Reader success story: How this couple explored 3 European countries using points and miles

Dianna and Michael Norton always dreamed of visiting the U.K. Dianna, an enthusiast of English history, was particularly interested in sites like the Tower of London and the Crown Jewels, while Michael had longed to see Stonehenge. However, Michael's leg swelling limited them to flights no longer than six hours, posing a significant challenge since most transatlantic flights exceed that.

Upon discovering TPG's articles about Icelandair's free stopover option, the Nortons saw a potential path to Europe. They successfully planned a two-week, three-country trip for July 2024, primarily utilizing points and miles. Here's how they made it happen.

A positioning flight utilizing Southwest points

Due to Michael's leg swelling, the Nortons realized that traveling to the U.K. from their Texas home would necessitate multiple layovers. They began by securing a positioning flight on Southwest from Austin to Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS), costing around 30,000 Rapid Rewards points round-trip per person. Although cheaper award seats were available, they opted to spend extra points to avoid an early morning departure. As dedicated Southwest travelers with both holding Southwest credit cards (the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card and Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card), they had accumulated a substantial number of Rapid Rewards points to use.

Dianna is also a loyal Marriott customer. She used 33,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a night at the Courtyard Boston Logan Airport. This hotel was ideal for their layover, featuring a complimentary airport shuttle and a restaurant where Dianna and Michael could indulge in local delights like clam chowder and lobster rolls.

The following morning, the Nortons utilized Dianna's The Platinum Card® from American Express to gain access to the Air France lounge in BOS, enjoying a delightful breakfast before their flight to Iceland. This allowed them to feel refreshed and ready for the journey ahead.

A 'golden' stopover in Iceland using Marriott points

The Nortons took advantage of Icelandair's stopover program, booking flights from Boston to London with a two-night layover in Reykjavik. With cash fares relatively affordable ($549 per person) and Dianna able to maximize her Amex Membership Rewards points on hotels in Europe, she opted to pay cash for the Icelandair tickets. Using her Amex Platinum card, she earned 5 Amex points for every dollar spent, which she could redeem for her next trip (5 points per dollar on the first $500,000 spent each calendar year, then 1 point per dollar for flights booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel).

For their first night in Iceland, Dianna discovered a great deal at the Reykjavík Edition, priced low enough for her to redeem the up-to-35,000-point annual Marriott free night certificate from her Marriott Bonvoy® American Express® Card. She booked their second night at the same hotel for 53,000 points and was upgraded to a more spacious room with stunning harbor views, thanks to her Marriott Gold status, which she obtained through her Amex Platinum (enrollment required).

The details for the Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card were independently gathered by Dinogo. The information on this page has not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Marriott Bonvoy American Express Card is no longer accepting new applications.

In total, Dianna redeemed 88,000 Bonvoy points for a stay that would have otherwise cost at least $1,500, yielding her over 1.7 cents per point—a value significantly higher than TPG's September 2024 valuations of 0.85 cents for Bonvoy points.

This stopover not only facilitated the Nortons' journey to Europe but also became a highlight of their trip. They spent their additional day in Iceland exploring the stunning waterfalls, geysers, and lava fields of Iceland's magnificent Golden Circle.

A lavish stay in London using Hilton points

Upon arriving at their dream destination, the Nortons wanted to linger long enough to visit iconic sites like Big Ben, Stonehenge, and the historic spa town of Bath. However, during peak tourist season, accommodations in London were pricey. Fortunately, they managed to book their entire stay using points, enjoying numerous perks along the way.

After discovering a lucrative welcome offer on TPG, Michael applied for the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card and quickly met the spending requirement of $3,000 within the first six months to earn an additional 165,000 bonus points in his Hilton Honors account. This was enough for him to secure five nights at the Waldorf Hilton London. He also benefited from the fifth night free deal, thanks to his Hilton Honors Gold status, which comes with the Surpass card. Michael's Gold status also granted the couple a room upgrade and complimentary daily breakfast, along with a $50 on-property Hilton statement credit for other hotel expenses.

A five-night stay at the Waldorf Hilton London in July would have cost the Nortons at least $2,500. Instead, they redeemed 340,000 Honors points, resulting in a value of 0.7 cents per point—not too shabby compared to TPG's September 2024 valuations, which estimate Hilton points at 0.6 cents each. And as Dianna noted, "Who doesn’t enjoy being greeted by a doorman in a top hat and tails each day?"

Utilizing Amex points to explore Ireland

The next destination on the Nortons' dream journey was Ireland. Again, with flights being affordable—they secured one-way tickets from London to Dublin for $100 per person—Dianna opted to pay for the flights in cash using her Amex Platinum and instead allocated her points towards complimentary hotel stays.

Dianna recently took advantage of a 100,000-point offer to upgrade to the Amex Platinum from her American Express® Gold Card. She applied those points towards a 200,000-point redemption for a five-night stay at the Conrad Dublin through Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts, which included one complimentary night. Additionally, she received a $200 statement credit, one of the perks associated with the Amex Platinum, along with several elite benefits through Amex Fine Hotels.

"At first glance, the Amex Travel portal offers 1 cent per point," Dianna explained. "However, when you include the $200 statement credit, the free night, the $100 experience credit, room service, other hotel services, complimentary breakfast, and the room upgrade, you're getting significantly more value." The Nortons found the experience credit particularly helpful for late-night dinners when they were too exhausted to venture out again.

Thanks to all the perks and discounts, along with the hotel's exceptional service, Dianna considers this one of her best redemptions. The concierge assisted them in booking restaurants, wrapping and shipping their souvenir purchases, and even arranging a specialized private tour of the Irish countryside that allowed Michael to rest and elevate his leg.

Following their time in Dublin, the Nortons had just enough points remaining to make a stop in Iceland and Boston on their return trip. They redeemed 43,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for a night at the Courtyard Reykjavik Keflavik Airport, where they also enjoyed the Blue Lagoon, and used 33,000 Amex points for another night at the Courtyard Boston Logan Airport.

What's next in these readers' journey of points and miles

The Nortons are setting their sights on Portugal and Spain for their next major adventure. They’re hoping to snag a business-class deal with American Airlines (the lie-flat seats would make a long-haul flight feasible for Michael) or fly to Lisbon from Philadelphia, a manageable six-hour journey.

While on this trip, the Nortons were already planning their next getaway. They booked all their Viator tours through the American Airlines shopping portal, which was offering 7 AAdvantage miles per dollar on Viator purchases at the time—earning them over 10,000 miles, plus additional miles from the credit card used for payment (Michael's Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard®). They also accumulated 5 transferable Amex points per dollar by paying for their flights with the Amex Platinum (on the first $500,000 spent each year, then 1 point per dollar). Additionally, they earned about 47,000 Hilton Honors points for their Dublin stay, despite booking it with Amex points.

With the rewards they’ve accumulated and the experience they’ve gained from strategically using their points, the Nortons are well on their way to planning another vacation funded by points and miles.

The information regarding the Citi / AAdvantage Platinum Select World Elite Mastercard has been independently gathered by Dinogo. The details provided on this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the card issuer.

Final thoughts

At TPG, we believe that travel should be accessible to everyone—yet medical challenges and other obstacles can sometimes hinder those plans. This story illustrates that with a bit of thoughtful planning, you can secure the dream vacation that suits your family. By understanding stopovers, the Nortons were able to make this journey possible, and their points and miles enabled them to book luxury accommodations and enjoy valuable perks that made their trip truly memorable.