How to Win at Travel

by Brian Kelly

Turn your wanderlust into reality with expert strategies from Brian Kelly, the founder of The Points Guy —the leading voice in travel and loyalty programs—with this ultimate resource for everything from leveraging airline and credit card points to planning your dream itinerary.

In How to Win at Travel, Brian Kelly shares his greatest tips and strategies to experience the world in ways you never thought possible. This compre­hensive guide is a road map with all of the knowledge and tools you need to become an expert traveler.

Get practical advice on a range of topics, including how to find the cheapest flights; effectively leverage airline, hotel, and credit card loyalty programs; conquer your fear of flying; beat jet lag; and score free flights and upgrades. Kelly also covers the ins and outs of travel insurance and getting the right credit cards to make your travel more affordable and enjoyable. He discusses the art of dealing with travel mishaps, speaks to the technology you need to manage modern travel, and shares ideas for pinpointing the best destination for you.

Whether you’re a young adult traveling solo, a road warrior business traveler, a growing family looking for new experiences, or a retiree ready to explore the world, reach for this guide to plan an unforgettable trip. Easy to understand, informative, and inspirational, How to Win at Travel is the definitive travel guide for your next adventure, no matter how big or small.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel, Audiobook, Self Help, Finance, How To, Personal Development

336 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2025

Reviews

[Kristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think this book has a lot of great information for beginner travelers. Especially if you are new to points and miles. That being said, I also think intermediate and advanced travelers will likely gain something from reading this as well. If you love to travel, this should be on your TBR.

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This "Win" book was a winner!

Written by the founder of "The Points Guy", the book did a superb job of demystifying the world of points.

It's a terrific resource for newbie travelers looking for tips/tricks on maximizing points/minimizing costs to pay for travel.

WHY NOT 5 STARS?
Waaay too much text (and fluff) was allocated to the challenges of traveling with children and providing tips for overcoming the fear of flying (huh?).

I listened to the audiobook, expertly narrated by the author.

The author did a fabulous job with the narration.

4.5 stars

[Teri · Rating 3 out of 5]

This had some really great information that I will absolutely start taking advantage of, but it seems a tad on the unrealistic side for "regular" people like me. I'm not going to have 30 credit/preferred company cards and I'm not going to be flying all over the world dozens of times a year.

[Jess Svajgert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of tips and tricks for any traveler, from novice to frequent flier! Yes, Brian is The Points Guy, but you don’t need to have (or plan on having) a ton of credit cards to play the points game to benefit from the info in here. If that’s what you’re looking for, there are in depth tutorials on travel credit cards, how to max out points, and also how to score great reward travel! Great info for solo and group travel, LGBTQ+ travel, traveling with kids, traveling with disabilities, dealing with delays and interruptions, how to combat jet lag, and travel etiquette.

[Cera Soma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sooo excited for this book. everything I know about credit cards I learned from Brian Kelly and now everything I know about travel too

[RaspberryRoses]

I didn't end up finishing this book, because my loan at the library ran out, but it was a fascinating read for what it was. I think if I followed the advice of this book to the letter I would become a deeply toxic minmax person.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I genuinely did not realize this book was written by The Points Guy, so it was a little heavy on the credit card hacking which i didn’t care much for. BUT i thought the rest of the general travel chapters were a good read. I enjoyed the reflections on the privileges of travel and ways to make the most of trips!

[Ciara Montes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly pretty insightful, I learned a few tricks that I'm pumped to try out. There was some stuff that I already knew as someone who travels a lot but I'm pretty sure I'm gonna buy the physical version of this one to keep handy.

[Jennifer Cash · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book cover-to-cover and learned so much! Initially, I received an early eARC from Avid Reader Press via NetGalley (thank you!) and enjoyed it so much that I purchased a copy when it was published to highlight, underline, and tab all of the notes I took while reading the ARC. Trust me when I say this book contains insights to help you plan your next vacation! From demystifying the world of points and credit cards and helping you navigate airports like a pro to providing valuable information on what to do when emergencies happen while you travel, Brian covers a wide range of topics that every traveler may experience. He also writes from a relatable POV, so don’t worry if you aren’t carrying elite status on an airline, this book is for all travelers—even the infrequent ones.

If you love to travel, read this book. If you travel a lot for work, read this book. If you are not an experienced traveler, definitely read this book! If you know someone afraid of flying, get them to read this book (seriously, there is a whole chapter dedicated to fear of flying). Basically, if you want to become a smarter traveler and beat the travel industry at their insane pricing games, you need a copy of How to Win at Travel.

[Dannie Lynn Fountain · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because a travel influencer friend of mine was quoted in it. I've infrequently read TPG over the years and have been to all seven continents and more than 100 countries myself, so I wasn't certain if this book would be for me. That said, HOW TO WIN AT TRAVEL is a PHENOMENAL resource for *anyone* traveling, regardless of your circumstances or experience. I highlighted so many lines and tips in the book for myself to triple check that I was doing (or to start doing) and found myself getting even more excited for my next trip as a result. Kelly does a good job of catering to both the novice traveler and the advanced points hacker, there's something for everyone in this book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

[Consuelo Cth · Rating 2 out of 5]

It’s a well-intended book, but it’s 100% US-focused. Even though it’s presented as offering tips for everyone, it’s clearly aimed at people who fly first or business class. Some tips were actually quite funny, something along these lines: I don’t understand why people wait in line for such a long time when they can use their platinum Amex card and use their priority boarding.

