5 Ways to Maximise Your Travel Credit Card
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Making the most of your travel credit card rewards and cashback can be confusing. Understanding the ins and outs of the terms and conditions can be daunting – sometimes even making the savviest traveller’s head spin.
When it comes to redeeming those seemingly hard-to-earn Miles points and cashback, there are a few tips and tricks that may help you to maximise your travel credit card – like a boss.
1. Don’t use your Miles points for popular destinations
If you are a frequent traveller, you would have known that popular destinations can be purchased at much lower price when bought at the right time. There are tons of promotions throughout the year with different airlines that you are bound to grab a cheap ticket.
Use your points on less-frequented, rarely discounted routes. If you are planning a trip to the Himalayas, it is time to whip out your card and be assured that your points will be well-used.
With more people playing the travel point’s game, the value of the rewards offered have been slashed. However, a savvy few are still getting their own back by knowing how the system works.
Though most travel cards allow cardholders to collect points that can be converted to specific Miles points, the best one is always one that gives you flexibility. RHB Travel Money is a card made with the travellers’ flexibility in mind.
Like other travel cards, the points accumulated are redeemable from all major airlines, including Enrich Miles, KrisFlyer Miles, as well as Firefly and AirAsia vouchers. However, unlike other cards, it offers one of the lowest conversion rate. You just need 1,750 points on your RHB Travel Card to convert to 500 Enrich points. Other cards may require its user to accumulate up to 7,000 points before they can convert to 1,000 points.
2. Fuel up at the right time
To be realistic, even the most frequent travellers don’t fly 365 days a year. They will need a card to take care of their other expenses – with petrol expenses being one of the highest because if you’re not commuting long distances, you’ll probably be commuting quite a bit locally.
With petrol subsidy rationalisation and the volatility of petrol prices, one should manage their expenses better by getting the right card that will provide the savings they need. What better way than to get cashback for every ringgit spend on fuel?
Some credit cards offer pretty epic rewards – either in points or cashback for petrol spending. We can’t ignore them because they offer such a significant bonus that it warrants a significant look.
However, like all cards, there are restrictions and conditions to get the most of your card (one of them being that they’re usually JUST petrol cards). One of the highest cashback offers right now, is 10%. To make the most out of this cashback, use RHB Travel Money every first weekend to fuel-up your car.
3. Cashback or rewards?
Choosing a card depends on the kind of expenditures you incur. Should you get a card that provides cashback or should you get one that allows you to collect points?
Not many cards in the market allow you both options – and for the right spending. Most people spend hundreds on petrol each month and they need a break by getting some discount at the end of the day. This group of people need a card that allows you to accrue the most cashback for petrol spending.
However, people who always catch the travel bugs would want a card that allows them to collect the most points that can be converted in Miles points. For that, a Miles card will be perfect.
What if you fall into both categories? Getting a card that provides both will be ideal – and it does exist. RHB Travel Money works out the best for most travellers – by land, sea of air – with the right points and cashback.
Now, you won’t have to choose how you get your rewards. One card speaks for all.
4. Make use of extra benefits when travelling
Most travel cards offer discounted rates to premium lounges and also preferred currency rates at selected money changers. However, for most people these benefits are rarely used. So having a card that offers JUST that wouldn’t be ideal.
For most travellers, the airport facilities used more often than the 2 mentioned above are – the duty free shops. So getting a card that gives you discount on duty-free shopping and overseas spending can amount to even more money saved.
By using these benefits to the fullest, you will surely maximise your travel card. The RHB Travel Money card does just that.
5. Don’t pay interest on your cards
At the end of the day, the number one rule of maximising your credit card rewards is to pay your bill on time. If you are able to clear your balance each month, do it. Once you start paying interest charges, your rewards and cashback will mean nothing.
As soon as you are being charged 15% interest you lose.
Always remember that points and cashbacks are not hard to earn, you just need to keep an eye out for places that reward their customers with them and places you can redeem them.
