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Planning a Universal Orlando Resort on points and miles trip can save families thousands on flights, hotels, and even park tickets without giving up the fun extras that make Universal feel special.
The last time I visited Universal Orlando Resort, I was a teenager there with my parents. Fast forward to today, and I was back. This time I planned our Universal Orlando Resort trip on points and miles for my own family! My daughter, a huge Harry Potter book fan, couldn’t get enough of the Wizarding World, and seeing it all through her eyes was pure magic! Like Disney vacations, a Universal Orlando Resort getaway can be just as expensive, but it doesn’t have to be, especially if you’re using points and miles. In this guide, I’ll break down exactly how our family booked hotels, flights, and theme park days at Universal using points (and how you can do it too).
Watching my daughter walk into The Wizarding World of Harry Potter for the first time was awesome! She’s read every book multiple times, and seeing her sip her first Butterbeer at The Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley made every point spent on this trip completely worth it.
If your kids love the little moments that make theme parks feel extra magical, I also shared some of our favorite ways to add extra magic to a Disney vacation.
Universal Orlando on Points & Miles: Planning Quick Guide
If you’re trying to save the most money (without overcomplicating your trip), here’s what matters most:
Best way to save biggest:
- Use points for flights + hotels, then use Capital One miles (or other “travel eraser” style points) to offset tickets.
Best airports + transportation:
- Fly into MCO
- If you’re not renting a car, consider pre-booking an airport transfer to make arrival smoother with kids.
Best time to book:
- As early as possible for peak dates (spring break, summer, holiday weeks) because award nights disappear fast near Universal.
✈️ Booking Universal Orlando Resort Flights on Points and Miles
Once we decided on our travel dates, the first step in making our Universal Orlando Resort on points and miles trip happen was figuring out flights. With a family of four, airfare can quickly eat up a big part of any vacation budget. Luckily, we had a solid stash of airline miles ready to go and found a few great round-trip redemptions that made getting to Orlando almost free!
We have another upcoming flight to Orlando booked entirely on points. In this section, I’ll break down exactly which airline programs we used for both trips, how we transferred points, and how much we saved compared to paying out of pocket.
✈️ Universal Orlando Resort Flight Redemptions Using Points and Miles
Curious how it all added up? Here’s exactly what our Universal Orlando Resort flight redemptions looked like, from the miles we used to the total savings!
✈️ Trip One – American Airlines:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Airline | American Airlines |
| Route | Philadelphia (PHL) → Orlando (MCO) – Round Trip |
| Travelers | 4 total |
| Points Used | 72,000 AAdvantage miles |
| Taxes & Fees | $44.80 total |
| How We Booked | Directly through American Airlines using AAdvantage miles |
| Estimated Cash Price | $2,527 total |
| Savings | $2,482+ saved on airfare |
✈️ Trip Two: Southwest Airlines:
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Airline | Southwest Airlines |
| Route | Philadelphia (PHL) → Orlando (MCO) – Round Trip |
| Travelers | 4 total (2 flying via Companion Pass) |
| Points Used | 66,000 Rapid Rewards points |
| Taxes & Fees | $22.40 total |
| How We Booked | Southwest Rapid Rewards (points earned directly; can transfer from Chase Ultimate Rewards 1:1) |
| Estimated Cash Price | $1,446 total |
| Savings | $1,423+ saved on airfare |
To book the Southwest flight, you can use Southwest points, or points earned from the Chase Sapphire Preferred® (which transfers 1:1 to Southwest). This made our trip to Orlando nearly free.
✈️ If you’re new to using travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® is one of my favorite starter cards for earning points that transfer to major airlines like Southwest, United, JetBlue, and more. We love this card for family travel because the points are easy to earn and transfer to multiple airlines, or book in Chase’s travel portal. (This is my personal referral link — I may earn bonus points if you’re approved.)
