TPG Reader Hall of Fame: $145,000 worth of vacations for 5.3 million points
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Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here – Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card, Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card
Today’s incredible TPG Hall of Fame story comes to you courtesy of Tom, who went all-in on the points and miles game with his wife to earn and redeem an whopping 5.3 million points over the last couple of years.
We mean it when we say these two have got it going on: From bucket-list stays in the Maldives to incredible uses of hotel free-night certificates, Tom and his wife are the ultimate vacation inspirations. Let’s check out what they did.
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A self-professed TPG nut, Tom (and his wife) used a mix of credit card welcome bonuses, travel and spending to earn their points. Here are the cards they used:
- Chase Sapphire Reserve: Earn 50,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening
- Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card: Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening ($450 annual fee, see rates and fees)
- British Airways Visa Signature Card– Earn up to 100,000 Avios: 50,000 after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Plus, an additional 50,000 Avios after you spend $20,000 on purchases within your first year of account opening
- Wells Fargo Propel American Express® card: Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
- Citi Premier℠ Card: Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card: Earn 125,000 bonus points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening ($95 annual fee, see rates and fees)
- Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card: Earn 75,000 points after spending $3,000 in the first three months of account opening. ($450 annual fee, see rates and fees)
- Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Credit Card: 100,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening (they actually used the discontinued Starwood Preferred Guest® Credit Card from American Express, but this is the closest comparison)
- United Explorer Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open.
- Aer Lingus Visa Signature Card: Earn up to 100,000 Avios: 50,000 after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. Plus, an additional 50,000 Avios after you spend $20,000 on purchases within your first year of account opening
The information for the Citi Premier 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: The best travel credit cards
(Photo courtesy of Tom Savage.)
If you’re thinking this is an insane amount of points and traveling, you’re right. After years of making their way around the world, Tom and his wife have a lot of travel tips and tricks to share:
- Book as far in advance as possible — 48-50 weeks when possible — as you can usually cancel for free with status — this yields the lowest points/ miles and best availability.
- Show the utmost respect to everyone who works on planes and hotels from front desk person to GM. Get to know them. It pays off and it’s the right thing to do. If there’s a service issue, handle it professionally and with respect.
- Get off the beaten path to experience the real country as locals do.
- Talk to locals but more importantly listen to them.
- La dolce vita.
- Take time to do the special things in each place that are a fit for you. In Venice for us, get out on the water into the lagoon; in Maui, in or on the water or into nature; in Greece, out on a catamaran or the seven-mile Santorini hike, etc.
Related: How far in advance can you book a flight?
Here are the points they used:
| Program | Points or miles used | Current TPG valuation (cents per point) |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 30,000 | 2 |
| Marriott Bonvoy | 4,140,000 | 0.8 |
| United Airlines | 749,000 | 1.3 |
| Hilton | 380,000 | 0.6 |
| Total points and miles used | 5,299,000 |
| Flights | City | Name | Class of service | Cash value | Points used | Comments |
| Flights | Denver-San Francisco-Singapore-Denpasar-Singapore, Male’-Singapore-San Francisco-Denver | United, Singapore | Business |
$20,000 |
159,000 |
United Airlines miles (open-jaw ticket). Used Excursionist perk for free stop in Bali. |
| Flights | Singapore-Male’ | Singapore | Economy |
$1,000 |
30,000 |
Chase Sapphire Reserve (flight takes place in between open-jaw ticket above) |
