Lifestyles, spending habits, living arrangements and financial situations can all change rapidly. These changes can make you question the benefits of holding certain credit cards any longer.

The temptation to close a credit card you no longer use, or one you pay an annual fee for, can be high.

Yet, closing a credit card is not a decision you should take lightly.

For many of us, the dream of complimentary airport lounge access was one of the main reasons we got into the world of points and miles in the first place.

Complimentary Priority Pass Select membership is a perk offered by multiple premium travel credit cards which makes that dream a reality.

However, there’s much more to Priority Pass membership than just its 1,400+ global lounges.

Earning points and miles can seem like an uphill struggle.

The world is filled with thousands of airport lounges, ranging from basic workspaces and chill-out areas to full-blown luxury experiences. Unfortunately, no single card will grant you access to every lounge.

However, premium travel reward credit cards do often come with complimentary lounge access for specific lounge networks.

The world of points and miles can be massively rewarding. With the right strategy, you can land yourself free hotel stays, mile-funded flights, cabin upgrades, and much more.

As hobbies go, earning points and miles is one of the most lucrative ones. However, it’s not without complications. Whether you’re an experienced points and miles collector or just starting out, it’s only a matter of time before rewards chasing gets the better of you.

Let’s take a look at the top 12 mistakes to avoid when collecting points and miles.

1.

A card that could save you money at the Happiest Place on Earth sounds like a godsend for any Disney fan.

Chase offers two co-branded credit cards with Disney, both of which earn you Disney Rewards Dollars.

Whether you’re sending yourself or a family member to college, annual tuition fees can be daunting. In the 2022-2023 school year, the average annual tuition fee was $39,400 for private universities and $10,950 for public universities (for state residents). That’s no small price to pay.

However, it’s not necessarily all doom and gloom when it comes to paying tuition.

Earning a free one-way flight may sound too good to be true. But with the Excursionist Perk from United Airlines, you can do exactly that. This is a hidden gem from United that’s actually not hidden at all. Redeeming your free flight is straightforward, as long as you familiarize yourself with the qualifying rules.

If you understand how United defines its rules, then you can even redeem a first-class one-way flight and only end up paying taxes.

Maximizing the redemption value of rewards and perks is often a question of timing, as well as of finding the sweet spots.

The British Airways Executive Club, the loyalty program of British Airways, uses Avios as its reward currency that can be redeemed for award flights. 

Avios are used and accepted by multiple airlines, meaning the opportunities for redemption are wide-ranging, regardless of your country of departure or arrival.

Understanding how to use Avios to their maximum value is a case of understanding British Airways’ distance-based reward system and how it can benefit—as well as be of detriment to—you.