AT 11:00. FELICIA: MANY CREDIT CARD USERS RACKED UP A LOT OF TRAVEL POINTS DURING THIS PANDEMIC. TODD: BUYING A LOT OF STUFF AND NOW THAT COVID RESTRICTIONS ARE EASING, MORNING ANCHOR MARK KELLY REPORTS THAT WOULD-BE TRAVELERS ARE ITCHING TO USE THOSE POINTS THAT HAVE PILED UP FOR TWO YEARS. >> I’M FREE AGAIN. I CAN TRAVEL. REPORTER: ONCE COVID RESTRICTIONS LOOSENED LUBA GLICKSON COULD NOT WAIT TO TRAVEL. >> IT HAD ALWAYS BEEN ON MY BUCKET LIST TO GO TO THE BIMOLTRE TO SEE THE ESTATE. REPORTER: GLICKSON AND HER HUSBAND DECIDED TO FLY TO NOHRT CAROLINA INSTEAD OF A DRIVE AND THEY UPGRADED THEIR SEATS TOO. AFTER ALL THEY HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 150,000 POINTS DURING TWO PANDEMIC YEARS. >> IT’S A LOT. IT’S A T.LO ONLINE SHOPPING, AMAZON. GETTING SOME FURNISHINGS FOR THE HOUSE. >> WE ACCUMULATED QUITE A BIT OF POINTS. >> DOES IT SHOCK YOU? >> NO. >> YOU SAW THIS COMING. >> Y.EP P.YE YEAH. ESPECIALLY WITH THE PANDEMIC. PEOPLE ARE BUYING HOUSES, SPENDING ASTRONOMICAL AMOUNTONS DECORATING, THEY PUT EVERYTHING ON THEIR CREDIT CARDS. WE’RE NOT SURPRISED AT ALL. AND THEY WANT TO BURN THOSE POINTS AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE PEOPLE HAVBEENE STUCK AT HOME. >> ANNIE DAVIS IS PRESIDENT OF PALM BEACH TRAVEL. SHE’S BEEN ADVISING HER CLIENTS TO BURN THEIR POINTS. 50,000 POINTS COULD SAVE YOU ABOUT $500 OFF AN AIRLINE TICK.ET BUT SHE SAYS YOU MUST ACT FAST. P>> PRICES ARE RISING, JET FUEL IS RISING, THE PRICE OF LAR ISBO RISING, THE COST OF FO ISOD RISING, INFLATION IS RISING. AND THESARE E TRICKLING ON. MY ADVICE TO YOU AND YOUR VIEWERS IS TO BOOK YOUR TRAVEL NOW. >> IT’S BECOMING A LTLITE TBI HARDER TO BE ABLE TO REDEEM BASICALLY FOR EXPTCEIONAL VALUE. >> LEE HUFFMAN IS A CREDIT CARD EXPERT AND HOST OF THE WE TRAVEL THERE PODCAST. HE EXPLAINS THAT THE LONGER YOU SIT ON YOUR PILE OF POINTS THE LESS VALUE THEY WILL HAVE. >> AIRLINES AND HOTELS HAVE TO ACTUALLY KEEP THOSE POINTS ON THEIR BALANCE SHEET AS FAR AS A LIABILITY FOR THEM. AND WHENEVER THOSE NUMBERS GET TOO BIG, THEY DEVALUE THEMO T BASICALLY ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO REDEEM THEM AND GET THAT LIABILITY OFF THEIR BALANCE SHT.EE >> AND EVEN THOUGH TRAVEL IS STARTING TO PICK BACK UP, TRAVEL AGENTS SAY IIST STILL A GOOD IDEA TO BUY THAT TRAVEL INSURANCE. >> DON’T SKIP T THERAVEL INSURANCE. THE WORLD IS SO VOLATILE. REPORTER: GLICKSON SAYS ESH WON’T SKIP HER TRAVEL INSURANCE. SHE’S STILL GOT ABOUT 100,000 POINTS TO RNBU. AND ALREADY HAS HER SIGHTS SET ON THE WEST AST.CO >> WE USE THAT ON THE TICKETS TO LOS ANGELES IN SEPTEMB.ER >> MARK KELLY, WPBF 25 NEWS FELICIA: THE CREDIT CARD EXPERT SAYS IT IS BEST TO HAVE AN EARN AND BURN MINDSET. FIRST, DECIDE WHERE YOU WANT TO GO. THEN FIGURE OUT WHICH AIRLINE FLIES THERE EARN THOSE MILES REDEEM AND THAT WILL ENSURE
Expert tips: Using those credit card points for travel rewards
Updated: 9:04 AM EDT May 4, 2022
Many credit card users racked up a lot of travel points during this pandemic. And now that COVID-19 restrictions are easing, travelers tell us that they are itching to burn up those points.”I’m free again. I can travel,” said Luba Glickson, who can not wait to travel now that restrictions are lifting. “It had always been on my bucket list to go to the Biltmore to see the estate.”Take A Look: Impromptu wedding takes flight on Southwest plane after ordained minister offers services on the spotInstead of driving, Glickson and her husband decided to fly to North Carolina, and they upgraded their airline seats, too. After all, they had accumulated about 150,000 points during two pandemic years.”It’s a lot. It’s a lot!” Glickson said. “Online shopping, Amazon, getting some furnishings for the house — We accumulated quite a bit of points.”Annie Davis, president of Palm Beach Travel, said she’s not shocked by the large amount of travel points her clients have accumulated these past two years. “People are buying houses, spending astronomical amounts on decorating. They put everything on their credit cards. We’re not surprised at all. And they want to burn those points as quickly as possible, because people have been stuck at home,” Davis said. Davis has been advising her clients to burn their points. Fifty thousand points could save you about $500 off an airline ticket, but she says you must act fast.”Prices are rising, jet fuel is rising, the price of labor is rising, the cost of food is