Sometimes that's easier said than done. Straightforward award tickets using an airline's own miles for one of its flights – booking Delta with your SkyMiles, for instance – area cinch: Just pick a seat while you book. But if you're booking a partner award ticket using miles from another carrier, it can get complicated. 

If you took our advice and booked a Delta flight through its partner Virgin Atlantic (and saved a ton of points), for instance, you can easily select your seat during the online booking process. Other crafty workarounds aren't so lucky: Whether you're redeeming American miles to book Qatar Qsuites or credit card points you transferred to a foreign airline mileage program, it often takes a bit more legwork. In some extreme cases, you might even need to (cover your ears, Millennials and Gen Zers) pick up the phone and call the airline. 

No matter which airline you're flying, don't get stuck in a random seat. These are the general steps you should follow to choose your seat after booking with your points and miles.

1. Try Picking Seats When You Book 

The easiest to choose your seats on an award flight is when you're booking your flight. 

To be clear, this won't be possible with every airline – far from it. But it's worth checking to see if you have that option during the checkout process.

Thanks to Delta and Virgin Atlantic's close partnership, you'll be able to pick your seat even when booking with Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points, like I did with this short Delta flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Madison (MSN).

The same goes for booking Delta flights through its other airline partners, Air France or KLM, using their Flying Blue miles. Others aren't so lucky.

For example, here's what you'll see when trying to book a United Airlines flight using Air Canada Aeroplan points. 

If you don't have the option to assign seats during checkout – or it doesn't work – you'll need to wait until after your flight is officially booked. 

2. Enter Your Confirmation Code with the Airline You're Flying 

Once you've booked your award flight, you'll get a confirmation code you can use to look up your booking … with the airline you booked through and, if you're lucky, with the carrier you'll actually be flying.

If you struck out selecting seats at booking, the next step is taking that six-digit confirmation code over to the airline you'll be boarding to see if you can select seats. 

For this ITA Airways business class flight earlier this year booked through Virgin Atlantic, both the booking reference number and the 13-digit electronic ticket number worked to look up my booking on ITA's website to choose my seats. 

All I needed to do to select a seat for my flight to Rome was head over to ITA-Airways.com, select the option to manage a booking, and enter my confirmation code. From there, I could easily pull up ITA's seat map and pick seat 4A.

No matter which airline you're flying, they've always got a handy option to manage your trip where seat selection is available. But it's a 50-50 chance whether the confirmation code from the airline you booked with works or not.

Many (but not all) Star Alliance airlines share the same confirmation code, as do most SkyTeam carriers. Other partner award bookings – including most Oneworld airlines like American Airlines, Japan Airlines, and Qatar – do not.

For example, I couldn't pick seats on this Aer Lingus award ticket after booking with British Airways Avios. 

If it doesn't work for you, either, you're not out of luck. Move onto step 3.

3. Get a Different Confirmation Code & Try That

Some partner award tickets actually generate two different confirmation codes:

• The confirmation code from the airline you booked with
• And a different confirmation code for the airline you'll be flying

It's the second one you might need to pick your seats. Fortunately, many airlines make that easy: Some will include it in the initial confirmation code. Otherwise, you can often find it when looking up your reservation online with the airline you booked through.

Here's what that looks like with this Lufthansa business class flight booked using Air Canada Aeroplan points. 

The same is true for virtually every partner award ticket you book using American AAdvantage – whether you book Japan Airlines economy or business class to Tokyo, Qatar Qsuites, and more. Pull up your reservation at AA.com and look for the separate confirmation code.

Either way, take that second confirmation code and head to the website of the airline you're actually flying to see if you can select your seats online. You should see an option to manage your booking or look up your reservation where you can enter that airline-specific code to pull up your flights. 

From the next screen, you should be able to see if it allows you to choose your seats. For example, after entering the booking code provided by Air Canada for my Lufthansa flight, I can easily pick seats online for free. Done. Cross that one off the to-do list.

In some cases, finding the airline confirmation code you need isn't as easy as checking your email or pulling it up online. Don't worry: You don't need to pick up the phone just yet. 

In that case, you can simply start an online chat (or send a direct message on social media!) with the airline you booked through. Give them the confirmation code you already have and ask for the partner confirmation number, as our editor Kyle did with this Avianca LifeMiles booking a few years ago. 

4. Finally, Contact the Airline

If you aren't able to choose your seats during the booking process or online through the operating airline's website, you'll have to call the airline you're flying to select your seats – or, better yet, use an online chat feature. 

I booked these Aer Lingus business class flights using British Airways Avios, which means that I can select my seats for free … I just have I have to call Aer Lingus to do. First, I had to call British Airways to get the Aer Lingus booking code – the one provided in my email receipt from BA was for British Airways. This was simple: I just asked the agent to provide the Aer Lingus booking reference number for my flight. 

Correct confirmation code in hand, I called Aer Lingus, followed the prompts, and was eventually connected to an agent who helped me select my seats. A few minutes later, my assigned seats appeared in my Aer Lingus booking online. 

Bottom Line

Booking flights with points and miles is a great way to fly for free (or nearly free) all over the world. But when you book an award flight through a partner airline, it may take extra legwork to choose your seat. 

Follow this guide to make sure you get the seat you want on your flight – especially if you're flying up front! 

But that doesn't mean you should stop there – just the opposite.

Once you've earned that welcome bonus on the Sapphire Preferred, you're generally much better off putting your everyday expenses, like gas and in-person grocery purchases, on a different credit card that earns you more points. And that's where the Chase Freedom Flex℠ and *freedom unlimited* cards come in.

These two Chase credit cards have no annual fee and typically earn cashback. But pair them with the *chase sapphire preferred* or even the *chase sapphire reserve*, and it forms a powerful tandem that can help you earn even more Chase Ultimate Rewards points on your everyday spending.

We'll walk you through why you may want to pair one of these cards alongside your Chase Sapphire Preferred Card – and how you can earn 95,000 (or more!) Chase Ultimate Rewards points in the process.

Chase Freedom Flex vs. Freedom Unlimited

What's the difference between these two Chase credit cards?

Chase introduced the Freedom Flex Card as a replacement for the wildly popular Chase Freedom Card, which is no longer available for new applications. At the same time, Chase updated the benefits of the *freedom unlimited* to make that card even stronger.

So let's take a look at what each card offers.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

• Welcome Offer: *freedom bonus*
• Earn 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠.
• Earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025.
• Earn 3% cash back on dining
• Earn 3% cash back at drugstores
• Earn an unlimited 1.5% cashback on all other purchases.
• No annual fee!

Learn more about the *freedom unlimited*.

Chase Freedom Flex℠

• Welcome Offer: Earn a $200 bonus after spending $500 in the first three months of card membership.
• Earn 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories on up to $1,500 of spending which could include:
  • Grocery stores, gym memberships, streaming services, gas stations, etc. See our guide of the rotating Chase Freedom bonus categories.
• Earn 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 2025.
• Earn 3% cash back on dining, including takeout and delivery services
• Earn 3% cash back at drugstores
• No annual fee!

Learn more about the Chase Freedom Flex℠. 

Similarities and Differences

These cards clearly have a lot of overlap as both are designed to be a mainstay in your wallet and make for a smart way to pay for many of your everyday expenses.

While the Chase Sapphire Preferred is still a long-term keeper, it's not always the best card swipe for your day-to-day purchases.

The biggest difference is that the Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% back (or 5x Ultimate Rewards) on up to $1,500 of spending each quarter in a set of rotating bonus categories.

Meanwhile, the Chase Freedom Unlimited earns an unlimited 1.5% cashback on all other spending. That makes it a good catch-all card for your other spending – especially if you feel you can't max out the Chase Freedom Flex bonus categories.

One other critical difference: Unlike the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card, the Freedom Flex card isn't issued by Visa. It’s a World Elite Mastercard. That may seem like a meaningless distinction, but it opens up even more benefits like cell phone insurance, free Lyft credits, discounts on Postmates deliveries, and more.

While Chase allows you to hold both the Freedom Unlimited and the Freedom Flex, you only need one to pair with your Chase Sapphire Preferred (or Reserve) Card.

Why You Should Pair a Sapphire Card with a Freedom Card

The one-two punch of holding a Chase Freedom card with a Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve credit card is undeniable.

When you've got a Chase Sapphire card, the cashback your Freedom card earns can be turned into Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Every cent you earn equals 1 Chase point. Therefore, earning 1.5% cashback could also mean 1.5x Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

Let's say you've got the Chase Freedom Flex and the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. Just for spending $500 in the first three months of card membership on the Freedom Flex, you'll earn a $200 cash bonus. If you also hold the Sapphire Preferred, that $200 can be turned into 20,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to use towards travel.

By combining the welcome offers from those two cards, you've now got 95,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards.

But you can do even better with the *freedom unlimited*‘s current bonus: *freedom bonus* If you're able to max out that extra 1.5% on all purchases, you'd end up with an additional 30,000 Ultimate Rewards when all is said and done.

Both Freedom cards will earn more points in certain categories than you would earn with the Chase Sapphire Preferred card on its own. Holding one of the Freedom cards is a great way to make sure you squeeze the most value out of your everyday spending to keep racking up points over the long run … without adding another annual fee.

When paired with the Sapphire Preferred, those 95,000-plus points work out to at least $1,400 in free travel when redeemed through Chase Travel. Not bad for two cards and only $95 in annual fees.

Learn more about the *csp*.

How to Responsibly Earn the Bonus on Chase Credit Cards

Let's be clear about something: Spending $4,500 (or more) in three months to earn these bonuses is no small task. If you don't think you can do it responsibly, you shouldn't try.

Credit cards are serious business, and debt is a major problem in this country. If you charge expenses you can't pay off immediately, paying back high-interest rates will negate the value of whatever points you earn and also harm your credit score.

But if you can meet the spending requirement responsibly, this is a fantastic strategy to earn two big Chase bonuses – and then keep earning Chase points on your everyday spending. 

Related reading: How to Hit the Minimum Spend (& Earn That Bonus) Responsibly on Credit Cards

Bottom Line

Pairing one (or both) of the Chase Freedom cards with a Chase Sapphire Card makes for a powerful points-earning duo. You'll unlock more points upfront, and also maximize your everyday spending from there on out.

Because of the Chase 5/24 rule, it's smart to prioritize Chase credit cards as you work to earn points to fuel your future travels. And with this many potential points on the table, the time is ripe.

No matter which version of the card you choose, you can currently earn a whopping 75,000-point bonus (or maybe even more – keep reading!) after spending $4,000 within the first three months of card membership – up from the standard offer of 60,000 points on both cards. These are the biggest bonuses we've seen on either Chase Sapphire card in nearly a year … and they're two of the best credit card offers on the market right now, period.

But Chase has announced these elevated bonuses are set to end soon. It's unclear exactly when these 75,000-point bonuses will decrease … but we wouldn't wait around. 

Already have one of these cards in your wallet? With a bit of legwork, you might still be eligible to earn another Sapphire card bonus!

Live near a Chase branch? See if you can get an 85,000-point bonus (with a slightly higher spending requirement) by applying in-person – but only on the Chase Sapphire Preferred! 

Consider this: Those 75,000 points are worth more than $900 when booking flights or hotels through the Chase Travel℠ portal on the Preferred Card – or $1,125 with the Reserve. But you can squeeze far more value out of those points from either card by sending them to Chase's excellent airline and hotel transfer partners.

Just keep in mind: Credit cards are serious business. Adding either card to your wallet just for the big 75,000-point bonus isn't worth it if you can't afford to pay off every dime in spending it takes to earn those points.

Not sure which card to pick? If you're just getting started with travel rewards credit cards, there's no better place to start than the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card. If you're looking for extra perks like airport lounge access and earning more points, however, the Chase Sapphire Reserve might be the better fit. 

Read on for everything you need to know about these awesome new bonus offers – and why you should take advantage. 

Learn more about the *chase sapphire preferred*

Learn more about the *chase sapphire reserve*

Just How Good are These Chase Sapphire 75K Bonuses?

Really, really good. Neither card is breaking a record for the largest bonuses ever. But they're as good as it gets right now. 

