{"id":247677,"date":"2026-02-21T23:49:58","date_gmt":"2026-02-21T23:49:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/?p=247677\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T17:06:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T17:06:14","slug":"im-at-the-2026-winter-olympics-heres-how-points-and-miles-made-it-possible","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/2026-winter-olympics-on-points-and-miles\/","title":{"rendered":"I\u2019m at the 2026 Winter Olympics \u2014 Here\u2019s How Points and Miles Made It Possible"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Olympic Games come around every two years. I've never been a huge sports fan, but I've always loved watching the Olympics. There's something so special about seeing athletes who devote their lives to a sport making it to the Games and accomplishing their goals. Plus, it's nice to have the opportunity to learn about niche events like curling or archery.<\/p>\n<p>I was fortunate enough to spend a month in France for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. My parents and I attended 12 events across a variety of disciplines \u2014 gymnastics, swimming, diving, and more. After having such an amazing time in Paris, we decided to travel to Italy for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina.<\/p>\n<p>These are the most geographically widespread Olympics ever, so we spent a long time planning to make this dream a reality. And while it's too late to get to the Olympic Games this time around, the process for planning an Olympic adventure is the same, regardless of the year or host country. Here's what it's like to attend the Olympic Games, and how a trip like this is possible with points and miles.<\/p>\n<p class=\"custom-blue\"><em>New to points and miles? Here's our <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/start-here\/\" rel=\"noopener\">beginners guide to getting started in points and miles<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"toc_container\" class=\"toc_light_blue no_bullets\"><p class=\"toc_title\">Page Contents<\/p><ul class=\"toc_list\"><li><a href=\"#My_Winter_Olympics_Schedule_Overview\">My Winter Olympics Schedule Overview<\/a><ul><li><a href=\"#How_we8217re_spending_three_weeks_at_the_Olympics\">How we're spending three weeks at the Olympics<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li><a href=\"#Credit_Cards_and_Loyalty_Programs_I_Used_To_Attend_the_Olympics\">Credit Cards and Loyalty Programs I Used To Attend the Olympics<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#What_Its_Like_at_the_Olympics\">What It\u2019s Like at the Olympics<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#Bottom_Line\">Bottom Line<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n<h2><span id=\"My_Winter_Olympics_Schedule_Overview\">My Winter Olympics Schedule Overview<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Throughout the Winter Olympics, I'm attending eight events across three cities, so it's safe to say it's been a whirlwind. On top of that, I've used my free time to work, sightsee, and hang out with my parents and partner. We also took a fantastic <a href=\"https:\/\/www.airbnb.co.uk\/experiences\/115906\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">cooking class in Milan<\/a> to learn how to make pasta and tiramisu. If you find yourself in Milan, I highly recommend it.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_248241\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/450\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-248241 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"My family at the 2026 Winter Olympics\" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-750x563.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-900x675.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-276x207.jpeg 276w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8591-476x357.jpeg 476w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>My parents, partner, and I before a ski jumping event in Predazzo, Italy. Photo by Harrison Pierce \/ AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>For points and miles enthusiasts, the Olympics are an incredible opportunity to earn and redeem miles. After all, Visa is an official partner of the Olympics. You can't use a Mastercard or American Express at any Olympic site, whether it's an event venue or an official merch store. You can use a Visa or a Mastercard to purchase event tickets, but Visa is strongly preferred. In other words, you won't earn a stack of <a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/amex-membership-rewards\/\">Membership Rewards points<\/a> when planning a trip to the Olympics.<\/p>\n<p>That said, there are a ton of expenses to plan for apart from the events themselves \u2014 flights, hotels, car rentals, gear, travel insurance, and more. As with any multi-week international event, whether it's the Olympics or the World Cup, a lot of planning is involved.<\/p>\n<h3><span id=\"How_we8217re_spending_three_weeks_at_the_Olympics\">How we're spending three weeks at the Olympics<\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Here's a breakdown of the events I have and will see throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Figure Skating (Milan)<\/li>\n<li>Curling (Cortina)<\/li>\n<li>Luge (Cortina)<\/li>\n<li>Ski Jumping (Predazzo)<\/li>\n<li>Nordic Combined (Predazzo and Tesero)<\/li>\n<li>Short Track (Milan)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Since these are the most geographically widespread Games ever, they require a lot of moving around. We booked a two-bedroom, two-bathroom Airbnb in Milan for five nights. Next, we had two rooms at a bed and breakfast in Pozza di Fassa (between Cortina and Predazzo) for nine nights.<\/p>\n<p>After the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/travel\/dolomites-points-and-miles\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Dolomites<\/a>, we are back in Milan in a different two-bedroom, two-bathroom Airbnb for our last four nights. After we leave Milan, my parents will head home, and my partner and I will take a few days to explore Rome before heading back to Latin America.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_248243\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/450\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-248243 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"The view of Pozza di Fassa from our bed and breakfast. \" width=\"600\" height=\"450\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-750x563.