how to get travel card 101 certificate

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Get Your 101 Card

How to get your 101 card

What is a 101 Card?

A CAP Form 101, commonly referred to as a 101 Card is your ticket into Emergency Services. This card shows mission staff at a glance what you are qualified to do when you sign in for a mission and is required before you can begin any hands-on training in emergency services.

Requirements

In order to get a 101 Card, you will need the following depending on your status:

Current membership card

Minimum grade:

Cadets: Airman (Curry award)

Seniors: SM with Level I

Successful completion of CAPT 116 Part below using the Online Test System:

CAPT 116 Part 1

Detailed Instructions for Testing

All tests are untimed, open book tests. It is suggested that you download the associated resources and keep them open during the test for reference.

CAPT 116: General Emergency Services

CAPT 116 Part 1 covers general emergency services operational mission procedures. It is based largely on the following resources:

• CAPR 60-3 - CAP Emergency Services Training and Operational Missions
• CAPR 173-3 - Payment for Civil Air Patrol Support
• General Emergency Services Slides (1-26 only; the remaining slides are for the Incident Command System - ICS)
• CAPR 900-5 - Civil Air Patrol Insurance/Benefits Program

Log on to the National Website and take this class via the AXIS testing system.

Ongoing Training

Once you have your 101 Card, you can begin your hands-on training and other training materials are available depending on your status.

Printing Your 101 Card

If you do not have a photo in the system, you will need to upload one prior to printing your 101 Card. This is easily completed using the following steps:

Login to eServices .

Upper left corner, click on the drop down MENU.  Select OPERATIONS. Select OPERATIONS Qualifications.

Upper left corner - select the RED Ops Quals drop down.  Select 101 Card.  Enter your CAP I.D.

Go to the bottom of 101 Card to see the link to upload a photo.

Upload a digital photo that follows the ID Card Guidelines.

Contact your squadron emergency services officer to approve it (the system doesn't always send out notifications).

After you have completed the General Emergency Services CAPT116 test, you are eligible to begin training for further qualifications. Before you can participate in any training exercises, however, you will need to print a CAPF 101 (otherwise known as the 101 Card) by following the directions below:

Follow the same instructions above on how to upload your photo, by opening your 101 card again.

At the bottom of the 101 card, you’ll see a link to print.

Print it (black and white is fine), cut it out, and carry it with your CAP ID card.

Next steps...

Now that you've obtained your 101 card, you may want to pursue the CAPT 117 test as well as FEMA IS-100 and IS 700 courses.

CAPT 117 Parts 1-3 are requirements for various qualifications as detailed below. It is recommended that you take all three parts. Each part is based on the text provided in the test itself.

Part 1 is required for all ground crew including ground team members, ground team leaders, urban direction finding team members, and critical incident stress team qualified.

Part 2 is required for all aircrew including mission pilots, transport mission pilots, mission scanners, mission observers, flight line marshallers, and flight line supervisors.

Part 3 is required for all incident commanders, agency liaisons, planning section chiefs, logistics section chiefs, finance/administration section chiefs, air operations branch directors, ground branch directors, information officers, communications unit leaders, mission radio operators, mission safety officers, liaison officers, mission chaplains, and mission staff assistants.

IS-100: Introduction to the Incident Command System

The FEMA IS-100 online course and exam is an introduction to the Incident Command System under which CAP and other local, state, and federal emergency service agencies operate. Much of the information covered in the IS-100 exam may be found in CAP Regulation 60-3, Chapter 8; however, the FEMA website contains an excellent self-paced study course and associated online exam. Click here to take the exam .

After you have completed this training be sure to save your certificate of completion . Your certificate will need to be uploaded into eServices and either the Squadron Commander or Professional Development Officer will need it to verify completion in eServices. Also, enter the information into eServices as follows:

Log into eServices and pull up your 101 card again.

Select View/Upload Documents at the top of the screen below your name.

Select IS-100 to be uploaded from the “What do you like to upload” drop down menu, browse for your certificate wherever you have it saved, and then Upload ES Files.