| Flights | Denver-Chicago-Rome | United | Economy |
$2,000 |
60,000 |
United Airlines miles |
| Flights | Venice-Frankfurt-Denver | United | Economy |
$2,000 |
60,000 |
United Airlines miles |
| Flights | Denver-Washington D.C.- Geneva-Herklion | United | Economy |
$2,000 |
60,000 |
United Airlines miles |
| Flights | Mykonos-London-Denver | United, Lufthansa | Economy |
$2,000 |
60,000 |
United Airlines miles |
| Flights | Denver-Kahului | United | Economy |
$1,200 |
45,000 |
United Airlines miles |
| Flights | Kahului-Denver | United | Economy/businsss |
$3,000 |
45,000 |
United Airlines miles |
| Flights | Denver-Tocumen-Lima, Cusco-Lima-Quito-Tocumen-Denver | Copa, Avianca | Business |
$5,000 |
140,000 |
United Airlines miles. Used Excursionist perk for free stop in Quito. |
| Flights | Lima-Cusco | Avianca | Business |
$500 |
N/A | Paid cash |
| Flights | Denver-Frankfurt-Santorini, Athens-Venice, Florence-Frankfurt-Denver | Lufthansa, United | Economy |
$5,000 |
120,000 |
United Airlines miles. Used Excursionist perk for free stop in Venice/Florence. |
| Totals |
$43,700 |
779,000 |
And here’s how they used them for hotels:
| Hotels | Location | Name | Cash value | Points used | Comments |
| Hotel | Nusa Dua | St. Regis Bali |
$4,500.00 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Singapore | JW Marriott Singapore |
$600 |
N/A | 3 nights (cash) |
| Hotel | Maldives | St. Regis Maldives |
$25,000 |
680,000 |
10 nights |
| Hotel | Rome | St. Regis Rome |
$5,000 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Perugia | N/A |
$400 |
N/A | 2 nights (cash) |
| Hotel | Orvieto | N/A |
$450 |
N/A | 2 nights (cash) |
| Hotel | Pienza | La Bandita Townhouse |
$2,000 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Siena | Hilton La Bagnaia |
$500 |
N/A | 2 nights (used free night certificates from Hilton Surpass) |
| Hotel | Florence | St. Regis Florence |
$5,000 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Venice | Gritti Palace |
$7,500 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Crete | Domes, Marriott |
$2,500 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Santorini | Mystique, Luxury Collection |
$6,000 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Paros | N/A |
$600 |
N/A | 2 nights (cash) |
| Hotel | Mykonos | Santa Marina Luxury Collection |
$5,000 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Wailea, Maui | Grand Wailea Waldorf Astoria |
$9,800 |
380,000 |
7 nights (including two free night certificates from Hilton Surpass) |
| Hotel | Wailea, Maui | Marriott Resort |
$3,500 |
200,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Kaanapali | Westin Nanea Villas |
$1,400 |
N/A | 2 nights (used free night certificates from Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant) |
| Hotel | Maui | Courtyard |
$900 |
N/A | 2 nights (used free night certificates from Marriott Chase Visa) |
| Hotel | Lima | AC Hotel by Marriott Lima Miraflores |
$200 |
N/A | 1 night (cash) |
| Hotel | Cusco | JW Marriott Cusco |
$1,000 |
N/A | 2 nights (used free night certificates from Marriott Chase Visa) |
| Hotel | Urabamba, Peru | Tambo Del Inka |
$3,000 |
240,000 |
6 nights (used free night certificate from American Express Bold) |
| Hotel | Quito, Ecuador | Hilton Colon Quito |
$170.00 |
1 night (cash) | |
| Hotel | Ecuador | Mashpi Lodge |
$4,000 |
N/A | 3 nights (cash) |
| Hotel | Quito, Ecuador | JW Marriott Hotel Quito |
$170 |
N/A | 1 night (cash) |
| Hotel | Santorini | Vedema, Luxury Collection Resort, Santorini |
$2,500 |
240,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Santorini | Mystique, Luxury Collection |
$6,000 |
340,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Naxos | N/A |
$750 |
N/A | 3 nights (cash) |
| Hotel | Mykonos | Santa Marina Luxury Collection |
$6,000 |
280,000 |
5 nights |
| Hotel | Athens | Hilton Athens |
$750 |
N/A | 3 nights (cash) |
| Hotel | Venice | JW Marriott Venice |
$3,600 |
240,000 |
6 nights |
| Hotel | Florence | St. Regis Florence |
$2,500 |
N/A | Comped stay due to services issues May 2019 |
| Totals |
$111,290 |
4,520,000 |
We have no words. Amazing job, Tom!
Feature photo by Kathleen Porter Kristiansen/ The Points Guy.
For the rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Aspire, please click here.
For the rates and fees of the Amex Hilton Surpass, please click here.
For the rates and fees of the Amex Bonvoy Brilliant, please click here.
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