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The ultimate guide to visiting Prague with points and miles

Andrew Kunesh
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Andrew Kunesh is a former senior editor at The Points Guy covering loyalty programs. He's been a miles and points fanatic since 2014 and previously wrote for Upgraded Points and Credit Karma. Outside of the travel world, Andrew is a cyclist, craft coffee aficionado and — despite now living in NYC — a Chicagoan at heart.
July 30, 2021
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18 min read
Old Town Square in Prague Czech Republic
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I've spent more time in Prague than anywhere else outside of the U.S. A good portion of my family is from the Czech capital, and I recently claimed Czech citizenship through descent. In turn, I've spent many summers in Prague and have recently started to take learning the Czech language seriously. Prague and its endless history, top-notch pubs and restaurants and incredible culture have become my second home over the years.

Better yet, the Czech Republic is again open to American tourists. You can travel to the country without quarantine or other restrictions so long as you pack a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination. Much of the country has reopened too — you can visit museums, pubs and everything else that makes the city so unique.

Countless trips to Prague over the years taught me how to get to the city at a discount with points and miles. So in this article, I'll show you how to do the same. I'll start by showing you how to book flights from the U.S. to Prague with your points and then dive into booking hotels. Plus, you'll get some insider tips on where to stay in Prague along the way.

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Airlines that fly to Prague

You can fly to Prague through major European hubs. (Photo by EQRoy / Shutterstock.com)

Unfortunately, there are no nonstop flights between the U.S. and the Czech capital of Prague at the time of writing this article. In the past, American, Delta and United each operated seasonal nonstop flights from their largest East Coast hubs. I hope these flights make a return in a post-pandemic world when international travel completely recovers.

Thankfully, it's still easy to get to Prague (PRG) with any of the major alliances — you just need to layover in another European city. Star Alliance has the easiest connections with its partnerships with Lufthansa and Austrian Airlines. You'll get the fastest connections when you fly via Munich (MUC) on Lufthansa or Vienna (VIE) on Austrian Airlines.

Here's a look at your flight options on all the major alliances and how to book them with points and miles.

Related: Things to do in Prague with kids

Best award flight options

Cheapest Oneworld awards to Prague

You can fly Iberia business class to Prague via Madrid. (Photo by Christian Kramer/The Points Guy)

Oneworld loyalists are best off booking tickets to Prague with the Madrid-based Iberia. You'll fly via Madrid (MAD) and pay minimal award taxes and fees regardless of the Oneworld currency you use to book your ticket. That said, I recommend booking with Iberia's own Iberia Plus program.

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The program charges as little as 37,000 Avios and roughly $115 in taxes one-way in blue fare economy, which is the carrier's version of basic economy. Premium economy tickets start at 33,000 Avios, and business class tickets cost 49,000 Avios. Flights from Iberia's West Coast gateways will cost more Avios, but you can still get a great deal.

(Screenshot courtesy of iberia.com)

How to earn points for a Oneworld flight to Prague

You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Iberia Plus. You can also move British Airways Avios to Iberia Plus Avios so long as both your British Airways and Iberia accounts are open for at least 90 days.

You can earn Avios with one of these cobranded credit cards:

Related: Book This, Not That: Oneworld award flights

Cheapest SkyTeam awards to Prague

Fly Air France business class to Prague via Paris (CDG). (Photo by Nick Ellis/The Points Guy)

You can fly SkyTeam carriers like Air France and KLM from the U.S. to Prague via their respective hubs. It's worth noting that Czech Airlines is also in the SkyTeam alliance, so the Prague-based airline may operate your connecting flight. Your best bet for booking SkyTeam awards to Prague is booking with Air France and KLM's joint Flying Blue program. It prices award tickets dynamically, but you will often find flights starting at 21,500 points one-way in economy and 53,000 in business class. Taxes and fees are between $200 and $300 each way.

(Screenshot courtesy of airfrance.us)

How to earn points for a SkyTeam flight to Prague

Amex, Capital One Rewards, Chase and Citi ThankYou points transfer to Flying Blue. Consider opening one of these Chase credit cards to stock up on points for your trip to Prague:

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Earns 3 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on dining and 2 Ultimate Rewards points per dollar on travel.
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening. Earn 3x Ultimate Rewards points on travel and dining purchases.

Related: Book This, Not That: SkyTeam award tickets

Cheapest Star Alliance awards to Prague

Fly LOT Polish Airlines to Prague via its Warsaw (WAW) hub. (Photo by Zach Honig / The Points Guy)

Star Alliance has excellent connectivity to Central Europe with Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa and LOT Polish Airlines. This provides some of the quickest connections between the U.S. and Prague and is how I usually travel to Prague when traveling on points and miles. My favorite route is New York-JFK to Prague via Vienna (VIE) in Austrian Airlines business class, in large part due to its top-notch catering and great hard product.

The cheapest way to fly to Europe with Star Alliance carriers is by booking with ANA Mileage Club. You'll pay 55,000 miles round-trip in economy and 88,000 miles round-trip in business class. You can also add a free stopover to your booking, letting you see a second European city free of charge. The only downside to booking with ANA Mileage Club is that you have to pay fuel surcharges on carriers like Austrian Airlines and Lufthansa. You can avoid this by booking tickets operated by United, LOT and SAS.

For example, this itinerary lets you see Warsaw and Prague in LOT business class for 88,000 miles and $272.54.

