Introduction:
Planning an international trip for a family of four can be quite a daunting task, especially when you’re on a budget. But with a little research, some strategic credit card points redemption, and a dash of flexibility, it’s possible to make your dream vacation a reality without breaking the bank. In this blog post, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of how I booked flights for four from Oakland to Seattle to Tokyo to Seoul to Taipei and back to San Francisco for just $200 and 378,692 Chase Ultimate Reward points. Here step-by-step on how WE were able to find and book these flights. Keep in mind that fares, the cost of rewards points, and out-of-pocket expenses can fluctuate significantly based on the dates of travel, travel destination, and the timing of your booking.
Step 1: Deciding where to go
Our journey began with our return visit to Japan Disney (Disneyland and DisneySea), Seoul in South Korea, and Taipei in Taiwan. We knew we wanted to explore all three countries, so we needed to find the most cost-effective way to get there.
Step 2: Leveraging Google Flights
We turned to Google Flights to find the best dates and routes for our trip. We experimented with various combinations of the three countries and noted the cheapest route, ensuring we were flexible with our travel dates.
Step 3: Explore existing reward points membership deals
Discovering the Chase Ultimate Reward Transfer deal during our research, we stumbled upon a fantastic opportunity – the Chase Ultimate Reward transfer deal to Virgin Atlantic. This deal offered a 30% bonus on Virgin Atlantic points when transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards. Confirming Virgin Atlantic’s Route Before diving into the transfer, we double-checked if Virgin Atlantic flew to Japan. Unfortunately, they only had flights from Seattle, but this turned out to be an advantage for us since Seattle is short flight from San Francisco Bay Area.
Step 4: Booking our one-way flight to Japan from Seattle
Booking the Flight to Japan, we found the best deal: a one-way flight from Seattle to Tokyo (HND) for 110,000 Virgin Atlantic points which equals to 85,000 Chase Ultimate Reward points, plus a minimal fee of $22.40 ($5.60 per person). Even though the flight was reserved with Virgin Atlantic, flight would be operated by Delta. This deal was only available through Virgin Atlantic Reward site, which meant you can only reserve this flight with reward points.
Step 5: Getting to Seattle from SF Bay Area
Securing Flights to Seattle from the Bay Area, we opted for Southwest Airlines, which offered plenty of direct flights at an affordable price. We snagged four one-way tickets from Oakland to Seattle for just $177.76 ($44.44 per person), bringing our total cost to $200.16. We made sure to take land at Seattle at least 3 hours prior to our Delta flight departure time. This will allow us to exit the terminal, retrieve our bags, and re-enter the terminal without missing our flight. Quick tip: Seattle domestic terminal and international terminal share the same departure entry security point. All you have to do is pass through security check and take the shuttle train to terminal S.
Step 6: Booking Intra-Asia Flights
Our next task was to find flights within Asia. Using our Chase Ultimate Reward Travel site, we discovered the perfect itinerary from HND to GMP (Seoul) and ICN (Incheon) to TPE (Taipei) with Asiana Airlines. Thanks to our Chase Reserve credit card, we enjoyed a 1.5x points boost, making it cost us 98,292 points.
Step 7: Planning the Return Journey
Our final step was to secure the return flight from Taipei to San Francisco. We opted for EvaAir, a familiar airline, and chose a later departure date and time. This flight cost us 195,400 points for four direct one-way flights from TPE to SFO.
Conclusion:
In the end, our meticulous planning, leveraging credit card rewards, and flexibility allowed us to enjoy an incredible journey across three countries for just $200 and 378,692 Chase Ultimate Reward points. With careful research and a bit of creativity, you too can turn your travel dreams into reality without breaking the bank. Happy travels!