Finally, press the select, Submit.

IS-700.B: An Introduction to the National Incident Management System

This course provides an overview of the National Incident Management System (NIMS). The National Incident Management System defines the comprehensive approach guiding the whole community - all levels of government, nongovernmental organizations (NGO), and the private sector - to work together seamlessly to prevent, protect against, mitigate, respond to, and recover from the effects of incidents. The course provides learners with a basic understanding of NIMS concepts, principles, and components. Click here to take the exam.

Select IS-700 to be uploaded from the “What do you like to upload” drop down menu, browse for your certificate wherever you have it saved, and then Upload ES Files..

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Should You Use a Credit Card Travel Portal?

Unlock the details of credit card travel portals and learn how to maximize your benefits.

Using a Credit Card Travel Portal

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Using a credit card portal to book travel could help you save money and help you earn more points or redeem travel credits.

Key Takeaways

• Credit card travel portals search across multiple travel options, giving you the power to compare prices.
• You can use your credit card or rewards to book travel with your credit card issuer's travel portal.
• Some cards may offer travel credits and benefits when you book using the associated travel portal. 

You have many options for booking travel, whether you want to book directly with airlines and hotels, use an online travel agency or book with your credit card's travel portal. Using a credit card travel portal may allow you to take advantage of cardholder benefits and credits and give you additional choices for your booking.

Understand how to use credit card travel portals to save money on your next trip and maybe get some elevated perks along the way – but also recognize when it doesn't make sense.

What Are Credit Card Travel Portals?

Similar to online travel agencies, such as Expedia or Booking.com, credit card travel portals are online travel booking platforms. Cardholders can use credit card travel portals to browse and book travel options, including flights, hotels, rental cars and experiences using your credit card or rewards.

Credit card travel portals include:

• American Express Travel.
• Capital One Travel.
• Chase Travel.
• Citi Travel.

Some credit cards offer cardholder savings or perks when you book travel using the issuer's credit card portal, such as travel credits or cardholder privileges, including free breakfast or late checkout.

How Credit Card Travel Portals Stack Up

When you use a credit card travel portal, the amount and method of payment may be the deciding factors in how you book. Using a credit card travel portal to book travel can save you money, but not always.

We compared a midweek economy flight from Los Angeles to New York and a weeklong stay at a three-star hotel in Manhattan. In some cases, credit card travel portals were competitive, but Expedia had the lowest overall price for flight and hotel costs on this test trip.

Still, this is just one example, and travel prices can fluctuate depending on how you book. It's always a good idea to compare all of your options.

Benefits of Credit Card Travel Portals

Booking your travel with a credit card travel portal can help you earn more points or redeem travel credits. Some examples:

• Cardholders of the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card get a $300 annual travel credit for bookings through the Capital One Travel site. When booking on the Capital One Travel site, cardholders earn unlimited 10 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars and 5 miles per dollar on flights. ( See Rates and Fees )
• With The Platinum Card ® from American Express , cardholders get a $200 annual hotel credit for prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel and earn five points per dollar on flights and prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. ( See Rates and Fees )
• Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card holders get a $50 annual Chase Travel hotel credit and earn five points per dollar on Chase Travel purchases.

"Using the travel credits is huge," says JT Genter, editor in chief of rewards and travel tracking tool AwardWallet. "Card issuers are leaning more towards those only being accessible through the portal."

Credit card travel portal bookings may help your points go further, too. "Because I have a Chase Sapphire Preferred Card, when I use the (Chase) portal to book travel, my points get an extra 25% bump," says Chip Chinery, personal finance blogger at Chip's Money Tips. For example, you'd only pay 100,000 points for a flight or hotel that would require 125,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book without the points boost.

Helpful features can add up to savings on credit card travel portals. For example, Capital One Travel offers a price match guarantee. Genter used the Capital One Travel price match feature on a flight from Cairo to Marrakech, Morocco. Although he booked with Capital One Travel, an online travel agency had a better price. He was able to price match with Capital One Travel to get a travel credit.

