How Premium Credit Card Benefits Saved Us Thousands on a Washington, D.C. Family Vacation
Our family at the U.S. Capitol during our spring break trip to Washington, D.C.
My family of four recently got back from a five-night spring break trip to Washington, D.C., and I wanted to share how we made a semi-luxury vacation happen for far less than the sticker price by stacking points, miles, travel credits, and what I like to call credit card “coupons.”
This trip was not about one amazing redemption. It was about layering several benefits together: airline credits, Alaska Atmos Rewards miles, Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits, Chase Edit hotel credits, a Chase Travel credit, complimentary breakfast, property credits, and a few well-timed promotions.
Trip at a Glance
Why Washington, D.C.?
I chose Washington, D.C. because I wanted somewhere relatively inexpensive, close to Indianapolis, and easy to reach with direct flight options. I also wanted a trip that would not require a ton of advanced planning because I had a little trip-planning fatigue from bigger vacations.
D.C. checked a lot of boxes for our family. The public museums and many attractions are free, public transportation is readily available, and my kids are at great ages to start learning more about our country and our nation’s capital. I also wanted an NHL city that would interest my husband and son, and good food options were a must for all of us.
One of the best parts of Washington, D.C. is that many of the city’s most memorable attractions are free.
Flight Strategy: Airline Credits Plus Miles
For the flight home from D.C., I used two Citi Strata Elite cards. Each card had a $200 Splurge Credit that could be used on American Airlines purchases. I booked two family members on one card and two on the other, which let me use both credits.
Return Flight Approximate Cost Breakdown
- Cash price for four one-way tickets: about $653
- Citi Strata Elite credits used: $400 total
- Final out-of-pocket cost: about $253 for four people
For the way there, I originally booked American Airlines flights using AA miles, but the schedule kept shifting earlier. My family does much better flying later than waking up extremely early, so I kept looking.
I eventually found a Friday night flight on American Airlines that I could book through Alaska Atmos Rewards for only 4,500 Alaska Atmos Rewards miles per person. Because I have American Airlines Platinum status, I was able to add my American frequent flyer number to the Alaska-booked reservation and still select Main Cabin Extra seats at booking.
The Hotel Strategy: Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Edit
The biggest savings came from the hotel portion of the trip. My husband had signed up for the Chase Sapphire Reserve during a promotional period when the welcome offer included Chase Ultimate Rewards points plus a $500 Chase Travel credit. The card also had Chase Edit hotel credits that I wanted to put to work.
When we travel as a family for more than a couple of nights, I really like having two rooms. Everyone sleeps better, the kids have actual beds, and the whole trip feels less stressful. After looking through the Chase Travel Portal, I chose the Dupont Circle Hotel because it was listed in Chase Edit, had a strong location near the Metro, and was less expensive than some of the other luxury options in Washington, D.C.
How the Hotel Math Worked
For the first room, the four-night total was about $1,398. By combining Chase Edit credits and Chase points redeemed through Points Boost, I brought the out-of-pocket cost for that room down to $97.58 for four nights.
For the second room, I combined another Chase Edit credit, the $500 Chase Travel credit from the welcome offer, and a Chase Travel Portal promotion. That brought the second room down to $548.37 for four nights.
Approximate Four-Night Hotel Total for Two Rooms
- Room 1 out-of-pocket cost: $97.58
- Room 2 out-of-pocket cost: $548.37
- Additional tips/charges: about $30
- Total out of pocket: about $675.95 for two rooms at a five-star hotel for four nights
Why Premium Hotel Benefits Matter
One of the biggest values of booking through Chase Edit was not just the room credits. It was the included breakfast and property credits. Since we had two rooms and four people, breakfast was covered for the whole family.
Breakfast at the Dupont Circle Hotel was included through our Chase Edit booking, which helped reduce daily out-of-pocket costs.
We also received property credits that could be used for things like the bar, room service, or breakfast overages. We used part of those credits for cocktails and room service, and our final hotel checkout charges were minimal.
Dupont Circle Hotel Review
Overall, I thought the Dupont Circle Hotel was a great option for using Chase Edit benefits in Washington, D.C. The location worked really well for us. It is not right next to the monuments or museums, but the Metro station is close, and Dupont Circle has a more residential, local feel.
The rooms were clean, comfortable, and modern. The beds were great, and the breakfast restaurant was beautiful. The service was good, though not overly warm, and the public spaces could feel a little crowded at times. Still, given the credits and benefits, I would absolutely consider it a strong value through Chase Edit.
Activities: Museums, Monuments, Hockey, and Baseball
One of the reasons D.C. worked so well is that the trip was not built around expensive attractions. Many of the museums and monuments were free, which helped balance the cost of sports tickets and dining.
For the Washington Capitals game, I used the Chase Sapphire Reserve StubHub credit. The card had a $150 biannual StubHub credit, and I was able to use that to cut $150 off the cost of our NHL tickets. I did still spend some cash for the game, but using that credit made a noticeable difference and helped make the activity feel much more reasonable for a family of four.
A Capitals game was one of the reasons Washington, D.C. made sense for this spring break trip.
We also worked in a Washington Capitals game, which was a major part of the destination choice for my husband and son. Later in the trip, we also attended a Nationals game, which gave us another fun family activity beyond the museums and monuments.
The Nationals game was another fun points-and-miles win. Through Capital One’s Major League Baseball ticket partnership, I found seats for the St. Louis Cardinals versus Washington Nationals game for only 5,000 Capital One miles per ticket. For four tickets, that came to 20,000 Capital One miles total. The seats were excellent — third row along the third baseline in the visitor section — and similar nearby seats were selling for more than $200 each in cash.
Beyond museums and monuments, Washington, D.C. offered plenty of family-friendly entertainment.
What This Trip Taught Me
The biggest lesson from this trip is that premium card benefits can be very valuable when you build a trip around benefits you already have. This does not mean everyone should run out and get a premium card with a high annual fee. It does mean that if you already have one, you should understand the credits and think strategically about how to use them.
For this trip, the savings came from stacking Citi Strata Elite American Airlines credits, Alaska Atmos Rewards miles, American Airlines elite benefits, Chase Sapphire Reserve travel credits, the Chase Sapphire Reserve StubHub credit, Chase Edit hotel credits, Chase Points Boost, complimentary breakfast, hotel property credits, and Capital One miles for MLB tickets.
Listen to the Full Episode
I go into more detail in Episode 37 of High On Points, including the exact booking decisions, hotel review, and why this trip was a great example of using credit card “coupons” intentionally.