How I Planned a 3-Week Family Trip to Europe for $1375 per person by booking with points and miles.
Dreaming of a family vacation to Europe but feel like it’s out of reach? With a little planning, credit card points, and strategic choices, it might be closer than you think. This coming spring break, I booked a 3-week European getaway for my family of four—two adults and two kids—and kept the total cost under $5,500 in cash.
Here’s exactly how I did it, from scoring business class award tickets to leveraging points for free stays and even booking a 7-night cruise. Whether you’re a family looking to explore Europe or an award travel enthusiast, I hope this guide inspires and equips you to take the trip of a lifetime.
Planning the Trip
When and Where:
Our journey began when I stumbled upon four business saver tickets on Air France from Venice to Los Angeles. Knowing how quickly such awards disappear, I booked them immediately since the dates aligned closely with spring break. With our return flights secured, I spent the following weeks searching for an outbound leg that would work on award travel. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find four saver business class seats, but I did manage to find four economy seats from Los Angeles to Rome.
Air France offers the option to include a stopover, so instead of booking online, I reached out to their customer service. This is the only way to secure award flights with a layover. The agent was exceptionally helpful and found an itinerary that included a five-night stopover in Paris. Initially, I had planned for just three nights, enough time for my son to fulfill his dream of seeing the Eiffel Tower—an aspiration inspired by a school project he once completed with the sentence, “I want to: see the Eiffel Tower one day.”
However, the only available outbound flights for the dates I had in mind had extremely early morning departures, which stressed me out just thinking about them. So, I adjusted our plans to fit the flight schedule. In the end, our destinations and travel dates were entirely dictated by award availability for four passengers on Air France, but it all worked out perfectly.
Budget Constraints:
I didn’t have a starting budget. The goal is always to book the entire trip on points and miles but it doesn’t always work out that way.
Once I started searching for hotel award redemptions I realized the dates I wanted were not available and it was a little bit pricey to stay a week in a 4 star hotel in Rome. One of the main hurdles is keeping our family in the same room. Europe often caps the occupancy at 2 or sometimes 3 people. My kids are too young that it doesn’t make sense to get 2 rooms, so the only other option is to book suites which cost quite a lot more. This led me to explore alternative options. I began wondering if shortening our stays in each city could make room for a cruise. To my surprise, it worked perfectly. I found a 7-night Mediterranean cruise departing from Civitavecchia, Rome’s cruise port, that included visits to several other cities—all for $2,000 in an infinite balcony room. With that, I adjusted our plans for Paris, Rome, and Venice to include this incredible cruise, turning our European spring break into an even more fun filled getaway.
The Breakdown
The Trip
5 nights in Paris
3 nights in Rome
7 nights on MSC Europa (Ports included: Civitavecchia, Messina, Valletta, Barcelona, Marseille, and Genoa)
3 nights in Venice
The Transportation
Los Angeles to Rome with a stopover in Paris in economy. 77,000 miles + $404 in taxes for 2 adults and 2 children.
7 night Mediterranean Cruise. $2078 All inclusive for a family of 4 in an Infinite Ocean View cabin.
Rome to Venice in economy. 20,000 miles + $118 taxes.
Venice to Los Angeles in business class. 175,000 miles + $1251 taxes.
Flights with Award Tickets
Booking flights on Air France
One of the highlights of our trip is to fly business class, ensuring our family arrived well-rested and refreshed. Here’s how I pulled it off with points:
Air France Award Tickets: Air France is a transfer partner for all four major credit card points programs, making it a versatile choice for redeeming miles.
Kids’ Discount on Awards: On Air France, kids get a 25% discount on award tickets. This meant our tickets from Venice to Los Angeles cost just 50,000 miles one way for adults and 37,500 for kids.
Total Miles: For four business class tickets (two adults and two kids), I spent 175,000 Amex Membership Reward points.
Economy Class Award Tickets: Air France also provides great value when booking Economy class award tickets. These can be redeemed for fewer miles, making it a budget-friendly option for families or solo travelers.
Kids’ Discount on Economy Awards: Just like with Business class, kids receive a 25% discount on Economy award tickets, helping stretch your miles even further.
Sample Booking Costs: For a family trip in Economy class from Los Angeles to Rome with a stopover in Paris, adult tickets can cost as little as 22,000 miles one way, and kids’ tickets are just 16,500 miles.
Flexibility of Miles: With Air France being a transfer partner for major credit card programs, securing Economy class seats is both cost-effective and convenient for many travelers. Also, many times reward tickets allow you to make changes that cash tickets don’t offer.
How to Make it Work for You
Book the business class awards as early as possible to lock in availability.
