Summer is finally here! This is the season for beaches and sunshine. People say you haven’t really been to a beach until you visit Miami; this is not an exaggeration at all! Based on personal experience, the South Beach of Miami is probably the best beach you can possibly find out there. It’s time to pay Miami a visit and experience its sunshine, wave, breeze, and culture; make sure your summer is well spent!
Recipe objective: Using 2 credit card promotions to create a three-night trip to Miami, Florida with free plane tickets and 3 hotel nights. I will provide you with the most convenient ways to hit all the top attractions in Miami and, of course, recommend the best restaurants to get your munch on!
Ingredients:
- A good 2+ years credit history with no blemishes
- 720+ FICO score
Main Dish Preparation Steps:
Step1: Apply for: United Mileage Plus Explorer Card
- 25,000 bonus United Mileage Plus miles after your first purchase—good for a roundtrip to Miami.
- 5,000 more bonus miles after adding an authorized user.
- $50 in statement credit after first purchase.
Step 2: Apply for: Marriott Rewards Visa Signature Card
- 22,550 bonus points after first purchase—enough for 2 free nights at a category 2 hotel.
- Also receive 1 more free night upon account approval, valid at category1-4 hotel—together it’s 3 free nights!
- No Annual Fee for the 1st year.
Step 3: Make flight reservation at United
- It will cost you less than 25,000 points depending on your starting city.
Step 4: Make hotel reservation at Courtyard Miami Airport West/Doral
- This is a category 2 hotel; so 22,500 will suffice for 2 free nights+1 bonus free night=3 free nights!
Here’s a comparison table between paying for the vacation yourself and using this recipe for a sample trip:
- From August 5th to 7th (Friday-Sunday)
- Fly a roundtrip with Continental from San Francisco to Miami
- Stay at Courtyard Miami Airport West/Doral for 3 nights
| |
Paying out of your own pocket |
Using this recipe |
| Annual Fee |
$0 |
Free 1st year |
| Plane Ticket |
$698 |
Use United Card for anything |
| Hotel Stay |
$327 |
Use Mariott Card for anything |
| Total Cost |
$1025 |
2 minor purchases |
Meat-lovers Side Dish Preparation Steps:
Step 1: Get the Go Miami Card
- Gets you into 35 Miami attractions including the South Beach, Lion County Safari, and Zoo Miami; saves you up to 35%.
- Visit unlimited attraction per day with card.
- Includes full color guide book.
Step 2: Rent your car at Travelocity:
- Simply enter your pick-up and drop-off date and location, Travelocity will show you the best deals for all categories.
- Public transportation like the Metrorail is pretty convenient, too. So renting a car is actually not a necessity in Miami.
Vegetarian Side Dish Preparation Steps:
If you don’t have time to take a thorough trip of Miami and only want to visit the top attractions, here’s your option:
Step 1: Get the Miami Explorer Pass
- Pick three attractions for one low price; saves you up to 35%.
- Take up to 30 days from your first visit to your last.
Dessert: Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake
You don’t want to miss out the gourmet dishes of Miami—a city known for its exquisite food. The cuisine there offers a wide variety of choices that come with a taste of beach! Here are some recommended restaurants to get your nom nom on!
- La Carreta: very famous Cuban restaurant
- Chef Allen’s: Allen Susser was named the best chef in the South in 1994 by the James Beard Foundation. A perfect place to try New World cuisine.
- Casa Tua: Casa Tua is proud of the fact that there is no outside signage outside its restaurant. Reservations are required to get inside.
- Ola: exquisite Spanish cuisine
- Ortanique on the Mile: one of three Ortanique restaurants (the other two are located in Washington, D.C. and Las Vegas. The food has a mixture of Caribbean and French influences.
- Sarussi Cafeteria: famous sandwich; featured on Man vs. Food.
Alternatives:
- If you want to go to any other cities or countries, feel free to do your research here.
- Similarly, for other Mariott participating hotels, the conversion table between Mariott Rewards Points and redeemable hotel nights for hotels in different categories will show you how many nights you can redeem. Then you can book your hotels here.
- Note that depending on the category of some hotels, the 22,500 points may not be enough for 3 nights.
- Check out this complete guide for visiting Miami.
Summary of steps:
- Check your credit history and score.
- Apply for United Mileage Plus Explorer Card (at least 25,000 bonus miles).
- Apply for Marriott Rewards Visa Signature Card (22,500 bonus points).
- Make a purchase with both cards on anything.
- Book your plane ticket.
- Book your hotel rooms.
- Select certain (or all!) side dishes to make a plan for your trip to Miami.
- Cancel your cards or keep them to earn points to your convenience.
(Photo: minkstr)
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