- I use credit-card points to book almost all my travel, but I try not to carry a balance on my cards.
- I don't stockpile points unless I'm strategically saving for a specific trip.
- I never redeem points for merchandise awards because I think they're a waste of money and points.
I am a frequent traveler — on average, I fly at least once a month — and I put most of my expenses on my Delta co-branded airline credit card.
I save a ton of money while traveling by using my points to book flights, and my credit card also gets me into airport lounges where I don't have to pay for food and beverages.
Over the years, I've found a few ways to optimize my points by following a few rules. As someone who books most of my travel with points and miles, here are things I'd never do.
Instead of hoarding points, I strategize how I'll use them
I always have a target or goal that I'm saving my points toward, and I use them for travel we're planning in the near term rather than hoarding them for "someday."
For example, I recently got enough points accrued for my family of four to fly roundtrip from San Antonio to Fort Lauderdale for our vacation.
I typically use my saved miles to pay for my family's travel and charge my own airline ticket to my card. This keeps me accruing miles while feeling like I'm getting four tickets for the price of one.
I only use my points for flights
In my experience, it's rarely a good value to use my airline miles and credit-card points on hotel stays or vacation packages.
I can usually find deals on hotels through other loyalty programs or discount websites, so I save my points for flights, where they give me the most mileage — pun intended.
I try not to carry a balance on my credit card
I accrue points through flights and other purchases with my Delta card, but I work to spend in a way that allows me to pay off my purchases monthly.
I never want to carry a balance I can't afford and potentially negatively impact my credit or get charged interest.
Another thing I'd never do is have credit cards across a bunch of airlines
I primarily travel on Delta but don't always get to choose my airline for work. Even so, I stick with my Delta card and just stay signed up for basic loyalty programs with other airlines.
It's common to earn tons of miles when opening a new co-branded airline card, but I resist the offers. This is one time when I like to keep all my eggs in the same basket.
I miss these perks when I'm not flying my preferred airline, but I remind myself that multiple airline cards mean multiple annual fees, and at the end of the day, that's not a good financial move for me.
Plus, I like that my preferred credit card gives me free checked bags and the ability to choose a good seat without paying extra. I can also get on the plane in one of the early boarding groups, so the plane probably won't run out of overhead bin space before I get to my seat.
Transparently, I also have a Southwest Airlines co-branded card, but I don't use it often. It's my oldest credit card, and the interest rate is reasonable, so keeping it is good for my credit score for now.
I won't delete emails from my credit card company until I read them
I like to be an informed customer by staying updated on my card's changes and latest offerings.
Sometimes, this means sifting through a lot of emails, but I set aside time to read through any changes to my card and special offers.
Plus, some discounts or offers are time-sensitive, so failing to read the emails promptly might mean I miss out on news that would save me money.