Points Ecosystems: A 4-Person Portugal Field Test ✈️
Portugal is absolutely one of those bucket-list destinations! Sun-drenched cities, incredible food, and history around every corner. Even better? With some clever planning, it’s also an incredibly affordable one. Before we dive into what to eat and see in Lisbon and Porto, let's look at the most exciting part: free flights!
I often hear from clients who get stuck at the points-redemption stage. They have the points, they want to book, but they freeze up worrying they aren't getting the best deal or doing it "right."
I’m about to show you that there isn't one "right way." There are many different ways to get to the exact same destination using different combinations of points and miles, and all of them are wins! Hopefully, this case study takes some of the pressure off your next big booking.
The Ultimate Points Challenge
Recently, my family of four headed to Portugal for a much-needed getaway. But this wasn't a simple round-trip for four. Because of different schedules and starting points, we were traveling from four different cities on four different days to converge on Lisbon.
This logistical challenge turned into a perfect, real-life points-and-miles case study, demonstrating how powerful diverse redemptions can be. Here’s a look at the strategy for each traveler:
Traveler 1: The Multi-City Mixer
- LAX → MAD | Nonstop via Iberia Airlines | 18,000 Iberia Avios + $60 |
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- Seville (SVQ) → LIS | Positioning flight (booked via portal) | 8,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards (UR)
- ATH → CDG → LAX | Return via Air France/KLM (Flying Blue) | 20,000 Chase UR (transferred to Flying Blue) + $80
- Total Cost | | 46,000 points + $140 |
The takeaway here is using Avios for low-tax redemptions and then transferring Chase points to a partner (Flying Blue) for the long-haul return.
Traveler 2: The Direct & Diversify
- LAX → LIS | Direct via TAP Portugal (booked via portal) | 22,000 Chase UR
- OPO → AMS → SAN | Return via KLM (Flying Blue) | 20,000 Chase UR (transferred to Flying Blue) + $80
- Total Cost | | 42,000 points + $80 |
A great reminder that sometimes the easiest redemption is through a portal (Chase) for the outbound, while a partner transfer (Flying Blue) is best for the inbound.
Traveler 3: The Flying Blue Promo Fare Hunter
- SFO → CDG → LIS | Air France Promo Fare | 18,750 Chase UR (transferred to Flying Blue) + $120
- LIS → AMS → SFO | KLM Promo Fare | 18,750 Chase UR (transferred to Flying Blue) + $177 |
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- Total Cost | | 37,500 points + $297 |
This person shows the magic of Promo Fares. They saved the most points overall by being flexible with connections and leveraging a great monthly transfer bonus.
Traveler 4: The Avios Madrid Hub Master
- ORD → MAD | Iberia Avios Redemption | 20,750 Iberia Avios + $67
- LIS → MAD | Cheap cash positioning flight | $50
- MAD → ORD | Iberia Avios Redemption | 16,000 Iberia Avios + $36
- Total Cost | | 36,750 points + $153 |
The Avios sweet spot is real! By routing through Madrid, they used significantly fewer points for a transatlantic trip and spent only a little extra cash on the positioning flight.
The Grand Total & The Earning Strategy
To move four people from four different starting points across the Atlantic, we used:
Total Points and Miles Redeemed
Chase Ultimate Rewards: Approximately 107,500 points
Iberia Avios: 45,750 Avios
Total Cash Paid (Taxes/Fees/Cash Leg): ~$670
That’s four transatlantic flights and two positioning flights for minimal cash! 🤯
How We Earned the Points
Now for the second most-asked question: How do you have so many points?
Chase Points: My large stash came primarily from my Player 2 (P2) downgrading his Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card earlier this year and immediately reapplying to snag a huge 100,000-point welcome bonus. This is a classic, powerful strategy.
Iberia Avios: I earned 100,000 Iberia Avios a few years ago when Chase offered a whopping bonus on their co-branded Iberia Visa. I canceled the card after a year, but I kept the points alive by making a small, occasional purchase through the Iberia Shopping Portal—a simple trick to prevent expiration!
That's how it's done! Once you knock the big ticket item—the flights—out of the park for practically free, then you can relax and move on to redeeming for hotels, activities, and rental cars. If you aren't using points yet, focus on earning them for your next big trip. It’s absolutely worth the effort!
Right now, you can use the promo code "FREETRAVEL" to get $50 off the coaching program. I would love to help you make priceless family memories affordable.
*For every new client, we will donate 10% of the proceeds to one of our favorite charities.
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