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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.
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 — 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.
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.
New to points and miles? Here's our beginners guide to getting started in points and miles.
Page Contents
My Winter Olympics Schedule Overview
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 cooking class in Milan to learn how to make pasta and tiramisu. If you find yourself in Milan, I highly recommend it.
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 Membership Rewards points when planning a trip to the Olympics.
That said, there are a ton of expenses to plan for apart from the events themselves — 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.
How we're spending three weeks at the Olympics
Here's a breakdown of the events I have and will see throughout the 2026 Winter Olympics:
- Figure Skating (Milan)
- Curling (Cortina)
- Luge (Cortina)
- Ski Jumping (Predazzo)
- Nordic Combined (Predazzo and Tesero)
- Short Track (Milan)
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.
After the Dolomites, 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.
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.
Related: Best Credit Cards for Rental Car Insurance
Credit Cards and Loyalty Programs I Used To Attend the Olympics
The MVC (most valuable card) of Winter Olympics planning was the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card. 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 best credit cards for everyday spending, so it's likely the one you'll want to use when purchasing event tickets.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
For most major events — like the Olympics or the World Cup — 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.
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 — we paid roughly 800€ for a car rental for nine days through a local rental company, and Hertz was charging 2,200€ for the same car.
In short, trips like these let you earn points on select purchases and redeem them for other aspects of the trip.
For instance, I took advantage of an Iberia award sale 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 Capital One transfer partner itself, you can transfer Capital One miles at a 1:1 ratio to the British Airways Club. Then, you can freely move your Avios between programs.
For the flight back to Mexico, I booked an Air France Flying Blue promo award. 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.
Related: How to Book an Award Flight: A Step-By-Step Guide
What It’s Like at the Olympics
Part of the reason I love going to the Olympics goes beyond the events themselves. There's an electricity in the room — it seems that everyone realizes just how fortunate they are to be witnessing something so spectacular.
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.
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:
- Most events are outdoors. They must not have realized that snow melts in the sun, creating mud that then freezes at night.
- The parking lot we paid for and reserved months ago was overbooked. We were sent to an overflow lot 30+ minutes away.
- 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.
- Official merch stores are completely sold out of the main 2026 Winter Olympics mascots, and have been since the start of the Games.
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.
Bottom Line
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.
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.
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