This Chase card helped me save thousands on a trip to Paris

I almost close the browser tab.

Not because I didn’t want to go to Paris, but because I had just priced flights for two adults and a baby during Roland-Garros (the French Open), and the total was approaching $7,000, in economy class.

Planning my son’s first international trip across the pond didn’t seem like a budget-friendly getaway. Fortunately, I had other tools at my disposal to reduce the cost.

I recently added the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) to my wallet, thanks in part to your Highest public welcome offer to date: Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Reviewing the flights, hotel, and card benefits I used for the trip, I realized that the card’s full welcome bonus and statement credits were enough to cover almost any vacation, from peak-season flights to a luxury hotel stay in Paris. In total, I saved over $8,000.

Here’s how.

Why this 150,000 point offer caught my attention

Historically I have worn the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card (see rates and fees) and I never felt particularly compelled to update.

However, after Chase updated his Sapphire Eligibility RulesI became eligible for Sapphire Reserve just in time to get the card’s best public welcome bonus.

150,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points are worth $3,075 according to our June 2026 report ratings. But I knew I could expand it even further thanks to the magic of transfer partners.

Related: Who are Chase Ultimate Rewards airline and hotel partners?

How I Reduced Almost $7,000 in Airfare to Less Than $1,000

We had a short period of time to work. My husband only had a few days off and his brother was already planning to be in Europe around the same time, giving us a rare opportunity to overlap our trips.

The challenge? Our dates coincided with Roland-Garros, so plane tickets were already high.

When I started pricing cash prices for flights from Miami to Paris for two adults and a baby, I experienced a bit of shock.

Fortunately, Pursue ultimate rewards points transferred to 10 airline partners in a 1:1 ratio, which gives me some options for treat space.

After spending some time in Seats.aeroI found round-trip flights from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) that fit our schedule.

My itinerary would have cost $6,968 if I had booked it with cash.

Instead, I paid $974.18 in taxes and fees.

Miami to Paris on Air France

For the outbound flight, I booked flights operated by Air France through Flying Blue.

The cost of the itinerary:

• 51,000 Flying Blue Miles for two adults in Economy Comfort
• $278.60 in taxes and fees
• $78 for my lap baby

Because Chase was offering 20% transfer bonus to Flying Blue at the time, you only needed to transfer 43,000 Ultimate Rewards points. The transfer bonus provided the remaining 8,600 miles.

The same itinerary would have cost 105,000 miles through Delta Sky Milesdoing Flying Blue (and having transferable rewards) the clear winner.

The cash price for these flights was $3,145, so I redeemed my points worth 5.5 cents.

Paris to Miami on Air France, booked through Virgin Atlantic

The return flight turned out to be an even better deal.

Instead of booking directly through Flying Blue, I booked flights operated by Air France through Virgin Atlantic Flight Club.

The rescue cost:

• 24,000 Virgin Atlantic points for two adults in Economy Comfort
• 1,000 Virgin Atlantic points for a baby on your lap
• $617.58 in taxes and fees

If I had booked the exact same flights through Flying Blue, the price would have been 113,000 miles (thanks, Seats.aero!).

In other words, booking the exact same Air France flight through a different partner saved me approximately 88,000 points. That’s the kind of difference that can make or break a redemption, and one of the reasons I never transfer points until I’ve checked out several programs.

Related: Same flight, half as many miles: Making this award booking mistake could cost you

The cash price for these flights was $3,823.29, so I redeemed my points for a whopping 12.8 cents.

When I booked my round trip, I had spent:

• 68,000 total Chase points
• $974.18 in taxes and fees (and the baby)

Otherwise, these flights would have cost almost $7,000.

My first stay in a luxury hotel with The Edit

I’m a budget travel team about 95% of the time.

But every once in a while, the numbers line up in a way that makes it hard to pass up on a luxury. And for Paris, math was definitely math.

Using Boost Points and Statement Credits

Through Chase Travel℠I found the Kimpton St Honoré Paris, which was part of both The edition and IHG One Rewardsmaking you eligible for three different statement credits in the Chase Sapphire Reserve

*Eligible on prepaid reservations through Chase Travel of two nights or more

In addition, this property also has Point increase.

Here’s how the math broke down:

Not bad for a luxury hotel in Paris during one of the city’s busiest weeks.

Related: Updated Sapphire Reserve Hotel Benefits Live: New $250 Credit and More Flexible The Edit Credits

The hotel benefits added even more value.

Booking through The Edit also unlocks several additional benefits, including:

• Daily breakfast for two
• Up to $100 property credit
• Free Wi-Fi
• Possible room upgrade
• Early check-in and late check-out when available

Breakfast alone turned out to be one of my favorite benefits.

The variety included pastries, breads, cut and cooked meats, eggs made to order, and unlimited specialty coffees and hot chocolate. If we had paid out of pocket, breakfast would have cost us 84 euros a day for two people.

We were upgraded to a king bed with a balcony, which was about $200 more per night than our originally booked room, and we used our $100 property credit for room service and drinks at the hotel.

In total, this was almost $700 of additional value.

The Sapphire Reserve Advantages I Used Along the Way

I was also able to take advantage of several Sapphire Reserve benefits outside of my hotel statement credits, including:

• Priority Pass lounge access at Miami International Airport (MIA) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
• Trusted Traveler Benefits (up to $120 in credits every four years for Global Entry, TSA PreCheck or Nexus)
• Lyft credit for my airport ride (up to $10 each month through September 30, 2027; does not apply to Wait & Save, bike or scooter rides)
• High earning rates on my reservations and meals
• No foreign transaction fees

While welcome bonuses tend to get the most attention, these ongoing benefits can add significant value throughout the year.

Related: Is the Chase Sapphire Reserve worth the annual fee?

The Big Picture: What Can 150,000 Chase Points Get You?

In my case, 150,000 points took our family of three from Miami to Paris and back in Economy Comfort and helped offset a two-night luxury stay in Paris that would have otherwise cost thousands of dollars.

It can also get you:

Related: 10 Best Ways to Redeem 150,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points

In a nutshell

What initially seemed like a trip I couldn’t justify booking turned into a reminder of how valuable transferable points can be when combined with the right transfer partners and card benefits.

One of my favorite aspects of this redemption was that it combined practical and aspirational travel.

Many travelers see a six-figure welcome bonus and immediately think of first-class flights or overwater villas.

I wanted to see what that bonus could do for a family trip to the real world.

last chance Sapphire Reserve: Earn 150,000 bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

By taking advantage of transfer partners, taking advantage of a transfer bonus, and accumulating Chase Sapphire Reserve benefits, I was able to dramatically reduce the cost of what would have otherwise been a very expensive trip to Paris during one of the city’s busiest travel periods.

With the current 150,000 point offer set to end on June 15 at 9 a.m. ET, travelers still have a limited period to get the highest public welcome bonus we’ve seen at Sapphire Reserve.

For more information, read our full review of the Chase Sapphire Reserve.