I’ll be honest — when I first saw “Paze” pop up on the Chase app, I scrolled right past it.
Then I looked at the merchant list and thought: I don’t really shop at any of these places. Nothing that exciting.
But then I dug in and had a “ohhhh” moment — and it came from one specific use case I almost missed entirely: gift cards.
Through NewEgg (one of the Paze-eligible merchants), you can buy gift cards and check out with Paze. Every gift card you were going to buy anyway? Now earning 10x Chase points.
That reframe changed everything. This promo went from “meh” to “actually, I need to set this up right now.”
Here’s what it is, how to set it up, and exactly what I’m doing with it.
What Is Paze?
Paze is a digital checkout system — think PayPal or Google Pay, but built by the major banks. You link your eligible Chase credit card to Paze, then use it as the payment method at participating merchants.
The charge posts to your credit card normally with the merchant’s name. The difference is Chase sees you checked out through Paze — and right now, they’re rewarding that with serious bonus points.
The Promo: 10x Extra Points Through December 31, 2026
Extra 10x points per dollar on top of your normal earning rate
Cap: $1,500 in spending per month — up to 15,000 bonus points monthly
Valid through December 31, 2026
Bonus points post within 8 weeks of the transaction
Authorized user accounts are not eligible
These are bonus points on top of what your card already earns. So if your Sapphire Preferred earns 3x on dining, you’d earn 3x + 10x = 13x total at a Paze-eligible restaurant.
Which Chase Cards Are Eligible?
Chase Freedom Cards:
Chase Freedom Flex®
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom®
Chase Sapphire Cards:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Eligible United Cards:
United Gateway℠ Card
United℠ Explorer Card
United Quest℠ Card
United Club℠ Card
United MileagePlus® Awards Card
United MileagePlus® Select Card
United℠ Presidential Plus℠ Card
United cards have a slightly higher cap — up to 20,000 bonus miles during the promotion.
How to Check if Your Card Is Eligible
Before setting anything up, confirm your card is in the promo:
Open the Chase app or go to chase.com
Click on your card
Go to the Benefits section
Look for “Boost your points” — Paze should appear there if you’re eligible
How to Set Up Paze
Step 1: Log into your Chase account
App or website both work.
Step 2: Select an eligible card
Step 3: Go to Digital Wallets
On the website: Click your card → More → Account Services → Manage Digital Wallets
In the app: Click your card → Manage Account → Digital Wallets
Screenshot
Step 4: Select Paze and verify your identity
You’ll get a text or call with a code, then submit an ID scan. Takes a few minutes but it’s a one-time thing.
Step 5: Link your card(s)
Only Freedom, Sapphire, and United cards earn the 10x. If you want to use multiple cards, link each one separately.
Step 6: You’re done
If you don’t have a Paze account yet, you’ll be redirected to create one. After that, your cards are linked and ready to use.
What I’m Actually Doing With This Promo
Here’s my personal plan through December — nothing complicated, just purchases I was already going to make.
🎁 Disney Gift Cards via NewEgg
We have a Disney trip coming up and I was already going to load up on Disney gift cards to use in the parks. Buying them through NewEgg with Paze means I’m earning 10x+ on purchases I was making anyway. This is the move.
🏡 Airbnb Gift Cards via NewEgg
Same idea — I book Airbnbs regularly, and NewEgg sells Airbnb gift cards. Instead of paying directly on Airbnb with my normal card, I’m buying gift cards through NewEgg with Paze first, then applying them to bookings. More points for the same spend.
✈️ Booking a Domestic United Flight
I have a United flight coming up and I’m paying cash for it. United is a Paze-eligible merchant, so I’ll check out with Paze on united.com and earn the 10x bonus on top of whatever my card normally earns on travel. One thing to note: this only works on cash bookings of direct United flights — not award taxes or partner flights.
The Simple Takeaway
The merchant list is still pretty small (~25 stores), but the gift card strategy opens it up significantly. If you can buy gift cards for places you already spend money — Disney, Airbnb, Amazon, restaurants — you’re earning 10x on purchases you were going to make regardless.