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-900x675.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-768x576.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-1536x1152.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-2048x1536.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-276x207.jpeg 276w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8109-476x357.jpeg 476w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>The view from our bed and breakfast. Photo by Harrison Pierce \/ AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>When you think of Europe, you think of fantastic public transportation. Unfortunately, since the events are spread out throughout the Dolomites, public transportation is not an efficient or effective option. So, we decided to rent a car from a local Milan car rental for the nine days we'll be in the mountains.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/rental-car-insurance\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Best Credit Cards for Rental Car Insurance<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Credit_Cards_and_Loyalty_Programs_I_Used_To_Attend_the_Olympics\">Credit Cards and Loyalty Programs I Used To Attend the Olympics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The MVC (most valuable card) of Winter Olympics planning was the <a data-ccid=\"4048272\" href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CapitalOneVentureXRewardsCreditCard\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card<\/a>. We used the Capital One Venture X to purchase all our event tickets, which earned us 2X Capital One miles on the purchase. It's one of the <a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/best-everyday-credit-card\/\">best credit cards for everyday spending<\/a>, so it's likely the one you'll want to use when purchasing event tickets.<\/p>\n<div class=\"qs-card\" data-id=\"4048272\">\n            <div class=\"qs-data\">\n                <div class=\"qs-view\">\n                    <div class=\"qs-cardname\">Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-image\"><img data-aspectratio=\"150\/94\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/CardArt-CapitalOneVentureXRewardsCreditCard.png\" width=\"150\" alt=\"Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card\" \/ class=\"lazyload\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-apply\"><a class=\"btn-use qs-how-apply\" title='Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card' href=\"\/blog\/link\/CR-CapitalOneVentureXRewardsCreditCard\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow sponsored\">How to Apply<\/a><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-rates\"><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong> Earn 75,000 Miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening<\/div>\n                <\/div>\n                <div class=\"qs-info\">\n                    <strong class=\"qs-cardname\">Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card<\/strong>\n                    <div class=\"qs-offer\"><strong>Welcome Bonus<\/strong> Earn 75,000 Miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening<\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-fee\"><strong>Annual Fee:<\/strong><b>$395<\/b><\/div>\n                    <div class=\"qs-tabs\"><a class=\"qs-more\" href=\"#more\">Show more<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"wwl\">Why We Like It<\/a><a href=\"\" data-tab=\"er\">Earning Rates<\/a><div class=\"qs-tab-wwl\">The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is a premium travel-focused card, stacked with benefits. Cardholders get complimentary access to Capital One Lounge and Landing locations and participating Priority Pass\u2122 lounges (after enrollment), receive up to a $300 annual travel credit for bookings via Capital One Travel and up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck<sup>\u00ae<\/sup>. There's also an anniversary bonus of 10,000 miles, equivalent to $100 towards travel. High earning rates include 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel, plus 2X on all other purchases.<\/div><div class=\"qs-tab-er\"><ul>\r\n<li>10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel<\/li>\r\n<li>2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases<\/li>\r\n<\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <a class=\"qs-share\" href=\"\/find-a-card\/VentureX\/\" title=\"copy\"><svg width=\"12\" height=\"16\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 16\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><use href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/themes\/awardwallet\/public\/builds\/icon\/icon-sprite.svg?v2026-4-809b0437f#share-square\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/use><\/svg><\/a>\n        <\/div>\n<p>For most major events &#8212; like the Olympics or the World Cup &#8212; you'll buy tickets a year or more in advance. That's a good thing, as you can then use the miles you earn on your ticket purchase to book your flight or hotel.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately, since we booked our accommodation and rental car with local providers, we couldn't use points and miles. It was much more cost-effective to go the local route \u2014 we paid roughly 800\u20ac for a car rental for nine days through a local rental company, and Hertz was charging 2,200\u20ac for the same car.<\/p>\n<p>In short, trips like these let you earn points on select purchases and redeem them for other aspects of the trip.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_248246\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/437\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-248246 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8398-scaled.jpeg\" alt=\"An athlete competing in a luge event at the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics\" width=\"600\" height=\"437\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8398-scaled.jpeg 2560w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8398-750x546.jpeg 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8398-900x656.jpeg 900w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8398-768x559.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8398-1536x1119.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_8398-2048x1492.