How I Made $3,000 Last Year from Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses

How I Made $3,000 Last Year from Credit Card Sign-Up Bonuses

My Side Hustle Was Opening New Mail

I treated credit card bonuses like a part-time job last year. I signed up for a Chase Sapphire Preferred before a big move, putting my moving expenses on it to earn 60,000 points, worth at least $750. Three months later, I got an Amex Gold for its dining bonus, which netted me another 75,000 points. I finished the year with a new hotel card before booking a family vacation. In total, I strategically opened four cards, met the minimum spends with my planned expenses, and earned over 300,000 points, which I value at about $3,000.

The “Chase Trifecta” vs. The “Amex Trifecta”: An Ultimate Showdown

Choosing My Financial ‘Team’: The Practical vs. The Premium

For a year, I ran the Chase Trifecta: Sapphire Preferred, Freedom Flex, and Freedom Unlimited. It was a workhorse, earning me tons of points I used for practical Hyatt hotel stays. Then my job required more air travel, so I switched to the Amex Trifecta: Platinum, Gold, and Blue Business Plus. The lounge access with the Platinum card was a game-changer, and earning 4x points on dining with the Gold was unbeatable. Chase is the reliable SUV for family trips; Amex is the first-class seat for a business traveler. You choose the system that fits your life.

“Manufactured Spending”: Is It Still a Viable Way to Earn Points in 2024?

The Points Factory Has Mostly Shut Down

I used to be deep in the manufactured spending game. I’d buy thousands of dollars in Visa gift cards at a grocery store with my credit card to earn 5x points, then use those gift cards to buy money orders to pay off the card. It was a tedious, risky loop. But in recent years, banks have gotten incredibly smart. Their algorithms now flag these kinds of circular transactions. Many of the old methods are dead, and trying them is a fast track to getting your accounts shut down by the issuer. The risk is no longer worth the reward.

The Art of the “Product Change”: How to Downgrade a Card Without Closing It

Keeping My Credit History Alive, For Free

My first travel card, a Chase Sapphire Preferred, was my oldest account by five years. I had upgraded to a different card and no longer wanted to pay the $95 annual fee, but closing it would have tanked my average age of accounts. I called Chase and said, “I’d like to product change this card to a no-annual-fee Freedom Unlimited.” In five minutes, they switched the card type. I kept my same account number, my credit limit, and most importantly, my 10-year credit history, all while dropping the annual fee to zero.

I have 25 credit cards. Here’s how I manage them and why it’s worth it

My Wallet is a Spreadsheet

People think I’m crazy when I say I have 25 credit cards. It’s not chaos; it’s a system. I use a detailed spreadsheet to track every card’s annual fee, statement closing date, and key benefits. I use a label maker to put a small sticker on each card (“3x Dining,” “5x Gas”) so I always know which one to use for every purchase. Why bother? This system allows me to earn the absolute maximum rewards on every dollar I spend, netting me thousands in free travel and cash back every year. It’s a hobby that pays for itself.

The “5/24 Rule”: The Unwritten Chase Law That Every Card Hacker Must Know

The Rule That Broke My 820 Credit Score’s Heart

I had an 820 credit score and a six-figure income. I applied for the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and was instantly denied. I was shocked. I called the reconsideration line, and the agent politely explained the reason: “Sir, you’ve opened five new credit card accounts in the last 24 months.” This was my first encounter with the infamous, unwritten “5/24 Rule.” It doesn’t matter how good your credit is; if you’ve opened 5 or more personal cards from any bank in the last 24 months, Chase will automatically deny you.

How to Maximize Points by Transferring to Airline/Hotel Partners (A Deep Dive)

The Difference Between a $500 Flight and a $2,000 Flight

I had 100,000 points from my credit card. In the card’s travel portal, I could get a $1,000 economy flight. That’s a value of 1 cent per point. Instead, I did some research. I found I could transfer 90,000 of those points directly to a partner airline and book a business-class seat on the same route that was selling for $2,500. By transferring my points, I got a value of almost 2.8 cents per point. Learning how to leverage transfer partners is the single biggest step in going from getting decent value to getting outstanding value from your points.

