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- My husband and I find it difficult to travel alone, but we decided to make it a priority for our 10th wedding anniversary.
- We paid for all of our travel and hotel costs with points and saved money by booking months in advance.
- I have found it beneficial to stick as closely to one hotel chain and one airline as possible.
It can be hard for parents to find time to go out alone together. Add in the guilt of paying for a trip, and adults-only getaways can be even harder to justify.
But for the past few years, my husband and I have made it a priority to take a trip just the two of us each year. This year was our 10-year wedding anniversary, and we wanted to make a big splash on a trip, but we didn’t want to pay a huge price. So we decided to cash in our Marriott Bonvoy points and airline points to pay for our trip guilt-free. Here’s how:
Flexibility makes travel cheaper
We stayed at the JW Marriott Los Cabos, a four-night stay that cost 200,000 Bonvoy points. My husband likes to say it took him a year and a half to save up that many Bonvoy points, and what better way to spend them than a relaxing tropical getaway for just the two of us?
Plus, our flights cost a total of 70,000 Delta miles, and by booking six months in advance and being flexible with both our travel dates and flight times, we were able to save a lot on the cost of our flights.
I was able to keep costs down by booking a weekday stay and catching a late-night or early-morning flight. Once on the plane, I use an eyeshade, neck pillow, and white noise, so the lack of sleep isn’t a big deal.
We also kicked off the season in Cabo, which officially starts in April, and not traveling during the peak of the season also helped keep the overall cost of points low.
We use hotel cards for everything.
There’s a big caveat to this: Only use your credit card for everyday purchases if you’re prepared to pay the full amount back each month. And that doesn’t mean paying it off in one lump sum every month, as this will make your bank account look temporarily inflated, making it easier to overspend.
I try to pay off my credit cards weekly so I can stay on track to pay off my balance in full every month. It helps me keep my income and expenses in check when it comes to bills and other direct debits, and as my friend said, paying every week can really make the pain go away. In other words, it helps me stay responsible with my spending, even with credit cards.
That said, in the months leading up to our trip, we shifted almost all of our everyday spending to the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless Card, which gives us more rewards at gas stations, grocery stores, and dining out — which is where we ended up spending the most.
But once we got there, we didn’t stop using our points credit card, as we doubled our points on purchases at participating Marriott hotels, and while we enjoyed one trip, we were also planning for the next one.
Make the most of your business trips
There are pros and cons to having kids and one partner traveling every week. The cons are obvious: it’s hard to raise kids alone, your kids miss you, and you get less quality family time. But there are also pros: First, you get to make the most of the time you have with your family. And, crucially, you get to rack up airline miles and hotel points.
When my husband started traveling several times a month, I had no idea he’d accumulate so many airline and hotel points. I (mistakenly) assumed that since his employer paid for our flights and lodging, he wouldn’t get any points. But I was wrong. For us, the points were a great perk. My own solo trips, fun hotel stays with the kids, and of course, our anniversary trip, all paid for by us. So, while I sometimes hate the idea of him traveling so often, I’ve come to appreciate the occasional business trip when it’s appropriate.
Brand loyalty pays off
When it comes to hotels and airlines, choosing a brand you’re loyal to pays big dividends in the long run. We’re fans of Marriott and Delta, and here’s why: Marriott has a range of hotels at different levels, from luxury properties like the Ritz-Carlton and my favorite, JW Marriott, to family-friendly properties like Courtyard by Marriott and Residence Inn. It’s the same with Delta, we picked the airline that best suited our needs. Delta flies to most of the destinations we frequent, has great customer service, great lounges, and Delta offers multiple credit cards.
But there’s a time to switch, so to speak: Once you’ve accumulated the status or points you need with one brand or airline, consider switching to another, so you have more options when it’s time to book points-based travel.
