COVID-19 has changed the way we live so much, from how often we wash our hands to how we work, worship, and care for our children. Even among those who travel frequently for business or pleasure, the pandemic has turned many lives upside down.
Fortunately, mass vaccination is now in full swing, as are treatments for COVID-19 patients. As a result, many countries have now opened their borders to American tourists with and without restrictions. Spain, for example, is now receiving American travelers with no proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. However, Americans planning to travel to Italy must provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of their arrival in order to enter the country.
The rules for entering other countries change quickly and frequently, but right now American tourists can visit Mexico and most of the Caribbean, many parts of Europe, many destinations in Central and South America, and much more. With that in mind, now is the perfect time to consider all the possibilities Credit card Rewards could come into play.
With fewer travel restrictions and more countries opening their borders, here are some of the strategies you should consider.
Plan a trip with rewards, but make sure you have flexible cancellation policies
Whether you’ve earned airline miles for a trip abroad or have tons of hotel points, now may be the right time to book your dream trip. While award availability will vary based on your destination and travel date, it is entirely possible to find cheap redemptions on airline tickets and hotel stays to get out of the country safely. In destinations where travel capacities are far from being exhausted, you may even find more award availability than normal.
Still, look for flexible cancellation policies when booking trips to an area that may be difficult to visit during your travel dates. Fortunately, major airlines like Delta and American Airlines still make it easy to cancel or rebook your travel plans.
For example, American Airlines has announced no more rebooking fees for domestic flights, international short-haul flights and selected international long-haul flights in the main cabin or premium cabins. Delta Air Lines, United and many others have also followed suit. In addition, you can cancel an award with many airlines and get your miles back immediately if you have to cancel – at least for the time being.
Of course, you can always travel to selected destinations in Mexico or the Caribbean as well as US destinations with the Southwest Rapid Rewards Program, with which you can cancel and rebook free of charge.
Most hotel programs (and even hotels that are offered through flexible programs like Chase ultimate rewards and Amex Membership Rewards) also have flexible cancellation policies. However, you should still check whether you can cancel your trip and get your points back – or at least rebook to other dates without penalty.
Again, focus on spending on points and miles cards
The pandemic caused many reward enthusiasts to turn away from travel spots and focus on their expenses Cashback credit cards. In other cases, consumers chose to redeem all of their travel points with flexible options due to the pandemic, such as: Chase “Pay Yourself Back” promotion.
In either case, there is only one solution to an exhausted travel award balance. Now is the perfect time to focus on spending Travel credit cards with which you can collect points for flights, hotels, rental cars, package tours and more
If you are unsure how to travel when you are able, it may be wise to issue flexible travel credit cards that allow you to redeem rewards in more than one way. For example Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards like that Chase Sapphire Preferred® card and Chase Sapphire Reserve® redeem your rewards for flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises and more through the Chase travel portal. However, you can also transfer Chase Points at a 1: 1 ratio to airline and hotel partners such as Southwest Rapid Rewards, United MileagePlus, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt. And if for whatever reason you can’t travel, redeeming your points for bank statements, merchandise or gift cards is also on the table.
American Express Membership Rewards credit cards like that American Express® Gold Card and The American Express Platinum Card® work similarly in terms of redemption, so you can use points to travel through AmexTravel.com, transfer them to Amex airline and hotel partners, or redeem them for gift cards and other flexible options.
If you have rewards credit cards You should also be careful with category bonuses. For example on July 1st, 2021, the quarterly bonus categories on the Chase Freedom Flex Changed to grocery stores (excluding Walmart and Target) and select streaming services. Once activated, you’ll get 5 percent on up to $ 1,500 in spending in these categories in the third quarter (then 1 percent). The bonus awards for this quarter are valid until September 30, 2021. At this point, the card will move to a final fourth quarter bonus category that has yet to be determined.
Earn a new sign up bonus
After all, it’s always a good time to look for a lucrative credit card bonus offer. Finally, the best reward and travel credit cards often offer bonuses of $ 500 or more if you meet a minimum spending requirement within a few months of opening your account. For example, the Chase Sapphire Preferred currently offers 100,000 travel points valued at $ 1,250 after spending $ 4,000 within three months of opening an account.
If you’re looking for a premium travel credit card, check out the newly updated one too American Express Platinum Card®. Currently, new cardholders can earn 100,000 Membership Rewards points upon registration and spend $ 6,000 on new purchases within six months of opening an account. In addition, you can earn 10x points for eligible purchases at restaurants around the world and shopping in the US for up to $ 25,000 in combined purchases for the first six months after opening your account.
There are numerous travel credit cards available generous bonus offers So be sure to compare them. Any of them could help you build a supply of rewards ready once the travel restrictions are lifted, and from now on you will have a huge head start.
The bottom line
Even if life is not yet “normal”, there are many countries you can visit if you are ready. This is especially true if you are fully vaccinated, but you can still visit more international destinations if you are ready to take a COVID-19 test within a few days of your arrival.
In any case, do not hesitate to collect or redeem more points and miles. The world may never be exactly the same as it was before the pandemic, but with an open mind and focus on safety, you can still get out and enjoy it.
