Tips for Using Credit Card Point to Create a Luxury Experience in Italy
Dreaming of a trip to Europe without the massive price tag? In this episode of This Travel Tribe Podcast, Nikki Packer shared how she used credit card points to plan a family trip to Italy and Switzerland filled with luxury stays, incredible destinations, and unforgettable experiences. All while saving thousands of dollars!
This week’s episode is sponsored by Naked Nutrition. Staying healthy is key to fueling my travels, and Naked Nutrition helps me reach my wellness goals so I can keep exploring the world feeling my best. One of the things I love most about their products is the taste—especially their Naked Collagen, which I add to my morning protein shake. (I love the chocolate flavor!) Every product is made without artificial sweeteners, additives, or colors, which makes me feel good about what I’m putting in my body.
Now, here are the show notes!
Nikki shared all her best tips for booking flights, hotels, rental cars, and more—so you can plan your own dream vacation without draining your bank account.
Getting Started with Points and Miles
Nikki began by opening a few business and personal credit cards to take advantage of the sign-up bonuses that often offer tens of thousands of points after meeting a minimum spend. She stressed that it’s not about spending huge amounts each year—it’s about strategically earning points, staying organized, and paying off balances in full so travel stays affordable.
Nikki’s Top Tips for Using Points
Stay organized. Track annual fees, due dates, and sign-up bonuses.
Always pay in full. Carrying a balance cancels out the savings.
Book early and watch for transfer bonuses. Your points go further with promos.
Mix it up. Use points for flights and hotels, but don’t stress if you need to pay cash for smaller expenses.
Booking Flights for a Fraction of the Cost
For her Italy and Switzerland trip, Nikki used American Express points transferred to KLM and Air France.
Why transfer instead of booking directly through the credit card portal? Simple: better value.
Booked directly: 50,000 points per person round-trip
Transferred during a 25% bonus promo: 30,000 points per person round-trip
That’s essentially a $300 round-trip flight to Europe!
Nikki recommends starting your flight search on sites like point.me or Award Hacker to compare point redemptions across airlines, then booking directly on the airline’s site for accuracy.
Rental Cars vs. Trains
Europe is famous for its trains, but Nikki’s family rented a car for most of the trip.
Pros of a rental car:
Freedom to explore off-the-beaten-path places
Ability to change your itinerary last-minute
Perfect for families or groups
Cons:
Driving in Rome was chaotic
Parking in Florence was tricky
Gas prices are high
Her advice: Use points for flights and hotels first. Pay cash (or use annual travel credits) for rental cars because point redemptions usually aren’t as good.
Italy Highlights
Rome: Stayed near the city center and used public transportation to reach major sites.
Tuscany: Fell in love with the peaceful countryside, scenic drives, and small villages.
Cinque Terre: Spent two nights in Riomaggiore to enjoy the villages after day-trip crowds left. Next time, Nikki would choose Monterosso al Mare for its beaches and open spaces.
Lake Como: Explored the towns, rented paddle boards, and visited a small island with historic ruins.
The family even skipped parts of Florence because they loved Tuscany so much they extended their stay there instead.
Switzerland Highlights
Lucerne: Took the Golden Round Trip to Mount Pilatus, which included a boat ride, cogwheel train, cable car, and the option to do an Alpine slide on the way down.
Chapel Bridge & Lake Lucerne: Enjoyed lakeside strolls, historic bridges, and scenic views.
Lauterbrunnen Valley: Explored villages like Mürren and Wengen, known for their waterfalls and mountain views.
Grindelwald: Rode a cable car for the Cliff Walk experience and visited Trümmelbach Falls inside the mountain.
Each destination offered stunning scenery, authentic food, and family-friendly activities that made the trip feel like a storybook adventure.
Follow Nikki for More Tips
Want to learn more about traveling on points? Nikki shares her strategies on Instagram at @packinpoints. Feel free to DM her with any questions about how to use your points to plan your trip!
Nikki also offers travel planning packages!