Book a Disney Vacation with Credit Card Points (Flights, Hotels & Tickets)
How to Use Credit Card Points for a Disney Vacation
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A magical family vacation to Walt Disney World Resorts is a dream for many, but the costs can add up quickly. The good news? Learning how to use credit card points for a Disney vacation can make that dream much more affordable. In this guide, we will show you in 3 easy steps how to book Disney World with points. Whether you’re just getting started with travel hacking or looking to level up, understanding how to earn and redeem travel rewards for Disney vacations can save you thousands.
Want to shortcut your planning? Grab our Disney Points Shortcut Kit to learn exactly which cards to use and how to book everything on points.
Step 1: Book Flights to Disney with Credit Card Points
Use Airline Miles with Travel Partners
The first step in planning your Disney trip with points is determining which airlines operate flights from your hometown to Orlando International Airport (MCO). With over 30 airlines flying into Orlando—including Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and JetBlue Airways—you likely have multiple options for your flight.
Which Credit Cards Work Best for Disney Flights?
Once you’ve identified the airlines that serve your route, explore co-branded airline credit cards or general travel rewards credit cards that partner with those airlines. Many co-branded airline credit cards offer bonus miles on specific spending categories, so check which ones align with your everyday spending.
Many travel rewards programs allow you to book flights directly through their portals, while others offer better value when transferring points to airline partners. Southwest Airlines is a very popular choice when flying into Orlando, and the Southwest Rapid Rewards card offers some great perks. If your interested in Southwest Airlines also consider the Chase Sapphire Reserve or Chase Sapphire Preferred, as Southwest Airlines is a travel partner with Chase.
Research how many miles are needed for your flight to Orlando and accumulate enough points before moving on to the next goal: park tickets or hotels.
For complete Disney trip planning, see our Disney World on a Budget: Our Disney Trip for Under $450 Per Person to see how all these strategies work together.
Step 2: Buy Disney Park Tickets Using Points and Rewards
How to Buy Discounted Tickets with Points
Redeeming Chase Ultimate Rewards for Disney World Tickets
There is not an Ideal way to redeem Chase points for Disney park tickets. Sometimes, the Chase Travel portal offers Disney theme park tickets, but they are often unavailable or more expensive than buying directly through Disney or third-party site like Undercover Tourist.
One exception: If you have the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you can apply the $300 annual travel credit toward Disney tickets if the purchase codes as a travel expense. However, tickets bought directly from Disney typically code as entertainment. To ensure tickets qualify as travel, purchase them from an authorized third-party vendor like Undercover Tourist.
Redeeming Amex Points for Disney World Tickets
American Express Membership Rewards can be used to buy Disney World Park tickets through several methods: Members can use their points directly to purchase tickets on the Disney World website or redeem them through the American Express travel portal for added flexibility. Additionally, various promotions may offer bonus points for ticket purchases during specific times, enhancing the opportunity to maximize rewards. For those unfamiliar with how to earn credit card rewards, taking advantage of bonus offers and spending categories can significantly increase your point accumulation.
- Link your American Express to PayPal and use American Express Membership Reward points at checkout when purchasing through a third-party vendor like Undercover Tourist.
- Redeem American Express Membership Rewards Points as a statement credit after purchasing Disney tickets.
While neither method offers the best redemption rate compared to transferring points to airline or hotel partners, they are options if reducing out-of-pocket costs is your priority. If you are going to use American Express Rewards for your Disney Parks tickets, consider the American Express Gold card or the Platinum American Express card. On our trip to Disney in 2024, we decided to buy Disney World tickets with amex points, and were able to cover the cost of 2 tickets that way.
Bonus Tip: Use Rakuten and TopCashBack for Extra Rewards
Use Rakuten when shopping online to earn additional Membership Rewards points, helping you accumulate more points for future Disney trips. To learn more on using Rakuten to earn Amex Membership Rewards check out How To Use Rakuten to Earn American Express Points.
Don’t stop at Rakuten — we also love using TopCashback to stack even more rewards. It’s especially great when buying Disney gift cards online, since you can often earn 5% cashback or more. You can also use the rewards from TopCashBack to buy Disney gift cards.
You can use both Rakuten and TopCashback at different stores, or check which one offers the best rate before shopping.
Read our full guide to cashback apps for Disney savings here.
Redeeming Capital One Venture Miles for Disney World Tickets
A great way to cover Disney World park tickets is to use Capital one Miles for Disney Tickets. When you use a Capital One Venture for travel purchases, you can redeem Capital One Venture Miles as a statement credit as long as the purchase codes as TRAVEL. To ensure your Disney tickets code as travel, consider purchasing through Undercover Tourist. A Capital One Venture Rewards credit card is a good option to use points for Disney Parks.
If you’re planning multiple trips, the Incredi-Pass could cut your ticket costs in half.
Step 3: Book Hotels Near Disney with Points
Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt Hotels You Can Book with Points
While Disney-branded hotels are iconic, their prices can be steep. Good news: popular hotel brands like Marriott, Hilton, and Hyatt have properties conveniently located near Disney World. While they aren’t officially Disney resorts, some Marriott hotels—such as the Marriott Swan, Swan Reserve, and Dolphin Resorts—offer Disney Resort like perks, including early park entry and extended evenings. As part of the Marriott family, these hotels can be booked with Marriott Bonvoy points, helping you stretch your travel rewards. If you’re wondering how to book Disney hotels with points, these Marriott on property hotels are a perfect place to start.
Off-Site Perks Like Free Breakfast and Parking
Many off-property hotels also provide free breakfast, which can help lower your overall food costs and simplify your mornings before heading to the parks.
