How to Use Points & Miles for Football Travel – My Strategy

If you’re like me, you’re a diehard fan of an NFL team and a college football team. Maybe you somehow cheer for two from each tier because you married into a spouse’s fandom (or their family’s).

Football fans are a special kind of crazy. We love traveling to see our favorite teams play. (I’m talking both kinds of football: the real one and soccer 😉 )

College and NFL seasons are relatively short, so each game is especially important. Plus, football games can turn into weekend-long parties with fellow fans. It’s fun attending meetups, tailgates, and other events before games, watching warmups, and feeling the energy with fellow fans!

So far, I have plans to see three games: two college and one NFL game. I expect my college team to play in a bowl game, too.

I live in Los Angeles. Both of my favorite teams are from the Midwest. None of the games are in L.A. I’m going to:

• Honolulu
• Minneapolis
• Las Vegas

And none of this is cheap.

So, how can I afford this madness?

Let’s break it down!

(Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.)

Honolulu

My wife suddenly took an interest in my favorite college team when I told her they’re playing a game in Hawaii this year.

“Are John and Christina coming?” She asked, referring to some of our friends, who also cheer for the team. “Because if you and John want to go to the game but can’t get tickets for Christina and me, I’m sure we could go to the beach. Or hang out by the pool. Or go shopping at Ala Moana.” (Side note: John and Christina made their trip more affordable after we gave them one of our Companion Certificates.)

Mrs. Carley clearly can’t wait for the game.

So, we booked a roundtrip using miles. Thank you, American Express!

Some of our family are also going to the game. They’re part of Hilton Grand Vacation’s program and generously invited us to stay at their condo. So, that part is settled.

As for ground transportation between the Honolulu airport and condo, and to and from the game, both my wife and I have American Express Platinum Card®s, so we’ll use our Uber Cash deposits. We also have Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card cards. We’ll use the $10 monthly rideshare statement credit to save money on other rides.

Amex Platinum cardmembers can get up to $200 per year in Uber Cash ($15 per month in Uber Cash, plus a bonus $20 in December.) Must be used in the U.S.; requires the Uber app and the Platinum Card set as a payment method. Uber Cash expires at the end of each month — unused balance doesn’t roll over. Enrollment is required. Delta Amex Reserve users can earn up to $120 back per year ($10 in statement credits each month) on eligible U.S. rideshare purchases with Uber, Lyft, Curb, and Alto. Enrollment required.

We’re on the hook for our meals and game tickets. Honolulu has several Resy restaurants, so maybe we’ll use Resy credits from our Amex cards for a meal or two.

Las Vegas

I originally planned to make the Vegas game a day trip. Sin City is about a 50-minute flight from either of my home airports (Hollywood-Burbank and Los Angeles International). Whenever feasible, I choose Burbank because it’s closer to my house. And, well, it’s not LAX.

I prefer Delta Air Lines’ product over Southwest’s. But I prefer Southwest’s prices over Delta’s — especially for short hops. Plus, Southwest flights between the L.A. area and Vegas are occasionally loud, ruckus parties, if you get the right crowd. It’s genuinely fun. The Delta flights are more akin to a library.

So, Southwest it is!

I booked that trip with Rapid Rewards points. I hold the Southwest Companion Pass, so Mrs. Carley will fly free, too. (Actually, we’re out around $24 in fees.)

Unfortunately, kickoff is at, like, 4 or 5 PM. This makes a return flight home that night impossible. (I’ve been to Vegas about 50 or 60 times. I’ve driven three of those. Twice, it took eight hours to get there because of traffic slowdowns and then car accidents in the middle of the desert — when it was 100 degrees at night. So, driving is out of the question.)

That makes the trip significantly more expensive. American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts and Chase The Edit room rates are insanely high that night. (I guess I’m not the only one going to a football game.) We’re talking $600-1300.

MGM Resorts is now a Marriott Bonvoy partner, so I used an annual Free Night award from my Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card and kicked in another 10,000 Bonvoy points to stay at a hotel I will not name. Two reasons: to protect not only my privacy, but also what little reputation I have left!

We may tap our Delta Reserve Amexes for Delta Stays credits and bed down elsewhere.

I saved a bunch of money on game tickets using the StubHub statement credit from my Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Our costs will be ground transportation and meals. Again, we’ll pool our cards’ rideshare credits together to save whatever we can.

Minneapolis

The Twin Cities is home to a gorgeous piece of art that hosts football games and concerts. (With some occasional baseball, basketball, and soccer games thrown in, for good measure.) If you ever have the opportunity to attend a game there, I highly recommend it. It’s a beautiful venue.

It’s called U.S. Bank Stadium. My best friend and fellow long-suffering Minnesota Vikings fan, Rick, has never been to a game there.

So, we’re going to see the 2026 NFC North Champions, the Minnesota Vikings (you heard me!) play there early in the season.

Rick will be in Minnesota at the tail end of an already planned trip, so I’ll meet him in Minneapolis.

I booked a one-way ticket to Minneapolis-St. Paul (MSP) on Southwest using Rapid Rewards points. Again, I prefer Delta, but my gosh, the prices are too high. (Their plan worked!) Southwest doesn’t fly nonstop from L.A. to MSP, so I have a connection. Whereas Delta flies about a half-dozen nonstops between LAX and MSP every day.

If fares go down, I might take Delta instead. Honestly, that’s what I’d prefer to do. There’s still a chance I’ll bite it and use the 35% Pay With Points Rebate from my The Business Platinum Card® from American Express (Card members can earn 35% points back using Pay with Points for flights booked through Amex Travel with a selected qualifying airline, up to 1,000,000 points back per calendar year. Delta is my selected carrier. Enrollment required)

We’ll likely be in Minneapolis for two nights. My World of Hyatt Credit Card gives me a “free night” each year, good for a property up to Category 4. I also have two nights to redeem from a pair of IHG cards: IHG One Rewards Premier Credit Card and the legacy IHG One Rewards Select Credit Card (no longer available for new applications).

Not to mention, Rick has a Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, so maybe we’ll enlist his Delta Stays credit.

Final Approach

I literally dream about football some nights. I can’t wait for these trips! Not only do I get to see teams I love, but enjoy it all with people I love.

Traveling can get expensive. Traveling to see a football game can be more expensive. Doing it three times can break the bank. But using points, miles, and credit card benefits can drastically lower the costs.

Skol, Vikings!

For rates and fees of the American Express Platinum Card®, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, please visit this page.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, please visit this page.
(All information about the Chase Sapphire Reserve®, World of Hyatt, IHG One Rewards Premier, and Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Cards was collected independently by Eye of the Flyer. It was neither provided nor reviewed by the card issuer.)