How I Would Book Two Weeks in Europe on Points in 2026

Updated April 2026 | 4 min read

The Strategy That Makes Europe Affordable

We have used credit card points to cover flights and hotels on most of our international trips. Not in a churning-obsessive, spreadsheet-every-transaction way — more in a put-everything-on-the-right-card-and-let-it-accumulate way. For the full breakdown of our card setup, see our credit card points strategy post.

This post is different. This is the specific itinerary I would build if I had two weeks, a stash of Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy points, and wanted to hit three European cities without paying cash for flights or hotels.

The Flights: Transfer to Partners, Not the Chase Portal

The Chase travel portal values points at 1.25-1.5 cents each (depending on your card). Transfer partners can get you 2-4 cents per point on the right redemption. The difference on a round-trip business class ticket to Europe is often 30,000-50,000 points.

My first-choice transfer partners for Europe:

• Air France / KLM Flying Blue — Transfer from Chase UR or Amex MR at 1:1. Business class to Paris or Amsterdam regularly prices at 55,000-72,000 points one-way. Flying Blue runs monthly promo awards that can drop this to 40,000-50,000.
• Virgin Atlantic — Transfer from Chase at 1:1. The sweet spot: book ANA business class to Tokyo at 120,000 points round-trip, or Air France business to Paris at similar rates. Virgin Atlantic’s own flights to London from JFK, EWR, or BOS can price as low as 30,000 points one-way in economy.
• British Airways Avios — Transfer from Chase at 1:1. Best for short European hops once you are there. London to Barcelona or Rome for 10,000-13,000 Avios in economy.
• United MileagePlus — Transfer from Chase at 1:1. Saver awards on Star Alliance partners (Lufthansa, Swiss, Turkish) occasionally show up at 60,000 miles one-way in business to Europe.

The move: search Google Flights to find routes and dates with availability, then check the airline’s loyalty program for award space on those exact flights. Not every flight that shows cash availability has award seats.

The Hotels: Marriott Points Go Further Than You Think

Marriott Bonvoy is our default hotel program because the card earns quickly on dining and travel, and the Category 1-4 hotels in Europe are absurdly good value. Here is what I would book:

Paris (4 nights): Moxy Paris Charles de Gaulle or AC Hotel Paris Porte Maillot — 25,000-35,000 points per night. Both are modern, clean, and in areas with direct metro access to central Paris. For cash, these rooms run 180-250 euros per night during peak season.

Barcelona (4 nights): AC Hotel Barcelona Forum — 25,000-30,000 points per night. Near the beach, 20-minute metro to Las Ramblas. Cash rate: 150-200 euros.

Rome (4 nights): Courtyard by Marriott Rome Central Park or Moxy Rome — 30,000-40,000 points per night. Both within walking distance of Termini station. Cash rate: 200-300 euros.

Total hotel cost for 12 nights: roughly 360,000-420,000 Marriott points. At 1 cent per point (a reasonable floor valuation), that is $3,600-4,200 worth of hotels for free.

The fifth-night-free benefit on Marriott stays of five or more consecutive nights makes longer stays even better. Book five nights in Paris and you only pay for four — saving 25,000-35,000 points.

The Itinerary

Days 1-4: Paris

Fly business class JFK to CDG on Air France using 55,000-72,000 Flying Blue miles. For what to do in Paris, see our Paris in 4 days guide.

Days 5-8: Barcelona

Fly Paris to Barcelona on British Airways or Vueling for 10,000-13,000 Avios or about 50-80 euros cash if points are tight. For our Barcelona experience including the Spanish GP, see our Barcelona and Costa Brava post.

Days 9-12: Rome

Fly Barcelona to Rome on Vueling or Ryanair (usually under 50 euros, not worth burning points). For our Rome itinerary, see our Rome in 4 days guide. Add a day trip to the Amalfi Coast from our Capri and Amalfi post.

Day 13-14: Travel Home

Fly Rome to JFK on United using 30,000-45,000 miles in economy or 60,000-80,000 in business. Or splurge and fly ITA Airways business class through a partner booking.

The Total Points Cost

• Flights: 85,000-130,000 points (outbound business + intra-Europe + return)
• Hotels: 360,000-420,000 Marriott points (12 nights across three cities)
• Cash out of pocket: Food, trains, museums, experiences — roughly $1,500-2,500 for two people over two weeks

Compare that to paying cash for the same trip: business class flights alone would run $4,000-8,000 per person, and hotels another $3,000-4,000. Points turn a $12,000 trip into a $2,000 one.

Tips That Actually Matter

• Book 330 days out for hotels, 300+ days for flights. Award availability is best the moment it opens.
• Check for transfer bonuses. Chase and Amex periodically run 20-40% transfer bonuses to specific airlines. A 30% bonus to Flying Blue turns a 72,000-point business class ticket into a 55,000-point one from your Chase balance.
• Use the fifth-night-free benefit. On Marriott stays of 5+ nights, you get the fifth night free. This is automatic and stacks with points rates.
• Do not hoard points. Points devalue over time. Airlines and hotels raise redemption rates regularly. If you have enough for a trip, book it.

Book activities in advance through Viator to lock in skip-the-line tickets at places like the Vatican, Uffizi, and Sagrada Familia — these sell out weeks ahead in peak season. A travel adapter with USB-C ports covers all of Europe from one plug.

For getting around Europe cheaply once you are there, Skyscanner finds the best intra-Europe flight deals. An Airalo eSIM keeps your phone connected across all three countries without roaming fees. And a portable charger is essential when you are navigating unfamiliar cities all day.

Keep Reading

• Is a Eurail Pass Worth It for Central Europe?

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