How I used credit cards to backpack to 5 countries
In August 2023 after an internship in Spain I traveled to London, Amsterdam, Rome, and Iceland before returning to the US. These flights cost me $28 dollars total including my return flight to the US. I want to share the exact method I used to do this and how you could do it too if you are planning an adventure and want to have it covered by a credit card company.
The Credit Card I Used
I signed up for a Chase Sapphire Reserve Card. The actual promo I took advantage of is below. I was planning a study abroad trip for an internship program in Spain. I put the entire program on the credit card and was able to collect all 60,000 bonus points from this promo. I made the mistake of opening the Reserve card instead of the Preferred. You would think the preferred would be the higher-end card but its not. (I think they do this on purpose) This mistake ended up paying for itself in the long run with the lounge access and travel credits. (As we will see later)
The Chase Sapphire Reserve Card Offer I Got
Other Benefits to offset the $550 Annual Fee
$550 is a lot of money, especially for an annual fee of a credit card. I paid it once upon card opening and maximized all benefits with the card to ensure I got my moneys worth.
Below is a table summary of the benefits comparing the $95 dollar annual fee and the $550 annual fee with my experience with each of the benefits.
| Benefit | Sapphire Preferred | Sapphire Reserve - My Card | My Experience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Travel Credit | $50 Chase Travel Hotel Credit | $300 Travel Credit (any travel) | This was awesome, lots of train tickets for free |
| Point Redemption Value | 25% more through Chase Travel | 50% more through Chase Travel | Allowed my points to go further |
| Hotel & Car Rental Points | 5x points | 10x points (after $300 travel) | Got more points from Car Rental |
| Other Travel Points | 2x points | 3x points (after $300 travel) | Got more points throughout the year |
| Dining | 3x points | 3x points | Pretty standard |
| Airport Lounge Access | N/A | Access to 1,300+ lounges worldwide | This was the best part. Free food and drinks before every flight. |
| DashPass (DoorDash) | Free DashPass + $10 off/mo non-restaurant | DashPass + $25/mo in promos | I had Instacart+ for 1 year |
| Foreign Transaction Fees | None | None | This is why I needed the card |
Breakdown of the Flights and Points I Used
| Trip | Route | Points Used | $ Paid | Total Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Trip | MAD → LGW | 9,735 pts | $0.00 | $146.03 |
| Amsterdam Trip | LGW → AMS | 5,536 pts | $0.00 | $83.04 |
| Rome Trip | AMS → FCO | 13,618 pts | $0.00 | $204.27 |
| Reykjavik Trip | FCO → KEF | 15,573 pts | $28.34 | $261.93 |
| Newark Trip | KEF → EWR | 26,123 pts | $0.00 | $391.85 |
| Iceland Car Rental | KEF Pickup/Drop | 4,136 pts | $641.46 | $703.51 |
| Sum | 74,721 pts | $669.80 | $1,790.63 |
As you can see here I was able to take 5 flights and get a little money off the car rental and ended up spending $669 total. This alone covered my $550 annual fee as I saved a total of $1,120.83 saved via points or $570.83 in net savings after the card. If you add back my $300 travel credit which covered all my train travel it is $870.83. Not a bad deal.
As you can see here I was able to take 5 flights and get a little money off the car rental and ended up spending $669 total. This alone covered my $550 annual fee as I saved a total of $1,120.83 saved via points or $570.83 in net savings after the card. If you add back my $300 travel credit which covered all my train travel it is $870.83. Not a bad deal.
How much did I spend on the rest of the trip?
Unfortunately as I am writing this I am unable to access any of my old credit card statements. I would like to know as it would be really interesting to see the exact amount I spent. Below I will still attempt to breakdown my other costs.
Lodging
I kept spending to an absolute minimum and stayed in the cheapest hostels I could find. In Iceland since my car rental was so high, I even opted to stay in the car for over 4 nights. (I do NOT recommend staying the night in a supermini or subcompact car, it was freezing and quite uncomfortable)
Below is a table of the lodging costs.
| Dates | Location | Total Price (USD) | Price per Night (USD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 24–26 | London | $68.95 | $34.48 |
| Jul 26–31 | Amsterdam | $271.62 | $54.32 |
| Jul 31–Aug 1 | Amsterdam | $37.45 | $37.45 |
| Aug 8–9 | Reykjavik | $43.20 | $43.20 |
| Aug 9–10 | Reykjavik | $58.63 | $58.63 |
| Sum | $479.85 |
As you can see for over 2 weeks of travel I only spent $479 on lodging. Although I was in arguably the least luxurious lodging I met some interesting and cool people in the hostels and was able to save quite a bit on lodging.
Food
I cut back on spending for food even more aggressively than lodging. Here is a quick breakdown from memory of what I ate in each city.
Travel Days
At each airport I would go to the lounges and eat enough food for 2 days since it was all free.
London
In London I bought a jar of peanut butter, rice cakes, and some orange juice to keep me sustained for over 2 days.
Amsterdam
In Amsterdam I bought a loaf of bread and peanut butter for most meals, but would get cheap pastries for lunch as they were many times less than a dollar.
Rome
In Rome I had a nice lunch as I met up with a friend and we cooked at home.
Iceland
In Iceland I stocked up on cans of tuna, granola, bananas, and rice cakes. I lost 7 pounds and have never enjoyed eating tuna so much.
Entertainment
I also kept spending low on entertainment but made sure not to miss anything that was reasonably priced. For example some museums would cost $20 to enter and if I felt it was worth it I had no problem paying to get inside. I also had to spend money on public transport, like renting a bicycle in Amsterdam for about $25 for the week.
Iceland was also quite expensive for gas, which I had to fill up quite frequently as I drove the entire perimeter of the island. Although the gas was expensive most of the attractions were free as they we national parks or protected areas. Other than the expenses above I kept spending to a minimum and just enjoyed walking around the cities.
Things I Wish I Knew Before I Went on the Trip
1. Get a Larger Backpack
- •I brought a normal backpack instead of a high-tech backpacking bag that could double as a carry-on. Some flights only allowed a personal item, so I had no choice — but next time I’ll plan better.
2. Spend More on Food
- •Starving yourself to save money is counterproductive. Eating well boosts your energy and overall enjoyment.
3. Keep Track of Spending in Real Time
- •Mental math isn’t enough. A simple spreadsheet or spending log helps you stay aware and make better decisions without over- or under-spending.
4. Have Fun and Enjoy This Time
- •I had an amazing time — some of the best memories I’ve made. Don’t let financial stress overshadow the experience. You can always make more money.
Overall this trip was not a huge financial burden, and I feel incredibly grateful to have visited so many places at just 20 years old. I plan to do a similar trip again — and I’m already excited to see what credit card schemes I can pull off next time.
Thanks for reading and I hope I was able to inspire you to travel and use some points!
-Jack
Published on June 12, 2025
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