Saving $30K+ on the Perfect Spring Break Japan Trip with Amy Fox
4/29/20261 hr 10 min
#276: Learn how Chris and Amy booked four nonstop business class seats and a week at the Park Hyatt Tokyo almost entirely on points. They break down the strategy, key takeaways for traveling with kids, Chris' AI-powered trip planner, and more. Link to Full Show Notes: https://chrishutchins.com/50k-points-japan-trip Partner Deals Upwork: Free job posting to find, hire, and pay top freelance talent Wispr Flow: Try effortless voice dictation for free Fora: Become a Fora Advisor today MasterClass: Learn from the world's best with 15% off Aura Frames: $25 off the Carver Mat with code ALLTHEHACKS For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: chrishutchins.com/deals Resources Mentioned Flights & Award Booking Japan Airlines Finnair Avios American Airlines Award Tool Seats.aero Hotels Park Hyatt Tokyo Hilton Tokyo Bay Disney Ambassador Hotel Airbnb Activities teamLab KidZania Tokyo Disneyland Tokyo DisneySea Luggage & Transportation Yamato Transport RideSafer Travel Vest Suica Card Takuhaibin Delivery Services Technology & Planning Claude Claude Code Codex Google Maps offline Google Translate T-Mobile Credit Cards Bank of America® Atmos™ Rewards Summit Visa Infinite® Credit Card Chase Sapphire Reserve® The Platinum Card® from American Express Shopping Muji Don Quijote (Donki) Loft Takashimaya ARC5 PALM-Sized 5-Blade Electric Luxury Razor Keana Rice Pack face mask Food & Dining 7-Eleven Japan FamilyMart Koffee Mameya Afuri Ramen Rokurinsha Mos Burger ATH Podcast AMA: Submit A Question Leave a review: Apple Podcasts | Spotify Email for questions, hacks, deals, and feedback: podcast@chrishutchins.com Full Show Notes (00:00) Introduction (01:59) Why Booking Business Class to Japan a Year Out Actually Works (16:46) What Our Hyatt Points Are Worth Now — and After the Upcoming Devaluation (20:37) Why We Stayed in Tokyo the Entire Trip (and Why We're Glad We Did) (25:43) Why TeamLab Should Be on Every Asia Itinerary (26:46) How to Save on Phone Data Abroad and the Rookie Mistake to Avoid (27:31) How We Used AI to Build a Real-Time Trip Guide Before We Even Landed (35:58) Japan Airlines Business Class Review (38:56) Inside the Freshly Renovated Park Hyatt Tokyo (45:37) Is the Park Hyatt Tokyo's Location Actually a Problem? (51:03) Did the Cherry Blossoms Live Up to the Hype? (53:57) Why Japan's Bathrooms, Vending Machines, and Convenience Stores Are a Revelation (56:09) Cash, Cards, and Transit: How to Pay Your Way Through Japan (57:45) What We Learned About Traveling Tokyo with Kids (59:19) Why Food in Japan Is Just Better (Even at 7-Eleven) (01:00:51) KidZania Tokyo: The Best Kid Experience You've Never Heard Of (01:05:26) Why Japan's Bag-Forwarding Service Is a Game Changer for Families Connect with Chris Newsletter | Membership | X | Instagram | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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First 90 secondsChris Hutchins· Host0:00
After five trips to Japan, I'd somehow never been for cherry blossom season, and the reason isn't complicated. That week is exactly when every flight to Japan and most nice hotels hit their peak demand, and it's also spring break in the US. But we still wanted to try this year, and the cost proved that story right. The version of the trip we actually wanted, direct business class flights for all four of us, a suite at a nice hotel like the Park Hyatt, would have run north of $50,000 for 10 days. Without points and a budget I don't have, it'd mean flying coach, staying at an Airbnb on the outskirts of town, or maybe just not going. But I don't live in a world without points because they are the reason trips like this are possible. So today, I'm joined by my wife, Amy, and I'll break down exactly how the math worked, the mechanics behind finding the flights, the Park Hyatt redemption we had, and what changes when Hyatt's rumored devaluation lands, and the other important decisions that quietly carried the entire trip. Plus, I'll share more about the custom trip planner I ended up building that acted like a local guide on the ground and a handful of lessons that I think apply to almost any trip you take, whether it's Japan or not. I'm Chris Hutchins. If you enjoy this episode, leave a comment or share it with a friend, and if you wanna keep upgrading your money, points, and life, click follow or subscribe. All right. We've been home a week. How are you feeling?
Amy Fox· Guest1:24
I feel great. I'm still exhausted. I think it's [chuckles] gonna take a few weeks to recover, but it