The “Double Dip”: How to Get Two Sign-Up Bonuses from One Card Application

A Timing Trick That’s Hard to Pull Off

I was applying for a new business credit card. I knew that some issuers, particularly American Express, will sometimes allow you to be approved for two cards on the same day using only one hard credit pull. After I was instantly approved for my first card, I immediately opened a new browser window and applied for a second, different card from the same bank. I was approved for that one as well. It’s a risky move that doesn’t always work, but that day, I was able to start working towards two separate sign-up bonuses with only one hit to my credit report.

Using a Credit Card to Pay Your Mortgage via Plastiq: Does the Math Work Out?

Turning My Biggest Bill into Points

I wanted to earn points on my $2,000 monthly mortgage payment. I used a service called Plastiq, which lets you pay bills like mortgages with a credit card, but they charge a 2.85% fee. That fee would cost me $57. My credit card only earns 2% cashback, which is $40. So I’d be losing $17. The only time this makes sense is when I’m trying to meet the minimum spend for a huge sign-up bonus. The $57 fee is a small price to pay to unlock a bonus worth $1,000.

The Power of “Retention Offers”: How I Got 50,000 Points Just by Asking to Close My Card

The Phone Call That Paid for a Flight

The $550 annual fee hit on my premium travel card. I wasn’t sure it was worth keeping. I called the number on the back and told the automated system I wanted to “cancel my card.” This routed me to the retention department. I politely told the agent that I was considering closing the card due to the high fee. He said, “We value your business. If you spend $4,000 in the next three months, we can offer you a bonus of 50,000 points.” I accepted. That ten-minute phone call earned me enough points for a free flight.

Stacking Rewards: How to Combine Card Perks, Shopping Portals, and In-Store Offers

My Triple-Dip on a New Pair of Nikes

I wanted a new pair of Nike shoes that cost $150. First, I clicked through a cash-back shopping portal that was offering 10% back at Nike, earning me $15. Then, I found a special offer on my credit card for an additional 5% back at Nike, saving me another $7.50. Finally, I paid with my rewards card that earns 2% on all purchases, getting another $3 back. By “stacking” these three offers, my $150 shoes ended up costing me about $125. It’s a simple process that maximizes savings on every online purchase.

The Spreadsheet I Use to Track All My Annual Fees, Credits, and Renewal Dates

The Mission Control for My Wallet

With over a dozen credit cards, I can’t rely on my memory. I live by a simple Google Sheet. It has a row for each card. The columns track the card name, the annual fee amount, the date the fee posts, the key benefits (like a “free night” certificate or airline credits), and a final column for “Keep or Cancel?” Every month, I spend 15 minutes updating it. This spreadsheet is the mission control for my hobby. It ensures I’m using all my benefits and making a conscious decision about every annual fee.

The best time to apply for a new credit card (and how to check for elevated offers)

Timing Is Everything in the Points Game

I wanted to get a specific hotel credit card. The standard sign-up bonus was 80,000 points. I decided to wait. I checked a few points-and-miles blogs every week. After about two months, I saw that the card had launched a new, limited-time “elevated offer” of 120,000 points for the same minimum spend. I applied immediately and was approved. By being patient and monitoring for historical trends, I was able to get an extra 40,000 points—worth a free night in a nice hotel—just by timing my application right.

The “Unofficial” Benefits of Your Premium Credit Card

The Perks Not Listed in the Brochure

My Amex Platinum card has well-known benefits, but the unofficial ones are sometimes better. I was at a concert and saw a special “Amex Entrance” with no line. I flashed my card and walked right in. At the airport, I found a premium grab-and-go food spot that gave me a $15 credit just for having the card. These “soft perks” aren’t always advertised in the main benefits guide, but they are a result of partnerships the card company has. It pays to keep an eye out for that logo wherever you go.

How to book a round-the-world trip entirely on points

A Global Adventure Funded by My Credit Cards

I pieced together a round-the-world trip using points from different credit card programs. First, I transferred Chase points to United to fly from the U.S. to Europe. Then, I used Amex points transferred to Air France to fly from Paris to Southeast Asia. I used a stash of AA miles for the leg from Asia to Australia. Finally, I found a sweet spot redemption using Alaska Airlines miles to fly home from Sydney. It required a ton of research and flexibility, but my entire multi-continent flight itinerary cost me less than $500 in taxes.

I paid my federal taxes with a credit card. Here’s the exact ROI

A Calculated Hit to Unlock a Huge Bonus

I needed to spend $15,000 in three months to earn a 150,000-point sign-up bonus on a new business card. I was short by about $8,000. I decided to pay my estimated federal taxes with the card. The IRS payment processor charged a 1.87% fee, so paying my $8,000 tax bill cost me an extra $150. However, that spend unlocked the 150,000-point bonus, which I value at over $2,000. Paying a $150 fee to get a $2,000 return was a no-brainer. It was a calculated business expense.

