Not financial advice. This page describes what I do with my own cards. I'm not a financial adviser, and nothing here is a recommendation that you apply for any card. Credit cards carry fees and interest, and approval depends on your own credit and the issuer's rules. Read the issuer's terms and decide for yourself. The credit card guide from the US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is a good neutral starting point.
Links disclosed. The card links on this page are referral links. If you're approved through one, I earn points, miles or a referral bonus. What each one pays me is listed below and on my disclosures page.
The short answer
My travel splits in two. Kindred home swaps cover the nights. Kindred is a members-only club where you earn credits when members stay in your home and spend them to stay in theirs, so I pay for those nights in credits and fees, not nightly rates. Credit card points cover what swaps can't, mainly flights and the occasional hotel night on the way. The cards I refer are Chase Ink business cards, a Chase United card, the American Express (Amex) Business Platinum and the personal Marriott Bonvoy Amex.
I'm Kevin Luten, and Field Office is where I write up how I work from home swaps, cabins and other interesting places. This page is the "getting there" part.
Why do points and home swaps fit together?
A home swap takes care of the most expensive part of a long trip: where you sleep. On Kindred, every night costs one credit regardless of the size of the home, plus cleaning and service fees (what those add up to is in what the stays cost).
So what doesn't a swap cover? The flight there, or a night in a hotel when the dates don't line up. Points, the rewards a credit card earns on your spending, fill those gaps. Miles are the airline version. Pair the two, and the remaining cash cost of a trip is mostly the swap fees and whatever the points didn't cover.
The cards I refer
Each card below has a referral link. What about the welcome offer for you? That is whatever the issuer's page shows when you apply. I don't repeat it here because it changes often and I can't keep it current. Check Chase or American Express for current terms and eligibility.
Chase Ink business cards
Chase's Ink cards are business cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points, the bank's own points currency. Chase's eligibility rules apply, and my referral only works for people new to Chase business cards.
Chase Ink business cards (referral)
I earn points if you are approved through my referral link. I earn 40,000 Chase points per approved referral through Dec 31, 2026, up to 200,000 points a year. To qualify, you must be new to Chase business cards.
Chase United card
A personal card that earns United MileagePlus miles (United's frequent-flyer program). Terms are on Chase's United card page.
Chase United personal cards (referral)
I earn miles if you are approved through my referral link. I earn 10,000 United miles per approved referral.
Amex Business Platinum
A business card that earns American Express Membership Rewards points, Amex's own points currency.
Amex Business Platinum (referral)
I earn a referral bonus if you are approved through my link. Amex pays me a referral bonus for up to 5 approved referrals per card each calendar year.
Marriott Bonvoy Amex
A personal Amex card carrying Marriott's name. It earns points in Marriott Bonvoy, Marriott's hotel loyalty program, useful for the hotel nights between swaps.
Marriott Bonvoy Amex, personal (referral)
I earn a referral bonus if you are approved through my link. Amex pays me a referral bonus for up to 5 approved referrals per card each calendar year.
Citi AAdvantage, when offered
Citi's referral for its American Airlines AAdvantage card (AAdvantage is American's frequent-flyer program) is only available when Citi offers it to me. When an offer is active, the link will appear here. When it isn't, there is nothing to link.
A real redemption
Things I've learned
About my referral links
What does each referral pay me? The table below shows it, as I verified the terms. The issuer decides whether you are approved. My link doesn't change that, and I don't know your application.
| Card | What I get, and limits | Verified |
|---|---|---|
| Chase Ink business cards | I earn 40,000 Chase points per approved referral through Dec 31, 2026, up to 200,000 points a year. To qualify, you must be new to Chase business cards. | November 14, 2026 |
| Chase United personal cards | I earn 10,000 United miles per approved referral. | November 14, 2026 |
| Amex Business Platinum | Amex pays me a referral bonus for up to 5 approved referrals per card each calendar year. | November 14, 2026 |
| Marriott Bonvoy Amex, personal | Amex pays me a referral bonus for up to 5 approved referrals per card each calendar year. | November 14, 2026 |
| Citi AAdvantage | Only when Citi offers me a referral; not linked otherwise. | November 14, 2026 |
The Chase Ink referral terms run through December 31, 2026. Amex referral bonuses are capped at five per card per calendar year, and once I reach a cap, I'll mark that link. More on how I earn from referrals in my disclosures. Where these trips went is in where I've been.
About the author. Kevin Luten is a long-time remote worker and Kindred home-swap host based in Atlanta. He has hosted 14 guests in his home and works from home swaps, ranger cabins and the occasional hotel. He founded the behavioral-science consultancy Behavior Design Works, is a Cialdini Certified Practitioner, and has spent about 28 years in transportation demand management. He writes Field Office. More about Kevin.