budget travel with points

We needed to be in Los Angeles for our son’s esports opening weekend. Flights and hotels would have cost over $2,800 out of pocket. Instead, using points and miles, we paid just $274 total.
This post breaks down exactly how we did it step by step, including the hotel booking, Delta flight strategy, real-world cents-per-point math, and why the true value of points isn’t luxury travel, but flexibility when family moments matter most.
If you’ve ever wondered whether points and miles are actually worth it for real life travel, this trip is proof.