Ever wonder how I manage to fly around the world to ski without breaking the bank? Think I drop $15k a year on flights? Think again. My secret: Credit Card Signup Bonuses.

Let’s say you have a $1,000 purchase coming up—maybe a new laptop, a flight, or even a medical bill. Here are your options:

A. Pay with cash or debit – Not ideal; no rewards, no protections.

B. Use an existing credit card – You’ll get 1-5% cash back, saving $10-$50. Not bad, plus you get some purchase protections.

C. Open a new credit card and put the purchase on the card for a huge signup bonus in points! Depending on the card, this can translate to up to $2,000 in value, plus free protections, and extra perks.

Most signup bonuses work like this: spend a set amount within a few months, and you’re rewarded with valuable points or miles. This approach has helped me fund my adventures worldwide, turning big purchases into big travel rewards.

Now, $4,000 dollars might seem like a lot, but let’s add up what you might potentially already be spending:

Click here to get more details about the current offer above

As you can see, you likely already spend enough to meet most minimum requirements for a signup bonus. That extra purchase you were considering could easily tip you over the limit, earning you a substantial number of points for free travel.

You might be wondering:

Won't opening a new credit card hurt my credit score?

Actually, the opposite is true—if you pay off your balance in full each month. Here’s why: 30% of your credit score is based on your utilization ratio, or the amount you spend relative to your total credit limit. By opening new cards with higher credit limits, you’re effectively lowering your utilization ratio, which can improve your score. (Just be aware that the initial credit inquiry may drop your score a few points temporarily. Avoid opening a new card if you’re planning a major loan, like a mortgage or auto loan, in the next month.)

The first thing I do when I get the new card is set up auto-pay in full so I don't miss a payment. If you can't pay it off in full, you shouldn't be using a credit card at all, the interest rates will void any bonuses you get. If that's the case, look for credit cards with 0% interest, but those rarely have signup bonuses.

Which card should I apply for?

The best credit card for you depends on which cards you’ve already had, as most companies limit how often you can earn bonuses. For example, American Express offers signup bonuses once per card type (personal or business) per lifetime. Chase, on the other hand, has a “5/24” rule: you generally can’t open more than five cards within 24 months or receive a Chase bonus if you've earned a bonus in the past 48 months. Each card issuer has its own policies, so be sure to double-check eligibility before applying.

Personally, I prefer points cards that transfer to multiple airlines, giving me flexibility to choose the best deal without being tied to a specific airline. However, if you’re loyal to United or Delta, their branded cards can be ideal (and getting free checked bags is always nice.) Over the years, I’ve opened almost every major rewards card, including Delta, United, Alaska Airlines, Chase, Capital One, US Bank, Discover, Citi, Citi Business, Amex Gold, and Amex Business. If you qualify as self-employed, you may even be able to double up on personal and business card bonuses.

Currently, I have eight open credit cards but concentrate most of my spending on just two or three with the best rewards. For the rest, I make small monthly purchases to keep an active payment history, which boosts my credit score. This approach has helped me maintain a score over 800 since my 20s.

When should you sign up

Ideally, you’ll plan ahead and get your card in time for your upcoming purchases. But if not, some cards offer a virtual number immediately upon approval, allowing you to make purchases the same day. For example, I used my Citi virtual card for three months during my honeymoon when the physical card didn’t arrive before I left. You can add the virtual card to your phone and pay via Google Pay or Apple Pay.

If you’re a new customer, most banks still require you to wait for a physical card, which can take up to 10 business days, so planning ahead is the best move. But for existing customers, some issuers, like Capital One, provide instant virtual access upon approval. Just something to keep in mind if you’re in a hurry!

How to spend the points wisely

As I mentioned, the best credit cards are those that allow you to earn points you can transfer to your preferred airline. Chase Sapphire Reserve is my all-time favorite card and the number one I recommend if you travel at least twice a year. It offers an 80,000-point signup bonus and valuable perks that easily justify its $550 annual fee—often doubling in value through benefits alone. Plus, it transfers to United, one of the top airlines for rewards.