If, as the author, you can drop £50k on plane tickets for your company and keep the points, or if you earn enough to rack up 100k points a month on your credit card, then this book is for you. If not, you can give it a miss—unless you want to see just how much you’re missing out on by not earning that kind of money 😂

[Emma M · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars - i learned some good tips from this book that I’ve already started applying, and it was an interesting read. however, i think because the author is a luxury traveler who almost only flies first and business class, a lot of the tips are more so geared towards that audience. the author has 28 credit cards, which i think would be wild for most ppl. i don’t think this book convinced me that the time, effort, and money required to score travel deals with points is worth it at this point in my life

[Sam Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

as someone who feels like they can finally enter adulthood and make money, i thought it perfect time to learn a thing or two about maximizing points and being financially savvy and i lovedddd this book. i feel like i know so much now and am on my way to traveling the world while playing a fun game at a low cost. hit me up if you wanna learn a thing or two

[Grace · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was... fine. Very much geared at people with a lot of money to spend to even earn these points/credit cards etc in the first place, and I found some of Brian's writing and perspective to be a prettt out of touch. Some decent tips in here, but not enough to really make the read worth it, especially if you're not interested in making points travel your whole personality.

[Jenny Tumay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is gold i really hope brian kelly writes more books in the future

[Kristi · Rating 2 out of 5]

Didn't learn much I didn't know, and the bottom line is, if you don't have a lot of money or a business that you can spend a lot of money for, none of this is going to help you much.

[Nissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I’ve been following The Points Guy for years and I think Brian did a fantastic job of putting together this how-to guide for making the most of your travel and also being your best travel self! There’s bound to be something in here for any level of traveler, beginner to experienced.

[Allison Metz · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you’re new to traveling or looking for a ‘how-to’ book for an upcoming trip it’s a VERY detailed guide. I would not recommended for a regular read, as the amount of info was overwhelming.

[Kyla Nowka · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audio book. It was full of so much amazing information that I think I’ll buy a hard copy to read again and highlight.

[Hailey Pekera · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great audiobook listen! Finished the last couple of chapters on the plane home from Ireland - some tips and tricks about jet lag that probably would have been helpful before the trip😂 I aspire to be as savvy as the points guy in my life!

[sydnee · Rating 3 out of 5]

First 1/3 of the book felt the most valuable, last 2/3s felt repetitive and not as valuable information.

[Jules | Friday Night Readers · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I heard the author of How to Win at Travel speak about the book on a podcast, I added it to my list before the episode ended. My mind was blown by the tips he was sharing!

I have long been aware of author Brian Kelly and The Points Guy blog, which he founded many years ago. He’s known for mastering the complex world of travel points and rewards to earn the most value in return through free trips and other perks.

This book is so jam-packed with tips and tricks that I used two highlighters reading it! It covers everything from earning and redeeming points to getting travel upgrades and what to do when encountering travel problems, all from a pro who has mastered every element of travel. And he does not hold back!

That said, this is a book you need to commit to working on beyond the pages. Reading it is only the first step. You need not spend a lot of time to get value, but you do need to spend some time. In other words, it’s not “just” for gurus who dedicate their lives to points. Those who want to be lazy about points can still gain significant value from the book.

Read my full review with my favorite money-saving travel hacks: https://theliterarylifestyle.com/how-...

[Mark Schleier · Rating 4 out of 5]

I consider myself quite savvy in the financial/life hacking space, but I definitely walked away with several strategies and tips to unlock more travel with less. Anyone who is looking for fresh ideas on better ways to plan travel, pay for travel, or actually travel should read this.

The most important point for me was to think about ways to maximize every dollar I spend in how many points/miles it could be accruing for maximum points. Areas where I use my debit card, could I use a different rewards card that specifically gives high rewards for that kind of purchase (for example). I made several changes that have already had an impact on my rewards.

[Rebecca Brenner Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one via audio. for anyone who loves hotels, flying, and/or exploring, it’s a calming read. I learned concrete information, too, like partnerships between companies; best practices for communicating w/ airline & hotel staff; general ways of thinking about travel. imho the children & pregnancy chapter was way too long w/o a disabilities, race, and/or other similar chapter(s) of comparable length. those choices make this book How the Points Guy Wins at Travel rather than how anyone can Win at Travel. no matter- I really enjoyed learning how the points guy wins at travel.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband and I are asked frequently how we are able to fly business/first class on long distance flights using miles. This book has all the details on how to use credit card signup bonuses, how to find the lowest miles needed to book flights, and how to keep track of them. Beyond that, Brian Kelly, shares how to find travel perks, book flights, buy travel insurance, and much more - with plenty of online resources, bloggers, etc - including his website thepointsguy - We often use onemileatatime for information.

[Jodi Hawkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall it is a good book with decent tips. My personal opinion, the tips were either so basic and elementary (or not relevant to me) or so over the top with me thinking, in my lifetime I'll never spend the kind of money to accrue enough points on credit cards and/or gain miles flying with so many different airlines. I don't have a reason to spend a lot of time flying overseas to gain miles (I wish I did). Anyway, I felt like very little actually applied to my traveling style or situations.

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for every person who loves to travel. I consider myself a fairly experienced traveler, and I still learned so much from Brian’s stories. I love that he interviewed other experts in the space to ensure a diverse perspective is represented. Think it makes a great gift for any travelers, too!

[Sai Komaragiri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book for folks looking to hack their travel. I think that it provides plenty of beneficial tips on how to take advantage of miles and points while also addressing traveling best practices. Some of this content is definitely geared towards luxury traveling which i think is fine, but very rare for the average person. Regardless, a good “101” book

[Sheri Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Had some very helpful tips and things I downloaded for my future travels. I was a flight attendant for 10yrs before covid hit, so I skipped some chapters that didn’t pertain to me or what I already knew 😉

[Jennifer Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a pretty well versed and avid traveler, I didn't know that I learned a ton from this but still enjoyed hearing from Brian. I imagine this is a collection of posts from the site, but nice to have it all in one place. #audio