Last spring, Chase increased the offer on the Sapphire Preferred to 80,000 points. This new offer is in roughly the same ballpark. In the past, we've seen bonuses climb as high as 100,000 points on the Preferred Card, but it's unlikely we'll ever see that monster welcome bonus ever again.

You can do slightly better, though – at least so long as you're willing to apply for the Preferred Card in-person at a Chase bank branch. According to Doctor of Credit, Chase is still currently offering a bonus of up to 85,000 points to in-branch applicants: The same 75,000 points after spending $4,000 within three months, plus another 10,000 points after spending a total of $6,000 within six months.

The Chase Sapphire Reserve bonus, though, is identical whether you apply in a Chase branch or online through a site like ours. And 75,000 points is nothing to scoff at: It's the biggest bonus we've seen on Chase's premium travel card in more than a year. 

Whichever route you take, the clock is ticking. Chase has warned these elevated bonuses are set to end soon.

What Can You Do With 75K Chase Ultimate Rewards Points?

The beauty of Chase points is just how valuable – and flexible – they are. So, what can 75,000 points get you? In two words: A lot.

Those reward points are worth a minimum of $900 toward flights, hotels, and other travel expenses booked through the Chase travel portal. But by leveraging Chase transfer partners and sending them to airlines like Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Avios – or even a top-notch hotel partner like Hyatt – you can get much more value from this 75,000-point bonus.

Here's a quick list of some of the best ways to use this bonus. 

This list is just the start! Read our full guide on 10 of the best ways to redeem a big Chase bonus!

Take a Flight Deal & Make it Free

One of our favorite ways to use any frequent flyer points is booking the cheap domestic or international flight deals you find via Google Flights or with a Thrifty Traveler Premium subscription. And the absolute best way to book them is with Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

That’s because your Chase points are worth more if you've got the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve cards in your wallet.

With the Sapphire Preferred Card every point is worth 1.25 cents toward travel when you use them in the Chase Travel Portal. With the Sapphire Reserve, you get 1.5 cents for each point. That's why we say this 75,000-point bonus is worth at least $900 toward flights, hotels, or other travel.

As an example, here’s a recent deal on flights over to Paris we recently sent to our Thrifty Traveler Premium subscribers: You can get to Paris for under $600 roundtrip this year or next – including this summer! 

Booking this flight with bonus points from your Chase Sapphire Preferred? It would cost you less than 48,000 points. With the Sapphire Reserve, it clocks in just under 40,000 points for a free trip to Paris. 

Booking flights directly through the Chase travel portal is one of the easiest ways to redeem points for travel, period. You'll even earn miles when you take your free flight! Best of all, you can book flights on almost any airline using this method.

Read more: How to Book Flights Through the Chase Travel Portal

4 (or More!) Roundtrip Tickets to Hawaii

You can book two, four, or more round-trip tickets to Hawaii with a big Chase bonus. So much for Hawaii being an expensive place to get to, right?

This is where turning to Chase transfer partners really shines, as you have several options to book round-trip flights to the Hawaiian islands for about 25,000 points each – or much less.

If you time it right, you can get to Hawaii for under 12,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points, as with this round-trip flight from Oakland (OAK) to Maui (OGG). And because Chase points transfer to Southwest on a 1:1 basis, 12,000 Chase points is all you need.
 

Another option is transferring your points to British Airways, which you can use to book flights to Hawaii on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines. Here's why: Flying from the West Coast, you can book flights to Hawaii for just 32,000 British Airways Avios … even when American or Alaska are charging 45,000 miles or more for the exact same flights.

Chase points also transfer to British Airways on a 1:1 basis, so you need only 32,000 Chase points per ticket.
 

Read more on our favorite ways to get to Hawaii using points!

A Round-Trip for 2 to Europe – Or 1 in Business Class

These 75,000-point bonuses are more than enough to get two people to Europe and back … or fly solo in style.

The trick is turning to Iberia, a Spanish airline and yet another Chase transfer partner. Using Iberia, you can fly from Boston (BOS), New York City-JFK (JFK), Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD), or Chicago-O'Hare to Madrid (Madrid) for as low as 34,000 miles round-trip. Since Chase points transfer to Iberia on a 1:1 basis, a stash of 75,000 points can cover two roundtrip flights to Europe … with points left to spare!

Or you could splurge for this:
 

Read our step-by-step guide on how to book Iberia business class!

That's right: 75,000 Chase points is more than enough for two one-way flights (or one roundtrip) to Europe in Iberia business class. You can do it for just 34,000 miles each way or 68,000 miles roundtrip! That's a fraction of what most other airlines charge to fly business class to Europe.

Considering these business class tickets cost $4,000 or more a ticket when paying cash, it's a phenomenal way to use those Chase points. And with a Thrifty Traveler Premium alert like this one, it's fairly easy to book as long as you have the points. 
 

Time it right with one of the frequent transfer bonuses from Chase to Iberia (or British Airways), and it gets even better: as low as just 27,000 points each way!

Book Free Hotel Nights with Hyatt

It's not just flights. You can also book hotels using this 75,000-point bonus. And with Chase points, you've got an ace in the hole: Hyatt.

With free nights starting as low as just 3,500 points per night, World of Hyatt is easily the most valuable hotel loyalty program … and it's not even close. Chase points also transfer to Hyatt 1:1.

So with 75,000 points in hand, you could:

• Cover up to 20 or more nights at the cheapest Hyatt properties!
• Book up to three free nights at the brand-new, all-inclusive Secrets Tulum Resort & Spa
• Book a few nights at a posh Park Hyatt property close to home or abroad – some, like the Park Hyatt Siem Reap in Cambodia, are bookable from just 12,000 points per night!
• Get two nights with your own villa in Bali (complete with a private pool!) at the Alila Villas Uluwatu

Read More: Why Hyatt is the Best Hotel Rewards Program

Score a Business Class Suite to Tokyo

This isn't just business class. It's ANA's The Room business class. And you can book your trip to Japan flying this with your Chase bonus.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) might not be a Chase transfer partner, but Virgin Atlantic is. Virgin Atlantic prices these flights more like an economy seat: You can fly from the western U.S. to Tokyo and back for just 105,000 Virgin Atlantic points or 120,000 points from Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) or East Coast cities. One-ways are half the price.

If you time it right with one of the frequent 30% transfer bonuses from Chase to Virgin, you'll have nearly enough points for a roundtrip to Tokyo in business class.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Benefits Overview

• Welcome Offer Bonus: bonus_miles_full
• 3x points per dollar spent on dining, including eligible delivery services
• 3x points per dollar spent on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs like Costco and Sam's Club)
• 3x points per dollar spent on select streaming services
• 2x points per dollar spent on travel purchases
• Earn 5x total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit.
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠
• 10% Annual Points Bonus: Receive a 10% points bonus on your total spending during the account anniversary year at a rate of 1 point for every $10 spent.
• Trip Cancelation & Trip Interruption Coverage
• Baggage Delay and Lost Luggage Coverage
• Rental Car Insurance Coverage
• No Foreign Transaction fees
• Annual Fee: $95

Learn more about the *chase sapphire preferred*

Chase Sapphire Reserve® Benefits Overview

• Welcome Offer Bonus: bonus_miles_full
• Earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent on travel & dining worldwide after using the full $300 travel credit
• 10x Ultimate Rewards points per dollar spent at Lyft through March of 2025
• Points are worth 50% more when redeemed through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 annual travel credit
• Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck
• Trip Cancelation & Trip Interruption Coverage
• Baggage Delay and Lost Luggage Coverage
• Rental Car Insurance Coverage
• No Foreign Transaction Fees
• Annual Fee: $550

Learn more about the *chase sapphire reserve*

Who is Eligible for these 75K Chase Sapphire Bonuses?

Before applying for either card, you should consider a few things to give yourself the best chance of being approved.

You’ll Need Good-to-Excellent Credit

The first thing you’ll need to consider before applying for one of these Chase Sapphire Cards is your credit score.

Chase indicates that you must fall into the “Good” to “Excellent” credit buckets to be approved for both the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Sapphire Reserve Cards. As you can see, that means you’d probably need at least a 680 credit score to get approved.
 

But this isn't a hard-and-fast rule. There are certainly exceptions – especially if you have a history with Chase. But your best bet for getting approved is having a credit score of 700 or higher. If your credit score is below 680, your odds of getting approved aren't great.

Read more: What Credit Score Do You Need for the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

The Chase 5/24 Rule

The next thing you’ll need to be aware of is something called the Chase 5/24 Rule. And it can be a killer.

The Chase 5/24 rule is a restriction rolled out years ago in order to limit card applicants from opening credit cards for the sole purpose of earning the bonus rewards.

Here’s what it boils down to:

• If you have opened five or more credit cards in the past 24 months from any bank (not just Chase), you will not be approved for Chase credit cards, regardless of your credit score or history with Chase Bank.
• The rule does not count credit inquiries, but rather card products you have applied for and been approved for. That also means mortgages and other lines of credit don’t count.

The rule is not officially published through any of Chase’s platforms. Case in point: If you ask about it in a Chase branch or on the phone with a Chase customer service representative, employees have likely not heard of it.
 

There have been some signs lately that Chase is relaxing this rule, but it's still hit or miss. Still, your best chance at getting one of these Sapphire Cards is by being under that all-important 5/24 count. 

Have You Earned a Chase Sapphire Bonus on the Preferred or Reserve Previously?

It’s not just the number of cards you’ve opened that could be a factor. Specific cards could rule you out from earning this bonus, too.

Chase does not allow you to hold the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve simultaneously. That means you will not be eligible to apply for the other one if you already have a Sapphire Preferred or Reserve card open.

Additionally, you will not be eligible for either card if you earned a sign-up bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve in the last 48 months: four full years.

The four-year restriction starts from the date you earned the bonus points – not the date that you opened or closed either card. Still, that opens a window for travelers who've previously had the card to earn one of these bonuses. 

If you previously had a Sapphire Card but downgraded it to one of the Freedom cards or closed your account long ago, you can still apply for this new bonus. Just keep in mind that when you reapply for a new Sapphire Card, you’ll still need to be under the Chase 5/24 rule and have a credit score high enough to get approved.

Read more: Master Guide to Credit Card Applications: All the Rules You Need to Know, Bank by Bank

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card vs. Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Which is Best for You? 

Determining which of these cards is best is a lot like asking a parent to pick their favorite child. It's an impossible task.

For most travelers, though, it'll be best to get started with the Preferred before upgrading later on down the road. You'll get access to all the same transfer partners and still have top-notch travel protections at a much more manageable $95 per year price point.

If you're a frequent traveler who values lounge access and the extra point-earning on travel purchases, maybe the Sapphire Reserve is the right choice for you. While the upfront cost of the Reserve card is much higher, with a $550 annual fee, the effective annual fee is only $250, after factoring in the annual $300 travel credit.

Read more: Which Chase Sapphire Card is Right for You?

Bottom Line

Chase is out with 75,000-point bonuses on both the *chase sapphire preferred* and the *chase sapphire reserve*.

Those are the best bonuses we've seen on Chase's two best travel cards in a year or more. They're up from the standard offer of 60,000 points for the same spending requirement.

These are some of the best offers we've seen on the pair of Chase Sapphire cards. But Chase has announced these elevated bonuses are set to end soon – be sure to take advantage before they're gone!

Learn more about the *chase sapphire preferred*

Learn more about the *chase sapphire reserve*

The key to cutting down international airfare is using positioning flights: short domestic flights from your hometown airport to a second hub to hop on a cheaper fare. Whether you're searching for international flights on your own, booking a great fare through our Thrifty Traveler Premium service, hopping on an insanely cheap mistake fare, or taking advantage of hard-to-find award space to use your points and miles, this strategy can easily save you hundreds of dollars or more.

With international travel demand higher than ever and domestic flight prices on the decline, this is the key to saving big on your long flight abroad.

What is a Positioning Flight?

Wouldn't it be great if every airport, from the tiny to the enormous, could get cheap fares to fly abroad?

Unfortunately, that's just not the case. While we find cheap flights from 200+ U.S. (and Canadian!) airports big and small, the fact of the matter is that the major hubs get the best deals. And this is where positioning flights come in to help bridge the gap.

