Need points for spring and summer travel next year? Apply for a new credit card now

If you're planning to travel for spring break, Easter or summer vacation next year, now is a great time to start racking up points and miles for your trip.At TPG, we believe it's never too early to start earning. If you can earn travel rewards now, you'll be in a better position to start making your 2027 travel plans early, when you may have more hotel and airline award availability to choose from.Here's our step-by-step guide to earning rewards now and putting them toward your spring and summer travels.Cash in on timely welcome offersFirst, applying for the best welcome offers on new cards right now can give you a sizable stash of points or miles to put toward upcoming travel.Most cards give you three to six months to meet their minimum spending requirements, which can require thousands of dollars in spending. If you have larger purchases coming up this fall or during the holiday season, opening a card now could make it easier to meet that requirement through spending you were already planning.FG TRADE/GETTY IMAGESFor example, if you open a card in October and have three months to meet its spending requirement, you could earn your welcome bonus early in 2027. That could give you a...