Talk to me about flights and credit card discounts/rewards. We have the Disney visa, but use the rewards as spending money. We’ve never taken advantage of flying with points and honestly I don’t know how it all works. Our only Arline choice is southwest, if that makes a difference. Thanks!!!
It’s actually really easy. I used it in May and it was my first time using points. What you do is sign up for the card you want and do what’s needed to get the points (obviously). Then, you go on the website and choose your flight like you normally would. At the top of the page (for Southwest), it’ll give you an option to either view the total in $ or in Points. You just choose points and then book your filight as normal.
Now, the points only work on the flight itself. Taxes and early boarding were not included and had to be put on as actual money. But if you’re paying with your SW card (and why wouldn’t you be?) then it just gets charged to the card like normal. So a $400 flight with taxes and early boarding is now … $50 bucks total (or thereabouts, my math is real loose here).
There’s absolutely no difference in actual experience after that. I would definitely recommend gettting a SW card as they offer 40,000 points out of the gate right now and you get 3,000 miles every year. Though there is the $69 annual fee, so be mindful of that.
And just to shamefully plug a referral for m’self (
which you totally do not have to use if you don’t want to):
https://www.referyourchasecard.com/224/KQD0P17E46
This for the premier card, which is the same as the standard one for rewards (40,000 pts after $1k spent), BUT you get 6,000 points annual AND it’s a $99 a year fee. If you use the referral, I get 10,000 points.
1 Like
I think you might want to consider the new card. Here is an overview of what is currently offeredfor the SW card. I just upgraded to the new card. For $50 more annual fee I am getting an additional 1500 points a year plus a $75.00 travel credit.
1 Like
Oh whoops, did I misunderstand and you were looking to use the Disney Visa for the redeeming? Sorry, I wasn’t even aware that was an option. 
1 Like
I read it the same way as you- looking for a new card?
1 Like
I am looking for a new card. We’ve never done it because it seems like a ridiculous amount of money needs to be spent before having enough points. The southwest one looks good with 60,000 point sign on. Does anyone have experience with the capital one card? Restrictions on airlines is one of my concerns, but that one sounds like they reimburse the statement regardless of the airline.
When you got the SW card, how fast were you able to get and use the reward bonus after spending the minimum? I didn’t know about this card and was thinking of getting SW tickets for our next trip. Have enough points for 1 one-way ticket now but need to buy 11 more flights! (6 people round trip)
The points don’t expire if you have a transaction on your account every 2 years. That includes the bonus points.
Also, if you have the Southwest credit (or others), there are Shopping portals. They are fantastic: you shop on JC Penny (or Disney.com or Target or Stapes) but you log through the rewards portal and it gives you extra points. But the prices are the same. Delta, Southwest, Chase, United, Alaska and JetBlue all have shopping portals.
If you use Chrome, you can even download a button that will tell you if the store you are visiting is part of a shopping portal.
Southwest also has dining rewards. You can enroll two credit cards and it gives you 3 bonus points per $ you are spending in select restaurants.