How This Couple Turned 500K Points From Wedding Planning Into a Hawaii Honeymoon

When one of my best friends, Blair, got engaged, I was honored when she asked me to be a bridesmaid. But beyond supporting her on the big day, I knew I could help offer something extra.

With her wedding shaping up to be one of the biggest expenses of her life, combined with my knack for points and travel rewards, I saw an opportunity. We could easily turn those wedding expenses into offsetting the cost of her honeymoon.

Blair was loosely familiar with the world of points and miles but hadn’t tapped into its full potential. From the moment she said “yes” to the day she started planning about a year out, I helped her map out a strategy for smart spending, leveraging welcome bonuses, and maximizing redemptions.

The result? A big wedding, immediately followed by a 10-night honeymoon in Hawaii. Here’s an overview of the timeline — and strategy — I gave her.

Taking Advantage of the Hyatt Honeymoon Promotion

I met Blair through my roommate just before our freshman year classes began. Not long after, Blair and I became close friends, and she later met her fiancé, Dan, while pursuing her MBA at UNC.

I’ve come to realize that there’s often a points-and-miles angle to the things I care about in my personal life—and this story is no exception. When Blair and Dan started planning their wedding, I quickly noticed it was going to be held at a Hyatt hotel. Naturally, I saw an opportunity to help them make the most of it — from a points perspective.

World of Hyatt is easily the most rewarding hotel loyalty program. Even more impressive is its special honeymoon promotion, which offers extra points for members who host their weddings at a participating Hyatt property.

By requesting offer code HMOON in your wedding contract by December 31, 2027, you earn World of Hyatt bonus points:

• $5,000 total spend on wedding: Earn 30,000 Hyatt points.
• $10,000 total spend for wedding: Earn 60,000 Hyatt points.
• $20,000 total spend for wedding: Earn 90,000 Hyatt points.
• $30,000 total spend for wedding: Earn 120,000 Hyatt points.
• $40,000 total spend for wedding: Earn 150,000 Hyatt points.

Not only that, but you earn 2 tier-qualifying nights toward World of Hyatt elite status for every $5,000 spent. (As a reminder, top-tier Globalist status requires 60 nights earned in a calendar year!).

As a standard (nonelite) World of Hyatt member, you typically earn 5 base points per $1 spent on Hyatt stays. However, the earning structure for events and meetings (like weddings!) is different. For eligible event spending at a Hyatt hotel, you earn 1 point per $1, up to a maximum of 50,000 points per event.

Bottom Line:

Since Hyatt’s honeymoon promotion sweetens the deal significantly, couples who host their wedding at a participating Hyatt property can earn up to 150,000 bonus points on top of the standard 1x earnings. For example, a couple spending $40,000 on their wedding venue could walk away with a total of 190,000 Hyatt points!

Maximizing Venue Costs With The World of Hyatt Credit Card

However, I knew the points-earning potential didn’t just stop there. With thousands of dollars in upcoming Hyatt spending coming up, I knew that there was 1 credit card to apply for that was an absolute no-brainer for Blair and Dan: The World of Hyatt Credit Card.

They earned the welcome bonus offer, which at the time was up to 60,000 bonus points. Here’s the current public bonus offer:

• Earn 2 Free Nights after you spend $4,000 in the first 3 months from account opening. Plus, earn 25,000 Bonus Points after you spend $12,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening.

This card earns up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays, which is slightly misleading, as that includes the 5 base points per $1 on eligible Hyatt purchases. As mentioned above, events and meetings do not get this rate and instead earn a maximum of 1 point per $1.

As such, paying strategically with the World of Hyatt card meant she would earn 4 points per $1 on qualified Hyatt purchases — which included her venue expenses.

With the same example above, a couple spending $40,000 on the venue would earn an additional 160,000 points by paying with the World of Hyatt card. That’s a whopping total of 350,000 Hyatt points on the table, and that’s even before the welcome offer!

Upgraded Points values World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents apiece, so those are worth a whopping $5,250 for Hyatt stays. More on this later.

Snafus Along the Way

While the potential for earning points was exciting, Dan and Blair ran into a few snags getting them properly credited.

The wedding venue was originally coded as a catering expense instead of a Hyatt charge, requiring both the hotel and Chase to manually adjust the transaction so she could qualify for the credit card bonus points and promotion. What followed was months of back-and-forth through phone calls and emails with Hyatt, Chase, and the hotel.

Thankfully, Blair had followed my advice and ensured her wedding contract clearly stated she’d receive both the honeymoon promotion points and the 4x multiplier from her credit card.

