9 thoughts on “Fly for Free: a Travel Hacking Case-Study after $10,000 in Free Flights

  1. Hi Sunny,
    I’m trying to keep my FICO score at its current 720, and will be applying for a mortage in November, December as I’m looking to purchase an investment property. By applying and opening for travel cards as you did, is there a chance my credit score will suffer? What was your approach?

    Do you recommend that I close some credit cards that I haven’t used in a while to substitute for possibly the new travel card(s)?

    1. Hey Brad my credit score was only minutely effected with each close and seemed to bounce right back within a few months. Right now I think I’m in the 760’s.

      The thing to watch for also though is the number of inquiries on your account. With every new account opening they will run your credit and a new inquiry will appear. My loan officer said that was the only thing that didn’t look great on my account. I had like 10 at that point so just had my Wife open cards in her name while doing the mortgage process.

      I only cancel cards that have annual fees, if they don’t have annual fees then I just stop using them and forget about them. I figure they will only add to my available credit amount. Hope that helps.

  2. Hi Sunny,
    I’ve come across a travel card offer for $30K miles, annual fee waived and spending requirement of $1K in 3 months. Would you say that’s a respectable amount of miles (30K)? By looking at your trip summary it appears it is but just wanted to get your confirmation?

    1. Hey Brad, I usually only open up cards for a 50,000+ bonus. 30k miles is kind of the normal bonus. I’ve only once opened a card that was less that 50k and that was for Alaskan Airlines, and only because I had to book an interalaskan flight that they were the only ones that ran it. So my recommendation would be to hold off until a promotional bonus appears. From a quick-search I didn’t see any fee-waived cards right now, but there is this, which could be worth your while: https://slickdeals.net/f/10484784-southwest-rapid-rewards-plus-premier-credit-cards-60k-points-w-2k-spent-in-1st-3-months?src=SiteSearchV2_SearchBarV2Algo1

  3. SKB–You’re deadly warning was written excellently. It almost sounded like poetry. Good Job.

    Book related. On your recommendation I’m going to try and read The 5 love languages with Mommy. I’d like to see what she thinks and I should also give it another chance–maybe a slow read.

  4. Hello Sunny, do you continue to travel for free using this method in 2018? If so, what has been your latest trips this year? My concern is having so many inquiries on my credit report?

    1. Hey Brad, yes I just took a free round trip to Costa Rica this past September. Also going to Bermuda tomorrow, but that’s via a cruise (still in the middle of writing a post about cruising for cheap).

      Anyway I wouldn’t be so concerned about all the inquiries, In the last 15 months or so, Ive opened 3 new cards, a mortgage, a heloc, and am applying for another heloc right now. And I now have exactly a 800 credit score.

  5. Just listened to your podcast and wanted to add something sweet to a particular flight. We used American airlines card to go to Japan and we were able to use there partner airline JAL. The service is superior and it was a great trip. So I think also that using partnering airlines can be sweet.
    Bruce and Yoko

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