Author: Holly Johnson / Source: Wise Bread
France is one of the most visited countries on Earth, and its capital city of Paris remains one of its biggest draws. This thriving metropolis boasts everything you could want in a European getaway — historic landmarks, world famous art, amazing food, and Insta-worthy photo ops galore.
You can visit historic Notre Dame cathedral, roam enchanting neighborhoods like Saint Germain and Le Marais, see Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa at the Louvre, and ride to the top of the Eiffel Tower in a single day. You can also nosh on exquisite French pastries, macaroons, cheeses, and wine. With so much to do — and so many goodies to consume — why wouldn’t you want to visit Paris? (See also: 8 Money Lessons I Learned From Three Weeks in Europe)
Planning a trip to Paris with rewards
For many people, the biggest deterrent is the cost of getting there. International flights aren’t cheap, after all, and you still have to pay for a place to stay.
That’s why savvy travelers leverage travel credit cards and cash-back to cover the biggest components of their Parisian getaway. With the right combination of airline credit cards and hotel cards, it’s not that difficult to plan a vacation to Paris for the same price — or less — as a trip closer to home.
Before you rule out Paris for your next vacation, consider how you could use rewards to score a trip for two for $500 or less.
Getting to Paris with airline miles
Paris may be an eight-hour flight from many East Coast cities, but it’s not that difficult to get there with airline miles.
Because it’s such a popular tourist destination, all the major airlines fly there and many offer multiple flights per day. As a result, you won’t have to look too hard to find a frequent flyer program that can get you to Paris with ease. (See also: The Cheapest Way to Fly to Europe)One of the most popular airline programs for flights to Paris is the American AAdvantage program. With this frequent flyer program, you can fly off-peak to Europe (including Paris) for 22,500 miles per leg plus airline taxes and fees. That works out to 45,000 miles for a round-trip flight, which is a fairly easy sum of miles to earn with an airline credit card.
Another popular program for travelers who live near a Delta hub is Air France/Flying Blue. This frequent flyer program lets you book flights to Europe with Delta, and you can frequently book flights for 25,000 to 29,000 miles one-way, or as little as 50,000 miles round-trip. Another airline program that’s easy to earn miles with is United MileagePlus. You can book round-trip flights to Europe in economy for 60,000 miles round-trip. (See also: Best Airline Rewards Programs for Trips to Europe)
In addition to miles, you’ll need to pay airline taxes and fees for your trip. These generally work out to around $100–$150 per person for flights to Europe, but they can vary based on…
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