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One of the things I love most about being The Points Guy is getting to hear stories from readers about how award travel has affected their lives — the exotic vacations they’ve planned, the trips they’ve made to be with family and friends, the premium seats and suites they’ve experienced and so much more, all made possible by points and miles. I love to travel and explore, and it’s an honor to be able to help so many of you get where you want to go.

Recently, I posted a success story from Michael, who used points and miles to celebrate his birthday in Vienna. Today, I want to share a story from TPG reader Danielle, who made great use of credit card benefits while traveling the world for a year with her boyfriend James. Here’s what she had to say:

Danielle and James used travel rewards to make traveling for a year (and seeing this awesome sunset in Thailand) more affordable.

Danielle and James aren’t the first readers to have written in with a success story about the Citi Prestige Card, and I’m not surprised. In my opinion, the 4th Night Free benefit is the most valuable credit card perk out there, and since it’s uncapped, you can save a massive amount on hotel stays. It’s a great fit for a trip where you’ll be moving from one city (or hotel property) to another, and it’s especially nice for international travel, since the Prestige Card has no foreign transaction fees.

There are several credit cards that offer lounge access, but Citi Prestige has a huge advantage when it comes to Priority Pass access, since you can bring up to two guests into lounges with you for free. By comparison, the Amex Platinum Card only gives complimentary access to the cardholder — guests cost an extra $27 per person. Priority Pass doesn’t have a strong presence in the US, but this benefit can serve you very well when traveling internationally.


Danielle and James in Paris.

I love this story and I want to hear more like it! To thank Danielle for sharing her experience (and for allowing me to post it online), I’m sending her a $200 Visa gift card to enjoy on future travels (purchased from Office Depot with my Chase Ink Plus, of course), and I’d like to do the same for you.

Again, if the strategies you’ve learned here have helped you fly in first class, score an amazing suite, reach a far-flung destination or even just save a few dollars, please indulge me and the whole TPG team by emailing us with your own success stories (see instructions above). You’ll have our utmost appreciation, along with some extra spending money for your next trip.

Safe and happy travels to all, and I look forward to hearing from you!

Source: thepointsguy.com