Steven’s Tips: Flexibility is key

Practice some travel-hacking yoga to get the best value
steven the balmoral


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I have some bad news.

It doesn’t matter how many points you collect. You’ll never maximize their value unless you’re flexible. But that doesn’t mean you need to be a digital nomad or have unlimited PTO. It’s more of a mindset. 

For example, I’m heading to Egypt on Sunday. The cheapest way for me to get there was via London. Heathrow has the most flights, so it’s a natural assumption that more reward flights will leave from there. But I’m in Scotland. My reward options from Glasgow were slim, and a separate flight to London would have cost me another 20,000 points or $150.

Instead, I’m taking an overnight bus to Heathrow. It cost $25 and saved over $200 between my partner and me. It’s not convenient, but it saved me money and points.

Here are some ways you can be flexible in your search:

  • Pick a destination first, then choose dates based on points. Don’t pick a precise date unless you have no other choice. You’re severely limiting your options.
  • Expand your airport pool.f you live in Raleigh, renting a car for half a day and driving to an airport like Charlotte or even Dulles in D.C. could save you money. If the vehicle costs $35 to rent, but the DC flight is $300 or 25,000 points cheaper, that’s a win.
  • Get used to searching for each leg individually. Search for a Raleigh to JFK flight, then a JFK to Paris flight, then a Paris to Boston flight, then a Boston to Raleigh flight. It might sound more confusing, but it could be a far better value.
  • Use hotel statement credits to ease long layover costs.  flight via Dublin might be far cheaper but leaves a day later than you’d hoped. Hotel credits, like with the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Capital One Venture X, can make that super affordable.

Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone. This post contains references to products from one or more of our partners and we may receive compensation when you click on links to those products.

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