The romance of travel can die quickly when you see your credit card statement. Few of us enjoy being charged to use our own money and when it comes to foreign transaction fees, it’s no different.

What might feel like just a few extra dollars in fees can quickly add up to a hefty end sum. For example, if you charge $2,000 to a credit card with a foreign transaction fee of 3%, that’s an extra $60.

Adding an authorized user to your credit card can be a win-win situation.

You’ll rack up points and earn welcome bonuses faster, while they’ll build their credit history, enjoy cardholder perks and pay a much-reduced annual fee (if any!).

Yet, just as choosing the right credit card for yourself can be challenging, so too can identifying the best card for you and an authorized user. Not every card offers the same benefits to the authorized user as it does the primary cardholder.

The world of credit card rewards programs can be confusing and intimidating. It may be daunting at first, but once you understand how these programs work, you will see just how valuable they are.

This article is intended to give you the basic tools you need to use one of the most powerful and versatile rewards programs out there: Chase Ultimate Rewards.

What Are Chase Ultimate Rewards Points?

Chase Ultimate Rewards points are a transferable loyalty currency that can be redeemed for cash back, flights, hotel stays, shopping and even exclusive experiences.

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Adventurers who dabble in travel rewards face quite a selection of mid-range credit cards, and the process of choosing one can be overwhelming.

As awesome as using points and miles are to book flights, sometimes you have to pay cash for your flights. Whether you found a great deal on airfare, or there just isn’t award availability and you’re absolutely itching to take a trip, sometimes paying for flights just works better. When you’re looking to buy a flight, you should be using the best credit card to buy a flight.

Even when you are booking an award flight, there are inevitable taxes and fees that you just can’t avoid.

But that’s easier said than done.

With a wallet full of credit cards, it's best practice to commonly assess your credit card portfolio to ensure that the benefits you receive from the cards outweigh the annual fees that you pay. If not, it's time to close that card or cards in most cases.

Chase Ultimate Rewards is one of our favorite flexible rewards currencies, and today’s news adds a much needed boost for Ultimate Rewards.

A trip to Greece has been on my to do list for a long time, but, I must admit, I was a bit put off by pictures of crowded beaches and tourist overrun islands. But when I learned that Greece is one of the first European countries to open to U.S.

Many travelers have Australia on their bucket list. There really is something for everyone, from the snorkeling and diving at the Great Barrier Reef to wineries, cool cities and spectacular beaches. 

The competition for the very limited number of award seats to get there, however, is fierce. Airlines’ frequent miler programs certainly don’t make it easy and finding award space on the nonstop flights from the U.S. could be quite a challenge.