The cheap honeymoon guide
A cheap honeymoon that doesn't feel cheap — or one that's actually free.
You don't have to settle for a long weekend two hours from home. Couples use credit card welcome bonuses — earned on wedding expenses they were paying for anyway — to fly business class, stay in five-star resorts, and pay close to nothing out of pocket. Here's how it works.
How couples do it
Three steps to an affordable honeymoon
Step 1
Put the wedding on the right cards
Caterers, venue, photographer — every dollar you're already spending can go on a new card that pays a welcome bonus. Most couples need one or two cards, not five.
Step 2
Turn bonuses into flights and nights
One good welcome bonus typically covers two round-trip flights. A second card, or the same one kept open, covers the hotel nights — including luxury stays.
Step 3
Book smart, travel free
Off-peak award nights start around 5,000–10,000 points; standard stays run 15,000–40,000. Time your dates right and the whole trip costs a fraction of cash prices.
Where the points go farthest
Cheap honeymoon destinations (that look expensive)
These are the trips couples book most often with points — each one is a luxury honeymoon at a fraction of the cash price.
Mexico & the Caribbean
From 80,000 miles for two round-trip flights
The easiest luxury-for-less play: short flights, all-inclusive resorts, and hotels that start at just 5,000–15,000 points a night off-peak.
Hawaii
From 80,000 miles for two round-trip flights
Flights are the expensive part. Cover them with a single welcome bonus and your hotel can be a beachfront property for points.
Europe
From 80,000 miles for two round-trip flights
Shoulder-season awards to Paris, Rome, or Lisbon often price at the same low level as domestic flights when you book with points.
The Maldives
Flights from 160,000+ points, overwater villas from 50,000–100,000 points a night
The classic splurge is genuinely reachable on points — it's the one destination where a 'free honeymoon' isn't an exaggeration.
Find out how free your honeymoon can be
Answer five quick questions and we'll match you with the exact cards that cover your flights and hotel — based on what you're already spending.
Get My RecommendationAlready have fair credit or want to skip cards? See other ways to save on the trip.