Surprise Your Spouse With the Benefits of Your Travel Rewards Credit Card

Traveling with your spouse can be an exciting adventure, but the cost of travel, hotels, and eating out can quickly add up. So how can you keep costs low while still booking a fantastic adventure? Tap into the benefits of travel credit cards.

Here's how rewards cards can improve your next vacation with your spouse, and a few tips for finding the best travel rewards cards for each situation.

1. Book a business class ticket to Europe

Business class tickets often offer a better flying experience, with larger seats, better meals, airport lounge access, and priority boarding. When traveling internationally, some of these perks can help you feel more rested when you arrive at your destination.

The downside is that business class tickets are expensive, with many costing several thousand dollars. But if you have a travel rewards card, you can significantly cut costs or even book a ticket for your spouse for next to nothing.

How to do it: Some business class tickets to Europe range from 80,000 to 140,000 in points. Meanwhile, the bonus points for some airline rewards cards range from 25,000 to 80,000, some of which could cover the cost of one European business class ticket if you combine the bonus points with other points you earn throughout the year.

If you're considering using points from a new card, just make sure you find one with significant bonus point earnings and check for any potential ticket restrictions. Most cards require you to spend a certain minimum amount, like $4,000, within a given time frame, before you receive the bonus points.

2. Extend your vacation with free hotel stays

Hotel expenses are the second-largest vacation cost after airline tickets, and recent research from Budget Your Travel shows that the average hotel stay costs $259 per night, and vacation rentals (like Airbnbs) cost about $314 per night.

Fancy hotels can push those costs even higher, potentially making a weeklong vacation out of reach for many people's budgets. This is where a hotel rewards card can come in handy. Many of the best ones include free nights at the hotel.

How to do it: Look for a hotel rewards card that gives you at least one free night per year; some even offer two nights. You may also want to look for a card that gives you several bonus nights as part of its welcome offer. For example, some cards give you several free hotel nights after your first $3,000 in purchases in a given time frame after opening the card.

3. Treat your spouse to an elevated dining experience

The average cost for two people eating three meals per day (including alcohol) on a three-day vacation is about $510, according to Budget Your Trip. Using a travel and restaurant credit card helps you cover the cost of an expensive dinner without worrying about pinching pennies while you're celebrating.

When my wife and I celebrated our anniversary this past year, we booked a nice dinner in Charleston, South Carolina, complete with candlelight and champagne. I used my credit card to earn 2% cash back on the evening's dinner, but there are travel and restaurant credit cards that will take the savings one step further.

How to do it: Some cards offer 3X points for every dollar spent on restaurants and 2X points for all travel expenses. Many also have welcome offers for thousands in redeemable points or cash back welcome offers if you spend a certain amount within the first few months. Be aware that some cards charge an annual fee, so look for a card with no annual fee if you don't think you'll use it enough to make the cost worth it

No matter what type of benefits you're looking for, you'll likely find a travel rewards card that fits your needs. Using a credit card to earn special rewards for tickets, hotels, or restaurants could help you and your spouse enjoy an adventurous vacation -- without breaking the bank.