Think about the major airports in the U.S. with tons of competition that can drive down airfare prices. Here's a quick look at some of the biggest airports in the country with regular international flights:

• Los Angeles (LAX)
• San Francisco (SFO)
• Seattle (SEA)
• Chicago-O'Hare (ORD)
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW)
• Houston-Intercontinental (IAH)
• Boston (BOS)
• New York City (JFK)
• Newark (EWR)
• Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD)
• Atlanta (ATL)
• Miami (MIA)

Which of these major international hubs can you cheaply fly to? Airlines might charge you an arm and a leg if you start your search from your home airport to London-Heathrow (LHR), Sydney (SYD), Tokyo-Haneda (HND), or wherever you're heading abroad.

But if you book a cheap separate flight to get to, say, Los Angeles (LAX) or New York City-JFK (JFK), you can likely save hundreds on that flight overseas. Better yet, use points and miles to book that positioning flight for nearly free – or book both using points and miles.

Let's look at an example.

The Power of Positioning Flights in Action

International travel demand is sky-high, and we've been seeing a steady stream of cheap flights to Europe, the Caribbean, and even Oceania lately, like these amazing roundtrip fares to Europe that we recently sent to Thrifty Traveler Premium subscribers. This flight deal even included dates in August, the peak summer travel season.

But sadly, the whole nation didn't get the flight deal love. So even on the same dates you can catch a dirt-cheap ride on a nonstop flight from places like Boston (BOS) to Copenhagen (CPH) during the peak summer travel season…

…here's what you see flying from even a big airport like Minneapolis (MSP).

Over double the price for a weeklong trip to Europe? No thanks.

The sub-$500 roundtrip flights to Europe were flying Scandinavian Airlines, which only flies to a handful of cities in the U.S., mostly on the East Coast. But getting to Boston from Minneapolis is generally quite cheap and easy, so let's try out a positioning flight.

Start with the long-haul flight to Copenhagen. We can leave Boston at about 6:05 p.m. for a grand total of $356 roundtrip. It's scheduled to land back in the U.S. at 4 p.m. the following week.

Get cheap flights like this sent straight to your inbox with Thrifty Traveler Premium!

Keep those dates and times in mind for your positioning flight as you fire up Google Flights. In this case, we're looking at a $153 fare to get to Boston on Sun Country – though you might be able to find an even better deal by waiting for prices to drop or setting a Google Flights price alert.

The key is making sure all the times and dates line up to make this one-stop flight to Cophenhagen and back work. Add those separate flights up, and you've got a round-trip ticket to Copenhagen for $509 – nearly $300 cheaper than the simple search you started with! Plus, you could drop the final price even lower by using points and miles to book the positioning flight to Boston – or booking the Copenhagen flight using Chase Ultimate Rewards points through the Chase travel portal.

This is just one example, but it's a powerful method that can pay off on almost any big international flight.

Positioning Flights & Points & Miles Deals

When you're trying to use your points and miles, positioning flights can be absolutely essential – especially if you're trying to fly in lie-flat business class. Let's look at an example.

Flying Iberia business class to Madrid (MAD) for as low as just 34,000 miles each way is one of the best deals in the world of points and miles. But you won't find that outstanding deal from every airport: You'll need to depart from select cities like New York City (JFK), Boston (BOS), Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD), or Chicago-O'Hare (ORD).

Oh, and you'll need to find the award space to actually book those lie-flat seats. We just sent Thrifty Traveler Premium members an award alert for some solid availability next year, so that part is covered. 

Get the next amazing award alert with Thrifty Traveler Premium!

But if you were starting from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), Fargo (FAR), or even a massive airport like Atlanta (ATL), your searches with Iberia would come up empty-handed. 

Yet again, a positioning flight is crucial. Getting from Minneapolis over to Chicago won't cost you much at all. 

A quick, $137 flight is all you need in order to hop on this incredible deal, kicking off a trip to Spain in lie-flat seats that typically cost $3,000 or more.

If that doesn't show the power of positioning flights, I don't know what will.

The Risks with Positioning Flights: Delays & Cancellations

We'll be upfront here: There is some risk to keep in mind with positioning flights. But that risk can easily be outweighed by substantial savings.

One-stop journeys booked together (as part of one reservation) protect you if the first leg is delayed or canceled. If your first flight lands too late to catch the second segment, the airline will put you on the next available flight.

But that's not the case if you book a positioning flight separately. Some airlines will help you out when things go wrong … but you can't count on it.

So there's one critical thing to keep in mind: Now more than ever, give yourself plenty of time between flights. With the mass delays and cancellations we've seen over the last few years, there's more uncertainty with booking positioning flights like this.

Read more: How to Survive (or Avoid) Flight Delays & Cancellations

Flight times are almost guaranteed to change from what you initially booked, so you'll need to monitor your reservations to make sure your airlines don't throw a wrench in your plans. And a last-minute delay or cancellation could ruin a trip if it means you miss your connection.

Only you can decide what you're comfortable with, but it's probably safest to give yourself at least three to four hours of connection time between when your positioning flight lands and when that longer flight takes off – and even more on the way back home to the U.S., as you'll have to clear customs and immigration, then re-clear security.

You might even want to consider flying in a day early, just to be sure you don't miss that big flight abroad. If your outbound flight departs early or your return flight lands light, an extra overnight might be essential.

There are a few other things to keep in mind for your positioning flight:

• When possible, it's worth trying to book your positioning flight on the same airline as the international journey. Some carriers can link these flights. While that won't protect you as if they were booked as one trip, it will give the airline a heads-up if you're in danger of missing your connection. This can also help with baggage.
• It's best to travel with only a carry-on bag. If things go wrong (or even if they don't), you don't want to have to worry about collecting your baggage, rechecking it, and re-clearing security. Read our tips to pack in a carry-on bag!
• Consider paying for your trip with a credit card that has trip delay and cancellation coverage like the *chase sapphire preferred*, the *chase sapphire reserve*, or the *venture x*. While it won't ensure you get on the next flight if your positioning flight is delayed, it can help cover some of the costs if things go wrong.

Only you can decide whether these risks are worth it. To us, the savings of pairing a positioning flight with a great international flight deal can easily outweigh them.

Bottom Line

Positioning flights make any flight deal accessible from anywhere in the U.S. Don't let another incredible flight deal pass you by because it's not departing from your home city.

But rules were made to be broken. A handful of airlines regularly offer reasonable upgrades to business class on overseas flights – whether you redeem some extra miles before departure or pay cold, hard cash. Think $600 each way, 50,000-some miles, or less – a fraction of what many of these seats typically cost.

Now let's be clear: It's never a sure thing. You might hope to see a reasonable upgrade offer from one of these airlines only to see an eye-popping price north of $3,000. But this (admittedly not-quite-exhaustive) list of airlines stands out for offering a cheaper path to a lie-flat seat.

Fair warning, though: If you're angling to score an upgrade, you'll want to avoid that booking that cheap basic economy ticket. Most airlines on this list block those fares from upgrades.

Aer Lingus

Aer Lingus business class is one of the best ways to fly nonstop to Dublin or back. And upgrades from economy don't break the bank, either. 

Like several other airlines on this list, Aer Lingus sends out upgrade emails to economy passengers, putting empty business class seats up for bids. Offer what you're willing to pay at least five days before departure, and Aer Lingus will get back to you the day before your flight to let you know whether you're getting bumped up to these lie-flat seats. 

Read more: 5 Things I Loved Flying Aer Lingus Business Class (& 2 I Didn’t)

Here's the best part: We've heard from many travelers scoring some incredibly cheap upgrade rates lately of $400 to $500 each way – especially on the new route from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP). With far more business class seats to fill (and thus more likely to go out empty), your best bet for a cheap upgrade is on Aer Lingus routes operated by their larger Airbus A330 planes.

There's also an ironclad way to use Aer Lingus Avios to upgrade. But the rates of 37,000 Avios to 55,000 Avios seem too high to be worth it if you ask us. 

Air France/KLM 

Two names, one airline. Though they are out of Paris-Charles de Gaulle (CDG) and Amsterdam (AMS), Air France and KLM are practically one and the same. They handle upgrades much the same, too … in a good way.

It's hit or miss, but we've seen both airlines selling upgrades to their business class seats from economy on long-haul flights to Europe for as low as $400 each way, which is about as good as it gets. Even upgrade rates of $600 or $700 aren't too shabby.

It's a small price to pay for a seat like this. 

Check out our full review of the new Air France business class!

The sweet spot is checking your reservation just days (if not hours) before departure on the airlines' site or app to see if there are any empty seats they're offloading at a discount. You can even waltz up to the gate before boarding and try your luck.

British Airways

Getting ready to hop across the pond? You've got a few options with British Airways. And while many other airlines on this list have varying upgrade charges, at BA, it's set in stone … kind of. 

For starters British Airways allows you to upgrade using their Avios mileage program with one big hitch: You can only upgrade by one cabin – for example, from a paid premium economy seat to business class. That means you can't vault all the way from economy up to business class using British Airways miles. 

Let's say you're booked flying Premium Economy from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to London-Heathrow (LHR). That seat typically costs 26,000 Avios each way and business class is 50,000 Avios – or a bit more during peak periods. That means you could upgrade your premium economy seat to business class using another 24,000 Avios – so long as there's award availability. 

The airline will tack on some extra taxes and fees but they're reasonable, typically $200 or less each way. And this method is available whether you initially booked your seat using cash or points.

Given that you'll end up paying over $900 in taxes and fees for a business class award flight on BA, the best strategy here is booking a cheap economy or premium economy seat in cash and upgrading with Avios later. 

You might also see some tantalizing upgrade offers in the British Airways app ahead of departure, though that's typically not an option if you booked an award ticket in the first place. 

Delta Air Lines

At a time when Delta regularly charges 400,000 SkyMiles or more for a business class seat, upgrading with cash (or SkyMiles) might just be the best way to score that Delta One seat. 

Delta makes it easier to upgrade your seat than virtually any other airline: If seats are open, you can pay your way to upgrade. But easy doesn't mean cheap. Cash rates are regularly north of $2,000 for a long-haul flight – and since the SkyMiles upgrade rates are tied to the cash price, that's 200,000 SkyMiles.

But heading into the spring, we noticed an undeniable trend: Upgrades on flights to Europe and even Asia were cheaper than … well, maybe ever, with many travelers scoring Delta One upgrades for just $500 or $600 within weeks – if not days – of departure.

• Not one but two travelers flying separately from Atlanta (ATL) to London-Heathrow (LHR) upgraded from economy to Delta One for $499 (or 49,900 SkyMiles) per passenger 
• Days before making the trip back home, one flyer snagged a Delta One upgrade from Milan (MXP) to Atlanta (ATL) by paying just 44,900 SkyMiles
• Flying back from Amsterdam (AMS) to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP), members saw business class upgrades dip as low as $449 each
• About a week before departure, one traveler just upgraded to Delta One Suites from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Seoul (ICN) for just $599 each

This is not a slam dunk – you're still probably more likely to see upgrade prices north of $1,000 or more.

Still, it's an undeniable trend with low upgrade rates on Delta more prevalent than in recent memory. And that means it's worth double-, triple-, quadruple-, and even quintuple-checking your Delta flights in the weeks and days before a trip overseas. While you might initially see eye-popping prices, the odds that the cost to upgrade falls below $1,000 (or half that) seem greater than ever.

Read more: Upgrading is the Best (& Cheapest) Way to Book Delta One Business Class Now

Hawaiian Airlines

There's no better way to fly to paradise than at the front of the plane with Hawaiian Airlines – particularly if you luck out with one of the planes equipped with these fancy new Hawaiian Airlines first class suites.

Once again, you might be better off booking these seats from the start. The airline charges as low as just 40,000 miles for a one-way between the West Coast and Hawaii – and you can instantly transfer Amex Membership Rewards or Bilt points directly to Hawaiian miles.

But if you're already booked in economy, the airline offers not one but two ways to upgrade. So long as you didn't book a basic economy ticket, you can:

• Upgrade to first class for as low as 25,000 miles between Hawaii and the mainland U.S., though that hinges on award availability – you might see upgrade rates of double that amount for a “flex” upgrade
• You can also bid for an upgrade up to 28 hours before departure. If your bid is accepted, you'll get an email 48 hours to 24 hours before departure.
• Finally, day-of-departure upgrades may be available based on availability starting from $399 between the West Coast and Hawaii – and even more from other destinations in the mainland U.S.

