The 150k Points Challenge: A Luxury 7-Days Dubai Family Trip

Introduction

What's better: one epic, long-haul vacation every two years, or two or three incredible international getaways every single year?

For many, the world of travel hacking centers on a single, aspirational goal, such as a first-class or business-class flight to Europe. It's a fantastic achievement, but it often consumes every last point you've earned. At Dealuni.com, we believe in a different approach: the "Whole-Trip Value" philosophy.

Our goal is to use points so efficiently that they don't just give you one trip; they unlock the possibility of more trips. We believe in maximizing the vacation itself, creating amazing family memories on the ground without pinching our pockets, and doing it multiple times a year.

Welcome to our new series, the "150k Points Challenge," where we show you how an achievable annual points budget can fund an entire family holiday.

And for our very first challenge, we're taking on a destination known for luxury, fun, and easy access from India: Dubai.

Why Dubai?

Dubai is the perfect launchpad for our 150k Points Challenge. It's a short flight from anywhere in India, making it an easy and affordable international getaway for families. From the towering Burj Khalifa and sprawling malls to incredible theme parks and diverse food scenes, there's something to keep everyone entertained. Most importantly, Dubai is a playground for points enthusiasts, packed with luxurious hotels from Marriott, Hyatt, Accor, and Hilton, making it the ideal place to showcase a high-value hotel redemption.

The Game Plan: Allocating Our 150k Points

Our strategy for Dubai is simple but powerful. We will leverage the affordable cash fares for flights from India and a portion of 150,000-point budget to secure a 7-night luxury hotel stay.

This allows us to maximize the value of our points on what is often the most expensive part of a Dubai trip: the accommodation.

The Smart Move (Flights): We Pay with Cash

As we discussed in the introduction, this challenge is all about maximizing the entire vacation. Sometimes, the smartest move a travel hacker can make is not to use points. This is one of those times.

Flights from major Indian cities like Chennai (MAA) to Dubai (DXB) are incredibly competitive. If you book 2-3 months in advance, it's common to find round-trip economy fares for around ₹22,000 per person. Here we can see Indigo flight costs around ₹22,571 for November.

For our family of three, that's a total cash outlay of ₹67,713.

While we could use around 120,000 points to cover this, the low cash price means it would be a poor value redemption. By paying for this portion with cash, we save our precious 150,000 points for where they'll have a much bigger impact.

Pro Tip: We would, of course, pay for these flights using any one of these Axis Atlas for 5x Edge Miles/Amex Platinum Charge for 10X on Air India/Axis Burgundy Magnus for 60points/200 on travel edge, effectively earning back points for our next trip while paying for this one!

The Power Play (The Hotel): The Showdown

With a budget of 150,000 points for a 7-night family stay in Dubai, the number of choices can be overwhelming. The secret to a great redemption isn't just the points cost; it's the total value you get from your elite status.

As you mentioned, for a family, having breakfast included can save ₹10,000-₹15,000 on a trip. It’s a huge factor.

Let's put four excellent, family-friendly hotels from three loyalty programs head-to-head to find the absolute best value for our "Whole-Trip Value" philosophy.

Dubai Hotel Showdown: Which Program Wins for a Family?

Hotel & Program	Points Cost (7 Nights)	My Elite Status	Key Status Benefits	The "Breakfast" Question	The Verdict
Marriott Marquis Dubai Creek (Marriott Bonvoy)	~220,000 (with 5th Night Free)	Gold	Room Upgrade, Welcome Points, Late Checkout	NOT INCLUDED. A major cash expense for a family.	Great value on the room itself, but the lack of free breakfast is a significant drawback.
Conrad Dubai (Hilton Honors)	Accor points have a fixed value 2000points = 40Euro	Gold	✅ FREE BREAKFAST for 2, Room Upgrade	INCLUDED! This is a huge money-saver.	The free breakfast is fantastic, but the total points cost is often higher than our 150k budget from bank transfers.
Fairmont Dubai (ALL Accor)	~80000 Accor Points	None	Accor points have a fixed value: 2000points = 40Euro	INCLUDED.	The cheapest points option by far, offering incredible value. But with no status, you get no extra perks.
Pullman Dubai Downtown (ALL Accor)	~80000 Accor Points	If you have PLATINUM Status	✅ EXECUTIVE LOUNGE ACCESS, Suite Upgrades, Welcome Drinks	INCLUDED in the Lounge! Plus evening snacks & drinks.	The ultimate experience. The guaranteed lounge access provides enormous cash savings and a true luxury feel for the whole family.

