How To Travel For Free in 2023 [My Top 5 Cards]

Ever wanted to take a more intentional approach to your credit cards and travel (or just tune up an existing approach!)? You'll love this rundown on the five best cards for travel rewards updated for 2023.

We called in travel rewards pro Benét Wilson—former Senior Cards Editor at The Points Guy and freelance aviation journalist—to pressure-test our Money with Katie strategy, because this landscape is always changing—and it made me realize there’s at least one hotel card I need to consider adding to my wallet lineup.

Now, as long as your spending habits are safe, you stand to gain a lot, but here are three reminders about credit and travel hacking to keep in mind:
You need to have good credit already. If your credit score is low or you have a history of getting into credit card debt, this might be a fire that’s not worth playing with.
You’ll also need to be fairly organized—because credit card points take a little bit of finesse. You’ll need to track cut-off dates, make sure you’re not letting perks expire, and flex your logistical muscles when booking travel and comparing your best options. There’s a guide from TPG staff that offers great tips here: https://thepointsguy.com/guide/tpg-st...
You’ll need to get clear on your travel goals first—try to know these preferences so you can pick the best cards for you. Are you a high-roller who wants to fly business class a time or two? Do you want to travel as cheaply as possible for months at a time? Consider it all.

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Mentioned in the Episode
Money with Katie's 2023 Travel Rewards Strategy: http://www.moneywithkatie.com/2023travel
How to Travel For Free 101 Series: https://moneywithkatie.com/travel-cre...
Rich Girl Roundup on how credit works:    • How Does Credit Work?  
Cash or points for travel? Here's how to decide: https://moneywithkatie.com/blog/cash-...
Chase transfer partners (as of April 2023): https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/tr...
American Express transfer partners (as of April 2023): https://thepointsguy.com/guide/member...

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0:00 Intro
2:00 Card #1: Establishing your credit
3:12 Card #2: Chase Sapphire Preferred
4:00 Cards #3-#4: Travel Priorities
17:30 Credits