In the end, she did get all the points she was promised. In summary, always read the fine print of any promotion and confirm with your hotel event planner that everything is clearly documented to avoid similar headaches.

Applying for The Platinum Card^® from American Express

Since Blair and Dan planned to use their massive stash of World of Hyatt points to cover their honeymoon hotels, I knew the next step was to help them earn points for flights and upgrade their overall travel experience.

They had their hearts set on Maui and Kauai — a perfect mix of adventure and relaxation — and since they’d never been to Hawaii before, they wanted the journey to feel just as special as the destination.

Neither of them had any American Express cards, and airport lounge access was high on their wish list. Not only would they be flying a long distance to Hawaii, they also had a packed travel calendar thanks to a full season of weddings — all while planning their own wedding!

Living in Austin, they regularly fly both Delta Air Lines and American Airlines. But when I asked which airline they actually prefer, they both instantly said Delta. With that, I knew exactly which card would be the perfect fit.

Amex Platinum Card Overview

The Amex Platinum card is well-known for many things, but above all, its access to more than 1,400 airport lounges worldwide is unmatched. For eligible new applicants, the welcome bonus offer is the perfect kick-starter for earning Membership Rewards points:

• Apply and find out if you're eligible for as high as 175,000 points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases in the first 6 months. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

Dan applied for the Amex Platinum card with the best 175,000-point bonus offer, which is worth up to $3,850 according to our valuations. They were able to meet the minimum spending requirements rather quickly by using the card to pay for expenses unrelated to the venue.

The Amex Platinum card is now their dedicated premium travel card, as they regularly make use of these benefits (enrollment required for some):

• Earn 5x points on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year) and prepaid hotels on AmexTravel.com.
• Up to $200 prepaid hotel credit: Book a prepaid Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts or Hotel Collection stay with your card to get $200 back in statement credits each year. (The Hotel Collection requires a minimum 2-night stay.)
• Up to $200 airline fee credit: Designate an airline to receive credit for up to $200 per calendar year on incidental expenses, such as baggage fees and seat selection.
• Up to $200 Uber Cash credit: Add your card as the payment method in your Uber app and get up to $15 per month in credit and $35 in December, for U.S. Uber Eats orders and Uber rides.
• Up to $199 CLEAR Plus membership: Pay for a CLEAR Plus membership with your card and get up to $199 back yearly (subject to automatic renewal).
• TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit: Every 4 years, get up to a $120 statement credit for a Global Entry application or up to $85 every 4 1/2 years for a TSA PreCheck application.
• Worldwide access to over 1,400 airport lounges, including Amex Centurion Lounges, 10 annual visits to Delta Sky Clubs when flying same-day Delta, Priority Pass lounges upon enrollment, and more
• Extensive travel protections including baggage insurance plan, trip cancellation and interruption insurance, and trip delay insurance
• Annual Fee: $695
(rates & fees)

It’s important to know that guest access to Centurion Lounges or Delta Sky Clubs isn’t included anymore with the Amex Platinum card. By spending $75,000 on the card annually, you can unlock unlimited guest privileges and unlimited Delta Sky Club access.

NEW OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

The Platinum Card^® from American Express

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

Welcome Offer

You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.

As High As 175,000 Points. Find Out Your Offer.

UP's Offer Valuation*:

Up to $3,850

Annual Fee

$695

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card^® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges (enrollment required), Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
• 5x points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels booked with AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
• Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel^® up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards^® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel^®.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts^® or The Hotel Collection bookings through American Express Travel using your Platinum Card^®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card^® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney+ bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
• Enjoy the benefits of the Global Lounge Collection, with over $500 of annual value if you visit Centurion Lounges and each of our partner lounges including Delta Sky Club^® lounges when flying an eligible Delta flight (subject to visit limitations) , select Lufthansa lounges when flying Lufthansa, Plaza Premium lounges and Escape Lounges, and enroll in Priority Pass Select. See terms.
• A Walmart+ membership can get you free shipping with no order minimum on eligible items shipped by Walmart. Use your Platinum Card^® to pay for a monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) and receive one statement credit for up to $12.95 (plus applicable taxes. Plus Ups not eligible) each month. Free Shipping excludes most Marketplace items, freight & certain location surcharges. Paramount+ Essential plan only, separate registration required.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card^® Account. American Express relies on airlines to submit the correct information on airline transactions to identify incidental fee purchases. If you do not see a credit for a qualifying incidental purchase on your eligible Card after 8 weeks, simply call the number on the back of your Card. Qualifying airlines are subject to change. See terms & conditions for more details.
• $200 Uber Cash: Platinum Card^® Members can ride or dine in style with $15 in Uber Cash each month, plus a bonus $20 in December after adding their Card to their Uber account. Use your Uber Cash on rides and orders in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
• $199 CLEAR^® Plus Credit: CLEAR^® Plus helps get you to your gate faster by using unique facial attributes to verify you are you at 50+ airports nationwide. Receive up to $199 in statement credits per calendar year after you pay for your CLEAR Plus Membership (subject to auto-renewal) with the Platinum Card^®.
• Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck^® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card^®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
• Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card^®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• Use Global Dining Access by Resy to access premium dining experiences. Receive Priority Notify and unlock insider access to some of the world's most sought-after restaurants with Global Dining Access by Resy. Download the Resy iOS app or log into Resy.com and add your Platinum Card^® to your Resy profile to take advantage of your special benefits and discover restaurants near you.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

