The Ultimate Paris Itinerary: Using Points

Pam

One of the most sought-after destinations in the world is Paris. No need to add the name of the country,  everyone knows of this romantic, beautiful city. Here is our ultimate Paris itinerary and how you can use points to get and stay there for nearly free. It is a dream vacation and one you should definitely plan for!

 

Flights

To find award flights, I start by checking out this site to see some possibilities. Here’s what I find when I put in all my info. I put in a business class flight, but you could put in economy class also.

Screenshot of award flights to Paris

 

Looking at this, I can see that I could transfer some AMEX points into ANA, and that’s a great idea. I could use United miles for Lufthansa or use some of my Alaska miles. One thing to note is that when you actually go to the sites, it could be different. It is a great starting point for me, though, and shows who you can transfer some of the transferable points to.

When I looked on ANA for business class seats, there were none available for my 10/14-21 dates, but I did find economy class.

 

Screenshot award flights to Paris

 

I could fly ANA for 55,000 miles in economy class on Lufthansa Airline (both are Star Alliance partners). I would just transfer my Membership Rewards to ANA.  Currently, the American Express Gold has an offer of 90,000 Membership Rewards after spending $4000 in 6 months. This one credit card will pay for this flight.

Another idea is to start with the points I already have, United miles. I’m going to check into economy class tickets. Currently, the Chase United Quest gives you 90,000 United miles after spending $5000 in 3 months, and the Chase United Explorer Credit Card gives you 70,000 United Miles after spending $6000 in 6 months.

 

 

I can find the same redemption available on a return flight. So for 60K and $11.20, I can fly roundtrip to Paris in economy class.

Here are my results for the business class. You always want to find results in Business Class Everyday Saver Awards because the Standard Awards are too high.

 

Screenshot award flights to Paris

 

I can find the same flights for my return home, so for 154K miles and $23.00, I can get a round-trip ticket to Paris on United Airlines. This is a little high for European travel as I usually can get them for 70K each way, but I’d still do it for this or look on different dates for cheaper redemptions. Being flexible is key to finding good award redemptions. 

 

Hotels

Hyatt Hotels

Hyatt hotel has great opportunities for award stays during your Paris trip. These include a luxurious stay at the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendome for 45,000 points. This hotel can cost almost $1,000 a night, so if you are going for luxury and a never-forget-it experience, you might want to consider this hotel. It will take a lot of points, but if you and a spouse get the Hyatt credit card and complete the maximum bonus spending requirements, you could have three free nights here.

 

Hotel Room in Paris

You could stay for free at the Hyatt Paris-Vendome with credit card points!

 

A cheaper option for a Hyatt hotel might be the Hyatt Regency Paris Etoile Hotel for only 15,000 points a night. You can even enjoy Eiffel tower views from this hotel! Alex and I stayed here and loved it!

 

girl sitting in front of window with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

Hyatt Regency Étoile with this breakfast view!

 

IHG Hotels

You can stay at an IHG hotel in Paris for anywhere from 20,000 points a night to 90,000 points a night. It all depends if you want to stay in a Holiday Inn or an Intercontinental Hotel. There are also some mid-price Crowne Plazas available. Another great hotel in the IHG brand is Indigo Hotels.

The IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card currently offers 140,000 points if you spend $3,000 in the first three months on it. Additionally, you get a free night on your signup anniversary every year. For this reason, my husband and I keep this card.  You could stay at the Intercontinental Hotel for 75,000 points a night.

 

Screenshot of Intercontinental Paris Hotel

 

Marriott Hotels

There are several options for staying in the Marriott Hotel in Paris with points. It all depends on how many points you want to spend on your stay. Do you want luxury, or do you want more nights for your points? The old quality vs. quantity question always applies with point redemption.

 

Courtyard Marriott Hotel room in Paris

You could stay at the Courtyard Marriott Gare De Lyon with points.

 

Paris Westin hotel room

Marriott Westin Paris

Currently, many Marriott Cards offer bonuses of over 100,000 points after you meet a minimum spend of $3000 in 3 months.  If you and your spouse both get this card, you could stay for free in Paris at one of many Marriott hotels in the area.

 

Things to Know

 

Currency

On our Paris itinerary, we need to have some Euros, the money system used in most of Europe. As always, we will be using our credit cards for most purchases, but it is important to have some of the local currency on hand too. I usually grab some at an ATM at the airport. Be sure to let your bank know you are traveling internationally so you don’t get credit charges denied because of suspected fraud.

 

Airport

The main airport for arriving in Paris is the Charles De Gaulle airport (CDG). It is located in Roissy, France, which is about 14 miles northeast of Paris. It is the second busiest airport in Europe and a major connection to other cities.

