A Beginner’s Guide to Traveling on Points and Miles
6 Min Read | Published: May 15, 2026
This article contains general information and is not intended to provide information that is specific to American Express products and services. Similar products and services offered by different companies will have different features and you should always read about product details before acquiring any financial product.
Explore how to start traveling on points and miles with this beginner-friendly guide. Learn how to earn, redeem, and maximize travel rewards.
At-A-Glance
- Points and miles programs can help you save on travel by earning rewards through everyday spending or flying.
- Different types of travel rewards cards offer unique benefits, making it easier for beginners to start earning and redeeming points.
- Avoid common mistakes and learn how to maximize your rewards for flights, hotels, and more.
Flying from coast to coast often to visit family? Racking up expensive bills each time you rent a car for your road trips? Well, if you have a rewards credit card that offers you points and miles for your spending, you could end up saving money on each trip you take.
Let’s walk through the ins and outs of how points and miles work, which types of cards offer them, and how to start earning rewards responsibly.
What are Points and Miles?
Some credit cards offer the opportunity to earn points or miles on eligible purchases. Points can usually be redeemed for cash, statement credits to pay your credit card bill, or, sometimes, hotel stays and airfare. Miles can typically be redeemed for flights.
Let’s examine some of the ways you can make the most of your spending and highlight some ways people misunderstand their rewards.
Key Benefits
Credit cards have a wide array of reward structures, but some of the potential benefits to earning points and miles with your card include:
- Savings
When you earn points and miles, you can turn them into cash, statement credits, or flight discounts. - Flexibility
Some rewards cards offer the opportunity to transfer your points or miles to partnering hotel or airline brands for valuable discounts or upgrades. - Perks
The best rewards credit cards offer additional benefits beyond their points or miles, such as airport lounge access, purchase protection, and hotel loyalty programs. - Introductory Offers
Some cards have valuable bonuses that you can earn for signing up, like earning extra bonus points or miles if you spend a certain amount in your first six months.
Common Misconceptions
You may have heard some myths surrounding points and miles that can be confusing if you’re a new card member. Here are some of the ways that rewards cards are misunderstood:
- “Miles-earning cards have to be used for travel purchases.”
Actually, many travel credit cards can earn miles on any qualifying purchase that you make, including a cup of coffee or subway fare. While some cards may earn you more points for travel-specific purchases, you may be able to earn points in other spending categories as well. - “Annual fees make elite rewards cards not worth it.”
Some rewards cards have an annual fee, but if you use them strategically, the value of some cards could exceed the amount you have to pay. The key is using the card responsibly and making sure its benefits align with your lifestyle. For example, if you don’t fly very frequently, it may not make sense for you to pay an annual fee on a card that only rewards you for flights. - “Points and miles aren’t valuable.”
Points and miles may be worth different monetary values depending on the card, but in general, they can help you earn discounts or statement credits in the future.
How to Earn Points and Miles
Rewards cards may offer different opportunities to earn points or miles depending on their policies, but there are a few common ways to collect them. Let’s take a look at three popular ways to rack up points and miles for your next travel occasion.
Spending
Credit cards that earn points and miles typically reward you each time you use them for an eligible purchase. Some credit cards earn a flat number of points for each purchase you make across spending categories, while others may offer more points per dollar spent on specific purchases, like entertainment, dining, or travel.
If you have a credit card associated with a specific hotel chain, for example, you may earn more points when you book a stay at a qualifying hotel brand, but you might also earn points for buying your groceries. Make sure to check your card agreement to see which types of purchases earn the most points or miles, so you can spend strategically.
Flying
Many major airlines offer frequent flyer programs that are free to join and allow you to earn miles each time you fly with them. It’s become more common for airlines to award miles based on the price of airfare as opposed to the distance you fly.1
If you fly with a specific airline most of the time, and you fly often, these programs can be useful tools to earn you savings in the future. While you don’t need a rewards credit card to help you accumulate miles in these programs, they might help you earn more miles over time.
Bonus Offers
Many travel credit cards have introductory offers that let you earn extra points or miles in the first few months you have the card, along with other bonus perks, like free nights at the card’s affiliated hotel chain. You may have to spend a certain amount of money with the card to earn the bonus points or miles.