These examples highlight two different ways to book flights to Universal Orlando Resort on points and miles. What I love is that they prove there’s no single “right” way to book flights on points. From American Airlines to Southwest, both worked great for our family and each time we managed to fly to Orlando for next to nothing!
After landing in Orlando, our first “magical” ride wasn’t on a plane, it was the Knight Bus outside Diagon Alley. Even the wizarding world has its own form of transportation!
If you’re skipping a rental car, pre-booking an airport transfer can make arrival day much smoother with kids.
🏨 Booking Universal Orlando Resort Hotels on Points and Miles
After booking our flights, it was time to find a hotel near Universal Orlando Resort that worked for our family and budget. Between park tickets, food, and souvenirs, the costs can add up fast, so using points and miles for our stay was a huge win.
Depending on your rewards balance and travel style, you can book everything from on-site resorts to nearby family suites using points from major hotel programs, or even erase the charge from an Airbnb stay using points from certain credit cards.
For this trip, I really wanted to stay at one of Universal Orlando Resort’s Signature Collection for the park perks, mainly the free express passes. Unfortunately, I didn’t have enough points to cover all of the nights. We used Chase Ultimate Rewards to make the most of our points at a Signature Universal Orlando Resort and at the Hyatt Place Across from Universal Resort.
This two-hotel approach definitely involved a little extra work and moving around, but it stretched our points much further, and gave us incredible in-park perks without paying cash for a single night.
Below, I’ll share how we used points to cover our hotel stays near Universal, what each option cost in points, and how much we saved booking a Universal Orlando hotel on points compared to booking with cash.
🏨 On-Site Stay: Loews Royal Pacific Resort
For our main park days, we booked one night at Loews Royal Pacific Resort through the Chase Travel Portal using points. Staying on-site at one of Universal’s Signature Collection Resorts came with unbeatable perks, including free Universal Express Unlimited Passes and early park admission for both days of our park tickets.
Guests receive Express Pass benefits on both their check-in and check-out days, so our single-night stay gave us Express Passes for two out of our three park days. Those Express Passes are game changers! They easily saved our family hours of waiting in line and would have cost several hundred dollars if purchased separately. This redemption was one of our best-value stays ever, and if you’re able to book a Signature Resort, I highly recommend it!
After a long, hot day in the parks, walking, (or taking the water taxi!) back to Loews Royal Pacific felt like stepping into paradise. The tropical landscaping, the quiet pool, and the fact that we didn’t have to drive anywhere were total game-changers.
🏨 Off-Site Stay: Hyatt Place Orlando
To save even more points, we stayed at the Hyatt Place Across from Universal Resort on the day we arrived and again the night before flying home. At just 8,000 Hyatt points per night, this redemption is one of the best hotels near Universal with points in the area with incredible value that stretches your points stash.
We visited the park the evening we arrived (before we had our Express Passes). The hotel offered free breakfast, spacious rooms, and convenient parking, making it the perfect choice for stretching our trip without spending extra cash.
If you’re renting a car for your Universal Orlando trip, compare prices across companies before booking. We’ve found big swings depending on dates and demand.
🏨 Why This Worked
By pairing an off-site Hyatt stay with a one-night on-site Premier Resort, we got two full days of Express Pass access from just one on-site night, plus the amazing value of Hyatt redemptions on the surrounding nights. It’s a smart strategy for families who want all the Universal perks while keeping point costs low. However, keep in mind that it was a lot of bouncing around, so if you can do the Signature Collection, go for it!
That said, it did involve a bit of bouncing around. If your points balance allows, staying at one of the Signature Collection Resorts for your entire trip will definitely make things simpler.
🏨 For this part of our Universal Orlando Resort on points and miles trip, we actually used Chase points two different ways. Both through the Chase Travel Portal and by transferring points to Hyatt.
Our one-night stay at Loews Royal Pacific Resort was booked directly through the Chase Portal using points, while our nights at the Hyatt Place across from Universal were booked by transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards® points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio. This combo gave us the best of both worlds free nights and the Universal Express Pass perks without paying cash for a single stay.
