European Family Vacation on Points and Miles
We booked a European vacation to Normandy using points and miles — and turned a travel mistake into a family adventure. From free flights to Paris to Hyatt and Hilton hotel stays, we explored Rouen, Caen, Bayeux, and Mont St. Michel with minimal out-of-pocket costs. Here’s how we did it.
After my biggest travel oops ever! I was able to recover, thanks to points and miles. I realized I had booked our trip to Prague for the wrong week. Even though they both attend the same university, only one of my kids was done with classes the week I scheduled our trip. I had to cancel everything and start from scratch for our family's European Vacation.
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💡Update: this trip turned out amazing, check it out -> Our Paris and Normandy Trip - 6 days of history
✈️ Flights to Paris on Points
I knew flights would be our biggest expense — especially booking last-minute. So I turned to point.me, a search engine I use to hunt for award availability. Prague was my first choice, but it was a no-go on points this late in the game. Luckily, my family is flexible and loves to travel, so I started searching major European cities: Amsterdam, London, Paris, and more.
Paris stood out immediately. We could fly round-trip for just 30,000 points per ticket, with reasonable layovers and solid availability. From Paris, we’d have easy access to Normandy, Bruges, Amsterdam, and other European gems. Once I saw the Paris flights were bookable on points, the decision was made. I knew I could build an incredible European vacation around that gateway — and that’s exactly what we did.
Learn which credit cards helped us fly to Europe for free - Best Points Credit Cards for Travel
🏨 Hotel Stays in Rouen, Caen & Paris
I began searching for hotels in Normandy, as my husband has always wanted to visit Rouen. I was thrilled to find a Hyatt Place Rouen available for just 5,000 points per night. I originally hoped to stay for four free nights and explore the area, but unfortunately, all the tours from Rouen were fully booked, so I had to change our plans.
We decided to stay for two nights in Rouen and then travel to Caen. I booked two nights at the Hôtel La Fontaine Caen Centre, where we will go on tours in Caen and Bayeux. I’ve checked the train schedules and feel confident that we can reach Bayeux from Caen the morning of our tour.
Be sure to check out my review for Hyatt Place Rouen - this was a steal at 5,000 points a night
After exploring Caen, we took the train back to Paris and checked into the Hilton Paris Opera for a two-night stay — our splurge hotel for the trip. Since we needed two rooms, I weighed the decision carefully, but my husband’s Hilton Diamond status sealed the deal. With lounge access included, we enjoyed nightly receptions featuring generous appetizers and drinks, which often doubled as our dinner and helped us save on meals.
Best part? That Diamond status came free with our Hilton Aspire credit card — a travel hack that made luxury in Paris surprisingly affordable.
🎟️ Normandy Tours: D-Day BeacheHilton Aspire credit cards & Mont St. Michel
Tours — Instead of renting a car in France, we decided to take tours to Mont St. Michel and the D-Day beaches. Tours in Normandy fill up well in advance, so I worked as fast as possible to find available tours. I cannot tell you how excited I was when I got confirmation for tours from Viator. I like booking through Viator since you can schedule your tours in advance, and payment isn’t due until closer to the tour date. We also spent a day at the Caen Memorial Musuem and did a day trip from Versailles from Paris.
📚 Planning Resources & Rick Steves Guide
After I knew we were settled on Normandy I ordered Rick Steves book on the area. You can find it here on amazon.
Our family has used Rick Steves’ books for as long as we have been traveling to Europe. They are excellent guides of the area.
📥 How You Can Book a Trip Like This
I feel incredibly grateful that, thanks to points and miles, we were able to book a European family vacation this summer. Our flights to Paris cost just taxes and fees, and I booked free hotel nights in Rouen using points. For Caen and Paris, we chose to pay out of pocket for convenience — and it was worth it to stay central and maximize our time.
Let’s Travel Hack Together
If you enjoy learning how we travel as a family using points, miles, and smart credit card strategies, I’d love for you to follow along:
