We’ve taken multiple trips without paying a dime for flights or hotels. And no, it’s not because we have some secret travel sponsor or a rich uncle footing the bill. It’s because of something called travel hacking—and before you roll your eyes, hear me out. We’re currently even stacking up points for our bucket list trip to Alaska. ALASKA for free, you guys.
If you’re skeptical, wondering, “Is this a scam?” or “Do I need a spreadsheet the size of Texas to figure this out?”—you’re not alone. I had all those same questions. I’m a deep-researcher by nature (hi, Type A mama here), and I don’t recommend anything unless I’ve spreadsheet-ed, fact-checked, and tested it myself.
This is your travel hacking for beginners crash course—mama style. I’ll break it down simply, share why I chose the card I did, and help you see if this could be your family’s ticket to a free summer trip too.
What Is Travel Hacking (Really)?
It’s a smart way to turn your everyday spending into free travel—yes, really.
Travel hacking is just a fancy name for earning credit card points and using them to pay for travel. Think: flights, hotels, rental cars. All the things you’d normally pay out-of-pocket for.
The catch? There’s actually no catch—just strategy. You apply for a credit card with a generous sign-up bonus, meet the minimum spend using your normal, already planned expenses (think groceries, gas, bills), and then redeem those points for travel. It’s not about spending more—it’s about being smart with what you’re already spending.
It’s 100% legal, totally strategic, and doesn’t require you to open ten credit cards. (Unless you want to. I don’t. I like simplicity.)
Why I Chose the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card
After a rabbit hole of research (we’re talking side-by-side charts, Reddit threads, reviews from other moms), one card stood out as the best all-around option: the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
This isn’t just the card I picked—it’s the one I keep coming back to as the best credit card for travel hacking for beginners. It’s what we’ve used to book multiple trips and what we’re using now to save for Alaska. The sign-up bonus alone was enough to pay for an entire vacation.
Here’s why I love it:
✔️ 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel (#worthit)
✔️ 2x points on any other travel purchases
✔️ 3x points on dining (even DoorDash counts)
✔️ 3x points on online grocery purchases
✔️ 3x points on select streaming services
✔️ Points don’t expire!
✔️ $50 hotel credit every year
✔️ Built-in travel protections
✔️ Genuinely low annual fee
✔️ Easy-to-use points through Chase Travel
✔️ 1:1 point transfer for numerous airline and hotel travel partners
✔️ and literally so much more
It’s simple, flexible, and so mom-friendly. I book everything through the Chase portal—it’s like Expedia, but with points.
Travel Hacking Myths & Credit Card Fears (Let’s Talk About Them)
“Is this going to eat up my time?”
Honestly? No. Applying and setting it up takes maybe 20 minutes to apply, and then you’re off. After that, you’re just using your card like normal. If you can grocery shop, you can do this. However, if you plan to use it to pay your auto-draft bills (which I HIGHLY recommend), this will take some upfront investment of your time, BUT once you’re done, you’re done. Unless you go full-blown travel hacker and recycle this process with other credit cards with promos.
“But I don’t use credit cards…”
That’s fair. But this isn’t about swiping recklessly or racking up debt. We treat our card like a debit card: only spend what we have, pay it off in full every month, and never carry a balance. That’s how travel hacking works best—and safely. We also use Copilot to track our spending (a budgeting app I researched extensively and have loved for years).
“How do I meet the minimum spend without spending extra?”
This one scared me too, at first. But here’s the trick: use the card for what you already buy and/or bills you already pay. Groceries, gas, subscriptions, insurance, and bills. If you’ve got a big expense coming up (like summer camp fees or home repairs), that’s even better. You can also ask friends or family if they want you to put their big purchase on your card (and they reimburse you on Venmo, Zelle, or something like that). Easy.
How to Get Started with Travel Hacking
This is your beginner’s guide to travel hacking—no overwhelm, no crazy spreadsheets, just a simple path to free travel.
- Apply for the Chase Sapphire Preferred before their current bonus ends (if one is still active)
- Put all your normal spending on the card until you hit the required minimum
- Track your points inside the Chase portal.
- Redeem for your next trip—or save for a big one like we are with Alaska!
That’s it. It’s one of the simplest, most effective money hacks I’ve found as a mom.
Let’s Wrap It Up
Travel hacking for beginners isn’t for everyone—but it is for the mama who wants memories, but has financial goals too. It’s for the family that dreams of vacations without breaking the bank. And it’s for you, if you’ve read this far and felt that tiny spark of “wait… could I actually do this?”
You don’t have to go all in. You don’t need 10 cards. You just need one good one—and a plan.
If you’re ready to go for it, apply here. Have more questions? DM me on Instagram. I’m happy to chat and help you decide if it’s a good fit.
Let’s get you that trip, friend. You’ve more than earned it.
