounges including the Centurion Lounges.
- $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
- $189 CLEAR credit (a program to clear airport security faster).
- Premium rental car privileges.
- $200 credit for Fine Hotels & Resorts or The Hotel Collection.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance (must have paid for the car with AMEX).
- Trip delay, cancellation, and interruption insurance (must have paid for the trip with AMEX).
- Baggage insurance (must have paid for airfare with AMEX).
- $200 Uber or Uber East credit (paid up to $15 a month).
- Gold status with Marriott and Hilton Hotels.
Our favorite benefit of the American Express Platinum card is no doubt access to the Centurion Lounges. These are premium airport lounges found in just a few airports around the world. On our trip home to Hong Kong, we spent almost four hours at the Centurion Lounge enjoying complimentary food, drinks, and a very comfortable workspace.
We also enjoyed using the $200 credit for our stay in Bath, England in 2019. The Fine Hotels & Resort we selected included daily breakfast for two, early check-in, late check-out, and access to the thermal baths in the evening.
The automatic gold level status at both Marriott and Hilton is especially helpful if, like us, you don’t stay at these hotels often. I’ve regularly requested, received, and upgraded rooms based on these status levels.
My criticism of this card is the fine print for some of these benefits. In particular, the $200 Uber and airline credits have many restrictions. In addition, the awarded points are minimal compared to the other two cards.
2. Capital One Venture X
The Capital One Venture X card is the new guy on the block, launching in late 2021. I was one of the first to apply, meet the minimum spend, and claim my 100,000-point bonus. My husband, Jason, did the same a few months later. Venture X has the lowest annual fee of $395.
Currently, these are the travel benefits associated with this card:
- Earn two points for each dollar spent.
- Earn five points per dollar for a flight booked through the Capital One portal.
- Earn 10 points per dollar for hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One portal.
- $300 annual travel credit (almost wiping out the annual fee).
- $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
- Access to over 1,300 airport lounges, including the new Capital One Lounge.
- Premium rental car privileges.
- Trip delay, cancellation, and interruption insurance (must have paid for the trip with Venture X).
- Car rental loss and damage insurance (must have paid for the car with Venture X).
- 10,000 points are awarded at each anniversary.
Since I’ve had this card for less than one year, we haven’t had a chance to use all of the benefits. First and foremost, I appreciated the $300 travel credit and the two points per dollar spent. Between the sign-on bonus and points accumulated, I’ve already booked roundtrip airfare in the U.S. and several hotel nights.
Last month I was also able to renew my Global Entry card with the $100 credit. This is a benefit offered by all three cards, and I encourage everyone to use it if you don’t already have Global Entry.
The next perk I look forward to is the 10,000 points awarded on my anniversary.
3. Chase Reserve
The Chase Reserve is the premium card we’ve owned the longest, and for good reason. Both Jason and I received the 100,000-point sign-up bonus in 2018. We’ve also learned to maximize the points we earn by booking most of our travel with this card. Over time the annual fee has increased to $550 which is certainly getting steep.
Currently, these are the travel benefits associated with this card:
- Earn one point per dollar spent.
- Earn 10 points per dollar for hotels, rental cars, and dining reservations made through the Chase portal.
- Earn five points per dollar for flights booked through the Chase portal.
- Earn three points per dollar for all dining and travel purchases.
- $300 annual travel credit.
- Access to over 1,300 airport lounges.
- $100 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry.
- Premium rental car privileges.
- Car rental loss and damage insurance (must have paid for the car with Chase Reserve).
- Trip delay, cancellation, and interruption insurance (must have paid for the trip with Chase Reserve).
- Baggage insurance (must have paid for airfare with Chase Reserve).
- DoorDash DashPass membership and $5 per month credit through 2024.
Like Venture X, I appreciate the $300 annual travel credit each year. Also, the three points earned for dining and travel have meant many free hotel nights and airfares over the years.
The first time I applied for Global Entry, I took advantage of the $100 credit on this card. A few months later my husband did the same using his card.
This is the only card where I’ve made a travel insurance claim. While traveling in Iceland with my family, my son became ill and we had to cut our trip short and return home. I was able to file a claim and received $1,800 in reimbursement. This alone made several years of annual fees worth it.
Each of these cards has the option to use points to purchase airfare and hotels directly on their websites. Of all three, the Chase Reserve booking platform is by far the most robust with an excellent selection of hotels and flights.
The Chase Reserve card is the one we most frequently recommend to our friends and family. The generous points, awards, consistent and useful benefits, and the easy-to-use booking portal make this our favorite.
For more information on travel credit cards, check out this article:
