How to Book the Cheapest Holiday Travel, According to the Experts

How to Pay

If you’re opting to pay with a credit card, check to make sure which one provides the most bang for your buck by looking up the rewards policies on sites like NerdWallet or CreditCards.com. Another option is to use an app like Wallaby, which automatically tells you which card is best, rewards-wise, for any purchase. If you’re hoping to use frequent flier points to book, on the other hand, know that there are usually two “levels” when it comes to a flight’s cost in points — one is cheaper, and one is usually much more expensive. A good rule of thumb when deciding whether to use points at all: If the flight costs below $450 or $460, it’s likely a better value in cash, and if it’s above that cost, consider using points.

“I like to treat my miles and points as virtual currency,” says Seaney, noting that he tries to get at least 2.5 to 3.5 cents per point. Here’s why — and how it works: There’s essentially a billion-dollar marketplace in which different banks buy points from airlines, then use them as rewards to encourage you to spend. There are different partnerships — for example, Citi Bank usually works with American Airlines — and banks usually shell out about 1 to 1.5 cents per mile. As a consumer, making sure your points will go further (2.5, 3 or even 4 cents) at checkout will mean a better value for your “dollar.” To check the value, divide the dollar cost of the flight by the number of points it’ll take to purchase it. Last-minute travel (with ticket prices upwards of $700) usually gets you a higher value on your points, as does saving them up for a big trip abroad, says Seaney.

With Hayden Field

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