 

Transportation into Paris

A cheap way to get to Paris from the airport is to take the regional RER train, which costs only about 10 Euros and takes about 30 minutes. Here is a detailed information sheet on how to use the RER train.

Taxis are a more expensive option at around 50-60 Euros, depending on how busy the traffic is. It will take about 45 minutes to one hour to get into the city center via taxi.

When I am new to a city, I like to book a pickup service from the airport. It makes me feel more secure to have someone waiting to pick me up, holding my name card, and safely taking me to my destination. Viator offers this service with shared shuttles and private shuttles that run from 20 Euros to 45 Euros.

 

Things to Do in Paris

 

Eiffel Tower

The queen of all attractions in Paris is the Eiffel Tower. Almost 7 million visitors come to this attraction each year! It was the star of the 1889 World’s Fair and was supposed to be torn down.  Lucky for us, it never was and has remained open.

The first time I went to the Eiffel Tower, I decided to walk up the stairs from the ground floor to the 2nd floor, a total of 674 steps. What I didn’t count on was that my agoraphobia would hit about halfway up.  I literally had jello legs and had to do a lot of self-talk to finish it. The next time, I took the elevator. From the 2nd floor, stop and enjoy the view.  Many people think this is the best view! When you are through, take the elevator to the top of the tower. This elevator ride is also not for the faint of heart – I moved to the back of the elevator, so I didn’t have to look out as we went up.

Because the Eiffel Tower is so popular, you might want to take a guided tour and skip the line. There are plenty of places to eat at the tower on every floor and many places to buy souvenirs. The 58 Eiffel Tower Brassiere and the Jules Verne Restaurant are both popular places to eat at the tower.

Pro tip:  Get tickets before you go to France.  If not, plan to be at the tower at least 30 minutes before it opens so you have a better chance of getting in. You don’t want to miss the Eiffel Tower on your Paris itinerary!

 

The Eiffel Tower is a must-see on your Paris itinerary!

Louvre Museum

I must admit, the first time I saw the Mona Lisa was both a thrill and a disappointment. She is such a small painting! The entire museum was amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed my visit. I love to do audio tours whenever I visit a museum – I learn so much more about the paintings, sculptures, and artists. I heartily recommend doing a self-audio tour or a full-on tour when visiting the Louvre. Again, it is better to get tickets online before you plan to go. Can you even go to Paris and not have the Louvre on your itinerary? I love the juxtaposition of this modern architecture with the historic buildings nearby!

 

The Louvre Museum in Paris, France

 

Disneyland Paris

If you are traveling with your family, you will want to visit Disneyland Paris. Heck, it’s fun even if you travel as a couple or solo. It is the happiest place on earth, even in another country! It is the most visited attraction in all of Europe, but the crowds were pretty light on the day we went. Having been to Disneyland in Anaheim numerous times, I was able to be the perfect guide for my English relatives.

To save $500 on your Disneyland Paris park tickets, you will want to open the Capital One Venture Card. After you spend $3,000 on the card, you will earn 50,000 venture miles which are worth $500 towards travel in the form of a statement credit on travel purchases. The key to all of this is buying your tickets from a travel site like GetYourGuide. If you buy your tickets from Disneyland directly, they won’t code as travel on your statement, and therefore you won’t be able to get a credit on the purchase. This will work for other tours you might want to take through GetYourGuide, so you might want to have your hubby get the same card and help pay for those tickets too.

 

Disneyland Paris is one of the happiest places on earth!

 

Palace of Versailles

The Palace of Versailles is a great addition to your Paris itinerary. It is a short train ride to Versailles (about 30 minutes) where it is a short walk to the palace. Definitely take an audio tour of the exquisite palace where Louis XIV and Marie Antoinette, among others, lived. Tickets range from 20 Euros – 73 Euros depending on if you get an audio tour, live tour, or no tour and skip the line or not.

The palace and living quarters are magnificent, but even better are the grounds. Here you will see ornate fountains, sculptured gardens, and classical sculptures. There are over 50 fountains on the grounds, and if you are there on the right day, you can enjoy a musical fountain show.

 

The magnificent gardens at the Palace of Versailles

 

Arc de Triomphe

One of the most famous landmarks in Paris is the Arc de Triomphe which sits at the top of the Champs-Élysées, the major street of Paris. Built to honor those who fought for France, it has the names of all the generals and the wars they fought in engraved on it. A swirl of traffic runs at its base. Literally, tons of cars drive around it. We were true novices on our first visit and tried to dodge all the cars to get to the Arch. Luckily, we weren’t hit, and it was then we noticed that there are underground tunnels that go under the street and come up next to the Arch. Such a rookie mistake! For 8 Euros, you can climb to the top and enjoy the view from there.

