Christmas Markets With Points And Miles
Every year from November through Christmas—and even into January in some destinations—cities and towns across Europe transform into a winter wonderland of twinkling lights, festive decorations, and enchanting Christmas markets. For many travelers, experiencing Europe's Christmas markets is a bucket-list trip. The good news? Points and miles can make it much more affordable than you might think. Whether you're looking to stretch your points for a budget-friendly adventure or splurge on luxury hotels and business class flights, this guide will show you some of the best ways to experience Europe's Christmas markets with points and miles.
Hotels — Sweet Spots For European Christmas Markets
When deciding where to book an award stay, where should you start? Here's how to navigate the most popular hotel programs for Europe's Christmas markets with points and miles.
Hyatt
Recent devaluation aside, Hyatt remains a favorite among points enthusiasts. Thanks to its acquisition of Lindner Hotels and Me and All Hotels a couple years back, Hyatt has continued to strengthen its footprint throughout Europe, including many cities known for their incredible Christmas markets. One of the best parts? Many of these properties fall into Hyatt's lower award categories, making them exceptional values even during the busy holiday season.
Some standout budget-friendly options include:
- Lindner Bratisalva
- Lindner Vienna Am Belveder
- Lindner Prague Castle
- Lidner Atwerp
If Germany's famous Christmas markets are calling your name, consider:
- Lindner Cologne Am Dom
- Lindner Berlin Ku'damm
- Me and All Hotel Berlin East Side
- Me and All Hotel Düsseldorf
Looking to elevate your holiday getaway? Some luxury redemptions include:
- Andaz Amsterdam
- Andaz Prague
- Park Hyatt Vienna
- Parisi Udvar Hotel Budapest
These properties can regularly cost hundreds, or even thousands of dollars, per night during the Christmas season, making Hyatt points an incredible value. Here is a sample booking for a week at the Category 1 Lindner Bratislava in December 2026. To see the total cost, I like to check the calendar—and this seven-night stay would cost less than 40,000 points. For comparison, the nonrefundable cash rate for the same stay comes out to EUR1,044.25 ($1,198.78). With a points cost of 39,000, that gives you a value of 3 cents per point. That is a stellar deal for transferrable points.
IHG One Rewards
IHG has one of the largest hotel footprints in Europe, making it an excellent option regardless of your travel style. Families looking to keep costs down will find plenty of value with brands like Holiday Inn and Garner Hotels, while travelers seeking a more upscale or boutique experience can choose from Kimpton, Hotel Indigo and InterContinental properties. The higher end properties are a great way to use credits for premium hotel programs like Chase's credits for The Edit and select hotels and Amex's FHR/THC credits.
Some excellent Christmas market options include:
- Holiday Inn Gdansk City Centre
- Garner Hotel Vienna
- Kimpton BEM Budapest
- InterContinental Amstel Amsterdam
- Hotel Indigo Brussels City
ToP Tip: If you're staying at a Kimpton property, don't forget to ask for the secret password at check-in. It's a fun tradition that can unlock a complimentary reward during your stay.
Hilton Honors
Hilton is another strong choice for a European Christmas market trip, offering everything from budget-friendly stays to luxury properties. The holiday season can be an especially good time to redeem Hilton Free Night Certificates (FNCs), which can provide outsized value when cash rates soar. If you have multiple certificates, consider combining them with Hilton's fifth-night-free benefit on award stays to maximize your trip.
Some standout options include:
- Hampton by Hilton Nuremberg City Centre
- Hilton Strasbourg
Both cities host some of Europe's most beloved Christmas markets and make excellent bases for exploring the region. Top Tip: Many collect the mugs from each market that you receive when you purchase drinks at the markets. There are typically options with or without alcohol.
Flights — Sweet Spots For European Christmas Markets
When visiting Christmas markets with points and miles, you'll of course need a way to get across the pond. Several airline rewards programs bring incredible value for flights to Europe, particularly when flying in premium cabins or when trying to transport large groups or families. Watch for transfer bonuses, too, which can further stretch your points.
Flying Blue
Flying Blue, the loyalty program of Air France and KLM, is one of the best ways to book award flights to Europe. Since Air France and KLM serve numerous European destinations, Flying Blue can be an excellent gateway to Christmas markets across the continent. Business class awards can often be found starting around 60,000 miles one-way, making Flying Blue an attractive option for travelers looking to fly in comfort. Economy and Premium Economy are also great budget options, starting at 25,000 miles—but keep your eyes peeled for monthly promo fares that can make the prices even more reasonable.
One of my favorite features is the ability to add a stopover, allowing you to visit two destinations on a single award ticket. Traveling with children? Flying Blue also offers a 25% discount for kids under 12, making it a particularly valuable program for families. I love looking at the calendar view by using this ToP calendar trick, where you can then see the best deals each day.
Air Canada Aeroplan
Aeroplan is one of ToP's favorite programs for booking flights to Europe, thanks to its flexibility and extensive partner network. You can redeem Aeroplan points for flights on airlines such as the below. These carriers provide convenient connections through major European hubs, making it easy to reach destinations large and small.
- Swiss
- Lufthansa
- Austrian Airlines
- United Airlines
- Air Canada, of course!
Aeroplan also allows stopovers on one-way awards for just 5,000 additional points, a feature that can add tremendous value if you want to experience multiple Christmas markets in a single trip.
In the above example, you can fly business class from NYC to VIE for 75K and $108CAD, which includes business class on all legs US-Europe. Air Canada does not always make it obvious what is mixed cabin and what is full business class, though, so make sure to check “Exclude: Mixed cabin” and “Business classy only” under the Cabin preferences. If you are okay with the shorter leg being mixed cabin, you can select “Mixed cabin: visual bar” to see what percentage is in business class.
Avios
While using Avios isn't always the cheapest option, the currency can provide excellent availability and access to a wide variety of European destinations. Avios are shared by international airlines Aer Lingus, British Airways, Finnair, Iberia and Qatar Airways, and they can also be used to book partner flights through airlines such as American Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
This flexibility makes Avios worth considering, especially when other award programs aren't showing availability. Here is an option using British Airways Avios to book an AA flight from CLT-FRA. To see pricing select the class of service, and it will show the following (price for 1 passenger):
Christmas Markets With Points And Miles: ToP Thoughts
Europe's Christmas markets are every bit as magical as you've imagined, and points and miles can make the trip surprisingly attainable. Whether you're redeeming Hyatt points for a luxury stay at the Park Hyatt Vienna, using Hilton Free Night Certificates during peak season, or flying business class to Europe with Flying Blue or Aeroplan, there are countless ways to turn a bucket-list holiday adventure into reality without breaking the bank. The hardest part might just be deciding which Christmas market to visit first. How would you book Christmas markets with points and miles? Tell us over in the ToP Facebook group.
