Planning an Affordable Family Trip to Australia Using Credit Card Rewards
Introduction to the Adventure
The idea of planning a family trip to Australia can be both exciting and daunting, especially when considering the high cost of airfare. For our family of four, the challenge was even greater, as our oldest child no longer qualified as a lap infant, and the expense of four individual tickets to Sydney from Minneapolis/St. Paul seemed overwhelming. However, with strategic planning, we were able to make this trip a reality by using credit card rewards to cover most of the cost. This journey was not just about visiting a beautiful destination; it was also about reconnecting with close friends who now call Australia home. Our best friends, who married an Australian man they met while studying abroad, have been living north of Sydney with their two children. The opportunity to visit them in their new home was the perfect incentive to start strategizing how to make this trip affordable.
Earning Credit Card Rewards for Airfare
To tackle the high cost of flights, I turned to credit card rewards as a viable solution. As someone with my own business, I knew that business credit cards could offer significant points that could be redeemed for travel. I began by opening the Ink Business Cash card and meeting the minimum spending requirement to earn the introductory bonus points. This was followed by the Ink Business Unlimited card, which also provided a hefty welcome bonus. By using these cards for business and personal expenses, I was able to accumulate over 200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards® points in a relatively short period. These points would later be used to book our flights to Australia.
Transferring Points to One Card
Once I had accumulated a substantial number of points through my business credit cards, I knew I needed to consolidate them into a single account for easier redemption. I transferred all my points to my Chase Sapphire Preferred account, which already had around 125,000 points from a previous welcome bonus. This consolidation gave me a total of nearly 330,000 points, which would be crucial for booking our family’s flights. While I could have transferred points from my spouse’s Chase credit card if needed, it wasn’t necessary this time. This step was essential because it allowed me to manage all my points from one place and maximize their value when booking airfare.
Finding the Cheapest Flights
With plenty of points in my Chase Ultimate Rewards® account, the next step was to find the most affordable flights to Sydney. I set up price alerts on Google Flights for our desired travel dates and also subscribed to Thrifty Traveler’s premium flight service, which sends deal alerts directly to your inbox. When I received a notification about a significant drop in flight prices, I immediately checked the availability and details. The cheapest and fastest flights were offered by United Airlines, a carrier I hadn’t used frequently before, but the price was too good to pass up. By adjusting our travel dates by a few days, we were able to secure tickets for a two-week period that coincided with our children’s spring break, ensuring the trip fit seamlessly into our schedule.
Booking the Flights
After identifying the best option, I booked the flights directly through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel platform. Each ticket cost $1,117, and I used my accumulated points to cover the majority of the expense. However, I didn’t have quite enough points to cover the entire cost, so I paid the remaining $348.15 out of pocket. While this wasn’t a completely free trip, it was a fraction of what we would have paid without the credit card rewards. The savings were significant, and even after accounting for the annual fee for the Ink Business Cash card, we saved over $4,027 compared to the usual cost of four round-trip flights to Sydney.
The Financial Impact and Future Travel Plans
This experience taught me the power of credit card rewards and strategic planning when it comes to traveling. By earning and redeeming points thoughtfully, we were able to save thousands of dollars on airfare, making a family trip to Australia feasible. For a destination known for being expensive to reach, this strategy was invaluable. As we look to the future, I’m already thinking about how to apply this approach to other trips, both domestically and internationally. With continued smart use of credit cards and rewards, I’m confident we’ll be able to enjoy many more adventures without breaking the bank.
Conclusion
In the end, this trip to Australia was a perfect blend of improved travel strategies, financial planning, and the joy of reconnecting with dear friends. By leveraging credit card rewards, we were able to make the most of our points and turn a potentially expensive trip into an affordable and memorable family adventure.
