I created this website to explain to my friends and family how my wife and I have been able to travel the world for free. The “secret” has been using various credit card mega bonuses (often non-publicized), layering additional offers and some other tricks that I will show you. Below are some of my favorite offers or delve deeper by reading my Points Blog.

Before applying, make sure to check your credit. You can get two of your three FICO scores for free at Credit Karma and Credit Sesame.

• Mega Bonuses
• Best Spending
• Travel Benefit

	Card Name	Upfront Bonuses	Spending Benefits	Other Key Benefits	Annual Fee	Issuer's Highlights
Apply Here More Info	The Business Gold Rewards Card® from American Express OPEN	50k points after spending $5k in 3 mos.	1 point /$ 3x on air 2x on advertising, gas, and shipping	N/A	$0 1st Yr., then $175	Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $5,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 3 months of Card membership. Earn points even faster to get more rewards for your business.
More Info	Chase Hyatt Card	2 free nights at ANY Hyatt hotel worldwide after 1st purchase + 1 more (cat <=4) each year	1 points/$ 2x for restaurants, airfare (direct) and car rentals 3x at Hyatts	Auto Plat. No FTF's Smart Chip	$75	Not Provided by Issuer
Apply Here More Info	Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card	2 weekend nights after spending $2.5k in 4 mos. + 1 more/yr after spending $10k	3 points / $ 5x on airfare and car rentals 10x at Hiltons	Auto Gold Diamond status after spending $40k No FTF's	$95	Earn 10 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on hotel stays within the Hilton HHonors portfolio* Earn 5 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on airline and car rental purchases*
Apply Here More Info Biz App	Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express	25k points (~2 nights in lux hotel): 10k after 1st purchase + 15k after $5k in 6 mos.	1 (valuable) point / $	SPG Gold after $30k/yr 5 nights toward elite	$0 1st Yr., then $65	Starpoints® bonus: earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of Cardmembership Terms and Restrictions Apply.
Issuer's App Link More Info	Southwest Airlines® Rapid Rewards® Plus Card (Chase)	50k points (worth $800 in restricted economy flights) after spending $2k in 3 mos + 3k/anniversary	1 point /$ 2x on Southwest	Can help you get the 110k companion-flies-free for up to 2 years deal	$69	Not Provided by Issuer
More Info	Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card	40k points = UA, BA, SW, Amtrak,etc. or $400 Cash after spending $3k in 3 mos.	1 point/$ 2x for Travel (Good) and Dining (not impressive)	No FTF's	$0 1st Yr., then $95	Earn 40,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months No foreign transaction fees Introductory Annual Fee of $0 the first year, then $95
More Info	Ink Bold® Business Card	50k points after spending $5k in 3 mos = UA, BA, SW, Amtrak,etc. or $500 Cash or $625 toward travel	1 point/$ 5x for telecom and office supply(up to $50k)	No FTF's	$0 1st Yr., then $95	Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 in the first 3 months from account opening No interest charges because it's a pay in full charge card
Unofficial Link	Priority Club® Select Visa® (Chase)	60k-80k points on first purchase + free night on your anniversary	1 point /$ 2x on gas, grocery & dining 5x at their hotels	No FTF's	$0 1st Yr., then $49	Not Provided by Issuer
More Info	Hawaiian Airlines® Visa Signature® (BofA & Bank of HI)	25k miles after spending $1k in 4 mos.	Most people focus on getting this card for the bonus	Not much	$79	Not Provided by Issuer

	Card Name	Upfront Bonuses	Spending Benefits	Other Key Benefits	Annual Fee	Issuer's Highlights
Apply Here More Info Biz App	Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express	25k points (~2 nights in lux hotel): 10k after 1st purchase + 15k after $5k in 6 mos.	1 (valuable) point / $	SPG Gold after $30k/yr 5 nights toward elite	$0 1st Yr., then $65	Starpoints® bonus: earn up to 25,000 bonus points: 10,000 after your first purchase and another 15,000 after you spend $5,000 within the first 6 months of Cardmembership Terms and Restrictions Apply.
More Info	Capital One® Venture℠ Rewards Credit Card	10k points after spending $1k	2 Points / $ (basically 2% Cash)	No FTF's	$0 1st Yr., then $59	2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day Redeem your miles for any travel expense $0 intro annual fee for the first year; $59 after that
Apply Here More Info	Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express	$150 after spending $1k in 3 mos.	1% cash 6% at supermarkets (up to $6k spend) 3% at stand alone gas stations and some department stores	0% interest on purchases for up to 12 mos.	$75	Earn Cash Back: 6% US supermarkets up to $6,000 per year in purchases, 3% US gas stations & select US dept stores, 1% other purchases. Terms and limitations apply
More Info	Ink Cash® Business Card	$20 after spending $3k in 3 mos.	1% cash 2% on gas & dine 5% on off. supply, cable, telecom (2/5% - max $25k)	0% interest on purchases for 12 mos	$0	Earn $200 bonus cash back after you spend $3,000 in 3 months from account opening 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent annually at office supply stores, and on cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services
Apply Here More Info	Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express	$100 after spending $1k in 3 mos.	1% cash 3% at supermarkets (up to $6k spend) 2% at stand alone gas stations and some department stores	0% interest on purchases for up to 12 mos.	$0	Get 3% at US supermarkets, up to $6,000 per year in purchases, 2% at US gas stations & select US dept stores, 1% on other purchases. Terms and limitations apply
More Info	Chase Freedom® Visa	$100 after spending $500	1% Cash 5% (up to $75) of rotating categories	0% interest on purchases for 15 mos	$0	This offer is for people with a good to excellent credit history which means, among other things, that your credit history is clear of bankruptcy and seriously delinquent accounts Earn $100 Bonus Cash Back after you make $500 in pu

	Card Name	Upfront Bonuses	Spending Benefits	Other Key Benefits	Annual Fee	Issuer's Highlights
Apply Here Biz App More Info	The Platinum Card® from American Express	25k points after spending $2k (personal card only); See this page for up to date info on the Biz version	1 point / $	AA,DL,USAir lounges with guests Priority Pass lounges solo $200 toward 1 airline's fees Global Entry Global Evac. Pur. protection includes loss No FTF's	$450	Earn 25K Membership Rewards® points after you spend $2,000 during your first three months of Card membership
More Info	Chase Hyatt Card	2 free nights at ANY Hyatt hotel worldwide after 1st purchase + 1 more (cat <=4) each year	1 points/$ 2x for restaurants, airfare (direct) and car rentals 3x at Hyatts	Auto Plat. No FTF's Smart Chip	$75	Not Provided by Issuer
Apply Here More Info	Citi® Hilton HHonors™ Reserve Card	2 weekend nights after spending $2.5k in 4 mos. + 1 more/yr after spending $10k	3 points / $ 5x on airfare and car rentals 10x at Hiltons	Auto Gold Diamond status after spending $40k No FTF's	$95	Earn 10 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on hotel stays within the Hilton HHonors portfolio* Earn 5 HHonors Bonus Points per $1 spent on airline and car rental purchases*
Unofficial Link	Priority Club® Select Visa® (Chase)	60k-80k points on first purchase + free night on your anniversary	1 point /$ 2x on gas, grocery & dining 5x at their hotels	No FTF's	$0 1st Yr., then $49	Not Provided by Issuer
	United MileagePlus Explorer Card (Chase)	25k miles after 1st purch. + 5k for add. cardholder + 10k/yr after $25k	1 point /$ 2x on United	free bag & priority board on United 2 lounge passes/yr. No inv. controls on redeeming mileage	$0 1st Yr., then $95	Not Provided by Issuer
Apply Here Biz App	Gold Delta SkyMiles® Credit Card from American Express	30k miles after spending $500 in 3 mos (most of my readers would be better off holding out for more)	1 point /$ 2x on Delta	1st bag free	$0 1st Yr., then $95	Bonus Miles: earn 30,000 bonus miles toward Award Travel when you spend $500 on the Card within the first three months of cardmembership. Terms and Restrictions Apply.
	Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card	50k points after 1st purchase (note: certain versions of the card have better deals), free night @ approval(<=cat 4), free night @renewal (<=cat 5)	1 point /$ 2x for airfare, dining and car rental 5x for Marriott	Auto Silver Elite 15 elite nights + 1 night/$3k spent (auto gold at $105k, auto plat. at $180k) No FTF's	$0 1st Yr., then $85	Not Provided by Issuer

If you apply for a card with good credit and you don’t get instant approval, click here for a list of credit analysis and reconsiderations departments’ direct lines. They can often expedite an approval or fix a denial.

Unless otherwise stated, my advice is for people with good credit that are able to pay off their entire credit card balance each month. You also accept that my advice is provided as a courtesy and you agree to do your own research. Also, credit card bonus offers change rapidly — while I try to keep this site up to date, you must check the credit card company’s website for the latest rules before you apply. For a more complete introduction and details on how card applications can affect your credit score, click here.

See Glossary for definitions of the shorthand I use on the site.