Miles to the Mountains: Points & Miles Guide for Hikers (2026)

Use points and miles to fly to your next trek, for little more than taxes. You've picked the trek. The flight is often the biggest single cost. This beginner's guide shows you how to cover it with points you can earn from everyday spending, using one well-chosen credit card. No flying every week, no complicated spreadsheets, and no need to be "good with money stuff." A real example from the guide: a $1,400 round-trip to Geneva for the Tour du Mont Blanc, booked for about 60,000 points plus roughly $120 in taxes. What's inside (44-page PDF) The 5-step Quick Start. The whole strategy on one page, if you read nothing else. How points and miles really work. Earn, transfer, book, explained in plain English, plus which redemptions to avoid. Mileage playbooks by region. Which card, which airline and roughly how many miles to reach the Alps and Dolomites, Central and South America, Nepal and Thailand. The 5 best starter cards. A side-by-side comparison chart and a simple flowchart to choose your first card. A month-by-month trip countdown. When to apply, earn and book, so you find award seats before they're gone. Step-by-step booking walkthrough. Exactly how to find a seat, confirm it, transfer your points and book. Golden rules, mythbusters and checklists. What protects your credit, a before-you-apply checklist, and what to do if you're denied. Going deeper. Pooling points with a partner, business cards, free tools, communities and a glossary. Who it's for Beginners who have never booked a flight with points Hikers and adventure travelers taking one or two big trips a year Anyone who pays their credit card in full every month and has a credit score around 680 or higher Who wrote it Written by Samuel Abebe, founder of SummitMiles, for Travel Light Adventures travelers. Sam has been in points and miles since 2016 and has used them to reach Ha Long Bay, Flåm in Norway and Zanzibar for a fraction of the cash price. What readers are saying "I can honestly say that his advice has saved our family of five thousands of dollars and opened up travel opportunities we might not have otherwise considered." — Salvatore C. "Sam helped write the map that led to free room stays, free flights, and leveraging our money to work in our favor." — Morgan & Jared R. Frequently asked questions Do I need to travel a lot for this to work? No. The guide is built around one welcome bonus covering one trip's flights. It works best for people taking one or two trips a year. Will opening a card hurt my credit? An application causes a small, temporary dip. The guide explains how to apply responsibly, and the one non-negotiable rule: pay your balance in full every month. Is this for U.S. travelers? Yes. The cards covered are U.S. credit cards (Chase, Capital One, American Express and Citi). Is this financial advice? No. It's an educational guide. Card offers and bank rules change often, so always confirm the current terms with the bank before you apply. Format: Instant download. One 44-page PDF you can read on your phone or print. Current as of 2026. Disclosure: this guide contains referral links to credit card products. The author may earn a referral bonus at no extra cost to you.