The Super Bowl is a couple week’s behind us and some of you may be experiencing a lot of boredom and waiting around until football comes back in the fall. So why not look toward next year’s Super Bowl? Super Bowl XLVIII will be held in New York’s MetLife Stadium on February 2. It will be the first time the game is held in an open stadium in a cold climate.

If two buddies snatched up a pair of tickets and wanted to get to the game, they could follow this plan we put together. Each of them would need to have a minimum credit score of 715 and would each need to have the ability to spend $1,750 per month on credit cards.

If you follow this advice, you can get to the game in style and spend three nights in the New York area for absolutely nothing.

BUDDY #1′S APS– CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Visa, Citi Platinum Select / AAdvantage Visa Signature, Starwood Preferred Guest

BUDDY #2′S APS– CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Visa, Citi Platinum Select / AAdvantage Visa Signature, Starwood Preferred Guest

ITINERARY OVERVIEW: Travel to New York on American Airlines in Business Class on January 31, 2014. Stay at the Sheraton Meadowlands for three nights. The Super Bowl is on the 2nd. Fly home in Business on February 3.

(Note: We haven’t thoroughly checked award availability to ensure that these dates are open.)

TOTAL TRIP VALUE: $6,694

(Note: The airline value is based on the cheapest available seats found using ITA Matrix. As the dates in the itinerary are not yet available, we used January 2014 sample dates.)

HERE’S HOW YOU DO IT:

January 31, 2014: Business Class Round-trip on American to New York
Cost: $5,080 ($2,540 per ticket)
Method: American AAdvantage
Cards:

1. CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Visa (x2) – 106,000 AAdvantage miles
   
   1. Buddy #1 receives 50,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $3,000 within four months, which he can accomplish in the first and second months of his spend.
   2. Buddy #1 receives 3,000 miles from his spend at a minimum of one mile per dollar.
   3. Buddy #2 receives 50,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $3,000 within four months, which he can accomplish in the first and second months of his spend.
   4. Buddy #2 receives 3,000 miles from his spend at a minimum of one mile per dollar.
2. Citi Platinum Select / AAdvantage Visa Signature (x2) – 105,000 AAdvantage miles
   
   1. Buddy #1 receives 50,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $2,500 within four months, which he can accomplish in the second, third and fourth months of his spend.
   2. Buddy #1 receives 2,500 miles from his spend at a minimum of one mile per dollar.
   3. Buddy #2 receives 50,000 AAdvantage miles after spending $2,500 within four months, which he can accomplish second, third and fourth months of his spend.
   4. Buddy #2 receives 2,500 miles from his spend at a minimum of one mile per dollar.

Explanation: A trip to the Super Bowl should be done in style: a domestic American Airlines AAnytime Business Class seat costs 50,000 each way. So for 100,000 miles each, they can arrive to New York in style.

The AA affiliate links have an offer of 30,000 miles for a $1,000 spend within three months. However, the non-affiliate links give you an additional 20,000 miles. Apply for one personal and one business, and each buddy can get a minimum of 100,000 miles.
Out of Pocket Cost: Taxes

January 31-February 3, 2014: Sheraton Meadowlands Hotel & Conference Center
Cost: $1,614 ($269 per room per night)
Method: Starpoints
Cards:

1. Starwood Preferred Guest (x2) – 60,000 Starpoints
   
   1. Buddy #1 receives 10,000 Starpoints after first spend.
   2. Buddy #1 receives another 15,000 Starpoints after spending $5,000 within six months which he can accomplish fourth, fifth and sixth months of his spend.
   3. Buddy #1 gets 5,000 Starpoints from his spend at a minimum of one point per dollar.
   4. Buddy #2 receives 10,000 Starpoints after first spend.
   5. Buddy #2 receives 15,000 Starpoints after spending $5,000 within six month which he can accomplish the fourth, fifth and sixth months of his spend.
   6. Buddy #2 receives 5,000 Starpoints from his spend at a minimum of one point per dollar.

Explanation: MetLife Stadium is in East Rutherford, N.J. The Category 3 Starwood property, Sheraton Meadowlands, is adjacent to the stadium. As a Category 3, a room will cost 7,000 points per night per room. If each buddy picks up an SPG card, they can cover three nights each.

At last check, the Sheraton Meadowlands was still available, but it will probably sell out. There aren’t a lot of other great Category 3 options available. Both the Aloft New York Brooklyn and he Four Points by Sheraton Long Island/Queensboro Bridge are currently Category 3, but will be jumping to a Category 5 and 4, respectively, on March 5. Alternately, the stay can be shortened to two nights (arriving the 1st and leaving the 3rd) and they can stay at a Category 4 (10,000 points) or 5 (12-16,000 points).
Out of Pocket Cost: $0

(Correction: An earlier version of this story used the AA 2-browser trick. This trick has been reported to no longer be available. The Citi Select / AAdvantage American Express has been replaced with the CitiBusiness / AAdvantage Visa.)