The BetterWealth Show

How To Get Luxury Hotels & Flights For Free Using These Hacks

Written by Caleb Guilliams | Jan 19, 2025 4:56:38 AM

Recently, I received a call from my wife right after landing. She was ecstatic, telling me that we had been upgraded to the Presidential Suite at our hotel—a room worth $30,000 a night—for only $400. This is just one of the many benefits of leveraging credit card points effectively!

Meeting Eli in Austin, Texas

During an event at Carlton Dennis's, I met Eli, whose insights into maximizing credit card points were life-changing. Eli is passionate about helping people make the most of their spending through credit card points, offering incredible travel opportunities and experiences that otherwise might seem out of reach.

Why Credit Card Points Matter

Eli explains that the potential return on using credit card points is immense, especially for business owners or investors with higher lifestyle expenses. The concept is simple: maximize your return on spend by utilizing the right credit card strategy—getting more out of every dollar spent.

Real-Life Example: Costco and Southwest Cards

  • At Costco, I purchased $500 Southwest gift cards for $450.
  • An additional $20 rebate boosted my savings, getting me 16% savings on planned spending.
  • This purchase used my Ink card, delivering further benefits.

Such strategies fall under what Eli calls "credit card hacking"—spending wisely to get more value.

Understanding Credit Card Hacking

In simple terms, hacking involves maximizing the value of your spending through credit card points. Eli identifies two main steps:

  1. Select the right cards to earn maximum points.
  2. Use those points effectively for maximum benefit.

Eli's Three-Step Strategy

  1. Maximize Points Earning: Review your current credit cards, ensure they earn the best possible points based on your spending, and have the right expenses on each card.
  2. Multiply Points Value: By transferring points to partners, you can increase their value significantly.
  3. Optimize and Upgrade Travel: Leverage card benefits for free upgrades, lounge access, and more, enhancing your travel experience.

Start with Transferable Points

Transferable points allow flexibility, as they can be used with various airline and hotel partners. Chase and Amex are popular choices due to their wide range of partnerships. This flexibility helps in obtaining maximum value.

Evaluate Card Usage

  • An Amex Gold Card offers more points on groceries and dining compared to Platinum, despite the latter being marketed as premium.
  • Match business expenses like software and advertising to cards offering higher points for those categories.

Getting Started

To begin optimizing, you can manually evaluate your spending categories, considering options like the Amex Gold or Chase Sapphire cards. Tools like the Card Pointers app can help organize and manage your card benefits.

Conclusion

By understanding and implementing these strategies, anyone can turn everyday spending into incredible travel experiences, unlocking perks and savings. Eli's expertise and passion for helping others maximize their points offer great opportunities for those willing to explore credit card hacking.