Icelandair

A handful of airlines handle upgrades differently: Rather than charging a flat rate, they allow travelers to bid for an upgrade. And, you guessed it, the best seats go to the highest bidders.

Icelandair is one such airline. Sure, you can book the cushy Icelandair Saga Premium seats from the start – often for a bargain. But why not try to pair a cheap flight to Iceland with a cheap upgrade?

While these aren't full-blown lie-flat seats, they're much wider and more comfortable. Plus you get elevated dining, service, and even lounge access in Reykjavik (KEF).

Just how much it costs to bid for an upgrade can vary wildly. Don't be surprised to see starting bids as low as $250 or $300 … with the option of going up to close to $1,000 or more per passenger. 

Select how much you want to offer for your one-way upgrade, submit, and keep your fingers crossed! If your bid isn't accepted, no worries: You won't be charged. 

A few things to keep in mind for making these upgrade offers with Icelandair: 

• If your flight is eligible, the opportunity to bid on an upgrade opens 10 days beforehand and closes 26 hours before departure
• There's no cost to submit a bid, and you're off the hook if yours isn't accepted … but if you get it, you'll be charged the bid amount immediately
• You'll be notified via email if your bid is accepted or not
• Each bid is per segment and per passenger
• If you've racked up a ton of Saga Points by flying with Icelandair, you can use them for these upgrades, too

At the very least, it doesn't hurt to submit the lowest bid. Worst case scenario? You don't get the upgrade. Best case? You're flying up front for cheap.

Emirates

Alright, this one is a bit of a misnomer. This isn't just about upgrading to Emirates business class but Emirates first class, too. You know, the one with the onboard bar and shower.

You'll want some Emirates miles, and they're easy to earn: Emirates is a transfer partner with all the major credit card companies. That means points from cards like the *chase sapphire preferred* or the *venture x* can instantly get you Emirates miles to upgrade.

You can upgrade from economy to business class or from business to first class – but not from economy all the way up to Emirates First. There are two ways to upgrade:

• Emirates allows you to waitlist a business class or first class upgrade in advance … but if no more award seats open up (and they often don't), the request will be denied 48 hours before departure and your upgrade request will be canceled.
• But on the day of departure, it's a (possible) free-for-all: So long as there are still seats open in the first class cabin, you can use miles to upgrade at check-in, at the gate, or even once you board the plane!

Those day-of upgrades are the most reliable by far. Exactly how many miles these upgrades will cost you depends on your route, what kind of ticket you originally booked, and what cabin you're hoping to wind up in. 

You can check out those rates route-by-route using Emirates' miles calculator. If you ask us, the best option, by far, is upgrading from business class to first class:

• New York City (JFK) to/from Milan (MXP): 39,000 miles (or 50,700 if you booked a roundtrip saver award for 108,000 miles)
• Newark (EWR) to/from Athens (ATH): 39,000 miles (or 50,700 if you booked a roundtrip saver award for 108,000 miles)
• New York City (JFK) to/from Dubai (DXB): 70,200 miles
• Washington, D.C.-Dulles (IAD) to/from Dubai (DXB): 70,200 miles
• Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to/from Dubai (DXB): 70,200 miles
• Los Angeles (LAX) to/from Dubai (DXB): 81,900 miles
• San Francisco (SFO) to/from Dubai (DXB): 81,900 miles

Read our full review of flying Emirates first class!

Bottom Line

Look, we still think your best bet for scoring a lie-flat seat is just booking that ticket in the first place – particularly if you've got credit card points or airline miles, as it may not cost you much at all.

But if you're lucky and focus on these airlines, you might luck out with a cheaper – maybe even dirt-cheap – upgrade offer to move to the front of the plane. May the odds ever be in your favor.

But many travelers aren't just deciding on the perfect card for themselves – they're also trying to pick the right card for their favorite travel buddy. And while you can add an authorized user to any of the Delta SkyMiles cards, exactly what that person gets in terms of benefits will vary wildly depending on which card you have. 

From checked bags to priority boarding and lounge access, here's what authorized users can expect with a Delta SkyMiles credit card.  

What Is An Authorized User?

Authorized users occupy a quirky, confusing space in the world of credit cards.

Adding someone as an authorized user to your credit card means they'll get their own physical card, which they can use to make purchases on your behalf. But be warned. Any charges made by the authorized user will ultimately be the responsibility of the primary cardholder. That means if charges are made from the authorized user that you can't pay, both the primary cardholder and the authorized user will take a hit to their credit score.

Make sure to pick your authorized users wisely as they ultimately become an extension of your card's spending power.

Being an authorized user on somebody else's credit card will allow you to build a credit history. Assuming all payments are made on time and in full, it will have a positive impact on the authorized user's credit score. For this reason, adding a teen with little to no credit history, or somebody with bad credit who can't get approved for their own card might be a good option to help them build or rebuild their score.

Read more: Everything You Need to Know About Credit Card Authorized Users

How Much Do Authorized Users Cost?

Before we get too far into what benefits Delta SkyMiles authorized users get, let's take a look at what it costs to add someone else to your account. 

• *delta blue*: No fee
• *delta skymiles gold card*: No fee
• *delta skymiles platinum card*: No fee
• *delta reserve card*: $175 per year

Looking at that list, you'll see that it's free to add an authorized user with most SkyMiles cards. While that probably seems like great news, the downside is that means authorized users on most of the Delta cards don't get much in the way of travel benefits.  

Aside from the top-dollar Delta Reserve card, authorized users on the rest of Delta's co-branded cards are almost exclusively limited to earning additional SkyMiles and Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) – on some of the cards at least – for the main cardholder. 

Delta SkyMiles Authorized User Benefits

Alright, now that we've covered the basics about what an authorized user is and how much it costs to add one to your SkyMiles card, let's get into the reasons why adding one to your account can make sense. 

Delta Sky Club Access

For Delta loyalists, there's a lot to love about the *delta reserve card* – but at a whopping $650 per year (see rates & fees), it doesn't come cheap. One of the card's biggest selling points is that it's the best (and only) SkyMiles card for getting into Delta's long list of Sky Clubs. That's a benefit that authorized users get as well. 

The Reserve Card currently comes with unlimited complimentary access to Delta Sky Clubs for both the main card member and authorized users. This is the single best benefit for authorized users and can easily justify the extra $175 per year it costs to add them. Beginning Feb. 1, 2025, Reserve cardholders and their authorized users will be limited to just 15 Sky Club visits each year, unless they spend $75,000 or more on their card in a calendar year.

Spending across all cards (including authorized users) counts towards the $75,000 threshold and once it's met, unlimited complimentary Sky Club access is unlocked for both the main cardholder and any authorized users for the remainder of the year and all of the next. 

In addition to Sky Clubs, authorized users get access to Amex Centurion Lounges when flying Delta, too, just like the main cardholder does.

Critically, authorized users can access Sky Clubs (and Centurion Lounges) regardless of whether or not they're traveling with the main card member. This is a great way to share lounge access with a friend or family member who travels for work or with a group. Delta Reserve card authorized users don't get guest passes like the main cardholder does, though. 

Earning SkyMiles and MQDs

When it comes to making purchases, authorized user cards earn SkyMiles at the same rate as the main cardholder. This means you'll be earning bonus SkyMiles on your Delta purchases, as well as when you're spending in any of the card's other bonus categories. 

But here's the kicker: The main cardholder gets all of the SkyMiles earned through spending, regardless of which card it's done on. Since the primary account owner is the one responsible for paying off all the charges made, it's only fair. 

While that might initially seem like a negative, it's probably not. For couples who often travel together, having one big pool of Delta SkyMiles actually makes more sense than having two smaller batches. Since Delta doesn't allow family pooling, like other airlines do, having one big pile of SkyMiles will make your life easier when you go to book travel. 

Both the *delta skymiles platinum card* and the *delta reserve card* earn Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) towards elite status through spending on the cards. Like the SkyMiles earned through spending, these MQDs are credited to the main account holder. 

But once again, this may be a positive thing. Putting the spending power of two people together makes it easier for one person to earn elite status. And so long as you travel together, those elite benefits will also be extended to your travel companion. 

Read more: Did Delta Actually Make Earning Elite Status … Easier in 2024?

20% Back on In-Flight Purchases

With each of the Delta cards, you'll get a 20% rebate on any in-flight food and beverage purchases you make with your card. Given the relatively high prices airlines charge for a small snack box or beer and wine, this can be a nice perk of having a SkyMiles card. 

Purchases made with both the primary card and any authorized user cards are eligible for this 20% kick back and you don't even need to be traveling together to take advantage. 

What Benefits are Missing?

The list of perks that Delta SkyMiles authorized users do not get is a lot longer than the things they do. Unfortunately, most of the cards' biggest selling points are exclusively available to the main cardholder. 

We'll break it down in further detail below but if you and your favorite travel buddy are often heading in different directions with Delta, it'll probably make more sense for you to each have your own SkyMiles credit card. On the flip side, if you primarily travel together, you'll still get access to many of the best benefits, even though it's not included on your authorized user card. 

First Checked Bag Free

With Delta, you can expect to pay anywhere from $35 to $75 for your first checked bag, depending on the ticket you bought and the route you're flying. While $35 might not seem like much, it amounts to $70 roundtrip, which can add up fast if you're flying with a family.

It's easy to avoid paying these baggage fees altogether by having one of Delta's co-branded credit cards – and there are several to choose from. All but the no-annual-fee (see rates & fees) *delta blue* will get you a free 50-pound checked bag on any Delta-operated flight simply for having the card in your wallet; even if you don't pay for the flights with it. What's more, you'll also get a free checked bag for up to eight additional passengers booked on your same reservation.

Unfortunately, this benefit does not extend to authorized users no matter which version of the card you carry. The only way to get a free checked bag as an authorized user is by traveling with the main cardholder on the same itinerary. 

TakeOff15

Last year, Delta and American Express added a new benefit to nearly all of the airline's co-branded credit cards, immediately becoming one of the cards' best perks: Cardholders get an automatic 15% discount on most SkyMiles award bookings.

This isn't available on the no-annual-fee Delta Blue Card, but all others have access to this discount. 

Unfortunately, authorized users' SkyMiles accounts won't see the savings reflected. To take advantage of this 15% savings on your next SkyMiles award ticket, you'll need book through the main cardholder's account. 

Delta Companion Certificate

What's a Delta companion certificate? Think of them as a buy-one, get-one benefit for flights each year: Use them wisely, and you can get plenty of value, often outweighing the annual fee you're paying on your Delta card.

You won't get your companion ticket right off the bat, it starts only after you've held either the Delta SkyMiles Platinum American Express Card or the Delta SkyMiles Reserve American Express Card for a full year.

Exactly what you can get depends on which card you've got. Let's go over some basics:

• The *delta skymiles platinum card*‘s companion certificate is good for one main cabin roundtrip fare
• The *delta reserve card*‘s companion ticket can also be used for Delta Comfort Plus, Delta Premium Select, and first class airfare.

Keep in mind: These Delta companion tickets are a use-it-or-lose-it benefit! Pay close attention to the expiration date on your certificate, and be sure to use it before then. It's not enough to book before it lapses – you have to actually take and return from the trip before that expiration date.

Many travelers wonder if this benefit is also available on authorized user cards – after all, that would make adding another card a no-brainer. Unfortunately, that isn't the case. Only the main cardmember gets the annual companion certificate and it can be used on any travel buddies, not just authorized users. 

MQD Headstart

Both the SkyMiles Platinum and Reserve cards give cardholders a boost towards earning Delta elite status by giving them a 2,500 MQD Headstart each year. 

This is a huge benefit as it means someone with both cards would automatically have Delta Silver status without even stepping foot on an airplane or swiping their card for purchases. Unfortunately, this benefit is limited to the primary cardholder only and doesn't get extended to authorized users, no matter which version of the card you have. 