If you think you would meet the spending threshold without stretching your budget, then you may decide the offer is worth it. But if you’re spending money just to get the bonus, you might be hurting your wallet more than helping it.
Best Types of Travel Rewards Cards for Beginners
If you’re considering getting your first travel rewards credit card, there are a few different options for you to keep in mind. The card that’s right for you may depend on how you travel or how you want to earn rewards.
General Travel Rewards Cards
For travelers who aren’t married to a specific airline or hotel chain, a card that lets you redeem points for a variety of different travel experiences may be a wise choice. Some rewards cards earn you points on your everyday spending or on certain travel expenses, but don’t require you to redeem them with a specific brand. If you’re someone who likes the freedom to book your itinerary with different companies, or someone looking to travel more, then a general travel rewards card could be the right option for you.
Airline-Specific Cards
If you regularly fly with the same airline or are already a member of a specific frequent flyer program, you may want to explore co-branded airline credit cards. These cards can allow you to earn miles toward your next flight with the affiliated airline with every purchase you make, and they may allow you to earn loyalty status with the airline and grant you additional perks on your flights. However, if you find yourself flying with different airlines on your travels, this type of card may not be the right fit.
Hotel-Specific Cards
Co-branded hotel credit cards can be advantageous for travelers who want to earn discounts on their stays and build loyalty with specific hotel chains. Along with earning points to use on your hotel stays, as you gain loyalty status with the hotel, you can access more room upgrades, complimentary breakfasts, and other perks that can elevate your travel experience. While some travelers may prefer the flexibility of staying wherever they please, others may value the opportunity to enhance their lodging by staying loyal to specific hotels.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Rewards cards can be handy, valuable, and convenient, but you need to use them strategically to maximize your benefits. Some bad habits to steer clear of include:
- Letting Points Expire
Some travel credit cards require you to earn or redeem points within a certain timeframe, or you risk letting them expire. If you’re not redeeming your points, the card may not make financial sense for you. - Overspending to Earn Rewards
When you sign up for a credit card with a valuable bonus offer, it can be tempting to spend more than you can really afford to get the bonus. Before you sign up for the card, make sure you can meet the bonus requirements while staying within your budget. - Not Understanding Redemption Rules
Rewards credit cards have specific ways to redeem your points or miles, and some cards may offer opportunities to transfer points or miles to branded partners. In order to get the value you want out of your card, it’s wise to fully understand how you can and can’t redeem your hard-earned rewards. - Choosing the Wrong Card for Your Lifestyle
A rewards card should always match your spending habits, and not vice versa. Don’t get a credit card you’re not going to benefit from, or that will require you to spend money on things you don’t typically buy. - Redeeming Points or Miles for Lower Value
As you start to earn points, it can be tempting to spend them whenever you travel. In fact, it’s usually more cost-effective for you to save up your points or miles for expensive flights or hotel stays.2 In the meantime, you could keep earning rewards by using your travel credit card to pay for your lower-cost travel expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
The value of your credit card points or miles depends on the terms of your credit card agreement and how you redeem them. For example, if you apply your points to your credit card statement, it may have a different value than if you use them for hotel rewards.
How you maximize your credit card points on your travels may depend on your travel preferences or the value of your points for specific benefits. If you visit a distant family member often and stay in their home, you might prefer to redeem your points for flights rather than hotels. Or, if you discover that your points go further when you use them on hotels in your card’s travel portal,3 then that might be how you want to redeem them.
You can earn points through flying when you use a frequent flyer membership. With a co-branded airline credit card, you can earn points or miles each time you make a qualified purchase, as well as when you book a flight with the affiliated airline.
The Takeaway
If you’re a frequent traveler, you can potentially unlock valuable perks and future savings by responsibly using a travel credit card. Before you move forward with a travel rewards card, carefully consider your travel preferences and spending habits so that your points or miles go to good use.
To start earning on your next trip today, explore travel rewards cards to find the right one for your goals and lifestyle.
1 “Airlines Want a Piece of Every Purchase You Make,” New York Times
2 “6 times you should use points and miles rather than pay cash,” CNBC
3 “How Credit Card Rewards Programs Work,” Experian
Scott Drueding Hanson is a content writer and copywriter based in Brooklyn. His work focuses primarily on personal finance.
All Credit Intel content is written by freelance authors and commissioned and paid for by American Express.
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