Planning any trip comes with logistical challenges, but for Hsu, obtaining visas and arranging security precautions was only half of the story. She also needed to figure out how to pay for it all.
At the beginning, she had no idea she’d eventually see the whole world, but she still jumped into miles with both feet, and, recognizing how impactful rewards can be on one’s budget, soon began redeeming points and miles to cover airfare. In the years since, this has been a consistent, key approach in her planning.
“Frequent flyer information wasn’t quite as widespread as it is today when I started,” Hsu shared, “so I started with Star Alliance because it was the largest network.”
Like many travelers, Hsu started with just one trip—a summer backpacking adventure in Europe before returning to school for a master’s degree. It only took a few years for her to realize that her summer trips had taken her to more than 50 countries, so she made a goal of visiting 100 countries. She joined the Travelers’ Century Club and then kept going, later setting a goal to visit every country in the world.
Over the years, she has become skilled at finding cheap flights and looking for nontraditional ways to integrate herself into local life in an effort to both save cash and have a purposeful experience.
In addition to earning miles from her flights around the world, she quickly signed up for a United Airlines credit card.
“Back then, the bonus was worth two international round-trip tickets,” she recalled. “And early on, those points really made a difference on a starting teacher’s salary.”
Photo courtesy of Lucy Hsu
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