{"id":184047,"date":"2025-07-30T16:00:01","date_gmt":"2025-07-30T16:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/30\/the-credit-cards-that-help-fuel-my-luxury-travel-the-points-guy-2\/"},"modified":"2025-07-30T16:00:01","modified_gmt":"2025-07-30T16:00:01","slug":"the-credit-cards-that-help-fuel-my-luxury-travel-the-points-guy-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/entertainment.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2025\/07\/30\/the-credit-cards-that-help-fuel-my-luxury-travel-the-points-guy-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The credit cards that help fuel my luxury travel – The Points Guy"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Whenever I talk about trips I take, it may seem like I have an unlimited stash of points. Spoiler alert: I don’t. Instead, I make sure to use the right strategy to earn as many points and miles as I can every year.<\/p>\n

There’s no secret or hack. I just carefully use the right credit cards in my wallet and follow my golden rules to help me maintain my premium travel lifestyle.<\/p>\n

Whether it’s redeeming points for flights and hotels or gaining access to lounges, here is what I do to help make my travels more comfortable.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Put the king of premium credit cards to good use for flights<\/h2>\n

Viewed as one of the ultimate travel credit cards, The Platinum Card\u00ae from American Express<\/a><\/span> is synonymous with luxury travel because of its perks (such as lounge access) and the allure it gives off from being a metal credit card.<\/p>\n

Airfare<\/h3>\n

Among the Amex Platinum’s list of benefits, the card’s ability to earn 5 points per dollar spent on airfare purchased directly with the airline or through American Express Travel\u00ae (on up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar after that) is what helps me the most when planning trips.<\/p>\n

This earning rate for flights is the highest of any credit card, apart from booking travel through an issuer’s respective travel site, such as Chase Travel\u2120<\/a> or Capital One Travel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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WESTEND61\/GETTY IMAGES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

If my airfare costs $1,500 or more, I will always charge it to the Amex Platinum. This way, I earn at least 7,500 Membership Rewards<\/a> points per transaction and build up my points balance throughout the year.<\/p>\n

I decided on $1,500 because I try to earn 100,000 Amex points per year. As a family of three, when our airfare is at least $1,500 per person, I net about 22,500 points when using my Amex Platinum. Traveling at least four times a year, the numbers worked out to at least 90,000 points per year just from airfare.<\/p>\n

Amex’s 5 points per dollar helps me build up my points balance fast enough to make at least one redemption each year.<\/p>\n

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Recently, that meant transferring 100,000 Amex points to Air Canada Aeroplan<\/a> to book a nonstop one-way Polaris business-class ticket on United Airlines from Sydney Airport (SYD) to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).<\/p>\n

For reference, the cash fare for the same ticket averages $5,100, so my redemption equates to about 5.1 cents per point. This is far greater than 2 cents per point for Amex or 1.4 cents per point for Aeroplan, according to TPG’s July 2025 valuations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Related: Is the Amex Platinum worth it for a points and miles newbie? I booked a trip to find out<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Lounge access<\/h3>\n

But the premium travel experience with the Amex Platinum isn’t limited to flying; it starts on the ground with Amex’s Global Lounge Collection<\/a> network, which includes its impressive collection of Centurion Lounges.<\/p>\n

Featuring 26 lounges worldwide<\/a>, Amex’s Centurion Lounges offer everything from elevated food and beverage options to showers and private rooms. Some even have a children’s playroom.<\/p>\n

Travel days can be hectic, so I love being able to relax in a lounge, enjoy free food and drinks and let my kid burn some energy in a playroom. It’s a good way to get that premium travel experience, especially when you’re not flying in a premium cabin.<\/p>\n

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\"Amex<\/div>
ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What else to consider<\/h3>\n

Keep in mind that this card is not for everyone. To make holding it worthwhile, you need to maximize its perks or use it regularly for airfare purchases. Otherwise, the $695 annual fee (see rates and fees<\/a>) is hard to ignore, even if you use its array of coupon book-style credits.<\/p>\n

Related: How to choose a credit card for airport lounge access<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Maximize my secondary card for travel and dining purchases<\/h2>\n

The next card in my wallet that helps me keep up my premium travel lifestyle is the Chase Sapphire Reserve\u00ae<\/a><\/span> (see rates and fees<\/a>).<\/p>\n

This card has been in my wallet for nearly a decade, and it’s all thanks to the broadly defined bonus categories<\/a> of travel and dining. Although all other travel earning rates have changed due to the card’s recent refresh<\/a>, I’m still keeping the card.<\/p>\n

Chase also has its own set of Sapphire lounges<\/a>, giving me access to additional lounges worldwide.<\/p>\n

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\"Sapphire<\/div>
ZACH GRIFF\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

