How I Saved Over $20K on a Luxury European Vacation

How I Saved Over $20K on a Luxury European Vacation

Author: Chris Hutchins September 11, 2024 Duration: 1:13:20
#192: Here's how we saved over $20,000 on our recent Europe trip! Learn how to use award flight tools to score affordable business-class tickets, maximize hotel loyalty programs for luxury stays, and find incredible travel deals. We’ll also review highlights from our trip, including top restaurants, airport experiences, Olympic events, and so much more! Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/save-20k-luxury-europe-trip Partner Deals NetSuite: Free KPI checklist to upgrade your business performance MasterClass: Learn from the world's best with 15% off Bilt Rewards: Earn the most valuable points when you pay rent Fabric: Affordable term life insurance for you and your family AG1: Free 1 year supply of Vitamin D and 5 free travel packs For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Flight Tools Ep #166: Best Tools for Booking Flights with Points & Miles with Greg the Frequent Miler AwardTool ($20 off annual plans with code ALLTHEHACKS) Seats.Aero PointsYeah point.me avianca lifemiles+ Program Direct Flights: FlightConnections Hotel Tools Ep #167: Best Tools for Booking Hotels with Points & Miles with Greg the Frequent Miler Awayz ($10 for ATH listeners and 50% off for ATH members) Rooms.Aero Chris' Airline/Hotel Transfer Partner Spreadsheet Hotels 7Pines: Sardinia | Ibiza Hôtel Martinez Cannes by Hyatt Hyatt Paris Madeleine Hyatt's Tier List Car Rental Tools AutoSlash SIXT Hertz National Restaurants Paris: Arnaud Nicolas Palma: Vandal Places in Mallorca Hotel: Cap Rocat | Sea Club Restaurant Cities: Sóller | Palma de Mallorca Catedral de Mallorca Credit Cards Cards Page American Express® Gold Card Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card ATH Podcast Newsletter Membership Follow & Review on Apple Podcasts Email us for questions, tips, deals and feedback Ep #175: Booking Summer Travel Award Flights (34:35) Ep #184: Chris’ Summer Award Travel Update (06:27) Ep #187: 42 Travel Planning Tips & Tricks from Travel Pro Leigh Rowan Ep #188: My Must-Have Products and Services for Life, Work and More Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (03:02) Getting the Best Deal on Our Flights (06:07) How to Book Flights Using Transfer Partners (10:30) Why We Decided Not to Take Our Kids on This Trip (13:34) How We Planned Our 40th Birthday in Europe (17:58) Leveraging Credit Card Welcome Bonuses For Hotel Perks (23:33) How We Booked Our Hotel in Paris (26:39) Booking Our Intra-European Flights (33:12) Renting a Car in Mallorca (34:29) How We Booked Tickets to the Olympics (36:34) The Flight Experience to Paris (43:35) A Review of the Hyatt Paris Madeleine (46:00) Arnaud Nicolas: A Michelin Guide Restaurant (47:11) Our Olympic Experience (53:13) A Review of the Paris-Orly Airport and Transavia Flights (56:20) What It's Like in Mallorca (58:21) Why We Would Give Cap Rocat (Mallorca) a Perfect Score (1:02:11) Bora Bora vs. Mallorca (1:03:57) Things We Did in Mallorca (1:07:41) Quick Review of Condor Airlines (1:13:01) Overall Takeaway on Europe Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | Twitter | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ever feel like there's a smarter, more efficient way to navigate your finances, your travels, and your daily routines? That's the core question driving All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life. Hosted by Chris Hutchins, this podcast is built on a simple, powerful idea: maximizing value doesn't mean sacrificing enjoyment. Instead, it's about the strategic choices that free up resources-both money and time-for what truly matters. Chris approaches life as a series of systems to be optimized, drawing from his own experience saving millions through meticulous analysis. The conversations here are practical and wide-ranging, moving seamlessly from credit card points strategies and investment philosophies to the less tangible hacks for personal fulfillment. You'll hear from a diverse roster of experts and icons, including Tim Ferriss, Tony Hawk, Codie Sanchez, and Gary Vaynerchuk, who all bring their unique perspectives on building wealth and designing a compelling life. Each episode feels like a focused workshop, offering actionable advice you can use immediately, whether it's planning a luxury vacation for a fraction of the cost or rethinking your approach to career and leisure. This isn't just about frugality; it's about unlocking freedom and excitement through smarter decisions. Tune in for a consistently insightful blend of tactical moves and deeper conversations that challenge the conventional trade-offs between spending, saving, and living well.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

All the Hacks: Money, Points & Life
Podcast Episodes
The Custom Everything Era with Kevin Rose [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:14
#275: Chris and Kevin dig into how they're actually using AI tools in their daily lives right now. They explore real-world AI use cases, the tradeoffs of sharing personal data, the collapse of trust online, and what all…
The Surprising History of Points and Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:25
#274: Chris walks through the complete history of points and miles and breaks down the $140 billion machine behind them, so you can get more out of every point you earn. He covers the legal accidents that made credit car…
Stop Overthinking and Start Deciding with Derek Sivers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52:11
#273: Learn to stop overthinking and make better decisions. Chris and Derek discuss how optimizing can go wrong, a coin flip trick for making decisions, journaling as a superpower, how your actions might reveal what you…
My Process for Booking Travel with Points & Miles [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:29
#272: Learn how to turn your points into significantly better travel experiences by following a simple, repeatable system. We cover how to plan, find award availability, choose the right tools, and decide between portals…
How to Actually Live the Life You're Optimizing For with Sahil Bloom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:41
#271: Learn why over-optimizing your life can quietly destroy the things you actually care about. Chris and Sahil explore the doorman fallacy, why big life decisions should happen fast, how to use AI as a thinking partne…
Ski Trip Mishaps, AI Interior Design, Reflecting on Life and More [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:15
#270: Chris and Amy discuss lessons from three ski trips with kids, using AI to redesign rooms on a budget, their favorite new gadgets, navigating high-deductible health plans, and more. Link to Full Show Notes: https://…
Credit Cards: What's in My Wallet for 2026 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:45
#267: Chris reviews his credit card lineup for 2026, sharing which cards he's keeping and canceling and why. He also covers how to evaluate annual fees, the best cards across major spending categories, and the apps he us…
Why Change Is Hard and How to Make It Your Advantage with Maya Shankar [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:22
#266: Chris and Maya break down the science-backed tools that make change easier and more intentional. They explore why most people misunderstand change, how to anchor your identity to your deeper “why,” and practical to…