The “Modified Double Dip” for Amex cards

A Loophole for More Points

I was applying for two American Express cards. I knew that after you’re approved for your first card, you can sometimes get approved for a second one on the same day without an additional hard credit pull. The “Modified Double Dip” is a community-discovered trick. After my first application was approved, I waited a few hours, then applied for the second card. I got a pending notification. I then called the reconsideration line and explained I had just been approved for another card. They were able to push the second application through, often without another hard pull.

How to find “sweet spot” award redemptions that offer insane value

Hunting for Inefficiencies in the System

The best value for your points is never the obvious one. It’s in the “sweet spots.” These are quirks in an airline’s award chart that let you book a flight for far fewer points than you’d expect. For example, I found that I could transfer my credit card points to British Airways and book a short-haul flight from Los Angeles to Hawaii on their partner, American Airlines, for only 26,000 points round-trip, when AA was charging 45,000 of their own miles for the exact same seat. Finding these inefficiencies is the key to stretching your points.

The argument for getting a hotel-branded credit card even if you’re not loyal

The Free Night Is the Key

I’m not particularly loyal to any one hotel chain. However, I have a Marriott Bonvoy credit card that has a $95 annual fee. Why? Because every year on my card anniversary, I get a “Free Night Award” certificate that’s valid at hotels costing up to 35,000 points. I consistently use this certificate for a hotel room that would have cost me 300. I am happily paying a $95 fee to get a room worth more than double that. The card is worth it for that one single, powerful perk.

The best strategies for meeting a high minimum spend requirement

Hitting the Target Without Wasteful Spending

I signed up for a card with a $10,000 minimum spend in three months. To hit it without buying junk, I used a few strategies. First, I timed the application for right before I had to pay my annual car insurance premium. Second, I asked my friends if I could put our big group dinner on my card, and they all Venmo’d me. Third, I bought gift cards to my regular grocery store and gas station, essentially pre-paying for months of future, necessary expenses. I hit the target without a single frivolous purchase.

The value of “flexible” points (Chase UR, Amex MR) vs. airline miles

The Swiss Army Knife vs. the Scalpel

Earning miles with a specific airline is like having a scalpel—it’s very good at one specific thing. But if that airline doesn’t have award availability, your miles are useless. Earning flexible points from a bank program like Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR) or Amex Membership Rewards (MR) is like having a Swiss Army knife. You can transfer them to a dozen different airline and hotel partners. If United doesn’t have a flight, maybe Air France does. This flexibility is by far the most valuable asset in the points and miles game.

How to use award booking services to save you time and find hidden gems

Calling in the Pros

I wanted to book a complex, multi-city trip to Asia using my points, but I was overwhelmed by the options. I decided to hire an award booking service. For a fee of about $150 per person, a professional award expert did all the work. They interviewed me about my travel style, found the most efficient routing, dealt with the complexities of partner airlines, and then presented me with a simple itinerary to book. They saved me hours of research and found a flight path I never would have discovered on my own.

The “Player 2” Mode: How Couples Can Double Their Points Haul

A Team-Based Approach to Hacking

My wife and I operate in “Player 2” mode. When a great sign-up bonus becomes available, one of us will apply for the card. After hitting the minimum spend and getting the bonus, we “refer” the other person for the same card. The referrer often gets a bonus of 10,000-20,000 points just for the referral. Then, the second person earns their own sign-up bonus. By working as a team, we can essentially double our points earnings on the same set of cards, funding twice as much travel.

The truth about credit card “shutdowns” and how to avoid them

Don’t Poke the Bear

A “shutdown” is when a bank, like Chase or Amex, closes all of your accounts because they’ve flagged you as an unprofitable or risky customer. It’s the death penalty in the credit card game. To avoid it, I follow a few simple rules. I don’t engage in obvious manufactured spending. I always put some regular, organic spend on my cards, not just what’s needed for a bonus. And I never, ever lie on a credit card application. The banks’ algorithms are smart. The goal is to be a profitable customer who just happens to be very good at using the rewards system.

