2011 in Review: Part II – I Earned 410,000 Points and Miles from Credit Card Bonuses!

2011 Medals and Credit Cards

I’m sure you’ve heard it said that, in addition to actually flying and staying at hotels, the best way to earn miles and points, is through credit card bonuses.

In 2011, I earned  a whopping 410,000 points/miles, merely from credit card sign-up bonuses – not counting points or miles accrued for purchases or miles flown.  While my numbers may not approach those of some of the travel bloggers, they are nevertheless significant.  With a new year, there are plenty of new deals on the horizon!

Here are my 2011 credit card stats:

1. British Airways Visa (Chase): 100,000 miles, $2,500 in spend requirements within 3 months, $95 annual fee (highlight: with the 100,000 points, I booked 2 RT economy tickets to Argentina next August for less than $150 in taxes per person, and one RT ticket to Montreal next September).

2. Capital One Venture Visa (Capital One): 110,000 points, $59 annual fee waived for first year (highlight: 2 points per dollar, no foreign transaction fees, useful for reimbursement of travel expenses).

3. Hyatt Visa (Chase): 2 free nights, annual fee $75 (highlight: no foreign transaction fees, Platinum status; and those 2 free nights are at any Hyatt hotel, including their most expensive and exclusive properties  ~~ since I have Diamond status, those two free nights are for a Suite room!  Hello – Park Hyatt Buenos Aires!).

4. Sapphire Preferred Visa (Chase): 50,000 Ultimate Rewards points, $3,000 in spend requirements in 3 months, $95 annual fee waived for first year (highlight: 2 points per dollar on all travel-related expenses, easily transferable to many airlines, no foreign transaction fees, and a superb shopping portal for extra points).

5.  AAdvantage American Express (Citibank): 75,000 miles; $1,500 in spend requirements within 6 months, $75 annual fee waived for first year (highlight: primarily the free miles on the promo).

6. American Express Premier Rewards Gold: 75,000 Membership Rewards points, $1,500 in spend requirements in 3 months, $175 annual fee waived for first year (highlight: 3 points per dollar on airfare purchases, easily transferable to many airlines, often with bonuses). 

Some of these cards I will keep for a second year – probably the Sapphire Preferred (it’s a great card, and its really really pretty too!) and the Hyatt card ($75 renewal gets a free category 1-4 hotel night) – some others I’ll keep, some I’ll cancel or “trade-in” for a card without an annual fee.

Wishing you a wonderful new year!  Next weekend, I’m off to Baton Rouge, Louisiana for the inaugural Louisiana Marathon.  I’m psyched.  I”ve never been to Baton Rouge, so, of course, I welcome any and all suggestions. 

And I’m off and running again!