Every travel hacker knows that the quickest way to a free flight is having the right credit card. Whether it’s a co-branded airline card or a card with transferable points, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve, getting a sign-up bonus will boost your points balance faster than any other strategy. These tips will help you get that big bonus.

Similar to Starwood and Deltas Crossover partnership, United and Marriott teamed up last year for RewardsPlus,  a joint venture aimed at offering elite members of both programs reciprocal benefits.

When you are trying to juggle a bunch of new credit cards to take advantage of lucrative sign-up bonus offers, there are some risks if you are balancing a few accounts.