Get the Most from Your Travel Rewards Credit Card

Travel became more attainable for many people with the advent of Travel Reward Credit Cards. There are beneficial ways to use these cards, and detrimental practices best avoided. Understanding exactly how your travel rewards program works with your credit card is the first step in taking advantage of these programs so you can travel more with ease.

The idea behind these cards is simple, as you use the card, you earn points which can be redeemed towards travel expenses such as air fare and hotel accommodations. But with each card there is a specific set of rules and procedures established regarding how, where and when you can redeem your travel reward points. For many, trying to work it all out can quickly overwhelm, leaving would be travelers in the dark, as they give up trying to decipher just how they can use their travel reward points.

U.S, News and World Report (USNWR), one of the leading sources for relevant, reliable news and in-depth consumer research, has recently completed a survey of Travel Reward Credit Card users. The goal was to find out what people know about the cards they carry, how effective they are, and how they are being used when it comes to travel. The results are quite interesting. With more than 50% of the survey respondents saying they carry a regular balance on their cards, there is a high chance that the average consumer is actually losing money with these cards when interest and payments are taken into account.

This is not to say that Travel Reward Credit Cards are not worth it. On the contrary, when you have the right card for your lifestyle and budget, cards with travel reward programs can be an excellent way to get more from your vacations. Many cards include airline mileage points which can get you a cheaper ticket, or even an upgrade from coach to business class. This can make a big difference in how comfortably you can travel, especially on a long, international flight. Another common benefit is cost savings on accommodations, allowing for more excursions and experiences to be enjoyed while traveling.

With the USNWR 2017 Guide to Travel Reward Credit Cards, you can access some insightful information to help you determine which card could be best for you, or how you can use your card to gain more benefits from reward programs. We at C.P. Trips want to encourage travelers to educate themselves so they can make the best-informed decisions about their travel plans, and be happier with the memories they create no matter where or how they choose to travel to.

After reviewing the USNWR guide, you also have an experienced, local resource who can be of further assistance, Cindy Passannante, owner of C.P. Trips. Cindy regularly works with clients whom have Travel Reward Credit Cards. Her experience with the different programs available, alongside the travel industry ‘road map’, place her in a unique position to better assist her clients when it comes to getting the most out of their Travel Reward Credit Cards. There are endless ways to travel and experience the world. Travel reward programs can help turn your travel dreams into something more, and C.P. Trips can help you get there.

The agents of C.P. Trips are here to help you plan a vacation full of transformative memories. 
Enjoy a worry-free journey with the support and care of a local Travel Professional*ǂ. 
Visit our website, cptrips.com to explore the latest in travel ideas, promotions and more. 
Call us at (503) 658-5646 or email us at cptrips@aol.com today- Keep Calm and Travel On.

*We are excited to have the chance to help you with your vacation plans! We understand that you have many options to choose from when it comes to travel. Our standard fee policy is noted below for your reference. With the expertise and time we give in our researching travel options and destinations for clients and potential customers, along with our continuing education and training, we have non-refundable fees as follows:
Research & Planning fee:
$ 30.00 for domestic travel research & planning; 
$ 75.00 for International travel research & planning. 
In addition to our research fee, there is an airline ticket/service fee: 
$30 per person/ticket for US flights, 
$75 per person/ticket for International flights. 
Other fees for certain additional requested bookings such as, but not limited to: 
lodgings, excursion activities, and destination specialty requests will be applied 
($15.00 - $45.00) depending on type of booking completed.  
Initial Research/Planning fee due prior to trip planning; all other fees due at time of invoicing. 
Thank you, we look forward to helping you make your vacation dreams a reality! 

ǂFee Schedule updated as of August 17, 2017, current format and costs apply; 
any prior fee schedule listed within a previous blog post is out-of-date and invalid.