Taking the Mystery Out of Travel Miles
Getting here is easier than you think.
If you think using your miles to redeem travel is too confusing to figure out, think again. This post was created in collaboration with Discover it® Miles, the travel credit card that lets you travel without boundaries.
Using your credit card miles. So confusing. So many restrictions. So much fine print.
You'd think by now you'd be an expert on how to cash in the miles earned with the credit card you use every day. So why is there so much standing in the way of you and your amazing getaways?
Clearly you haven't been keeping up with the Discover it® Miles series on Fathom, which has outlined the many ways Discover it Miles, the credit card specifically designed for travelers, can get you closer to your dream vacations.
It's okay: There are so many myths and misconceptions about using Miles to redeem travel rewards. Time to set the record straight.
MILES MYTH #1: Using Miles Lowers Travel Quality
When I use Miles, the experience will be awful. I'll be stuck in a middle seat in the back of the plane, probably next to a crying baby. And that's only after I've settled for one of the five days per year that's not a blackout date.
MILES REALITY: Discover it Miles Gets You High-Quality Travel
When you claim travel rewards from Discover, there are no blackout dates. There are no seat restrictions. None. You'll have access to the same seats, the same dates, and all the same options as if you were paying in cash. Which means the only way you'll sit in a bad seat in row 45 is if you want to.
MILES MYTH #2: I'll Be on a Terrible Airline
I'll end up flying on a sketchy cheapo airline that my mother wouldn't approve of.
MILES REALITY: Fly Any Airline, Anytime
You pick the airline, the flight, the seat. That's all there is to it. (And Discover will even throw in a $30 in-flight WiFi credit.) Your mother will have to find other things to disapprove of.
MILES MYTH #3: I Can't Use Miles for the Whole Trip
If I use Miles for one leg of the trip, I'll have to pay cash for the return trip.
MILES REALITY: Use Discover it Miles for the Whole Journey
Other cards may restrict your usage and make you book a leg of your trip with cash, but not Discover. Your entire trip can be redeemed with Miles.
MILES MYTH #4: I'll Never Earn Enough Miles for a Trip Anyway
These are all really nice things in theory, but it will take years and years to earn enough Miles to take a trip.
MILES REALITY: Discover it Miles Really Add Up — Fast
When you use your Discover it Miles card for everyday purchases (the cell phone bill, gym membership, groceries, dinner and drinks, filling the gas tank), you earn 1.5x Miles on every dollar you spend on purchases. At the end of the first year, Discover will match all your Miles, doubling your total. (Here's a handy infographic to illustrate this.) Before you know it, you'll be redeeming those Miles on trips both small and easy (a weekend city break, a spa escape) and big and epic (hello, Hawaii).
And that's just what your Miles get you. The card itself offers so many other benefits. No foreign transaction fees. Free FICO® Credit Scores on statements and online. Freeze It℠, which pauses your account on the mobile app or website to prevent new purchases. No pay-by-phone fee. The card is accepted by more than 9.6 million merchants nationwide.
The benefits speak for themselves. That's the reality of the Discover it Miles, the credit card designed for travelers.
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Learn more about Discover it Miles credit card — and see how your current card compares.
This post was created in collaboration with Discover it® Miles, the travel credit card that lets you travel without boundaries.