How do you actually book flights with CC points?

<div class="user-question">Okay - silly question because it seems like everyone knows how to do this BUT HOW DO YOU ACTUALLY BOOK FLIGHTS WITH CREDIT CARD POINTS?? I can't be the only one that doesn't understand how these people are booking business class seats for 20,000 points.</div>

If you’ve ever felt like everyone magically knows how to fly business class for 20,000 points and you missed the memo, you're not alone.

I used to feel the same way. I had no idea where to start. So here’s an easy breakdown of how this actually works and how you can start too.

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Don't have time for the whole thing? Here's a quick summary🔥

<div class="frich-tip">1️⃣ Need to work on your credit score before qualifying for these cards? Here are the best ways to do it.</div>

<div class="frich-tip">2️⃣ Want a step-by-step guide? Download for free here.</div>

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1️⃣: Understand what kind of points you have

Not all points are equal.

• Cashback cards: usually just 1 cent per point. Easy, but boring and not the best for award travel
• Travel portal points: can be redeemed through the bank’s site or transferred to airline partners for more value. Every airline has different partners
• Travel partners: these are the real MVPs for flying business class. You can send them to partner airlines, and that’s where the magic happens

<div class="frich-tip">Frich tip: Building up your credit score from scratch? One of our team’s favorite tools is Kikoff. Kikoff helps you build credit safely & easily with affordable monthly plans designed to quickly improve key credit factors, you could jump +25 points within the first month*. Sign up in minutes with no credit check, no interest, & no hidden fees. </div>

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2️⃣: You need to know the different ways to book flights with points

There are two main ways to use your credit card points to book flights:

✈️ The credit card’s travel portal [example: you log into Capital One Travel and book a flight the same way you would on Expedia].

• Easy to use
• Great for domestic flights or when cash prices are low
• Not usually the best value for premium cabins

✈️ Transferring points to an airline partner [this is the secret sauce and how people book business or first class seats for cheap]

• Requires a bit more work, but this is where the deals are
• You transfer points from your card to partner airline
• Then book directly through the airline's site using miles

<div class="frich-tip">Frich tip: Here's a step-by-step video that shares how to transfer your credit card points.</div>

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3️⃣: Find the right airline & sweet spot

This is the trickiest - and most time-consuming part.  Here’s what to look for:

• Use a tool like Point.me, AwardHacker, or Seats.aero to see which airlines offer good deals on certain routes
• Look for transfer bonuses [sometimes your 50,000 Capital One points turn into 65,000 Air France miles]

<div class="frich-tip">Frich tip: Here's our favorite tool that helps you save hours of time by sourcing the best deals for you. Get the free guide here!</div>

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✈️Bonus resources

Award travel isn’t just for frequent flyers or the rich. In fact, I can almost guarantee you that most people flying first class are not paying full price.  Credit cards, when used responsibly, are a smart way to stretch your money and make travel more accessible. Once you understand how it works, it’s hard to go back.

Here are a few quick videos showing my own real-life examples:

• Intro to credit card points + miles
• Japan Airline Business Class for $323
• US to Korea with points/miles
• Japan Airlines First Class without spending $20,000
• Booking Air France/Flights to Europe

<div class="frich-tip">Frich tip: And if you’re new to points and miles and unsure which card fits your travel goals, I offer a free credit card consult - it’s quick, easy and tailored to your spending and travel goals.</div>

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Found this valuable? Here are some more deep dives from the Frich team 🤝

✅ Help! I can't afford my lifestyle...

✅ Is an AmEx Actually Worth It??

✅ How do I actually build wealth in my 20s?

If you have any questions, DM me or drop a comment on this IG video, and I’d love to help! Happy travels ✈️

Leona