Statement Credits

Earlier this year, Delta and American Express raised annual fees on nearly all their cards while adding new monthly and annual statement credits to help ease the pain. 

From the *delta skymiles gold card* to the *delta reserve card*, you'll now get an annual credit to use on hotels booked through Delta Stays. While the Platinum and Reserve Cards also come with monthly rideshare and dining credits at Resy restaurants. The Platinum and Reserve cards also come with a credit to cover the cost of TSA PreCheck or Global Entry every four to five years. 

All of these statement credits can be used by spending on either the primary card or authorized user cards – but the benefits are limited to one credit per account.

So for example, if a Delta SkyMiles Platinum authorized user card made a $10 purchase with Uber, that would use up the monthly rideshare credit for the entire account. Similarly, if the main cardholder dined at a Resy restaurant at the beginning of the month and that purchased triggered the card's new dining credit, the authorized user wouldn't be able to double dip and use a credit of their own later on since it's one per account. 

Related reading: From Dining to Hotels, How to Track & Maximize New Delta Amex Credits

Bottom Line

Adding an authorized user to your Delta SkyMiles credit card can be a great way to earn extra SkyMiles on everyday spending and in some cases, even help with your quest towards elite status.

Although the list of benefits that authorized users don't get certainly overshadows the list of perks they do, being able to get your favorite travel buddy into Delta Sky Clubs by adding them as an authorized user on your Delta Reserve card can easily outweigh the nominal fee. 

Everyone, it seems, loves the nonstop flight itinerary – and I don't blame you! Leaving your home airport and arriving at your destination in the same seat you started in is a great luxury, but it's a luxury you're usually paying extra for. By taking quick connections when flying in the U.S. or abroad, I've saved thousands of dollars over the past few years, and stand to save thousands more over the next few months, too.

Plus, when flying cross-country or overseas, a layover can be a nice reprieve from being stuck in a metal tube in the sky for an extended period. Think of it as an intermission to stretch your legs and get some real (read: non-microwaved) food and drink to break up the long journey. 

Booking connecting flights can and should be done. Here are four main reasons why. 

It's Often Cheaper

This is the most important reason you should consider booking a flight with a connection over a nonstop flight. It's to avoid flight prices like this. 

I refuse to pay four-digit airfares – especially in economy. Flying from Salt Lake City (SLC) to London (LHR) cannot and should not cost you more than $1,000 just for basic economy, where you don't get a seat assignment or the ability to make changes. 

But just a few days ago, we found a bunch of steeply discounted fares to London for travelers willing to take a connection and sent them to our Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal alert subscribers in these cities. 

For half the price of the nonstop flight, you could take a connection on American or United Airlines and fly from Utah to England this fall! 

The savings aren't always that drastic, but they're typically still meaningful. Nonstop flights from Atlanta (ATL) to London aren't quite as oppressive. There's enough competition on that route that prices aren't as eye-watering as they were from Salt Lake. I cherry-picked the cheapest date on the calendar in October for this example, too – most of the roundtrip fares are in the $700s and $800s between these two cities. 

But there are still big savings to be had if you take a connection on Atlanta's new service flying Scandinavian Airlines. 

This doesn't just work for long-haul flights, either. Many airlines will offer discounts to take connecting itineraries. WestJet is doing just that this summer flying to and from Western Canada. If a trip to Banff National Park is on your bucket list (as it should be!) you might like what you see here for July travel. 

The nonstop Delta flight between Minneapolis (MSP) and Calgary (YYC) is running travelers $700 or more roundtrip in basic economy this summer. But WestJet fares with connections in Western Canada? Less than $300 roundtrip in most cases. 

The same savings apply when you're booking with Delta SkyMiles. When filtering for nonstop Delta flights on this route, the best rates you can find are about 58,000 SkyMiles roundtrip for basic economy. 

Add a connection to your search and those WestJet fares will be included in these results, thanks to their partnership with Delta. Suddenly, those rates plummet to 25,000 SkyMiles roundtrip. 

In fact, all of these cities with Delta service were able to snag those 25,000-mile fares to Banff. We rounded all of them up and sent out this Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal to our members a few days ago. 

Far and away the best reason to take a connection is to snag a steeply discounted fare. 

More Points & Miles Award Availability

When it comes to using points and miles to book cheap travel in economy or business class, the key is flexibility. We always encourage flexibility in dates and time of travel, but possibly the most important thing to be flexible with is your departure and arrival cities. 

Take Iberia Business Class. Iberia isn't the fanciest lie-flat offering crossing the Atlantic, but it's usually the cheapest business class seat you can book with points and miles. Just 34,000 points each way are enough to secure these seats in the winter and spring every year – making for possibly the best deals in the world of award travel.

But to take advantage of these fares, you have to fly to Madrid (MAD), which may not be your desired destination in Europe. Let's say, for example, that you want to go to Italy instead. What you're going to have to do here is book your own connection – which we call a positioning flight. Luckily, once you land in Madrid, flying to the rest of Europe (including Italy) is insanely cheap. Just look at the prices of these one-way flights! 

Read Next: The #1 Trick to Saving on Flights to Europe

Tack on another $19 to $50 to your trip and make that short, cheap connection in Europe – it's worth it! 

You may also have to build a connection on the front end of your trip because unless you live in one of these cities, you won't be able to take advantage of these cheap business class seats to Spain. 

Luckily, you can book another positioning flight to get to that long-haul flight across the Atlantic. Grab a short, cheap flight from your home airport to Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), New York (JFK), or D.C. (IAD) and you're ready to fly business class for less in 2024 or 2025. 

Free Stopovers

Clomping through another country's airport between two flights: Tired. 

Spending a few nights in another country between two flights for the same price as the roundtrip: Wired.

Stopovers are for the true Thrifty Traveler. The traveler who's getting two countries on their trip for the price of one roundtrip flight. It's one of our favorite practices in travel, and it can lead to huge savings and unbelievable experiences. 

Let's say you want to book a summer vacation to the Swiss Alps.

You search from your home airport New York (JFK) for nonstop flights to Zurich (ZRH) and see fares like these … not bad! But if you open it up to one-stop itineraries you'll see that you can save about $100 by taking a connection in Iceland flying Icelandair. That's one good reason to take the connection. But it gets better. 

We sent this roundup of cheap fares to Switzerland this August a few weeks ago, and most of them are still around, if not cheaper!

This itinerary from Raleigh (RDU) to Zurich is a perfect example of a super-cheap one-stop itinerary to the Alps. The total is $578 roundtrip when booked through Icelandair – just slightly higher than the Google Flights price listed here. 

But once you have that, you should pay a visit to Icelandair's stopover page to build an itinerary with an Iceland stopover. You can attach the stopover to the beginning or end of the trip (although the end-of-trip stopovers tend to be cheaper). And once you do that, you realize you can tack on two nights in Iceland at the end of your trip for the exact same cost…

Read our step-by-step guide to booking an Iceland stopover!

Stopovers are game-changing, and Icelandair's stopover program is among the best. The following airlines also offer free stopovers when booking connecting flights. 

• Turkish Airlines in Istanbul (IST)
• Iberia Airlines in Madrid (MAD) 
• TAP Air Portugal in Lisbon (LIS) 
• Aer Lingus in Dublin (DUB) 
• Fiji Airways in Fiji (NAN) 
• Qatar Airways in Doha (DOH) 
• Hawaiian Airlines in Honolulu (HNL) 
• and more! 

Because You Have To!

Finally, there's a last category of layover lovers, and those are the travelers who don't have a choice. Want to fly to Vietnam from the United States? There's only one way to do it, and that's on the one and only nonstop flight between the two countries: SFO-SGN on Vietnam Airlines. And with zero competition, that flight is never affordable. 

To get fares like this, sometimes you're going to have to have a layover. In this case, these flights all connect in Asia, giving you an hour or so to stretch your legs before your short-hop flight over to Vietnam. 

But sometimes the connection is required for places a little closer to home, too. For instance, American Airlines slashed prices to Belize (BZE) recently on its connecting flights through Charlotte (CLT) from all of these airports this summer and fall. It was a stunning sale. 

The interesting part is, that airports like Atlanta (ATL) and Minneapolis (MSP) have nonstop flights to Belize already…but only in the winter. Travelers who wanted to go to Belize in the summer or fall had to grab these one-stop flights at steeply discounted rates. I doubt any of them were upset with prices like those, though!

Bottom Line

Everyone loves their nonstop flights, but lovers of layovers know where the savings are and where the best travel opportunities are: Connecting flights. 

They're not as sexy as their nonstop counterparts, but connecting itineraries allow travelers to save up to half-off (or more), book better points and miles availability, book stopovers, and fly to places they otherwise couldn't. 

Right now there are multiple cards with annual fees under $100 offering huge, limited-time bonuses.

While a big pool of points can take the sting out of a high annual fee in year one, that cost gets harder and harder to justify as time goes on – and that's what makes these specific card offers so special. You don't have to compromise and earn fewer points just to avoid a high fee. While all the cards on this list have annual fees that clock in under $100 each year, some of them are even fee-free.

Here's a look at the current best offers on credit cards with fees under $100 each year.

Looking for a new card? Check out our monthly list of all the best new card offers! 

Earn 75K Ultimate Rewards With the Chase Sapphire Preferred

We've long considered the *csp* the best travel rewards credit card for beginners and experienced travelers alike.

Right now is a great time to apply as Chase is out with a new, limited-time bonus offer: bonus_miles_full You'll come out way ahead on the card's low $95 annual fee.

Other benefits like travel and rental car insurance, trip delay and cancelation protection, and an annual $50 hotel credit make the Sapphire Preferred a mainstay in many traveler's wallets.

Above all, it's the perfect card to start earning points to travel even more for less. Whether you're planning your next trip or looking further out, we don't think you can do better than the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you're looking for a travel card with a low annual fee.

Full Benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred

• Welcome Offer Bonus: bonus_miles_full
• 3x points per dollar spent on dining, including eligible delivery services
• 3x points per dollar spent on online grocery purchases (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs like Costco and Sam's Club)
• 3x points per dollar spent on select streaming services
• 2x points per dollar spent on travel purchases
• Earn 5x total points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, excluding hotel purchases that qualify for the $50 Anniversary Hotel Credit.
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠
• 10% Annual Points Bonus: Receive a 10% points bonus on your total spending during the account anniversary year at a rate of 1 point for every $10 spent.
• Trip Cancelation & Trip Interruption Coverage
• Baggage Delay and Lost Luggage Coverage
• Rental Car Insurance Coverage
• Recommended Credit Score: Excellent/Good
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None
• Annual Fee: $95

Learn more about the *csp*

Read more: A Full Review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred

Earn an Extra 1.5% With the Chase Freedom Unlimited

What's better than having a card with an annual fee under $100 each year? Not paying one at all.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited currently earns a base 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases. This deal is made even sweeter with the recent offer.

Chase is out with a special new offer on its popular *freedom unlimited*. bonus_miles_full

The cash back your Freedom Unlimited card earns is doled out in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards, which you can redeem for cash back, gift cards, or even for flights and hotels booked through Chase.

If you've also got another Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards like the *chase sapphire preferred* or the *chase sapphire reserve* in your wallet, you can combine points between cards and transfer those points to airline and hotel partners to book travel.

Full Benefits of the Chase Freedom Unlimited Card

• Welcome Offer Bonus: bonus_miles_full
  
• Earn 6.5% cashback on travel booked through Chase Travel℠
• Earn 6.5% cashback on Lyft rides through March 2025.
• Earn 4.5% cashback on dining, including takeout and delivery services
• Earn 4.5% cashback at drugstores
• Earn unlimited 3% cashback on all other purchases
• Subject to the Chase 5/24 rule, so you won't get approved for the Chase Freedom Unlimited if you've opened five or more credit cards (from any bank, not just Chase) in the last 24 months.
• No Annual Fee

Learn more about the *freedom unlimited*.

Read more: A Full Review of the Chase Freedom Unlimited

Earn 75K Capital One Miles With the Venture Rewards Card

The *venture x* gets all the attention, but the original *capital one venture card* still finds a home in many traveler's wallets – and for good reason.

With this card, you'll earn the same 75,000-mile welcome bonus as the Venture X after spending $4,000 in the first three months … without paying a nearly $400 annual fee.