Genter points out that cardholders of The Platinum Card from American Express can take advantage of the International Airline Program for potential savings on international flights in first, business or premium economy.

You may also get benefits for booking with credit card travel portals, particularly when booking hotels. For example:

• Cardholders of The Platinum Card from American Express get elite benefits at participating hotels, including early check-in, room upgrades, breakfast for two, a $100 experience credit, complimentary Wi-Fi and guaranteed 4 p.m. check-out.
• If you have a Chase Sapphire Reserve ® , you can book The Edit properties through Chase Travel and receive benefits, including daily breakfast for two, a $100 on-property credit, room upgrades, early check-in and late check-out and complimentary Wi-Fi.

Drawbacks of Credit Card Travel Portals

Travel credits and on-property perks are compelling reasons to use a credit card travel portal. However, it pays to compare pricing among your card's portal, direct booking or an online travel agency, because the lowest-priced option depends on the trip you're taking. Also, you may forfeit some benefits, as credit card travel portals are third-party bookings.

With a third-party booking, you'll have less flexibility in customer service and cancellation than you would if you booked directly. For example, if you're dealing with a delayed flight and need service from the airline, you may be directed to the travel portal customer service. You may have limited options for cancellation and how you get your money or rewards back.

Another major point to consider with third-party bookings: You generally won't be able to earn points or miles with the airline or hotel, though you can earn points with your card. Additionally, you may not be able to use elite benefits for any status you hold. For example, if you have Hilton Honors status that entitles you to a daily food and beverage credit, you're not likely to get it when you book a stay with your credit card travel portal.

When to Use a Credit Card Travel Portal

Booking travel with a credit card travel portal can make sense in some scenarios. For instance:

• You want to compare your travel options across multiple airlines or hotels in the portal.
• You have a travel credit available that can only be redeemed through the issuer's travel portal.
• You have rewards you want to redeem on the portal, and booking this way offers a good redemption value.
• You want to take advantage of benefits, such as elite hotel perks that you can get when using a credit card travel portal.
• Your booking options on the portal are priced lower compared with other options.
• Booking on the portal earns elevated rewards, and the prices and benefits are comparable to those of other booking options.

"It makes sense if you want to take advantage of the credits but also to earn bonus points," says Genter. "And sometimes, they have promotions such as hyper-targeted offers."

Tags: credit cards

Comparative assessments and other editorial opinions are those of U.S. News and have not been previously reviewed, approved or endorsed by any other entities, such as banks, credit card issuers or travel companies. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired.

Best no annual fee travel credit cards of April 2024

Fortune Recommends™ has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Fortune Recommends™ and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.  

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.  

Travel rewards cards are a lot like gyms. The best ones may come with tons of added benefits (saunas, yoga class, etc.) but they also cost a lot, usually with a big financial commitment upfront. 

As a result, whether you’re considering a Chase Sapphire Preferred ® Card (with its $95 annual fee) or a CrossFit membership, you probably have the same question on your mind: will I really use it enough to justify paying for it? 

While there aren’t any free gyms we know of, there thankfully are plenty of no-annual-fee travel rewards cards that require essentially zero commitment. And just like an ab roller or a Richard Simmons DVD, you can simply use them a few times, forget about them, and put them in a drawer until beach season. Or, you can stick with it and make them part of your daily routine—whatever works for you.

You’re also far more likely to see “instant results” with these cards, too. From 100,000-point welcome bonuses to rewards for paying rent, free travel insurance to 3X on gas, these cards offer way more than you’d expect for a fee of $0 per year. 

The best no-annual-fee travel cards for April 2024

Best overall: bilt mastercard, best for hotel rewards: ihg one rewards traveler credit card, best for airline rewards: united gateway℠ card, best for travel earnings: wells fargo autograph℠ card, best for flat-rate earnings: capital one ventureone rewards credit card.

The Bilt Mastercard allows you to earn points from paying rent and transfer them 1:1 to well over a dozen different travel partners including United MileagePlus and Marriott Bonvoy. Toss in some surprisingly robust travel insurance and you have our unconventional—yet logical—choice for the best overall no-annual-fee travel card of 2024.

