I surprised my husband with a birthday trip without spending a lot in secret by using credit card rewards

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• I avoid making big purchases without discussing them with my husband, but I wanted to surprise him.
• That's why I used credit card rewards to save on a birthday trip for him.
• Using points to pay for big expenses may not be free, but it makes splurging feel better.

Most frequent travelers would agree that travel prices have increased across the board, from the cost of hotels to airfare, dining, and entertainment. My husband and I travel pretty frequently, both with and without our kids, and we have definitely felt the pinch of higher prices.

This has led us to change our travel plans this year compared to years past. In 2024 and 2025, for example, we're doing more cruises and all-inclusive resorts where everything is included.

We have also focused on using our favorite strategy to save on travel — using travel rewards credit card points to get some of it for free. While we mostly rely on airline miles to save money on travel, we also use flexible rewards points and hotel points for some aspects of our plans. We rarely get entire vacations for free — instead, we use rewards to get more for less and stretch our travel funds as far as they can go.

My husband's birthday trip to Memphis

I was able to book my husband a surprise weekend getaway for his 45th birthday this year using credit card rewards. Not only did I want to use rewards to save money, but it also helped me justify the trip since my husband and I only make big purchases (with money) after agreeing on them first. I did not want to fork over thousands of dollars without talking it over, and that part makes it hard to book a "surprise." But I'm perfectly fine spending rewards without asking him first.

My husband loves live music and has spoken at length about wanting to see folk artist Billy Strings live. So, I opted to book a birthday party for the two of us at String's two-day concert in Memphis, Tennessee, this December. Rewards helped make the main components of this trip very affordable, but I still expect us to have a boatload of fun.

Booking flights with rewards

Because flights are often the most expensive part of a trip, I opted to focus on that part of his surprise vacation first. While my husband and I have a range of rewards currencies to use, including Chase Ultimate Rewards points, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Delta SkyMiles, I used a little-known benefit on my Delta Reserve American Express Card to cover our flights.

That card offers a large welcome bonus, miles for spending, and plenty of other benefits. However, it also offers a round-trip companion certificate for domestic, Caribbean, or Central American destinations each year after card renewal. Cardholders must pay government-imposed taxes and fees on the companion ticket.

This companion certificate applies to both economy and First-Class flights, so I opted to splurge for First Class for one leg of the itinerary since it was my husband's birthday trip. I paid a total of $461 for two round-trip flights from Indianapolis to Memphis, with one leg in Delta Comfort premium economy and the other in First Class.

Covering our hotel with rewards

Since the Billy Strings concert is at FedExForum in Memphis and we wanted to stay nearby, I started researching hotels based on proximity to the venue. I found quite a few reasonably priced hotels I could book through the Chase Travel portal, but the best deal was a booking I found through World of Hyatt.

Not only is the Hyatt Centric Beale Street just a 12-minute walk from where the concert is being held, but award nights cost just 12,000 points. Since I don't have a World of Hyatt Credit Card, I transferred 36,000 points to World of Hyatt from my Chase Sapphire Reserve® account to make the booking. This means we'll stay in Memphis for three nights with $0 in lodging costs for the long weekend.

This hotel also has a ton going for it, including refreshed and modern rooms, its own rooftop bar and lounge, and an on-site restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch.

Rewards take the sting out of big expenses

I'm not under any illusions that this trip will be free or even "cheap." We'll be in Memphis, Tennessee, on the world-famous Beale Street, after all, and we plan to dine and have drinks at various spots throughout the city and at the concert itself.

Still, using rewards to take the sting out of what would otherwise be an expensive trip feels like a win when it makes sense. This is especially true since this rewards-fueled trip is helping my husband see one of his favorite artists.

My whole travel plan also underscores something I have believed about the world of travel rewards for a long time. Having multiple cards and types of rewards is always to your advantage since it gives you more options overall.