The bank cards that assist gas my luxurious journey

Every time I speak about journeys I take, it might seem to be I’ve an infinite stash of factors. Spoiler alert: I do not. As a substitute, I be sure that to make use of the precise technique to earn as many factors and miles as I can yearly.

There isn’t any secret or hack. I simply fastidiously use the precise bank cards in my pockets and comply with my golden guidelines to assist me keep my premium journey way of life.

Whether or not it is redeeming factors for flights and accommodations or getting access to lounges, here’s what I do to assist make my travels extra snug.

Put the king of premium bank cards to good use for flights

Considered as one of many final journey bank cards, The Platinum Card® from American Specific is synonymous with luxurious journey due to its perks (akin to lounge entry) and the attract it provides off from being a steel bank card.

Airfare

Among the many Amex Platinum’s record of advantages, the cardboard’s skill to earn 5 factors per greenback spent on airfare bought instantly with the airline or by American Specific Journey® (on as much as $500,000 in purchases per calendar 12 months, then 1 level per greenback after that) is what helps me essentially the most when planning journeys.

This incomes price for flights is the very best of any bank card, other than reserving journey by an issuer’s respective journey website, akin to Chase Journey℠ or Capital One Journey.

If my airfare prices $1,500 or extra, I’ll at all times cost it to the Amex Platinum. This manner, I earn a minimum of 7,500 Membership Rewards factors per transaction and construct up my factors stability all year long.

I made a decision on $1,500 as a result of I attempt to earn 100,000 Amex factors per 12 months. As a household of three, when our airfare is a minimum of $1,500 per particular person, I web about 22,500 factors when utilizing my Amex Platinum. Touring a minimum of 4 occasions a 12 months, the numbers labored out to a minimum of 90,000 factors per 12 months simply from airfare.

Amex’s 5 factors per greenback helps me construct up my factors stability quick sufficient to make a minimum of one redemption annually.

Not too long ago, that meant transferring 100,000 Amex factors to Air Canada Aeroplan to ebook a nonstop one-way Polaris business-class ticket on United Airways from Sydney Airport (SYD) to Los Angeles Worldwide Airport (LAX).

For reference, the money fare for a similar ticket averages $5,100, so my redemption equates to about 5.1 cents per level. That is far higher than 2 cents per level for Amex or 1.4 cents per level for Aeroplan, in accordance with TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

Associated: Is the Amex Platinum price it for a factors and miles beginner? I booked a visit to search out out

Lounge entry

However the premium journey expertise with the Amex Platinum is not restricted to flying; it begins on the bottom with Amex’s World Lounge Assortment community, which incorporates its spectacular assortment of Centurion Lounges.

That includes 26 lounges worldwide, Amex’s Centurion Lounges provide the whole lot from elevated meals and beverage choices to showers and personal rooms. Some also have a kids’s playroom.

Journey days might be hectic, so I really like having the ability to calm down in a lounge, take pleasure in free meals and drinks and let my child burn some power in a playroom. It is a great way to get that premium journey expertise, particularly once you’re not flying in a premium cabin.

What else to contemplate

Needless to say this card is just not for everybody. To make holding it worthwhile, you have to maximize its perks or use it recurrently for airfare purchases. In any other case, the $695 annual price (see charges and charges) is tough to disregard, even when you use its array of coupon book-style credit.

Associated: How to decide on a bank card for airport lounge entry

Maximize my secondary card for journey and eating purchases

The subsequent card in my pockets that helps me sustain my premium journey way of life is the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and charges).

This card has been in my pockets for almost a decade, and it is all due to the broadly outlined bonus classes of journey and eating. Though all different journey incomes charges have modified as a result of card’s current refresh, I am nonetheless holding the cardboard.

Chase additionally has its personal set of Sapphire lounges, giving me entry to extra lounges worldwide.

All different journey

Whereas the Amex Platinum is my major card for pricier airfare, each time I buy flights that price lower than $1,500, I at all times cost them to my Sapphire Reserve.