Leveraging category bonuses to their absolute maximum

The Art of the 5x Points

My goal is to never earn just one point per dollar. I have a card that earns 5x points on groceries, another that earns 3x on dining, and another that earns 5x on flights. I’ve memorized these categories. But I take it a step further. I know that my grocery store sells gift cards for other retailers, like Amazon or Starbucks. So, I’ll buy an Amazon gift card at the grocery store using my 5x grocery card, effectively earning 5x points on my Amazon purchases. It’s about strategically using the bonus categories to your advantage.

When does it make sense to pay an annual fee of over $500? A breakdown

The “Coupon Book” Analysis

I pay a $695 annual fee for my Amex Platinum card. It sounds insane, but I treat it like a coupon book. The card gives me a $200 airline incidental credit, a $200 Uber credit, a $100 Saks Fifth Avenue credit, and lounge access I value at over $300. Just those benefits alone are worth more than the annual fee. If you can and will use the specific credits and perks offered by a high-fee card, it can be incredibly valuable. If you won’t, then it’s a terrible deal.

How to liquidate Visa/Mastercard gift cards bought for a points bonus

A Tricky and Risky Maneuver

One of the old “manufactured spending” techniques was to buy a $500 Visa gift card at a store that gave a credit card bonus, and then find a way to turn that gift card back into cash. This is called “liquidation.” Some people would use the gift cards to buy money orders, which they would then deposit in their bank account. However, this is a huge red flag for banks and can be viewed as a form of money laundering. It’s an incredibly risky process that most experts now strongly advise against, as it can get you banned from a bank for life.

The subtle art of the “reconsideration line” call after a denied application

How to Politely Plead Your Case

I was recently denied for a credit card I really wanted. Instead of just accepting it, I called the bank’s “reconsideration line.” When I got an agent, I was extremely polite. I didn’t demand anything. I said, “Hi, I recently applied for this card and was surprised to be denied. I was hoping you could take a second look at my application. I have a long history with your bank and an excellent credit score.” By being polite and asking for a manual review, the agent was able to override the computer’s decision and approve my application.

The most underrated credit card perks you’re probably not using

The Hidden Gems in the Fine Print

Everyone knows about points and lounge access. But the most underrated perks are often buried in the benefits guide. My card offers “return protection.” If I try to return an item to a store within 90 days and they refuse, my credit card will refund me the purchase price. It also offers “extended warranty,” which adds an extra year to the manufacturer’s warranty on any electronics I buy with the card. These aren’t flashy perks, but they have saved me hundreds of dollars.

My system for deciding which card to use for every single purchase

The “Wallet Decision Tree”

I have a mental flowchart for every purchase. First question: Am I trying to meet a minimum spend for a new sign-up bonus? If yes, all spending goes on that card. If no, I move to question two: Does this purchase fall into a bonus category? If I’m at a restaurant, I use my 4x dining card. If I’m buying a flight, I use my 5x airfare card. If the answer is still no, I move to question three and use my “catch-all” card that earns a simple 2% back on everything. It’s a quick, logical process.

The best “keeper” cards with no annual fee to boost your credit age

The Anchors of My Credit Report

The “average age of accounts” is a huge part of your credit score. That’s why I have a few “keeper” cards—no-annual-fee cards that I plan to keep open forever. Cards like the Chase Freedom Unlimited or a simple cashback card from a local credit union are perfect. I put one small, recurring charge on them every year to keep them active. These cards act as the anchors for my credit report. As they get older and older, they pull my average age of accounts up, which is a massive, long-term boost to my score.

How to create your own “quadfecta” or “quinfecta” of cards for your specific spending

Building Your Personal Rewards Ecosystem

The “trifecta” is just a template. I analyzed my own spending and realized a huge chunk of it was on gas and groceries. So I built my own custom “quadfecta.” I have a card for dining and travel, a card for gas, a card for groceries, and a “catch-all” card for everything else. This personalized system ensures that I’m earning the absolute maximum rewards based on my actual life, not just following a generic strategy. The key is to analyze your budget and build a card portfolio that matches it.

The best cards for non-bonus category spending (the “catch-all” card)

The Workhorse of Your Wallet

Not every purchase falls into a neat “3x dining” or “5x travel” category. You need a simple, reliable “catch-all” card for all your other spending, like trips to the hardware store or online shopping. The best cards for this job are the ones that offer a high, flat rate of return on every single purchase. Cards like the Capital One Venture X or the Citi Double Cash, which offer an effective 2% or 2x back on everything, are perfect. They are the dependable workhorses of any advanced credit card strategy.