Five minutes to set it up. One habit to check before buying a gift card. Worth it.
New to Points and Miles?
If you’re just getting started and the whole system still feels overwhelming — I made a free 5-step guide specifically for that moment. It covers where to begin, which card to get first, and how to start earning without overcomplicating it.
When Chase announced the new $795 annual fee for the Chase Sapphire Reserve, the internet collectively lost its mind.
And honestly? I get it.
At first glance, $795 sounds wild for a credit card. But after looking closely at the benefits, I realized something important:
For families who already travel, dine out, and use points strategically… this card can actually pay for itself fast.
For our family, this is one of those rare cards where I know we’ll organically use the credits without changing our habits.
The Credits I’ll Actually Use
$300 Annual Travel Credit
This one is basically automatic for us.
Flights, parking, hotels, rental cars, tolls — Chase applies the credit automatically to eligible travel purchases. Since we travel regularly as a family, I know we’ll burn through this almost immediately.
That immediately brings the “real” annual fee down to $495 in my mind.
$300 OpenTable Dining Credit
Chase now offers up to $300 annually toward Sapphire Reserve Exclusive Tables through OpenTable.
As parents who already love date nights when we travel, this feels incredibly usable for us — especially in cities we’re already visiting.
Apple TV+ + Apple Music Included
This benefit alone is valued at about $288 annually.
We already pay for Apple TV+ and Apple Music, so this is another “money I was already spending anyway” credit.
So… Is the Fee Already Covered?
For our family:
$300 travel credit
$300 dining credit
~$288 Apple subscriptions
That’s already $888 in value before even touching the other perks.
And that doesn’t include:
$750 hotel credits
Airport lounge access
Priority Pass
TSA PreCheck/Global Entry credit
DoorDash credits + DashPass
Lyft credits
Hyatt transfer partners
Strong travel protections and insurance
The huge welcome bonus
Why This Matters for Family Travel
One of the reasons I love Chase points is the flexibility.
We recently used Hyatt points for an incredible Costa Rica vacation that would’ve cost thousands out of pocket — exactly the kind of trip that reminds me why points matter so much for families.
If you know how to maximize transfer partners like Hyatt, a strong welcome bonus alone can easily cover multiple nights at luxury resorts.
And that’s where this card really shines.
My Take
This absolutely is not the right card for everyone and not for those new to the points game.
But if you:
already spend on travel and dining,
value airport lounge access,
use streaming subscriptions,
and want to travel more as a family using points…
…I actually think the new Sapphire Reserve is one of the most compelling premium travel cards out there right now.
How a corporate job, a full-time artist, two kids in public school, and one income still adds up to 8+ trips a year.
The question I get the most isn’t where we travel. It’s how.
“How do you guys do it? Like, really. With your jobs? With the kids in school?”
I used to mumble something about being lucky. The truth is the opposite — luck has almost nothing to do with it. We’re not richer than you. We don’t have more flexibility at work. We’re not on vacation. We’re just stubborn about planning, and we’ve built a system that quietly turns the same calendar everyone else is staring at into 8+ family trips a year.
I want to share that system today — every sneaky thing we do — because I am very tired of letting people assume travel is for other families. It is not. It is for you. You just need a strategy.
Pull up the kids’ school calendar. Let’s go.
The setup, so you know I’m not bluffing
Me: Full-time, corporate. Salaried with limited PTO.
Him: Full-time artist. Working from home, but truly working.
Kids: Two of them. Public school. Aged enough to be on a real school calendar with real attendance expectations.
Income: Mostly one. We live on it.
Travel: Two or three big trips a year. Six to seven smaller ones. Domestic, international, beach, city, road trip. The whole spectrum.
I am writing this from the spreadsheet I open every January, the one I’ll open again next January, and the one I’m betting will hold up for the next ten years. The system works.
Here’s what’s in it.
The mindset shift: we’re not lucky. We’re strategic.
This is the part most travel blogs skip, and it’s the most important part.
