Using Points and Miles for the 2024 Paris Olympics

With the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris less than a year away, now is the time to start planning. The opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games will take place along the Seine River on July 26. Events will run for the next two weeks, with the closing ceremony planned for Aug. 11.

For many, witnessing world-class athletes compete in this electrifying atmosphere is a bucket-list trip. However, with millions of people all over the world wanting to attend the 2024 Olympics, can you even afford to go?

Whether you want to watch a thrilling soccer match, witness awe-inspiring swimmers in action or simply be one of the millions of citizens of the world coming together to celebrate the heritage of the Olympics, utilizing your credit card rewards can make what seems as impossible as pole vaulting the Eiffel tower into a reality.

While demand for flights is already high, there’s still opportunities for the points and miles enthusiast to schedule flights and accommodations in Paris so you can be one of the millions of people participating in the 2024 Olympic festivities.

Let’s dive into how you can attend one of the world’s biggest sporting events without breaking the bank.

About Paris

From hosting world expositions, signing peace treaties to end world war’s and hosting some of the world’s most renowned art, music and culture, Paris has long been regarded as a global hub. A trip to the French capital is a prerequisite of any citizen of the world.

The Olympic committee is leveraging the picturesque landscape of Paris by hosting the opening ceremony along the iconic Seine River, instead of in a stadium. As athletes from around the world gather in Paris for this prestigious competition, the city will come alive with excitement and energy. The open atmosphere should only heighten the good vibes.

With so much history, culture and athletic events, it’ll be important to be clear on why you’re attending the Olympics before planning your trip.

The 2024 Olympics offers 329 events in 13 cities around France and more than 600,000 attendees are expected to attend. Combine this with all the other experiences that Paris offers on a normal day, you simply can’t do it all.

Are you visiting Paris to attend a specific event? Immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere? Or use the Olympics as an excuse to experience the beauty of Paris itself? Keep that goal in mind and let’s dive into how to get to Paris for a fraction of the cost.

How to Book Flights to Paris for the 2024 Olympics

The Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) is the 10th busiest airport in the world. In an average year, it will handle more than 57 million passengers. Over one thousand flights take off or land from this airport every day. Virtually all airlines of any size have routes going through Paris, but with people from all over the world trying to get to the same place on the same day, demand will be high.

If you’re more interested in soaking up the Olympic culture than watching competitions, you may consider getting to Paris a week or so before the Summer Olympics Opening Ceremony. This will allow you to purchase cheaper tickets or find award availability that might not exist on the days of the events.

While there are hundreds of ways to get to Paris, let’s explore some of the best opportunities for the weeks surrounding the 2024 Olympics.

Flying to Paris for the 2024 Olympics on Air France

Unsurprisingly, Air France is a great way to get to Paris. Just 15,000 Flying Blue points can get you from New York (JFK) to Paris. However, Air France uses dynamic pricing. This means that the inexpensive tickets become more expensive with increased demand.

While you can snag a 15,000-mile economy seat or a 55,000-mile business-class ticket the week before the 2024 Olympics, these rates spike to 71,500 and 254,000 miles, respectively, the week of the event.

If you have the time and flexibility to enjoy Paris while the Paris 2024 preparations take place, booking a flight just a week early could save you a ton of points.

Flying Blue miles are easy to come by. You can transfer points from American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points or Brex Rewards.

Flying Blue allows you to cancel award tickets up to the latest check-in time for 50 euros (about $55), so if you have half a hunch you might have found a ticket you’d like, go ahead and book it. Award availability will book fast and you can always cancel later.

Getting to Paris on Iberia

If you don’t have the flexibility to spend an extra week in Paris before the 2024 Olympics, understanding airlines award charts and loyalty programs can be beneficial.

Unlike Flying Blue, whose award rates fluctuate with increased demand, Iberia employs a fixed-rate award chart. This means that the number of Avios required for a flight remains more or less the same. While Iberia does distinguish between peak and off-peak seasons, its award rates don’t spike when the entire world is trying to show up in the same city.

Although you won’t be price gouged on Iberia, availability can still be a challenge. Planning ahead, as in now, is how you’ll secure your seat on a metal bird destined for the Olympic rings.

The 2024 Olympics are, understandably, a peak week for Iberia. Nonetheless, you can book economy tickets from New York for 40,500 Iberia Plus Avios. West Coasters can book a ticket from Los Angeles (LAX) for just 7,000 more Avios at 47,500.

You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles or Chase Ultimate Rewards to Iberia Plus. You can also transfer Aer Lingus, British Airways or Qatar Avios to your Iberia Avios account to book this ticket.

Blue Class tickets through Iberia are refundable up to 24 hours before flight time for a 25 euro ($27) fee.

Using British Airways Avios to Fly on Aer Lingus to Paris

When traveling to Europe, we often discourage using British Airways because these flights often connect through London-Heathrow (LHR) and tend to include high taxes and fees.

However, when it comes to booking flights to Paris, you can utilize British Airways Avios to book a flight on Aer Lingus. This flight connects in Dublin rather than London, which helps you avoid hundreds of dollars in surcharges. Remember, Avios is a fixed-rate award program.

If you’re departing from New York, you can leverage your Avios to book a flight with Aer Lingus to Paris and land on the day of the Olympic ceremony for as few as 24,500 Avios.

Interestingly, this flight is available on the British Airways site, but is not yet available on the Aer Lingus site. It should be available once those dates open up on Aer Lingus’ calendar, but why not snag the seat now before the general public can get it?

