How I turned my son's dream of visiting Paris into reality using points and miles

My eldest son has grand aspirations.

Among his greatest wishes were to fly in luxurious business-class seats and see the Eiffel Tower. He mentioned these desires often, and my typical reply was always, "One day."

Although I hoped to take my son to Paris, I was often vague about when it might happen. But then, a fortunate deal on business-class awards to Paris made it clear that the time had come. As I began to calculate the costs for the rest of our trip, I was pleasantly surprised by the availability of reasonably priced hotels just a short stroll from the Eiffel Tower. With everything falling into place, it seemed like the ideal moment to act.

Thanks to a combination of points and miles for fantastic business-class ticket deals and a bit of luck with hotel prices, the long-awaited "someday" arrived much sooner than I had anticipated.

Discovering a bargain on a business-class ticket to Paris

You can always rely on TPG for the finest flight offers. In fact, this article highlighting Air France's business-class flights to Europe for as low as 50,000 miles made me eager to "book now."

After some adjustments to my travel dates, I was able to secure two one-way tickets from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for just 96,250 Flying Blue miles, along with approximately $400 in taxes and fees.

If I had been traveling with my partner, the cost would have been closer to 100,000 miles. However, Air France provides a 25% discount on tickets for children aged 3 to 11, which allowed us to save even more.

The fare calendar clearly shows that the business-class tickets we secured often cost more than twice the number of points we used to buy them.

When I booked our flight, the cash price was a staggering $5,064.60. According to TPG's August 2024 valuations, the 96,250 Flying Blue points we spent are worth about $1,251.25. Clearly, we made a significant saving by using points instead of cash, even when including the taxes and fees.

Since we don't reside in New York, I also needed to buy two tickets on Delta Air Lines to travel from Louisville, Kentucky, to New York.

With my Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, I earn an annual companion certificate, which I utilized for my son's positioning flight, bringing our total travel cost to New York to $378.

My Delta Reserve Amex also granted us a complimentary upgrade to Comfort+ on our return flight from Paris and a first-class upgrade for the journey between New York and Louisville.

Delta Amex Reserve cardholders qualify for complimentary upgrades and are given priority over other Medallion members at the same Medallion level and fare class. This year, I achieved Delta Silver Medallion status, in part due to the annual 2,500 Medallion Qualification Dollars Headstart, which propelled me to the top of the upgrade queue.

I spent an additional 50,000 Flying Blue miles on two economy tickets from CDG to JFK for our return trip (I want to keep him grounded) to avoid depleting our entire points balance in just one journey.

Although our return flight was booked with Air France, it was operated by Delta. Both airlines are part of the SkyTeam alliance, allowing me to enjoy my Delta status benefits and reduce fuel surcharges by choosing an economy ticket instead of business class.

Two nights at a hotel just steps away from the Eiffel Tower

While researching hotels in Paris, I encountered numerous opinions suggesting that staying near the Eiffel Tower wasn't a great choice. Fortunately, since this was my vacation and not theirs, I ignored that advice and opted for the opposite, which turned out to be perfect.

Rooms with a view of the Eiffel Tower can range from $700 to $2,000 per night, which didn’t align with the budget-friendly approach of this trip. Instead, I chose the Mercure Paris Centre Eiffel Tower Hotel, where our room was about $250 per night, just a five-minute walk from the nearest Metro station and conveniently located around the corner from the Eiffel Tower.

While the Mercure Paris Centre Eiffel Tower offers a few rooms with views of the Eiffel Tower, I chose to save that extra cash for Champagne and croissants, as we could step out of our hotel and enjoy breathtaking views of the tower right outside.

The hotel is part of the Accor Live Limitless rewards program, which anyone can join for free. Even at the basic Classic tier, members benefit from exclusive rates, online check-in and speedy checkout, and they can earn points with every stay.

Unlike traditional redemption systems, ALL members can use their points to pay for all or part of their stay. Each 1,000 points gives you a discount of 20 euros off a reservation. While I don't frequently stay at hotels in this program, I accumulated enough points during this stay to apply toward a future visit.

Overall, we spent just over $500 for our two-night stay in Paris, which is quite a bargain given how close we were to the Eiffel Tower. We also visited during the lead-up to the Paris Olympics, when hotel prices were soaring at other locations.

Crafting the ideal Paris getaway

I recognized this trip would be a significant moment for my son, so I aimed to make it feel special right from the moment my husband and I revealed we were going to Paris.

I waited until the day before our departure to pack his bag with a few surprises. I told him we had a trip planned for the next day, but he had to sift through his bag to guess our destination. Once he found the beret and the baguette (thanks to Target), he quickly figured out we were heading to France. There were a few joyful tears, and then it was time to finish packing our other belongings.