Bilt Mastercard®

See Rates and Fees

Special feature

Rewards rates.

• 1x Earn 1X points on rent up to 100K/year
• 1x Earn 3X points on dining
• 2x Earn 2X points on travel
• 1x Earn 1X points on other purchases
• Use the card 5 times each statement period to earn points
• Uniquely earns points on rent
• Rent Day bonus every first of the month offers double points (excluding rent)
• Robust travel transfer partners
• Cash redemption rate is poor
• No traditional welcome bonus
• Travel perks: Trip Cancellation and Interruption Protection, Trip Delay Reimbursement, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
• See this page for details
• Foreign Transaction Fee: None

Why we like this card: As mentioned, the Bilt Mastercard’s most compelling feature is that it allows you to pay rent with a credit card—even if your landlord doesn’t take plastic—and avoid the transaction fee paying rent by credit card would typically incur. Then, as long as you complete five transactions each month, you’ll trigger 1X rewards on your rent payments. 

Note that rewards on rent are capped at 100,000 points per year.

In terms of earning potential, if you pay the median ~$2,000 rent in the U.S., you could earn approximately 24,000 points per year which can be used to book travel in Bilt’s portal at a value of 1.25 cents per point or transferred to any of Bilt’s airline or hotel partners at a 1:1 ratio. In other words, you could likely earn a domestic flight with United or a weekend stay at Hyatt, all for simply paying rent on time.

The Bilt card also provides trip cancellation and interruption protection, trip delay reimbursement, and primary rental car insurance (terms apply)—perks you wouldn’t typically find on a no-annual-fee credit card.

If you’re looking for a hotel rewards card that offers the most free nights for no annual fee, wait until you read about the IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card. With a six-figure welcome bonus, up to 17X on stays and other compelling rewards, it’s currently the gold standard for no-fee hotel rewards.

IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card

Intro bonus.

• 17x Earn up to 17X points when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts 
• 3x Earn 3X points on dining, utilities, internet, cable, and phone services, select streaming services, and at gas stations
• 2x Earn 2X points on all other purchases
• Generous welcome bonus not typically seen in a $0 annual fee card
• Travel protections that are unusual for a no-annual-fee card
• Fourth night free on award bookings
• Limited redemption options outside of IHG
• IHG points are worth less than some other rewards currencies
• Silver status granted with the card has limited benefit
• Additional perks: Trip cancelation/interruption insurance, auto rental collision damage waiver, purchase protection, ability to spend to Gold status
• Foreign transaction fee:None

Why we like this card: We like calling the IHG One Rewards Traveler card the “Liam Hemsworth” of travel rewards cards because it lives in the shadow of its big brother—the IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card —but still delivers plenty of quality and substance in its own right (with no annual fee, to boot). 

For starters, you can get a welcome bonus of 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening, potentially worth around $500 to $700 in IHG redemption. 

Plus, enjoy up to 17X points when you stay at IHG Hotels & Resorts, instant Silver Elite status and a handy bonus where you redeem points for three consecutive nights and get the fourth night in your stay free. So, if you book a three-night stay using your welcome bonus, you’ll essentially be getting a complimentary four-night stay at a nice IHG property for no annual fee. The IHG One Rewards program could be very rewarding for the right traveler.

Check out our full review of the IHG One Rewards Traveler .

As a no-annual-fee airline card, the United Gateway℠ Card currently edges out its rival the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card by offering a more generous welcome bonus and travel insurance that the Delta card does not provide. If you fly occasionally and would like to earn miles, but aren’t willing to make the commitment of $95 or more for a mid-tier airline card with more perks, the Gateway is a strong choice. 

