Here’s my plan for using my points to get to Norway. I’ve already shared my experiences with beginner credit card point travel, but now it’s time to take things up a notch. My ultimate goal is to accumulate 640,000 points, which I’ve seen is more than enough for people I follow to travel to places like Costa Rica and Hawaii without spending a dime on flights or hotels. But here’s the catch—Norway is a much more expensive destination, and I have a specific timeframe for when I want to go. With that in mind, I’m focused on using my points strategically to cut down on the overall cost of my trip, especially since Norway isn’t exactly a budget-friendly destination. Let’s dive into how I plan to make this work! From Points to a Love for Fjords: A Norway Adventure, enjoy!
Flights to Norway
I’ve been keeping a close eye on flights and testing out different options through Google Flights. Right now, I’m leaning towards flying KLM or Air Canada for the trip. My main goal is for all of us to fly business class at least one way, but finding four business class tickets together can be a challenge. I’m aiming to keep the points cost between 50,000–80,000 per person, which isn’t always easy to find. If you’re curious about how to make sure you’re getting the best points-to-dollar ratio, here’s a link to a points calculator that could help with your own travel planning.
If I decide to go with KLM, I’ll likely need to drive to a larger city to catch the flight, as there aren’t direct flights from my smaller airport. Some of the points experts I follow mention something called a “positioning flight,” where you fly out of a different airport to access better deals—but that can be a bit tricky when traveling from my area. Since I’ll be finishing my trip in Stavanger, Norway, I might need to take a short positioning flight from there to my final destination, which I’ve seen available for about $100 per person.
Flights Booked
I’ve booked my airfare to Copenhagen in business class that cost 300,000 points for four people. I managed to book business class for the return trip as well, that would bring the total to 605,000 points, which would use up all of my points. Given that I really dislike flying, I think it would be worth it. Alternatively, I could have booked economy flights for the return leg, which would cost between 20,000–40,000 points per person. That would save me up to 40,000 points, which I’d likely put toward another trip in the future.
To book the flights, I used Chase Sapphire, Chase Business Cash, and Chase Business Preferred (this is a link to the Chase Cards). In addition to the Venture card, which I like, you get 2x points on every purchase. I am really liking my Venture points for making Norway happen.
See an update on what I booked here. This is the third update on our vacation planning.
Hotel Accommodations
It would be great if I could use my points for a hotel stay in one of the cities on our itinerary. In Copenhagen, for example, I was hoping to stay at a Marriott, however they seemed to pricey and I wasn’t sure about the location of the more affordable one. If I were to get a Marriott card during their 5-night free stay promotion, I’d have to check if it could be applied to this location. For my Hyatt points, I’ve got an option in Bergen, but since we’re staying for three nights, I’d need two rooms at 27,000 points per night, which would add up quickly.
Hotel Booked in Chase Travel Portal
As for accommodations, we’ve now booked Airbnb for most of our trip. Mostly because it is slightly cheaper traveling with a family. However, I plan to use my Venture card points to cover a portion of the cost. We’ve also earned 100,000 Chase points since I first started planning, which I used to book two rooms for the last three nights at Thon Hotel through the Chase Travel Portal. While this isn’t always the “recommended” way to book, it aligns with my goal of traveling to Norway for less and making the most of my points. More updates to come as I finalize the details!
2 Hotel rooms for 3 nights Thon Hotel in Stavanger, Norway
| Cash | $1,039 | 83,012 | Points |
To book the accommodations, I used Chase Business Preferred (this is a link to the Chase Cards). In addition to the Venture card, which I like, you get 2x points on every purchase. Plus we just got the Venture X which has a high yearly fee but you get $300.00 travel credit when you book through there travel portal plus hotel lounge access. What I really like for this Norway trip is the ability to cover travel expenses. So let’s say you have an Airbnb for $750.00 and you have 75,000 Venture points you could cover that stay.
Conclusion
To wrap things up, my goal for this trip to Norway is clear: make the most of my points to reduce costs and travel in comfort without breaking the bank. While it’s been a bit of a balancing act—whether it’s finding the right flights, navigating positioning flights, or using my points in creative ways for accommodations—I’m feeling confident that I can get this trip to Norway on a budget. By using a combination of credit card points, careful flight choices, and strategic hotel bookings, I’m aiming to maximize every point I’ve earned. It’s not always the traditional way to book, but for me, it’s about being resourceful and flexible to make a dream trip a reality. I’ll continue to share updates as things come together, and I hope my journey can inspire others to do the same! Until then, here’s to traveling smarter, not harder. Thanks for reading, “From Points to a Love for Fjords: A Norway Adventure.”
More posts to come on making my dream trip to Norway a reality. (Getting the points, 9 months out what I’m planning), 6 months
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