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>A luge event in Cortina. Photo by Harrison Pierce \/ AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>For instance, I took advantage of an <a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/news\/club-iberia-plus\/iberia-award-discount\/\">Iberia award sale<\/a> to book my flight from Mexico City (MEX) to Milan (LIN) with a layover in Madrid (MAD). I paid just 10,500 Avios and $169.16 in taxes and fees, which is a great deal. Although Iberia Club isn't a <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/credit-cards\/capital-one-rewards\/capital-one-transfer-partners\/\" rel=\"noopener\">Capital One transfer partner<\/a> itself, you can transfer Capital One miles at a 1:1 ratio to the <a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/british-airways-club\/\">British Airways Club<\/a>. Then, you can freely <a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/how-to-transfer-avios-between-accounts\/\">move your Avios between programs<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>For the flight back to Mexico,\u00a0I booked an <a href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/flying-blue\/promo-rewards\/\">Air France Flying Blue promo award<\/a>. I spent just 30,000 Flying Blue miles for a premium economy seat from Rome (FCO) to Mexico City (MEX) with a layover in Paris (CDG). That's not a terrible price for a transatlantic journey.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Related:<\/strong> <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/airlines\/beginners-guide-award-flights\/\" rel=\"noopener\"> How to Book an Award Flight: A Step-By-Step Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"What_Its_Like_at_the_Olympics\">What It\u2019s Like at the Olympics<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Part of the reason I love going to the Olympics goes beyond the events themselves. There's an electricity in the room \u2014 it seems that everyone realizes just how fortunate they are to be witnessing something so spectacular.<\/p>\n<p>It's always recommended to arrive at event venues early, since you'll need to go through security screenings and find your way around. That gives you ample time to meet fellow attendees from around the world and soak up the indescribable atmosphere.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_248247\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img data-aspectratio=\"600\/370\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-248247 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7985-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Harrison at the figure skating team event\" width=\"600\" height=\"370\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7985-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7985-750x462.jpg 750w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7985-900x554.jpg 900w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7985-768x473.jpg 768w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7985-1536x946.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/awardwallet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/IMG_7985-2048x1262.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><center><em>Just before Team USA won a gold medal at the figure skating team event. Photo by Harrison Pierce \/ AwardWallet<\/em><\/enter><\/figure>\n<p>That's not to say attending a major event is without struggles. The 2026 Winter Olympics have certainly not been as well planned as the 2024 Summer Olympics. Here are a few examples:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Most events are outdoors. They must not have realized that snow melts in the sun, creating mud that then freezes at night.<\/li>\n<li>The parking lot we paid for and reserved months ago was overbooked. We were sent to an overflow lot 30+ minutes away.<\/li>\n<li>They didn't install water bottle refill stations at event venues, so you have to buy plastic water bottles. Organizers require that all caps be removed before they hand you the bottle. In other words, you must carry around open bottles, and you can't grab one to store in your backpack.<\/li>\n<li>Official merch stores are completely sold out of the main 2026 Winter Olympics mascots, and have been since the start of the Games.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>However, these annoying (albeit preventable) obstacles are nothing compared to the feeling of being at the Olympics. It's not lost on me that this experience can never be replicated and is truly unique. Future Olympic Games will be held in different cities, feature different athletes, and attract different attendees. Although the process for planning a trip to the Olympics might remain the same, the feeling on the ground is once-in-a-lifetime.<\/p>\n<h2><span id=\"Bottom_Line\">Bottom Line<\/span><\/h2>\n<p>I never thought I'd have the opportunity to go to one Olympic Games, much less two. It's surreal to think that I've seen some of the best athletes in the world compete on the biggest stage in the world, and it's something I don't take for granted.<\/p>\n<p>Fortunately, points and miles can help offset the cost of attending major events like the Olympics. Although you'll still need to pay for some things out of pocket, points and miles can make once-in-a-lifetime experiences accessible to just about anyone. And by being strategic with the cards used for other purchases, I have a hefty stash of rewards available for future travel.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I&#8217;m attending the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina. These are my second Olympic Games, and they are just as magical as the first. Here&#8217;s what it&#8217;s like to attend the Olympics, and how trips like these let you accrue lots of points and miles (and then redeem them at maximum value).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":105,"featured_media":248237,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[12054],"tags":[12628],"coauthors":[36518],"class_list":["post-247677","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips","tag-travel-experience"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<title>Attending the 2026 Winter Olympics Using Points and Miles<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"I&#039;m attending the 2026 Winter Olympics. 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