Dream Trips Made Possible: Travel Hacking Examples from The Travel Savvy Family

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We love showing how travel hacking can turn dream vacations into reality. Here are a couple of examples of trips we've taken using points and miles, along with the strategies that made them happen:

Trip 1: Cancun All-Inclusive Getaway for Two

  • Destination: Hyatt Ziva Cancun (all-inclusive resort)
  • Travelers: 2 adults
  • Key Strategy: Southwest Companion Pass + Chase Ultimate Rewards

  1. Flights: We utilized the Southwest Companion Pass, one of the most valuable perks in travel hacking. There are two main ways to earn this coveted pass:

    • Traditional Method: Accumulate 135,000 qualifying Southwest points in a calendar year. This typically involves strategically opening both a Southwest personal and a Southwest business credit card and meeting the minimum spend requirements on each.
    • Promotional Offer: Keep an eye out for promotional offers! Southwest sometimes offers a shortcut to the Companion Pass by signing up for a specific credit card and meeting the minimum spending requirements. This can be a significantly faster way to snag the pass. For example, there's a current offer where you can earn the Companion Pass and 30,000 points by signing up for a specific Southwest personal card and spending $4k in 3 months. This offer expires  
    • Using the Companion Pass to Book: I used SW points to book one round-trip flight to Cancun for myself. This cost me $130 in taxes and fees, plus the required points. The number of points needed can vary significantly depending on when you travel. In this case, I used 20k points because it wasn't a peak time, and we planned ahead. I then added my husband to the flight as my companion. I paid the same in taxes and fees for his flight, $130. No points or cash is needed for the actual fare for the companion.

  2. Accommodation: We transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt to book our stay at the Hyatt Ziva Cancun. Hyatt is a Chase transfer partner, making this a seamless process. We found award availability at the Ziva Cancun and booked a 3-night stay at a rate of 42,000 points per night for a total of 126k Hyatt points. 

  3. Earning the Points: To get started, we focused on earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points. A great way to do this is by strategically signing up for Chase cards:

    • Chase Sapphire Preferred: This card is a must-have for any travel hacker. It offers a generous sign-up bonus (often 60,000 points or more) and earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points on everyday spending. Apply for this card first, as you need a premium Chase card to transfer points to travel partners like Hyatt.
    • Ink Business Unlimited: If you have any sort of side hustle or small business (even selling items online counts!), consider the Ink Business Unlimited. It often offers a substantial sign-up bonus (like 90,000 points) and has no annual fee!
To recap: 
Flights: 20k Southwest points + $260 in fees
Hotel: 126k Ultimate Rewards points transferred directly to Hyatt
Total: 146k points + $260 for a 3-night stay at a luxury All-Inclusive in Cancun

Cash Price: $2,374 accommodations + $1,264 flights = $3,638

Trip 2: Kauai Family Adventure

  1. Flights: With two adults in the family, we strategically earned two Southwest Companion Passes. We used one of the methods described above for each pass. This meant two of us flew free on Southwest, significantly reducing our flight costs. We only needed to pay for two tickets plus the taxes and fees for the other two travelers. Since this is a domestic flight, the taxes are only $5.60 per person, per way. This trip cost us $44.80 round-trip, plus 100k Southwest Rapid Rewards points. 

  2. Accommodation: We used Chase Ultimate Rewards points to book a 5-night stay at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Again, we transferred our points directly to Hyatt to book our room. We found award availability and booked at a rate of 30,000 points per night, for a total of 150k Ultimate Rewards points transferred directly to Hyatt.

  3. Earning the Points: Just like with the Cancun trip, we prioritized earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points. The Chase Sapphire Preferred and Ink Business Unlimited are excellent starting points.

To recap: 

Flights: 100k Southwest points + $44.80 in fees
Hotel: 150k Ultimate Rewards points transferred directly to Hyatt
Total Cost using Points: 250k total points + $44.80 for a 5-night stay in Kauai

vs. 

Total Cash Price: $5,757 accommodations + $3,088 flights = $8,845




Important Note: Award availability for flights and hotels can change, so it's essential to be flexible with your travel dates and destinations. If your dates are not flexible, or if you are traveling at peak times, you will need to book months, maybe even a year in advance. The more flexibility that you have with either your dates or your destination, the easier it will be to book with points. 

Why We Love Hyatt

  • No Resort Fees - Hyatt does not charge resort fees on point bookings. The only thing that you may pay for during your stay is parking. Each property is different, so pay attention at the time of booking.
  • Brand Explorer - Hyatt rewards its loyal guests. Once you stay at 5 different Hyatt brands, you get a free night certificate to stay at any Hyatt hotel that is listed as a Category 1-4. With the two trips listed above, you are 2/5 of the way to earning a free night, one Grand Hyatt and one Hyatt Ziva.
  • Hyatt Status - Hyatt makes it easy to earn the lowest level of status, Discoverist. You only need 10 nights in one calendar year to earn this tier of status which gives you a few perks. My favorite is the 2 pm checkout. This is subject to availability, but we've never been denied. Again, with the stays above, you are only 2 nights away from Discoverist! 

Ready to start your own travel hacking journey? These examples show how strategic credit card sign-ups and point transfers can unlock incredible travel experiences. Stay tuned for more tips and tricks!

As always, we truly appreciate it when you use our referral links! It is free for you, and it is a great way to say thanks!

Happy travel! ✈️🌍

The Travel Savvy Family

- Wander More, Spend Less



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