Every family trip we take starts as a Google Doc. The school calendar is open in the next tab over. A points spreadsheet is open in another. Sometimes I have flight search engines open in three tabs at the same time and a notes app filling up with sweet-spot redemptions and award availability windows.
It looks chaotic. It is not. It is a system, and the system is the whole reason we travel.
If you take one thing from this post, take this: if it isn’t on the calendar, it doesn’t happen.
The seven tactics below are how we make sure the calendar fills up — every year, without fail, without burnout.
Tactic 1 — Every PTO day is on the calendar by January
I get a fixed number of PTO days a year. (I’m not going to say how many, because it doesn’t matter — your number is your number, and the principle is the same.)
The day I get them, I do something most working moms don’t:
I block every single one of them on the calendar before the year starts.
I don’t wait for permission. I don’t wait for a vacation idea. I don’t wait for someone else to plan something. I just put them on the calendar as placeholders, often pinned to a school break or a long weekend to extend it. Some are “TBD.” Some get firm destinations later. Most turn into trips by the end of the year.
The mental shift: PTO isn’t a reward I earn through stress. It’s a tool I deploy through planning.
Tactic 2 — Long weekends are trips, too
The American school year averages 6–8 federal holidays. Then there are the random teacher workdays, MEA days, professional development half-days, and early-release Fridays that schools sneak in.
If you add them up, you’ll find your kids have significantly more days off than you realize.
Every single one of them becomes a long weekend. That’s the rule.
A long weekend isn’t a “mini break” or a consolation prize — it’s a real trip. Three school days off plus one PTO day plus the weekend is a 5-night trip. We use a long weekend the way other families use a full week. The math works out beautifully, the school doesn’t penalize you, and you come back rested.
Recent long-weekend trips that hit that formula: Las Vegas in early spring. Florida Keys in October. New Orleans in February. Charleston in November. None of them required taking the kids out of school.
Tactic 3 — Friday-after-school is our departure time
We live 20 minutes from the airport. This is one of the few things that’s actually lucky, but you can engineer something similar wherever you live.
Here’s the routine: my kids walk out of school at 3pm. By 3:15, we’re in the car. Bags are pre-packed and sitting by the door — I packed Wednesday night. By 4:00, we’re checking in. By 6:00, we’re wheels up.
By the time most families are sitting down to dinner on Friday, we’ve already started our trip.
That single hack turns every weekend trip into a 3-night trip instead of a 2-night trip. Over a year, it adds weeks of vacation.
The pre-pack is non-negotiable. I lay out outfits on Tuesday. I pack on Wednesday. By Thursday night, the bags are zipped and the boarding passes are saved to my wallet. The Friday departure only works if Friday morning is the same as any other morning.
Tactic 4 — The school calendar is my trip planner
The day my kids’ school calendar gets posted in August, I print it. Two copies. One goes on the fridge. One goes in my planner.
I highlight every break. Every teacher workday. Every early release. Every long weekend. Then I overlay it with my work calendar and the year’s federal holidays.
What I’m looking for: the natural pockets where one or two PTO days can stretch a school break into a real trip.
This is also where I figure out when not to travel. Some weeks are too packed to leave. Other weeks (spring break in March, the week between Christmas and New Year’s) are obvious and I plan around them.
By the end of August, I have a draft year of trip windows. By January, I’ve turned them into a calendar of confirmed bookings.
I keep the school calendar visible all year. Every trip-planning decision starts there.
Tactic 5 — We book a year in advance
This sounds intense. It isn’t.
Most airline award charts open 11–12 months before the flight date. Hotel award charts open even earlier. The best seats — lie-flat business class on the route you actually want, the all-inclusive resort during the week of spring break — get booked the same day they’re released.
By the time most families start thinking about summer, ours is already locked in.
A typical year’s booking timeline for us looks like:
January: Confirm spring break trip. Book flights + hotel on points.
March: Confirm summer big trip. Book flights + hotel on points. Start watching cash flight prices for any sales.
Then through the year, I’m watching every long-weekend window and dropping smaller trips into them as the cash and points line up.
It’s not work, exactly. It’s more like a slow-drip hobby that pays off every couple of months in airline emails that say “you’re confirmed.”
