Hotel Points Seeking Advice: Best Way to Use Credit Card Reward Points for Europe Trip

[Chagarlamudi]

I’m planning a trip to Europe in mid-June and need advice on flights, hotels, and making the best use of my credit card reward points.

Trip Details:

• My wife will be in Brussels for two months for work.
• I plan to visit for two weeks with my 5-year-old son.
• Departure city: Hyderabad (HYD).
• Brussels is the main destination, but I’m considering visiting Amsterdam and Switzerland as well.
• Looking for budget-friendly travel while making smart use of points.

Credit Card Points Available:

• HDFC Infinia: 45K points
• Amex Platinum: 275K points
• Axis Atlas: 14K points

Hotel Preferences:

• Prefer budget-friendly hotels, mainly Accor (I don’t have Accor status).
• Marriott Gold status (through Amex Platinum) – open to using it if there’s good value.

Advice Needed On:

1. Flights: Best ways to book flights from Hyderabad to Brussels using points/miles. Any good redemptions for business class?
2. Hotels: Should I use points for hotels or pay cash? Any good Accor or Marriott options in Brussels, Amsterdam, and Switzerland?
3. Best Use of Points: Should I transfer Amex points to airline/hotel partners for better value? Any good redemption strategies?

Would love to hear recommendations from those who’ve done similar trips. Thanks in advance!