I charged nearly $20,000 to my credit card to help my sister buy a car, and I got huge value from the rewards

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• My sister negotiated with a car dealership to let her pay with a credit card — mine.
• I used my World Of Hyatt credit card, which lets me use points to save on hotel stays.
• If you're making a large purchase or know someone who is, it's worth getting rewarded with points.

In the 13 years I've been chasing points and miles for travel redemptions, I've done everything to maximize every dollar spent. I've paid rent, tuition, and taxes with a credit card. I've opened checking accounts to get miles and used shopping portals to quadruple my mileage earnings. I even convinced extended family members to let me pay their home-renovation costs with my credit card.

While all these experiences have been rewarding, none have been as lucrative as a recent car-buying experience. I charged a new car to my credit card without any fees. While my card choice may seem questionable to some, it was a strategic move that paid off nicely. Here's how I did it and why.

How I decided which card to use

On a cold day in December, my sister called me to say that she was buying a new car and that the dealership had allowed her to charge the full cost to a credit card. I had assumed she wanted advice on which card to use, but instead she offered me a lucrative opportunity to charge part of the purchase to a rewards credit card.

As a savvy shopper, she negotiated the price first, then convinced the dealership to let her pay with a credit card and waive the fees. Knowing how points-obsessed I am (and having maxed out her own credit card), she offered to let me charge the remaining amount — about $19,300. I jumped at the chance. My only dilemma was which credit card to use.

While I would normally have used my Capital One Venture Rewards Card for transferable rewards on the purchase, I'd just done some end-of-year shopping and didn't have enough credit left. Sifting through my wallet, I found an even better option: my World Of Hyatt credit card.

What I earned

My card had a $21,300 limit, which was more than enough for the charge. One Hyatt point is about $0.015 on average, but I routinely get at least $0.02 from using points to pay for stays at Hyatt properties, making them quite valuable. These points were a nice addition to the over 15,000 points I'd already earned from credit-card spending throughout the year. I got 19,000 points from paying for my sister's car, so with the combined 34,000-plus Hyatt points, I can now book a Category 7 property such as the Andaz 5th Avenue in New York, which often costs well over $500 a night.

I also got to count eight total nights — two for every $5,000 I spent — toward getting the World Of Hyatt explorist status, which requires 30 overnight stays in Hyatt properties in a calendar year.

Hyatt Explorist status includes benefits such as 20% bonus points on stays, premium internet access, space-available room upgrades, early check-in, and late checkout. The last two perks are perhaps the most useful.

After spending $15,000 on the World Of Hyatt card in a calendar year, you can get a free night at any Hyatt hotel in categories 1 through 4. I redeemed my free night at the Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin, where rooms were going for about $200 a night in January.

If you know someone who might be making an expensive purchase, consider telling them you'd like to use your credit card. In my case, my family was aware of my points obsession, and my sister not only let me share in the opportunity but negotiated with the dealer so that we wouldn't have to pay fees. That's winning.

This article was originally published in June 2024.