You'll also earn identical rewards on your everyday purchases: Unlimited 2x miles per dollar, everywhere. Add in up to $100 in credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck and two annual passes to the growing list of Capital One Lounges (a benefit that disappears at the end of the year) and it's easy to see why this card is so popular.

Full Benefits of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card

• Welcome Bonus: bonus_miles_full
• Earn 2x miles per dollar on every purchase. There is no cap to the number of miles you can earn each year.
• Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck
• Two free annual passes to visit the new Capital One Lounges through 2024
• Fly on any airline or stay in any hotel with no blackout dates
• Capital One Venture Miles never expire
• The card does not charge foreign transaction fees
• $95 Annual Fee

Learn more about the *capital one venture card*

Related reading: Earn a Big Bonus & More Perks With the Capital One Venture Card

Up to 70K American Miles With the AAdvantage Aviator Red

There's no easier way to earn a huge welcome bonus than with the AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®. Forget spending a few thousand dollars: You can get a big bonus with a quick purchase (or two).

Here's how the bonus works:

• You'll get 60,000 AAdvantage miles after making your first purchase within 90 days and paying the card's $99 annual fee in full
• You can get an additional 10,000 AAdvantage miles for adding an authorized user and having them make a purchase within 90 days

If you've got a good use for AA miles – and trust us, there are plenty – don't let this increased offer pass you by.

Full Benefits of the AAdvantage Aviator Mastercard

• Welcome Offer: Earn 60,000 AAdvantage miles after making your first purchase within 90 days and paying the card's $99 annual fee in full. You can get an additional 10,000 AAdvantage miles for adding an authorized user and having them make a purchase within 90 days
• Earn 2x AAdvantage miles for every dollar spent on eligible American Airlines purchases.
• Earn 1x AAdvantage miles for all other eligible purchases.
• First checked bag free for the primary cardmember and up to four companions on eligible bags when traveling on domestic itineraries operated by American Airlines.
• Preferred boarding for the primary card member and up to four companions booked on the same reservation for all American Airlines-operated flights.
• Starting in year two, you can earn a $99 companion certificate once you've spent $20,000 in a calendar year and keep your account open for at least 45 days after your card renewal date
• Onboard Wi-Fi credit: Pay for inflight Wi-Fi with the Aviator Mastercard and get up to $25 back in statement credits each year.
• Save 25% on in-flight food and beverage purchases (savings are in the form of statement credits).
• No foreign transaction fees.
• Annual fee: $99.

Apply Here (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).

Earn Up to 75K Ultimate Rewards With the Chase Ink Cards

Yes, these are business cards but hear me out: you might have what the banks consider a small business and not even know it!

If you've got a side hustle, do consulting work, or even buy and sell items on Facebook Marketplace or eBay, you have a business and could qualify for these cards.

With the current offers, you can earn up $750 cash back (or 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points) with both cards. But exactly how the bonus works will depend on which version of the card you choose.

• With the *chase ink cash*, it's broken up into two tiers. You can earn $350 (or 35,000 points) after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 (or 40,000 points) after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening.
  
• With the *chase ink unlimited* you can earn $750 (or 75,000 points) after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.

While these cards technically earn cash back, you can turn that into valuable Chase Ultimate Rewards points so long as you hold another Chase card that earns them, including the *chase sapphire preferred*, the *chase sapphire reserve*, or even the *chase ink preferred*.

So long as you can responsibly meet either card's $6,000 spending requirement,you won't find a better or cheaper way to earn a big bonus. With one of those other Ultimate Rewards cards in tow, you can redeem those 75,000 points for more than $900 in travel booked through Chase Travel℠ – or potentially much more by using Chase's transfer partners like Hyatt, United, Southwest Airlines, and more.

Not sure which card is best for you? Read our side-by-side comparison for more info! 

Full Benefits of the Chase Ink Business Unlimited Credit Card

• Welcome Offer: *Ink Unlimited Bonus*
• Earn unlimited 1.5x points (1.5% cash back) on all business purchases
• Earn 5x points (5% cash back) on Lyft rides through March 2025.
• Primary rental car collision and damage waiver coverage
• Lost luggage insurance of up to $3,000 per person per trip
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• Annual Fee: None

Learn more about the *chase ink unlimited*.

Full Benefits of the Chase Ink Business Cash Credit Card

• Welcome Offer: *ink cash bonus*
• 10% Relationship Bonus: Chase Ink Cash cards opened between March 17 and Nov. 17, 2024, can get a 10% bonus on all rewards earned in the first year (sign-up and referral bonus points are ineligible). In order to be eligible for the one-time bonus you also need to have a Chase Business Checking account open on your cardmember anniversary date.
• 5x points (5% cash back) on office supply purchases; internet, phone and cable service charges (up to $25,000 in combined spending each account anniversary year).
• 2x points (2% cash back) at restaurants and gas stations (up to $25,000 in combined spending each account anniversary year).
• 1x points (1% cash back) on all other eligible spending
• Primary rental car collision and damage waiver coverage
• Lost luggage insurance of up to $3,000 per person per trip
• Foreign Transaction Fee: 3% of the amount of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• Annual Fee: None

Learn more about the *Ink Cash*.

Bottom Line

It doesn't have to be either a big bonus or a low (or no) annual fee. With any of these cards, you get the best of both worlds by earning a meaningful amount of points or miles upon completing the new card's minimum spending requirement and you're not on the hook for an exorbitant annual fee.

Some of these offers are only around for a limited time, while others are mainstays. If one of these cards (and its big bonus) is the right fit for you, don't delay! 

That's up from the standard bonus of 60,000 points, making this one of the best bonuses you can get on this card – or any travel card right now, period. Many of us already have this card, but a bonus this good has some of us attempting to get it again.

Live near a Chase branch? See if you can get an 85,000-point bonus (with a slightly higher spending requirement) by applying in-person – but only on the Chase Sapphire Preferred! 

Wondering just what can those 75,000 points get you? Between the ability to book flights and hotels directly through Chase Travel℠ and transferring them to more than a dozen airline or hotel partners, these points are more than enough to cover a few types of trips.

But let's make it real. The Thrifty Traveler team turned on wanderlust mode and dreamed up how we'd each put these points to use.

Learn more about the *csp*.
 

Jared & Erica: Business Class to Europe on Air France

Thrifty Traveler founder and CEO Jared and his wife Erica would both use their own bonuses of 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to fly KLM business class between their home airport of Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) and Europe.

Since Flying Blue – the shared loyalty program of Air France and KLM – is a Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer partner, you can instantly send Chase points to Flying Blue to book these flights for just 50,000 miles and $205.50 in taxes and fees each.

Got a spouse or go-to travel partner? You can both open a Chase Sapphire Card and earn 150,000 points total!

It's hard to beat lie-flat seats on a nonstop flight to Europe from our home airport. We'd each have 25,000 points to spare to book other intra-Europe flights to explore beyond Amsterdam.

Plus, when you fly KLM you'll get one of the airline's famous Delft Blue miniature houses, filled with Dutch gin. Each one depicts a real Dutch building, and they're highly collectible. The airline has been offering these to business-class passengers since the 1950s!

Nick: 2 Nights in Wine Country at the Alila Napa Valley

Now it's my turn.

My wife and I are looking at doing a trip to Napa Valley early next year. I can't think of a better hotel stay to make the experience special than the Alila Napa Valley, a Hyatt property.

The Alila Napa Valley is a category 8 property, meaning a standard room will cost 40,000 World of Hyatt points per night. With Hyatt introducing peak and off-peak award pricing a few years back, it's possible to pay as few as 35,000 points per night for an award at this property – or as much as 45,000 during a peak period.

But the two nights in February 2025 are pricing out as off-peak nights at 35,000 points each. So two nights will cost 70,000 Hyatt points – a very good deal considering cash rates for those nights cost nearly $900 per night.

Since Hyatt is a transfer partner of Chase, I can transfer 70,000 points directly into my Hyatt account and book the two nights I need.

Kyle: A Ski Trip to Japan in Style

Our executive editor, Kyle, has his sights set on returning to Japan with this bonus. He's eyeing one of the best ways to get to Japan.

Just one flight in ANA's “The Room” business class wasn't enough. I mean, just look at this. Can you blame me?

Read our full review of ANA's The Room business class from Chicago to Tokyo!

As luck would have it, my friend and I are hoping to head over to Japan next winter for a ski trip up in Hokkaido. Booking these flights would normally cost a small fortune: Think $20,000 or more in cash. And booking with some airlines like United would run you at least 220,000 miles or more for a roundtrip. This 75,000-point bonus opens up an even better avenue to get to Japan on points and miles.

I could book these business class seats from San Francisco (SFO) to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) and back for just 105,000 points via Virgin Atlantic. While Virgin Atlantic recently raised award rates to book ANA business class, it's still far and away the cheapest way to book these seats. 

Read more on how to book ANA business and first class – and where you'll find these amazing seats!

Virgin is a Chase transfer partner, and Chase points normally transfer 1:1 to Virgin. I know what you're thinking: 75,000 points is not enough to book these flights. 

Fortunately, Chase regularly offers a 30% bonus transferring Chase points to Virgin, including one such bonus available as of publication. Factoring in that bonus, I would have to transfer just 81,000 points to my Virgin Atlantic account to book these incredible flights to Japan! 

Considering the minimum spend requirement to earn the welcome bonus offer, I'll have at least 79,000 Chase points to spend. I shouldn't have a problem earning those final 2,000 points to book ANA's “The Room” business class back to Japan.

Jon: Roundtrip and Nonstop to Hawaii for Cheap

We don't need to tell you that 75,000 points from a single credit card is a big deal. It's so big, in fact, that you can book a roundtrip flight to Hawaii … and still have 5,000 points left over! You just have to do it right.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points offer one of the cheapest ways to fly nonstop in economy to Hawaii. There's just one hitch: You're not using them to fly Virgin Atlantic, but its partner carrier Delta Air Lines. On Delta, you can fly from Minneapolis St. Paul (MSP) to Honolulu (HNL) for just 70,000 miles roundtrip… with minimal fees!

Since Virgin Atlantic is a Chase transfer partner that regularly offers 30% transfer bonuses, you can book this for 54,000 points roundtrip! And, that's exactly what our Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal guru Jon would do.

My wife, Sarah, and I have been trying to sneak in a getaway to Hawaii for years. Using this big 75,000 point Chase bonus, each of us could earn the bonus and easily fly from Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) to Honolulu (HNL) nonstop on Delta!

It's hard to believe we can do it this cheap. Paying cash, each one of these flights would cost more than $1,100 apiece roundtrip! And with the 30% transfer bonus, I'd only need to transfer 54,000 points from Chase to Virgin Atlantic to pull this off per person person.

Gunnar: A Delta Hub Captive's MSP Jailbreak

Our flight deal analyst and travel reporter, Gunnar, has his sites set on a trip south of the border. But instead of heading to Mexico's famed beaches, he's looking to take in a little bit of culture in Mexico City (MEX).

The only problem? Getting there on his preferred airline, Delta, is typically quite expensive. Don't worry though: By transferring Chase points, there's an easy solution!

Delta hub captives, I too feel your pain! Travelers in places like Atlanta (ATL), Detroit (DTW), and Salt Lake City (SLC) know this pain all too well. When Delta doesn't have meaningful competition in a market, they get to set their own flight prices…and sometimes those prices can get offensive. 

It's annoying, but Delta is far and away the best airline flying the most routes out of my home airport ofMinneapolis-St. Paul (MSP). More often than not, it's the only reasonable choice. But I'm not paying $668 to fly main cabin roundtrip to Mexico City (MEX)! That's offensive.

 

 

In SkyMiles, the same flights are close to 60,000 points roundtrip in main cabin. No thanks. 

These are the flights I need to take, though. So how is a 75,000-point bonus on the Chase Sapphire Preferred going to help me? Through Chase's transfer partners Virgin Atlantic and Air France/KLM Flying Blue, which often allow you to book Delta flights at a fraction of the price Delta charges.

These two Delta partners are my Delta nonstop cheat codes. The same flights booked with Virgin? Only 18,500 points each way or 37,000 points roundtrip. With that handy 30% transfer bonus, I'd only need to transfer 29,000 points to book this roundtrip!