However, to unlock immediate lounge access, it made more sense for Dan to add Blair as an authorized user for $195 (rates & fees). Doing so provided her with the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit and her own lounge access privileges.

In other words, she can enter the Amex Centurion lounges with or without Dan and get her own 10 annual visits to the Delta Sky Clubs, which are perfectly adequate for their travels.

Everyday Spending on Other Cards

As per my guidance before wedding planning began, the couple already had the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (to earn 2x miles on eligible purchases), the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card (to earn 3x points on dining and more), and the Bilt Mastercard (to earn 1x points on rent, up to 100,000 per year). For the Bilt Card, you need to use it 5 times each statement period to earn points (rewards & benefits).

I advised them to continue using these cards daily to beef up their points and miles balances. Leveraging these everyday spending strategies easily means an additional 100,000 points and miles to use every year.

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

75,000 miles

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

Purchases: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
• Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
• Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
• Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
• Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
• Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

• APR: Purchases: 19.99% - 29.24% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 28.24% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel^SM, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel^SM
• 10% anniversary points boost – each account anniversary you’ll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 28.24% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Diversifying is the name of the game when maximizing travel rewards, so it was great to know they had a big range of rewards to tap into when it was time to book their honeymoon.

Redeeming Points for Honeymoon

With hundreds of thousands of points in their combined accounts and about a year ahead to start looking for award availability, Dan and Blair were in a healthy place to start booking their honeymoon travels.

10 Nights in Hawaii

Dan and Blair were able to book award stays at both the Andaz Maui and the Grand Hyatt Kauai for a total of 340,000 World of Hyatt points. While both properties are now considered Category 8 in the World of Hyatt program, they locked in the Grand Hyatt Kauai at Category 7 rates, just before the award chart changes rolled out in March 2025:

• Andaz Maui: 40,000 points per night; 160,000 World of Hyatt points for 4 nights
• Grand Hyatt Kauai: 30,000 points per night; 180,000 World of Hyatt points for 6 nights

Although they earned a solid number of elite nights through World of Hyatt card spending, the honeymoon promotion, and organic stays, Blair and Dan haven’t quite hit Globalist status yet. As an extra gift, UP News Managing Editor Ryan Smith generously shared 2 Guest of Honor Awards with them — which essentially extend his Globalist perks for a Hyatt stay.

Blair and Dan were able to use these awards for each of their hotel stays, unlocking benefits like complimentary breakfast for 2, late checkout at 4 p.m., and even a room upgrade upon availability.

First-Class Flights to Hawaii

For their flights, they drained their untouched balance of Capital One miles to book 2 positioning flights on United from Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to San Francisco (SFO). Then they transferred 160,000 Amex Membership Rewards points to Hawaiian Airlines HawaiianMiles (which is no longer a transfer partner as of June 30, 2025), to book first-class tickets for 40,000 miles and $5.60 in taxes and fees per person.

Finally, the flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Austin (AUS) were easy to book using the pool of Delta SkyMiles already in their mileage accounts. (However, if they needed more Delta SkyMiles, they could’ve transferred them from Amex at a 1:1 ratio.)

Best of all, they’re not points poor after this honeymoon — they didn’t need to tap into their Bilt Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards at all. However, I suggested they could also offset the cost of intra-island flights or activities and experiences by redeeming points through those respective credit card travel portals.

Final Thoughts

Earning over half a million points is a lot of fun, but the real payoff comes when you redeem them for something meaningful — like a once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon for Blair and Dan. That makes it completely worth it to open a couple of strategic credit cards while planning a wedding, with the potential to be even more lucrative if the hotel participates in a loyalty program.

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For the baggage insurance plan benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by AMEX Assurance Company.

For the trip delay insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.

For the trip cancellation and interruption insurance benefit of The Platinum Card^® from American Express, eligibility and benefit level varies by card. Terms, conditions and limitations apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.