Earn More Travel Rewards with Two Player Mode: Doubling the Fun by Working with Your Partner
Traveling with a family means you need even more points to get anywhere—for us, it’s flights and lodging times four, which can deplete our hard-earned rewards rather quickly. Enter two player mode, where I can tap my husband, so our family can earn more faster. Two player mode is one of the most powerful strategies you can use to exponentially increase your rewards. In this guide, I’ll walk you through what two player mode is, when and how to use it, and how to take advantage of credit card and travel programs that allow you to pool your points. Assemble your team, and get ready to earn more travel rewards faster than ever before.
What is Two Player Mode?
Two player mode refers to the strategy of teaming up with a partner—whether it’s a spouse, partner, friend, or family member—to maximize credit card rewards, hotel points, and airline miles. The idea is simple: by opening cards under each of your names separately and combining your points, you can accelerate the rate at which you accumulate travel rewards. The sky is the limit with this strategy. If you have multiple players who you trust, you can keep adding them to the “game”. Fun fact: I have a friend who works with her parents and siblings in six player mode!
My husband and I used two player mode to plan our family trip to Oahu and Maui for only $67.20 for our flights and hotels. Read all about it here.
When should you use two player mode to earn more travel rewards?
1. Maximizing Sign-Up Bonuses
Many credit cards offer generous sign-up bonuses, but these are usually per individual cardholder. By having your partner refer you to a card they already have, you can earn a sign-up bonus, and they can earn a referral bonus, doubling your rewards. DO NOT add your partner or have them add you as an authorized user on a card. Being added as an authorized user will make you ineligible for that card’s sign-up bonus, at least temporarily.
Example: The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card often offers 60,000 points after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months. If both you and your partner sign up, you can earn 120,000 points in total. If one of you opens it first and refers the other, the first card holder will also earn points for the referral, which can sometimes be 20,000 points or more. However, if you are approved for the Chase Sapphire Preferred® card and add your partner as an authorized user, you now only have the ability to earn the single 60,000 sign-up bonus.
2. Accelerating Your Earning Potential
Some credit cards offer enhanced rewards in specific categories, like 5x points on travel or groceries. By having separate cards, you can both take advantage of these multipliers on all of your household purchases.
3. Combining Points for Big Redemptions
Certain loyalty programs allow you to pool points with another person. This is especially valuable for programs with high redemption thresholds, like international flights or hotel stays, where having twice the points can make all the difference.
Credit Card Programs That Allow You to Pool Points
Some of the top rewards programs let you combine points with your partner. Here’s how to make the most of these opportunities:
Chase Ultimate Rewards®
Chase allows you to transfer your points between accounts for free if you have a spouse or domestic partner. You just need to add your partner as an authorized user to one of your Chase cards. You can combine points for bigger redemptions, like flights or hotel stays. If you don’t want to add your partner as an authorized user, so you can keep referring cards to each other, you still have the option to pool your points into one hotel loyalty program. More on that below.
Citi ThankYou® Points
Citi’s ThankYou points can be transferred between household members who are linked through their Citi account, so you can pool points this way if you both have eligible cards.
Hotel Points Programs That Allow You to Pool
Hotel loyalty programs are another great way to make the most of two player mode and earn more travel rewards. Here’s how you can leverage hotel points pooling:
World of Hyatt
Hyatt allows you to combine points with a member of your household. This is a great option for when you want to redeem your points for a suite or longer stays. You can also have you and your partner transfer your individual Chase Ultimate Rewards points into the same World of Hyatt account.
Marriott Bonvoy
Marriott allows you to combine points with up to five members, as long as they each have a Marriott Bonvoy account. You can also transfer points between accounts to use for stays or experiences.
Hilton Honors
Hilton offers a pooling program where you can combine points with up to 10 people. This can help you book a luxurious stay for a longer period or upgrade your accommodations.
Airline Programs That Allow You to Pool Points
Some airlines have pooling programs that let you combine miles with a partner. Here’s a look at how to do it:
Southwest Rapid Rewards®
Southwest allows you to transfer points to another Rapid Rewards member. However, this comes with a fee, so make sure you do the math before transferring points. Southwest also offers one of the most lucrative benefits for families that you can earn with or without a player two: the Southwest Companion Pass.
