What Is Travel Hacking And How Do I Start?

ORAMUS TRAVEL SERVICES
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Over the last decade, travel hacking has become a mainstream phenomenon. That’s largely thanks to social media, with influencers showing off exotic destinations on Instagram, reached by clever use of rewards. For more information, click here.

Content:

What is travel hacking?

How to start travel hacking

What are the best travel hacks?

How can I travel for free?

Conclusion


What is Travel Hacking?

Travel hacking typically refers to the variety of ways you can earn points and miles toward future travel, often without flying or staying at hotels. It involves strategically using credit cards points or miles, or those earned with airline and hotel programs, to score discounted (or free) travel and other perks.

How to start Travel Hacking

If all of that sounds exciting and you’re eager to get going, here are some tips to help you get started with travel hacking:

Set A Goal: The first step in your travel hacking journey is to set a travel goal. Earning points without knowing what you’re working toward can be an exercise in futility. 

When I started back in 2011, I made the mistake of mainly accruing Delta SkyMiles and American AAdvantage miles for a trip to Europe. I learned pretty late that American Airlines had a weak route network to Europe at the time, and that United miles would have been a much better option back then.

Find the right rewards credit card: The easiest way to boost your points balance is with a rewards credit card. After you sign up and get approved, you can typically earn 50,000 or more points after completing a spending requirement over three or more months. 

While welcome bonuses are a significant draw, you can also take advantage of category bonuses and annual spending bonuses to maximize your everyday spending long-term.

Use shopping portals: Shopping portals are the way to go if you want to further maximize your points and miles earnings. Nearly every major loyalty program has a shopping portal you can earn rewards with, whether it’s your card issuer or your airline of choice. You’ll earn at least one extra point per dollar spent, plus the points from your credit card.

Get creative with earning rewards: Once you’ve gotten into the habit of maximizing your everyday purchases, it’s time to get creative. What else can you charge to your credit card while still maintaining a balance that you know you can pay off at the end of the month? 

I once convinced my boss to let me pay a $35,000 supplier invoice with my credit card. I’ve earned thousands of points on rent and mortgage payments through Plastiq. I’ve also used retail arbitrage to flip dresses worn by Kate Middleton and earn spending requirements.

What are the Best Travel Hacks?

There are countless travel hacks out there, and the best ones are top secret (for good reason). But if you’re just getting started and want to keep things simple, here are the most valuable hacks to know:

1. Card sign-up bonuses: Credit card sign-up bonuses are by far the best way to get a lot of points within a short time frame. You may even piece together a luxury vacation by strategically applying for credit cards.

2. Double (and triple) dipping: Double- or triple-dipping is one of the best travel hacks out there. Stacking travel hacking methods can help you earn significantly more miles. For example, let’s say you’re in the middle of a home renovation project — you’ve got expenses, and they’re big. If you can do some shopping online for your project, you can double-dip by earning rewards on your credit card and an online shopping portal.

3. Mistake Fares: There’s more to travel hacking than just earning and redeeming points. One of my favorite ways to hack travel is through mistake fares. Sometimes airlines occasionally mess up and publish fares well below market value. I’m talking about a $450 round-trip business class ticket to Shanghai or a $120 economy class ticket to Abu Dhabi. Over the years, there have been dozens of great mistake fares that travel hackers have taken advantage of.

How can I Travel for free?

Despite what travel influencers like to put into their photo captains, there’s no such thing as free travel. You will almost always pay a fee to earn or redeem points. Whether it’s your credit card annual fee, award flight taxes or resort fees, there will always be costs.

But by leveraging credit cards, points and loyalty programs, you can book incredible travel experiences at a fraction of the cost.


Conclusion

For further enquiries, contact Oramus Travel Services and get the assistance you need for your application.



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