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.
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>
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>
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>
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>
✈️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>
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