JetBlue TrueBlue
JetBlue’s family pooling program allows you to combine points with up to five people. It’s free to pool points with family members, making it a great option for families or couples who travel frequently.
British Airways Avios
British Airways allows you to pool Avios points with other members of your household. This is an excellent way to accumulate points faster for travel to Europe or to other international destinations.
Air France-KLM Flying Blue Family
Flying Blue‘s family program allows you to pool miles with family members, which can be a great way to accumulate and redeem miles faster. Through this program, you can link up to seven family members and combine your miles for rewards like flights or upgrades.
How to Keep Track of the Extra Cards
As you and your partner begin managing multiple rewards cards, it’s important to stay organized. Here are a few tips for keeping track of your extra cards:
- Use Apps Like CardPointers: CardPointers can help you keep track of which card to use for different categories and remember to earn more travel rewards in the right places.
- Set Up Alerts for Spending and Bonuses: Many credit cards allow you to set alerts for spending and bonus categories, so make sure you’re maximizing your rewards.
- Track Your Rewards Points Separately: It’s a good idea to keep track of both your and your partner’s points separately to avoid confusion when it comes time to redeem them.
Authorized User Cards: When They Help, When They Don’t
Authorized users are typically a no-no in player two mode, but being an authorized user on your partner’s credit card can sometimes help you rack up more points. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
When It Helps:
- If the card offers valuable rewards like lounge access and your partner doesn’t mind you having access. For perks like lounge access, you can typically bring in two other people with the cardholder, but it might be worth your partner having their own card as an authorized user if you have a larger family to bring into the lounge or if your partner travels a lot without you.
- When you can use the points for mutual travel benefits, like booking a flight or hotel stay together.
- If you want to improve your credit score by having a positive credit account associated with your name.
When It Doesn’t Help:
- If the card has an annual fee that you’ll be responsible for, or if it doesn’t offer rewards for your personal spending habits.
- If you don’t trust your partner to manage the credit responsibly, as missed payments or high balances could hurt both of your credit scores.
Getting a Reluctant Partner Onboard
Getting your partner to join you in two player mode can sometimes be tricky, especially if they’re skeptical of rewards travel in general. Here are some tips to convince them:
- Focus on the Benefits: Highlight the travel rewards and perks that come with the cards, such as free checked bags, access to airport lounges, and priority boarding. Who wouldn’t want those benefits when traveling?
- Emphasize the “Free” Travel: Remind them that rewards from credit cards can be used for flights, hotel stays, and even car rentals—all of which reduce the overall cost of travel.
- Offer to Handle the Heavy Lifting: If they’re not interested in tracking points or managing the cards, offer to take care of the details—like managing the spending requirements and redeeming points.
- Remind Them There’s a Potential Credit Score Boost: Many people worry about how credit cards will affect their credit score, but as long as you use your cards responsibly—by paying on time and keeping balances low—rewards travel won’t negatively impact your credit. In fact, it can even improve your credit score over time by showing responsible credit usage. Many avid rewards travelers have credit scores over 800.
When should you not use two player mode?
While two player mode can help you rack up rewards, it’s not always the best choice. Here are a few situations where you might want to reconsider this strategy:
- If Your Partner Isn’t Onboard: If your partner isn’t interested in managing credit cards, or if they’re reluctant to open accounts, the extra effort may not be worth it for you, especially if you’ve tried the tips above for getting them onboard.
- If Your Partner Has Bad Credit: You need a good credit score to be approved for many rewards cards. If your partner’s credit score is low, it could hurt their chances of approval.
Final Thoughts: Double Your Points, Double Your Fun
Two player mode is an incredibly powerful way to earn more travel rewards, and with the right strategies, it can open up a whole new world of possibilities. By pooling points from credit cards, airlines, and hotel programs, you can book more family trips by having enough points to get more than two people where you want to go.
So grab your travel partner, get organized, and start multiplying those rewards for your next adventure!
If you have any questions or need further advice feel free to email me or send me a message on Instagram. I’m always happy to share more tips and insights to help you.
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