January 6, 2026
Realistic Points and Miles Strategy
Pam
I know many of you wonder how we travel so often and acquire so many credit card points and miles. First of all, this is our job, so we definitely are more intense about points and miles than you need to be. We also prioritize a LOT of travel so that we can show you how to do it, rather than talk about how you can create your own strategies. But we want to take time to talk about a realistic points and miles strategy for people who aren’t full-time travelers!
Number of Welcome Offers You Should Aim For
Each of us at PTS gets about four to six new credit cards each year for ourselves AND our spouses. That is a lot, and since most of you won’t be traveling as much as we do, you don’t need to get that many cards. However, having 200,000 extra points and miles in your stockpile is always recommended for emergencies and last-minute trips if that works for you.
If you want to take one nice trip a year for your family of four, you should plan to earn about 400,000 points. I break this idea down this way:
- 35K/night at a nice Hyatt for a week = 245K points
- 40K/person to fly to your destination round trip = 160K points
Both can be averaged down or up, depending on your destination, but this is standard for trip options in the U.S. and Mexico. If you are a couple or have a larger family, you will need more points and miles. If you want to go on more trips, figure that in.
A trip to Hawaii each year is a realistic goal with credit card points and miles.
How to Earn 400K Points and Miles Each Year
Earning 400K points and miles each year should be pretty easy for most people, especially if you can apply for business cards. I would estimate the average welcome offer is around 75K to 100K points, so four to five cards should cover what you need for a nice family trip. These three credit card welcome offers would be perfect for a beginner with a Player 2, who could also earn one or two of them through referrals. That would work out to two cards per year for both Player 1 (you) and Player 2 (your travel partner). Two cards per year is totally doable!
Realistic Points and Miles Redemptions
Another area where you need a realistic points-and-miles strategy is in redemptions. Because we have a lot of flexibility, we can wait for that insanely good price. If you don’t have that kind of flexibility, you may have to pay more in points and miles for your particular trip. Don’t fret about that. Let it go, and remember that free is free, and you can always earn more credit card points and miles.
Sometimes I pay more than I’d like to, too. If I can’t find a low redemption on a specific date that matches my plans, I swallow hard and do it anyway! Don’t let the joy of the trip be robbed because you didn’t get the absolute best value out of your points and miles!
I have an upcoming trip to the Maldives, where I paid way too many miles to fly Singapore Airlines, but it worked with my dates!
Bottom Line
Even if you don’t find the same cheap deal we did or earn as many credit card points and miles as we do in a year, you can still be very successful at earning and using them. Having a realistic points and miles strategy for YOU is essential. You do you! This hobby is a gift, so don’t let your expectations take the joy away from it!
Related Posts
Credit Card Points and Miles Strategy
Credit Card Points and Miles Misconceptions
Booking That First Trip With Credit Card Points and Miles
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Great post and good point on setting realistic goals. I don’t always comment but do enjoy all of your posts. Thank you!
Thanks so much – I’m glad you find them helpful!
This was a great post. It’s hard to compete with someone that does this as a job when many of us do it as a hobby, so I appreciate the realistic goals!
We totally get it – we don’t want people to compare themselves to us at all as it is our job. Having realistic strategies and traveling for nearly free once or twice a year is the norm for most people!
25K one way. You can sometimes find Southwest flights for 25K RT.
How do you all feel about using credit card services such as Melio and/or Plastiq in order to pay a vendor with a credit card that wouldn’t otherwise accept them. I realize the fee these companies charge is 2.9% but the way I see it, I get 2% back with my Venture X card, and therefore I only need 1.5c redemption value to break even on that exchange. I ask this as a business owner who spends a lot of money at places that don’t accept cards- this could be a way to significantly boost my annual points earnings.
Thanks for the input.
It’s not a bad idea but I don’t thing either accepts Venture Cards. I could be wrong but check it out. I don’t mind paying a fee for the use of credit cards sometimes, especially when I’m trying to make a minimum spend. You just need to do the math and make sure it makes sense for you and your business.
Is there an an app that keeps track of CC monthly offers in addition to benfor AmEx/Chase/Cap1 etc. It’s a hassle to go into each online account and select each offer especially with AmEx since I have to go in to my number and my husband’s number and activate account credit or additional points offers on both. Then I have to attempt to remember which card has which offers and benefits.