Travel Hacking as a Teacher
As a teacher, I have about 4 months off per year which is lots and lots of time to travel but also lots and lots of money to be spent. Utilizing points and miles via multiple credit cards has been super beneficial to offset some of the money spent on hotels and flights. Honestly, it’s a complex game and has taken my years to learn and I’m still a novice compared to the travel hackers over at The Points Guy and Frequent Miler but it’s also thanks to them that I have been able to take advantage and fly business class which is crazy cash!
Don’t be afraid to get started - start with Chase bank cards and work your way to other banks. If you prefer to start with your current card provider (Amex, Citi, Cap One) go for it, and just research which card to get. It is recommended you start with a card that you can transfer to multiple airlines and not a co-branded card.
It’s def a fun hobby to get started with and lots of amazing resources, websites and instagrammers out there to walk you through booking.
Capital One Venture X Card
My referral link https://capital.one/3Kl5rYi
Why I love this card: Capital One is a harder bank to get into if you’re only starting out on your travel hacking journey but the do they have Venture card (not the X which is the premium card) that has a lower annual fee. The Venture X card has an annual $300 travel credit that you can use to offset any hotels or flights that you book. You also get 10,000 points every year on your calendar anniversary. The travel benefits such as travel protection insurance, car rental protection insurance and President’s Club at Hertz Rental Cars has been handy too. You book a standard car but you get to choose any car in the president’s lane when you pick up your car.
Annual fee: $395
How I used this card to book a business class flight: I booked a business class flight on Turkish Airways by transferring from Cap One to Turkish Airlines. Turkish alliances is part of Star Alliance network so you can also book other airlines such as Air Canada and United on Turkish Airlines website.
Istanbul airport has the most amazing business class lounge too. Food, ambiance, size, screen golf room, shower room, sleep rooms. I wish we had spent longer than 3 hours there because it is really one of the top business class lounges globally.
AMEX Hilton Aspire Card
Why I love this card: The automatic Diamond status at Hilton makes it worth it before I even get into the other perks Diamond status gets your free suite upgrades, if available, hotel lounge access, free breakeast outside of the USA. Yes, the annual fee is $550 per year but you get $400 in hotel credit per year, and an extra $100 if you book a two-night stay at a Waldorf-Astoria or a Conrad hotel. You also get airline credit, $50 per quarter to use on incidentals. I usually use the $50 to upgrade my baggage or to choose a seat on an airline after book the initial flight on my Cap One credit card. The annual free night certificate is also another AMAZING perk of this card. You can use the FNC to book any hotel under the Hilton group in the world! Hotels that can run you over a thousand USD per night will be free with your free night certificate. You just have to call to book but it’s super easy and the dedicated phone line for Diamond Status members is another solid perk that doesn’t get talked about much.
Annual fee: $550
How I used this card to book amazing hotels globally: My favorite use of this card has to be when I booked the Conrad Koh Samui. It can run around 80,000-100,000 points per night depending on the time of the year you go. Each room has a suite with a private pool! The views are insanely beautiful. Restaurants on-site have a relaxing and romantic ambiance, perfect for a honeymoon.
Honestly, all the Conrad hotels I’ve stayed at have been fab, and they’ve always given a solid room or suite upgrade. The Conrad Singapore and Dubai especially.
Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
My referral Link: https://www.referyourchasecard.com/252a/91JO70CL5R
Why I love this card: A no-frills card that has a low annual fee but still give you a 35,000 point annual certificate for a hotel stay. It shows up on your card anniversary and you can easily book it on the Marriott website or app. It also gave me automatic silver status because of the 15 elite night credits on your Marriott account when you open the card. Silver status isn’t that valuable but you can reach Gold and Platinum much faster with the 15 elite night credits. The sign-up bonus is where you get most of the Marriott points, the promo is always rotating. Sometime it’s three 50K night certificates but it can also go up to five every few years.
Annual fee: $95
How I used this card to book amazing hotels globally: W Budapest was my favorite redemption with the 50K point certificate. I’ll never forget walking up to the front desk and they asked if I wanted a juice, water or champagne, I said champagne of course. Formerly the Dreschler Palace and the Hungarian state ballet academy, it opened around spring 2024 and the architecture doesn’t disappoint. The bar on the ground floor with a perfect street view and of the Opera house is a great sundowners spot or for a happy hour tipple.
Another favorite use of Marriott points earned through Marriott spend probably has to be the Al Wathba, Luxury Collection in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. It’s a gorgeous, scenic, desert resort hotel about an hour away from Abu dhabi city center. It has all the amenities you’d hope for from a desert resort in the middle east, camel rides, dune buggy options, falcons on property, a beautiful gift shop, spa and lots of restaurants to choose from. We went to the restaurant that has an area where horses roam around and you can take a break from having dinner to pet them just a few feet from your dining table.
Stay in the villas if you go 100%!!! Private pool, jacuzzi, second floor terrace, gigantic gorgeous bathrooms with a TUB. I had a hot ramen in the tub because I was exhausted. It was luxury at its peak! I got it for 50,000 points for one night which is a STEAL as this place runs minimum $300USD/1000AED per night and the villas are THOUSANDS of $$$$$$$$. We had a 2-bedroom, 2 bathrooms with a maid’s room that had it’s own private shower and toilet too. I couldn’t believe how gigantic Villa 11 was. It runs anywhere starting around $2,000USD/8000AED. I’ve seen it for cheaper but usually midweek or during UAE low season, when it’s very very very HOT (May-September).
Aer Lingus Chase Credit Card
Why I love this card: A no-frills card that has a low annual fee. The sign-up bonus rotates but is usually around 40-80,000 miles for a minimum spend. It is avios so you can only use the miles for British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, Finnair, Qatar flights as they all share the same point system.
I used the sign up bonus from this card and a few others to book some business class flights.
I don’t use the card much unless I am booking a cash fare for those same airlines as you get 3x points for every dollar spent.
Annual fee: $95
How I used this card to book amazing flights: I booked an Iberia business class flight from LAX to Madrid (11 hours) in August. Also, an Aer Lingus Business class flight from Dublin to Philadelphia in July (6-7 hours).
The tickets include lounge access which is great. Dublin had a dedicated check-in area which was still pretty long but still better than the usual line. The food onboard was delish and service was good on both. Not the biggest seats or screen but direct aisle access and a bathroom to share amongst a few versus many is a perk I can’t deny.