 

 

Hop On Hop Off Bus

If you are short on time, this is a great way to get an overview of the city and just get off and spend more time at the attractions you are most interested in. My first visit to Paris was only for two days; this was the first thing we did. I felt we got a great idea about what the city was about by this bus. We did spend some time at the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame (which unfortunately was recently demolished by fire), but a lot of our sites were seen from the hop hop off bus. If your itinerary to Paris is shorter than three days, this is a great way to see a lot.

 

Champs-Élysées

One of the most favorite streets in the world, the Champs-Élysées, is the perfect place to grab a beverage and people-watch. It is well known as the end of the Tour de France too. Known for some high-class shopping, you might want to do that too. It is definitely worth a stroll on your trip to Paris. No Paris itinerary should skip walking along this famous street.

Pro tip: As in most cities, the most famous streets do not have the best restaurant, so plan to eat somewhere else. However, grabbing a crepe or getting a macaron at Ladurée is definitely suggested.  You haven’t truly had a macaron unless you’ve had one at Ladurée in Paris!

 

 

Sainte-Chapelle

Located along the River Seine, this Gothic-style church has some very impressive stained glass windows and is the most beautiful church in Paris. I usually just pick one church in each city to go to, and this is my pick for Paris. Grab a skip-the-line ticket here. Walk along the banks of the River Seine after your visit.

 

 

Sacré-Coeur Basilica

The Sacré-Coeur Basilica is found in the Montmartre district of Paris.  The area itself is full of charm with its cobblestone streets and has a small village feel.  Artists have frequented this area, and you will see many practicing their craft in the area.

The Basilica sits on top of the hill and can be seen all over Paris. You can reach it by walking or riding the funicular. From the Basilica, you can enjoy an unbelievable view of the city. The Sacré-Coeur Basilica is open daily from 06:30 am-10:30 pm for tourists and those wishing to pray. You can download a free audio guide here.

 

Other Fun Things to Do in Paris

 

Take a Cooking Class

I love to take a cooking class when I am in a different country!  Who wouldn’t love to learn to cook a French meal? Cookly offers great cooking classes in Paris – I’d love to take a macaron class there or a french pastry class.  Whenever I am in France, I am constantly looking for a great French pastry, and they are easy to find. There are great classes offered in French cooking, including a private cooking class in a French home! A cooking class is a great addition to our itinerary while we are visiting Paris.

 

Boat Trip on the Seine

A boat trip down the Seine River and dinner is a great option to see Paris at night. There are also other options during the day to float down the Seine and enjoy the views.

 

Bike Tour of Paris

One of my favorite ways to see any city is to combine exercise with sightseeing. A bike tour of Paris is a great way to spend a few hours, get the viewpoint of a local, and meet some new friends.

Pro Tip: If you have to check out of your hotel before doing an activity, use Bounce a luggage storage option in many large cities!

 

Where to Eat in Paris

Paris has some amazing food! Crepes, macarons, French pastries – what’s not to love? French food has long been known as some of the best food in the world, so we need to plan our Paris itinerary to include some serious eating! From cheap eats to Michelin-star restaurants, you can find it all in Paris. Things to remember when eating in Paris:

  • Cheese is often a dessert and is eaten at the end of a meal.
  • Tipping isn’t a percentage. One often just rounds up the bill or leaves 5-10 Euros for an expensive meal.
  • Reservations are important, especially in nicer establishments.
  • Bread isn’t an appetizer like it is in the states but is used more to sop up the delicious sauces French meals are known for.
  • Eat with cutlery. The French think it is impolite to eat with their fingers!
  • You need to request your bill, as it will not usually be given to you without a request.

 

There are several types of restaurants in Paris. A bistro is one type where the food is a little more inexpensive and not too fancy. These restaurants are usually more laid back and casual, and the food is more rustic. They are usually smaller too.

Another popular type of restaurant in Paris is a brassiere.  It is more like a brewery and more boisterous and larger than a bistro.

Here are some popular guides to the best places to eat in Paris:

The 38 Essential Paris Restaurants

Every Day Parisian

Shared Appetite

 

Bottom Line

Paris is a magnificent city with interesting places to visit, fantastic food, and beautiful sites. It should be on the destination list of every traveler. It becomes easier to visit due to using credit card points where we can save on flights, hotels, and even tours. We hope that this itinerary guide to Paris will help you plan your trip to this magical city! Alex and I recently returned from Paris, so you can read our post too!

Eiffel Tower

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  1. pamiorg says:

    We are so excited to hear this!! We love to hear reader success stories! Have so much fun!

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