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My Credit Card Rewards Got Me These Amazing Experiences

By U.S. News & World Report

I’ve been earning and redeeming travel rewards for flights and hotels for more than a decade. Many readers see articles about earning airline miles and hotel points but don’t know what those rewards can do for them. I’ve collected a few of my favorite redemptions to illustrate the amazing experiences that I’ve been able to get using my credit card rewards.

[Read: Rewards Credit Cards]

Flights to Madrid for 86,000 Miles

My family will travel to Spain this summer for my daughter’s soccer tournament. Rather than paying cash for our flights, I redeemed airline miles to cover the cost of our trip. Researching prices among airlines, I found a departure from Nashville, Tennessee, to Madrid for $585 per person. While you can find cheaper tickets in the winter, traveling during the summer is generally pretty expensive. Since we have to be in Spain by the start of the tournament, we don’t have the flexibility of shifting our travel dates.

I have miles with multiple airlines, and flexible points from American Express, Chase and others that I can transfer to dozens of partners. Having so many choices makes it easier to find good deals when redeeming airline miles. Luckily, American Airlines had an appealing price of just 21,500 AAdvantage miles plus $5.60 in taxes per ticket. In total, we used 86,000 miles and $22.40 for flights that would have cost $2,340. That’s a redemption value of 2.7 cents per mile, which is well above the average value of 1.6 cents.

Takeaway: When redeeming miles, you don’t need to book round-trip flights. Mixing and matching flights from different airlines allows you to select the best routes, travel dates and departure times to meet your needs and find the best deals. If you don’t have enough miles for round-trip tickets, you can still book one-way flights to save money.

[Read: Hotel Credit Cards]

Fifth Night Free When Using Points at Hilton

For part of our stay in Spain, we’re redeeming Hilton Honors points to cover five nights at the Arima Hotel & Spa in San Sebastian. It is an SLH hotel, a luxury brand in Hilton’s portfolio that features a luxury spa, indoor and outdoor pool, fitness center and complimentary parking.

There are five room options at the Arima Hotel, with prices starting at $658 per night. Booking five nights would total almost $3,300, and award nights start at 70,000 points per night.

However, when you book five consecutive nights and have Hilton Honors Silver status or higher, the fifth night is free*. Since we have Diamond status from the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card, we only need 280,000 points instead of 350,000. This gives us a redemption value of almost 1.2 cents per point, which is roughly three times the average of 0.4 cent per point. Takeaway: Elite status benefits can improve your stay, even when booking award nights. Benefits may include early check-in, late checkout, complimentary upgrades and free breakfast.

[Read: Airline Credit Cards]

Points for a Weekend Mountain Getaway

In Tennessee, a popular weekend getaway is Gatlinburg and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. While there for my son’s high school soccer tournament, I still found time to enjoy local restaurants, hike a nature trail and ride a few of the famous mountain coasters. On busy weekends, hotel prices can skyrocket with teams, families and conventions all jockeying for space.

Hotel options where you can redeem points in Gatlinburg are fairly limited. I was able to book a room at the Country Inn & Suites Gatlinburg for just 20,000 Choice Privileges points per night. This saved me from having to pay around $400 for the weekend for a room I wouldn’t be using much. From this redemption, I got almost 1 cent per point, which is higher than the average of 0.6 cent.

Takeaway: It doesn’t have to be a luxury vacation for you to find excellent value when redeeming hotel points. Popular destinations and high-demand weekends can increase cash prices and boost the value of your redemptions.

Beach Weekend for Just 8,000 Points a Night

It gets cold in Nashville during the winter, so I try to take the family on beach vacations to thaw out whenever I can. Tampa, Florida, is a short flight away, and Southwest Airlines offers affordable direct flights. I’m a Hyatt Globalist and always on the lookout for cheap nights to redeem points and get closer to requalifying for elite status. While the hotel itself doesn’t have much to offer besides free breakfast and a heated pool and Jacuzzi, the beach is just a short drive away.

The Hyatt Place Sarasota/Bradenton Airport is a steal at just 8,000 World of Hyatt points a night during the winter months. Normal cash rates are around $175 a night, which adds up to almost $400 for a two-night stay. This equates to a 2.4-cent-per-point redemption value, which is about 50% higher than the average of 1.7 cents. Since this property is a Category 2, you can also redeem your annual free night certificate (valid up to Category 4) from the The World of Hyatt Credit Card for part of your stay.

Takeaway: Beach destinations tend to be more expensive year-round. Summertime attracts families on vacation, while winter months are popular with people escaping the cold weather back home. Redeeming points on fixed award charts is an excellent way to counter those higher prices.

A $500-per-night Hotel for Free

Years ago, I flew my daughter to Madrid over a Thanksgiving break to attend a soccer camp with one of the best soccer teams in Europe. While she camped out in the dorms with her teammates, I booked a stay at the Thompson Madrid. It would have cost over $500 a night to stay at this property when paying cash. However, I booked it for free using the annual free night certificates I got from my World of Hyatt Credit Card.

Thanks to my Hyatt Globalist elite status, I received a complimentary upgrade to a room with a massive terrace that overlooks the city and the park below. During my stay, I enjoyed complimentary breakfast each morning. I also visited the gym and was pleasantly surprised to see a personal trainer there waiting to offer tips on how to use the equipment and provide workout instruction to guests.

Takeaway: Traveling internationally helps your free night certificates go further since many high-end properties are in low enough categories to qualify for redemption.

The Bottom Line

I am grateful I started learning about the power of credit card rewards more than a decade ago. Our family has created amazing memories exploring the world for a fraction of the price that others pay. We focus on earning miles and points to reduce the cost of flights and hotels so we can splurge on once-in-a-lifetime experiences that we’ll remember for the rest of our lives. If you’re looking to travel more, using credit card rewards can reduce the cost of your vacation by covering flights, hotels and other travel expenses.

More from U.S. News

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My Credit Card Rewards Got Me These Amazing Experiences originally appeared on usnews.com

Update 05/05/26: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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