Points and Miles Case Study: Prague, Budapest, and Malta

Frank McBride • April 29, 2026

Points and miles free up the travel budget for pilsner, paprika, and pastizzi*

When Ms. Optimizer and I take trips, I like to report on how travel rewards fit into our plans and how we benefited from them. After all, if I am going to give advice about turning credit card spending into free and reduced cost travel, I need to lead by example and show actual results.


Last month, we took a trip to Prague, Budapest, and Malta. Ms. Optimizer had never been to Prague or Budapest. I visited them decades ago when they were behind the Iron Curtain, so I was eager to see what had become of these great cities over the past 35 years. Neither of us had ever been to Malta but we found its compelling history a strong reason to add it to the itinerary.
 
Some highlights for us:

  • Prague – Learning about Alphonse Mucha and his role in the Art Nouveau movement and exploring the diverse architecture of Prague.
  • Budapest – Viewing the brightly lit Hungarian Parliament building at night from the Danube River and soaking in the Szechenyi Thermal Baths.
  • Malta – Walking along the cliffs of Gozo and descending into the Hypogeum to admire prehistoric art.


Naturally, points and miles played a key role in this adventure, both for reducing costs and for increasing comfort. We were able to utilize Air France miles and World of Hyatt points to lower our costs as follows:


  • For our flight to Prague, we redeemed 178,000 Air France miles for two business class seats. With a fair market value of $5466 for the tickets, this worked out to be a redemption of 3.1 cents per mile.
  • For our accommodations, it so happened that Hyatt had suitable and convenient properties in all three locations, so we were able to get 13 straight nights of free lodging with Hyatt points. In Prague we used 79,000 Hyatt points for a three-night stay. With a total cash rate of $921 for those nights, we got a return of 1.2 cents per point. While not the greatest redemption rate, we were pleased with this excellent property.
  • In Budapest, we used 80,000 points to stay in the elegant and centrally located Parisi Udvar for four nights. Against a cash rate of $1235, the points were worth 1.5 cents each, which tends to be the redemption rate we typically get for Hyatt properties in Europe.
  • In Malta, 78,000 points bought us six days at the Hyatt Centric. As the cash rate would have been $1265, this redemption worked out to 1.6 cents per point.
  • For our return trip, we bought two economy tickets on Air France with 50,000 miles. With a cash price of $2707, the per point value was 5.4 cents, the best redemption we have ever gotten with Air France.


Overall, the miles and points we utilized for this one trip saved us almost $11,600. Additionally, the use of travel rewards credit cards gave us additional benefits that enhanced our trip.


  • Through the Amex Platinum Card, we were able to use the airport lounges at Budapest and Malta.
  • Our Chase World of Hyatt card includes “Discoverist” status which allowed us to check in early upon arrival at all three properties. Also, we were given a modest upgrade at the Prague Andaz (a room identical to what we booked but facing a quiet courtyard rather than a busy street).
  • We used Uber so we were able to take advantage of a modest monthly Uber credit that comes with the Amex Platinum card.


For this trip to Central Europe and Malta, like other trips we have taken in recent years, the well-planned use of miles and points played a significant role in our travel by not only saving us thousands of dollars, but also by enhancing our experiences with more comfort and convenience. 


Whether you are interested in sampling the world’s best pilsner beers in Prague, shopping for different varieties of paprika in Budapest, learning how Malta heroically held off an Ottoman siege, or any other type of travel adventure, we are prepared to design a custom Travel Rewards Optimizer plan for you that will quickly generate free and reduced cost travel while keeping your annual card fees under control.


*Pastizzi are a savory Maltese snack food. They are crunchy and delicious little packets of puff pastry filled with ricotta cheese or peas.


We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

Travel Rewards Optimizer Pre-Labor Day Wrap Up

By Frank McBride • September 4, 2026
In case you missed them, here is your "one-stop shopping" for posts from the past week. For some, recent changes with the Resy restaurant reservation platform might limit dining options when using the credit. Learn more here . Perhaps your next US domestic award flight should be booked through . . . Air France. Check out why . The Amex Platinum card might have the highest annual fee for mass marketed cards. Find out if the benefits are worth it for my household here . Hope you have a great Labor Day weekend!! We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.

Luxury Credit Card Case Study: Do the Benefits Justify the High Annual Cost?