All other travel<\/h3>\n

While the Amex Platinum<\/a><\/span> is my primary card for pricier airfare, whenever I purchase flights that cost less than $1,500, I always charge them to my Sapphire Reserve.<\/p>\n

This helps me accrue Chase Ultimate Rewards<\/a> at a rate of 3 points per dollar, each of which is worth 2.05 cents, according to TPG’s July 2025 valuations<\/a>.<\/p>\n

After October 26, when the Sapphire Reserve’s changes go live for me, I’ll start to earn 4 points per dollar on airfare. Even though I’ll stop earning 3 points per dollar on other travel purchases, I’ll still charge them to my Sapphire Reserve to earn Ultimate Rewards points.<\/p>\n

Related: Here’s why I’m keeping the Amex Platinum after the Sapphire Reserve’s changes<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Hotels and dining<\/h3>\n

I have held off on having a cobranded hotel credit card<\/a> for years now, as hotel loyalty programs can undergo drastic changes to their award charts that often result in increases to the number of points needed for a free night.<\/p>\n

It’s a safer bet for me to use my Sapphire Reserve for all hotel charges because I’ll soon earn 4 points per dollar, slightly more than the previous earning rate, thanks to the card’s recent changes.<\/p>\n

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Four Seasons Tokyo at Otemachi. DANYAL AHMED\/THE POINTS GUY<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Chase also broadly defines dining purchases as those made at restaurants, food carts, coffee shops and more.<\/p>\n

So, rather than worry about which purchases will qualify and if there’s an annual spending cap to keep track of \u2014 as is the case with the American Express\u00ae Gold Card<\/a><\/span>, which earns 4 points per dollar at restaurants worldwide until hitting an annual purchase cap of $50,000 (then 1 point per dollar for the rest of the year) and has some exclusions to what counts as a restaurant purchase \u2014 I can use my Sapphire Reserve to earn 3 points per dollar without thinking twice.<\/p>\n

What I could do differently<\/h3>\n

If I want to maximize my points-earning capability, I should open the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.<\/a><\/p>\n

With it, I’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on all my other purchases. This is especially useful now that other travel purchases on the Sapphire Reserve only earn 1 point per dollar. By doing this, I expand the diversity of my transferable points.<\/p>\n

I estimate this could provide me with another 20,000 to 30,000 Capital One Miles each year, which I could transfer to partner airlines that overlap with Amex and Chase.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Rely on a different card for gas and grocery purchases<\/h2>\n

Driving in California is a fact of life and can be quite costly. Gas prices hover around $4.50 a gallon, so filling up two cars several times a month is expensive.<\/p>\n

To earn rewards and lessen that sting, I use my Citi Strata Premier\u00ae Card<\/a><\/span> (see rates and fees<\/a>). With it, I earn 3 Citi ThankYou Rewards<\/a> points per dollar spent on gas, and there is no cap on how many points I can earn.<\/p>\n

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\"gas<\/div>
FREDERIC J. BROWN\/AFP\/GETTY IMAGES<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another simple way I rack up rewards for travel is to put all my grocery purchases on the Citi Strata Premier, as those also earn 3 points per dollar.<\/p>\n

And now, Citi just announced American Airlines as a transfer partner,<\/a> so I’ll be able to stretch my ThankYou points even further.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Go all in on 2-player mode<\/h2>\n

In my personal experience, having my spouse who also has her own set of travel credit cards<\/a> is a game changer.<\/p>\n

She earns her own transferable points with Chase and Amex, as well as American Airlines AAdvantage<\/a> miles with her Citi\u00ae \/ AAdvantage\u00ae Platinum Select\u00ae World Elite Mastercard\u00ae<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This gives us additional points and miles to play with, and I can even combine her Chase points with mine, as Chase allows points sharing<\/a> with members of your household.<\/p>\n

The information for the Citi \/ AAdvantage Platinum Select has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.<\/em><\/p>\n

Related: Should my partner get their own card or be added as an authorized user?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Bottom line<\/h2>\n

Premium travel redemptions for airline tickets or hotels are costly, but thanks to some careful strategizing around which cards to use for which purchases, I’ve collected half a million points and miles a year with these specific cards, plus those held by my wife, this way for nearly a decade.<\/p>\n

Without these spending rules in place, I wouldn’t be able to keep my premium travel habits.<\/p>\n

Everyone’s expenses and travel goals are different, so it’s important you do what best fits your lifestyle and travel aspirations.<\/p>\n

For me, paying over $1,200 for these three cards makes sense, as I easily recoup the cost by making sure the majority of my points and miles go toward premium cabin redemptions on airfare \u2014 something that would otherwise cost me over $40,000 a year.<\/p>\n

Related: The best premium credit cards: A side-by-side comparison<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum please click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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