We have another inspiring success story from our Travel Freely community to share with you. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce you to Katie, a homeschooling mother of five from Minnesota, who, along with her husband, turned their dream of visiting Greece into reality. Not only did they experience the breathtaking beauty of Athens, Santorini, and Naxos, but they did it all while saving $12,000 on their 15th wedding anniversary trip!
Katie’s story is a testament to the power of points and miles. Despite having a minimal travel budget as a one-income family, Katie and her husband managed to leverage points and miles to unlock an unforgettable adventure. This Q&A session with Katie takes you through their journey, offering a glimpse into how travel rewards can make dream vacations possible, no matter your budget. So let’s dive in and discover how they saved big and created memories to last a lifetime!
Tell us a bit about yourself. How long have you been using points and miles towards free travel?
My husband and I have been married for 15 years and have five kids. I am a homeschooling mom, and my husband is an occupational therapist. We both had the privilege of traveling with our families when we were younger, but as a one-income family, our travel budget is very minimal. I had seen two friends on this journey, which piqued my interest, especially since our 15th wedding anniversary was on the horizon. So, at the end of July 2022, we downloaded the Travel Freely app and began our points and miles journey to Greece, a dream of mine!
Bucket-list worthy photo of Katie and her husband in Greece!
Please tell us about your trip. Where did you go?
My husband and I traveled from Minneapolis to Athens and spent two nights there. We then flew to Santorini and spent three nights in Oia. Afterward, we took a ferry to Naxos and enjoyed the beaches for three days before spending one last night in Athens and then headed back home to Minneapolis.
Can you share a vivid memory of a specific moment on your trip that brought a huge smile to your face?
When we finally got to our hotel in Oia, Santorini, overlooking the caldera, the blue water, and the infamous white buildings. As we stood taking in the views I had seen in every magazine or picture of Greece, I was in awe that this financially out-of-reach dream was coming true.
Aquamarine waters off the coast of Greece
How much money did you save using points and miles for your trip?
Our total costs were $149 for international taxes/fees. We paid $0 for the ten nights of hotel. Our total savings on hotel and airfare using points was $11,963. We also accumulated all the necessary points with only two credit cards with annual fees. We each got a Chase Sapphire Preferred in the last year, and the other cards were the $0 annual fee Chase Ink Business cards). If you subtract the $190 in annual fees, we saved $11,773! All these hotels, except one, offered gourmet breakfast (hello, smoked salmon and caviar on my eggs!), which saved us a lot of money as we only needed to pay for dinners most of the time.
View of the Acropolis at night
What kind of points did you use for this trip?
We used Ultimate Rewards (UR) points. We transferred 58,000 points to Air France and 84,000 points to Air Canada. (NOTE: We paid more in points in order to pay $0 in taxes/fees because we wanted as little out of pocket as possible). We then transferred 135,000 points to Hyatt for three nights at Santorini Secrets Suites and Spa and then transferred an additional 58,000 points to Hyatt for two nights at the A77 by Andronis in Athens. We used the Chase Travel Portal to book the other two hotels. We used 103,156 points for three nights in a two-bedroom villa with a private pool at Majo Suites Hotel in Naxos and 24,900 for our last night in Athens at Perianth Hotel.
What advice would you give someone interested in using points and miles to book a trip like yours?
I was nervous because booking a trip like this goes against my Dave Ramsey mindset. However, if you manage your money and aren’t prone to overspending, this hobby can make your out-of-reach dreams come true as it has ours! I’m about to head out next month on a surprise trip to Paris for my daughter’s 13th birthday, and we are already dreaming of the next big trip we will take!
In Summary
Thanks so much to Katie for sharing her success story! Katie’s inspiring story is a shining example of how anyone, regardless of their budget, can turn their travel dreams into reality with Travel Freely. The incredible Greece adventure that Katie and her husband enjoyed was not due to extraordinary circumstances or luck, but rather a smart and strategic use of points and miles.
Katie’s journey shows us that dream vacations are within reach for everyone. And the best part? You, too, can embark on your own points and miles journey. Manage your money, don’t overspend, and let Travel Freely guide you towards achieving your travel goals.
So why wait? Sign up for Travel Freely today, and get ready to pack your bags for your next big adventure. The world can be yours to explore. Let’s make those travel dreams come true!
Cards used for this trip:
Great signup bonus for a business card with no annual fee, now with an extended timeline for hitting the spend requirement. Great for carrying a balance. 5x earning categories, and if paired with a premier Chase credit card (one that carries an annual fee), your points are worth even more.
Great offer for a no annual fee card! A no-brainer, great business card. Your choice to receive 1.5% cash back or 1.5x points.