Our journey began in New York City. With plenty of time between our positioning flight and our overnight flight to Paris, I took my son directly to the Air France lounge at JFK. We enjoyed lunch, he indulged in all the free soda he wanted, and we practiced our French together.

He's not typically afraid of flying, but he doesn't usually get overly enthusiastic about it either. For him, sitting in the metal tube with windows is just a means to reach a fun destination. However, this time he was so excited to board the plane and find his seat. While we were in the lounge, he bombarded me with questions about how far the seat reclined, whether there would be movie screens, and what our dinner options would be.

As soon as he settled in, he began experimenting with all the seat's features and buttons, and he immediately slipped on his slippers. When our meals arrived, he insisted we wait to try the cheesecake until we could take a bite at the exact same moment, which was adorable.

We decided to watch a movie together while we dined. He picked "42," the film about baseball legend Jackie Robinson, and we played the "3, 2, 1" game to try to hit play at the same time. It worked quite well, but then we had to pause and play simultaneously whenever one of us needed to get up for the restroom. It was quite amusing trying to sync our screens.

After dinner, my son finally got to convert his seat into a bed. I don't think he managed to get much sleep since he was a bit nervous and excited, but we did our best to rest up before arriving in Paris.

Upon landing in Paris, we bought three-day Metro passes that would take us from the airport to our hotel and help us get around during our stay.

We took the train to Bir-Hakeim station, the closest one to our hotel. As we walked toward our accommodations, I began to wonder why we hadn’t spotted the Eiffel Tower yet. Then, as we turned the corner, there it was—right in front of us! We both looked up in amazement, eager to get a closer look.

After a quick nap in our hotel room, we set off directly for the Eiffel Tower. If you’re aiming to reach the very top, be aware that tickets sell out fast. I checked the Eiffel Tower ticket website every day and bought tickets for our visit as soon as they were released. If you're only planning to go to the second floor (but honestly, why stop there?), you'll likely find it easier to get tickets. Day-of tickets may also be available for purchase in person, but I wasn't willing to take any chances.

The views from the top of the Eiffel Tower were absolutely breathtaking. Our visit felt even more special since it was just a few days before the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, allowing us to see many of the sporting venues as well.

We kept exchanging looks and saying, "I can't believe we're actually here," and we meant it every single time. I think we were both in a state of disbelief, especially Avery—who had only learned about the trip less than 48 hours before.

Avery was adamant that we take the stairs from the second floor back down to the ground, and I was more than happy to go along with it. Most visitors opt for the elevator, so this choice made the experience not only less crowded but also more memorable.

After exploring the city and enjoying dinner, we returned to our room. We had intended to walk back to the Eiffel Tower to see it sparkle at night, but I fell asleep before it was even dark. Fortunately, I woke up around 11 p.m., and since we were staying so close, we walked over and witnessed the breathtaking nighttime display.

If you're hoping to catch the Eiffel Tower's sparkling lights, they begin at dusk each evening, twinkling every hour on the hour for about five minutes. The timing changes with the seasons: in summer, the last show is at 1 a.m., while during the rest of the year, it concludes at 11 p.m.

The following morning, we rented an electric boat from Marin D'Eau Douce Paris, which I discovered through TPG's Paris Pocket Guide. Avery turned on some music from my iPhone, and we set off to explore the Bassin de la Villette. While it may not be the most picturesque area of Paris, it was a unique experience and a lot of fun.

Given that our time in Paris was limited, I thought a bike tour would be the ideal way to take in multiple city sights. Since we often ride bikes as a family at home, I knew Avery would be excited about the adventure. We decided to book the Paris Day Bike Tour with Fat Tire Tours.

During our ride, we visited Napoleon's Tomb, the Musée d'Orsay, Hôtel des Invalides, Place de la Concorde, and the École Militaire, and we even managed to capture a photo of the Eiffel Tower from a different angle on Rue de l'Université.

Sadly, our time in Paris was drawing to a close. We caught an early train to the airport the following morning, bidding "au revoir" to both Paris and the Eiffel Tower. As we sped away, I caught a few last glimpses of the iconic structure, and each time it appeared, I couldn't help but smile at the magnificent landmark that had made this extraordinary trip possible.

Bottom line

When we got back, I asked Avery what his favorite part of the trip was, and he simply said, "Seeing the Eiffel Tower." I probed a bit further, curious about what made it so special, and he replied, "Because it's the Eiffel Tower." It was amazing how he captured in just five words what took me nearly 2,000 to explain.

Our trip was truly unforgettable, and it was all made possible by points. With the knowledge I've gained about using points and miles, I was able to seize an excellent award redemption to Paris. Combined with a budget-friendly hotel, I was able to fulfill my son's travel dreams.