By Frank McBride • September 3, 2026
A walk through one household's use of the Amex Platinum card

Flying “Air France” Domestically in the United States

By Frank McBride • August 28, 2026
For some domestic flights, Air France might save transferable miles

Double Check Restaurants If You Are Using American Express RESY Credits

By Frank McBride • August 27, 2026
Recent changes in the Resy reservations platform might limit use of the Amex dining credit

Chase Sapphire Preferred Changes Ratio for Transfer of Ultimate Rewards Points to World of Hyatt Points

By Frank McBride • June 25, 2026
Changes are a mixed bag but Hyatt regulars won't be happy

Travel Rewards Optimizer April / May Wrap Up

By Frank McBride • June 5, 2026
Some good news in points and miles (and one warning)

Air France / KLM Flying Blue Program Liberalizes Expiration Policy for Miles

By Frank McBride • May 29, 2026
A change in favor of airline passengers (for a change)

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card Adds More Transfer Partners

By Frank McBride • May 19, 2026
The Autograph Journey's transfer partner list grows slowly but steadily

Just Say "No" to Dynamic Currency Conversion

By Frank McBride • April 23, 2026
As the summer travel season approaches, this is a friendly reminder to avoid "dynamic currency conversion" (DCC) when making credit card purchases outside of your home country. DCC gives you the option of selecting a payment amount in your home currency rather than in the local currency. Typically, when presented with a credit card reader at a shop or restaurant, the touch screen will show purchase amounts in the local currency and in US dollars (for those with American credit cards) and you have the opportunity to choose. I have been seeing these “offers” for several years now and have learned, after doing a little mental math, they are almost always a bad deal for the purchaser. When presented with a credit card reader, I always choose to pay the amount shown in local currency rather than the amount shown in US dollars. During a recent trip, I was making purchases in Euros, Hungarian Forints, and Czech Korunas. From what I could tell, the option of paying in dollars inflated the cost of the purchases around an average of five percent (5%). Once, a card reader screen acknowledged that making the purchase in dollars added an eight percent (8%) fee. Even a credit card with a foreign transaction fee (which you should avoid using when traveling abroad) would have added only three percent (3%) to the tab. Currency games aside, Visa and MasterCard offer reasonable exchange rates when you choose to pay in the local currency. Upon returning home, our credit card statements showed exchange rates that were quite close to market rates. It is reasonable and fair for the credit card issuers make a fraction of a percent here and there as they are performing a service and accepting currency risk (although very briefly). But, claiming to offer a “preferential” rate to pad their bottom line is disingenuous. Because exchange rates are reasonable, using credit cards while traveling abroad is still worthwhile for a points and miles program as long as you avoid cards with foreign transaction fees. Travel oriented cards can offer 2X and 3X spending bonuses for transportation and restaurants to give you a leg up on saving money and accumulating points or miles for your next vacation.

Beating the Delta Sky Club Lines at Atlanta International Airport

By Frank McBride • October 2, 2025
I have read a great deal recently about crowding at airport lounges or even lengthy waits to get into lounges. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, dominated by Delta Airlines, has eight Delta Sky Clubs (there is one in each of the airport’s seven concourses except for Concourse A which has two). Even with the wide availability of Sky Club options, many of the Atlanta locations still get crowded and can have long lines of travelers waiting to get in. Despite flying Delta through Atlanta many times in the past couple of months, Ms. Optimizer and I have avoided this problem. We have used the Fly Delta app to keep us apprised of which Sky Clubs are crowded, and which are relatively empty. Although we might prefer a Sky Club near the gate we will use for our next flight, we often use a Sky Club on an adjacent concourse if the Sky Club closest to our gate is crowded or has a line. The Atlanta International Airport has a straightforward configuration of parallel concourses starting with Concourse T, followed by Concourses A through F. These seven concourses are connected by the Plane Train. The Plane Train can transport you between adjacent concourses in about a minute. Or, if you want to get in some steps, you can walk to an adjacent concourse in about five minutes (less if you use the moving sidewalk). The walkways are below ground level and can be accessed where you get on the Plane Train. The Fly Delta app is easy to use for assessing Sky Club capacity. When you arrive in Atlanta, go to the Delta Sky Club tab (it has a cocktail glass icon) and open. It will open to a list of the Atlanta Sky Clubs and describe their status ranging from “extremely busy” to “not busy.” Even if you can get into an “extremely” busy Club, bear in might that you might be the last person who brings the Club to full capacity. We have found that a short walk to the next concourse is well worth it as a less busy club offers a better choice of seating and a more relaxed atmosphere (and less likelihood of lines at the buffet, bar, coffee machine, etc.). But, don’t forget to budget enough time to return to the concourse with your departure gate!! We are ready to help you turn your routine credit card spending into the travel of your dreams.