Tactic 6 — I search constantly, and I pivot when I find a deal
This is the difference between a system that works and a system that just sits there.
I have destinations in mind for the year, but they aren’t locked. If award availability for Italy suddenly opens at half the points of Greece, Italy moves up the list. If a points-friendly resort in Mexico drops by 30% on Hyatt’s chart, that’s where we’re going in March.
I check things constantly — like, multiple times a week, often daily during big planning windows. Tools I rely on:
point.me (or Points Yeah) — cross-program flight award search.
Aeroplan’s award engine — for confirming Star Alliance seats actually exist before transferring points.
MaxMyPoint — for hotel award availability across Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, IHG.
Doctor of Credit and Frequent Miler — for credit card sign-up bonus tracking.
The Hyatt category chart — bookmarked.
The mindset is: I have a wish list, but I’m a deal-chaser. When the deal shows up, I take it. The trip we book is the trip the points wanted us to book.
That’s how we ended up in Matera, Italy in 2022 — not on the original list, but the redemption was incredible and the destination ended up being one of the most special trips we’ve taken as a family.
Tactic 7 — Points and miles do the heavy lifting
I’m going to be honest with you: we travel this much because we are aggressive about points.
We open the right credit cards (and pay them off in full every single month). We rotate through sign-up bonuses every 60–90 days, between me and my husband. We refer each other. We use shopping portals. We’re members of every loyalty program. We track everything in a spreadsheet.
Every sign-up bonus, on average, is one big family trip. Two adults running the cycle thoughtfully means we’re earning enough points each year for international flights for four plus a week of hotel nights. Not theory — that is what is currently sitting in our accounts.
I’m not going to bury the lead: we don’t trade money for travel. We trade time, planning, and points.
If you have decent credit, no card debt, and the discipline to pay statements in full — you can do exactly what we do. I have a whole separate starter guide coming on this (the long version with the cards I’d open first, in what order, with referral links). For now, just know: this is the multiplier that takes 2-3 trips a year and stretches it into 8+.
“But what about…”
Three objections I hear constantly. Quick answers.
“I can’t take time off work like that.”
I’d push back on that. Most working parents have more flexibility than they think — they just don’t ask for it. PTO is yours. Long weekends are yours. Half-day Fridays exist at a lot of companies and almost nobody uses them. You don’t need a whole week off to travel. You need a thoughtful Friday and a Monday.
“My kids are too young.”
Travel with little kids is hard. Travel with little kids is also building family memory and a kid who is comfortable in airports, on planes, in unfamiliar places. Our kids are better travelers at 8 and 6 than most adults I know — because we started in toddlerhood. Easier trips for now, harder trips later, but you build the muscle the same way you build any other family habit.
“We can’t afford this.”
This is the one I want to address most carefully, because money is real and points-and-miles is not magic.
What’s true: we don’t have unlimited disposable income. What’s also true: most of our trip costs are absorbed by points, sign-up bonuses, and credit card credits we’d qualify for anyway. The cash we spend on a trip is usually food, activities, and the occasional splurge — the kind of spending we’d be doing at home anyway, just in a more interesting setting.
If you are in credit card debt, points-and-miles is not the move. Pay that off first. If you have decent credit and no revolving debt, the math changes completely. That’s the system.
A real example, start to finish
Want to see what this looks like in practice? Here’s a recent trip, soup to nuts.
January: My school calendar shows MEA break in October (4 days off). I block it as a trip window and add it to the spreadsheet.
February: I notice award availability opens for fall flights to a destination I’ve been wanting to try. I check point.me — the route prices out cheaper in points than I expected. I confirm seats are real in Aeroplan’s search.
March: I transfer points from a flexible-points card to the airline. I book the flight. Total cost: $0 cash, just taxes.
April: I check Hyatt’s chart for hotels at the destination. Award nights are wide open. I book 4 nights with my Hyatt points. Total cost: $0.
August: School starts. I confirm the trip on the family calendar. Kids are excited.
September: I pre-shop souvenirs, snacks, and packing list. The Wednesday before, I pack. The Friday of, school ends, we leave for the airport.
