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., 40,000 points). They meet the minimum spend and collect the bonus. -
Person 1 👨🏽refersPerson 2 👱🏻♀️to the same card.Person 1 👨🏽gets a referral bonus (e.g., 40,000 points), andPerson 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. Crucially, they must already hold another MR-earning Amex card (even a free one) to ensure their points don’t expire. -
Person 2 👱🏻♀️continues the cycle. After 18 months,Person 1 👨🏽is eligible for a new welcome bonus.
The “cool-down” period has become stricter. You are now generally ineligible for a new welcome bonus if you have been the primary cardholder of any German American Express card in the last 18 months. This makes the strategy of holding a free card to preserve points while waiting for eligibility even more critical. See more in the What’s New in 2025 section.
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: 40,000 miles
- Person 1’s Referral Bonus: 40,000 miles
- Person 2’s Welcome Bonus: 40,000 miles
Just from these bonuses, you’ve accumulated 120,000 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.
Thank you – I really appreciate your support! 🥺