Travel hacking for beginners: 10 starting points
Travel hacking is using points + miles to fly + sleep nearly free. These 10 starting points get you to your first 'free' return flight in 6-12 months.
Start with one airline alliance
Pick one alliance: SkyTeam (KLM/Air France/Delta), Star Alliance (Lufthansa/United/SAS), Oneworld (Iberia/British Airways). Don't spread thinly across all three.
Sign up for the loyalty program
Flying Blue (KLM), Miles & More (Lufthansa), Avios (Iberia/BA). Free. Get the app.
Credit card with sign-up bonus
Best in Netherlands: ICS Visa Gold (Flying Blue 20,000 miles welcome bonus). American Express Platinum (€85,000+ income required, 50,000 Membership Rewards).
Spend your daily expenses through the card
Pay groceries, gas, restaurants via card → mile per €. Pay off in full each month (otherwise interest eats your benefit).
Promo deals
Flying Blue regularly does 30-50% discount promos on specific routes. Sign up for the newsletter.
Award flights to a sweet spot
Best value redemptions: Europe short-haul (8,000-12,500 miles), North America (50,000-60,000 miles, taxes €100). Avoid economy long-haul redemption (worst value).
Hotels: stick with one chain
Marriott Bonvoy (Marriott/Sheraton/Westin), Hilton Honors, IHG (Holiday Inn/Crowne Plaza). 4 stays at the same chain = free night.
Stack with airline programs
Book a Marriott hotel through Flying Blue Marketplace → get hotel points AND airline miles for the same stay.
Status matters more than points
Achieve Silver/Gold status. Lounge access at airports, free wifi, late check-out, room upgrades. Often €5,000-€10,000 spend/year for Gold.
Beware churning
Don't open 10 credit cards in 6 months. BKR (NL credit bureau) sees this; you may not get a mortgage later. Slow and steady.
Frequently asked questions
What is travel hacking and is it legal?
Travel hacking means using publicly available tools, promotions and booking strategies to pay less than the standard rate. It is completely legal. It includes: booking on the right day of the week, using airline miles and credit card points, combining booking platforms for lower prices, and using price-alert tools to catch sales. No tricks, no exploitation of system errors.
What is the best free travel hacking tool for beginners?
Google Flights is the most powerful free tool: use the "Explore" view to see the cheapest destinations from your airport, enable price alerts for specific routes, and check the price calendar to find the cheapest travel dates. Hopper (app) predicts whether prices will rise or fall and tells you when to buy.
How much can you save with travel hacking?
Beginners typically save €100-€300 per year on flights by booking on the right day (Thursday is often 10-16% cheaper than Sunday), using price alerts, and flying shoulder-season. With airline miles and credit card points (intermediate level) savings of €500-€1,500 per year are realistic for frequent travellers.
When is the cheapest day to book a flight?
Tuesday and Wednesday are typically the cheapest booking days in Europe. Airlines load sales on Monday evening, which get picked up by comparison sites on Tuesday. Flying on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday is also cheaper than Friday-Sunday. Combine both: book on Tuesday for a Wednesday departure.