October: We take a 5-night trip. Total cash outlay across the trip: a few hundred dollars of food and one rental car. No airline ticket spend. No hotel spend.
I started the planning 8 months out. The booking part took about 90 minutes total, spread across the year.
That’s the whole game.
If we can do this, so can you
This is the part I want to stay on.
We are not a special family. We’re not richer than you. We are not luckier than you. We have the same number of hours in the day, the same number of weeks in a year, and the same Google Doc you have.
What we have, that I want you to have, is the belief that this is figureoutable. The school calendar is figureoutable. The PTO calendar is figureoutable. The points are figureoutable. The Friday-after-school airport run is figureoutable.
Build the system. Trust the system. The trips show up like compound interest.
Your turn
I want to hear from you. What’s the one sneaky thing you do to make travel happen? The hack that other moms in your life don’t realize you’re running? The little planning move that turns “we should travel more” into actual boarding passes?
Drop it in the comments. I’m collecting a list, and I want it to be loud, honest, and useful.
If you found this helpful, the best thing you can do is share it with a fellow mom who keeps saying she wishes her family traveled more. She doesn’t need permission. She needs a system.
I’m cheering for you.
— Maggie
P.S. The Points + Miles Starter Guide is coming soon. If you want to be the first to know when it drops — including which cards I’d open first and in what order — make sure you’re following along on Instagram @thetravelingtinsleys or drop me your email.
Our trip to Costa Rica was magical. I’m going to break down each part of our stay and how we used points and miles to make it happen.
🌊 The Airbnb of my dreams
First of all…this Airbnb was everything. Think: insane ocean views, a private pool, and the kind of peaceful jungle vibes that make you forget what day it is.
It’s perched up on a hillside overlooking Sámara, and we were obsessed from the moment we walked in.
Picking a mango from the tree the house was built around
A quick heads up for families: This property is not designed for young kids. There’s a steep cliff, open spaces, and it’s definitely not kid-proof. If you’ve got older kids, you’ll be fine—but I’d be cautious with littles.
That said, my kids still had the BEST time:
They lived in the pool
Loved the boogie boards provided
And were all about our daily golf cart rides down to the beach
Not included with the house but Blazing buggys drops it off and picks it up Kids and adults never wanted to get outThe kitchen opens up the backyard when all the doors are open. And against what I thought, there really weren’t any mosquitos Views are just ridiculous
💳 How We Paid for It (Without Paying Full Price)
Here’s where the magic happens.
Option 1: Use a Travel Card to “Erase” the Cost
We love using a card like theCapital One Venture X for Airbnb stays because you can:
You can budget ahead of time by buying gift cards gradually
You’re essentially turning a big expense into a points-earning machine
We used the signup bonus + points earned from gift cards to offset a big portion of this stay—and it made the whole trip feel way more doable.
And if you think you don’t qualify for a business card, message me and I can share how you probably do. Sell things on FB marketplace? Have any side hustle no matter the size? You probably qualify. Have a larger business, then applying should be straight forward. Message me and I can walk you through the process.
🌴 Final Thoughts (And the Airbnb Link 👀)
We absolutely fell in love with Costa Rica. Sámara was the perfect mix of laid-back beach town + adventure, and this Airbnb made it unforgettable.
Was it the most kid-friendly place ever? No. Would we stay there again in a heartbeat? 1000% yes.
If you’ve been wanting to travel more with your kids, this is your sign—it is possible. You just need the right mix of planning, points, and a little creativity.
Have questions about booking trips like this or using points for Airbnb stays? Send me a message—I’m always happy to help 💛
Spring break chaos + wild weather + TSA staffing shortages = travel days not so smooth lately 😵💫🥴😵💫
But here’s the hack most people sleep on 👇 The right travel card can completely change your airport experience.
