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We’ve come a long way since the days when you had to actually fly to earn frequent flyer miles. Today you can pile up points and miles in dozens of travel loyalty programs without ever boarding a plane or checking in to a hotel. The more ways these loyalty programs let you accrue points, the faster you can earn nearly free travel (don’t forget those fees).
A new partnership between Hilton’s loyalty program and the rideshare company Lyft is the latest opportunity for you to accelerate earnings. You can earn Hilton Honors points just by taking a ride in a Lyft — without setting foot in a Hilton or even using a Hilton credit card. And you can earn Delta SkyMiles and JetBlue TrueBlue points on the same ride, a Lyft spokesperson confirmed. And this is all in addition to the credit card points you can earn from paying for your ride.
Earning Hilton points for riding Lyft is easy. Just link your Hilton Honors account to your Lyft account and ride. You’ll earn 3 Hilton Honors points for every $1 you spend on regular Lyft rides and 2 points per $1 on shared rides. If you don’t have a Hilton Honors account, it’s free to sign up. If you’re new to Lyft, you’ll also get $5 off your first three rides.
If you pay for the ride with a travel credit card that gives you points or miles for spending, that’s yet another way to get rewarded for the same Lyft ride.
» Learn more: Find the best hotel credit card for you
The bottom line
For most travelers, using Lyft alone probably won’t get you a two-week stay at a luxury Hilton property anytime soon. But the set-it-and-forget-it nature of this partnership means you can effortlessly earn points now and decide how you can put them to use later.
How to maximize your rewards
You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are our picks for the best travel credit cards of 2023, including those best for:
Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®
Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express
Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
Planning a trip? Check out these articles for more inspiration and advice: 5 new ways to maximize your travel booking on Google NerdWallet’s top travel credit cards Top rewards credit card offers for the month
