Espana!
Spain, a country renowned for its rich history, vibrant culture, and mouth-watering cuisine, stands as a perfect vacation destination for travelers of all kinds. Whether you’re exploring its bustling cities, picturesque coastlines, or charming villages, Spain offers a diverse range of experiences that captivate the heart and soul of every visitor.
May is one of the best times to visit Spain, with fewer tourists and ideal weather that enhances the beauty and enjoyment of the trip. In early April, my brother and I were thrilled to find last-minute, affordable lodgings and excellent flight redemption options to Spain. This inspired our parents to join us, turning our spontaneous adventure into a memorable family vacation. Utilizing our deep value travel approach, we quickly crafted a plan that ensured a fantastic and budget-friendly journey through Spain.
Planning
Our trip spanned a little over two weeks, a duration that allowed us to explore multiple regions without feeling rushed. Since we had already secured award flights into and out of Spain, the majority of the planning involved figuring out where to visit and where to stay.
The four of us had slightly different schedules: my brother flew in later from NYC, and my dad had to leave a few days early. Despite these differences, planning was relatively smooth. Considering everyone’s availability and our flights, we decided on the following itinerary:
- 3 nights in Madrid (3 people)
- 2 nights in Barcelona (3 people)
- 3 nights in Costa Brava (4 people) – Check out our Costa Brava Travel Guide!
- 2 nights in Barcelona again (2 people)
This plan allowed us to make the most of our time in Spain, enjoying a mix of city life and coastal relaxation. By balancing the number of people with the type of accommodations, we ensured a comfortable and enjoyable trip for everyone.
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Flights
Because it was shoulder season, cash prices for flights were actually quite reasonable at around $800 round trip per person. We would have booked the tickets with cash if not for discovering an amazing award flight back in business class.
We booked our outbound journey from Barcelona (BCN) to Paris (CDG) and then to San Francisco (SFO) through Air France. This leg cost 40k points plus $154.60, benefiting from a Chase 25% transfer bonus. Air France offers decent availability to Europe from SFO via CDG, with overnight layovers being the easiest to redeem. I booked a similar flight on our earlier trip to Europe, and you can read about the flight review @ Flight Review: Air France Business Class B777-300ER (LIS-CDG-SFO). For our inbound flight, we booked through Iberia Airways from San Francisco (SFO) to Madrid (MAD), utilizing 26k points plus $97.50.
Determining the exact redemption value for the flights is a bit tricky. The inbound ticket would cost about $400 (half of the $800 round trip price1), and the outbound business class ticket would cost about $3500 (half of a $7000 round trip price). The respective cents-per-point* (cpp) values are approximately 1.2 cpp and 8.4 cpp, with a combined cpp of about 5.6. Typically, 1.2 cpp is not bad for economy flight redemption, but it is especially good in this case because we were able to book the return flights in business class.
Accommodations
During this trip, we didn’t have many redemption opportunities for hotels due to our larger party size. Generally, we opted for Airbnb accommodations to comfortably fit everyone. After some research, we selected a variety of accommodations to suit our needs:
- Madrid: We stayed in an Airbnb near Park El Retiro, providing a local experience in the heart of the city.
- Barcelona: Our first stint in the city was at the H10, a well-situated hotel offering modern amenities in the stylish Eixample district.
- Costa Brava: We opted for another Airbnb, perfect for larger parties in this slightly remote and scenic area.
- Barcelona (return): On our return to Barcelona, we chose the Hyatt Regency Barcelona, utilizing a combination of 1 Free Night Certificate (FNC) and Chase Travel Portal credits.
- Layover in Paris: For our layover at CDG, we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express – CDG Airport, conveniently accessible via the free CDGVAL train and offering a complimentary breakfast. We booked the hotel with cash at a night rate of $150.
Although we are Hyatt loyalists, we avoided Hyatt Place & Hyatt House at Paris CDG airport due to the transportation difficulties we experienced during our last Europe trip. The Holiday Inn Express, on the other hand, is easily reachable by the free airport train, making it a more convenient option.
Expense Breakdown
On this trip, we booked many accommodations with cash. This highlights a core principle of our deep value travel philosophy: when the cash rate is good, there is no need to force yourself to spend points at a subpar redemption rate. The total cost of our trip remained well within our budget thanks to strategic use of points and finding excellent cash deals.
Here is a breakdown of our expenses, comparing estimated costs with actual costs:
| Expense Items | Estimated Cost | Actual Cost |
| Flight: SFO -> MAD | $400 | 26k MR pts + $97.5 |
| Flight: BCN -> SFO | $3000 / $400 (Economy) | 40k UR pts + $154.6 |
| Train: MAD -> BCN | $40 | $39.15 |
| Airbnb: Madrid (3 nights) | $300 | $237.69 |
| Hotel: H10 Barcelona (2 nights) | $200 | $226.32 |
| Airbnb: Costa Brava (3 nights) | $200 | $177.30 |
| Hotel: Hyatt Regency Barcelona (2 nights) | $200 | $71.57 + FNC |
| Layover Hotel: Paris CDG (1 night) | $75 | $74.5 |
| Total Cost Per Person | $4015 / $1415 (Economy) | $1078.63 + 66k pts |
By strategically using points where they offered the best value and opting for cash deals when they were advantageous, we managed to keep our travel expenses under control while enjoying a fantastic vacation. This approach exemplifies how deep value travel can provide both luxury and affordability.
Conclusion
Our two-week adventure in Spain was an unforgettable experience. The planning process went smoothly, ensuring a seamless and comfortable journey as we traveled from city to city. Here are some takeaways from this trip report:
- Cash Rates vs. Points: There’s no need to always spend points; good cash rates can also provide excellent value. Our strategic approach ensured we stayed within budget without compromising on quality.
- High Value Redemptions: Spend points on things with high redemption value. Our flight redemptions, particularly the high cpp on the business class flights, were a great example of maximizing value. Our mom enjoyed her first business class flight ever, making it a memorable highlight.
- Airbnb for Larger Parties: Airbnb is an amazing option for larger groups. We loved our Airbnb stays in Madrid and Costa Brava, which provided comfort and a local experience.
- Utilize Free Night Certificates and Hotel Credits: Keep track of free night certificates and hotel credits on your credit card. The best time to use them is when you already have travel plans. Our stay at the Hyatt Regency Barcelona was a perfect example of this, utilizing both an FNC and Chase Travel Portal credits.
This trip report shows that the essence of deep-value travel is actually a combination of good cash rates and strategic redemption of points. With thorough research and strategic planning, anyone can enjoy memorable trips while staying within budget.
- To get an accurate cpp, always use the round-trip ticket price divided by 2 to get the one-way cash price. Otherwise, buying the two legs separately usually costs double the amount of a round-trip ticket, which will greatly inflate your cpp calculation. ↩︎
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