💳 If you’re looking to start earning flexible points that can be used for both hotel redemptions and travel portal bookings, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® is my go-to travel rewards card. (This is my personal referral link — I may earn bonus points if you’re approved.)
If you don’t have enough points for your entire stay, or you’re traveling during peak dates when award availability is limited, it’s worth comparing cash prices too. Sometimes paying cash for one night and using points for the rest can save more overall.
👉 Compare Universal Orlando hotels on Booking.com
👉 Check Universal-area hotel deals on Hotels.com
🏨 Points, Perks, and Savings: Our Universal Hotel Breakdown
Here’s a breakdown of how we booked each stay, how many points we used, and what the equivalent cash prices would have been.
| Hotel | Nights | Points Used | Cash Price | Booking Method | Perks Included | Total Saved |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Place Across from Universal Orlando Resort | 2 | 8,000 Hyatt points per night (16,000 total) | $236 per night ($472 total) | Booked with Hyatt Points (transferable from Chase) | Free breakfast, family rooms, and complimentary shuttle to Universal | $472 saved |
| Loews Royal Pacific Resort (Universal Orlando Resort Signature Collection) | 1 | 35,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points | $439 (cash rate at booking) | Booked through Chase Travel Portal | Free Universal Express Unlimited Passes (for 2 park days), early park admission, water taxi access to the parks, priority seating at select restaurants, and resort-style pools | $439 saved |
| 🎯 Total Hotel Savings | $911 saved |
In total, we saved about $911 on hotels alone, and even more when factoring in the free Express Passes, early park access, and Signature Resort amenities. By combining a one-night on-site stay with Hyatt redemptions on the surrounding nights, we created a luxury Universal Orlando Resort trip on a family-friendly budget.
We have used very similar hotel and points strategies at Disney too, which I shared more in our Disney hotel savings guide.
Not sure which Universal Orlando hotel works best for your family? 👉 Compare Universal-area hotels here.
🎟️ Booking Universal Orlando Resort Tickets on Points and Miles
Once our flights and hotels were booked on points, the only major cost left was park tickets. Those can easily become one of the biggest expenses of any Universal trip. In this section, I’ll share how we paid for our Universal tickets and the best options for families planning their own Universal Orlando Resort Trip on points and miles.
While there’s no direct way to redeem traditional travel points for Universal tickets through the parks themselves, there are still a few creative ways to save or offset the cost using credit card points, travel portals, and cashback strategies. We found that Undercover Tourist consistently offers the best combination of pricing and promos, and by pairing it with Capital One’s travel eraser, we were able to wipe out the full ticket cost using points.
🎟️ How We Booked
We purchased our tickets through Undercover Tourist, which often runs deals like “Buy 2 Days, Get 2 Days Free.” For our family of four (3 adults + 1 child), we bought a 2-Day Park-to-Park ticket with 2 days free, paying $1,323 total.
We charged the tickets to our Capital One Venture card, then used our points to erase the purchase as a travel expense, bringing our total out-of-pocket cost to $0.
This option worked perfectly for us because we had originally planned for two park days, but the Undercover Tourist promo gave us two bonus days, letting us pop into the park the evening we arrived!
🎟️ Our Ticket Redemption
| Booking Source | Offer / Promo | Travelers | Total Cost | Points Used | Booking Method | Notes / Perks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Undercover Tourist | 2-Day Park-to-Park + 2 Days Free | 3 Adults + 1 Child | $1,323 | 131,300 Capital One Points | Purchased through Undercover Tourist, then erased with Capital One Venture Travel Eraser | “Buy 2 Days, Get 2 Free” promo gave us 2 bonus park days; saved over $1,300 out of pocket |
🎟️ Other Booking Options to Compare
If you don’t have Capital One points or want to check for other deals, here are a few ways to compare Universal ticket pricing using points or portals. These are great alternatives to check before booking.
