How to build travel rewards without premium credit cards

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Ever seen those incredible Instagram photos of a dreamy villa in the Maldives and thought, “Wow, what I’d do to be there”? Only to realize it’s possible to enjoy such an exotic destination using points and miles — but the people doing so are paying hundreds of dollars per year in credit card annual fees — sometimes with more than one premium card?

It’s true that there’s a whole host of credit cards that will cost you, but there are also ways to earn enough rewards to book travel without paying an arm and a leg.

The key isn’t the annual fee — it’s access to transferable points and strong welcome bonuses. Many no-annual-fee cards still offer sign-up incentives and earn flexible rewards that can be transferred to airline and hotel partners. You can stack your earnings through cardless loyalty programs and shopping portals.

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Annual fees for the most premium credit cards can cost upwards of $800, but paying that much doesn’t make sense for a lot of people. This is especially true if you’re only an occasional traveler. But that doesn’t mean you need to be locked out of points and miles entirely.

Instead, look out for credit cards that don’t have annual fees.

If you have a small business, the American Express Blue Business Plus card makes a lot of sense. And remember: You don’t necessarily need an LLC to get a business card; even a side hustle could be enough.

This no-annual-fee card earns 2x American Express Membership Rewards on up to $50,000 in purchases each year (then 1 point per dollar). You can then transfer these points over to any of Amex’s 20 hotel and airline partners.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited is a strong cash-back card that earns 3% back on dining at restaurants and on drugstore purchases, 5% back on travel purchased through Chase travel, and 1.5% back on everything else.

If you already have a Chase card that earns Ultimate Rewards points like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve, the rewards you earn from the Chase Freedom Unlimited can be redeemed for travel through Chase’s transfer partners, making them even more valuable. But even if you want to stick to no-annual-fee cards exclusively, the Freedom Unlimited offers a solid return on your spending.

You can’t shake a stick without hitting a co-branded airline or hotel credit card, but they’re absolutely worth considering if you’re a loyalist. For example, the Hilton Honors American Express Credit Card doesn’t charge an annual fee and grants Silver elite status to anyone who holds the card. That then entitles you to getting your fifth night free on all award stays, which can save you up to 20% every time you book a stay.

It also allows you to earn Hilton Honors points on all your purchases, helping you build toward award stays without adding another annual fee to your budget. The right strategy matters more than the size of the fee on your card.

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If rent is your biggest monthly expense, Bilt Rewards offers a way to earn transferable points without paying an annual fee. The Bilt Blue card carries no annual fee and allows renters to earn points on their monthly rent payments — one of the few programs that turns housing into travel rewards.

But you don’t even need a Bilt card to earn points through its other partnerships. Bilt members can earn points through Neighborhood Benefits and dining partnerships at participating restaurants and merchants, which means you can build a balance simply by linking an existing card and spending at eligible spots.

Bilt points transfer to airline and hotel partners, including programs like Air Canada Aeroplan and World of Hyatt. For renters especially, it’s a practical way to turn a recurring expense into flexible travel rewards without adding another annual fee to your wallet.

This free program allows you to earn rewards on hotels, flights, and online shopping. While that means you won’t get a lump-sum sign-up bonus like you might when opening a credit card, you’ll also find that Rove makes it really easy to earn its miles.

As you can see here, you’ll get 69.8x Rove Miles per $1 spent at this hotel, which comes out to 115,000 miles for spending a little over $1,600. Boosted earn rates like this fluctuate frequently and tend to be tied to specific properties or limited-time promotions, so returns can vary.

Once earned, Rove Miles can be redeemed for travel on the platform or transferred out to one of its 12 hotel and airline partners.

Finally, don’t overlook one of the easiest ways to boost your points and miles balances every time you shop. Virtually every credit card points program, hotel program, and airline program runs a shopping portal, and clicking through can earn you a windfall of rewards on your online purchases.

There’s also Rakuten, which lets you earn cash back, Amex points, or Bilt points when you click through its portal before making a purchase at a participating retailer. (And if you haven’t signed up, now is a great time to do so since you can currently earn $50 after making a qualifying purchase.)

Premium cards can absolutely make sense if you use their statement credits, lounge access, and other perks enough to offset the annual fee.

But if you’re an occasional traveler — or simply prefer to keep fixed costs low — you don’t need a premium card to earn meaningful rewards. It might just take you a bit longer to book that overwater villa.

Keep your valuables safe on the road

Make sure your passport, money, and other valuables are always close by with the ​Boxiki Travel Hidden Money Belt​. With its flush-to-the-waist design, this belt bag can be hidden under your clothes, and its RFID-blocking material keeps your personal information safe.

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