June 14, 2024 | View Online | Sign Up
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It’s always a good day when I convince Jess to open a new card.
I’ve been doing the heavy lifting with our points strategy for the past year while she works on building her business but, this week, on her own accord, she turned to me and said: “When does that intro bonus end? Should I open that card you mentioned?”
True love exists, guys.
Now, let’s get to the points:
Cheers,
Steven
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| CARD OF THE WEEK
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I did finish it, though. So who's laughing now?
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We Have an End Date for the 75,000 Points
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Jess’ instincts were bang on. We have an official end date for the elevated bonus on the card I’ve been yelling at you to open for the past month.
That 75,000-point banger of a bonus will disappear on June 13 at 7 a.m. Eastern Time. That’s Thursday, so this is the last reminder you’ll get from me. If you miss it, Friday’s send will be a commiserative jab.
Remember, to hit that bonus you’ll need to spend $4,000 within three months of opening the card, so check you’ve got that volume of spending coming up. Jess successfully applied for the card this week and will probably pay her taxes with it, so we’ll have those points in our account in no time. I already have the card, so I can’t take advantage.
The card usually has a bonus of 60,000 points, and it’s likely (although, not definite) that it will return to that figure. It’s still a great intro bonus, but don’t undervalue that 15,000-point difference. Used effectively, those points could get you to Europe for free or fly you to the Caribbean and back. That’s a big deal!
The card’s premium sibling is running the same offer and will end on the same date. I’d only opt for this one if you’re in the market for a higher-end card with premium perks like lounge access and travel credits. Have a think, and see which one is best for you.
If you want to take this last chance, you can learn more here.
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| TRAVEL REWARDS
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Unlock Free Travel With Kudos
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| STEVEN'S TIPS
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Two-Player Mode Unlocked
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I’ve covered the concept of “two-player mode” before but, seeing as my better half has stormed back onto the scene and we’ve got some new faces, I thought it’d be good to cover one of the most valuable points and miles strategies out there.
🎮 What is “Two-Player Mode?”
Two-player mode (TPM) is a nickname used in the travel hacking world for, you guessed it, two people working together to earn points and miles. That means opening cards together, combining finances, and redeeming points together, too.
Generally, couples are the best candidates for this as they’re sharing a lot of their finances anyway, but it’s still possible with a trusted friend. You just need to make sure you’re upfront about your finances.
🏆 Why is it so effective?
Simple math. Double the bodies = double the available cards = double the potential points.
🤔 How do you do it effectively?
Planning ahead is key. Opening cards that compliment each other can do wonders, while both of you taking advantage of elevated intro bonuses is key, too.
In my case, I have more cards than Jess currently. On a day out, we may use my card for a restaurant, and another of mine to pay for the subway. That gets us 4 and 3 points per dollar on each of those purchases. But, when we swing by the store to grab a bottle of water and a snack, we’ll use Jess’ card to get 2x points per dollar. As mentioned above, she just opened a new card, so until she hits her intro bonus, we’ll use her card for almost everything.
➕ Big perks of TPM
A major benefit for us right now is beating the 5/24 rule. As I’ve opened a lot of cards recently, I’m unable to open any Chase cards. Jess still had space in her allotment, so she could open it. If we had been more strategic in the long run, we could have avoided those issues altogether by alternating card opens.
🫷🏻 Things to be wary of
Be honest about your finances. This doesn’t work effectively or safely if one or both of the parties isn’t truthful about their finances. As we’re striving for that intro bonus, Jess will have all of our expenses on her card. If she’s not in a sensible place to take that on, she might wind up in trouble. She’s not as into the points thing as me, so when she’s not settled opening a new card, I never force her. Do the same with your own partner. This is doubly true if you’re doing it with someone who isn’t your partner as your finances aren’t naturally intertwined.
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| TRAVEL HACKING NEWS
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Points and Miles News Roundup
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Here’s a quick summary of some of the news stories and guides from the past few weeks I didn’t deem big enough to put into a full story or are worth recapping. But, when combined, they are all worth mentioning.
🏩 Choice Hotels Increase Rates
This is an annoying one. Choice Hotels has typically had a sneaky good value hotel loyalty program. The downside to it was that you could only really book reward stays over the phone. (It’s not 1999. That’s stupid.) But, after switching to an online portal just a few months ago, rates have gone way up. We don’t like that. Some of the deals still aren’t terrible, but it’s definitely not what it was.
✈️ Finnair’s Avios Ascendancy
I did cover this story, but it’s worth reminding you as it could be useful this summer and beyond. Finnair became a fully-fledged Avios-based airline and brought with it some strong sweet spots to rival (and often outdo) British Airways. The big kicker is the lack of fees and surcharges compared to BA, so even if a flight has the same points rate, you’re getting far better value. Add it to your list of go-to programs.
💳 Our Card-Pairing Guide for Noobs
I’ve started building online guides for strong card pairings! Check out the first one, where I look at two strong cards for relatively fresh-faced points and miles users. The cards covered have brilliant long-term potential and compliment each other perfectly without overwhelming you with too much strategy. Check it out.
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