This one Chase card helped me save hundreds on a visit to Paris

I virtually closed the browser tab.

Not as a result of I did not need to go to Paris, however as a result of I had simply priced flights for 2 adults and an toddler throughout Roland-Garros (the French Open), and the full was approaching $7,000 — for financial system.

Planning my son’s first worldwide journey throughout the pond wasn’t precisely shaping as much as be a budget-friendly getaway. Fortuitously, I had different instruments at my disposal to convey the associated fee down.

I lately added the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see charges and costs) to my pockets, thanks partly to its highest-ever public welcome provide: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

As I appeared again on the flights, lodge and card advantages I used for the journey, I noticed the cardboard’s full welcome bonus and assertion credit have been sufficient to cowl almost your entire trip, from peak-season flights to a luxurious lodge keep in Paris. All instructed, I saved over $8,000.

This is how.

Why this 150,000-point provide caught my consideration

I’ve traditionally carried the Chase Sapphire Most popular® Card (see charges and costs) and by no means felt significantly compelled to improve.

Nevertheless, after Chase up to date its Sapphire eligibility guidelines, I grew to become eligible for the Sapphire Reserve simply in time for the cardboard’s best-ever public welcome bonus.

150,000 Chase Final Rewards factors are price $3,075 in accordance with our June 2026 valuations. However I knew I might make it stretch even additional due to the magic of switch companions.

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Associated: Who’re the Chase Final Rewards airline and lodge switch companions?

How I lowered almost $7,000 in airfare to lower than $1,000

We had a brief window to work with. My husband solely had a number of days off, and his brother was already planning to be in Europe across the similar time, giving us a uncommon alternative to overlap our journeys.

The problem? Our dates coincided with Roland-Garros, so airfare was already elevated.

After I began pricing money flights from Miami to Paris for 2 adults and an toddler, I skilled a little bit of sticker shock.

Fortuitously, Chase Final Rewards factors switch to 10 airline companions at a 1:1 ratio, giving me some choices for award area.

After spending a while on Seats.aero, I discovered round-trip flights from Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) that labored for our schedule.

My itinerary would have price $6,968 if I had booked it in money.

As a substitute, I paid $974.18 in taxes and costs.

Miami to Paris on Air France

For the outbound flight, I booked Air France-operated flights by means of Flying Blue.

The itinerary price:

51,000 Flying Blue miles for 2 adults in Financial system Consolation$278.60 in taxes and costs$78 for my lap toddler

As a result of Chase was providing a 20% switch bonus to Flying Blue on the time, I solely wanted to switch 43,000 Final Rewards factors. The switch bonus provided the remaining 8,600 miles.

The identical itinerary would have price 105,000 miles by means of Delta SkyMiles, making Flying Blue (and having transferable rewards) the clear winner.

The money value for these flights was $3,145, so I redeemed my factors at a worth of 5.5 cents.

Paris to Miami on Air France, booked by means of Virgin Atlantic

The return flight turned out to be an excellent higher deal.

As a substitute of reserving immediately by means of Flying Blue, I booked Air France-operated flights by means of Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership.

The redemption price:

24,000 Virgin Atlantic factors for 2 adults in Financial system Comfort1,000 Virgin Atlantic factors for one lap toddler$617.58 in taxes and costs

Had I booked the very same flights by means of Flying Blue, the worth would have been 113,000 miles (thanks, Seats.aero!).

In different phrases, reserving the very same Air France flight by means of a distinct companion saved me roughly 88,000 factors. That is the type of distinction that may make or break a redemption, and one of many causes I by no means switch factors till I’ve checked a number of applications.

Associated: The identical flight, half the miles: Making this award reserving mistake might price you

The money value for these flights was $3,823.29, so I redeemed my factors at a whopping 12.8 cents.

By the point my spherical journey was booked, I had spent:

68,000 complete Chase factors$974.18 in taxes and costs (and the child)

These flights in any other case would’ve price almost $7,000.

My first luxurious lodge stick with The Edit

I am workforce finances journey about 95% of the time.

However once in a while, the numbers line up in a method that makes a luxurious keep exhausting to cross up. And for Paris, the maths was positively mathing.

Utilizing Factors Increase and assertion credit

By Chase Journey℠, I discovered the Kimpton St Honoré Paris, which was a part of each The Edit and IHG One Rewards, thus making it eligible for 3 completely different assertion credit on the Chase Sapphire Reserve

*Eligible on pay as you go bookings by means of Chase Journey of two nights or extra

As well as, this property additionally has Factors Increase.

This is how the maths broke down:

Not dangerous for a luxurious lodge in Paris throughout one of many metropolis’s busiest weeks.

Associated: Up to date Sapphire Reserve lodge advantages reside: New $250 credit score and extra versatile The Edit credit

The lodge perks added much more worth

Reserving by means of The Edit additionally unlocked a number of further advantages, together with:

Each day breakfast for twoUp to $100 on-property creditComplimentary Wi-FiPotential room upgradeEarly check-in and late checkout when accessible

Breakfast alone turned out to be one among my favourite perks.

The unfold included pastries, breads, sliced and cooked meats, eggs made to order, and limitless specialty coffees and scorching chocolate. Had we paid out of pocket, breakfast would have price 84 euros per day for 2 individuals.

We have been upgraded to a king mattress with a balcony, which was about $200 extra an evening than our unique booked room, and we used our $100 on-property credit score on room service and drinks on the lodge.

In complete, this was virtually $700 price of further worth.

The Sapphire Reserve perks I used alongside the best way

I used to be additionally capable of benefit from a number of Sapphire Reserve advantages exterior of my lodge assertion credit, together with:

Precedence Go lounge entry at Miami Worldwide Airport (MIA) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)Trusted traveler advantages (as much as $120 in credit each 4 years for World Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus)Lyft credit score for my journey to the airport (as much as $10 every month by means of Sept. 30, 2027; doesn’t apply to Wait & Save, bike or scooter rides)Elevated incomes charges on my bookings and diningNo international transaction charges

Whereas welcome bonuses are inclined to get a lot of the consideration, these ongoing advantages can add significant worth all year long.

Associated: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve definitely worth the annual charge?

The large image: What can 150,000 Chase factors get you?

In my case, 150,000 factors bought our household of three from Miami to Paris and again in Financial system Consolation and helped offset a luxurious two-night keep in Paris that will have in any other case price hundreds of {dollars}.

It could possibly additionally get you:

Associated: 10 finest methods to redeem 150,000 Chase Final Rewards factors

Backside line

What initially appeared like a visit I could not justify reserving grew to become a reminder of how useful transferable factors might be when paired with the suitable switch companions and card advantages.

One in every of my favourite features of this redemption was that it mixed each sensible and aspirational journey.

Many vacationers see a six-figure welcome bonus and instantly take into consideration first-class flights or overwater villas.

I needed to see what that bonus might do for a real-world household journey.

Final likelihood Sapphire Reserve: Earn 150,000 bonus factors after spending $6,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

By leveraging switch companions, benefiting from a switch bonus and stacking Chase Sapphire Reserve advantages, I used to be capable of dramatically cut back the price of what would have in any other case been a really costly journey to Paris throughout one of many metropolis’s busiest journey intervals.

With the present 150,000-point provide scheduled to finish June 15 at 9 a.m. ET, vacationers nonetheless have a restricted window to earn the best public welcome bonus we have seen on the Sapphire Reserve.

To be taught extra, learn our full evaluation of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.