 TITLE: How Travel Hacking With Credit Cards Affects Your Credit CONTENT: What Is Travel Hacking?\n-----------------------\nTravel hacking can be done in several ways, while always working within the rules set by credit card companies, airlines and hotel brands. With the right strategy, travel hacking can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars when you take a trip.\nSome common travel hacking methods include:\n*   **Using multiple credit cards to maximize rewards and perks**: Many travel cards offer bonus rewards on certain spending categories, and you can get more than one card to maximize your rewards on more than one area of your budget. Also, general travel credit cards often don't offer things like free checked bags when you fly or hotel elite status, but they do provide more flexible redemption options. Having a general travel card, an airline card and a hotel card can mean you're well-covered for maximizing rewards on a variety of spending.\n*   **Signing up for new credit cards to earn a big intro bonus**: Many travel credit cards offer huge welcome bonuses worth hundreds of dollars or tens of thousands of points. If it's been a while since you opened your last credit card, getting a new one and earning the intro bonus could give you enough points or miles to cover a portion of your next trip.\n*   **Researching how to get the most value out of your rewards**: Certain credit cards offer varying values depending on how you use your points or miles.  \n    For example, with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can get cash back at 1 cent per point, book travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards at 1.25 cents per point or transfer your rewards to one of the bank's airline or hotel partners and potentially get even more value.\n*   **Earning points and miles in unexpected ways**: Using credit cards isn't the only way to rack up rewards in a lot of airline and hotel rewards programs. You may also be able to earn points or miles by doing things like signing up for a dining program or an online shopping portal or by taking online surveys. Each program has its own set of ways you can earn extra points without spending money. END