With 2023 quickly winding down, now’s the time to ramp up your credit cards strategy to plan next year’s bucket-list trips. By giving yourself ample time to apply for cards and accrue points, you can make one of those dreamy destinations sitting on your bucket list come to life in the new year.
In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best places to travel with your credit card rewards in 2024.
Along with recommendations, we’ve provided concrete examples of how you can leverage credit card transfer partners to redeem your stash of points and miles for flights, accommodations and more.
Costa Rica
There’s so much to love about Costa Rica, from its lush jungles to the natural wildlife. Plus, this Central American country is quite accessible from many states in the U.S. With two main international airports — Liberia (LIR) and San José (SJO), the toughest decision you’ll need to make is which part of Costa Rica to visit.
Many major U.S. airlines fly to Costa Rica, so redeeming your rewards for a flight shouldn’t be too difficult depending on where your loyalty lies.
For example, frequent United flyers may want to consider the United Club℠ Infinite Card
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The information for the United Club℠ Infinite Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
to snag the welcome offer of 80,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
In addition to bonus miles, the card offers excellent perks like United Club lounge access, free checked bags and more that can make the $525 annual fee worthwhile.
Here’s an example of a flight from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Liberia (LIR) with a layover in Houston (IAH). You’ll pay just 20,000 miles one-way — even during the peak winter season.
From the welcome bonus alone, you’ll have enough miles to cover two round trip tickets and potentially even more if you continue to spend on everyday purchases with the card.
A popular resort for visitors is the Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo, located on the country’s North Pacific coast. With stunning beaches, world-renowned golf courses and an extensive list of daily resort activities, rates can reach nearly $700 per night.
Fortunately, the Andaz participates in the World of Hyatt program, with more affordable award rates ranging from 21,000 to 29,000 points per night, depending on the season. If you’re low on Hyatt points, your Bilt Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards® points transfer at a 1:1 ratio.
Hawaii
One of the best ways to fly the whole family to Hawaii is by setting your sights on the British Airways Avios program. Earning points is a breeze: You can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards®, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards®, Citi ThankYou® Points or Capital One Miles to this program at a simple 1:1 ratio.
Because British Airways is part of the Oneworld airline alliance, you can redeem your Avios for partner airlines like American Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Both of these carriers offer plenty of routes to the Aloha State.
Nonstop routes are priced favorably for just 13,000 Avios plus $5.60 in taxes and fees for a one way flight from the West Coast. Depending on when you’re traveling, you may also be able to find multiple award seats per flight. This is great news for big families.
If you’re not from the area, it’s worth booking a separate flight to overnight in these gateway cities, like Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO), as there are plenty of flights at these excellent rates.
Hotels can be a different story, as they’re notoriously expensive no matter which island you visit. One way to get around these prices is by leveraging the Hilton Honors loyalty program by redeeming points or free night certificates — or a combination of both.
Hilton Honors cards are a great way to boost your balances, like the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
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The information for the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
(terms apply). Despite its lofty $550 annual fee, the card comes with excellent loyalty perks like top Diamond elite status and an annual free night certificate, which you can redeem for nearly any hotel at the Standard Room Reward rate.
You can usually snag a bargain for inter-island flights thanks to Hawaiian Airlines or Southwest. This makes it simple to hop on a quick flight to Maui to stay at the Grand Wailea hotel for 110,000 points per night. If you’re short on points, you can also top off your balance by purchasing Hilton Honors points for just 0.5 cents each on sale.
Australia
Thinking about trekking to the other side of the globe? If so, it’s time to redeem those American Airlines AAdvantage miles. For roughly 70,000 to 80,000 miles one way, you’ll get the luxury of flying business or first class to Sydney. If you’d like to save your miles and fly economy instead, it’s still a great bargain at around 40,000 miles.
While award seats can be hard to find, American Airlines releases availability approximately 11 months ahead of schedule. That means it’s not too early to start thinking about fall or winter travel next year.
American’s co-branded cards are a great way to earn a chunk of miles for your next trip. For example, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®
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The information for the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
offers a 70,000 miles after spending $7,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
Once you’re in Australia, you can easily hop on flights to other cities further afield, like Melbourne or Perth.
For hotels, Marriott Bonvoy is one of the most prolific hotel loyalty programs worldwide, so it can often make sense to start earning with a Marriott credit card. Even cards that earn Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards are worth considering as both these programs transfer to Marriott Bonvoy.
For example, the Element Melbourne Richmond is just 55,000 Bonvoy points per night. When booking an award stay with Marriott, you’ll get your fifth consecutive night free. This drops the rate to 220,000 points for a five-night stay at this property.
Portugal
While a European summer vacation never goes out of style, traveling during the shoulder season is the true winner. With fewer crowds, cheaper accommodations and pleasant weather, a spring break trip to Portugal next year should be on your list.
If you’ve got travel rewards cards from American Express, Bilt, Capital One, Chase or Citi, you can transfer your points or miles over to the Air Canada Aeroplan program.
You can book a nonstop, business class flight from Miami (MIA) to Lisbon (LIS) in March for just 70,000 miles one way. If you’re traveling with multiple people, it can often make sense to apply for cards from multiple card issuers. This allows you to diversify your earning potential and pool together rewards from various transfer programs.
Hotel rooms in Europe are notoriously small compared to American standards, so traveling with more than one other person can present a challenge. One of the best credit cards for flexible travel purchases is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
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The information for the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
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Capital One Miles can be redeemed at a rate of one cent each for any travel purchases, which means you can book this Airbnb in Lisbon for $767, then redeem 76,700 Capital One miles to cover the cost.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Although many travel rewards cards come with annual fees, they can help you subsidize the cost of your vacation in many ways. The welcome bonus, ongoing rewards rate and extra travel benefits can help you receive hundreds or thousands of dollars in value.
When it comes to perks, travel rewards cards are often the most robust offerings on the market, especially when you compare them to store cards or cash-back cards. You’ll earn points and miles with every purchase you make, which you can then redeem toward travel expenses like flights or hotels.
Some travel rewards cards also come with money-saving benefits like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee reimbursement, an airport lounge membership, or complimentary travel insurance.
Yes! You’ll not only earn rewards on every purchase you make, but most importantly, many travel rewards cards waive foreign transaction fees. These fees typically cost 1% to 5% of each transaction, so you’re saving a good chunk of money when you use a no foreign transaction fee credit card.
Opening an airline credit card can offer many perks, including a free checked bag, lounge access or priority boarding. However, if you’re not loyal to one airline in particular, it might make more sense to open a general travel rewards card as it earns points redeemable on any airline as well as other travel costs like hotels or experiences.
Even though travel rewards cards can greatly reduce your out-of-pocket spending, there are still costs associated with booking award travel, including taxes and fees or any opportunity costs you may forfeit from redeeming your rewards. For the most part, you’ll get heavily discounted travel rather than totally “free” travel when using your travel rewards card.
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