We all know that travel can be expensive. If you’re itching to book a flight to some far-flung, remote, and exotic destination for a much-needed getaway, you’ll probably find yourself in sticker shock.
How can plane tickets still be so expensive even when nobody is traveling?!
As the world continues to re-open for tourism and travel, you’ll need to plan your trips more carefully than ever to ensure that you’re not emptying your wallet or putting your health in danger.
If you play your cards right, you can take your travel hacking to the next level and book fantastic luxury vacations for your significant other and yourself. The best flight deals can be only booked via transfer partners and not through travel portals like Amex Travel.
In this guide, we’ll be showing you the top 5 vacation spots you can visit with your partner. Let’s get started!
Find out how to maximize your points!
- U.S. to Bora Bora in Business Class From 128,000 Points Per Person
- U.S. to Seychelles in Business Class From 104,000 Points Per Person
- U.S. to Portugal in Business Class For 88,000 Points Per Person
- U.S. to South Korea in First Class From 160,000 Points Per Person
- U.S. to the Maldives in First Class For 190,000 Points Per Person
- Final Thoughts
- FAQs
U.S. to Bora Bora in Business Class From 128,000 Points Per Person
Bora Bora is one of the world’s most secluded beach destinations in the world. Located in French Polynesia, Bora Bora offers some of the most pristine white-sand beaches and bluest waters in the world. Bora Bora also happens to be one of the few countries you can visit that are open to U.S. tourists in a post-pandemic world!
Air France, which is one of the world’s best airlines, flies nonstop to Pape’ete, which is the main international airport in French Polynesia.
Better yet, you can redeem as little as 64,000 points one-way or 128,000 points round-trip from Chase, Amex, or Citi per person for a business class flight to Bora Bora.
Not a bad deal, considering paid tickets run upwards of $5,000 each!
Once you’re there, you can redeem around 90,000 Hilton points per night to stay at the Conrad Bora Bora Nui or 85,000 Marriott points per night to stay at the St. Regis Bora Bora.
If you’re looking to save some points, you can also redeem 80,000 points per night at the Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort and Spa or 60,000 Marriott points per night to stay at the Le Meridien Bora Bora.
Booking a round-trip flight in Air France business class and 5 nights in a luxury hotel for free using points is the equivalent of saving $15,000 on vacation!
U.S. to Seychelles in Business Class From 104,000 Points Per Person
Seychelles is yet another wonderful and exotic beach getaway. The true seclusion you’ll experience is unparalleled, and it should definitely be on your bucket list.
Luckily, it’s easy to book flights here using points. You can fly on famous airlines, such as Turkish Airlines, Emirates, or Etihad Airways.
Expect to pay around 100,000 Amex points round-trip if booking in business class. You’ll get spectacular value, considering they can run upwards of $8,000 one-way!
Convenient and comfortable one-stop flights are easy to come by, so this is a sure-fire way to save $30,000 round-trip per person!
Once you’re here, redeem 80,000-95,000 Hilton Honors points per night for a stay in either the Hilton Seychelles Northolme Resort & Spa or Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa.
For true points hoarders, you can get away with spending 70,000 points per night at the DoubleTree by Hilton Seychelles – Allamanda Resort & Spa. If you’re loyal to Marriott, you can even redeem 50,000 Marriott points per night for stays in Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove.
This amazing luxury vacation will save you at least $30,000 in cold-hard cash per person!
Find out how to maximize your points!
U.S. to Portugal in Business Class For 88,000 Points Per Person
Portugal is one of Europe’s most underrated vacation spots in the world. Known for its fantastic weather, coastal beauty, delicious food, and delightful culture, this Western European country is one of the most accessible to Americans.
The flag carrier, TAP Air Portugal, offers nonstop flights to numerous U.S. airports, offering seamless connections to the country.
If you look at paid business class tickets, you’ll find that the prices hover around $2,000 one-way.
Why pay for that when you can use points? If planned well, you can redeem as little as 88,000 Amex points per person for round-trip business class tickets to Portugal.
Once you’re there, you can transfer Chase points to Hyatt for popular hotel stays, such as Pousada de Lisboa, Palacio Estoril Hotel Golf & Spa, or the opulent Quinta Da Comporta.
You can also redeem anywhere from 50,000-89,000 Hilton points per night for stays at the luxurious Conrad Algarve.
All in all, booking this vacation will save couples around $10,000 in total, just by using points!
U.S. to South Korea in First Class From 160,000 Points Per Person
South Korea is one of the world’s fastest-growing economies. The result of this rapid growth is also shown in its tourist appeal for being a safe, beautiful, and culturally rich country to visit.
Perhaps the best aspect of South Korea is the ability to get there in style, flying Korean Air first class and experiencing service perfection. In fact, Korean Air makes it onto our list of best first class seats for maximum social distancing and privacy!
If you want to get a taste of the first class experience without paying $15,000+ per ticket, you’ll definitely want to use points.
With the right points, you’ll redeem 160,000 miles per person round-trip or 80,000 points one-way to fly from the U.S. to South Korea nonstop in first class.
After you arrive, you’ll have tons of options for hotels to stay in so you don’t have to shell out all your cold, hard cash.
Luxury travelers can get free hotel nights at the Park Hyatt Seoul, Park Hyatt Busan, or even the Andaz Seoul Gangnam.
Besides those hotels, be sure to consider the Conrad Seoul, Hilton Namhae Golf and Spa Resort, and the Jeju Shinhwa World Marriott Resort, all bookable for free using points! With this itinerary, you’ll save $30,000+ when using points.
Find out how to maximize your points!
U.S. to the Maldives in First Class For 190,000 Points Per Person
The Maldives is the crème de la crème when it comes to exotic vacations. It is even more exclusive than Bora Bora.
If you are considering flying to The Maldives to experience undisturbed ocean life and ultimate luxury, what better way than to fly Emirates first class? That’s right, you can book $30,000 plane tickets for free using points. We outline this in our guide of the best first class flight deals in a post-pandemic world.
You can book first class flights all the way from the U.S. to the Maldives for 2 travelers by redeeming as little as 190,000-217,500 points per person.
You’ll save nearly $30,000 in ticket costs per person by redeeming points! The fun is just starting, however, as you proceed to book some of the most expensive hotel rooms in the world for free, despite cash room rates of more than $2,000+ per night.
Properties like St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, and Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa are all bookable using points.
Your vacation will be impeccable from start to finish, and you’ll save upwards of $70,000+ just by using points!
Final Thoughts
Booking luxury travel in business or first class with your companion using points is the easiest, sure-fire way to save big on your travel expenditures.
However, the process of even looking for these flights is incredibly daunting. The equation gets even more complicated when you’re trying to book vacations for the whole family.
With enough research, you’ll be rapidly on your way to booking unforgettable vacations and experiencing some of the best service in the world.
As is always the case, you’ll want to make sure that the hotels and the flights you want to book are all available, so planning is going to be your best friend here.
If you are a business owner, be sure to leverage these tips to maximize your business rewards.
If you’d get value from a service that will optimize your award travel and offer ultra-personalized points wealth management, schedule your free consultation below to inquire about a monthly subscription service to help you book the travel of your dreams and take your personal finance to the next level.
Find out how to maximize your points!