But Where Do I Start? Our Suggestion for Starting Your Points and Miles Hobby

Our First Steps (And Why We Changed Direction)

We started with the Wells Fargo Autograph and Propel cards, earning 3x points on categories like travel, gas, streaming, and dining. We’d then transfer those points to a Wells Fargo Visa Signature card (one that is no longer available for new customers) to redeem them for flights at a decent rate of 1.5 cents per point through their travel portal.

We thought this was a great deal! We took several flights using this method… until we learned about transferable currencies. After a few years of accruing points with cards with the Wells Fargo ecosystem, and then using those points in their travel portal to purchase flights, we began dipping our toes into other credit card ecosystems at other banking institutions.  

The Game-Changer: Other programs allowed us to transfer points directly to partner airlines and hotels, unlocking much greater value (often called “outsized value”) for redemptions. It’s important to mention, Wells Fargo has since introduced partner transfers, but at the time, this was OUR major shift.

This changed our whole approach to travel. We realized the most important thing is to start with a card that earns a transferable currency.

Why You Should Start with Transferable Currency

You may be asking, what is transferable currency? These are points and miles you earn that can be transferred into another loyalty program’s currency. For example, you could move Capital One Miles to Virgin Atlantic points. There are lots of examples that can be really helpful.

While most major banks offer a travel portal where you can book directly, we believe transferring points directly to a partner program is the best way to maximize your points value.

Let’s talk through an example to demonstrate this. We recently transferred our Capital One points to Virgin Atlantic (taking advantage of a 30% transfer bonus that was offered) for four Upper Class seats for our upcoming family trip to Greece. The per-point redemption rate for this was incredibly high—we estimate it was more than 30 cents per point! And the best part, our whole family will be flying in the highest-class seats offered with Virgin across the Atlantic in our comfy lie-flat seats with all the other perks that come along with this and it only cost us the taxes! It’s important to note, this is incredibly outsized value and not necessarily typical. However, if you are able to get more than one cent per point, you are getting a better value than cash back and it is common to achieve a value of more than one cent per point.

Our Top Pick: The Capital One Ecosystem

But now you’re probably wondering where to start. There are a lot of options and there probably isn’t one right option, but there are definitely better options! For a lot of reasons, we believe one of the best ways to start your journey is within the Capital One ecosystem.

The Anchor Card: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

For a premium travel card, the Capital One Venture X offers a ton of value and is surprisingly affordable compared to its competitors. It is also one of the easier cards to understand and use. This information is accurate as of our posting, but make sure to check out the Capital One site for the most up-to-date information. https://www.capitalone.com/credit-cards/venture-x/ 

Earning Rates

• 2x miles per dollar on all purchases (simple, straightforward earning)
• 10x miles on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel Portal
• 5x miles on flights and vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel Portal

Other Valuable Perks

• Access to Capital One Lounges for the card holder (there is a fee for additional guests)
• Priority Pass^TM Lounge access for the card holder
• Complimentary Hertz President’s Circle Status
• Up to $120 statement credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry once per four years
• Primary rental car insurance, cell phone protection, and extended warranty
• No foreign transaction fees

Maximizing Your Earnings: The Power Pair

The Venture X is a great starter card and has a lot of perks. But, to truly supercharge your earning rate, we suggest pairing the Venture X with the Capital One Savor Card.

The Savor card earns cash back, but you can convert your cash back to miles at a rate of 1 cent to 1 mile and transfer them into your Venture X account. Please note, you cannot transfer from miles to cashback.

By carrying both the Venture X (for 2x on all non-bonus spend) and the Savor Card (for elevated 3x on key family spending categories), you build a powerful earning machine.

Pro-Tip: Player 2

If you have a partner (your “Player 2”) in your hobby, Capital One makes it incredibly easy to transfer and pool your points with other Capital One cardholders. We found it beneficial for both of us to carry a Savor card for dining/groceries and a Venture X for all other purchases. You also don’t have to pay a fee for authorized users with these cards.

Capital One Transfer Partners

Capital One’s partners are especially useful for international travel. While they could use a few more domestic options, many domestic flights can be booked through their existing partner airlines!

Airline Transfer Partners (1:1 Ratio unless noted)

• Aeromexico Rewards
• Air Canada Aeroplan
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Executive Club
• Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
• Emirates Skywards (1:0.75)
• Etihad Guest
• Finnair Plus
• Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
• Qantas Frequent Flyer
• Qatar Airways Privilege Club
• Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer
• TAP Miles&Go
• Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles
• Virgin Red
• Eva Air (2:1.5)
• Japan Airlines (2:1.5)
• JetBlue (5:3)

If you don’t see a familiar option, check your preferred airline to see if they partner with any of these programs.

Hotel Transfer Partners

• Accor Live Limitless (2:1)
• Choice Privileges (1:1)
• I Prefer Hotel Rewards (1:2)
• Wyndham Rewards (1:1)

Where do you go from here?

Out of all the big banks that offer cards with a transferable currency, we believe the Capital One Venture X and Savor combination offers the simplest, most rewarding way to start your points and miles hobby. To learn more about the credit card options, visit the CapitalOne Website.

Wondering what’s next? We’ll cover your next steps soon!