This helps me accrue Chase Final Rewards at a price of three factors per greenback, every of which is price 2.05 cents, in accordance with TPG’s July 2025 valuations.

After October 26, when the Sapphire Reserve’s modifications go dwell for me, I am going to begin to earn 4 factors per greenback on airfare. Despite the fact that I am going to cease incomes 3 factors per greenback on different journey purchases, I am going to nonetheless cost them to my Sapphire Reserve to earn Final Rewards factors.

Associated: Here is why I am holding the Amex Platinum after the Sapphire Reserve’s modifications

Inns and eating

I’ve held off on having a cobranded lodge bank card for years now, as lodge loyalty applications can bear drastic modifications to their award charts that usually end in will increase to the variety of factors wanted for a free evening.

It is a safer wager for me to make use of my Sapphire Reserve for all lodge prices as a result of I am going to quickly earn 4 factors per greenback, barely greater than the earlier incomes price, due to the cardboard’s current modifications.

Chase additionally broadly defines eating purchases as these made at eating places, meals carts, espresso retailers and extra.

So, somewhat than fear about which purchases will qualify and if there’s an annual spending cap to maintain monitor of — as is the case with the American Specific® Gold Card, which earns 4 factors per greenback at eating places worldwide till hitting an annual buy cap of $50,000 (then 1 level per greenback for the remainder of the 12 months) and has some exclusions to what counts as a restaurant buy — I can use my Sapphire Reserve to earn 3 factors per greenback with out pondering twice.

What I might do otherwise

If I need to maximize my points-earning functionality, I ought to open the Capital One Enterprise Rewards Credit score Card.

With it, I am going to earn 2 miles per greenback on all my different purchases. That is particularly helpful now that different journey purchases on the Sapphire Reserve solely earn 1 level per greenback. By doing this, I develop the range of my transferable factors.

I estimate this might present me with one other 20,000 to 30,000 Capital One Miles annually, which I might switch to associate airways that overlap with Amex and Chase.

Depend on a distinct card for fuel and grocery purchases

Driving in California is a truth of life and might be fairly pricey. Fuel costs hover round $4.50 a gallon, so filling up two automobiles a number of occasions a month is dear.

To earn rewards and reduce that sting, I take advantage of my Citi Strata Premier® Card (see charges and charges). With it, I earn 3 Citi ThankYou Rewards factors per greenback spent on fuel, and there’s no cap on what number of factors I can earn.

One other easy means I rack up rewards for journey is to place all my grocery purchases on the Citi Strata Premier, as these additionally earn 3 factors per greenback.

And now, Citi simply introduced American Airways as a switch associate, so I am going to be capable of stretch my ThankYou factors even additional.

Go all in on 2-player mode

In my private expertise, having my partner who additionally has her personal set of journey bank cards is a recreation changer.

She earns her personal transferable factors with Chase and Amex, in addition to American Airways AAdvantage miles together with her Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Choose® World Elite Mastercard®.

This offers us extra factors and miles to play with, and I may even mix her Chase factors with mine, as Chase permits factors sharing with members of your family.

The knowledge for the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Choose has been collected independently by The Factors Man. The cardboard particulars on this web page haven’t been reviewed or offered by the cardboard issuer.

Associated: Ought to my associate get their very own card or be added as a certified person?

Backside line

Premium journey redemptions for airline tickets or accommodations are pricey, however due to some cautious strategizing round which playing cards to make use of for which purchases, I’ve collected half 1,000,000 factors and miles a 12 months with these particular playing cards, plus these held by my spouse, this fashion for almost a decade.

With out these spending guidelines in place, I would not be capable of preserve my premium journey habits.

Everybody’s bills and journey objectives are completely different, so it is necessary you do what most closely fits your way of life and journey aspirations.

For me, paying over $1,200 for these three playing cards is smart, as I simply recoup the fee by ensuring nearly all of my factors and miles go towards premium cabin redemptions on airfare — one thing that might in any other case price me over $40,000 a 12 months.

Associated: One of the best premium bank cards: A side-by-side comparability

For charges and charges of the Amex Platinum please click on right here.