- While many Americans aren't traveling like usual, you can still stockpile valuable travel miles and points from credit card purchases.
- Credit card rewards can be worth thousands of dollars toward travel and could have you back in the air as soon as you're comfortable flying again.
- Earning travel rewards now can help you save up for bucket-list trips or premium business class rewards, among other travel goals.
- See Business Insider's list of the best travel rewards credit cards »
I didn't realize it at the time, but my trip to San Diego in February was fated to be my last regular trip for a long while. While COVID-19 was already an important issue during my trip to Social Media Marketing World, I didn't realize that the entire world was on the way to closed borders, canceled flights, shuttered hotels, and a full halt of nearly all travel.
Despite record virus growth, America's appetite for travel has started to return. This appears to be the summer of road trips, but flights and resort stays will return someday as well. If you're dreaming of going on a big trip like you did in the old days (as in, before March), here are the signs you should still be earning travel rewards right now.
You still buy groceries, food from restaurants, or anything else
While most of us stopped buying plane tickets and hotel nights, everyone still has to eat. Empty shelves at grocery stores at the start of the pandemic and a surge in orders at online retailers and food delivery services are proof that many of us are still buying something.
If you're buying groceries, meal deliveries, or anything else, you should earn rewards for every dollar you spend — if you always pay your credit cards off in full by the due date.
Some of the top credit cards for earning rewards on groceries include:
American Express® Gold Card — earn 4x Membership Rewards points on up to $25,000 spent at US supermarkets per calendar year (then 1x points)Chase Freedom Unlimited® — new cardholders can earn 5% cash back on grocery store purchases (not including Walmart and Target) on up to $12,000 in spending in the first account year (then 1.5% back)Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express — earn 6% cash back at US supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per calendar year, then 1% back)
Some of the best credit cards for earning rewards on dining include:
Chase Sapphire Reserve® — earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on diningAmerican Express® Gold Card — earn 4x points at restaurants worldwideCapital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card — earn 4% cash back on diningCiti Prestige® Card — earn 5x Citi ThankYou points on diningChase Sapphire Preferred® Card — earn 2x points on dining
Plus, many credit cards are currently offering elevated bonuses for popular purchase categories during quarantine. If you already have a rewards credit card, make sure to check your benefits online to see if there are any new perks or bonuses.
You had to cancel plans for a trip due to COVID-19
Did you have a fun trip planned for the spring or summer that went by the wayside? Or perhaps you were in the middle of planning a trip for the fall or winter that you don't expect you'll be able to go on.
Don't just forget about those plans. Keep them somewhere handy so you can book them with travel rewards in the future. If you earn enough during the pandemic, you could use them to book your flights, hotels, and more.
You want to go on a bucket-list trip
My friend Karen Cordaway recently wrote a book on living your bucket-list dreams. If there's a bucket-list trip you've always wanted to go on but could never figure out how to afford, this pandemic might be your answer.
Taking a year or so off of travel could leave you with a big pile of miles and points that you might have used for smaller trips had there been no COVID-19 outbreak.
Sitting at home, you might be spending a lot of time dreaming about your bucket list. At the end of the pandemic, if you've saved up enough miles and points, you can make that trip a reality.
You've always dreamt of flying business class
After my dad was diagnosed with stage-four prostate cancer, I told him I wanted to treat him to the trip of a lifetime. I put my miles where my mouth is and booked us a trip in business class to Israel.
It was our first time flying international business class, and it's just as great as you'd expect! If you've never flown at the front of the plane where you get a lie-flat bed and a whole lot more, saving up travel rewards during the pandemic could cover your ticket.
You want to stay in the presidential suite at a fancy hotel
The only time I've ever spent the night in a fancy hotel's presidential suite was the night of my wedding, when the hotel comped our room for hosting a hugely expensive event there. If you've never tried out a presidential suite or similar, it could be worth a one-time splurge of points.
This kind of room usually has a bathroom the size of most other hotel rooms. It could have a dinner table that seats 40 people, an in-room hot tub, a balcony with a view, and other amenities. Even if you can't fly, you might be able to swing a fancy weekend away during the pandemic with travel rewards. Just stay socially distanced at check-in and avoid other humans while enjoying your enormous hotel room.
You're anxious to visit family out of town
With family just a few states away, I've taken a few road trips to visit my parents since the pandemic started. However, if they had been on the East Coast, there would have been no viable way for me to take that trip.
If you're far away from family and want to see them again, you can save up enough miles or points to take your whole family out for a visit as soon as it's safe. Depending on your family circumstances, you could also use rewards to treat a relative to a trip to visit you.
You miss the feeling of stepping out into a new city
Frequent travelers get to know their most-visited airports, but there's no feeling quite like stepping out of a plane into a new, unfamiliar terminal in a new, unfamiliar city. The opportunity to explore and get lost in a new place or culture is unrivaled.
Many other countries aren't currently letting Americans in today due to coronavirus concerns, but that won't go on forever. Simply planning a trip can give you the same level of happiness as going on one, so start planning today for trips you could go on in the future.
We will travel again, so get your rewards ready
While I've been staying home, I've still done quite a bit of spending on groceries, home improvement projects, and an occasional splurge online. If you're doing something similar, that means you still have plenty of opportunities to earn miles and points for future travel.
It doesn't matter if you're saving up miles and points for a short trip to visit family or a once-in-a-lifetime blowout vacation. It's always a good time to earn travel rewards. Even while living through a pandemic, you can build up your balance for future award travel.
It may not be happening in the next few months, but we will get through this. When we do, you'll be happy to have a bank of miles and points ready to go.
