Every time you make a purchase using your travel credit card, you earn points or miles.

Travel cards are known to entice new customers with substantial sign-up bonuses.

These can often be worth hundreds of dollars in travel value, jumpstarting your rewards balance.

Cash back:Some cards offer cash back that can be applied to travel purchases.

(Though I’ll go into some of those methods below.)

Moderate rates (e.g., 2x points) on common spending categories like dining or groceries.

Base rate (usually 1x point) on all other purchases.

Understanding the value of your rewards will help you choose redemption options that offer the best return.

To pick a card, start by comparing earn rates across different cards.

Some offer flat-rate rewards on all purchases, while others provide higher rates in specific categories.

Choose the structure that will maximize your rewards based on your spending patterns.

Look for cards with perks that align with your travel style, e.g.

lounge access for frequent flyers.

Consider multiple cards to cover different bonus categories.

), use the card that provides the highest rewards rate for a particular purchase.

Get in the habit of looking out for transfer bonuses to partner programs.

Timing is huge here.

Booking travel during off-peak times can mean better award availability.

Note that the bonuses may be even greater around big shopping holidays.

Generally, using points for flights (especially business or first class) offers the best value.

For hotel stays, look for properties where the cash rate is high relative to the points required.

If you don’t work to maximize your travel benefits, the annual fee may not be worth it.

If you use enough card benefits, you might effectively offset annual fees.

Otherwise, you might be throwing away their value.

Again,here are even more ways to rack up travel points.

Compare your options with different best-of lists, likethis one from Nerdwalletorthis one from Bankrate.

Just ensure youre using my tips above to earn enough pointsand redeeming them regularlyto justify the cards annual fee.