{"id":307062,"date":"2023-09-28T12:09:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-28T16:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/?p=307062"},"modified":"2024-05-31T14:33:54","modified_gmt":"2024-05-31T18:33:54","slug":"testimonial-seoul-sydney-points","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/testimonials\/testimonial-seoul-sydney-points\/","title":{"rendered":"Testimonial: Seoul and Sydney on points"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Through a series of testimonials from our readers, Milesopedia presents what you can achieve with credit cards and loyalty programs.<\/p>\n

Here’s Aur\u00e9lie’s solo trip to Seoul<\/a> and Sydney<\/a>, and the savings she’s made with points.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”307053″ img_size=”large” alignment=”center” style=”vc_box_rounded”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Aur\u00e9lie’s Testimonial – Who are you?” google_fonts=”” el_id=”aur_lie_s_testimonial_-_who_are_you_”][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]<\/p>\n

I’m 32 and have been a Milesopedia reader since 2020.<\/p>\n

I love outdoor travel: being able to enjoy nature, hiking, visiting and discovering. I also like trips where I can enjoy the comforts of a more renowned hotel.<\/p>\n

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In the summer of 2023, I traveled alone for 12 days in Australia<\/strong> and Korea<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Initially, I wanted to discover Seoul<\/strong> and immerse myself in Korean culture. As this was my first long-distance trip on my own, I wanted to leave for a maximum of two weeks. I also wanted to combine another destination within the same trip.<\/p>\n

I started to look at countries close to Korea<\/strong> and eventually expanded my possibilities a little. So I decided to spend six days in Seoul<\/strong> and six days in Sydney<\/strong>. I really liked the idea of discovering two such different cities in one trip.<\/p>\n

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To book my plane tickets, I used the Aeroplan<\/a> program. I took advantage of the Aeroplan stopover to design my route. For an additional 5,000 points<\/strong>, the program allows you to add a stopover in a city<\/a> for up to 45 days.<\/p>\n

So for my return ticket from Seoul<\/strong>, I branched out to Australia and added a six-day stopover in Sydney<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

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Here are my booking details:<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Flight<\/strong><\/td>\nCarrier and cabin<\/strong><\/td>\nNumber and type of points used<\/strong><\/td>\nMoney saved<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Montreal-Vancouver-Seoul<\/td>\nAir Canada economy class<\/td>\n44,200<\/strong> Aeroplan<\/td>\n$1,191<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Seoul-Sydney (Aeroplan stopover<\/a>)<\/td>\nAsiana Airlines in economy class<\/td>\n73,300 <\/strong>Aeroplan<\/td>\n$1,002<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Sydney-Los Angeles-Montreal<\/td>\nAir Canada and United in economy class<\/td>\n$1,598<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_custom_heading text=”Transportation savings” font_container=”tag:h4|text_align:left” google_fonts=”” el_id=”transportation_savings”][vc_column_text el_class=”checkmarks”]<\/p>\n

For a round trip from Montreal to Asia, with a stopover in Australia, I used a total of 117,500<\/strong> Aeroplan points. These tickets had a value of $3,916<\/strong> at the time of booking. In the end, I only paid $155<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

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I was able to cover almost all my accommodation expenses with points. First, I applied my annual $100<\/strong> HSBC travel credit for a night at the Moxy Seoul Insadong<\/a>, which cost $116<\/strong>. Then I used my Marriott Bonvoy<\/a> points for the next five nights. I was able to take advantage of the program’s fifth free night<\/a> when you book four nights with points.<\/p>\n

In Sydney, I stayed in an independent hotel and applied my CIBC Aventura<\/a> points against an statement credit<\/a>. Finally, I had accumulated a free night with the Hotels.com<\/a> loyalty program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Accomodation name<\/td>\nNumber of nights<\/td>\nNumber and type of points used<\/td>\nMoney saved<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Moxy Seoul Insadong<\/a><\/td>\n1<\/td>\n$100 Travel Credit<\/a> from ®<\/sup> Mastercard®<\/sup>\" href=\"\/?p=53248\" rel=\"noindex\">HSBC World Elite®<\/sup> Mastercard®<\/sup><\/a><\/b><\/td>\n$100<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\n74,500 <\/strong>Marriott Bonvoy points<\/td>\n$663<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Little National Hotel Sydney<\/td>\n6<\/td>\n105,000<\/strong> CIBC Aventura points + 1 Hotels.com<\/a> free night<\/td>\n$1,467<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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For 12<\/strong> nights <\/strong>in hotels, I paid only $16<\/strong> and saved $2,130<\/strong>!<\/p>\n

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I booked a tour to visit the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in Korea for $80.49<\/strong>. I reimbursed these charges by applying 8,049<\/strong> Scene+<\/a> points as a statement credit<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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For this travel project, I was the only one collecting points. In total, I used rewards from six<\/strong> different credit cards.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Credit card<\/strong><\/td>\nAccumulation period<\/strong><\/td>\nPoints used<\/strong><\/td>\nPoints redemption method<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
®<\/sup> American Express®<\/sup>* Card\" href=\"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/go\/amex-marriott-bonvoy-card\/\" rel=\"noindex\">Marriott Bonvoy®<\/sup> American Express®<\/sup>* Card<\/a><\/td>\n3 months<\/td>\n74,500<\/strong> Marriott Bonvoy points<\/td>\nHotel reservations<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
®<\/sup> Aeroplan®<\/sup> Visa Infinite* Card\" href=\"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/go\/td-aeroplan-visa-infinite-card\/\" rel=\"noindex\">TD®<\/sup> Aeroplan®<\/sup> Visa Infinite* Card<\/a><\/td>\n1 year<\/td>\n118,700<\/strong> Aeroplan points<\/td>\nFlight booking<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
®<\/sup> Visa Infinite* Card\" href=\"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/go\/cibc-aeroplan-visa-infinite-card\/\" rel=\"noindex\">CIBC Aeroplan®<\/sup> Visa Infinite* Card<\/a><\/td>\n1 year<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
®<\/sup> Gold Visa* Card\" href=\"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/go\/cibc-aventura-gold-visa-card\/\" rel=\"noindex\">CIBC AventuraMD<\/sup> Gold Visa* Card<\/a> (x 2)<\/td>\n4 months<\/td>\n105,000 <\/strong>Aventura points
\n<\/strong><\/td>\n		Statement credit<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
®<\/sup> Visa Infinite* Card\" href=\"https:\/\/milesopedia.com\/en\/go\/cibc-aventura-visa-infinite-card\/\" rel=\"noindex\">CIBC Aventura®<\/sup> Visa Infinite* Card<\/a><\/td>\n4 months<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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Thanks to my credit cards, I enjoyed additional travel benefits, including:<\/p>\n