How to Build Travel Points from Scratch

Building points starts by opening one flagship travel credit card with a high sign-up bonus and shifting your daily expenses to that card. Pay off the balance in full every month to ensure interest charges don't negate the value of the points you earn.

Check your credit score. Most travel rewards cards require a credit score of 700 or higher. Use a free service like Credit Karma or your bank's app to ensure you are in the 'Good' to 'Excellent' range before applying.
Choose your first card. Pick a 'flexible' points card (like Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Gold) rather than an airline-specific card. This allows you to transfer points to multiple partners later.
Hit the minimum spend. Most cards require you to spend between $3,000 and $4,000 in the first 3 months to earn the sign-up bonus. Time your application with a planned big expense, like insurance premiums, car repairs, or home projects.
Utilize shopping portals. Before buying anything online, go to your credit card's 'Shop through us' portal. Clicking through these links can earn you an extra 2x to 10x points on top of the points you earn for the purchase itself.
Use digital wallets and auto-pay. Set your rent, utilities, and grocery subscriptions to bill automatically to your new card. Ensure your total spending never exceeds your monthly take-home pay.

Will applying for cards hurt my credit score?: You will see a temporary dip of 5-10 points due to the hard inquiry. If you pay your bills on time, your score will usually recover within 3-6 months.
Should I close my old cards?: No. Keep your oldest cards open, even if they have no annual fee. The length of your credit history accounts for 15% of your credit score.
Is it worth paying an annual fee?: Only if the value of the sign-up bonus and the annual perks (like free checked bags or lounge access) exceeds the cost of the fee.