Hilton points strategy saves money on Rio Carnival trip

Attending Carnival in Rio de Janeiro had been a long-standing aspiration for Matt Moffitt, who recently managed to visit during his three-month trip through South America. Expecting high costs during Carnival, Moffitt aimed to use his credit card rewards to offset expenses, a strategy that proved successful.

One of the big expenditures was securing a ticket to the Sambadrome. Moffitt missed early ticket sales but acquired a ticket for $148 through a Black Friday deal.

For accommodation, cash rates for hotels in popular Rio neighborhoods were high, but Moffitt leveraged his Hilton Honors points. He opted for a stay at Yoo2 Rio de Janeiro, a Tapestry Collection by Hilton, utilizing Hilton promotions to purchase points at a favorable rate of 0.5 cents per point. This strategy allowed him to pay $800 for his stay, compared to the $1,778 cash rate, saving him over $600.