'How to Win at Travel' book gives tips from 'The Points Guy' founder Brian Kelly

Taking a vacation and saving money don’t often coexist. But there are ways to stretch your travel dollars to maximize your trip without breaking the bank.

That’s the focus of “How to Win at Travel,” a new book from Brian Kelly, founder of travel website and blog “The Points Guy.”

“People in the front of the plane have it really, really good,” Kelly says. “And you don't need to be a millionaire to travel in a lie-flat bed and get caviar in flight if you know how to play the points game.”

Kelly says that credit cards offer rewards and protections that people often don’t take advantage of. Some offer bonuses just for signing up, so do your research before picking a card to find one that gives you the most benefits.

“By getting the right credit cards that are giving you bonuses on everything you spend, plus getting one or two big signup bonuses a year, that is how you create, basically, more value in your life,” Kelly says.

Credit card interest rates can reach 30% on some cards. You have to use the credit card to earn the points, but pay it off each month to make sure those perks and bonuses aren’t being canceled out by interest fees.

“If you're paying interest at 20%, 30%, you are negating the value of all of the points earned and then a whole lot more,” Kelly says.

While the U.S. dollar is strong, look into places where $1 goes a longer way.

“Buenos Aires in Argentina, the U.S. dollar is so strong,” Kelly says. “And it's a beautiful, beautiful country.”

By Brian Kelly

From "How to Win at Travel" by Brian Kelly. Copyright © 2025. Reprinted by permission of Avid Reader Press, an Imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc.