Do you use airline/hotel miles and points?

[kev829]

Hi Everyone - I've been lurking for a while but finally joined on!

Have you used airline frequent flier miles or hotel points to get free travel & hotel stays at Disney? I started doing some research on being able to use points/miles from credit card signups and it looks like a great deal!

I didn't see many posts about this recently, is it something you do and if not what are the issues with it?

Thanks!

 

[sweetlovin']

Hi Everyone - I've been lurking for a while but finally joined on!

Have you used airline frequent flier miles or hotel points to get free travel & hotel stays at Disney? I started doing some research on being able to use points/miles from credit card signups and it looks like a great deal!

I didn't see many posts about this recently, is it something you do and if not what are the issues with it?

Thanks!

Ok, so the quick answer is that I do not use them for Disney. But I am a HUGE airline miles fan. In fact, I will book a Disney Cruise through United because they offer 8 miles per dollar. I can't help using the points for Disney World or Land though

 

[jedijill]

I use my SW Rapid Rewards for free flights to Disney and will use them for a free flight to Puerto Rico for the Disney cruise next fall. I don't use hotel points...I'm DVC so use those points to stay.

Jill in CO

 

[Brittmarie04]

I use my SW points to fly to disney. Got southwest visa with 50,000 bonus points. Found a great sale for flights on southwest and got 3 round trip flights for 36,000 points. Amazing deal. We will be flying to disney in January for free itch 14,000 points left over for another flight...

 

[drnp]

Ive used SPG points to stay at Swan/Dolphin before. Though you don't get to use ME, the location can't be beat for hotels around WDW that can be redeemed with points.
I know you can get WDW and DL tickets with HHonors points, but those look like really poor redemption ratios.

 

[beansmom]

we also use reward points but generally not for disney. over the last 5 years we have flown to London, Italy, and Hawaii twice with our citicard points. We got free hotel nights in Ireland with our CapitalOne cards. And we have $500 in free groceries from Mypoints.

We've also used our citicard points for a couple of trips to Texas and back over those same years.

My sister just got a citicard and she got a free ticket to Maui already and she doesn't charge alot.

 

[DizMe]

Love my SW card. I did the 50,000 pt signup promo and I get lots of points by using the card and the rewards shopping. Many of those points I use for flights to Disney, but I usually buy during a super fare sale to maximize the benefit. I also have a Marriott membership and take advantage of their bonuses to earn free nights. I just earned a free night by staying 2 nights in a Marriott property and am hoping to earn 1 more before the promotion ends.

I also use mypoints and cash those in sometimes for use at Disney. Those are generally in the form of gift cards and I have gotten Marriott, Starbucks & Rainforest to use at Disney, but right now I'm saving them to go towards an ipad.

I used ebates to buy my disney tickets for Dec. and ame getting a check back for $104 this week.

 

[bumbershoot]

In fact, I will book a Disney Cruise through United because they offer 8 miles per dollar.

I did NOT know that. Wow.



DH travels for work and gets to keep his airmiles and rewards from hotel stays. We book through one hotel booking site (hotels.com), instead of going with loyalty to one particular chain, because otherwise he would never earn anything, and/or we wouldn't know if the place we want to stay has the hotel he has nights in. With airlines, he tries hard to focus on two main groups to earn with; he tries to get miles for Alaska and United because those work the best for us. (though if only Virgin America had more ways to earn, he would focus on them...love flying them!)

We have DVC too, but he gets such long vacations (nice vacation policy and he gets extra days for working weeks on end with no breaks while traveling) and we get those flights with airmiles, so we are out of points. Therefore we have a few nights at POP then a few nights at ASMusic family suite on our upcoming trip; because we have flexibility because of using the booking site, I had been thinking of staying offsite instead, but ultimately decided not to. That decision coincided with Disney resorts FINALLY being loaded onto the booking site, LOL.


We do have one airline CC but I feel we got the wrong one. Should have gone with United because you get free bags with that, and you don't with Alaska. Oh well. On the other hand, Alaska has a great non-stop flight to and from Orlando, and that's absolutely lovely.

So that's what we do!

 

[kaseyC]

My DH travels a lot internationally for work and gets to keep his air and hotel mile/points he earns. We've used his United miles for Star Alliance flights to and from Europe the past 3 summers. We will be using them again this summer for flights to and from Europe, his Marriott and Hilton points for a few hotel stays. We are a family of 5 so it is quite the cost savings.

 

[JessM]

I use my SW air miles to book flights to Disney! Such a good deal.

I also have a AMEX card that lets me put statement credits towards any kind of travel. I used a statement credit to pay off my deposit for my next Disney trip

My Hilton Honors points I normally use for weekend getaways as opposed to Disney. I like to stay on site so the hotel points don't do much for me at Disney.

 

[sweetlovin']

I use my SW Rapid Rewards for free flights to Disney and will use them for a free flight to Puerto Rico for the Disney cruise next fall. I don't use hotel points...I'm DVC so use those points to stay.

Jill in CO

Are you on my Southern Cruise?

I just looked at our countdowns..you leave a few before me

 

[hsmamato2]

yes-always- it's how we are able travel on a slim budget,so far we've stuck to US destinations thanks to Southwest and the points and the companion pass.... but we haven't paid for airfare for our family for 3-4 years now and counting... that's a chunk of discount..... (trip every 6 months) I also use some other card/rewards at times. sometimes Amex for points for hotels (starwood,etc) or I used some Southwest points last year for 2 nights onsite at Universal (front of the line anyone?)
Have 2 upcoming trips planned.... free airfare and working on discounted hotels.....

 

[sweetlovin']

i just used 325,000 miles to fly United to Asia with a stop over in Europe. United offers you to pay cash instead.

I nearly fell over when they said, you can pay $65,000 cash or use 325,000 miles.

I booked Sept 2012 to go in June 2013, so I had economy miles. Right now, on United, I have 2 roundtrip tickets back to Asia with a stop over in Europe. I need a few more before I can book another trip like that. (65k miles to Asia, but a free stop in Europe)

Like wise in 2012, I flew to Fiji, Australia, and New Zealand. On that, I used American Airlines. I since have 2 roundtrip tickets back to either Australia or Africa. (75k miles per person to either continent, but the free stop over is only in the last USA or first USA city you leave or enter.)

I'll pay for little USA flights, but I refuse to pay $65,000 to fly to Asia!!!

 

[sweetlovin']

I did NOT know that. Wow.

You have to book with the United credit card, otherwise it is 4 miles. And they stop it at 30k no matter the cost. However, it isn't just a Disney cruise. It really can be any cruise, I've just only ever cruised Disney. A few times, I saw other cruise lines through United offering 35k miles for booking. I just really don't entertain those, at least not so far. I am wanting to do Antarctica, Disney does go there.

 

[jedijill]

Are you on my Southern Cruise?

I just looked at our countdowns..you leave a few before me

I'm on the 9/20 cruise.

Jill in CO