I’ve flown from Jackson Hole to Maui for just 17,500 United points when the cash price was $350, making each point worth double. With the 80k signup bonus, that’s up to $1,600 in flights if redeemed strategically. Right now, a round-trip from Jackson, WY to Japan is just 60k points, compared to costing over $2,000 in cash, showcasing the power of airline transfers. You can also get the cashback cards, which are good but are usually only worth 1 cent a point, so 80k is worth $800 cash. If you don't have any travel plans, sometimes that is the best choice, effectively reducing the cost of a $1,000 purchase to just $200. If that's the case, I would recommend the Chase Freedom.

Is any credit card really worth paying a $550 annual fee? Yes!

First place: Chase sapphire reserve

Link to Chase Sapphire Reserve’s current offer

1000% percent worth it. Let me break it down, my favorite card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve, offers 75k points to signup, and as I mentioned, if transferred to airlines, worth up to $2,000! That’s enough value to cover the card’s annual fee for up to four years, plus you still enjoy all the additional perks along the way.

My favorite benefits are:

-3x on travel & Dining purchases, 1x on everything else

-$300 travel reimbursement (hotels, flights, train) Brings the annual fee down to $250

-Primary Car Rental Insurance, Decline that rental car coverage, up to $40/day

-Emergency medical and dental - No other card I've found offers this, so don't worry about supplemental travel insurance $2/day

-$50 roadside assistance Cancel that AAA membership

-Trip delay, lost luggage, delayed luggage, trip cancellation

-Free Global Entry or TSA Pre

-No foreign transaction fees

Plus: Free lounge access!

My all-time favorite and maybe the most valuable perk is the free priority pass membership. Whenever you fly somewhere, you always have time to kill and meals to eat, why spend $25 on a fast food burger and coke, when you can sit in comfy lounge chairs with free food, free alcoholic drinks, and high-speed internet. With around 6 trips a year, I figure we save over $500 as a couple in airport spending.

Runner up: Capital One Venture X

$395 Annual Fee

Similar to the Chase Sapphire Reserve, this card offers solid travel perks but with lower earning potential—2x points on all spending, making it easy to track but less rewarding. It includes most of Chase’s travel benefits, though it lacks accidental medical and dental coverage. However, it adds access to Capital One and Plaza lounges and allows free authorized users who also get lounge access.

The $300 travel credit must be booked through their portal, where prices are often slightly higher than on Kayak or Google Flights, so I value it closer to $250. If you spend over $5,000 annually on travel and dining, Chase sapphire will more than pay for the additional annual fee with added benefits.

If you fly United, then snag this one, comes with 2 free lounge passes, but I prefer the other cards first.

Those are my two favorite points cards that offer great value, so pick either one or both and enjoy free flights!

Business cards

You actually don’t need an official business name or LLC to open a business credit card. If you’re just selling items on eBay or stickers on Instagram, that counts as a business! You can apply using your own name and Social Security number.

Right now, you can get 100,000 points with only a $95 annual fee, which is insane value!

If you’re finding this article helpful, please consider applying through my referral links; I’ll earn bonus points, too!

Redeeming Points

Earning points is the easy step, finding out the best way to redeem them is the hard part. I use PointsYeah to find award availability. It is the best site I've found to search for airline transfer partners from the credit cards you have. You simply select the cards you have, and it shows all available transfer options and lets you book directly with the airline. The free version is great for basic searches, but I recommend the paid plan, which allows you to search up to a week at a time instead of just four days. This makes it much quicker to explore multiple dates and airports at once.

PointsYeah is the easiest way I've found to start the search, then go directly to the airline’s website to confirm availability before transferring your points.

Now get out there and plan your next trip!

How To Fly Around the World for Free