An analysis of the best airline alliances for points transfers (Star Alliance, Oneworld, SkyTeam)

Choosing Your Global Team

Your flexible credit card points are only as valuable as the airline alliances you can transfer them to. I’ve found Star Alliance to be the most powerful. Transfer partners like Air Canada’s Aeroplan program give you access to a massive network of airlines, including United and Lufthansa, with a great award chart. Oneworld is fantastic for luxury travel, using partners like Cathay Pacific or Qatar Airways. SkyTeam, with partners like Delta and Air France/KLM, can be good but often has less “sweet spot” availability. Understanding the alliances is key to unlocking global travel.

How to get value from airline “incidental” credits

Hacking the Fine Print

My premium credit card offers a $200 airline “incidental” credit, but you can’t use it for tickets. It’s for things like baggage fees or seat selection. Since I have elite status and don’t pay for those, I had to get creative. I learned about the “United TravelBank” hack. I can use my credit card to load money into a United TravelBank account in $50 or $100 increments. The charge codes as an “incidental” fee, triggering the credit. I can then use that TravelBank cash to pay for actual flights. It’s a clever way to use a restrictive credit.

The strategy behind having both a personal and business version of the same card

Doubling Up on Perks and Points

I have both the personal and business versions of the Amex Gold card. This strategy has a few advantages. First, it allows me to get two separate sign-up bonuses. Second, it lets me keep my business dining expenses completely separate from my personal ones for easy bookkeeping. Most importantly, it allows me to “double dip” on certain perks. For example, if there’s a special offer for a discount at a certain retailer, it will often be available on both my personal and business cards, allowing me to use the offer twice.

When to use points and when to pay cash: a decision matrix

A Simple Calculation to Maximize Value

My decision on whether to use points or cash is a simple math problem. My personal “floor” for my points value is 1.5 cents per point. If a flight costs $300 or 15,000 points, I’ll use points, because I’m getting a value of 2 cents per point. If that same flight costs $300 but the airline wants 30,000 points, I’ll pay cash, because the value is only 1 cent per point. I’d rather save my valuable points for a redemption where they can give me a higher return.

The most valuable “cents per point” redemptions I’ve ever made

My Hall of Fame for Points

My personal best redemption was transferring 70,000 credit card points to Virgin Atlantic to book a $6,000 business class seat on ANA to Japan. That’s a value of over 8.5 cents per point—absolutely insane. Another was using only 25,000 Hyatt points, transferred from my Chase card, for a hotel room in Maui that was selling for $1,000 a night. That’s a 4 cent per point value. These “aspirational” redemptions are what make the whole hobby worthwhile. They allow you to have experiences you would never be able to afford with cash.

How to predict when a credit card will offer an all-time-high sign-up bonus

Reading the Tea Leaves of the Market

While you can’t predict the future, you can spot trends. I monitor several points and miles blogs that track the historical bonus data for major credit cards. I’ve noticed that many cards offer their highest-ever bonuses on a somewhat regular cycle, often in the spring or fall. I also keep an eye out for when a card’s competitor launches a new product, as this can often trigger a retaliatory elevated offer. By understanding these patterns, you can make an educated guess on when to apply and when to wait for a better deal.

The future of credit card hacking: What’s next?

The Cat-and-Mouse Game Continues

The world of credit card hacking is a constant cat-and-mouse game. As we find loopholes, the banks close them. I believe the future will see banks getting even smarter with their data. They will offer highly personalized spending bonuses based on your individual habits. I also think we’ll see a move away from simple points and towards “experiential” rewards, like exclusive access to events or unique travel packages. The game will become less about simple math and more about leveraging your personal data and loyalty.

The ethics of “churning” credit cards

A Hobby, Not a Heist

“Churning” is the practice of signing up for a credit card just to get the bonus, and then closing it soon after. I have a more ethical approach. I only sign up for cards where I can genuinely see myself using the benefits for at least a year. I always put real, organic spend on the card, not just what’s needed for the bonus. I treat the banks as partners. They are offering a product, and I am using it within the rules they’ve set. It’s not about tricking the system; it’s about maximizing the value of the system they created.

