Exploring the details of credit card rewards can pay off

Sometimes you think “I’m good, I’m good,” only to find out you’re not.

That seems to be the case for many people when it comes to credit card rewards programs.

According to new research from Capital One Rewards Card Outlook, some two-thirds of people surveyed said they were taking advantage of most of their cards’ features, yet only a small percentage have used benefits like no foreign exchange fees (11 percent), or discounts on hotels and ride-sharing services (19 percent). A number of those polled didn’t even know their cards offered such perks.

• Be categorically correct

“Make sure you are using the right credit card for the right purchases. Cards offer different level of rewards depending on purchasing categories, like travel, dining, groceries, etc. Look into cards that offer the biggest return for spending in categories that are most important to you,” says Daniel Tulbovich, president and co-founder of RewardExpert, a Manhattan company that helps travelers maximize their credit cards to earn cheap flights.

• Remember online rewards malls

Card members often forget they can earn anywhere from two times to 15 times points per dollar when they shop at their favorite online retailers if they just log into their credit card rewards mall first.

• Stay abreast of perks

According to Capital One’s Daniel Mouadeb, vice president, US Card, in McLean, Virginia, the bank’s Quicksilver card gives extra rewards to Uber users. “Every time you pay for nine Uber rides with Quicksilver, you get $15 in Uber credits, through March 31, 2017.”

CORRECTION: Capital One vice president Daniel Mouadeb is based in McLean, Virginia. An earlier version of this story online misstated his location.