rising, inflation is rising — and this is continuing on. So my advice to you, and your viewers, is to book your travel now,” said Davis.Good To Know: Your rights if an airline cancels your flight”It’s becoming a little bit harder to be able to redeem basically for exceptional value,” said Lee Huffman, a credit card expert and the host of the “We Travel There” podcast.Huffman explains that the longer you sit on your pile of points, the less value they will have.”Airlines and hotels have to actually keep those points on their balance sheet as far as a liability for them,” said Huffman. “And whenever those numbers get too big, they devalue them to basically encourage people to redeem them, and get that liability off their balance sheet.”And even though travel is starting to pick back up, travel agents say it is still a good idea to buy that travel insurance.”Don’t skip the travel insurance. The world is so volatile,” said Davis.Rossen Reports: 3 tips to rebook your canceled flight fasterGlickson said she won’t skip her travel insurance. She’s still got about 100,000 points to burn, and already has her sights set on the west coast.”We use that on the tickets to Los Angeles in September,” said Glickson.Huffman said it’s best to have an “earn and burn” mindset. First, decide where you want to go. Then, figure out which airline flies there, earn those miles, redeem them, and that will ensure you get a good deal.
PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. —
Many credit card users racked up a lot of travel points during this pandemic. And now that COVID-19 restrictions are easing, travelers tell us that they are itching to burn up those points.
“I’m free again. I can travel,” said Luba Glickson, who can not wait to travel now that restrictions are lifting. “It had always been on my bucket list to go to the Biltmore to see the estate.”
Take A Look: Impromptu wedding takes flight on Southwest plane after ordained minister offers services on the spot
Instead of driving, Glickson and her husband decided to fly to North Carolina, and they upgraded their airline seats, too. After all, they had accumulated about 150,000 points during two pandemic years.
“It’s a lot. It’s a lot!” Glickson said. “Online shopping, Amazon, getting some furnishings for the house — We accumulated quite a bit of points.”
Annie Davis, president of Palm Beach Travel, said she’s not shocked by the large amount of travel points her clients have accumulated these past two years.
“People are buying houses, spending astronomical amounts on decorating. They put everything on their credit cards. We’re not surprised at all. And they want to burn those points as quickly as possible, because people have been stuck at home,” Davis said.
Davis has been advising her clients to burn their points. Fifty thousand points could save you about $500 off an airline ticket, but she says you must act fast.
“Prices are rising, jet fuel is rising, the price of labor is rising, the cost of food is rising, inflation is rising — and this is continuing on. So my advice to you, and your viewers, is to book your travel now,” said Davis.
Good To Know: Your rights if an airline cancels your flight
“It’s becoming a little bit harder to be able to redeem basically for exceptional value,” said Lee Huffman, a credit card expert and the host of the “We Travel There” podcast.
Huffman explains that the longer you sit on your pile of points, the less value they will have.
“Airlines and hotels have to actually keep those points on their balance sheet as far as a liability for them,” said Huffman. “And whenever those numbers get too big, they devalue them to basically encourage people to redeem them, and get that liability off their balance sheet.”
And even though travel is starting to pick back up, travel agents say it is still a good idea to buy that travel insurance.
“Don’t skip the travel insurance. The world is so volatile,” said Davis.
Rossen Reports: 3 tips to rebook your canceled flight faster
Glickson said she won’t skip her travel insurance. She’s still got about 100,000 points to burn, and already has her sights set on the west coast.
“We use that on the tickets to Los Angeles in September,” said Glickson.
Huffman said it’s best to have an “earn and burn” mindset. First, decide where you want to go. Then, figure out which airline flies there, earn those miles, redeem them, and that will ensure you get a good deal.