How to track your progress towards airline and hotel elite status

The Dashboard for Your Loyalty

Chasing elite status can be complicated. I use an app called AwardWallet. It securely stores all my loyalty program login information. On one single dashboard, I can see my point balances for every airline and hotel. More importantly, it shows my progress towards elite status for each program. It will show that I need 5 more nights to reach Hyatt Globalist or 10,000 more miles to reach United Gold. It’s an essential tool that consolidates all the information and helps me strategize my travel for the year.

The best tools and apps for managing an advanced credit card portfolio

My Digital Toolkit for Hacking

Managing a dozen-plus cards requires a good toolkit. My go-to is my own custom spreadsheet for tracking fees and benefits. For tracking my loyalty points, I use AwardWallet. To find the best award flight availability, I use a subscription service like Point.me, which searches across multiple programs at once. And to stay on top of the latest news, elevated offers, and strategies, I read a few key blogs like The Points Guy and Frequent Miler every single day. These tools are essential for staying organized and informed.

The most overrated credit card benefits you shouldn’t chase

All That Glitters Is Not Gold

Many premium cards come with benefits that sound great but are practically useless. One of the most overrated is the “concierge service.” In theory, they can get you anything. In reality, they are often just a person doing a Google search for you. Another is “airport lounge guest access.” Many lounges are now so overcrowded that bringing a guest is either impossible or unpleasant. Don’t be seduced by a long list of benefits; focus on the tangible, monetary credits and perks that you know for a fact you will use.

How to get outsized value from hotel “free night” certificates

From a Boring Airport Hotel to a Tropical Paradise

Many hotel credit cards give you a “free night” certificate every year. Most people use them for a convenient but low-value stay at an airport hotel. To get outsized value, you have to be strategic. I let my certificate accumulate. I found a Hyatt “Category 4” hotel in Mexico that was right on the beach and was selling for $400 a night. My “free night” certificate, which came from my $95 annual fee card, was valid there. By being flexible with my destination, I turned a simple perk into a high-value redemption.

The perfect credit card application timeline for a beginner “hacker”

Your First Year in the Game

If I were starting over, here’s the timeline I would follow. Month 1: Apply for a Chase Sapphire Preferred. It’s the best starter card and gets you under the 5/24 rule. Month 4: Apply for a Chase Freedom card to start earning 5x bonus points. Month 7: Apply for your first hotel co-branded card, like the World of Hyatt card. Month 10: Apply for your first airline co-branded card. This slow and steady approach allows you to meet the minimum spends easily and avoids raising red flags with the banks.

My biggest credit card hacking mistake and what I learned

The Points I Transferred and Never Used

I was excited about a potential trip and speculatively transferred 50,000 of my flexible Amex points to a specific airline’s mileage program to book a flight. My plans changed, and the trip fell through. The problem is, points transfers are a one-way street. You can never transfer them back to the bank. Those 50,000 points are now stuck with that one airline, where they are far less valuable and flexible than they were before. The lesson: never, ever transfer points until you have found the exact award availability and you are 100% ready to book.

How to explain your 15 credit card applications to a mortgage lender

A Conversation About Responsibility

When I applied for a mortgage, the underwriter saw that I had opened 15 credit cards in the last two years and was concerned. I was prepared for the conversation. I wrote a letter explaining that I am a responsible credit user and that I treat credit card rewards as a serious hobby. I provided my credit report, which showed a perfect on-time payment history and a very low credit utilization ratio. I demonstrated that despite the high number of accounts, I was an extremely low-risk borrower. Honesty and documentation are key.

The hidden power of combining points from different card ecosystems

A Financial Friendship Bracelet

My wife primarily collects Chase points, and I primarily collect Amex points. We discovered that many airlines, like Air Canada’s Aeroplan, are transfer partners of both programs. This is incredibly powerful. She can transfer 50,000 points from her Chase account, and I can transfer 50,000 points from my Amex account, and we can combine them in the Aeroplan account to book a 100,000-point award ticket. This ability to pool points from different ecosystems into a single loyalty program opens up a world of possibilities.

Is this hobby worth it? A time vs. money analysis of credit card hacking

It’s a Part-Time Job Where You’re the CEO

Credit card hacking is not a passive hobby. I probably spend 3-4 hours a week reading blogs, searching for award availability, and managing my accounts. If I valued my time at $50 an hour, that’s a significant time investment. However, last year, the rewards I earned provided over $8,000 in travel value. For me, the return on my time is well worth it. It’s a hobby that requires you to be organized and enjoy the “game,” but the payoff can be immense if you’re willing to put in the work.