A well-planned trip doesn’t always require months of preparation—sometimes, a last-minute adventure can be the perfect way to maximize travel rewards. Using a combination of airline miles, hotel points, and strategic travel credits, a multi-country itinerary can be booked at a fraction of the usual cost. Let’s check out some of Mike’s recent travel plans (and learn a thing or two!).
Finding Affordable Flights
International travel can be mad expensive, but good flight deals, elite status perks, and travel credits can bring down costs significantly. For example, finding a $184 flight on Cathay Pacific is already a great deal, but applying a $50 airline credit reduces the out-of-pocket cost to just $134.
Booking economy tickets while holding elite status with an airline alliance such as Oneworld Emerald provides premium benefits like priority check-in, access to first-class lounges, and in-flight meal upgrades.
For long-haul flights, premium airlines like Qatar Airways offer comfortable travel experiences at affordable prices. A 14-hour flight from Shanghai to Yerevan for under $300 can be a rare find (even for Mike!) and when booked under an elite status program, it includes lounge access, priority airport services, and bonus miles toward maintaining status.
Plus, using Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan status helps accumulate elite qualifying miles (EQMs) for future redemptions.
Booking Hotels with Points and Elite Benefits
When finding a place to sleep, a mix of Hyatt, IHG, and Marriott properties offers options at every price point. Booking the Caption by Hyatt Shanghai for as few as 3,500 points per night shows the power of World of Hyatt’s rewards program.
And, in Yerevan, IHG properties offer stays for just 9,500 points per night, making it a super affordable destination when using hotel points.
Marriott Bonvoy properties can also provide great value, especially during promotions that offer double elite nights and extra bonus points per stay. And, off-season travel lowers both cash and award prices even more.
For example, the Hyatt Regency Kotor, which typically costs over $1,000 per night in peak season, recently dropped to just $103 per night during winter travel. Score!
Using Transferable Points
Some destinations, like Sarajevo, can have expensive outbound flights. However, utilizing Star Alliance partners like Austrian, LOT Polish, Lufthansa, or Aegean Airlines allows for booking with 12,500 Aeroplan points instead of paying high cash fares. Transferable credit card rewards from Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, and Capital One Miles make it easy to top up airline mileage balances and redeem for flights.
Using Alternative Transportation and Travel Vouchers
For travel within the Balkans, buses can be a cheap (and scenic) alternative to flights. Flixbus credits allow for flexible and cost-effective travel between cities like Sarajevo, Dubrovnik, Kotor, and Tirana.
Keeping track of unused credits across airlines, hotels, and transportation services ensures that no value goes to waste and can significantly reduce out-of-pocket expenses.
Booking Smart to Save on Flights
Booking flights directly through airline loyalty programs can help you save a ton. For example, a one-way flight from Malta to Toronto on Aer Lingus priced at $712 was available for just $210 when booked through Alaska Airlines' mileage program.
These strategies not only reduce costs but also allow for earning additional elite qualifying miles toward future status benefits. And…we’re always thinking ahead around here.
Final Thoughts
By using a mix of points, airline miles, travel credits, and elite status perks, a pretty complex itinerary covering multiple countries can be booked for significantly less than the standard cost.
Whether securing business-class lounge access while flying in economy, using fourth-night-free benefits at hotels, or stacking credits to minimize expenses, mastering the art of points and miles opens up travel opportunities at some pretty incredible rates.
When planning travel, keeping an eye on flight deals, tracking unused credits, and utilizing flexible point transfers can make luxury experiences more accessible, even on a budget. Smart booking strategies can really help transform those last-minute trips. ✈️