✔️ TSA PreCheck = skip the long lines ✔️ Lounge access = calm, comfy, and FREE snacks/drinks
Trust me… these two perks alone make flying 10x smoother 🙌
Comment “TSA” and I’ll send you my full guide to stress-free travel days ✈️💼
How to Survive Travel Chaos (and Actually Enjoy the Airport)
Between spring break crowds, unpredictable weather, and TSA staffing shortages, flying lately can feel like a full-contact sport. Long lines, delays, and packed terminals are becoming the norm—but your travel experience doesn’t have to match the chaos.
The difference? Using the right credit card benefits strategically.
The Two Benefits That Change Everything
If you do nothing else, prioritize these:
1. TSA PreCheck (or Global Entry)
This is your fast pass through security.
Shorter lines
Keep shoes, belt, and laptop in your bag
Typically saves 20–40+ minutes
When airports are overwhelmed, this is the single biggest time-saver.
2. Airport Lounge Access
This is the upgrade most people underestimate.
Instead of fighting for a seat at a crowded gate, you get:
Quiet, clean space to relax
Free food and drinks
Wi-Fi and charging stations
A much calmer environment during delays
When flights get pushed back, lounge access goes from “nice to have” to essential.
The Card I Use: Venture X
Venture X + Priority Pass
To really level up your travel setup, I also recommend the Capital One Venture X.
What makes Venture X so powerful:
✔️ Includes Priority Pass membership
✔️ Access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide
✔️ TSA PreCheck / Global Entry credit
✔️ Capital One lounge access (at select airports)
Why Priority Pass is clutch
It gives you:
Access to lounges across different airlines and airports
Options internationally and domestically
A backup plan when your primary lounge isn’t available
Award travel looks complicated from the outside. But it really comes down to two simple steps:
1. Use your credit card like a debit card and earn points from the spending you already do.
2. Pick the right rewards card so one good signup bonus can cover a flight or hotel night.
That’s it.
That’s how I started — and it’s still how I book so much of my travel today.
This simple strategy makes travel more affordable and a lot more fun.
First — The Foundation Matters
Before we go any further:
You need good credit and you need to be able to pay your cards off in full every single month.
If you’re carrying balances or working on your credit score right now — that’s okay. Start there. Build that foundation first. This hobby only works if you’re not paying interest. Points are never worth going into debt for.
The Biggest Beginner Misconception
A lot of people think:
“I should just get the airline I fly most.” “I’ll get the hotel card for the hotel I like.”
And while those cards can make sense later…
If you only use one airline or one hotel card for everyday spending, it can take years to earn enough points for a free trip.
You might earn:
1–2 points per dollar
Slowly building toward a redemption
Meanwhile…
One strong signup bonus from a flexible travel card can earn you enough points for a free flight or hotel stay in just a few months.
That’s the difference.
Instead of slowly earning toward a trip over years, one strategic bonus can get you there much faster.
Why I Love Flexible Points
When you’re just getting started, I strongly recommend earning flexible points instead of locking yourself into one airline or hotel program.
Flexible points give you options.
You can:
Book travel through a bank portal
Transfer to airline partners
Transfer to hotel programs
Or redeem for simple travel purchases
That flexibility is everything when you’re new — and it protects you from being stuck with points you can’t use.
I also love theCapital One Venture X — and I actually think it’s a great early card to consider.
Yes, it has a higher annual fee.
But here’s what comes with it:
Large welcome bonus
Annual $300 travel credit
Anniversary bonus miles each year
Airport lounge access
Simple 2x earning on everything
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
When you factor in the travel credit and anniversary miles, the annual fee can effectively offset itself if you travel even a little.
Another reason I often suggest getting it earlier rather than later: Capital One can be tougher with approvals. If it’s on your radar, it may make sense not to wait too long.
I don’t leave the house without my Venture X. This card has helped us score some seriously amazing redemptions, and it’s been a total keeper in our house — my husband has it too. When I say flexible miles are EVERYTHING in this hobby, I mean it.
For our family, this card has paid for flights, hotels, rental cars, and even luxury business class seats. It’s one of my go-to cards (along with the Chase Sapphire Preferred) when I’m helping someone get started with points and miles.
Today, let’s break down why the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is such a powerhouse — and why it might (or might not!) be right for you.