Keep an eye out for Air France transfer bonuses. For example, if you have a trip in mind, you could transfer points during Air France’s regular 20-30% transfer bonus period to stretch your points even further. Unfortunately, I booked just before their 30% bonus came available—but scoring those saver seats on Air France was already a steal.
Accommodations with Points
Hyatt is my go-to hotel chain, and for good reason. First, I believe Hyatt offers the best redemption value compared to most other hotel chains, making my points stretch further with each stay. Second, staying loyal to Hyatt helps me maintain my Globalist status, which requires 60 qualifying nights per year. This top-tier status comes with incredible perks like complimentary breakfast, suite upgrades, and waived resort fees, making every stay feel more rewarding and luxurious.
Hotels are one of the biggest costs for families traveling to Europe. That’s where Hyatt points and my Globalist status truly made the trip affordable and luxurious.
How I Used Hyatt Points:
Suite Upgrade Awards: Hyatt Globalists—like myself—enjoy perks like free Suite Upgrade Awards, which I applied for stays in Venice and Rome to ensure spacious accommodations for my family of four.
Hyatt Globalist Perks: Free breakfast for two adults and two kids will save us hundreds over the trip. With Globalist perks, you also benefit from late checkout and an elevated experience across properties.
Booking Strategy: Most of my hotel stays were fully covered with Hyatt points, allowing us to conserve cash for other parts of the trip.
If you’re working toward Hyatt Globalist status, remember that it’s not just a loyalty tier—it’s an investment in seamless, upgraded travel experiences that can make even basic points stays extraordinary. As of this writing, I have 13 Hyatt stays planned or already completed for 2025, with 11 of them confirmed in suites.
A 7-Night Mediterranean Cruise
Staying in hotels across Europe for seven nights can become expensive quickly, especially in prime spring destinations. Instead, I opted for a 7-night MSC cruise, which turned out to be a game-changer.
Why a Cruise Made Sense:
Cost-Effective: At just $2,000 for our entire family, the cruise included lodging, meals, and transportation to six different cities—significantly reducing the expenses of moving between locations independently.
Convenience: Traveling with kids? Unpacking once and having everything within arm’s reach made cruising the perfect choice for our travel style.
Built-In Value: Aside from accommodation and meals, cruises offer on-board entertainment and excursions, which is perfect for families.
By strategically factoring in this cruise, I avoided the hassle (and cost!) of trains and flights between cities and gained a well-rounded Mediterranean experience.
Tips for Saving on Award Travel
If you’re new to award travel but excited to plan an unforgettable family vacation, here are some insider strategies to make it happen:
Book Business Class Awards for Comfort: Business class may sound extravagant, but it’s completely achievable with award points. Use miles for long-haul flights, and don’t forget to take advantage of kids’ award discounts where available.
Leverage Transfer Bonuses: If your travel dates are flexible, wait for transfer bonuses (like those on Air France) to maximize your miles.
Stretch Your Hotel Points: Focus on loyalty programs like Hyatt and Marriott that partner with credit card companies, allowing you to earn points quickly. Hyatt, in particular, offers exceptional value with points redemption.
Utilize Status Perks: Status can be earned through loyalty or credit cards. Hyatt Globalist perks made a huge difference on this trip by providing us with complimentary breakfasts, upgrades, and late checkouts. Many other programs offer free breakfast or extended check out times.
Consider All-Inclusive Options: Cruises, like my $2,000 MSC sail, can combine transportation, lodging, and meals, providing excellent value while minimizing planning stress.
Key Takeaways from Planning this Trip
This Europe trip isn’t just an affordable getaway—it’s proof of how thoughtful planning and leveraging points and miles can turn travel dreams into reality. By using Air France award tickets, Hyatt Globalist perks, and an MSC cruise, I’m transforming 114,000 Chase points, 254,000 Amex points, and a manageable cash budget into an unforgettable world-class adventure for our family of four. The beauty of travel with miles and points lies in the freedom and flexibility it offers, opening up incredible opportunities for anyone to explore the world. With the right strategies, this kind of trip could be within reach for your too. The joy of travel isn’t just about the destination, but about the journey and memories you create along the way.
What’s Next for You?
Ready to take the first step? Remember, successful award planning is all about staying flexible and embracing creativity. If you’re feeling unsure about where to begin, start small—maybe with a single flight or a free hotel stay. It’s a simple way to build your confidence and gain a feel for the process. With each step, you’ll discover just how rewarding travel can be, unlocking new opportunities to explore, grow, and create unforgettable memories. Let’s make those travel dreams happen—one adventure at a time!
Got questions about travel hacking, award tickets, or planning family trips? Leave a comment below—I’d love to help you.
Happy travels!