The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Advertiser disclosure
The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
One day in Europe: How (and why) I spent 365,000 points for 36 hours in Rome with two friends
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.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.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Related stories
Quick summary
A college swimmer used a large stash of points and miles to book a last-minute weekend trip to Rome for three people, maximizing value from previously unused balances.
The outbound journey featured business-class seats using airline loyalty miles, while the return combined economy and business-class award flights on different carriers.
Hotel accommodations were booked at a centrally located property using hotel loyalty points, taking advantage of elite status perks like free breakfast and room upgrades.
Despite limited time and lack of advance planning, the trip was memorable, though the group missed out on some popular attractions due to sold-out tickets.
What to consider
Award availability for multiple travelers in premium cabins can be challenging, especially for last-minute bookings.
Some loyalty currencies are subject to devaluation or expiration if not used regularly, so timely redemptions can help preserve value.
Hotel award pricing may fluctuate, especially after the removal of fixed award charts, so point requirements can vary significantly.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of booking strategies, loyalty program nuances and practical lessons learned from planning a high-value, short-duration trip.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Being a college swimmer, my schedule is pretty rigid.
For six months out of the year, my teammates and I do not get more than 36 hours out of the pool. While that does mean that my travel is extremely limited, it also means I get to accrue a ton of points through welcome bonuses and everyday spending and redeem them in the spring and summer months before swim season starts again.
Because of my limited travel schedule, I try and go all-out when I can get on the road. In this spirit, I recently used 365,000 points and miles to fly myself and two friends to Rome for a long weekend. It was a lot of points for a short weekend away, but the memories were priceless. Better yet, it helped me redeem points I had sitting in accounts from canceled trips during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic.
Let's take a closer look at our trip, how I booked it and what I'd do differently the next time.
Planning the trip
RYAN PATTERSON/THE POINTS GUY
I was putting off homework on a Sunday night and had 165,000 Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles burning a hole in my travel piggy bank from a canceled trip.
For those of you that travel frequently, you know how dangerous it can be for a stash of points to be sitting idle without any trips booked. They're open to devaluation at any moment — and some currencies are subject to expiration if you don't earn and redeem miles often enough.
I also had a few parameters in mind for booking a trip.
First, I needed award availability for three business-class tickets that included lie-flat seats that departed after my last class on Friday afternoon. Additionally, I needed the flights to price out to 55,000 Flying Blue miles (or less) each on the flight out and wanted to fly to a city I'd never been to before. The return flight could be in economy, giving us a bit of flexibility.
Find your next points redemption sweet spot with the TPG App. Download for free today!
With this strategy, I could explore a new city and arrive in Europe fully rested for a full day of exploring before the flight home Sunday. Plus, it'd put my dormant Flying Blue miles to good use.
I priced out a few destinations for an hour or so and eventually stumbled across award tickets to Rome that cost exactly 55,000 Flying Blue miles per person. It fit all of my other parameters perfectly and, to add a cherry on top, there was a direct flight home with award space for three. Not bad for booking just a few days in advance.
I ended up booking the last three award tickets available on the flight for 55,000 Flying Blue Miles each plus moderate taxes and fees.
Then, I found United economy award space on a direct flight home to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and booked my friends in economy for 30,000 Avianca LifeMiles each. I transferred the 60,000 miles from American Express Membership Rewards and they were all set. While it was not the most luxurious experience, it got them home quickly and in time for class the following day.
I would've joined them on that flight too, but I'm an aviation geek. And right around the time of our trip, Lufthansa reactivated part of its A340-600 fleet after the plane had been temporarily retired during the pandemic. I knew I had to fly it, especially since it's an aging plane that could be pulled from service once newer planes enter the fleet.
So, I ditched my friends and spent 63,000 LifeMiles for a business-class flight on the A340. My itinerary took me from Rome to Boston via Munich, then I booked a last-minute Southwest flight for 16,500 Rapid Rewards points back to the Washington D.C. area.
Wanting to splurge a little bit with my friends, I chose the St. Regis Rome.
I did this for a few reasons. It was within walking distance to all the iconic Rome sites, I knew I could take advantage of breakfast benefits (three swimmers eat their weight in food), and it was reasonably priced during the nights I booked.
I already had the points in my account, so there was no need to transfer in from Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards.
I looked at cash rates, too, but I wasn’t too interested in what they offered as I knew I couldn’t afford it on a student budget. For reference, a night at the property costs a whopping $740 on a random November date.
If you're interested in boosting your Marriott Bonvoy balance, consider applying for the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card which offers 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after spending $5,000 in purchases within the first six months of card membership.
We boarded our beautiful KLM A330 bound for Amsterdam Schiphol International Airport (AMS), had a great meal, and got some much-needed sleep before arriving in Europe. With a surprisingly easy connection in Amsterdam, we made it to Rome just before lunch.
Our one collective regret is we did not plan anything ahead of time. Unfortunately, all of the prime attractions were long sold out, so we did not get to go inside the Colosseum or tour the Pantheon.
Instead, we settled for multiple refueling stops at gelato stalls as we made our way around the city on foot. Next time, we'll make plans further out from departure to be able to tour the city properly, but the gelato helped ease our disappointment.
The way home was just as easy as getting there. I got to enjoy the Lufthansa A340-600 and catch up on sleep while my friends traveled home on an earlier flight. Not even as much as a delay had us all home in our beds and ready for morning swim practice on Monday.
So was burning 365,000 points in 36 hours worth it? Absolutely.
I got to treat my friends to an incredible weekend in a city that none of us had ever visited before. They got to experience business class for the first time, and we have some amazing memories to show for it. And while I can’t recommend burning that many points every weekend, I would do it again in a heartbeat.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
