Card Cycling: The Real Hack to Multiple Flights a Year

This is where the magic happens. The “Quick Start” guide shows you how to get one flight. This page shows you how to get one or two business class flights every single year, even as a moderate spender.

The core strategy is simple: you and a partner (or a trusted friend) cycle through credit card sign-up bonuses.

Person 1 👨🏽 signs up for the AMEX Gold Card using a referral link to get the best bonus (e.g., 50,000 points). They meet the minimum spend and collect the bonus.
Person 1 👨🏽 refers Person 2 👱🏻‍♀️ to the same card. Person 1 👨🏽 gets a referral bonus (e.g., 40,000 points), and Person 2 👱🏻‍♀️ gets the same high welcome bonus.
After about a year (you must keep the card for 12 months to retain the bonus), Person 1 👨🏽 cancels their card. Before cancelling, they must transfer the MR points or retain another Membership Rewards-eligible Amex. The PAYBACK Amex is not eligible.
Person 2 👱🏻‍♀️ continues the cycle. After 18 months, Person 1 👨🏽 is eligible for a new welcome bonus.

You are generally ineligible for a new welcome bonus if you were the primary cardholder of the same German card product in the previous 18 months. Product terms can differ, so verify the current offer before applying. Holding a different MR card may preserve the MR account, but it does not shorten the product-specific 18-month period.

Example: Two Flights to Asia

Let’s say a round-trip business class flight to Tokyo costs 80,000 miles + taxes.

Person 1’s Welcome Bonus: 50,000 miles
Person 1’s Referral Bonus: ~40,000 miles (referral bonuses vary)
Person 2’s Welcome Bonus: 50,000 miles

Just from these bonuses, you’ve accumulated around 140,000 miles—more than enough for the flight, and well on your way to a second one. This doesn’t even include the miles you earn from your actual spending or from using Payback!

This strategy requires organization and trust, but as you can see, it’s the most powerful way to consistently travel in style for a fraction of the cost.

Ad: Referral link. We earn bonus points if you sign up.