How to Travel for Free Using Credit Card Points

In this episode, Dr. Danny Matta shares how clinic owners can travel—sometimes internationally—for nearly free by leveraging the power of credit card points. Whether you’re booking a snowboarding trip to Utah or sending your spouse to Europe, this guide will show you how to make it happen by using points you’re already earning through everyday business expenses.

🎯 Key Takeaways: 1. Use Business Expenses to Rack Up Points

• Put all business expenses—ads, travel, internet, phone, equipment—on a business credit card.
• Use a personal card for groceries, dining, and daily family expenses to double your rewards.
• Meet card minimum spends by timing them with large purchases (e.g., ConEd, travel, IRS payments).

2. Best Credit Cards for Clinic Owners

• Chase Ink Preferred (Business): Great bonus categories (3x points on ads, internet, travel); low $95 annual fee.
• Amex Gold (Business or Personal): 4x points on ads or groceries; higher $375 annual fee.
• Chase Sapphire Preferred (Personal): Solid intro bonus, low fee, easy-to-use transfer partners.

3. Transfer Points to Travel Partners—Not the Card Portal

• Transfer points to partners like Hyatt, Flying Blue (Air France), United, or Southwest.
• Booking directly through airline/hotel gives better value and fewer headaches during changes.
• Avoid using credit card travel portals or cash-back options—they yield less value and more hassle.

4. Example Travel Redemptions

• Snowboard Trip (Park City, UT): - Flights for two: ~60k points - Hotel for 3 nights: ~54k points - Total: ~114k points for two people
• Paris Trip (International): - Flights for two on Flying Blue: ~74k points + ~$300 in fees - Huge value during peak travel season

5. Bonus Perks

• Free rental car insurance through Chase/Amex cards saved Danny over $1,000 in damage claims.
• Increased credit limit and credit score over time due to low utilization and on-time payments.
• Share experiences with friends/family by booking their trips with your points—great for memory dividends.

🚫 What NOT to Do

• ⚠️ Don’t carry a balance. Pay your card off each month—interest rates are 25–28%.
• ⚠️ Don’t book through Chase or Amex travel portals. Use direct transfer partners.
• ⚠️ Don’t opt for cash-back if your goal is travel—it devalues the points.

✅ Action Steps

• Pick one personal and one business card to start (Chase or Amex).
• Use them for expenses you already have—ads, groceries, flights, utilities.
• Meet minimum spends during big purchases or tax payments.
• Transfer points to travel partners, not portals.
• Track and enjoy free travel—with friends or family along for the ride.

📺 Prefer to Watch?

Check out the full visual walkthrough of cards, transfers, and real-time examples on the PT Biz YouTube Channel.

🌍 Final Thought

Owning a business is hard. Travel is one of the few luxuries that pays you back in memories. If you’re paying for expenses anyway—why not earn free trips while you’re at it?