The world of points, miles, cash back, and other reward types is complex, to say the least. Travelers new to the rewards landscape may feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of options, advice columns, and technicalities associated with earning and redeeming rewards. Fortunately, all it takes is a few simple tips—including using cards like the Verizon Visa® Card, which earns cardholders 4% rewards on grocery store purchases, gas, dining, delivery, and takeout1 that you can put towards lowering your Verizon phone bill to help you save money and get one step closer to your next trip.
Becoming a smarter traveler by earning more rewards means getting the most from day-to-day spending. From leveraging the right mix of cards to those that help cut back on your monthly expenses, every dollar you save can go to your dream vacation. Here are five travel rewards mistakes even savvy travelers make—and how to avoid them.
Mistake 1: Avoiding some credit card categories
With so many rewards credit cards on the market, even experts make mistakes.
Photo by Planet Volumes/Unsplash
Points- and miles-based credit cards can be highly lucrative—transferable point currencies allow you to transfer rewards to airline and hotel partners. By leveraging a welcome offer and taking advantage of a transfer bonus, you can score first-class plane tickets around the world by only paying taxes and fees.
However, points gurus know that doesn’t mean you should leave cash-back credit cards behind. Cash-back cards come in various forms (the Verizon Visa Card is an example of an alternative to traditional ones) and can sometimes offer a higher return than a points-based card. A good strategy for frequent travelers may be to use a variety of cards that allow you to maximize your earning and redemption opportunities.
There’s an abundance of cash-back cards available. To choose one, consider how you can earn rewards on your regular expenses. The Verizon Visa Card earns Verizon Dollars every time you use it, with rewards of up to 4% on several day-to-day categories (including grocery store purchases, dining, gas, and takeout)¹. You can put these rewards toward your monthly Verizon phone bill so you can put those savings toward a future trip. The best earners understand the importance of creativity in designing their approach.
Credit cards like the Verizon Visa Card can help you save up for your next vacation.
Photo by Galina Nelyubova/Unsplash
Mistake 2: Overlooking spending habits
There’s a card out there for every kind of spender. But just because one seems to have fantastic earning potential doesn’t mean you’ll use it to the fullest. You’ll have the most success if your spending habits guide your choices.
For instance, the Verizon Visa Card has no annual fee² and earns cardholders 4% in rewards on gas or electric vehicle charging purchases¹—ideal for those with long commutes. You can also use rewards earned from the Verizon Visa Card to help cover your Verizon bill¹, freeing up some room in your budget to help pay for that trip to Tahiti.
Plus, any traveler will appreciate receiving two free TravelPass days (offering unlimited talk, text, and data for a combined 48 hours per calendar year in more than 210 countries and destinations) as a Verizon Visa cardholder. And, if you use that card abroad, you won’t pay any foreign transaction fees.²
You can earn an unlimited 4% in rewards on grocery purchases when you use the Verizon Visa Card.
Courtesy of Verizon
Mistake 3: Using cards for the wrong purchases
Once you have several cards in your wallet that earn bonus points in your top spending categories, it’s time to learn which cards to use for which purchases. It’s easy to pick up the first card you see in your wallet when you’re standing in the checkout lane, but remembering which cards offer the most points per dollar on the purchase you’re about to make will ensure your credit cards are working for you.
The Verizon Visa Card comes with all Visa Signature benefits when traveling, including complimentary room upgrades at 900 luxury hotels, trip cancellation and interruption coverage, and reimbursement for lost or delayed baggage. Pro tip: Be sure to use your card when booking your trip and read the terms and conditions for cardholder benefits to avoid losing out on valuable opportunities.
To make a claim for purchase protection or travel insurance under a card, you typically need to have used that card to buy the item or make the reservation. (Even as a travel rewards writer, I’ve fallen victim to this mistake more times than I’d care to admit.)
Loyalty to the right card at the right time can make a difference in your rewards.
Courtesy of Verizon
Mistake 4: Not earning a welcome offer
Many credit cards offer new cardholders a welcome bonus after they meet a minimum spending requirement within the first few months of account opening. Carefully track your spending to avoid missing the deadline and leaving money on the table.