Once you find which hotel you would like to stay at, consider co-branded hotel cards such as the Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless, American Express Marriot Bonvoy Bevy, or American Express Hilton Honors Surpass to earn large amounts of sign up bonuses.
Tip: Some Marriott properties near Disney charge resort fees even when booking with points. Always check the fine print.
If you’re looking for great family accommodations, consider resorts like Marriott’s Vacation Clubs, which offer full kitchens and spacious suites for multi-generational travel.
Make the Most Out of Your Credit Card Travel Rewards for Disney World
Plan ahead and give yourself plenty of time to earn signup bonuses and accumulate enough points for flights, hotels, and tickets.
- Prioritize cards offering large bonuses (e.g., 50,000–60,000+ points).
- Use one card for all purchases until the bonus is secured.
If your card offers bonus points at grocery stores or gas stations, use those categories strategically.
Example: Buy Disney gift cards at grocery stores to earn bonus points!
If you’re traveling with a spouse or family member, have them apply for cards too. Double the bonuses means double the rewards.
Use Travel Rewards Cards for Every Purchase
Be sure to charge every possible expense to your travel rewards card; avoid using other payment methods when the travel rewards card is an option.
Pro Tip: Always pay off your balances in full to avoid interest charges eating into your rewards value.
Combine Points with Promotions
Watch for seasonal deals from Disney or travel partners. Sometimes, you can combine points with promotions like discounted park tickets or free dining packages to save even more.
Choose the Right Credit Cards for a Disney Vacation
Looking for the best credit cards for Disney? Cards like the Capital One Venture, Chase Sapphire Preferred, and co-branded hotel cards can help offset your trip costs with points and perks. The best credit card to book a Disney World trip using points depends on your priorities and household shopping trends. Here are some top options: Consider your spending habits, as cards that offer higher rewards in specific categories, such as travel or dining, can greatly enhance your points accumulation. Additionally, utilizing strategies to combine these rewards with promotions or special offers can help you maximize credit card rewards effectively. Ultimately, selecting the right card is about aligning the benefits with your family’s travel goals and financial practices.
- Chase Sapphire Preferred or Chase Sapphire Reserve: Great for flexible points and travel partners like Southwest, Marriott, and Hyatt.
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Flexible redemptions for travel purchases.
- American Express Gold Card: Strong for earning Membership Rewards points.
- Co-branded Hotel Cards: Cards like the World of Hyatt Credit Card or Marriott Bonvoy Boundless offer free nights and bonus points that stack fast.
Having both a general travel card and a co-branded hotel card can maximize your Disney World rewards strategy.
Tips to Maximize Your Welcome Bonus Strategy
Many travel cards offer bonus rewards for different spending categories, which can differ based on individual household habits. For instance, as a family of four with two growing children, grocery stores represent an excellent bonus category for my card.
If your goal is a Disney vacation package (hotel and tickets combined) purchased through Disney directly, a Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card maybe the best option for you (note it will take a significant amount of Capital One Venture Miles to cover the cost of a Disney vacation package). Capital one Venture Miles are the most flexible, in that you can earn a credit for travel purchases.
Once you have selected a hotel or airline, it is always a good idea to have both a general rewards credit card that is partnered with that brand and the co-branded card for that brand.
For example, the Chase Sapphire Reserve is always a popular pick in the general reward credit card options. They have a good amount of travel partners including IHG One Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy and World of Hyatt.
However, lets say you pick a Hyatt Place for your trip, you can earn a Category 1-4 Hyatt Hotel free night award just by having the Hyatt credit card. In addition, if you use the card (which you will to earn the sign up bonus), you can work your way to an additional Category 1-4 Hyatt Hotel free night award. I am a fan of Hyatt Place hotels in general (even when not traveling to Disney World).
Another example where it is beneficial to have the co-branded hotel credit card is with Marriott Bonvoy. The American Express Brilliant and Chase Marriott Bonvoy Boundless offer free award nights, just for hold the card. The American Express Bevy card, offers a free night award after a minimum spending on the card annually.
Want to see these strategies in action? Read How I Used Points to Book a Disney World Vacation for Just $1,414 for a real example.
Make Your Disney Dreams a Reality
Planning a Disney vacation with travel rewards for Disney takes strategy, but the potential savings are massive. You can turn everyday expenses into flights, hotels, and even Disney park tickets with points. By focusing on maximizing reward points through strategic spending, you can elevate your Disney experience without breaking the bank. Researching various credit cards that offer bonuses for travel-related purchases will provide you with valuable insights on how to use reward points effectively. With careful planning and monitoring of your points, your dream Disney vacation can become a reality at a fraction of the cost.
If your feeling overwhelmed, check out these 3 simple tips to start hacking a Disney trip with points — even if you’re brand new. For families on a budget, combine these strategies with our Tips for Enjoying Walt Disney World on a Budget 2025.
Whether you’re aiming for flights to Orlando, booking a stay near Disney Springs, or covering your Magic Kingdom tickets, smart use of travel rewards can make your Disney dreams come true—without breaking the bank.
Have questions about using points for Disney trips? Drop them in the comments! Let’s plan your most magical vacation yet!
Plan Your Disney Vacation with Points—Without the Stress
Skip the hours of research and use the exact system we follow to book Disney trips for nearly free.
- Disney Points Shortcut Kit:
- Step-by-step booking strategy
- Real trip examples & templates
- Tools to choose the right cards
- 24/7 Disney Planning Chatbot
- Points to Magic Community:
- Access to our private Discord group
- Weekly planning prompts
- Ask-for-help & strategy-sharing threads
- Trip Vault with real Disney trips booked on points
Prefer planning alongside others?
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Join the Points to Magic Community
I’m a CPA, mom of two, and the creator of Points to Magic. I help people use points to save thousands of dollars on Disney vacations.
