In my last post I illustrated my recent trip to Europe. The best part was that I barely spent any money on the airfare and hotel stays. This is because I used some of my miles and points that I collect. I am able to collect these from mainly two ways. First, as a traveling nurse practitioner, I sometimes opt to stay in a hotel of my choice over an apartment. This way I can acquire miles from those stays and also elite status. I also fly domestically a lot, whether it is to and from an assignment, or just going home in the middle of an assignment.
Secondly, I am able to collect miles and points through credit cards. When applying for a new credit card they will offer a large sign up bonus offer. Sometimes these can be enough for a round-trip international flight, saving you $500+. Just to be clear, I do not hold a balance on any of my credit cards. And even by applying for multiple cards and closing them when I do not want to pay the annual fee (usually 1 year after opening), my credit score has remained 800+.
I previously posted about “travel credit cards” and have a tab on my home page with some of my favorite cards. If you decide you want to move forward with one of those cards, be sure to use the link I provide to make sure you are getting the highest available bonus offer. Feel free to message me for guidance, especially if you have a specific trip in mind.
So how did I book my Europe trip? I used 30,000 Delta miles for an economy flight from Miami to Amsterdam. I then used 55,000 American Express points for a first class flight from Zurich to Miami. In taxes and fees I paid $75 total for both flights.
For my Hotel stays I mostly stayed at the Hilton (each night cost between 20,000-50,000 points) and the Sheraton (starwood preferred guest) (each night cost between 7,000 – 12,000 points). Keep in mind that Hilton points do not equal Sheraton points. So if you see that Hilton cards are offering more points in the opening offer, it’s because you need more points to redeem a free night.
In addition, since I stay at hotels often during work and leisure, I have acquired elite status with both Hilton and Sheraton (Starwood Preferred Guest). As a result, when I stayed at their hotels they provided me and my guests with free continental breakfast and free room upgrades. Some Hilton hotels even had an Executive Lounge, where I was able to go any time of the day and find appetizers, snacks, and refreshments.
One of the highlights of the trip was when I was upgraded (for free) to an executive suite at the Four Points Sheraton hotel in Zurich, Switzerland. If you’ve been to Europe before, you know that the hotel rooms are usually tiny. Imagine being upgraded to an apartment sized room. It consisted of 2 bathrooms, a large bedroom and walk-in closet, a dining area with a Nespresso machine, living room – and the main bathroom had a his and hers sink with a spa bath tub and separate shower.
Without points and miles, this 3 week trip in Europe would have cost me over $5000. Luckily, I only spent about ~$1000 on this trip. My main costs were food, short flights/trains between cities, museum entrance fees, transportation etc.
What are you waiting for? It’s time for you to start collecting your own miles and points!
That’s amazing!! I’m impressed. You must stay very organized. I’ve tried to stick with one brand while traveling to build points, but sometimes it’s hard. I’ve been afraid to apply for some of the “points” credit cards. My credit took a big hit 5 years ago and I’ve worked hard just to get back in mid 700s, I’m concerned new/additional accounts could affect my credit. Thoughts??
Personally my credit score takes a slight dip after applying for a new card. But due to the new available credit it goes back up in a few weeks and sometimes even higher than it originally was. Let me know if you need some guidance in which cards to apply for if you have a certain trip in mind.