Even the busiest of small business owners deserve a break. Taking a personal holiday can help you return to work feeling rested, rejuvenated, and re-energised.
But before you start planning your holiday, it's helpful to know how to take advantage of the travel rewards you’ve earned with your business credit card. While it might seem complicated and time-consuming to book an entire holiday with your reward points, you can save incredible amounts of money on flights, hotel rooms, car hire, and other holiday activities. Here's how to find the best deals for your well-deserved break.
Start searching approximately two months out
The ideal time to find the best deals with reward points is about 60 days before your trip, experts have found. If your dates are flexible, use travel sites like Google Flights or Skyscanner to compare how prices will vary from one day to another. You can also use travel apps, like Hopper, which alert you when prices of flights to your desired destinations fall or begin to rise. Cheaper flights usually mean your points will go further.
Choose the right days to travel
Travelling on off-peak months or days usually mean lower fares, so consider whether you can travel during the week. According to a 2019 report from Skyscanner, Friday is the least expensive day to travel, saving you 21% on fares compared to Sunday. Also, try to avoid booking your flight midweek: the same report found that Wednesday is the most expensive day to buy flights, while booking on a Sunday can save you 4%.
Use your points for discounts
Points that you've accrued can be redeemed to cover the entire cost of flights1 or hotel stays. But those points can also be used to get discounts on flights. If you don’t have enough points to cover an entire long-haul flight, for example, you can use a smaller amount of points to make the flight cheaper for you.
Look into extras
Outside of hotels and flights, you can also use certain reward points to book activities that would otherwise be quite expensive. For example, you may be able to use your reward points to book cool experiences like e-bike tours, food tours, and other extras that will make your trip even more memorable.
Always use the same Card
Keep in mind that by using the same card or card programme for all your business spend, your points will accumulate quicker. If you use a range of cards or pay for everything via invoice or bank transfer you’ll be missing out on the opportunity to earn more points.
Move your business forward with the British Airways American Express® Accelerating Business Card. Click here to learn more.
1. Taxes and fees apply.
