This post about using credit card rewards to pay for travel is part of a partnership with American Express and Hilton HHonors.
I’ve been a stay-at-home parent since our oldest was born almost 11 years ago. The first several years, I wasn’t working, so there wasn’t extra income for vacations. Any points or rewards earned from using our one credit card went to buying gifts or redeeming for gift cards to home improvement-types of stores. We simply didn’t have the means, so we didn’t go away unless to my parents’ lake house.
I started blogging professionally, and within a few years started to blog close to full time and earn enough that we were able to start doing some more things, but vacations were few and far between.
Using Credit Card Rewards to Pay for Travel
After our first few trips–and a few blog trips for me–we all got the travel bug, and we got it bad! Now, while we’re on our current trip, we are already planning our next one! We use the Hilton HHonors™ Card from American Express, whenever we can, to pay for everything (and I do mean everything- I charge the cable, and anything else I can, because we’re paying it off each month, so using more means earning more Hilton HHonors Points)…so while I hate to pay so much for cable, I’m getting the last laugh because each dollar I spend goes towards travel for my family. Gas, groceries, soccer uniforms, leotards, chicken feed, teacher gifts, home improvement supplies, gifts, etc. are all put on our Hilton HHonors™ Card from American Express. It’s not like we are spending EXTRA to gain the Points- it’s money we’re already spending, and we’re banking those Points towards our next getaway.
Remember I shared that our recent stay at Hilton Bonnet Creek in Orlando earned us enough Points to have up to a 4-night stay at a Hilton property. With the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express, I get instant Silver status so the 5th night actually would be free! Silver, Gold and Diamond elite members will receive every 5th night free* on Standard Reward Stays of 5 consecutive nights or more.
It kind of sounds a little too good to be true, right? You earn enough Points on one trip to pay for another (or help pay, depending on location)? But it’s not too good to be true. We just take advantage of the rewards and Points we earn by using our Hilton HHonors™ Card from American Express. We earn 7X Bonus Points for each dollar we spend on hotels within the Hilton portfolio, 5X Bonus Points for purchases at U.S. restaurants, supermarkets and gas stations, and 3X Points for all other eligible purchases! There are bonus offers for signing up too!
There are other amazing benefits to being a Hilton HHonors member, too- through the industry-leading Hilton HHonors mobile app, you have the power to check-in, choose your room from an interactive floor map, subsequently bypassing the front desk, and accessing your room using your smartphone as a Digital Key.
We have big plans to take the kids to their first Red Sox game up at Fenway this summer- with Papi retiring (David Ortiz, for you non-Sox fans), we really want them to be able to see him play even just once. Since they haven’t been to Boston much at all, we thought it would be fun to stay a few nights and have a sort of stay-cation and explore the city together! We are going to stay at Hilton Boston Back Bay for 2 nights using our existing HHonors Points and still have Points left towards yet another trip later in the year (or next year). I can’t wait to explore one of my favorite cities with my favorite people, and share my favorite team in my favorite ballpark, too! Doing it together as a family will create so many wonderful memories.
I also have my eye on Hilton Rose Hall Resort & Spa in Montego Bay, Jamaica– if we time things right, we can enjoy the amazing all-inclusive Hilton service in beautiful Jamaica!
*Free night value based on the average nightly value of the stay (up to 4 free nights on a stay of 20 consecutive nights within the same stay). This benefit can be used on an unlimited number of stays annually. See Hilton HHonors Program Terms & Conditions for additional details.
What ways do you use your credit card rewards?
This post is part of a partnership with American Express and Hilton HHonors.
CourtneyLynne says
I have so many friends that use rewards for travel! My dad as an American Airlines credit card and gets all sorts of crazy reward travel
With the thing!
Rose Cottrill says
When my husband was still in the Navy, he used to accumulate so many travel points that he redde it for free travels.
Tiffany Hathorn says
I don’t own a credit card, but it looks like there are a ton of perks to having one and using it responsibly.
Travel Blogger says
I love being rewarded for something I love (travel), that allows me to do more of what I love.
Lynndee says
We stayed at a Hilton Hotel once and we loved it. I have to check their Hilton HHonors. Would love to get those rewards too! 🙂
HilLesha O'Nan says
I’ll admit that I avoid credit cards, but I do love they’ve come a long way and how easier it’s to receive rewards! Traveling can be costly, so these type of rewards definitely come in handy. 🙂
Michelle Cantu says
I always use our rewards for dining gift cards, but you have it figured out. This is the best idea ever. I always dream of a better vacation and would love to not come out of pocket and instead save our rewards points.
Lori Felix says
My brother use to have to travel for work and always had to use his credit card to book the flights and hotels so he accumulated a ton of reward points. He later used his points to pay for a second honeymoon in the Florida Keys.
ricci says
I have an HHonors account but not the credit card! I should definitely look into that!
Ann Bacciaglia says
I love using my rewards for my hotels. It is important to see what your credit card offers. You could have benefits you did not know of.
Shaney Vijendranath (youbabyandi) says
We are honors members and we recently travelled to USA with our points/discounts. It is so worth it, I would recommend it to anyone! Love love this plan – so glad we signed up.
Kathy says
I don’t really travel much, so I don’t have any rewards cards like this. I have one credit card, but nothing with rewards. This is great for those that travel though.
Stephanie Pass says
My ex husband was a frequent traveler for business, so he racked up points all the time. It made it so easy for us to book vacations in the summer with all his points. That’s one thing I do miss, lol.
Bonnie @wemake7 says
We don’t really get credit card rewards but wish we did. I would totally love to pay for travel that way.
Jamie says
I use my points to pay for airlines tickets. It’s so expensive to fly! It often costs more than the resorts do.
Jenny says
This Hilton Rewards program sounds amazing! I love when companies offer rewards like this for your business.
Mimi Green says
This is a great idea, I get cash back from my credit card rewards. I do typically use the cash as spending money while on vacation.
Jeanette says
I need to be a whole lot more of these kind of posts. I love to travel and I’m always paying for it! It would be great if I could stay someplace for free or for cheap.
Up Run For Life says
I think this is a great idea as long as you use the card properly. The balance has to be paid off monthly to avoid costly interest.
Ann Bacciaglia says
I love to use my rewards for my hotels. A lot of credit cards have great rewards programs that people do not know they can access.
Inspiring Kitchen says
What an awesome deal. I am saving all my rewards, so my family can travel without spending so much. That pool looks amazing.
Melissa Dixon says
I need to check out all of my cards and see which one offers these rewards. I would love to travel more with my family.
Annemarie LeBlanc says
Now that is one awesome deal! This is one way to guarantee a great vacation without burning a hole in our pockets. Thanks to Hilton HHonors and American Express, our dream vacation is within reach now.
Rebecca Swenor says
Hilton HHonor Card from American Express sounds like a great card to have for sure. I love the different bonus points for different purchases and I really do think it is the best way to get the money to travel. It is awesome you are saving for the next trip while traveling. Thanks for sharing the information.
Emily says
I love to travel but it’s easy to get wrapped up and spend too much. I love the idea of using rewards points to pay for travel to make the experience more fun and less stressful financailly.
William Sweeney says
I love companies that reward you for doing business with them! We are always traveling so this sounds like it would be perfect for us.
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
Hilton HHonors sounds like a great plan. I travel a lot, and I love to stay at Hilton hotels. Thanks for the heads up on this one. I’ll be looking into it.