(Screenshot courtesy of ana.co.jp)

If you want to save on fuel surcharges, consider booking with Avianca LifeMiles. You'll pay 30,000 LifeMiles for a one-way ticket in economy and 63,000 LifeMiles one-way in business class. You won't pay fuel surcharges on any Star Alliance ticket, so this is my preferred way to book Austrian and Lufthansa flights to Europe./

How to earn points for a Star Alliance flight to Prague

You can transfer Amex points to ANA Mileage Club. On the other hand, Amex, Capital One and Citi points transfer to Avianca LifeMiles. Consider opening one of these Amex cards to boost your balance for a trip to Prague:

  • American Express® Green Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Plus, 20% back on eligible travel and transit purchases in the first six months, up to $200 back in the form of a statement credit. Earn 3x points on dining at restaurants, travel and transit (including flights, hotels, taxis, tours, and ridesharing services), 1x points on all other purchases ($150 annual fee; see rates and fees).
  • American Express® Gold Card: Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of card membership. Earn 4x points on dining at restaurants; 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x points); 3x points on airfare purchased directly from airlines; 1x points on all other purchases, ($250 annual fee; see rates and fees).
  • The Platinum Card® from American Express: Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership. Earn 5x points on airfare purchased directly from airlines with American Express Travel (earn 5x points on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), 5x on prepaid hotel bookings with American Express Travel Travel, and Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts; 1x on all other purchases, ($695 annual fee; see rates and fees).

Related: Book This, Not That: Star Alliance award tickets

Hotels

Prague is home to various Hilton, IHG and Marriott properties. (Photo by Konoplytska/Shutterstock)

Prague has a handful of points hotels scattered throughout the city, but the selection isn't as plentiful as Paris or other large European cities. That said, you can get a solid deal for your points when redeeming for higher-end stays during peak dates. Always compare the cost of a paid stay with the redemption rate, as hotels in Prague are generally inexpensive.

Hilton Honors

Hilton has two properties in Prague, both under the flagship Hilton brand. You can use your Hilton Honors points to book stays at either of these properties for reasonable rates. Just remember that Hilton Honors prices award nights dynamically. This means that pricing changes by the day and can skyrocket during holidays and peak travel times. Here's a look at pricing for a mid-October stay:

  • Hilton Prague: 35,000 points per night
  • Hilton Prague Old Town: 42,000 points per night

Both of these properties are centrally located, but I recommend the Old Town location for tourists. It's right in the middle of Prague's Old Town district and steps away from the iconic Old Town Square. You're also right next to the Namesti Republiky metro stop and across the street from one of Prague's major rail hubs, making it convenient if you arrive by train.

How to earn Hilton points

You may want to consider applying for a Hilton cobranded credit card to earn more Hilton points. Each has a solid welcome bonus and various benefits like complimentary elite status, an annual free night and more. Here’s a look at the current lineup of Hilton credit cards:

The information for the Hilton Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: How to redeem points with the Hilton Honors program

World of Hyatt

Unfortunately, there are no Hyatt hotels in Prague at the time of writing this article. Thankfully, this will change in the coming years when Hyatt finishes developing the Andaz Prague.

Related: Your ultimate guide to Hyatt hotel brands

IHG Rewards

IHG has two points-bookable properties in downtown Prague and one at Prague Airport. Like Hilton Honors, IHG now prices award nights dynamically, so the price you see for your travel date may be different than what's listed below. Here's a look at IHG Rewards pricing for Prague hotels in early November:

  • Holiday Inn Prague: 12,000 points per night
  • Mr & Mrs Smith The Emblem Hotel: 47,500 points per night

While not the most luxurious property, the Holiday Inn Prague is in a good location south of Old Town. It's near Vysehrad — a historic fort — and the Charles River. There are plenty of great restaurants and pubs nearby with more of a local vibe than what you'd find in Old Town. Those wanting a more luxurious stay in Old Town will love the Mr & Mrs Smith The Emblem Hotel — this is located in the heart of the tourist district and near many of Prague's famous tourist attractions.

How to earn IHG points

You can transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points to IHG, but you won't get a great redemption value. Instead, we recommend earning IHG points with an IHG cobranded credit card:

Related: Maximizing redemptions with the IHG Rewards Club program

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott has the most points options in Prague. (Photo by 4kclips / Shutterstock.com)

Marriott has a substantial presence in Prague, with four hotels in the city and one at the airport. Brands range from a flagship Marriott property to a Courtyard to a Luxury Collection hotel, so there's something for everyone. You can use your Marriott Bonvoy points to book a free night at any of these properties. Here's a look at standard award pricing:

  • Augustine, a Luxury Collection Hotel: 60,000 points per night
  • Courtyard Prague City: 25,000 points per night
  • Prague Marriott Hotel: 50,000 points per night
  • Stages Hotel Prague, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel: 35,000 points per night

The Prague Marriott is your best bet for being close to Old Town and tourist sites. It's within reach of most tourist attractions and close to many public transport links. On the other hand, the Courtyard is near the Vinohrady neighborhood, filled with trendy bars, cafes and outdoor markets. Finally, The Augustine is perfect for history-lovers as it's close to Prague Castle and a handful of great museums and cultural sights.

Related: 9 of the most Instagrammable places in Prague

How to earn Marriott Bonvoy points

You can transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards to Marriott, but like IHG, it’s not usually a good deal. Instead, consider earning Marriott points with a cobranded credit card.

Related: Battle of the hotels: Why I think Marriott is the best

Bottom line

Prague is one of Europe's oldest cities and has an incredible culture, food and museums. Bookmark this article and refer to it if you decide to make the trip to the Czech capital. After all, the money you save on flights and accommodations gives you more budget to visit awe-inspiring museums like the National Gallery in Prague and sample foods like Svickova and Hovezi Gulas.

For rates and fees of the Amex Green card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Gold card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here.

Feature photo by Noppasin Wongchum / Shutterstock.com

Featured image by (Photo by Noppasin Wongchum / Shutterstock.com)
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.