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Free-flowing Champagne or lobster thermidor at 30,000 feet in the air isn't just for the rich and famous. By mastering the art of points and miles, I’ve unlocked quite a few of these luxury travel experiences myself, and it all begins by choosing the right credit cards that earn points, which can then be transformed into airline rewards.
The key players to know? American Express, Chase, and Capital One—all of which offer credit cards that earn points that can be transferred to airline transfer partners. Some airlines partner with more than one credit card issuer on points transfers, while others have exclusive one-on-one relationships. That said, it could be useful to have a few types of credit cards, depending on your spending habits, so that you can remain flexible with your points-earning strategies.
Each airline loyalty program has its own “sweet spots”—that is, opportunities to redeem miles for exceptional value. These sweet spots are rare, often just one or two seats per route available for booking with miles. And a plane ticket or seat that may be too expensive with one airline program could be bookable through another program for a more reasonable amount of points. It can be tricky to learn how it all works—which cards partner with which programs, which allow travelers to book seats with different airlines—but the payoff is undeniably worth it in the end. It just requires a great deal of strategy and effort.
To help explain the principles, here are some of the most memorable travel experiences I’ve booked using credit card rewards in recent years, along with tips on how you can do the same.
ANA first class from Tokyo to San Francisco
Points redeemed: 72,500 Amex Membership Rewards (transferred to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club)
Average cash price: $5,000
After a 21-day trip to see family in South Korea and a vacation with my grandparents in Japan, my return home was made even sweeter knowing I’d fly first class for the first time. All Nippon Airways (ANA) was a treat from takeoff to touchdown: think priority check-in, an exclusive first-class lounge with a full sashimi and udon bar, and a colossal seat with pajamas and a plush duvet.
However, this award flight was, without a doubt, one of the most challenging tickets I’ve ever booked. I secured it through Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, which partners with all three major credit card groups—Amex, Chase, and Capital One—among other programs. While there are several sweet spots within Virgin’s program, its award pricing with ANA is particularly impressive. You can book a one-way business class flight between the West Coast and Japan for just 45,000 points (one-way), or upgrade to first class for 72,500 points, with around $300 in taxes and fees.
To increase my chances of securing the ticket, I had to remain flexible on routes. ANA releases partner availability—that is, when those seats can actually be booked with points through a partner airline—nearly a year out, so I had to start planning for a May 2023 trip to Japan in July 2022. To find an ANA “saver award” flight from Tokyo to San Francisco 316 days ahead, I used United Airlines’s flexible date calendar; this is possible because United is also a partner of ANA (both are Star Alliance members) and the United booking interface has visibility into open seats on ANA flights. Once I found a seat in first class, I transferred my Amex points to Virgin Atlantic (an instantaneous process), and I booked it by calling Flying Club customer service.
Virgin Atlantic business class from London to New York
Points redeemed: 47,500 Chase Ultimate Rewards (transferred to Virgin Atlantic Flying Club)
Average cash price: $3,000
Fortunately, not all premium class tickets involve jumping through as many hoops. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers low points rates and decent award availability on its flights between London Heathrow and several US cities.
Like many Swifties, my best friend and I flew across the Atlantic for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. We scored standing-room-only seats and ended up just 10 feet from the stage. To ride the high of our trip, we redeemed our points for business class tickets, which Virgin aptly calls “Upper Class,” for our flight back home. Our experience began with a private security entrance at Heathrow, which quickly led us to the Virgin Clubhouse. Though we’d be well-fed onboard, we couldn’t resist a hearty meal of fish and chips, followed by freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. We flew in back-to-back window seats on the Airbus A350, enjoyed afternoon tea in the onboard lounge, and were even gifted a set of Virgin Atlantic playing cards by the friendly flight attendants.
Searching for “Reward flights” on Virgin Atlantic’s website makes it easy to find award availability in economy (from 10,000 points), premium economy (from 17,500 points), or Upper Class (from 47,500 points) on the many flights between New York and London. We booked our tickets about three months in advance and found plenty of available seats. While the taxes and fees added an extra $850, securing business class seats during peak summer made it feel well worth the cost.
Singapore Airlines business class from New York to Sydney via Singapore
Points used: 129,000 Amex Membership Rewards (transferred to Singapore Airlines)
Average cash price: $10,000
Points and miles gave me the opportunity to experience the world’s longest flight on Singapore Airlines. Surprisingly, I didn’t want the first leg of the journey—the 19-hour flight from New York to Singapore—to end. The extended time in the air allowed me to fully indulge in the perks of business class: getting 10 hours of sleep, savoring the airline’s signature lobster thermidor, and switching between a movie and the in-flight map as we crossed the globe. Singapore Airlines offers free stopovers on award flights, allowing me enough time to explore the hawker centers and admire the Jewel at Changi Airport during a 24-hour layover.
I booked this itinerary using Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles, transferred from American Express. When searching on Singapore's website, you’ll want to look for “Advantage” award pricing. In 2022, I redeemed 129,000 miles and just $45 in taxes for the entire journey in 2022, though the same ticket now costs 190,000 miles (or 143,500 miles for the first leg from New York to Singapore). For your best shot at booking flights, you'll want to search almost a year in advance.