Cairo has been on my bucket list since childhood. So when I found a roundtrip ticket for $708.87, I purchased it. Unfortunately, things got complicated, and I’ll detail how I solved some unexpected circumstances. Nonetheless, Egypt was worth the long flight, hurdles, expenses, and time.
Transportation
I originally bought a roundtrip ticket flying Turkish Airlines for $708.87 from Dallas. The flights worked for me and the price compared to pre-pandemic prices was great. I decided to use American Express points to cover the flight cost. The American Express Schwab Platinum allows you to convert points to 1.1 cents and transfer them to your Schwab account. Also, if buying airfare with the American Express Schwab Platinum, you receive 5 points per dollar. I consider this a 5.5% cashback since I can transfer those points to Schwab and help pay for the ticket. So $708.87 minus the discount is $669.89, a very reasonable price for a trip to Egypt from Dallas.
Unfortunately, due to inclement weather on my layover in Istanbul, my flight was canceled the same day I was supposed to depart. Although Turkish Airlines’ best proposal was a 56-hour flight, on my 6-day trip, it wasn’t worth it, and at the last minute, I had to buy a different ticket.
That morning I found roundtrip tickets on Emirates for $892.47. Since I was looking forward to this trip, I decided to buy this ticket instead of canceling the entire trip. Including the American Express Schwab Platinum points back, the total was $843.38.
Emirates is known for providing outstanding service, and even in its Economy cabin, the service was better than many airlines’ first-class products.
Lodging
I searched for a very central location. I booked a private room at Egyptian Night, a hostel in Cairo city center. They had excellent reviews on HostelWorld and included transportation from the airport. In addition, they were very helpful in planning all the sightseeing in Cairo. If you are not a local or don’t have a local friend, you will need a reliable guide in Cairo. The night rate was $23 including breakfast and I stayed for four nights. On my last day, I was able to leave my luggage at the hostel while I visited a museum and market. The total for my lodging expenses was $92.
Perks Used
The American Express Platinum for Schwab: I used membership points to cover $843.38 by transferring them to my Schwab brokerage account. Also, access to the Centurion Lounge in DFW and Priority Pass lounges in Dubai was helpful during my wait and layovers.
Conclusion
My total expenses for travel and lodging were $935.38. Admittedly, I paid more than I had budgeted but a large portion was covered with points;however, this trip was a good reminder that as much as one plans, there are unexpected circumstances that can cost us money, time, or changing our plans. In my case, I had to pay more to get a last-minute flight but could make it to Cairo. At the end, I paid $92 and used 76,000 points for an amazing experience.