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Here’s why the Chase Sapphire Preferred® is the best beginner travel credit card in 2026 — and how its perks easily offset the $95 annual fee. ✈️ Why It’s a Must-Have for Travel Rewards It’s beginner-friendly, packed with value, and helps you earn flexible Chase Ultimate Rewards® points which are some of the flexible points you can earn in the reward travel world. 💰 Sign-Up Bonus + Earning Potential Right now you'll earn 75,000 points  after meeting the minimum spend — worth

💳 The Hidden Goldmine of Travel Points (That No One Told Me About!) When I first started dabbling in the world of credit card points, I thought I was doing pretty well. I had my fancy new personal card, a few thousand points rolling in, and I was feeling very  jet-set. But then I discovered the real jackpot: business credit cards. We’re talking huge  bonuses, insane perks, and the best part? Opening or closing them barely makes a dent on your personal credit. Game. Changer.

Ready to Earn the Southwest Companion Pass? Here’s Exactly How to Do It You might be wondering: Which cards should I open? How much will it cost? How do I earn enough points—and when? Let’s break it all down step-by-step so you can time everything perfectly and maximize your rewards. First, the basics: You’ll need 135,000 qualifying points  within a single calendar year to earn the Companion Pass. Once you have it, your designated companion flies with you for nearly free  (ju

One of the most common things I hear when I talk about earning travel rewards is: “I’d love to get into points, but I don’t spend enough to meet the minimum spend.” And honestly? That’s a valid concern. So before we go any further, let’s make one thing VERY clear: 🚫 You should never  spend extra money just to earn points. If you don’t need it, don’t buy it. No flight, no hotel, no bonus is worth debt or financial stress. Full stop. But… here’s the part most people don’t real

If you’ve been in the points-and-miles world for even five minutes, you already know: Chase Ultimate Rewards® are some of the most valuable points you can earn. They’re flexible, easy to redeem, and insanely powerful when used for travel. That’s why you’ll constantly see travel creators and award-booking pros talking about the Chase Ink Business®  lineup. The Chase Ink Family at a Glance There are 4 cards  in the Ink Business family: Card Annual Fee Earns Ultimate Rewards? Ca

Airbnb may not have a traditional loyalty program like the big hotel chains, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck paying cash every time you book a stay. With the right credit card strategy, you can  use points to cover your Airbnb bookings — it just takes a little creativity. Here’s how to do it. Use a Travel Card That Lets You Redeem Points as a Statement Credit Some travel-rewards cards allow you to make a travel purchase — like an Airbnb stay — and then go back and “erase”

Got a credit card that reimburses the application fee for either TSA PreCheck or Global Entry? Use it.  Seriously. You’re literally leaving free travel perks  on the table if you don’t. 👀 What’s the difference between TSA PreCheck and Global Entry? ✅ TSA PreCheck This program is run by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and is focused on departing  flights from U.S. airports. It gives you access to expedited security screening lanes — fewer removals of shoes/be

It’s no secret that one of the best ways to redeem Chase Ultimate Rewards®  points is by transferring them to Chase’s travel partners. This essentially turns your UR points into airline miles or hotel points—often unlocking far greater value than using them through the Chase Travel Portal. Below is a reminder of all the current airline and hotel partners , each transferring at a 1:1 ratio : 🛫 Airline Partners Aer Lingus AerClub (Ireland) Air Canada Aeroplan Air France–KLM Fl

Log into your Chase account and find the place where your points are located. Select Redeem" Under the "Travel" dropdown, select "Transfer to Travel Partners" This takes you to the page where you can choose which travel partner you’d like to transfer your points to. Before transferring points, make sure you have an account with the airline or hotel loyalty program you plan to use. In most cases, it’s as simple as linking your existing membership number—but if you’re new to th

One of the biggest reasons I love Chase Ultimate Rewards® points  is their flexibility — you’re never locked into just one airline or hotel program. Here are a few of my favorite ways to stretch those points for maximum value: ✈️ 1. Transfer to travel partners This is where the real magic happens. This is number one way I recommend you use your Ultimate Reward points. You can transfer points to 13 travel partners , including: Airlines:  Southwest, United, JetBlue, Air Canada

We’ve stayed in more than a dozen Airbnbs over the years with zero issues—until Paris. Buckle up. We checked into our cute little apartment in a great neighborhood—safe, clean, neatly decorated, perfect for our family of five. My daughter hopped in the shower while one of my sons brushed his teeth. He turned on the bathroom sink, and suddenly—disaster. The faucet shot out scalding hot water fast , and the lever jammed in the “on” position. The sink started filling up like a m

Sometimes, after the first year, people decide the benefits of a credit card no longer justify the annual fee. That’s totally understandable — and you’ve got a couple of solid options. Option 1: Cancel the Card You can call and close the card completely . In some cases, the bank may offer you a retention bonus  to keep it open (worth asking!). But keep in mind: closing a personal credit card  can cause a small dip in your credit score. If your credit is already well-establish

A lot of people assume they can’t open business credit cards because they’re not self-employed, don’t have an LLC, or don’t run a “real” business. But here’s the truth: if you’ve got a side hustle of any  kind, banks often see you as a sole proprietor —and that means you may qualify. Here are a few super common examples of side hustles that can get you approved: Selling on Facebook Marketplace or eBay  (this is actually how my husband and I got our very first business cards w

If you’ve been curious about opening credit cards to earn points and miles, you’re probably wondering: is this actually for me?  The truth is, this little “travel points” hobby works best for people who already have certain money habits in place. Here’s the quick gut check: You always pay off your credit cards in full. If you’re carrying balances month to month, the sky-high interest rates will wipe out any free travel you earn. Rule number one: points only make sense if you

Short answer? Nope — not if you play it smart. My husband and I have been opening 3–4 new cards a year for the past five years, and guess what? Our credit scores are still hanging out in the 800s. 🎉 So yes, it’s totally possible to rack up those sweet points without wrecking your credit. Here’s how we keep things in the safe zone: Give it some breathing room. Don’t go wild and apply for five cards in one weekend. We try to wait at least 90 days between new applications. If w

I’ll be talking about Chase a lot, and for good reason — their cards and welcome bonuses are some of the best out there. But before you jump in, there’s one big rule you need to know. The “5/24 rule”  is Chase’s not-so-secret way of gatekeeping their best credit cards. Here’s how it works: if you’ve opened 5 or more personal credit cards (from any bank!) in the past 24 months , Chase will usually deny you for a new card—personal or business. What does  count toward 5/24? All