This might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m going to say it anyway. A family trip to New York City doesn’t have to break the bank. There are actually ways to make it affordable, so let me show you how we did it.
Credit card points and miles play a big part in most of our family trips, and that’s definitely how we saved thousands on our 5-day trip to New York City.
Flights to New York City
We flew from Chicago O’Hare to JFK on a Delta flight. Flights were 11,000 points + $5.60 for each of us.
I transferred 44,000 points from my AMEX account to Virgin Atlantic. Since Virgin Atlantic is a member of SkyTeam with Delta, I was able to book through them for a huge discount!
Total: 44,000 points + $22.40
For the return flight back home to San Antonio, we flew American Airlines. I paid 9,000 points + $5.60 each. These points came from the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite Mastercard® that I opened last year.
The annual fee is $99, but it’s waived for the first year.
Total: 36,000 points +$22.40.
Where to Stay in New York City
For our family’s first trip to New York City, we stayed at the Thompson Central Park New York.
My husband and I previously booked this hotel for a work trip several years ago and fell in love with it.
I booked it for 29,000 Hyatt points per night, which was peak pricing since we were there in summer.
This hotel rate does not include free breakfast, but our Globalist status got us free room-service breakfast every morning, and it was delicious!
Never in a million years would our family be able to afford a $500/night hotel room in New York City, which is why I am so thankful for points and miles.
We paid for this room using points from our Chase cards. The best one to start with is the Chase Sapphire Preferred. You can read my breakdown on this beginner card here.
If you already have this card, shoot me a dm and I’ll help you pick your next one that offers the same points!
Total: 145,000 points + $0
What to Do in New York City
We did several activities in New York City but two of my favorite tips for saving money on activities are (1) booking through Viator on Rakuten and (2) using the ASTC Passport Program.
Rakuten is a website that offers cash-back rewards when purchasing from popular merchants through their website/app. Search “Viator” on their website and book your experience there for up to 20% cash back! I heavily use this for booking activities and experiences and have earned over $600 in cash back rewards!
We used this method to book the Empire State Building
The ASTC Passport Program has gotten us into several museums across the country for FREE! Several NYC experiences are members, including the Brooklyn Children’s Museum, New York Transit Museum, and the National Museum of Mathematics (MoMath). Read more about the ASTC Passport Program here.
There are also so many free and cheap activities to do in New York City with kids. We did several playgrounds while we were there and enjoyed just walking through Central Park. They also loved the Sea Glass Carousel which was only $6 per ride.
How to Get Around in New York City
Because our hotel was in a great location and we wanted to really experience New York City, we walked and took the subway everywhere. Kids under 44 inches ride free with an adult fare, which is only $2.50. This saved us a ton compared to Lyft, Uber, and taxi prices. You can tap to pay, and the weekly max you will be charged on one card is $35!
Can You Visit New York City on a Budget?
I think it’s definitely possible to visit New York City on a budget, especially with some smart planning. If you don’t already have my free points and miles guide, start there. I can also help you come up with a plan for which cards to open if New York City is on your travel list – just send me a DM!
How to Save Thousands on a Family Trip to New York City
This might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m going to say it anyway. A family trip to New York City doesn’t have to break the bank. There are actually ways to make it affordable, so let me show you how we did it. Credit card points and miles play a big part in most of […]
How to Transfer Chase Points to Travel Partners
The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a great first step to earning Chase Ultimate Rewards and is a card that all travelers need in their wallets. When you earn Chase Ultimate Rewards, you have the option to redeem them by transferring them to travel partners, which is a fantastic way to get great value from them. […]
Disney World on a Budget – Save Thousands with Points and Miles
It’s no secret that Disney World has gotten very expensive. Between flights, hotels, tickets, and food, you could easily spend $10,000 or more on a one-week vacation. And I don’t know about you, but our family definitely doesn’t have $10,000 to spend on a one-week vacation. If you’re itching to take your family to Disney […]
How to Erase Travel Purchases with Your Capital One Venture Card
Some travel redemptions can easily be covered with points – and some, not so much. Cruises, Disney tickets, rental cars, and Airbnbs are a little trickier when it comes to using points. However, there are ways to make it happen and the Capital One Venture cards can help you cover hundreds of dollars’ worth of […]
How to Book a Cruise with Points and Miles
I went on my first cruise when I was 28 years old. I loved the simplicity of it. I loved how everything was right there. I didn’t have to go far to find my next meal, and all the activities were provided to me each day. It made travel EASY. Since then, our family has […]
8 Amazing Ways to Use the Marriott 50K Point Awards for Your Next Family Trip
One of my favorite hotel credit card offers is back! For a limited time, you can earn FIVE 50,000 point Free Night Awards when you open the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless card and spend $3,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months. With only a $95 annual fee, this sign-up bonus offers tremendous value, especially […]
5 Reasons Every Savvy Traveler Needs the Chase Sapphire Preferred
If you’re someone who is interested in traveling MORE for LESS money, the Chase Sapphire Preferred NEEDS to be in your wallet. It’s known in the travel-hacking world as the “beginner” card, because it offers sooooo much for the small annual fee of $95. It was the very first card we started with, and we […]
Leave a Reply