Last year, after applying for an airline credit card and receiving a two-part welcome offer, I earned the first part after meeting the spending requirement within the first few months. Then, I was approved for other cards with welcome offers and forgot about the first one. As a result, I lost out on bonus miles that could have easily covered the cost of a flight to Argentina.
Learn from my mistake and consider your entire strategy—it may be better to focus on a single card to capitalize on the bonus offer during its availability period. If you’re distracted by applying for too many cards within a short timeframe, you might end up missing out on valuable rewards accidentally.
It can also be helpful to choose a card with a two-part welcome offer that’s not overly complicated. For a limited time, new cardholders of the Verizon Visa Card can receive up to $150 in statement credits by meeting minimum spending requirements³ :
- $50 statement credit after making a purchase within the first 90 days of account opening
- Additional $100 statement credit after spending $1,500 on the card in the same timeframe
The Verizon Visa Card earns 4% on Verizon purchases, including devices and accessories.
Courtesy of Verizon
Mistake 5: Only earning rewards on some purchases
If you earn rewards on every single purchase you make, your rewards add up much faster. People tend to forget that you can earn rewards on recurring expenses like your phone plan or internet bill, although not all cards will earn points on every purchase.
Luckily, the Verizon Visa Card earns 4% on dining, groceries, gas, and Verizon purchases, including devices and accessories. And it earns 1% on all other purchases, including your Verizon bill. There’s no cap on rewards you can earn. You can use those rewards on Verizon purchases, too, from smartwatches and headphones to gaming consoles and smartphones, to reduce your expenses. With these rewards used to purchase other things, you can put more money toward your travel fund.¹
Generally, using a credit card for almost every purchase you make (except in places where additional fees apply) is the most effective way to quickly earn rewards. If you earn points on all your purchases, you can plan a vacation to Curaçao or stretch your dollars farther in Colombia. Credit card rewards can take you almost anywhere you want to go. By avoiding these mistakes, you can travel more and travel better.
¹Rewards: Purchases subject to credit approval. See the Verizon Visa® Credit Card Rewards Program Terms & Conditions in application for details and restrictions. Application required. Subject to credit approval. To apply, must be a Verizon wireless Account Owner or Account Manager on an account with up to 12 phone lines max (depending on plan) or Fios Account Owner with at least one active Fios service.
The Verizon Visa Signature® Card is issued by Synchrony Bank pursuant to a license from Visa USA Inc.
² NO ANNUAL FEE and NO FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEES: For New Accounts as of 1/1/25: Verizon Visa Signature® Card: Variable Purchase APRs are 22.99%, 27.99% or 33.99%. Variable Penalty APRs are 32.99%, 37.99% or 39.99%. Min Interest Charge $2. Variable Cash APRs are 27.24%, 32.24% or 38.24% and 5% Fee ($10 min). Variable Bal Trans APRs are 22.99%, 27.99% or 33.99% and 5% Fee ($5 min).
³ Account Opening Offer: Subject to credit approval. To apply, you must be a Verizon wireless Account Owner or Account Manager on an account with up to 12 phone lines max (depending on plan) or Fios Account Owner with at least one active Fios service. In order to qualify for this offer, you must (i) apply and be approved for a Verizon Visa Signature® Card account; (ii) make your first purchase within 90 days to receive a $50 statement credit, and(iii) make $1,500 in qualifying purchases within the first 90 days of account opening to receive the $100 statement credit. Only one offer per account. Account must remain open and in good standing at time statement credit is applied to the Account. A $50 statement credit will post to account 1-2 billing cycles after first purchase is made. A $100 statement credit will post to account 1-2 billing cycles after the spend threshold of $1500 is met within 90 days. Statement credit(s) cannot be used to satisfy the required monthly payment on your credit card account and may not be redeemed for cash or cash equivalent. This offer is available for applicants who are approved starting 1/23/2025. We reserve the right to discontinue or alter the terms of this offer at any time. Limited time offer.
The Contactless Indicator mark and the Contactless Symbol are trademarks owned by and used with permission of EMVCo, LLC.
The Verizon Visa Signature® Card is issued by Synchrony Bank pursuant to a license from Visa USA Inc.
