Traveling to Machu Picchu on Points!
Traveling to Machu Picchu on Points!
Last month, I checked off one of my biggest bucket-list adventures: hiking Machu Picchu Mountain, climbing ancient Inca steps to more than 11,000 feet for an incredible view overlooking the Machu Picchu citadel - a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World!
And we did it almost entirely using points and miles!
If we had paid cash for this trip, the total cost for 2 people would have been approximately $10,087. Instead, my out-of-pocket cost was just $987 - this is including airline fees, hotels, taxis, and train tickets.
That means points and miles covered more than $9,000 of this trip!
If Machu Picchu is on your bucket list, the good news is that getting there - even flying Business Class - doesn't have to cost a fortune. The key is knowing which airlines fly where you want to go, which airline partners offer the best award pricing, and which points to use.
How I Booked the Trip - Getting to Peru in Business Class
My first question when planning almost any international trip is:
Which airlines fly to my destination, and do I have access to the right airline or alliance miles to actually book them?
Another strategy I frequently use is booking two separate one-way award tickets rather than a traditional round-trip. This can open up significantly more award availability and give you much greater flexibility.
For this trip, we took a positioning economy flight from Denver to Chicago, where we connected to Avianca Business Class from Chicago → Bogotá → Cusco for only 35,000 points per person.
Here is where understanding airline partnerships really matters: we flew Avianca, a Colombian airline, but booked the flights using Asiana miles from South Korea.
That's the kind of opportunity most travelers would never think to look for. This is where I can help! Clients as me for my help inn finding them flights they wouldn’t normally think of for great savings!
We arrived in Cusco at 11:20 a.m. and used Taxidatum, a transportation company I highly recommend. One thing I particularly liked is that they charge by vehicle rather than per person, which can make private transportation very reasonable when traveling with others.
From Cusco, we took a beautiful 90-minute drive through the Sacred Valley to Ollantaytambo, the primary jumping-off point for our PeruRail journey toward Machu Picchu.
The approximately 90-minute train ride through the Andes was an experience in itself. The mountain scenery was spectacular as we followed the river deeper into the Sacred Valley toward Aguas Calientes.
Getting Machu Picchu Tickets
Instead of purchasing our Machu Picchu tickets well in advance, we chose to arrive early and try to purchase next-day tickets directly from the Ministry of Culture office in Aguas Calientes.
Our tickets were about $45 each, and we planned a two-night stay to give ourselves some cushion and additional flexibility. But when we arrived, there wasn't even a line.
That said, I wouldn't recommend leaving tickets until the last minute unless you understand the process, have flexibility in your itinerary, and are prepared for the possibility that your preferred circuit or entry time won't be available.
Hiking Machu Picchu Mountain
For many visitors, simply walking through the main Machu Picchu citadel is the bucket-list experience.
We wanted something more challenging.
Our goal was the roughly four-hour hike up Machu Picchu Mountain, climbing hundreds of ancient Inca steps to an elevation of more than 11,000 feet. I'll admit - it was difficult!
But standing at the top and looking down at Machu Picchu surrounded by the Andes made every step worthwhile. The view absolutely did not disappoint.
I recommend getting the earliest entry time. We started in the morning when there were fewer people and cooler temperatures. By later in the day, it had become noticeably warmer.
The Sacred Valley and Cusco
After our Machu Picchu adventure, we took the train back to Ollantaytambo.
Rather than simply paying for another taxi back to Cusco, we arranged a five-hour private guided tour through the Sacred Valley using our points visiting several additional sites along the way before being dropped directly at our hotel in Cusco. Taxidatum arranged this transportation as well.
This is another travel-planning strategy I love: turn transportation you already need into part of the experience.
Instead of spending money just getting from Point A to Point B, we turned the transfer into another day of sightseeing.
Then We Added Chile!
After exploring Cusco, we flew nonstop on LATAM from Cusco to Santiago, using my Delta SkyMiles.
Chile became an amazing second half of the trip, with excursions to Valparaíso and Viña del Mar, along with some excellent Chilean food and wine tasting.
For the trip home, we flew both Avianca and United Airlines in Business Class for 55,000 miles per person.
The Bottom Line
So, if you've ever wondered:
"Can I take an incredible trip to Peru and Chile—fly Business Class, visit Machu Picchu, explore the Sacred Valley, and experience Santiago and Chilean wine country—without spending a small fortune?"
My answer is a resounding: YES!
The secret isn't simply having a lot of points. It's knowing how to use the right points, with the right airline partners, at the right time.
And that's exactly what I help my clients do, learn how to travel better and not break the bank!
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Chase Business and Personal Cards
MyMilesGuy Tip: One of the best times to consider your next credit card is after you've completed the spending requirement and earned the welcome bonus on your previous card. Currently I am using the CHASE SAPPHIRE RESERVE BUSINESS℠ card to receive over 200,000 points, but my go-to workhorse card is the CAPITAL ONE VENTURE X BUSINESS card.®
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