How points and miles will help preserve the memory of my ancestors in Italy

For nearly 15 years, I've been on a quest for points and miles, experiencing my fair share of coveted redemptions — from first-class flights on Cathay Pacific and ANA to a stunning hotel room in Paris overlooking the Louvre.

However, I am now preparing for the most significant redemption of my life. I intend to use points and miles to ensure my Italian ancestors are never lost to history. Let me share my story.

My grandfather was born 118 years ago in a quaint village nestled at the base of Monte Cassino, roughly two-thirds of the way between Rome and Naples. The tight-knit community of contadini (farmers) considered themselves fortunate to inhabit such a picturesque valley, with the historic Benedictine Abbey of Montecassino proudly perched atop the hill.

However, it wasn't always a tranquil location. Napoleon's forces caused significant turmoil here, and during World War II, the British mistakenly bombed the abbey.

Much of the abbey and countless artistic treasures were lost. The bombing also devastated most of the town, resulting in civilian casualties and the destruction of essential civil records, including church documents like baptism and marriage certificates. This is where my narrative truly begins.

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Initiating the dual citizenship process

TPG staff member Andrew Kunesh recently shared his experience of obtaining dual citizenship:

• Your ultimate guide to dual citizenship
• How to obtain dual citizenship through descent
• The advantages of dual citizenship and how to utilize it while traveling

Andrew's narratives motivated me to compile my documents for applying for jure sanguinis: Italian dual citizenship.

I possessed my grandfather's original handwritten birth certificate — a fragile document adorned with the town's official seal. However, that alone wasn't sufficient; I required a newly printed version certified by the comune. That's when I encountered a significant hurdle.

A possible obstacle

Every single civil record maintained by the town was lost during World War II, and the effort to reconstruct those records didn't commence until the early 1950s — 30 years after my grandfather departed from Naples to seek a new life in America.

His record was never reconstructed — likely because his mother passed away before the war, and she would have been the primary person to provide the necessary information for reconstruction. Her records are also among the missing.

By this time, my great-grandfather had remarried and had more children, and I’m sure he and my grandfather’s siblings were preoccupied with their own lives. This task probably never even occurred to them.

I’m fortunate to have many original documents that confirm my grandfather’s existence. The Italian consulate will likely accept my citizenship application even without a new certified copy of his birth record. However, I’ve felt a knot in my stomach ever since I received the letter stating there are "no persons" listed from the comune — indicating there is no record of my grandfather in the town where he was born and raised. That just doesn’t feel right to me.

So, once COVID-19 is behind us, I plan to travel to Italy with a clear purpose: to submit an application and provide documentation to the comune to initiate the process of finally reconstructing my grandfather’s birth record.

I don’t want him to be forgotten by time, and from a genealogical standpoint, it’s crucial that the town’s records remain as complete and accurate as possible. I want future generations to easily locate their ancestral records.

A journey to my ancestral homeland

Though my grandparents and parents are no longer with us, I’ll be making this trip to Italy alongside my brother, sister, and their families. We’ll be a party of 11.

Our plan is to fly into Rome, spend a few days there, and then travel to the town where our family originated. We’ll reconnect with relatives and explore the villages surrounding Monte Cassino for a few days before heading back to Rome for another night or two before returning to our respective homes.

I’m utilizing some TPG resources to kickstart my trip planning for Italy:

• Top strategies for using points and miles to reach Rome
• A guide to Italy's premier tourist destinations
• Tips for enjoying an affordable vacation in Italy

Rome hotels available for points for families of four

We have a few options when flying to Rome. My husband and I favor United Polaris business class for longer journeys, so we'll utilize our MileagePlus miles to secure round-trip flights from Newark (EWR) to Rome (FCO). In November 2021, one-way flights are priced at 60,000 miles plus $5.60.

I also have a substantial amount of American Airlines AAdvantage miles, which I’ll use to book flights for my family. They’ll be flying in economy class as I need to make those miles stretch to accommodate my siblings, nieces, and nephews. Economy seats in November 2021 are priced at 22,500 AAdvantage miles plus $5.60 each.

In total, the flights will require 405,000 American Advantage miles, 240,000 United MileagePlus miles, along with $123.20 in taxes and fees.

To optimize my miles and points, I’m referring to these helpful guides:

• Strategies to maximize the United MileagePlus program
• Getting the most out of American Airlines AAdvantage redemptions
• How to enhance your Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Lodging options in Italy

All the families heading to Italy have a solid collection of World of Hyatt and/or Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which can be transferred to Hyatt's program at a 1:1 ratio instantly.

Rome boasts several excellent properties within the World of Hyatt portfolio that cost 25,000 points per night, including the Palm Suite, Hotel D'Inghilterra, Barbuino 181, and Hotel De'Ricci.

That said, we might find it more advantageous to rent one or two apartments through Airbnb or similar vacation rental platforms and pay in cash. I'm currently exploring that option with the help of these resources:

• The ultimate guide to Airbnb
• Tips for finding the ideal Airbnb
• 6 essential facts about Homes and Villas by Marriott

Staying near Monte Cassino presents a different scenario. This region of Italy isn't typically a tourist hotspot, so you'll find more agriturismo-style bed-and-breakfasts and apartment-style Airbnbs than traditional hotels or resorts.

On the other hand, there's the Best Western Hotel Rocca. I could enroll in the Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard® to earn an 80,000-point welcome bonus after spending $3,000 within the first three billing cycles of opening the account. (Additionally, the card offers another 40,000 points after spending $5,000 every 12 billing cycles, but I don't anticipate investing that much into this card.)

The details for the Best Western Rewards® Premium Mastercard® have been gathered independently by Dinogo. The card information provided on this page has not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

Since each room at the Best Western Hotel Rocca costs only 16,000 points per night, we could secure five rooms for our entire group for just one night, all for the card's $89 annual fee. (I would have spent that $3,000 on regular expenses anyway, so it doesn't feel like a financial burden to me.)

If three of us apply for this credit card, we would accumulate enough points to cover five rooms for three nights. This would provide us the chance to explore the Cassino area, the abbey, and nearby towns like Sant'Elia Fiumerapido and San Vittore del Lazio, which are connected to other branches of our family.

In summary

Although my family isn't ready to travel just yet, I’m excited to engage in a trip-planning project that holds significant meaning. We'll journey to Italy together as a family, meeting relatives we've only connected with through emails and letters. We’ll explore the village where my grandfather grew up and initiate the process of reconstructing his birth record, ensuring it is honored once more in his homeland. To me, this represents an amazing way to utilize points and miles.