I Was Wrong About Everything: 5 Surprising Truths I Learned About Travel Points
I used to be completely controlled by airline ticket prices.
I knew the frustration of staying up until 3 a.m., refreshing flight searches hoping for a miracle discount. I believed in “cheap ticket days,” chased every rumour, and in the end… nothing really changed.
For years, I also believed that the only way to build miles was by spending heavily on a credit card. We were a young family living on a tight budget, and I often lost points before I could use them because I never accumulated enough. I thought the points world belonged to big spenders, not to people like me.
But when my son was born, everything changed. I wanted him to grow up connected to our family in Brazil — and I didn’t want airline prices to decide when we could visit them. That was the moment I realised I needed to learn how this system really works.
What I discovered surprised me.
Here are the five truths that transformed everything about how my family travels today.
Truth #1: Everyday Spending Helps, But It’s Only One Piece of the Puzzle
For years, I believed that “put all your expenses on a credit card” was the strategy.
But here’s what I learned:
Using the right card matters — but relying ONLY on daily spending makes everything very slow.
This doesn’t mean it’s wrong.
It simply means:
👉 Everyday spending is the foundation, not the whole house.
For families, everyday spending is powerful because:
Groceries already add up
Petrol already adds up
Kids’ expenses already add up
Life is expensive — especially with a family
But if this is the only thing you do, points come in tiny drops instead of the big bursts that create real travel opportunities.
Once I understood that everyday spending was just one part of a bigger system, everything changed.
Truth #2: My First Big Win Happened Without a Credit Card at All
When I started learning about points in the UK, our finances were tight.
I had a newborn
My husband had lost all his musician work due to the pandemic
We were living month to month
I didn’t even have a credit card
Then came the breakthrough:
👉 I discovered I could convert Nectar points into Avios.
That one simple piece of knowledge changed everything.
My first redemption:
I brought my mum to the UK to meet her grandson for only £50 out of pocket.
The rest was covered with points earned from everyday shopping.
That moment taught me something powerful:
Points aren’t just for people with high incomes — they’re for anyone who understands the system.
Truth #3: The Real Game-Changer Is Strategic Sign-Up Bonuses
That first win with Nectar points proved the system could work, even with no money. But I realised something:
If I wanted real freedom — the kind that lets you travel when you need to, not just when airlines are cheap — I needed a faster way to earn points.
That’s when I learned about strategic sign-up bonuses.
If everyday spending is the slow-and-steady baseline,
sign-up bonuses are the turbo-boost.
Why sign-up bonuses matter:
They’re the fastest way to earn points
They can give you 20,000, 30,000, even 75,000 points in one go
They don’t require extra spending — just strategic planning
You align the minimum spend with expenses you already needed to make
Examples of expenses that can trigger a bonus:
Car insurance
A family holiday
Home appliances
School-related expenses
Christmas shopping
Annual bills
You don’t need to spend more — you just need to be responsible and intentional.
Quick Personal Note: My Favourite Beginner Card (and the Promo On Right Now)
Whenever families ask me where to start, I always recommend the same card:
👉 The American Express Preferred Rewards Gold Card
Why I love it for beginners:
£0 annual fee in the first year
Membership Rewards® points — the most flexible in the UK
Points transfer to Avios, Virgin Points, hotel programs, and more
Four airport lounge passes
And right now:
💥 A boosted welcome bonus available only until January 13th.
For families, flexibility is everything, and the Gold Card gives you that without pressure and without needing a huge budget.
If you want to take advantage of the current offer, here’s my link with the upgraded bonus:
👉 🔗 Amex Gold with the boosted welcome offer!
Using my link unlocks the enhanced bonus and supports my work here at Fly Smart Club. Thank you if you choose to use it. 💛✈️
Truth #4: Your Regular Online Shopping Is an Untapped Goldmine
This one shocked me.
Most people don’t realise how many points they’re missing out on by skipping shopping portals like:
Avios eStore
Virgin Shops Away
Brands that offer points boosts:
ASOS
Apple
Boots
Booking.com
John Lewis
Argos
A simple hotel booking that would normally earn 1.5 Avios per pound using a good credit card, can instead earn 10 or 12 Avios per pound through the portal.
This isn’t about spending extra.
It’s about changing the path to the purchase.
👉 Before you buy anything online, check the e-store first.
Small habit, huge payoff.
Truth #5: This Was Never About Cheap Flights... It Was Always About Freedom
The deeper I went into the points world, the clearer it became:
My goal was never cheap flights, it was family connection.
Earlier this year, I needed to fly to Brazil urgently.
I booked on Saturday, flew on Monday, and didn’t panic about the cost because points covered it.
This is what points really give you:
Freedom
Peace of mind
Dignity during difficult moments
The ability to show up for your family when it matters most
That’s the true value.
Not just holidays — connection.
Conclusion
My journey began with the belief that the points world wasn’t for me.
It turns out, the opposite was true.
This system isn’t about having a big salary.
It isn’t about spending more.
It isn’t about chasing airline prices at 3 a.m.
It’s about understanding how to turn everyday life into opportunities.
It started with a simple Nectar conversion.
Today, it allows my family to travel across continents without breaking the bank.
If airfare stopped being the barrier…
Where would you go to connect with the people you love?