United Gateway℠ Card

• 2x 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, including tickets, Economy Plus, in-flight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, baggage service charges and other United purchases.
• 2x 2 miles per $1 spent on local transit and commuting, including rideshare services, taxicabs, train tickets, tolls, and mass transit.
• 1x 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases
• No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
• Reward bonus categories outside of United Airlines
• Robust travel protections for a no-annual-fee card
• No baggage or expanded award availability benefits like with other United cards
• Subject to Chase 5/24 rule.
• United perks: 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages and Wi-Fi on board United-operated flights and on Club premium drinks when you pay with your Gateway Card
• Other perks: Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Trip Cancellation/Interruption insurance, Purchase Protection, Extended Warranty
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Why we like this card: The United Gateway card offers 2 miles per $1 spent on United® purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting plus 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Considering a United Mile is worth roughly around 1.2 cents these days, effectively earning 2.4 cents back on everyday purchases is a solid value proposition. 

You’ll also get a welcome bonus of 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. And, you can save with a discount of 25% back on United in-flight and Club Premium drink purchases. 

New cardholders will enjoy a 0% Intro APR on Purchases for 12 months, after 21.99%–28.99% variable applies.

If the United Gateway card has a small lead on the Delta Skymiles Blue Amex at this point, it soars ahead (pun intended) when you look at the included travel and shopping protections. Both cards offer secondary rental car insurance, but only the Gateway includes trip cancellation and interruption insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty protection. 

So, if you’re seeking a no-annual-fee card you can use to rack up miles—and you either tend to fly United most of the time or you’re at minimum not devoted to a competing airline—the United Gateway is the card to beat.

Check out our full review of the United Gateway Card for more info.

To view rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Blue American Express Card, see this page  

With a generous welcome bonus in exchange for an attainable spend amount, 3X on travel, and a fancy name, you’d think the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card would command an annual fee of at least $95. But it doesn’t, making it a superb candidate for general travel use.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

Intro bonus.

• 3X 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans
• 1X 1X points on other purchases
• No annual fee
• 20,000 bonus points when you spend $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months (that's a $200 cash redemption value)
• Points transfer to partners
• Car rental insurance is secondary
• No travel insurance
• Transfer partners are limited
• Additional perks: Cell Phone Protection: Provides up to $600 in cell phone protection when you pay your monthly cell bill with your Wells Fargo Autograph card. Coverage is subject to a $25 deductible and limited to two claims every 12-month period.
• Foreign transaction fee: N/A

Why we like this card: The Wells Fargo Autograph offers unlimited 3X points on restaurants, travel, gas stations, transit, popular streaming services and phone plans and even your landline bill too if you have one, plus 1X points on other purchases—all without charging an annual fee. And, to make traveling a little cheaper/less stressful, you’ll also get $600 worth of cell phone protection (minus a $25 deductible) as long as you pay your phone bill with this card and secondary rental car insurance. 

Cardholders can transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to Wells Fargo’s first wave of transfer partners including Air France‑KLM Flying Blue, Avianca Lifemiles, British Airways Executive Club, AerClub, and Iberia Plus and 1:2 to Choice Privileges. 

But even if you aren’t a member of those loyalty programs, earning 3X on dining, travel, gas, and more is hard to pass up. You can redeem points at a value of 1 cent each to offset past purchases on your account, meaning you can wield the Autograph either as a no-annual-fee travel card or as a cash-back card effectively earning unlimited 3% back in a wide swath of useful categories. 

Check out our full review of the Wells Fargo Autograph .

Sometimes, you just want a card that offers a little more than 1X on every purchase—without having to worry about what this quarter’s rotating rewards are, or whether a specific merchant qualifies as “groceries” for the purposes of your card’s rewards. If you value simplicity and the lack of an annual fee in your travel card, you’ll probably be a fan of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card and its straightforward rewards program.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Reward Rates

• 5x Earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 1.25x Earn 1.25x miles on every other purchase
• Flexible travel rewards
• No foreign transaction fee
• Maximizing Capital One Miles requires a learning curve
• Cash redemption value is limited
• The VentureOne offers travel accident insurance, rental car coverage, extended warranty protection, exclusive access to events through Capital One Dining and Capital One Entertainment

Why we like this card: The Capital One VentureOne Rewards offers 1.25X miles per dollar spent on everyday purchases and 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. That’s pretty much all that you have to remember. You can also get a nice welcome bonus of 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, which is a solid payout for a very attainable spending target. 

