No. I would not recommend Credit Card Rewards for anyone who doesn’t pay off their credit card balance in full every month. You must be responsible and not spend more than you normally would simply because you are using a credit card (as opposed to cash, debit, etc.). If you struggle with credit card debt, stay far away from this strategy.

I recommend you only pursue Credit Card Rewards if you have an excellent credit rating of at least 700 (750+ is preferred).

Not exactly. You will still need to pay unavoidable taxes and fees on award flights and hotel nights. Also, some credit cards  have an annual fee that is due when you signup for the card. Even when you factor all this in, round trip domestic flights are usually less than $20 and international flights around $150. I would call that “almost free” when you factor all you’re getting.