- I spent a year saving up credit-card points, then used 33,000 miles (plus $5) to move to Argentina.
- For the next seven months, I continued to rack up points for smaller trips around South America.
The idea to move from New Jersey to Buenos Aires came to me one afternoon while watching the Diego Maradona (famed Argentine soccer player) biopic series on Amazon Prime. I had only ever visited once before for a three-month backpacking trip, and I always knew I wanted to go back.
As a daughter of Dominican immigrants, relocating to a Spanish-speaking country and exploring a largely unknown place at my own pace was a dream.
But moving abroad — like cooking meat in an asado — is a slow and steady process. I allotted myself one year to prepare, save, and, most importantly, rack up credit-card points to help soften the financial blow.
Here's how I did it.
I started by signing up for a new card with a hefty bonus offer
I've been using credit-card points to fly around the world on a budget for years, so I knew the biggest bang for my buck came from credit card sign-up bonuses.
At the time, the Capital One Venture X card was offering 100,000 miles, or $1,000 in travel credit, after spending $10,000 within the first four months. It was a huge deal. Typically, cards might offer two times the miles on every dollar spent — this was five times that.
Once approved, I immediately used the card to pay for all of my regular bills, day-to-day purchases, and other travel bookings. I even lent the card to trusted friends, who then reimbursed me for their purchases in cash.
Simultaneously, I used my existing United Airlines credit card to book flights for my family members. We use the airline frequently, which meant I was continuously adding to my cache of miles. Within a year, I had enough to book a one-way United flight to Buenos Aires for 33,000 miles (plus $5 in taxes).
My points took me all around Argentina — and into other South American countries
By the time I touched down in Argentina, I had long surpassed the entry rewards on my Capital One card. I kept regular bills such as phone and streaming apps on it to continue racking up rewards, but it was finally time to focus on the next phase of the plan: Spending the points.
Unfortunately, I couldn't use them for my rent, but luckily, my fully furnished apartment only cost me $650 a month. Instead, I used my points to cover things like my daily food and activities (about $300 a month) and pay for all my trips around South America.
As a freelancer with a very flexible schedule, I intended to explore as much of Argentina as possible. But I also wanted to visit Brazil and Chile — especially since I had to leave at least every three months to keep my visa active.
Since I wasn't sure how long I wanted to stay, I didn't apply for formal residency in Argentina. Instead, I used the 90-day tourist visa limit as an excuse to visit other nearby countries. This process proved to be simple; I once crossed into Chile by car and returned to Argentina with a new visa start date hours later.
Capital One provides a portal to purchase flights, but local carriers usually offer cheaper rates on their own websites. Because of this, I've found the best way to use miles is to retroactively cover the cost of purchases made on other platforms.
Using this system, I was able to cover my flights to Bariloche, El Calafate, Iguazu, Mendoza, Ushuaia, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo. Occasionally, I had enough to pay for my Airbnb or hotel there, too.
I learned cultural nuances, ate my body weight in steak, and adapted my Dominican American Spanish to the Argentine accent. One of the highlights of my seven months abroad was celebrating Argentina's World Cup win at the Obelisco Buenos Aires and chanting the national song alongside 5 million local fans.
At each location, I swiped for activities and food and used those newly accumulated miles to book the next trip. It was a constant loop feeding itself.
The move only ended up lasting 7 months, but it was an incredible experience
Instead of squeezing Argentina's major highlights into a rushed and complicated tour, I visited seven cities over a seven-month stay. This slow travel style saved me a ton of money — especially since I didn't fly back and forth to the US.
My time in South America offered me a new perspective on migrating. I respect my parents for completely uprooting their lives in the 1980s with no internet or common language. Unfortunately, unlike them, I wasn't able to do it for the long haul.
Although I have since returned to New Jersey, I continue to use credit-card points to fund my travels. They don't pay for everything, but they make massive undertakings (like moving abroad for seven months) more seamless than ever before.