Best use of points when traveling throughout Europe?
 

Hey guys,


So I'm traveling Rome - Venice - Munich - Athens - Santorini in late August this year. I've paid for my flights there and back, and I've got a full 2 weeks.

I can likely get 2 more CC sign up bonuses before then, and I've got these points left currently:

AA: 33k
US Airways: 40k
Hilton 55k
SPG: 15k
Carlson: 120k
Chase: 100k
Amex Membership: 50k


+ Two cards for pretty much any option, as my Fiance has never done basically any cards, and I've not done many for any European type rewards.


I'm basically wondering where I should try to spend my points and where I should focus on getting the next batch of points. Should I try to get them for flights between cities? Or should I focus on hotels within those cities? This is a honeymoon, and while we're relatively understanding, we can't be staying in the airport hotel either. What's the best value for a trip like this?

No easy answer to your question.

I'd get the BA (British Airways) card and Chase Sap Preferred. I'm not sure what their sign up bonus is at this time. You can check using the links (excuse me) on www.millionmilesecrets.com

FYI, CSP transfers to a variety of hotel and airline programs, one of which is BA. If you and your fiance do this, and once you tie the knot, BA will let you combine household accounts. ^ Potentially that's a lot of miles (Avios points) for future travel on BA and their partners ie AA, Alaska, LAN et al.
Also, on short haul Avios rewards, you can use as few as 4500 points for a one way ticket. :eek: ^

Check out this link of the Chase airline and hotel partners. https://ultimaterewardspoints.chase..../list-programs

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

While BA Avios can provide very good value on European routes to/from the U.K., on an FCO-VCE-MUC-ATH-JTR itinerary, BA Avios would not be very useful. Neither BA nor its partners offers direct service between any of the city pairs on that itinerary.

The OP should check the cost of air (or train) travel between the city pairs on the itinerary, as well as the cost of hotel stays, and then decide whether it makes sense to use points/miles for flights or for hotel stays.

Depending on your budget it may be cost effective (and otherwise more advantageous) to consider trains and/or other air carriers in some cases, as opposed to using miles - even if realistic award routing options were available (which as noted above isn't so much the case in your case)....

Rome-Venice:

The high speed Frecciargento train from Rome to Venice takes less than 4 hours and should start out at something like $50 (USD) per person if you book in advance. They only open up schedules around 3 months out so keep an eye on it for when August dates will be opening up. The train departs right from the Termini station in Rome which is likely more convenient to your lodging than either airport.

Considering the airport hassles and advance arrival times for security, luggage, etc. your door-to-door travel time on the high speed train won't be appreciably different from schlepping to the airport for a flight and the risks of delays and cancellations are much, much less.

http://www.trenitalia.com/

Click on the language selection in the upper right for English. The city names in the dropdown boxes will still be in Italian but it's pretty easy to figure out - Roma = Rome (you'll most likely want to use "Roma Termini" station) and you'll want "Venezia S. Lucia" for Venice.

If you're looking to be super thrifty and have the time, a slow Intercity train can be in the USD$10 neighborhood but takes longer. I'd recommend the high speed train though.

Venice-Munich:

Check out this for information on rail options for the route (btw this site in general is a good resource for European rail travel info):

http://www.seat61.com/international-...Venice-Germany

Air Dolimiti flights run from VCE to MUC in about an hour and look to be in the USD$100 range per person, maybe lower far enough in advance.

Thanks!

Definitely not looking to be cheap and am just trying to use my points if they are good redemptions. Now that I've cut the $4k out from flights to and fro, I am totally fine using no reward redemptions throughout the rest of the trip if that's how it is. The only honeymoon worthy places on the route seem to be SPG, from my so far limited research

Hey guys,

Checking back in on this to update my current plans and look for some advice on saving or upgrading the rest of my trip. Basically my goals are: 1) Use points to save money where possible. 2) I don't mind to "waste" some points by getting elite hotels when possible, as it is my honeymoon!

Right now I'm basically leaving a lot of points on the table, and I'd rather not, but I'm just not finding good uses for these points.

Itinerary(All for 2):

Aug.23: Fly from Chicago to Rome
150k AA Points

Aug 24-25(Checkout 26th). Hotel In Rome:
Currently staying at the Artemide, ~$550
Train to Venice --> $200

Aug 26 - Venice hotel. Currently aiming towards the Gritti Palace with my Starwood points.
30k SPG Points

Aug 27 - Overnight train to Munich -- ~$300?

Aug 28-29, Munich
Hotel x2, Currently Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten for ~$800
Flight to Athens -- ??

Aug 30-31. Athens
Hotel x2. Currently O&B, $450

Sept 1-5 Santorini.
No idea! I assume cash, and I assume very expensive!


Sept 5 -- Fly Home. Delta Points, 60k

Leftover Points(Including non-booked SPG Gritti):

SPG - 44k
Chase UR - 55k
Amex Rewards - 25k
American Airlines - 75k
Hilton - 53k
Hyatt - 2 Free Night Rewards
Club Carlson - 115k
Room for 1-2 more cards if I can book that late(Could clear another maybe by June)


Does anyone have any experience in any of these cities with hotels that I have points leftover in, or(more likely) ones that I could transfer the Amex/Chase points to? I've been looking through and I'm just not finding much. How about the train service, or the flight from Munich to Athens, any tips there that could let me use my points? I can't seem to find anything in Munich, which is a very expensive place for hotels I have found out!

Thanks everyone!

If you want to spend most of your honeymoon packing/unpacking, waiting at airports, spending hours on trains or planes, then stick with your plan. Me, I'd be steaming mad to be schlepping all around on my honeymoon. Remember check in and check out times...if you're thinking you'll be filling in the afternoons with some sightseeing just remember you'll be doing it all while carrying your luggage.

I get it's a big trip and you want to see and do as much as possible while you're there. Just think it through, and allot time for just enjoying where you are.

I completely agree with this comment. In my opinion, this is far too many places to visit in the amount of time.

I would suggest either concentrating on Italy or Greece, not both and certainly not throwing Germany in for a random stop.

If you do Italy, a classic trip is something like Rome-Florence-Venice. Now, you're bypassing Florence on the way to Venice.

Greece might be a bit of island hopping and I can't comment on that, as we've only cruised in Greece.

And Mazel Tov on the wedding!

With those airline miles, if you value them about 1 penny each it is fairly easy to figure out where their use is most effective. I can't speak for the hotel points, but I'm sure there is some way of roughly "monetizing" them.

I agree with the other posters that the schedule is far too complex with too much time spent moving one's body, checking in, checking out, waiting for train/plane departure, getting to hotel from train/plane. Unless you are very young and very high energy and don't plan to do much sleeping.

Santorini has a gorgeous view, but I'm not sure how much there is to do there after you've looked at that for a while and wandered the shops? On the other hand, places like Rome are good for many days.

Romelle

You have the Club Carlson credit card that currently gives second night free. There is a Radisson Blu in Rome. I'd research that hotel and see if it suits. If it does, I'd book a room there; perhaps even a premium room given that the second night will be free. That gives you back $550 to use elsewhere.

I agree with others that it is a brutal travel schedule. I'd at least cut Munich and stay in Venice longer, or go to Venice via Florence.