Capital One Miles can be transferred to well over a dozen airline and hotel partners, most at a 1:1 rate. Partners include Air Canada’s Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, Choice Privileges, Virgin Red, and Wyndham Rewards, among others. Other ways to book travel include redeeming miles through Capital One’s portal or making the purchase directly, paying with your card like normal, then using miles for a statement credit to cover the transaction. 

The Venture One also offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months (after that, the variable APR will be 19.99%–29.99%). There’s an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account during the first 15 months that your account is open , then 4% per transfer for any promotional APR offered after. 

Come to think of it, provided you have the excellent credit needed to apply, the VentureOne could make a great travel companion for a grad student given its simplicity, lengthy intro APR period and low spending threshold required to trigger the welcome bonus.

Check out our full review of the Capital One VentureOne Rewards .

Frequently asked questions

Which card is best for international transactions without extra charges.

Zero foreign transaction fees is actually a common benefit among travel rewards cards, including many with no annual fee. For example, neither the Bilt Mastercard nor the United Gateway card charges a foreign currency conversion fee. 

What is the best travel credit card for a young person? 

If you’re still paying rent, the Bilt Mastercard is an excellent choice since it can generate points from rent payments which can then be transferred 1:1 to well over a dozen airline and hotel partners. If you’d prefer a card with a welcome bonus, which the Bilt card lacks, the IHG One Rewards Traveler card currently offers a massive welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee card—potentially worth hundreds of dollars toward a future IHG hotel stay. 

Is a travel card with an annual fee worth it?

Using a travel rewards card with an annual fee can be worth it as long as you’re extracting enough points and benefits to justify paying the fee each year. If you travel infrequently or just want one less fee to worry about, consider one of the no-annual-fee cards on our list above. But, the best perks and protections are typically available on cards with annual fees.

For example, the Capital One Venture X card offers a $300 annual travel credit for bookings made through Capital One Travel. If you use that every year, you’ve gone a long way toward offsetting the $395 annual fee. You also get 10,000 bonus miles, worth at least $100 toward travel, every year starting on your account anniversary.

Methodology

To bring you our top picks for the best travel rewards cards with no annual fee, the Fortune Recommends surveyed more than a dozen cards currently available from today’s top issuers. From there, we ranked each one based on the following core categories and weights:

• Welcome bonus (10%): Some cards—even those with no annual fee—offer welcome bonuses that you can earn once you make enough purchases within a certain time frame, such as spending $1,000 within three months of account opening.
• Travel earnings (25%): These are the point rewards you’d earn by making travel-related purchases (e.g. 3X on hotels, 2X on airfare).
• Car rental insurance (15%): Many, but not all travel-centric rewards cards include an auto rental collision damage waiver, which allows you to decline a portion of the rental company’s insurance and save potentially up to $30 per day. We gave extra consideration to if a card offers primary rental car insurance versus secondary, because primary kicks in immediately in a covered scenario—whereas secondary only applies after your own, personal insurance. 
• Travel insurance benefits (15%): Some travel rewards cards automatically apply trip cancellation/interruption insurance, lost/delayed luggage reimbursement and even travel accident insurance on travel bookings made using the card.
• Gas earning (5%): Since road trips remain a common form of travel, whether or not a card offers points rewards at the pump factored into our rankings.
• Dining earning (10%): If a no-annual-fee travel rewards card offered 2X or more on restaurant purchases it favored well in this category.

The remaining 20% was based on the card’s main focus: hotel, airline or general travel rewards. 

• For general travel—points transferrable to partners (20%): Points are literally worth more if you can transfer them to certain partners, so a card’s ability to transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners factored into our rankings.
• For hotel rewards—free award night with booking (20%): Some hotel rewards cards offer a BOGO-like perk where if you redeem a certain number of nights with points you get an extra tacked on for free.
• For airline rewards—ability to spend towards status (20%): Most airline rewards cards allow you to earn miles, but not all of them count those miles towards your next loyalty status. If a card treated them as “qualifying miles,” it fared better in this category.