💳 The $300 Annual Travel Credit is Super Easy to Use
Every year you get $300 in travel credit when booking through Capital One Travel — and let me tell you, we use it every single year without even trying.
Here are a few ways we’ve used ours:
✈️ Flight from Seville to Mallorca 🚗 Rental car in Florida 🏨 Hotel in Detroit visiting family
That’s the beauty of this credit — it’s not complicated. You just book travel via the portal, and it applies automatically. Flights, hotels, rental cars… there are truly endless ways to use it.
Arriving in Mallorca Rental cars are one of the best ways to redeem the travel credit
🍽️ The Restaurant Reservation Hack
One of the most underrated perks? Venture X cardholders get access to special restaurant reservations in major cities through Capital One Dining.
That means those hard-to-get reservations suddenly become possible. If you love food or travel to big cities, this is SUCH a fun perk to use.
🛋️ Lounge Access
You get access to:
Capital One Lounges
Priority Pass lounges
While guest access has changed (it’s no longer as family-friendly as it once was), it’s still amazing when traveling solo — and yes, you can absolutely grab snacks or drinks to bring back to your crew.
Airport lounge access makes travel days feel so much smoother.
🌍 Global Entry / TSA PreCheck Credit
You’ll also get a credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every four years. If you don’t already have it — this alone is worth it. Faster security, easier international arrivals… total game changer.
💰 2X on Every Purchase
This is huge.
You earn 2x miles on every single purchase, no bonus categories to track. Just swipe and earn. It makes this card incredibly simple to use daily.
For travel booked through Capital One Travel, you can earn even more on flights and hotels.
🎁 The Welcome Bonus (Yes, I Used Mine for Business Class!)
The current sign-up bonus is strong — and I just used ours to book some very special business class flights 🙌
Flexible miles are powerful because you can:
Transfer to airline partners
Book through the portal
Cover travel purchases with miles
Options = freedom.
Is This Card for Everyone?
Let’s be real — this card does have a $395 annual fee.
But between:
The $300 annual travel credit
10,000 bonus miles every anniversary
Lounge access
Global Entry credit
Strong earning rates
…I personally see the value every year.
That said, Capital One can be very finicky with approvals. You typically want an excellent credit score (generally 740+ recommended) before applying.
If you’re brand new to points and miles, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is often the easiest starter card. But if you can swing the annual fee and qualify, the Venture X is an incredible long-term card.
Why I Love Flexible Miles
Airline-specific cards can be great… but flexible miles? That’s where the magic happens.
Being able to transfer points where you need them — instead of being locked into one airline — is what allows for those amazing redemptions.
If you’ve ever looked at flight prices for a family and thought, “How is this even possible?”—you’re not alone. Flights add up fast when you’re booking for kids, especially if you like to travel more than once a year.
That’s exactly why the Southwest Companion Pass has been an absolute game-changer for our family.
Flying over Turks and Caicos on one of our many Southwest flights
What Is the Southwest Companion Pass?
For the past two years, we’ve had two Companion Passes in our household—and it’s allowed us to fly our kids over and over again while paying only about $5 in taxes per flight. Yes, really. It’s allowed us to take our kids to Mexico and Florida multiple times as well the Dominican Republic, Turks and Caicos and so many more places.
In simple terms: When you earn a Southwest Companion Pass, you can choose one person to fly with you for free (plus taxes and fees) every time you fly Southwest—whether you pay with cash or points.
That means:
We book our flights using Southwest points
Our kids are added as companions
Their tickets cost around $5–$6 each way
No blackout dates. No complicated rules. It just works.
How We Actually Use the Companion Pass
This isn’t one of those “sounds good on paper” travel hacks—we use these passes constantly.
On average, we use our Companion Passes close to 10 times a year. Some of our favorite trips include:
Our annual family trip to the Florida Keys
Cancún, Mexico
Dominican Republic
Turks and Caicos
Because Southwest flies to so many popular vacation destinations, we’re able to plan trips around school breaks, long weekends, and random “let’s go somewhere warm” moments—without stressing about airfare costs for the kids.
