The Credit Card Stacking Strategy That Took Me from Coach to First Class (Without Going Broke)

Let’s talk about the real flex — flying first class, staying at a 5-star resort, and sipping something strong with a beachfront view… all without touching your savings.

No, this isn’t a sponsored post. This is what happens when you stack the right travel credit cards the right way. Not just signing up and forgetting, but building a credit card ecosystem that works overtime for your lifestyle.

If you’re trying to travel better for less, this post is your June 2025 playbook.

Step 1: Choose Your Ecosystem Wisely — Don’t Mix & Match Just to Chase Bonuses

I’m guilty of this. Years ago, I grabbed every shiny signup bonus I could. I had cards from Chase, Amex, Capital One, Citi… and no clear plan for how to use the points together.

Rookie move.

✅ Pick one ecosystem to start and go hard. If you’re new to this, start with Chase.

Why?

• Points are super flexible (can be transferred to Hyatt, United, Southwest, etc.)
• Chase has the strictest “5/24 rule” — so hit their cards before moving on
• Their travel portal is actually solid (especially when paired with a Sapphire card)

Example: Your June 2025 Chase Starter Stack

Stack Value (June 2025): Over $2,500+ in free travel for ~$200 in annual fees.

Step 2: Use the Bonuses Like a Damn Strategy

Don’t just hit the minimum spend with groceries and call it a day. Time your signups around major expenses — travel, insurance premiums, rent (via services like Bilt or Plastiq), or even back-to-school shopping.

If you’re already planning a summer trip, front-load it on your new cards and double-dip by booking hotels or flights that also earn category bonuses.

Pro Tip: Pair a Sapphire Preferred + Freedom Flex and put all travel on Sapphire and rotating 5% categories (like gas or Amazon) on the Flex.

Step 3: Transfer Points, Don’t Redeem Them Like a Rookie

Biggest mistake? Cashing out your Chase points at 1 cent per point. Don’t do it unless your house is on fire.

Instead, transfer to partners like Hyatt, where you can routinely get 2–4 cents per point in value.

Example: I just booked 2 nights at the Thompson Nashville for a bachelor party in August. Rooms were $560/night. I used 25,000 Hyatt points per night. That’s $0.044 per point — nearly 4.5x more than if I had just “cashed out.”

Bonus: What to Do If You’re Over 5/24?

If you’ve already opened 5+ personal cards in the last 24 months, pivot:

• Amex Gold (currently 90k MR offer): great for groceries and restaurants
• Capital One Venture X: gets you into lounges, 75k bonus, and earns 2x on everything
• Citi Strata Premier: newly launched, 70k points and great transfer partners

You can also pivot to business cards (most don’t count toward 5/24):

• Chase Ink Cash or Unlimited
• Amex Business Gold
• Capital One Spark Miles

Real Talk: What This Got Me in 2024–2025

Here’s what I did with my points over the last year (and what you can too):

• Roundtrip flight to Turks & Caicos (Delta transfer via Amex MR)
• 3 nights at the Andaz Costa Rica (Hyatt transfer from Chase)
• Business class to Portugal (Air France via Capital One miles)

Total out-of-pocket: less than $400 (mostly taxes and resort fees)

TL;DR – Credit Card Stacking Works If You Work It

• Start with Chase cards (Sapphire + Ink + Hyatt + Freedom)
• Don’t waste your points — transfer to travel partners
• Time signups with big expenses
• Use business cards if you’re locked out of Chase 5/24
• Travel smart. Flex hard. Spend less.
• 3 Killer Credit Card Hacking Plays (May 2025 Edition) You Probably Haven’t Used Yet

If this post helped you, check out my Notion Travel Planner — I built it to make travel planning fast, flexible, and totally digital. No more messy spreadsheets or Notes app chaos.

And if you want more strategies like this, follow along at MakeSimpleNow.

Mr. Beef

I’m Mr. Beef—a credit card junkie, deal hunter, and points hoarder with a taste for luxury travel on a budget. I break down hacks, strategies, and no-fluff money tips so you can live big without spending big. Steak rare, flights first class, costs low. Let’s get you there.