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There’s two major barriers to any theme park trip: the cost and the crowds. Because we’re committed to almost free traveling, today we’ll be talking about how to skip lines AND save money at Universal Orlando (and ways to use credit card points to pay for it all).

An Overview

Universal Orlando Resort consists of two main parks: Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure (there’s also Volcano Bay water park). These two parks have a few fun lands for little kid, but also thrilling roller coasters for big kids and adults, including the new Jurassic World Velocicoaster.

The biggest draw for these parks lately has been access to the enchanting Wizarding World of Harry Potter, where you can enjoy a hot or cold Butterbeer; WWOHP stretches across both parks, connected by Hogwarts Express. Like Disney, you can buy one or two-park-per-day Universal tickets (it’s worth noting that you can only ride Hogwarts Express with a two-park ticket).

Today we’ll discuss booking a Universal Orlando vacation with points and miles, but first, we need to talk about Express Pass.

Disney Fast Passes vs Universal Fast Passes

Both Disney and Universal sell fast passes that provide guests access to shorter attraction wait times: WDW’s is Genie Plus & Universal’s is Express Pass. The major difference is the price; while Genie Plus is $15 per ticket per day, Universal’s Express Pass is dynamically priced, and can cost between $110-$240 per ticket per day (if you have sticker shock, keep reading to see how to get Express Pass affordably bundled with your lodging)!

Another difference between Universal & Disney’s fast passes is that Universal Premium Resorts include Express Pass Unlimited with a booked stay, so we recommend looking into at least one night a Premier Resort if you’re set on the convenience of Express Pass. In this post, we’ll delve more into Express pass, identify the Universal Resorts that include it, and introduce credit cards that will earn you the right points for a Universal vacation redemption. Finally, we’ll outline the option of using credit card points and miles to purchase Universal Orlando tickets, if you’ve decided a Resort including Express Pass isn’t necessary for your visit.

Express Pass & Resorts That Include it

There’s actually two types of Express Pass: Universal Express (starting at $80 per ticket per day), which functions like Genie Plus and allows you to skip the regular line one time per participating ride at Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure, or Universal Express Unlimited (starting at $110) which gives you unlimited line skips on participating rides. Express Pass Unlimited comes with a booked stay at a Universal Premier Resort (Loews Portofino Bay, Loews Royal Pacific, or the Hard Rock Hotel).

These Premier Resorts include prime location, early park entry, and are priced higher accordingly; because they include Express Pass, however, you might actually save money on your overall trip expenses by booking at a Premier Resort when Express Pass charges are high.

Do the math before you book: check the price of ala carte express pass for the dates of your trip, and add the cost of offsite housing. Compare that total to the price of a Universal Premier Resort (which includes both lodging & Express Pass Unlimited). Are the prices comparable? This should help you determine if you’re booking a Premier Resort or not!

One Premier Resort Night/Two Express Pass Unlimited Days

There’s something important to remember: one night at a Premier Resort actually gets you two days of Express Pass Unlimited! This is because you get Express Pass for the day you check into the resort and the day you check out. Therefore, you could potentially check into the hotel in the morning on day one, have them hold your luggage since your room won’t be ready, and get a room key so you can use Express Pass in the parks that day. The next morning, check out of your room and leave your luggage at the front desk. Your room key with Express Pass will work that whole day in the parks (you will not be able to use it to charge items back to your room past noon).

To save money, book a more affordable offsite hotel for the other nights of your vacation!

Which cards to open for Universal Orlando

There’s several ways to use points to book a Universal Orlando Premier Resort:  Chase Ultimate Rewards, CitiThank You points or Capital One miles. Let’s look separately at these options.

Chase Ultimate Rewards

Open a Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and earn 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Earn 5x total points on travel purchases made through Chase Ultimate Rewards, including airline tickets, hotel accommodations, car rentals, activities and cruises. Earn 3x points on groceries purchased online, such as pickup or delivery from grocery store chains and meal kit delivery services (excluding Target, Walmart and wholesale clubs). Earn 3x points on dining at restaurants, including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out. Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards.

Because the Preferred card multiplies your points to 1.25 each when used to book travel through their portal, 60,000 bonus are worth $750. If you have another adult traveling with you that can also open a Preferred, you’ll have $1500 to put towards your trip (Chase Ultimate Rewards can be transferred between family members for no fee).

The Premier Resorts run approximately ~$500/night; depending on how they’re priced in the Chase Portal, one welcome bonus should earn you two nights at a resort (Remember, you only need one night at a Premier Resort for two days of Express Pass!)

Citi Thank You Points

With CitiThankyou points, you’ll book your Universal trip through Connexions Travel Agency, Citi’s travel agent. To earn the Thankyou points needed, open a Citi Premier® Card and earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels, and 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases.

If there’s two adults in your party who can each open the card and earn the bonus, you’ll have $1200 dollars to put towards a Universal Premier Resort (Citi Thank you points can be transferred between family members).

One Citi Premier Bonus should get you a night in a premier resort. Use any leftover points towards your tickets, flights, or a different hotel on another night.

Capital One Miles

The Universal Premier Resorts can be found in the Capital One Travel Portal. To earn the Capital One miles needed to book your Universal Resort, open either a Capital One Venture X and/or a Capital One Venture card. Let’s compare them:

Venture X

Open a Capital One Venture X and earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 in the first three months. Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, and an unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases. Enjoy annual perks like a $300 annual travel credit towards travel booked in the portal, and a 10,000 mile bonus on your card’s anniversary.

A Capital One Venture X might be the card for you if you’re in need of a robust travel card with some handy perks. It has an annual fee of $395, and includes a $100 Global Entry TSA Pre credit, unlimited Priority Pass restaurant and lounge access for the cardholder and authorized users at no extra charge.The welcome bonus will give you $1050 ($750 + $300 travel credit) to use towards your Universal Orlando lodging.

Book up to two nights with one welcome bonus at a Premier Resort in the Capital One App/two welcome bonuses will get you 4 nights! Use leftover points to book other travel expenses.

Venture

Open a Capital One Venture card and earn earn 60,000 Bonus Miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options, and 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, all for no annual fee!

You’ll end up with ~$600 to use to book a discounted Universal Orlando Premier Resort through the Capital One travel portal–if another adult can also open the card, you’ll have $1200 to book.

Use your miles to book one night at a Premier Resort in the portal; use leftover miles for other travel expenses.

Purchasing Tickets Without Express Pass

We visited Universal’s two parks last year with two teenagers and a tween, and our favorite rides were The Incredible Hulk Coaster, Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket, The Bourne Stuntacular and Hagrid’s. We rode everything we wanted to between the two parks in one day without Express Pass!

Buying Express Pass for our family of five would have cost $900 extra, so we didn’t purchase it. We did stand in a few long lines, but our kids are older and can tolerate that.

Should you forgo a premier resort and Express Pass, you can still log into the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal and purchase park tickets with your rewards (subject to change, but Universal Orlando tickets are usually for sale in the portal), or with Citi ThankYou points, call connexions and purchase your park tickets. If you choose Capital One miles, purchase your park tickets through a third party like Undercover Tourist so they will code as ‘travel,’ and use your bonus miles as a statement credit to wipe the charge off your statement.

Takeaways

Whether you use your welcome bonus for a Universal Resort Premier hotel with Express Pass, or to purchase your park tickets, you’ll be saving hundreds on your Universal Orlando vacation either way!

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