The Final Decision: The Clear Winner

The undisputed winner for our "Whole-Trip Value" philosophy is the ALL Accor Hotels, as hotel points have a fixed value that we can redeem against our bill (2000 points = €40).

Why? Because Accor Platinum status unlocks Executive Lounge Access. This is the game-changer. For the family, this benefit provides:

• Complimentary breakfast every morning.
• Complimentary evening snacks, drinks, and hors d'oeuvres, which can often be substantial enough to serve as a light dinner for our child.

This single perk saves a tremendous amount of money and stress on a family trip. While the points redemption value on paper might look better elsewhere, the real-world, out-of-pocket cash savings from the lounge make Accor the smartest choice here. We are maximizing the entire vacation experience, not just the room.

For this case study, we will book a 7-night stay at the Fairmont Dubai or Pullman Dubai Downtown.(Choice is urs)

Best of all, the points cost is an efficient 90,000 points, which fits easily within our budget and leaves a massive surplus for future trips.

A Sample 7-Day Dubai Itinerary for Families

Now that you've used your points to book a 5-star hotel, your travel budget is freed up to enjoy the incredible experiences Dubai has to offer. Here’s a sample itinerary that balances iconic sights with family fun.

(All costs are approximate for a family of three and can vary based on the season and your choices.)

Day 1: Arrival & The Modern Marvels

• Arrive at your hotel and settle in.
• In the late afternoon, head to the Dubai Mall.
• Visit the Burj Khalifa "At The Top" observation deck for breathtaking sunset views.
• In the evening, watch the spectacular Dubai Fountain show.
• Approximate Cost: Burj Khalifa tickets with Dinner (~₹7,700/Head) .

Day 2: Old Dubai & A Touch of Gold

• Take a taxi to the Al Fahidi historical neighborhood.
• Ride a traditional Abra (water taxi) across the Dubai Creek for just 1 AED per person.
• Explore the vibrant and fragrant Gold Souk and Spice Souk.
• Approximate Cost: This is a very budget-friendly day. Taxis & food (~₹5,000).

Day 3: Beach Fun or Theme Park Thrills

• Option A (Relax): Enjoy a relaxing day at a public beach like Kite Beach, with great views of the Burj Al Arab.
• Option B (Thrill): Spend the day at one of the massive theme parks, like Dubai Parks and Resorts (Motiongate, Legoland).
• Approximate Cost: A Beach day is almost free. Theme park tickets (~₹20,000)

Day 4: The Desert Adventure

• Enjoy a relaxed morning at the hotel pool.
• In the late afternoon, embark on an Evening Desert Safari. This usually includes dune bashing in a 4x4, camel rides, a traditional BBQ dinner, and live entertainment.
• Approximate Cost: Desert Safari Tour (~₹10,000).

Day 5: Ferrai World,Abu Dhabi

• Travel to Abu Dhabi from Dubai.
• Spend the day at Ferrari World,Abu Dhabi.Tickets (~₹33,500)

Day 6: Shopping Day

• Visit Mall of Emirates & other Malls

Day 7: Last-Minute Fun & Departure

• Depending on your flight time, enjoy one last swim or do some souvenir shopping at the Mall of the Emirates (and see the indoor ski slope!).
• Head to Dubai International Airport (DXB) for your flight home.

Total Estimated Activity Cost for 7 Days: ₹90,000 - ₹100,000

The best part? The ₹1,80,000 you saved on your hotel more than covers the entire cost of your family's activities, food, and shopping for the whole trip!

The Value Tally

So, after all that strategic planning, what was the final result? Here’s a clear look at the incredible value we unlocked by using our "Whole-Trip Value" philosophy.

By using our points where they had the most impact, we were able to cover the massive ₹1,80,000 hotel bill completely with just 90,000-point which is well within our budget.

Total Savings on this trip: A massive ₹1,80,000!

Conclusion: A Smarter Way to Travel

This trip to Dubai is a testament to our "Whole-Trip Value" philosophy. By thinking beyond the flight and focusing on the biggest expenses, we unlocked a luxury family vacation that was both incredible and affordable.

The goal of travel hacking isn't just to save money on one trip; it's to enable more travel overall. The ₹1,80,000 we saved here is money that can now fund our next two or three family getaways to other amazing destinations.

That leaves us with a 60,000-point surplus—already a huge head start on our next "150k Points Challenge" to another destination!

This is the power of a smart strategy. It's not about pinching pennies; it's about making your money and your points work harder for you.