Category: Free Nights
AMEX Hilton AspireCredit CardsFree NightsHiltonHotelsPerksPriority PassTravelUpgrades

Why I’m Using the Hilton Aspire Card

bkerrick
December 17, 2018

Recently, Hilton increased all of their signup bonuses for their American Express cards including the Aspire Card; the high-end version of the branded card. This piqued my interest and caused me to consider the card's addition to my wallet in 2019. The new sign up bonus of 150,000 Hilton Honors points seemed to make it worth my while alone. In reviewing the details of the card, I ended up applying for the card that same day. As is typical for American Express, the card was express-shipped to me and I received it just two days later via UPS. The Aspire card carries a $450 annual fee without any trial period; however the signup bonus is valued at $1,200 which more than pays for the card in its first year. Here's what else the card will do for you, and why you may decide to renew it in futur...

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Chase IHG MasterCardFree NightsIHGUpgrades

Chase Changes Terms on the IHG Card

bkerrick
April 4, 2018

As I've told you before, one of my "keepers" has been the IHG Card from Chase due to it offering a free hotel night at any of their properties in exchange for the $49 annual fee each year. Earlier this week, I received a letter from Chase explaining that the "Anniversary Free Nights issued after May 1, 2018 will [only] be redeemable at eligible IHG hotels with a redemption value up to and including 40,000 points. In addition, a "premier card" is hinted at for the future. My supposition is that Chase would ultimately like to offer two IHG card options: The original $49 card with lower value; and a premium card with a larger annual fee and better benefits for frequent guests. While I don't have a problem with the addition of a premium card, it is very disappointing that Chase is downgrading

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AMEX PlatinumBarclay Uber VisaBoA Alaska Air VisaChase Hyatt VisaChase IHG MasterCardCredit CardsDiningFree NightsTravelUpgrades

2017 Rewards in Review

bkerrick
December 31, 2017

Annual Fees In 2017, we spent almost $800 on annual fees for five credit cards. That number may seem staggering, but we used the rewards associated with those cards to redeem nearly $6,000 in travel! Often times, cards that carry an annual fee also carry several benefits that, when used appropriately, can make for quite the lucrative hobby. By budgeting $66.50/month for travel (used entirely on annual fees), our monthly vacation budget became worth $497.48/month thanks to the reward redemption and associated benefits.   Return on Investment We tracked every dollar spent and earned through this process using Mint, and as you will see from the charts, we netted $5,171.78 in 2017. The largest return was from our AMEX Platinum Card which originated a whopping 36 redemption this year; but th...

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AMEX PlatinumChase Hyatt VisaChase IHG MasterCardDiningFree NightsGasGlobal EntryHiltonInsuranceLoungesMarriottPerksRideshare AppsSheratonTravelTSA PreCheckUpgradesWestin

What’s in my wallet?

bkerrick
May 4, 2017

If you know me, you know I appreciate The Art And Science Of Rewards Credit Card Churning and the value it produces when done well. But having been asked a few times recently, I wanted to take a brief moment to advocate for the cards I have kept (or plan to keep) despite their annual fees; one of the biggest scare-factors of credit cards for novice users. Today, I’ll tell you about three of the credit cards I keep, how I justify the fees each year, and why you should consider one or more of them. Card The American Express Platinum Card Annual Fee $550 Welcome Offer 60,000 points worth $1,200 in travel Perks 10% back on travel*, $200 airline credit, $200 Uber credit, fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PRE✓, Boingo Internet Preferred Plan, airport lounge access inc

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Alaska AirlinesBoA Alaska Air VisaChase Hyatt VisaFree NightsTravelUnited AirlinesUnited Explorer VisaUpgradesWestin

One-Week Honeymoon in Maui for under $175.00

bkerrick
February 21, 2016

When my wife Brianna married me, she knew about my obsession with points and miles acquisition. My plan to fund the honeymoon trip to Maui became clear when she saw we only had $175 budgeted for the trip’s hotel and airfare. Despite her knowing about the wild world of points, she still asked: How will we stay 6 nights in Maui for only $175?? Generally speaking, I had this strategy: Brianna and I would each acquire two airline credit cards (each with a bonus equivalent to a one-way ticket); and 1-2 hotel cards incentivizing new cardholders with free nights. When deciding which cards to pursue, we considered which airlines best met our needs, and whether there were specific hotels in Maui that we particularly wished to stay at. For us, we were traveling from Seattle and it was important to ...

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