| Booking Source | How It Works | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chase Travel Portal | Redeem points directly (typically 1¢–1.25¢ per point) | Simple to book in-portal; earns travel points; counts as a travel purchase | No bonus-day promos like Undercover Tourist |
| Capital One Travel Portal | Redeem points directly (1¢ per point) | Easy to redeem within Capital One account | Prices usually match Universal’s site; no external promos |
| AAA or Costco Travel | Member-exclusive discounts or bundled vacation deals | Consistent discounts; easy booking for families | Cannot redeem points directly; limited flexibility |
Booking through Undercover Tourist and using Capital One Venture points was the perfect balance of savings and simplicity. We redeemed points for every ticket dollar spent, earned two free park days, and eliminated over $1,300 in out-of-pocket costs, all while maximizing our family’s park time!
🎟️ We used Capital One Venture Miles to erase the cost of our Universal Orlando Resort park tickets purchased through Undercover Tourist. It was an easy way to make our tickets completely free using miles we’d already earned!
The best part of the Capital One Venture Rewards Card is its flexibility. You can use it to book travel anywhere (even theme park tickets, car rentals, or Airbnbs), then go back and erase those charges with miles for a statement credit. (This is my personal referral link — I may earn miles if you’re approved.)
⭐ Best Tips for Booking Universal Orlando on Points
- Use Chase Ultimate Rewards for Universal-area hotels — often the easiest redemptions.
- Check Marriott and Hyatt properties within a mile of the parks for strong family-friendly options.
- Book early for peak seasons — points rooms disappear faster than cash.
- Use the Chase Travel Portal if you need flexible booking or mixed cash/points options.
- Stay walking distance or shuttle distance to save on parking and maximize park time.
- Watch for Universal ticket deals and stack them with points-based hotel savings.
We have used many of these same strategies at Disney too, which I shared in our Disney World on points and miles guide.
A lifesaver for Universal park days
Universal requires you to put your backpack in lockers for many rides, and things can get misplaced fast. We put AirTags in every backpack and suitcase when we visit so we always know where everything is — especially during long days in the parks and busy ride queues.
➡️ Here’s the exact AirTag 4-pack we use
We learned the hard way how chaotic the locker system can be during peak times, so having AirTags gives us total peace of mind.
✨ Total Trip Value and Final Thoughts on our Trip to Universal Orlando Resort on Points and Miles
When we added everything up our flights, hotels, and tickets, our family saved over $3,600 by booking our Universal family trip on points and miles instead of cash. That’s a huge difference for a trip that included round-trip flights, three park days with Universal Express Passes, and comfortable hotel stays, all completely covered with rewards. This left us with extra spending money for the fun things!
Using a mix of American Airlines miles, Hyatt points, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One Venture miles took a little planning and flexibility, but it paid off in a big way. What I love most is that we stayed at an amazing on-site resort, got early park entry and Express Passes, and even stretched our park time thanks to an Undercover Tourist promo.
Disney has another great hotel-saving strategy too, which I explain more in our guide to renting DVC points for Disney.
💡 Takeaway Tip for Your Trip to Universal Orlando Resort on Points and Miles
For families trying to make theme park trips more affordable, learning to use points and miles strategically is truly a game changer. Whether you’re sitting on Chase or Capital One points or just getting started with a travel rewards card, you can turn everyday spending into unforgettable vacations.
Even if you don’t have enough points to cover an entire trip, try combining redemptions. Use points for flights and one hotel night, or erase tickets with travel rewards. Every little bit adds up, and before long, you’ll be planning your own “free” family vacation!
Trips like this remind me that I started learning about points and miles to create more memories together!
If your family enjoys busy, high-energy trips like this one, you would probably also love our New York City at Christmas itinerary.
Universal Orlando FAQ
Can you book Universal Orlando hotels using points?