Lastly, just keep in mind that virtually every aspect of a travel rewards card—from the rewards to the welcome bonus and fee structure—is subject to change, which could impact how many miles or points you earn. 

Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefits guide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.  

Please note that card details are accurate as of the publish date, but are subject to change at any time at the discretion of the issuer. Please contact the card issuer to verify rates, fees, and benefits before applying.  

EDITORIAL DISCLOSURE : The advice, opinions, or rankings contained in this article are solely those of the Fortune Recommends ™ editorial team. This content has not been reviewed or endorsed by any of our affiliate partners or other third parties.

Guide to travel rewards credit cards

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Award Travel 101 Podcast Episode 63: Credit Cards — When To Hold ‘Em and When To Fold ‘Em

Reviewed by Ryan Smith

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Welcome back to the Award Travel 101 Podcast — from the original  Facebook community created for miles and points enthusiasts. In this episode, we discuss when is the right time to close cards.

The Award Travel 101 Podcast is brought to you in part by Thrifty Traveler Premium. Get Thrifty Traveler Premium deal/award alerts sent straight to your inbox.  Use promo code “AT10” for $10 off your first year.  Head to ThriftyTraveler.com for more details and check out their  Google Flights guide . Recent finds include:

• Business class to Europe for 59,000 points
• Business class to Colombia for 64,000 miles round-trip
• Round-trip to St. Kitts for $431

You can find these at  ThriftyTraveler.com/Premium

Award Travel 101 Podcast Show Format

We break each show into six sections:

• Question/win of the week  — asked or shared by members of the Award Travel 101 community
• News and enhanced offers
• What bonuses did we get  — which will tell you what credit cards we're working on and why

Trip updates

• Highlight feature
• What you didn't know  — a feature dedicated to a big or small tip that will help you better maximize the value you receive from your rewards.

How To Listen to the Award Travel 101 Podcast

Episode 63 – when to close credit cards.

You can find us anywhere you listen to other fine podcasts including:

• Apple Podcasts
• Google Podcasts
• Amazon Music
• iHeart Radio

Previous episode show notes

Award travel 101 podcast episode 63 show notes, post of the week.

Penina Olar : “My husband and I are considering a trip to Asia this summer. When is the best time book with points? My husband wants to fly business class, but it’s showing the cost at 200K miles per person for one way. Will the price come down if I book closer to our trip? Most likely going in June.”

• Zorkcast Episode of “Yo 11 Minutes” 70 about status matching
• Complete guide to Wells Fargo transfer partners
• Air India refreshes its Flying Returns program
• Iberia Plus Bonus now has milestone rewards
• Application fee is going up for Global Entry, NEXUS, and SENTRI, but kids will be free

What bonuses did we get?

• Where's my 20,000-point checking account bonus?
• Alaska Airlines Visa ® Business card
• Alaska Airlines Visa ® credit card
• Modified India trip: Three separate carriers on three different tickets
• Domestic flights using The Business Platinum Card ® from American Express on a cash ticket with points rebate benefit
• Chicago Seminars flights and hotel booked
• Tampa father–son trip booked
• Booked Grand Hyatt Tokyo, including a suite upgrade

Highlight Feature: Strategy – When To Close Credit Cards

Thanks to a recommendation from a member, we decided to review when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Consider the following:

• Is there long-term value?
• Are the benefits enough to offset the annual fee?
• If not, is there a retention offer?
• If no offer, is there a path t0 product change to preserve the credit line to help with utilization ratio or credit age?
• If there's no path to product change, consider closing the card — as long as it’s not your oldest card.
• If there's no annual fee, there's no reason to close. However, sometimes it helps if you close some no-annual-fee cards with no value. This was something one of our moderators did to get a Capital One card. If you’re not using them though, put a small charge on them periodically.

Related: When Should I Downgrade a Credit Card?

Where To Find the Award Travel 101 Community

For questions, you can join us in the  free  100,000+ member  Award Travel 101 Community .