Why This Works So Well for Families
The real magic happens when you combine:
Southwest points for your ticket
Companion Pass for your child (or spouse, parent, friend—your choice)
Instead of paying hundreds (or thousands) for flights, we’re paying:
Points we earned from credit card bonuses and everyday spending
About $5 in taxes per companion flight
That’s it.
If you live near a Southwest hub, this strategy is even more powerful. More nonstop routes, better schedules, and more flexibility when plans change (Southwest’s no change fees is a huge bonus for families).
(I always recommend applying when the bonus is high, especially if your goal is the Companion Pass.)
Is the Southwest Companion Pass Worth It?
For us? 1000% yes.
If you:
Travel with kids
Live near a Southwest hub
Want to take multiple trips per year without paying full airfare
…this is one of the most valuable travel perks out there.
We’ve made memories in the Florida Keys, explored beautiful beaches in Mexico and the Caribbean, and said “yes” to trips we probably would’ve skipped if we had to pay full price for everyone.
Final Thoughts
I’m all about travel that feels doable, not stressful—and the Southwest Companion Pass has made that possible for our family in a huge way.
If you’re even thinking about traveling more with your kids, I highly recommend looking into this offer while it’s available.
It would mean so much if you use my link when applying.
Starting your points & miles journey can feel overwhelming… but it doesn’t have to. Two of the most highly-recommended travel cards for beginners and intermediate travelers are Capital One Venture X and Chase Sapphire Preferred. Let’s break down what you actually get from each — so you can choose the best one for your travel goals.
Pre flight cocktails at our home lounge. We enjoy free access with our Capital One Venture X cards.
✨ Capital One Venture X — Premium for Big Travelers
💰 Welcome Bonus Earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 in the first 3 months of account opening.
🛫 Reward Rates 10x miles on hotels & rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel 2x miles on all other purchases — every day.
🌍 Perks & Credits
$300 Capital One Travel credit each year you renew the card — automatically applied when you book through Capital One Travel.
10,000 bonus miles every account anniversary (worth ~$100). Airport lounge access — includes Capital One lounges + Priority Pass lounges. Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit.
Elite status credits with car rental partners like Hertz President’s Circle + automatic benefits with Avis/National/Silvercar.
Travel insurance & protections — trip delay/interruption, baggage delay, rental car coverage, etc.
💭 Who Should Consider This Card? Venture X is perfect if you travel frequently, want premium travel perks, lounge access, and faster earning rates when booking through a portal — and don’t mind a higher annual fee for value that pays for itself. 💎
Chase Sapphire Preferred — Best Beginner Travel Card
💵 Welcome Bonus Earn 75,000 bonus points after spending $5,000 in the first 3 months. Chase points are known for their flexibility and high transfer value to airline and hotel partners, which means your bonus can go much further than just booking through the portal.
🎯 Reward Rates 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠. 3x points on dining (including delivery & takeout). 2x points on other travel purchases. 1x point on all other purchases.
🌟 Perks & Benefits
10% Anniversary Points Bonus — earn extra points each year based on your spending.
Up to $50 annual hotel credit when booked through Chase Travel℠.
Travel protections — trip cancellation/interruption insurance, baggage delay, travel & emergency assistance. No foreign transaction fees — great for international travel.
💭 Who Should Consider This Card? Chase Sapphire Preferred is ideal if you’re just getting started with travel rewards, want flexible points you can transfer to airline and hotel partners, and prefer a lower annual fee while still unlocking valuable travel benefits.
🤔 Which One Should YOU Pick?
🔹 Want premium perks & lounge access? Go with Venture X.
🔹 Just starting points & miles and want flexibility? Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great first card.
🔹 Can you have both? Absolutely! Many seasoned travelers hold both because they play different roles in a travel wallet.
💡 Pro tip: Always pay off your balance each month — it keeps your credit healthy and makes this points game way more rewarding. Want help on how to redeem each card’s points for free trips? Just tell me where you want to go next! 🌍✨
Our annual family trip to the Florida Keys
Cancún, Mexico
Dominican Republic
Turks and Caicos
The Traveling Tinsleys 