 

 

And then check out with FlyingBlue has to offer!

 

 

That's a 30,000-Chase point roundtrip Delta flight instead of shelling out more than $600 or 50,000 Delta SkyMiles. It's meaningful savings for a Delta hub captive like me. 

Better yet: When you use Delta tickets through Flying Blue or Virgin, the lowest economy price books into main cabin – so unlike Delta basic economy, you get a free seat assignment. Plus, you can cancel your ticket at any time for just a $50 fee. Well worth it for the flexibility! 

I still get to fly my preferred airline from my home airport awhile avoiding becoming the latest victim of Delta's price-gouging.

Booking short Delta flights with Chase points isn't the sexiest use of points and miles … but it will help me save roughly $2,500 on flights to weddings, graduations, and otherwise getaways in 2024. All thanks to my Chase points!

 

Peter: Two Stops in South America

Ready to take things to the next level with Chase points?

Our senior flight deal analyst and points and miles reporter, Peter, has insights into redeeming this bonus for an incredible trip to South America with one of the best ways to use United miles.

With 75,000 Chase points, I would book a multi-city “winter” escape down to South America. It’s one of my favorite places to visit and by utilizing Chase’s transfer partnership with United and United’s excursionist perk, I'd book the following itinerary to see both Peru and Colombia for just about 67,000 United miles plus around $137 total in economy.

United's little-known Excursionist Perk allows you to tuck in a free one-way flight inside of a roundtrip reservation. That means the flight from Lima (LIM) to Bogota (BOG) on my trip doesn’t require any extra miles in this case since it’s booked as a stopover on the way back to his home airport of San Diego (SAN). That's right: I'm flying down to Lima, over to Bogota, and then back home from Colombia to San Diego for the same mileage as a simple roundtrip to Peru.

With points to spare, I could book a few more flights within South America or hotels for my trip via Chase Travel℠. 

Paying cash for these flights would be almost $1,000 each, so it's a great value using Chase points. Flying business class with points is almost always a better value compared to the cash cost of a ticket, but if one sign-up bonus can fly a traveler in economy to see two destinations in South America and back, I’d say that’s a steal!

Allie: Diving in Honduras

Our senior editor, Allie, is planning to knock the dust off her scuba gear with her newfound pile of Chase Ultimate Rewards. 

My fiance and I are both certified scuba divers who've yet to dive in 2024, and this Chase bonus will go far towards paying for our next trip. I've had the Chase Sapphire Preferred card for years, but my favorite way to redeem Chase points is also the easiest: using them to book free flights through the Chase Travel℠ portal. 

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, each point is worth 1.25 cents when booking through Chase Travel, so I always know I'm getting pretty good value for my points. And it's easier than transferring points to partner airlines.

The cheaper the fare, the fewer Chase points you need to cover it. That's perfect for when a Thrifty Traveler Premium flight deal hits my inbox like this one to Roatán, Honduras, a top diving destination. 

 

 

After zeroing in on the flights I want on Google Flights, I'll pull up the exact same flights in the Chase Travel portal.

 

 

With 75,000 Chase points, I can easily cover two roundtrip flights from Minneapolis (MSP) to Roatán (RTB) … with plenty of points to spare for another trip! 

 

 

Jackson: A Trip in the World's Best Biz Class

As our credit cards and points & miles editor Jackson put it, a bonus of 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards is more than enough to “live like the rich and famous for a day” – or at least one flight.

This isn't just any business class seat: It's Qatar Airways Qsuite, complete with a fully closing door, lie-flat bed, and top-notch food and drinks. I can't think of a better way to spend a hard-earned welcome offer bonus than this!

Read next: Qatar QSuite Business Class Review

Qatar flies its Qsuite business class all over the world, including many routes from the U.S. to Doha (DOH). But why stop there? I'd prefer to continue on from Doha to see another destination in the Middle East like Dubai (DXB).

In order to make it happen, I'll need to transfer 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards to British Airways Avios. Since Chase points transfer instantly to British Airways, I shouldn't need to worry about award space disappearing while I wait. 

I could stop here and book flights directly with British Airways but I'm actually going to take things one step further and transfer those Avios to my Qatar Airways Privilege Club account instead. There are a couple reasons why taking this extra step makes sense and since Chase and Qatar aren't direct partners, it's a necessary one.

For starters, I'm going to save some points by doing this: British Airways charges 77,000 Avios for the one-way business class flight from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Dubai, while it only costs 75,000 Avios when booking with Qatar. When it comes to booking a bucket list trip like this, 2,000 points isn't much … but hey, every bit counts! But the bigger reason for booking through Qatar is that they have a more generous change and cancellation policy than British Airways. If my plans change, I'll only have to pay $25 to change or cancel my trip compared to the $55 I'd be on the hook for with British Airways. 

When all is said and done, the total out-of-pocket cost for taxes and fees will run me a moderate $206.40. Not bad for nearly 14 hours in the world's best business class – and a pit stop in the incredible Al Safwa First Class Lounge in Doha (DOH) before the final leg to Dubai.

Read more: The Easiest (& Cheapest) Way to Get Into the World’s Coolest Airport Lounge

Lauren: First Time to Dubai

Your bucket list doesn't stand a chance if you get this bonus of 75,000 points. Our social media manager, Lauren, is planning to put those points towards flying to Dubai.

I've always wanted to see Dubai and its stunning architecture. As a shopaholic and fashion aficionado, Dubai's luxury malls and haute couture are a must. And of course, since I'm a social media manager, I want to go to Dubai for the endless supply of Instagrammable spots like the Dubai Magical Garden and The Frame.

But getting to Dubai is expensive – it's not a trip I would take if not for this big bonus. I'm pretty new to the world of points and miles, so my co-workers encouraged me to keep things simple. And there's no easier way to take a flight and make it free than using Chase Travel℠.

Every point is worth 1.25 cents toward flights, so this 75,000-point bonus is worth at least $900 in travel. The cheaper the flight, the fewer points I need.

Lucky for me, I work for a flight deal company. I just got a Thrifty Traveler Premium deal alert for flights to Dubai (DXB) for as low as $697 roundtrip. That's like half the normal cost!

Get flight deals like this one from your home airport with Thrifty Traveler Premium!

Flights from nearby Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Dubai were a bit more expensive but still an amazing deal: I could book a trip this fall for just 63,424 Chase points! I'd still have points leftover to put toward another trip – or I might use some of those points to pop down to Abu Dhabi (AUH), maybe take a quad bike ride out in the Arabian desert.

Long: A Direct Flight to Vietnam in Biz Class

Our credit card and award travel reporter Long has a bucket list trip that many aviation geeks don't even know how to book. With 75,000 Chase points, he would top up his points balance and fly to his favorite country in the world: Vietnam.

Just last month, I got a Thrifty Traveler Premium deal for a business class flight with Vietnam Airlines on the only nonstop route from the U.S. to Vietnam.

I grew up in Vietnamese American household and have traveled to Vietnam frequently,so  I instantly geeked out over this deal. It's a flight I'd been eyeing for a while but never dared to book because of its hefty price tag of $3,500 or more. 

In order to book this flight I'd need to transfer 108,000 Ultimate Rewards to Virgin Atlantic miles during one of Chase's 30% transfer bonuses. While the current bonus isn't quite enough to make this flight a reality, it will get me most of the points I need. And since I don't ever plan to spend $3,000 or more for a flight, it's well worth it to me.

With the current bonus offer combined with a transfer bonus, I'll be roughly 37,000 Virgin points short. But since I can transfer points to Virgin from many other banks including American Express, Capital One, and others, this shouldn't be an issue at all. 

Considering this flight is over 15 hours long, business class is essential. I've been on a lot of cool flights but this one is still one on my list that I have yet to check off.

Amber: Lodging in Ireland

At Thrifty Traveler, we're not above getting high off our own supply … our own supply of amazing flight deals, that is. When we dug up roundtrip flights to Dublin (DUB) for under $150 we knew it was a mistake fare that wouldn't last long: Amber jumped on it by booking flights to the Emerald Isle for her and her husband. 

Now, it's time to put some Chase points to use to plan the rest of the trip.

The chance to fly roundtrip to Dublin for less than a typical economy ticket to Las Vegas (LAS) was just too good of a deal to pass up. But cheap airfare is only half the battle.

Hotels in Dublin and other parts of Ireland are pricey, to say the least. Thankfully, with a big stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards, I can skip the hostels and stay at a hotel without breaking my budget (or my back).

We're planning to spend our first couple of nights in Dublin before venturing out to see more of Ireland (and Northern Ireland, too). There are lots of chain hotel options in Dublin but thanks to most hotel chain's dynamic award pricing, they're just as expensive with points as they are with cash. That's where Chase's transfer partner Hyatt comes in – and it's a big reason why year after year, Hyatt remains our favorite hotel program. 

By transferring 36,000 Chase points to Hyatt, we can book save about $700 and book a two-night stay at the Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin. 

 

This hotel is in a great location which means we won't need to worry about renting a car in Dublin and can visit many of the top tourist spots like the famous Temple Bar area, Guinness Storehouse, and the Trinity College Library by bike. 

After a couple of days in Dublin, we're planning to head up to Belfast for a few nights. Once again, hotels here are really expensive … but this time, we're opting to rent an Airbnb instead of staying in a hotel. 

To help cover some of the cost of our Airbnb I'm doing something that many wouldn't dare: I'm using Chase Ultimate Rewards to buy an Airbnb gift card. There are far more valuable ways to use Chase points, but cutting down expenses for lodging on this trip is the most important thing for me, so cashing in my points now to cover an amazing Airbnb is a better option than saving them for later.

 

 

After using 36,000 points for my hotel in Dublin, I'd have just over 40,000 Ultimate Rewards left from meeting the card's initial spending requirement to earn the bonus. That means, I could turn those 40,000 points into a $400 Airbnb gift card – nearly enough to cover three nights in an adorable one-bedroom Belfast apartment.

Read more: 5 Steps to Find the Best Airbnb, No Matter Where You're Heading

Bottom Line

Clearly, no one on our team would have a hard time putting 75,000 points to use.

From business class flights to a luxurious hotel stay to taking a slew of cheap flights and making them free, there are a ton of options to get a lot of value out of this bonus on the *chase sapphire preferred*. Our ideas are just the tip of the iceberg, so be sure to read up on all the great ways to redeem this huge bonus!

Learn more about the *csp*.
 

A record-setting Memorial Day weekend at U.S. airports is setting the tone for what's also sure to be the busiest summer of travel from start to finish. Travelers heading off for a domestic getaway, flying across the pond, or beyond in the weeks and months to come might be in for a surprise … and not always in a bad way. 

Unlike summers past, cheap flights are in steady supply for summer 2024. Airlines have largely solved the nonstop meltdowns and cancellations from past years – though the possibility of disruptions still lingers, especially when bad weather's in the forecast. But record number of passengers does spell trouble at the airport: Big crowds in airport terminals, long lines at security checkpoints and bag drop queues, and airport lounges at capacity.

Even if you've traveled regularly throughout the pandemic and this ongoing travel resurgence, the usual tips and tricks to find cheap flights and get through the airport may have changed. This summer will be different.

Here are a few easy ways to improve your travels and get ahead for your big summer trip.

Follow the Flight First Rule

Most travelers follow the same script when planning a trip: Pick a spot, decide on your dates, book a hotel, then check out flights.

The single biggest change you can make to save on flights as you return to travel is also the easiest: Flip that script on its head and follow what we call the Flight First Rule. And yes, it's exactly what it sounds like.

By booking your flights first, you open up a world of potential savings. Pick your dates in advance, and you're putting yourself at the whim of whatever the airlines want to charge you. Start by searching for flights, and you can let the prices guide you to the cheapest flights possible. 

Whether your schedule is wide open to travel at any time of the year or you've only got a one-to-two-week window to travel, even changing your departure or return dates by a single day can mean some serious savings.

Want to take it to the next level? We'll send you the absolute cheapest domestic and international flight deals with Thrifty Traveler Premium!

