Have Points, Will Keep Adding Trips

We’ve preached before about NOT hoarding miles and points. If you don’t spend them, they’re worth nothing. Plus, hotels and airlines regularly increase the cost of award travel, so your points are worth less over time.

Well, I’ve never had a problem with hoarding miles and points. In fact, I’m the opposite of a points hoarder. Whenever I have extra miles, I like to spend them! My favorite thing to do in my leisure time is to look at award availability and dream about future trips. I’m guessing that I’m not alone in that habit. Most of the time I’m just dreaming, but sometimes I’ll indulge myself and spend those miles and points on an “extra” last-minute trip.

Adding a Summer Trip with Miles

I already have two trips planned this summer: Japan/China and Lake Louise, Canada. I’m really looking forward to both! But, my summer schedule is wide open from mid-July through mid-August. My daughter is too young to get a job and is always up for another adventure. And, I have some “extra” Lufthansa miles that are burning a hole in my pocket (I used the bulk of my Lufthansa stash to book flights home from Hong Kong last fall). While Lufthansa international award flights carry hefty taxes and surcharges, using Lufthansa miles to book flights on United have much lower taxes.

So, I started browsing award flights on Lufthansa’s site, and a few destinations caught my eye:

• DFW to Panama City, Panama (the country, not Florida) for 17,000 miles each way and minimal taxes
• DFW to Montreal, Canada for 17,000 miles each way and minimal taxes

Two very good options! Panama has been on my wish list for a while now. I’d love to sail through the Panama Canal. I traveled to Montreal when I was in my 20s for a work trip, but it wad freezing cold during winter and I didn’t get to see much. I have just enough Lufthansa miles to book 2 round-trip tickets to either of these destinations.

While I was in dream mode, I decided to see what bargains I could find for 7500 Alaska Airlines miles (1400 distance miles or less). Since I was recently approved for the Hawaiian Airlines Business Card, I have 50k more Alaska Airlines miles coming my way. I was surprised to find a lot of summer award availability from DFW for 7500 miles, including:

• DFW to San Diego
• DFW to NYC-area airports
• DFW to Harrisburg, PA
• DFW to Leon, Mexico (San Miguel de Allende)
• DFW to Mexico City

So many choices!

Picking the Right Trip

I talked to my daughter about adding one more trip toward the end of summer break, and she was all in. We discussed these destinations and she said she was up for anything!

In the end, I chose flights on American Airlines with Alaska miles for 7500 each way to Harrisburg, PA. The airport is about 20 minutes away from Hershey PA, and the flight is nonstop. Yes, a town dedicated to chocolate! I went to Hershey when I was a young kid, and I have fond memories. I know my daughter will love it.

We plan to visit HersheyPark (amusement park), ZooAmerica, Hershey’s Chocolate World, Hershey Gardens, The Hershey Story Museum, and maybe Indian Echo Caverns if we have time. Tickets to HersheyPark are WAY less than Disney.

I booked a few nights at Hershey Lodge, which I can offset with Capital One miles (see this post for how you can get Capital One miles with this elevated offer on Capital One Venture Rewards card).

I can’t guarantee that I won’t add another trip later in the year. You only live once, right? Have you been to Hershey, PA?