If availability runs low, consider booking a flight to Lyon, France (LYS) instead of Paris. Lyon will host several Olympic soccer matches and is a two-hour train ride from Paris. A flight to Lyon is an extra 10,250 Avios, at 34,750, but the fees are a bit cheaper. It’s nice to know you have another option if the Paris routes fill up.

You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Points and Bilt Rewards to British Airways Executive Club. You can also transfer Avios from Iberia, Qatar or Aer Lingus to complete your flight booking.

British Airways award tickets can be canceled and the Avios re-deposited for $55.

Direct Flights to the 2024 Olympics on United Airlines

United Airlines has direct flights from Newark, New Jersey (EWR), to Paris. Right now, there’s Saver award availability for the week of the 2024 Olympics. In addition to a great price and direct flight, United doesn’t pass on the fuel surcharges or taxes typical with international redemptions. You’ll pay just the standard $5.60 September 11 security fee on your inbound flight.

You can book economy tickets on United for 40,000 MileagePlus miles. If you prefer a more luxurious experience, United also offers business-class awards for 143,100 United miles. While this is hardly a bargain, you may be willing to splurge for a noteworthy trip like going to the Olympics.

Chase Ultimate Rewards are the only points that transfer to United MileagePlus. However, United is a Star Alliance member, meaning you can book United-operated flights through other Star Alliance partners, such as Air Canada Aeroplan or Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.

You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles and Chase Ultimate Rewards to Aeroplan, Air Canada’s award program. Turkish Miles&Smiles accepts transfers from Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards.

Keep in mind that partner bookings are available for United Saver award space only. Once Saver award availability runs out, you’ll have to book your ticket through United directly and likely at a higher price.

Where to Stay in Paris for the 2024 Olympics

Every hotel in Paris is already sold out for the 2024 Olympics. The Olympic committee has reserved all of them to offer travel packages. To secure accommodations, you’ll need to purchase a travel package directly from the official Olympic site.

You’ll want to book early as the demand for these packages is sure to be high.

These travel packages include tickets to nearby events and accommodations. You can search for accommodations by events you’d like to attend or the level of accommodation you prefer.

Prices are steep, and if you want to stay in Paris, you don’t have a lot of options but to bite the bullet and shell out some cash. However, saving thousands of dollars on your flights to Paris should give you some extra money for accommodations.

For instance, a three-night stay in Paris during the Olympics can range from 2,765 euros (about $3,000) for a three-star hotel to 20,990 euros (about $22,500) for a five-star hotel.

Both packages include tickets to three Olympic Events and are based on one-person occupancy. If you share a room, the per person ticket drops to 2,090 euros (about $2,250) and 17,730 euros (about $19,000), respectively. These are just examples, and prices vary based on event, hotel and number of nights.

Hotels Outside Paris

The demand for hotels across France during the Olympics is high, especially in cities where Olympic events will take place. Early-round Olympic matches will be hosted in a dozen cities and regions surrounding Paris. You can still find limited hotel availability in some of these cities.

For instance, Nice and Bordeaux will all host lower-level soccer matches. This presents a unique opportunity for travelers who wish to experience the excitement of the Olympics while exploring cities other than Paris.

For those looking for accommodation in Nice, the AC Hotel Nice offers a comfortable stay at a rate of 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night. This hotel provides convenient access to the Olympic events as well as the beautiful coast of Nice.

In Bordeaux, the Hyatt Chateau le Cagnard is available at a rate of 18,000 World of Hyatt points per night. If you’re a wine aficionado who loves soccer, this may be an inexpensive way to experience the Olympics.

If you’re out of Hyatt points but have Marriott points, the Moxy Bordeaux can be booked for 39,000 Bonvoy per night. Both of these options would also be eligible for free night certificates from their respective loyalty programs.

Where to Buy Tickets for the 2024 Olympics

To secure tickets for the 2024 Olympics, you’ll want to purchase them directly from the official Olympic site at paris2024.org. Be aware of potential fraud schemes offering “off book” or second hand Olympic tickets. You don’t want to travel to Europe only to find out you don’t have a way to enjoy the Olympics.

To protect against price gouging and to make the Olympics as inclusive of an event as possible, the Olympic committee imposes restrictions on how many tickets you can buy. Depending on the event type, you can buy up to four or six tickets. No one account can purchase more than 30 tickets in total.

Ticket prices range significantly depending on the event. The 2024 Olympic Opening Ceremony is sure to be memorable. If you’re particularly eager to attend the Opening Ceremony, it’ll set you back 2,700 euros (about $2,900).

However, early-round soccer matches held outside Paris offer an accessible option for all comers. Ticket prices start at 24 euros (about $26). This provides an opportunity for sports enthusiasts to witness the excitement of Olympic soccer matches without breaking the bank.

Final Thoughts

While many see attending the Paris 2024 Olympic Games as just a pipe dream, using credit cards points and miles puts this once-in-a-lifetime trip solidly within reach. By booking your airline tickets now, being flexible with when and how long you attend the Olympics, and potentially staying outside the city, you can accomplish this trip for nearly nothing. All of the savings will leave you with plenty of money to splurge on the events that are most important to you.

With all the fanfare going on, you may not get the opportunity to explore Paris the way it deserves. No need to worry. Continually earning points and miles means you can always come back and explore Paris in a less-hurried time.

When you book your trip to Paris to attend the 2024 Olympics, remember to brag about it on the 10xTravel Insiders Facebook group, the largest points and miles Facebook group in the industry.