• If you want to jump into more intermediate and advanced strategies, our  Award Travel 201 community  ($89.99 annually) is filled with those who want to dig into the weeds, looking for more outsized value.
• To book time with our team to discuss how to better your earning and burning strategies, check out  Award Travel one-on-one .
• You can also email us at  [email protected] .
• Our next meetup is located in San Antonio, TX on April 26–28, 2024 , and it's sold out. You can get on our waiting list , but to learn more visit our  Spring Meetup in San Antonio  Eventbrite.

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7 Ways to Get Free Lodging While Traveling

I t's no secret that airfare is expensive. And gas surely isn't cheap. But often, the most expensive part of any trip is going to be lodging. The longer your trip lasts, the higher that bill will be.

But it doesn't have to be that way. There are actually all sorts of ways you can get free or reduced cost accommodations on your next trip. Here are some examples.

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1. Rewards points

Pretty much every major hotel brand has a loyalty program that lets you redeem points for free hotel nights. While you can earn points in a variety of ways, the easiest is often through credit cards .

There are two ways to turn credit card purchases into hotel points. The first is to get a co-branded hotel credit card . The points you earn with a hotel card go straight into your loyalty account, where you can redeem them for free nights directly.

The other option is a rewards credit card with transferable points. These programs partner with hotels (and airlines, but that's another article). When you know which hotel brand you want to use, you can transfer your credit card points to your hotel loyalty account for redemption.

2. Free night certificates

One of my absolute favorite travel card perks is when hotel credit cards offer free night certificates. These are typically annual perks that are handed out after your cardholder anniversary. Free night certificates can, as the name suggests, be redeemed for a free hotel night.

The quality and value of the certificates can vary a lot. Most will have some sort of point-equivalent cap. For example, you might get a cert that can only be used on rooms worth up to 40,000 hotel points. Despite the caps, however, these certificates can be quite versatile.

3. House/pet sitting

If you're responsible and willing to do a few household chores to pay for your lodging, then house and/or pet sitting could be a viable option for no-cost lodging while you travel. There are several popular websites that let you match with homeowners who need a little help while they're away from home. Since most of the listings tend to involve taking care of pets -- or even livestock -- some animal experience may be required.

4. House swaps

Thanks to the power of the internet, homeowners looking to get away can simply swap places with other homeowners from across the globe. (If you've seen a certain Kate Winslet rom-com -- or the Hallmark Channel knock-offs -- then you already know how magical a house swap can be.) While you're not guaranteed to fall in love with the attractive neighbor, you can still enjoy the adventure of staying somewhere exotic for free.

5. Couch surfing

Are you more of the vagabond type -- or just extremely outgoing? Then you might be a good candidate for couch surfing. While the term may conjure that friend in college who only needs to crash for "a couple of days" (read: months), the concept has been modernized for the digital era. Now, you can hop on a website and find plenty of folks willing to give you a couch -- or, ideally, a room -- where you can crash for free during your travels.

6. Sales spiels

The good old timeshare spiel is more than just a sitcom punchline. You can actually enjoy free -- or at least significantly discounted -- accommodations just for sitting through a sales pitch. Alright, so it's going to a sales pitch with a hard push, so if you're at all susceptible to such things, this may not be the option for you. (Never buy a timeshare . Just don't.) But if you're stubborn enough to ignore the temptation to buy, it could be a good way to travel at a discount.

7. Friends and family

If you're one of those people who always makes friends wherever you go, well, you've got a network of free accommodations built right in! Staying with friends or family is a time-honored tradition, and arguably the most popular way to skip the hotel bill. Just remember that even with family, you can have too much of a good thing -- so don't overstay your welcome!

Hotel, schmotel

Finding somewhere to sleep while you're on vacation can be a costly endeavor. And it can be especially hard if you forget something really important: Vacations are rarely about where you sleep. As long as you have somewhere safe to spend the night, try to focus less on how many stars your accommodation has -- and more on what fun things you'll do while you're traveling.

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