Best Ways to Use Points & Miles for Family Travel to Europe

Is a European family vacation filled with charming villages, historic castles, and vibrant cities on your bucket list? It’s a wonderful goal, but the potential cost, especially for flights and accommodation, can often feel daunting.

As a dad who loves exploring the world with my wife and son, I know firsthand the desire to create those unforgettable European family memories without breaking the bank. The good news? It’s absolutely possible! In fact, points and miles are the secret weapon.

My family and I recently enjoyed a whirlwind of European exploration, embarking on three incredible family trips across the continent in roughly a twelve-month span. We experienced the diverse beauty of Portugal, the Netherlands, France, Scotland, Belgium, and more. These weren’t bare-bones backpacking trips; we flew comfortably, often in premium cabins, and enjoyed quality hotel stays that many would consider luxury. The estimated retail cost for these adventures would have easily soared above $25,000 USD. However, by strategically using points and miles earned from credit cards and loyalty programs, our total out-of-pocket cost for all three family trips combined was less than $5,000 USD.

It sounds almost too good to be true, but these strategies work! This guide will break down some of the most effective ways we – and you – can use points and miles to make family travel to Europe significantly more affordable and achievable. We’ll cover smart ways to book flights and navigate hotel stays, helping you plan your own amazing European family getaway.

Section 1: Affordable Flights for Families to Europe with Points

Flights are often the single biggest expense for a trip to Europe. Thankfully, leveraging points can drastically reduce this cost. The key lies in utilizing transferable points currencies. Points earned from flexible programs like American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points, Capital One Miles and Bilt Rewards can be moved to various airline partners, unlocking excellent value.  

Pro Tip: Keep an eye out for transfer bonuses! Banks frequently offer bonuses of 20-40% (sometimes even higher) when you transfer points to specific airline partners like Virgin Atlantic or Air France/KLM. This means your points stretch even further, reducing the cost of your award flights.

Here are two of my favorite airline programs for booking flights as a family to Europe:

Strategy 1: Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

Virgin Atlantic offers some compelling redemption rates, especially if you can be flexible and find “Saver” availability during their standard season.

• Getting Points: Virgin Atlantic is a transfer partner of Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, and Bilt.
• The Sweet Spots:
  • Economy: One-way flights between the US East Coast (e.g., New York, Boston, Washington D.C.) and the UK start at just 6,000 Virgin points
  • Premium Economy: For more comfort, the same routes start at 10,500 points one-way
  • Business Class: You can fly Lie-Flat Business Class starting at 29,000 points one-way
• Things to Note:
  • Virgin Atlantic imposes significant taxes and carrier-imposed surcharges, particularly on flights departing from the UK and on round-trip tickets originating in the US. This strategy often provides the best value for one-way flights to Europe.
  • Availability at the lowest “Saver” rates requires flexibility. Since Virgin Atlantic has now switched to dynamic pricing, you want to check calendar level points prices using the Virgin Atlantic Reward Seat Checker Tool
  • You can also use Virgin points to book partner awards (like Air France/KLM), which have different award charts and potentially lower fees.

Strategy 2: Air France/KLM Flying Blue

Flying Blue, the loyalty program for Air France and KLM, is another fantastic option, especially thanks to its monthly promo awards.

• Getting Points: Flying Blue is also a transfer partner of Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One, and Bilt.
• The Sweet Spot: Promo Rewards: Every month, Flying Blue releases a list of discounted award routes (“Promo Rewards”). It’s common to find one-way Economy flights between select North American cities and anywhere in Europe (including connections via Paris or Amsterdam) starting from 18,750 miles. These promotional rates often represent a 25% discount or more off standard award prices.
• Benefits:
  • Promo Rewards often include connecting flights within Europe at no extra mileage cost. Fly into Paris and connect to Rome for the same 18,750 miles!
  • Taxes and fees are generally more reasonable than Virgin Atlantic’s, especially for flights originating in the US.
• Things to Note: Promo Rewards are only valid for booking during a specific month and for travel during designated future periods. Flexibility with dates and departure/arrival cities is key to snagging these deals.

Below are my favorite credit cards with big welcome bonuses—perfect for earning points to fly to Europe.

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Section 2: Smart Hotel Strategies for Families in Europe

Once you’ve secured your flights, the next big piece of the puzzle is accommodation. Using hotel points can lead to massive savings, but traveling as a family in Europe often presents a specific challenge: strict room occupancy limits. Unlike many hotels in North America, standard hotel rooms in Europe frequently have a maximum occupancy of just two adults. This means families with children often need to book larger rooms, suites, or multiple rooms, which can quickly increase the points (or cash) required.

Don’t worry, there are still excellent points strategies to navigate this!

Strategy 1: World of Hyatt – Flexibility and Value

World of Hyatt is a favourite among points enthusiasts due to its valuable points and excellent hotel options across Europe.

• Getting Points: Hyatt is a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards (points transfer instantly) and Bilt Rewards.
• Great Value at Lower Categories: Hyatt has a fantastic award chart, with Category 1 hotels starting at just 3,500 points per night during Off-Peak dates (5,000 Standard, 6,500 Peak). Finding these gems can make a family trip incredibly affordable. You can find surprisingly nice Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Place, or even some boutique brands like JdV by Hyatt or Thompson Hotels in lower categories in various European cities.
• Navigating Occupancy:
  • Booking Suites: Hyatt allows you to book standard and sometimes premium suites directly with points. While this costs significantly more points than a standard room (often nearly double or more), it guarantees the space your family needs in one room.
  • Booking Two Rooms: If points allow, simply booking two standard rooms can be a solution, though check if the hotel allows children in a separate room depending on age.
  • Inquiring About a “Family Rate” (Your Mileage May Vary): While not an officially published global benefit you can book online easily, some families report success contacting hotels directly well in advance to inquire about options for accommodating families. Sometimes, hotels may offer a discount (like 50% off the cash rate) on a second connecting or adjacent room, even if the first room is booked using points. This is highly dependent on the specific hotel, availability, management discretion, and is not a guaranteed program feature. Always confirm directly with the property.

