Jeannae sent in her reader success story to Madrid.  You’ll enjoy seeing how she and her family made the most of credit card points and miles for a Thanksgiving dream trip!

 

How We Took Our Dream Trip to Spain for Thanksgiving—Using Points & Miles (and a Little Magic)

Thanksgiving 2024 will forever be etched in my memory as the time my family took an unforgettable trip to Spain. Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Spain? For Thanksgiving? Isn’t that . . . expensive?” But here’s the secret: it was WAY more affordable than you might think. In fact, it was almost free—thanks to points and miles. So, grab a churro and settle in, because I’m about to tell you how we turned miles into memories.

 

 

 

The Flight: How We Flew to Spain for Less 

Our journey began with the flights. We flew direct from Miami to Madrid on Iberia (yes, direct—so we didn’t have to deal with layovers or the stress of missing connecting flights). We used Avios points to book round-trip economy for our family of four, which we transferred from both Chase and American Express. Total cost? 111,000 Avios for 4 people each way + a bit of taxes and fees—$393.20 outbound, $492 for the return. We had enough points for flights because my husband and I both signed up for the card_name.

The regular cash price for those tickets? Over $5,000. Five thousand dollars! So we saved a ridiculous amount of money by using miles.

And if you think that was the only perk of using points—think again. Thanks to our card_name, we had Priority Pass Lounge access, which meant free food and drinks at the Miami airport before our flight, and again in the Madrid airport’s Neptuno Lounge on the way back. Lounge life = luxury on a budget.

 

When it came to hotels, we didn’t want to just stay in Madrid—we wanted to experience it. So we booked a two-bedroom suite at the Hyatt Regency Madrid Hesperia using 30,000 points per night. This wasn’t just any room, though—it came with Club Lounge access because we used a Guest of Honor award. That means we had snacks, drinks, and meals available throughout the day without having to leave the hotel. Is this real life?

 

 

You don’t have to spend a fortune to fall in love with Madrid. One of the best experiences we had was a free walking tour with Sandemans. The only cost? A tip for the guide. It was an incredible way to get an insider’s view of the city, and let me tell you, we learned a lot (like where to find the best churros in the city—more on that later).

And speaking of churros, we had no shortage of delicious food while in Madrid. We ate our weight in tapas (some things are worth splurging on), and every meal was an adventure. Did I mention we had churros with hot chocolate at the Christmas market? Oh yes, we did.

 

 

Road Trip! Renting a Car for Less Than Dinner at a Fancy Restaurant

After a few days soaking up Madrid, we rented a car for 3 days for just $200 (thanks, Costco Travel!) and hit the road to the Grand Hyatt La Manga, a stunning resort about 3.5 hours south. The drive itself was jaw-dropping, and having a car gave us the freedom to explore on our own terms.

 

Grand Hyatt La Manga: Where We Lived the Resort Dream

Now, let me tell you about our stay at the Grand Hyatt La Manga. We had originally booked a club-access room for 48,000 points per night (with a pullout couch for the kids—parents, you know the struggle). But after using that trusty email template from the Travel Mom Squad, we were upgraded to two connecting rooms—which was absolutely perfect for our family.

The cherry on top? The hotel gifted us a free dinner, which would have set us back over $280 if we’d paid out of pocket. The club lounge at La Manga was next-level, with delicious buffets for breakfast and tapas in the afternoon. We ate like royalty—without the royal price tag.

 

 

Day Trip to Cartagena: Roman Ruins & Coastal Charm

One day, we ventured out to Cartagena, a charming coastal city with ancient Roman ruins, including a jaw-dropping Roman amphitheater. It was one of those days when the kids were amazed by history, we were all amazed by the views, and we definitely didn’t mind the Mediterranean sunshine.

 

 

The Grand Finale: Madrid’s Christmas Lights

And then, the grand finale. On our last night in Madrid, we got to witness something truly magical: the first night of the Christmas lights. Madrid turns on its lights with fireworks, and the entire city sparkles—literally. It was the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. We also visited our first European Christmas market, where we had more churros (is there such a thing as too many churros?) and hot chocolate. Pure bliss. [I see a theme in this reader success story to Madrid: churros! –Pam]

 

 

The Bottom Line: Points & Miles = Travel Dreams Come True

Reflecting on our amazing trip to Spain, it’s hard to believe we pulled it off for so little. We have earned over 1.5 million points in just 18 months (thanks to savvy credit card sign-ups, strategic spending, and transfers), making all of this possible. And honestly, it’s not just about the points—it’s about the freedom the points give you to travel more, explore more, and experience more.

A huge thank you to the Travel Mom Squad for inspiring me to leap into the world of points and miles. If you’re dreaming of your next adventure (and want to save a boatload of money), I can’t recommend this method enough. With a little strategy, you can travel the world—without breaking the bank.

So go ahead and start collecting those points. Spain (and beyond) is waiting for you!

Thanks, Jeannae, for your amazing reader success story to Madrid and beyond.