Yes. Many hotels near Universal Orlando can be booked using Hyatt points, Marriott points, or flexible rewards through the Chase Travel Portal. That is one reason Universal can be such a good fit for families learning how to use points and miles.
Is Universal or Disney easier to book with points?
In a lot of ways, Universal is actually easier because so many nearby hotels are part of major hotel chains. Disney has fewer true on-property options that can be booked directly with points.
What are the best Universal Orlando hotels for families using points?
For our family, the combination of Hyatt Place and Loews Royal Pacific worked really well. Hyatt helped us stretch our points, while Royal Pacific gave us the huge Express Pass perk that made the parks much easier.
Does Universal Orlando offer family discounts or ticket deals?
Yes. Universal frequently runs multi-day ticket promotions, especially through sites like Undercover Tourist. That is how we ended up getting two extra park days added to our tickets during this trip.
🎒 Universal Travel Essentials We Pack
Even if you’re trying to save money on your Universal Orlando Resort trip, these are the items we always pack to make travel days smoother and park days easier:
🧳 AirTags in Every Suitcase and Backpack
Universal trips involve early flights, crowded airports, and lots of luggage being moved between buses, rideshares, and bell services. We put an AirTag in every suitcase, park bag, and stroller so we always know where everything is. It gives me instant peace of mind on hectic travel days and in crowded parks.
➡️ Here’s the exact AirTag 4-pack we use.
🔋 Portable Charger (A Must!)
Between Mobile Order, taking photos, and checking ride wait times, phones die FAST in Universal. A portable charger is an absolute must. I have had several over the years and this is hands down my favorite.
➡️ This is the portable charger we bring.
🧣 Cooling Towels for Hot Months
If you’re going anytime between March–October, cooling towels make waiting in outdoor lines so much easier for kids and adults.
➡️ These are the cooling towels we use.
🦶 Epsom Salt Foot Gel for Sore Park Feet (Our Secret Weapon)
Long Universal days = sore feet. We bring this Epsom Salt Foot Gel on every trip because it’s instant relief without needing a full foot soak. After a day at Universal, this is the one thing that makes our feet feel normal again. We keep it in our Universal hotel bathroom the whole trip and it gets used nightly.
➡️ Here’s the exact foot gel we pack.
(and yes… we’ve used it more times than I can count!)
🌬️ Mini Handheld Fan (Lifesaver for Universal Heat & Summer Sports Tournaments)
We’ve used this little fan for years at baseball tournaments, and it works just as well for park days. It’s powerful, rechargeable, and gives instant relief during those hot mid-day lines at Universal. It’s small enough to toss in a backpack, but strong enough to cool you down fast. We keep it in our park backpack and it always comes out while waiting in line or walking throughout the park.
If you are planning both Disney and Universal, I also shared our favorite strategies for saving money in our Disney hotel savings guide.
If Disney is next on your list, I also shared some of our favorite ways to add extra magic to a Disney vacation.
We even use points for smaller trips closer to home, which I shared more about in our New York City on points guide.
Not sure if you should pull your kids out for a trip like this? Here’s my teacher perspective on kids missing school for vacation.
If your family likes efficient park strategies and thrill rides like we do at Universal, you would probably also enjoy our Disney with tweens and teens park strategy guide.
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Universal Orlando Resort family travel photography © Stack the Miles. All family and attraction photos were captured during our Universal Orlando Resort on Points and Miles trip. Select scenic and landmark images courtesy of trusted stock sources and tourism archives.
About the Author
I’m Mel — a teacher, mom, and family travel blogger who loves helping parents plan memorable and affordable trips.
Every itinerary and recommendation on Stack the Miles comes from real adventures we’ve taken with our children,
from Europe and the Caribbean to Disney, Universal, and sports-related travel.
My goal is to share genuine, family-tested travel advice so you can plan with confidence and make unforgettable memories together.
