Frequent Flyer Fanatics: Jesse and Bel
This points power couple reveal how to make a frequent flyer credit card work for you.
Jesse and Bel are self-proclaimed travel nuts and bloggers who strive to inspire others to maintain a healthy lifestyle while travelling. The couple have visited 40+ countries and recounted their travels on their blog Me & My Travel Bugs. As well as tips for avoiding jet lag, they’ve also picked up their fair share of frequent flyer knowledge along the way.
We chat to Jesse and Bel about their next point goals and how to make frequent flyer credit cards work for you.
1. Which frequent flyer program(s) do you belong to?
We’ve been using Qantas Frequent Flyers for over a decade and also still have British Airways Executive Club from our years spent in London.
2. When did you first become a frequent flyer?
Jesse used to do a lot of domestic Australian travel back in his corporate days so that’s when we started making the most of the ‘free’ points.
3. What's your current points goal?
We set ourselves a goal of one return international flight per year. Last year was to LA and next year we’ve just booked return flights to Tokyo for just over 100,000 points.
4. What is the best points hack you've ever used?
Other than using corporately paid flights to build your own points, we would probably say signing up to credit cards with ridiculous points bonuses, spending the minimum amount required and then cutting up the card and cancelling before the end of the year.
If someone is going to give you 75,000 points for spending $2,500 on a credit over 3 months and waive the fee for the first year… what are you waiting for? Just don’t get sucked into actually using it how they want you to. Play the game and move on. Hopefully, this gravy train doesn’t end anytime soon!
5. Which points mistake that amateur frequent flyers make drives you crazy?
Buying consumer products from the Qantas shop. It just doesn’t make any sense, well not any time we’ve ever done the math.
finder's Frequent Flyer Fanatics series features frequent flyer and rewards experts from Australia and around the world. Check back every Wednesday for our freshest Frequent Flyer Fanatic and the latest points tips.
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