Weddings are expensive. They were expensive in 2017 back when we got married, and they’re certainly more expensive now. The last expense newlyweds want to worry about is budgeting even more money for a honeymoon. A honeymoon is an experience that will last a lifetime and is honestly a reward for the long arduous wedding planning, especially for the bride. Thus, there’s a growing influx of honeymoon registries and crowdfunding campaigns to fund the dream honeymoon.
Can we have the honeymoon of our dreams and not have to eat instant ramen everyday afterwards? YES!
We chose one of the most coveted and expensive locations for our honeymoon: the Maldives, a tropical nation in the Indian ocean comprising over a thousand coral islands.
AKA paradise. Overwater bungalows, clear ocean water, dolphin sightings, snorkeling, an Instagram haven. Everything sounds and looks amazing until the reality of an expensive 30+ hour flight from the US including layovers and $1000+/night resort stay puts a damper on our honeymoon fantasy. It’s aspirational but – because of the cost – hardly accessible for many of us when considering honeymoon destinations.
Our pre-wedding strategy:
We researched and planned for the best credit card point redemption value for our flight and hotel stays. We then applied for these credit cards and used it to pay our wedding vendors: wedding venue, rehearsal dinner, photographer, videographer, attire, etc. Most of these cards have a minimum spend to receive a bonus, which was met with the wedding expenses. Once a card’s minimum bonus spend was met, we used and applied for another card. We both applied for multiple cards. Rinse and repeat until enough points are acquired. As a bonus, card referrals will also help in accumulating more points.
Points accumulation:
To start off, we recommend the following credit cards to accumulate points. Signing up for these cards gives you a certain amount of bonus points:
Business cards may also be applied through “sole proprietorship.” E.g. buying/selling items on eBay can be considered a business.
With 2 people applying for cards and meeting the minimum spend to accumulate the bonus points, the points needed for this itinerary are not difficult to accumulate.
Here was our itinerary:
LAX to Maldives with a 2-night stay in Korea (free stopover):
Retail Price: $9,192 (or $16,787 round trip).
What we paid: $229.90 + 80,000 Korean Airline Points per person transferred from Chase Ultimate Rewards
($9192 – $229.90)/80,000 = 11.2 CPP (cents per point)
Note: This itinerary is no longer be available as is, but there are great alternative options.
We also considered flying via Cathay to Hong Kong to the Maldives but decided to spend a couple nights in Seoul, South Korea to explore a new city instead.
Although the flights were extremely long with multiple layovers, we thoroughly enjoyed Korean Airlines’ suites all the way through. The whole first-class cabin had only 12 suites and half were empty. The captain personally greeted us during the flight, and the service from the stewardess was impeccable. As expected, the food was great. The seat was extremely private and spacious with a comfortable bed.
Hotel Stay: 5 Nights at the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa
Retail Rate: average $1000/night. Approximate retail rate for 5 nights: $5000.
What it cost for a standard room:
$0 + 25,000 points/night Hyatt or Chase Points (transferred to Hyatt). $1000/25,000 = 4 CPP.
5 Star Reviews on TripAdvisor.
Few words can describe the experience at the Park Hyatt Maldives. Although, admittedly, we did splurge on upgrading our rooms, which included one with a private pool and an overwater bungalow for one night each. After all, it is a honeymoon! The service was over the top. The staff cleaned our room twice a day, and a host was specifically assigned to us to make sure that we were happy 24/7. Anytime we were seen holding any luggage or even a simple backpack, a staff member would come and insist on helping us carry it. We had never experienced such a personal level of concierge service before. We couldn’t thank them enough for their attentive and thoughtful service.
Feel like snorkeling in the clear water with beautiful, colorful fish and mini sharks? Simply jump in from your overwater bungalow. Enjoy the most beautiful sunset view from the comfort of your bungalow patio.
We watched dolphins gleefully soar over the waves. The stars were so stunningly bright at night. We felt like we were in a dream. We were secluded from the world and felt worry-free. A true hakuna matata experience. Our only concern was choosing what to eat each night – whether by the beach or private dining on the dock – oh, and the occasional mosquito bites. Even though the hotel fumigates daily, our sweet blood was irresistible and proved to be the best repellent for the rest of the guests on the Park Hyatt island.
With careful planning, a $20,000+ honeymoon experience with first-class flights and 5-star accommodations can be had for less than $1,000.
This honeymoon culminated by riding off into the sunset.
This blog post was pulled from our archives written April 9th, 2019 about our July 2017 Maldives honeymoon.