Free Travel

Free Travel

Swimming with Whale Sharks, Isla Mujeres, Mexico

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We love credit cards.  Using them has provided us with all of these free trips and cash, with more to come.  What is not to love?

  • 3 Free nights in a 5-star hotel in London.
  • 3 Free nights at a 5-star beach resort in the US Virgin Islands.
  • A Free 2nd Honeymoon in Hawaii.
  • 4 Free flights to Mexico.  2 Free flights to Taiwan. Business class tickets.
  • $500/year in free cash.
  • Thousands of dollars saved on foreign transaction fees.

Over the years, we have targeted travel rewards programs based on where we wanted to travel next. We used a hotel credit card as our main spender for the purpose of having free hotel nights in Europe. Then we used an airline card, building up miles for free flights. All together, we saved over $10k on flights and hotels in Europe.

With a plan, it is fairly easy to meet the minimum spend requirements and get great signup bonuses for free travel. It can even boost your credit score!

It’s easy, fun, and helps open the door to adventure.

Interested? Start here: 

Check out some cards that will help you achieve free trips and travel rewards. Compare cards here.

Where have you traveled for free? Let us know in the comments!

Editorial Note – Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.

Getting Started with Free Travel

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The card_name is is one of our favorites. A BIG reason is you can combine points with other Chase cash back cards under the Chase Ultimate Rewards Program.

The card_name allows you to earn 5% cash back on the first $1500 in categories that change quarterly, and the card_name earns a flat 1.5% on all spend.

Using the right card for different types of spend means you earn free travel even faster! And they also have their own signup bonuses!

And all of these points can be transferred to numerous hotel and airline programs!

Learn more about these cards HERE.

27 Comments

  1. Steve

    is there a specific airline credit card that you use?

    Reply
    • Go Curry Cracker

      We’ve had at least 4 different airline cards in the past. It depends on where you live and where you want to go.

      When we were planning on going to Hawaii from Seattle (an Alaska Airlines hub), we used an Alaska card. For recent International flights, the most direct flights were on Delta & partners, so we had a Delta card.

      A generic travel rewards card can be better in many cases. For example the Chase Ultimate Rewards program has points that can be transferred to United, British Airways, Southwest, Virgin Atlantic, & Singapore Air.

      Reply
      • TT

        You seem to travel a lot of different places. How much of the cost are paid by yourself and how much are from the points from these credit cards?

        Reply
        • Go Curry Cracker

          We saved about 25% on our recent trip to Europe.

          For our 2nd honeymoon we went to Hawaii with free flights and free hotel, for close to a 100% savings.

          Reply
  2. DM

    In the cases where you sought a credit card specifically for the sign on bonus, have you decided to cancel those cards, and if so, what has that done to your credit? – thank you

    Reply
    • Go Curry Cracker

      This describes probably 19 of the last 20 credit cards I’ve applied for. I have and will close cards that aren’t worth the annual fee, or when another opportunity for sign on bonus is available.

      I have near perfect credit
      https://gocurrycracker.com/credit-score-is-meaningless/

      Reply
  3. Evie Mayer

    I am wondering…if you both are living a ‘frugal’ lifestyle, how are you able to accumulate an extraordinary large about of CREDIT CARD Travel Rewards to pay for your trips?
    Also, after reading “The World Awaits” and of course, your Father in=laws” emotional state, why would he be more content, happier, comfortable….far, far away from his family, friends, community, spiritual association????
    WHy?

    Reply
    • Go Curry Cracker

      a) Sign-up bonuses (also, we aren’t frugal)
      b) freedom (also, not my FIL)

      Reply
  4. kind of lost (@kindoflost)

    I was just denied the Chase Sapphire Reserve (my FICO is 800+ but I was too honest disclosing mortgages for rentals and they didn’t like my income/obligations ratio…) what and when should I try next?

    Reply
    • Go Curry Cracker

      Honesty is usually the best policy. You could try calling their reconsideration line, and explain your strong cash flow.

      I was also denied for the Reserve card (probably for 5/24) but Winnie was approved.

      Reply
        • Go Curry Cracker

          Anytime. If that doesn’t work, it is hard to say what is best next step without first figuring out what kind of trip you are trying to build. Message me on facebook and I can help figure it out.

          Reply
          • kindoflostblog

            gues what? I just tried it again (since I read the bonus was coming down to 50,000) and I got it. The application was different, they didn’t ask about mortgages, only income. Oh and I used the links on your site. Thanks again

            Reply
            • Go Curry Cracker

              Thanks! And enjoy the free travel!

              Reply
              • Sabrr jabalpuri

                M clueless about how to get the free travel. How the cards are related to it?
                Can someone help to understand so that i may also think to try it…

                Reply
    • mary w

      Read the question carefully. IIRC Chase asks the amount of mortgage on “your home” or some similar wording. I wouldn’t consider a mortgage on a rental property as “my home”.

      Definitely try calling the reconsideration line.

      Reply
  5. Chris Ah Fer

    Any way you can break down the benefits collected from the cards and then weigh them against your expenses to see the savings? I’m still trying to understand.

    Reply
  6. lifelessconventional1

    We are planning a big trip at the moment and are calling in all kinds of points/deals! So far we have 3 reward flights booked from our BA Avios points, free hotel stays with the Hilton Honors program, 2 Capital One Venture cards with a $400 statement credit sign on bonus, the Chase Reserve 100k points sign on bonus (which we’ll probably use on Hyatt hotels and the Barclaycard Arrival+ with a 50k points sign on bonus. There are so many great deals around!

    Reply
  7. Jan Shuster

    I would think that all your travel could be deductable against your blog income since you derive the blog income from traveling.

    Reply
    • Go Curry Cracker

      The primary purpose of our travel isn’t business, so it isn’t deductible. But free travel is better than paid travel with tax deductions.

      Reply
  8. peggysue

    I am new to this and just signed up for the IGH CC – but there is a small statement that made me nervous regarding the CC canceling the points – their statement reads:

    “Points can be cancelled if we believe that you’ve misused this program in any way,for example: by repeatedly opening or otherwise maintaining credit card accounts for the purpose of generating rewards”

    Has this ever been an issue?

    Reply
    • Go Curry Cracker

      No, it’s never been an issue.

      Think of it like a move-in bonus on a new apartment. “$500 in free rent with a 1-year lease!” If you move out after the first month with holes in the wall and mud ground into the carpet, you probably aren’t getting the free $500. Easy.

      Reply
  9. Kane Hanashi

    Hey Jeremy, how have your future travel plans changed with COVID? More specifically, in 1-2 years, assuming we see widespread vaccine adoption, do you think things will ever go back to “normal” for travelers?

    Reply
    • Go Curry Cracker

      Can’t think of any reason why it wouldn’t go back to normal. People want to travel, and other people want to sell travel.

      We don’t have any travel plans and don’t plan to make (international) travel plans until after Taiwan eliminates quarantine requirements. Probably 2022.

      Reply
  10. LoveMyCurry

    My credit score has ranged from 815 to 850 for the past 5 years. Credit utilization has been less than 5%.
    So I decided to do some credit card hacking. Capital One declined my application and offered me an alternative non-travel card. Chase declined my Southwest application because I had opened three other cards in the past 12 months. American Express not only gave me a $200 statement credit but also offered 0% financing for a 15 month period.
    The logic used by Chase and Capital One is arbitrary and does not make sense.

    Reply
    • Go Curry Cracker

      Cap One is weird with the Venture card, and Chase roughly follows their 5/24 rule. It can be weird.

      Reply

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