And when it comes time to search for flights, there's one place to start …

Forget Other Search Engines: Use Google Flights

From Expedia to Kayak to fan favorites like Skyscanner and Momondo, there are plenty of search engines out there to find a deal on flights. But one beats them all.

It's Google Flights.

Yes, the web behemoth is also indisputably the best search engine for finding flight deals. It's loaded with features that can help you zero in on the cheapest flights, has filters so you only see the flights you want to book, and much more. You can even set Google Flights price alerts to track fares and book when prices drop. Not sure where you want to go? Google Flights Explore mode will show you the cheapest places to fly from your home airport.

If you ask us, no other search engine comes close. In fact, it's gotten even better recently: For the first time ever, Southwest fares now show up on Google Flights!

No other site gives you so many tools to find the cheapest tickets, then book direct with the airline. Read our master guide to using Google Flights!

Sure, some online travel agencies (OTAs) can occasionally find you cheaper prices. But those savings may not always be worth it – especially when flights get canceled or change schedules and you need to work through a middleman to sort out your trip. If nothing else, the pandemic has shown travelers the value of booking straight with your airline.

At the very least, start every flight search using Google Flights, then fan out to other sites to see if you can score an even better deal. You'll thank us later.

Book the Early Flight

When you're picking which flight to take, it pays to choose wisely if you're concerned about delays and cancellations.

Read our lips: Take the early flight whenever you can. The data on nationwide on-time performance clearly shows that flights scheduled earlier in the morning are far, far less likely to be delayed or canceled.

Records on July 2023 flight delays at the nation's 30 largest airports logged by the Department of Transportation, show that while nearly 85% of flights depart on time when scheduled to leave before 8 a.m., that percentage dropped to 70% for flights departing after 3 p.m. It's much worse at airports like Denver (DEN), Chicago-Midway (MDW), Boston (BOS), Las Vegas (LAS), Newark (EWR), and New York City (JFK), among others.

That 5 a.m. alarm to make it to the airport in time may not be great for your beauty sleep, but it's the best choice you can make to improve your odds of making it to your final destination on time.

Read more of our tips on how to survive (or even avoid) delays and cancellations!

Monitor Your Flight for Price Drops & Rebook to Save!

Just because your flight is booked doesn't mean you're done looking at flights. If prices drop even after you book, you can rebook your flight and pocket the difference as a travel credit!

It's one of the absolute best and easiest travel hacks you can pull off these days, a byproduct of airlines' decision to do away with change on most fares. And Google Flights price alerts make it easy to monitor for a price drop – just keep an alert in place for the flight you booked and wait for an email.

Here's how it works, using a $750 flight as an example:

1. Be sure to book at least a standard main cabin economy fare – airlines' cheapest basic economy fares can't be changed nor canceled for free (or at all)
2. If you haven't already, set up a Google Flights Price Alert for the flight you just booked and wait for an email that fares have dropped, say to $500
3. Cancel your existing flight for a $750 airline credit or voucher
4. Use that $750 voucher to rebook your flight at the lower, $500 price
5. Pocket the extra $250 credit to use toward another trip!

Read our full guide for how to rebook your flight and save if prices drop! 

Use USPS Hold Mail

Here's an easy trick to fold into your new travel prep list so you don't come home to a mailbox stuffed full (or stolen mail) next time you head out.

The U.S. Postal Service offers a service called – you guessed it – USPS Hold Mail. And it's completely free to use. 

It works like this: Simply enter which dates you'd like your mail held, verify your identity, and the USPS will hold your mail while you're away. On the date you select for your hold to end, they'll drop it all off at once.

Check-In Online … and Pack in Just a Carry-On

Summer is always the busiest travel season of the year. And this summer will likely be the busiest yet, which means there'll be more crowds and long lines at the airport than you've seen in years.

There are three areas where crowding is most common: Airline check-in desks, baggage drop-off zones, and baggage carousels. There are only so many kiosks and airline agents available after so many airline employees were laid off during the pandemic. Airlines haven't been able to hire new staff members fast enough to keep up with demand.

Some crowding is bound to happen – and in some cases, it's worse than ever.

There's a simple way to avoid that and the hour (or longer) of waiting in line. Forget a checked bag, and pack in just a carry-on bag instead. Trust us, it's easier than you think. And being able to skip the baggage counter and baggage claim on both ends of your trip will make it worth the work – especially since you don't need to worry about the airline losing your bag altogether.

Read more: How to Pack in a Carry-On Bag for Every Trip

Plus, by packing in just a carry-on bag, you can easily check in for your flight online. Then, just pull up your boarding pass on your smartphone and head straight for the security line.

Get TSA PreCheck (Or Global Entry)

The security wait time guessing game hasn't gone away. And as was often the case before the pandemic, there's no telling whether you'll breeze through or get stuck in line when it's your time to fly.

No matter what, getting through security fast is more important. Ditto for clearing customs and immigration upon your return from an international trip. And that's where TSA PreCheck and Global Entry come in.

These two government-run programs are your ticket to get through the airport even faster. With TSA PreCheck, you get a shorter security line – plus you don't need to take your shoes or coat off, or take electronics or liquids out of your bag. Global Entry gets you a designated lane when returning home from abroad … oh, and it also comes with TSA PreCheck benefits!

Not sure which to pick? Read our guide comparing TSA PreCheck vs Global Entry.

Cutting through backed-up lines at the airport is worth its weight in gold these days. TSA PreCheck costs $78 while Global Entry will run you $100 – and soon, $120 – and both memberships last for five years. But there's a simple way to get them for free.

A growing number of credit cards offer a credit that will cover the cost of your application for either program. There are top-dollar premium travel cards like the *chase sapphire reserve* and *amex platinum*, which also carry a host of other travel benefits. But even cheaper, mid-tier cards like the *capital one venture card* or the *united explorer* will also cover the cost of applying for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Want to take it next level? CLEAR® Plus will let you cut to the front of the TSA PreCheck line, making your trip through airport security touchless and sometimes (but not always) even faster. While I'm normally skeptical of CLEAR Plus's steep annual costs, there's no question it can come in handy at the right time.

The Platinum Card from American Express now includes up to $189 annual credit to pay for CLEAR® Plus membership.

Brush up on the differences between TSA PreCheck vs CLEAR Plus.

Skip the Line for Coffee, Too

You've made it through airport security and it's time for a caffeine fix. But the line at Starbucks can be longer than anywhere else in the airport.

Don't worry, you can skip that line, too. Just like your nearest Starbucks shop, the Starbucks app now allows you to place mobile orders ahead of time at hundreds of Starbucks airport locations nationwide. 

Fire up your Starbucks app and place your order before you join the queue for airport security. By the time you get through, your drink may be waiting for you.

Most – but not quite all – airport Starbucks outlets now offer mobile ordering. The easiest way to see which airports are available is to search via the Starbucks mobile app.

Why not earn Delta SkyMiles on your Starbucks coffee order, too? Read our story to see how!

Relax in the Lounge While You Wait

Nothing – I repeat, nothing – will improve your travel experience more than spending time in an airport lounge before your flight. And you don't need to be a frequent business traveler to get in.

At a minimum, you’ll get free drinks and snacks and far better seating than the stiff chairs at your gate. In major hubs and overseas, you might even find a la carte dining, showers, and even private sleeping rooms.

Many airline lounges (especially Delta Sky Clubs and Amex Centurion Lounges … but even Chase Sapphire Lounges and Capital One Lounges, too) have grown popular to a fault, facing long lines to get in from a growing number of travelers with lounge access. But the promise of free food and drink is still enough to entice us into lounges as we travel.

The easiest way to get into lounges is by holding the right premium travel credit card. And no credit card opens more lounge doors than *amex platinum*.

For starters, you'll get into more than a dozen posh Amex Centurion lounges in cities like San Francisco (SFO), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Las Vegas (LAS), New York City (JFK), and many more.
 

Read our full review of the new JFK Centurion Lounge!

Not flying out of a city with a Centurion Lounge? You'll also get a Priority Pass membership, which gets you into 1,200-plus lounges worldwide.  Finally, the Platinum Card will get you into several smaller lounge networks like Escape Lounges, Air Space Lounges, and Plaza Premium. If you're flying Delta that day, you can get into any Delta Sky Club, too.

Thrifty Tip: If you save your Platinum Card to your Delta account, all you need to do is scan your boarding pass to get into the Sky Club!

While the $695 annual fee is steep (see rates and fees), it could be worth it for the lounge access alone.

Read more: The Best Ways to Get Into Airport Lounges & Improve Your Travels

Learn more about *amex platinum*.
 

But Amex no longer has a monopoly on the airport lounge game.

Travelers with the *chase sapphire reserve* or the *venture x* each get access to their banks' own branded airport lounges, too. And while both Capital One and Chase only have a few lounge locations open to date, these lounges are arguably even better than Centurion Lounges.

Check out our full review of the Dallas Capital One Lounge!

Pick the Right Seat

No matter which airline you fly, seats aren't created equally. Some may not recline completely (or at all), while others may not have a window – or be annoyingly close to the lavatory.

The best way to find the best seats on your flight used to be SeatGuru. SeatGuru was our go-to tool to find the best seat on the plane. It allows you to quickly tap in your flight information and pull up a seat map for that flight, with a color-coded to guide to the best (and worst) options to pick a seat.

But SeatGuru is often outdated or inaccurate these days. Fortunately, there's a superior way to look at detailed seat maps: It's called aeroLOPA.

These maps are beautiful! AeroLOPA features far more detail than you'll find using SeatGuru or the maps the airlines put out. It displays bulkheads, bathrooms, bassinets, galleys, and more. There are some straight-up nerdy details too, including onboard equipment and the manufacturers of the seats.

Want to find an economy seat with a little bonus legroom? Or need a seat close to a lavatory? These maps will show you, with more detail than anywhere else, exactly what you're getting on your flight.

Skip the Line at the Rental Car Counter

We're all about avoiding lines and crowds, especially these days. And nowhere are those lines more notorious than at rental car centers at the airport. One of our favorite perks from one of our favorite credit cards will help you waltz right past them.

It's National Emerald Club Executive status, and while it gets you several perks, one stands out: Access to the Executive Area and the ability to completely skip the rental car counter upon your arrival.

Skip the lines at the counter and mountains of paperwork. You can simply walk off the plane, head to the car rental area, select your car, and go.

As long as you book at least the Midsized car rate, you’ll have access to any vehicle in the Executive area for no additional charge! Emerald Club Executive members are also guaranteed a free upgrade in the U.S. and Canada – assuming you book at least a midsized car.

Read more: National Executive Status: Upgrade Your Car with the Right Credit Card

Don't have rental car status from a premium travel credit card? Try using Turo, the Airbnb of cars. Not only will this service save you some serious money, but car owners typically drop off your vehicle right at the airport – all you need to do is get in and go! 

Get Hotel Status for Free Breakfast, Upgrades

Just like airline status, earning hotel status isn't for everyone. It typically requires tons of travel that puts it out of reach for average travelers.

But there are easy shortcuts to earning hotel status that are easily worth it. Two credit cards can easily earn you either Gold with Hilton and Marriott, or even Diamond status with Hilton Honors, and those come with plenty of benefits.

Once again, *amex platinum* pays off as it gets you automatic Hilton and Marriott Gold status. Registering for Gold status in either program is easy – just log into your Amex account and navigate to “benefits” to set it up. Hilton is our top choice, as Gold status gets you free breakfast for two at all properties abroad – or a daily food and beverage credit of up to $25 apiece in the U.S.

But you can go even further with Hilton Diamond status. In addition to daily dining vouchers for breakfast or other meals, you get a better shot at upgrades and even more perks, like an annual weekend night certificate which can be redeemed at any Hilton property. You can unlock Hilton Diamond status with the Hilton Honors Aspire Card.

While the Aspire Card also isn't cheap at $550 a year, it comes loaded with money-saving credits and perks that make it one of the best hotel credit cards, period.

Apply Here for the Hilton Honors Aspire Card (for full disclosure, this is not an affiliate link).

All information about the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by Thrifty Traveler and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

Bottom Line

We're calling it: This summer will be the best – but busiest – yet for travelers. Use these tips and tricks to get ahead when you're planning your next big trip or heading to the airport.