Strategy 2: IHG One Rewards – Buy Points & 4th Night Free

IHG (InterContinental, Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza, Kimpton, etc.) has a huge footprint across Europe, offering options at various price points. Their dynamic award pricing can sometimes be high, but there’s a smart way to play it.

• The Strategy: Buy Points Cheaply: IHG frequently runs promotions allowing members to buy points with a 100% bonus. This effectively drops the purchase price to just 0.5 cents USD per point. Buying points during these sales and then redeeming them can often be cheaper than paying the cash rate for the room, especially at higher-end properties or during peak dates.
• Maximize with the 4th Night Free: If you hold an IHG co-branded credit card (like the Chase IHG Premier or Traveler cards), you get the 4th night free when redeeming points for stays of 4 nights or longer. This is a fantastic perk for families planning slightly longer stays in one location. Combining points purchased at 0.5 cpp with the 4th night free benefit can lead to substantial savings.

Example: Comparing a 4 Cash Vs Points stay at the Voco Grand Central in Glasgow — the cash cost comes to $845, while the points cost would be 117,000 points. You can buy these points during their sale at ¢0.5 each, which comes to $580. That’s a solid $250+ in savings without much effort — and honestly, this isn’t even a great example. There are times when you can easily save over 50% compared to cash prices.

Section 3: Using Points to Erase Other Travel Costs

While transferring points to airline and hotel partners often yields the highest value, sometimes booking travel with cash is simpler or necessary. Think budget airline flights within Europe, train tickets, specific tours, Airbnb stays, or independent boutique hotels that aren’t part of major loyalty programs. The good news is that certain credit card points can be used after the fact to “erase” these travel purchases from your statement.

This provides excellent flexibility for those miscellaneous travel costs that add up on a family trip. Here are two great options:

Option 1: Capital One Venture & Venture X Miles

If you have a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, redeeming miles is incredibly straightforward and flexible.

• How it Works: Simply pay for any travel expense (flights, hotels, trains, rental cars, cruises, tour operators, etc.) with your Venture or Venture X card. Once the charge posts to your account, you have 90 days to log in online or via the app and redeem your miles as a statement credit against that specific travel purchase.
• Redemption Rate: Miles redeem at a fixed rate of 1 cent per mile for travel. So, 10,000 miles erase a $100 travel purchase.
• Benefit: This method is extremely versatile, covering a broad range of travel expenses that might not be bookable directly with airline miles or hotel points. It’s simple and provides a reliable value.

Option 2: Chase Aeroplan® Card Pay Yourself Back®

For those who hold the Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card, there’s a unique and potentially more valuable way to offset travel costs.

• How it Works: The card offers a Pay Yourself Back® feature specifically for purchases coded as travel (a very broad category including flights, hotels, car rentals, ride-sharing, tolls, trains, etc.). Pay for the travel expense with your Aeroplan card, and then you can redeem your Aeroplan points for a statement credit against that charge within 90 days.
• Redemption Rate: The key benefit here is the elevated redemption rate: Aeroplan points redeemed this way are worth 1.25 cents per point for travel. That means 10,000 Aeroplan points erase $125 worth of travel purchases.
• Things to Note:
  • This excellent feature is specific to the Chase Aeroplan® card.
  • As of January 1, 2025, there’s an annual cap: you can redeem a maximum of 200,000 Aeroplan points per calendar year using Pay Yourself Back specifically for the travel category.
  • This feature is currently available through December 31, 2025 (though it has been extended before, its continuation beyond this date isn’t guaranteed).
  • Despite the limitations, if you have the card and eligible travel spend, getting 1.25 cents per point towards erasing travel costs is fantastic value.

The Bottom Line: Making European Family Travel a Reality

Traveling to Europe as a family doesn’t have to drain your savings account. As we’ve explored, leveraging credit card points and airline/hotel loyalty programs can transform an expensive dream trip into an affordable reality.

From securing transatlantic flights for minimal points using Virgin Atlantic or capitalizing on Flying Blue’s Promo Rewards, to finding incredible value at Hyatt’s lower-category hotels or maximizing IHG stays by buying points and utilizing the 4th-night free benefit, there are powerful strategies available. And for those other essential travel costs, using points from cards like the Capital One Venture X or the Chase Aeroplan® Card to erase purchases provides invaluable flexibility.

As you saw from my family’s experience – taking three amazing European trips exploring places like Portugal, France, and Scotland for a fraction of the retail cost – these techniques genuinely work and can unlock luxury travel experiences you might not have thought possible.

Achieving this level of savings does require some planning and effort. It involves strategically earning points (primarily through credit card welcome bonuses and everyday spending), understanding program rules, staying flexible with your dates or destinations, and dedicating time to search for award availability. But the payoff – experiencing Europe’s wonders with your loved ones without the hefty price tag – is absolutely worth it.

So, start exploring these programs, begin accumulating those valuable points, and plan your next incredible European family adventure using the magic of points and miles!