18 Tips to Help You Redeem Travel Rewards Over the Holidays

Having a stash of points and miles to burn can help you save big on travel any time of the year. However, it's not always easy to redeem rewards during peak travel times like the holiday season. These tips and tricks will help you redeem your points and get more free travel during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.

Planning early is the best way to make sure you're getting maximum value from your travel rewards over the holidays. This means earning points early in the year, but it also means having the points and miles to book your holiday travel plans at least 6 months out. Out of time this year? Create a travel rewards strategy for next year's holiday season and start on it now.

Finding award flights over the holidays can be a challenge since many airlines limit their award availability. The best way around this is to be as flexible as you can with your dates. Consider flying on a Monday or Tuesday, for example. Better yet, plan your holiday travel dates based on the best award fares you can find.

Having your heart set on a specific destination won't help you maximize your miles, but being flexible and being willing to travel anywhere absolutely will. Create a list of 5-6 destinations you want to visit over the holidays, then compare each one to see how far you could stretch your airline miles, hotel points and other rewards.

Earning flexible rewards points like Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards can also make it easier to book holiday travel. Both programs let you transfer your points to multiple airlines and hotel partners, so you'll never be "stuck" with rewards you can't use.

Also remember that flexible programs tend to have their own travel portals. With Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards, for example, you have the option to redeem your points for nearly any type of travel through their portal without worry over blackout dates or award availability.

When it comes to flexible travel points, your real power is having the ability to spend them in more than one way. That's why you should always explore the different airline partners your credit card has and the award availability they might have for your holiday travel destination and dates. Sometimes one airline will have much better options than others for a smaller number of miles.

Also consider earning flexible travel credit like the kind doled out by the Capital One Venture Rewards card. Not only will you earn 2x miles for each dollar you spend, but you can score a big signup bonus. From there, you can redeem your points for any type of travel at a rate of one cent per point, or you can transfer to airline partners.

If you need a rush of points or miles to cover your holiday trip, you still have time to earn a big signup bonus that could help. Check out all the top travel credit cards to find one that suits your fancy. Many will give you 50,000 points or more if you can meet a minimum spending requirement within a few months.

Redeeming airline miles can be difficult over the holidays since award availability is limited and flights are expensive. If you have the option at all, consider driving to your destination instead of trying to fly or redeem miles. It's much easier to redeem hotel points and other types of rewards over the holidays-particularly if you're somewhat flexible with your plans.

Traveling right after holidays like Christmas or Thanksgiving is often a lot easier-and cheaper-than trying to travel over the holiday itself. If you can plan a vacation that starts on December 28th instead of December 23rd, for example, you'll find more award availability and lower award prices to boot.

Using airline miles becomes easier if you can fly from more than one home airport. Consider all the different airports within a few hours of driving distance and you'll find you have a lot more selection to choose from when it comes to frequent flyer programs and award space.

If you're truly struggling to find award space with your favorite frequent flyer program, you can also consider finding a cheap flight and paying cash. Websites like TheFlightDeal.com and SecretFlying.com list a ton of deals every day, although you'll have to move quick and book that day to score the best deals.

Falling short on the number of points or miles you need? Make sure to check if your program lets you pool points with a spouse or partner. Chase Ultimate Rewards lets you pool points with household members and Hilton Honors lets you pool points with almost anyone.

Also note that some programs don't have any blackout dates, making them easy to use. Southwest Rapid Rewards is one such program. Since they let you book a seat on any flight, provided one is available, and since their program is fare-based, you can often score a good deal. The best part? Southwest lets their customers check two bags for free.

Holiday travel season is also a good time to consider redeeming any cashback rewards you have. Redeeming cash back for travel means you'll never have to worry about blackout dates, capacity controls or award availability. Just find the travel you want and redeem your rewards to cover all or part of the cost.

Some frequent flyer programs, including Delta SkyMiles and Air France/Flying Blue, offer award sales or 'deals' that change every few weeks. These deals let you book very specific flight itineraries for a lot fewer miles, so it can pay to seek them out and book right away if you find a deal you like.

Some hotel programs give you the 5th night free if you book at least four consecutive nights with points. This includes Hilton Honors, which grants this benefit to some of its loyalty program members. Make sure you're utilizing free nights if you program offers this perk.

Also keep in mind that the most popular hotels almost always have less award availability-especially over the holidays. If you're willing to consider hotels slightly off the beaten path, you may find more open award dates and free nights that cost fewer points.