When incomes factors, it’s at all times vital to have an eventual redemption objective in thoughts. Many people spend loads of time daydreaming about our future travels, and to assist slim down the listing of choices, it may be useful to speak concerning the variations in how far our factors will go in several elements of the world.
In spite of everything, attributable to many underlying components, like price, reputation, and flight availability, some areas world wide are basically simpler to e book with factors than others.
On this article, let’s take a tour across the globe and determine which locations are the simplest to entry with factors, in addition to some methods for reserving a extremely optimized journey.
1. South East Asia
South East Asia is often considered a backpacker’s paradise due to a budget price of journey and residing. On the similar time, it’s additionally a best choice for a extra luxurious journey utilizing factors that doesn’t break the financial institution.
Whether or not you’re headed to Bali or Bangkok, Langkawi or Cambodia, there’s a variety of selections to make alongside each step of the journey planning course of.
For long-haul flights, you’ll be able to intention for EVA Air, ANA, or Singapore Airways with Aeroplan factors, or Cathay Pacific or Japan Airways utilizing Alaska miles or Asia Miles, for those who’re capable of finding award area.
If you wish to expertise the next degree of luxurious, First Class redemptions with ANA, Cathay Pacific, or Japan Airways may also provide you with a dream begin and finish to your South East Asia journey. Of those, Japan Airways has essentially the most constant award availability, whereas the opposite two could be fairly troublesome to seek out.
As well as, you’ve the potential of flying the “great distance round” by way of Europe or the Center East, maybe by linking collectively one of many different points-friendly locations on this listing.
Certainly, recall that probably the greatest candy spots with Aeroplan is to fly to the “Asia 3” area – ideally optimized for South East Asia journeys – for 87,500 Aeroplan factors in enterprise class. This might get you from North America to South East Asia through Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways, or through Istanbul with Turkish Airways, doubtlessly with a stopover added for simply 5,000 additional factors.
Utilizing Avios, you may also fly from North America to South East Asia through Doha within the world-class Qatar Airways Qsuites for simply 95,000 Avios. To take issues up a notch, for those who’re heading to Thailand, you may also add a flight in Qatar Airways First Class between Doha and Bangkok at no additional price.
For brief-haul flying, Avios redemptions on Cathay Pacific or Malaysia Airways will shuttle you from place to position, as will Aeroplan bookings on Singapore Airways, Thai Airways, or Bamboo Airways. And the area’s low-cost journey infrastructure at all times provides us the power to fall again on a laundry listing of ultra-low-cost carriers, reminiscent of AirAsia, Scoot, or Lion Air.
On the lodging aspect, resort loyalty applications have a tendency to offer you outsized worth in South East Asia in comparison with different elements of the world, particularly when you’ve got elite standing.
That is true on each ends of the spectrum: luxurious resorts like The Ritz-Carlton, Langkawi could be booked for as few as 55,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per night time, whereas the identical high quality elsewhere on this planet may run you a lot increased costs.
In the meantime, even a lower-tiered resort in South East Asia will most probably offer you comfy rooms, a picturesque pool scene, and a killer elite breakfast within the mornings.
Throw in the truth that non-hotel lodging, like villa leases and Airbnbs, may also be booked at discount costs – and also you’ve received all of the components for a really memorable, but inexpensive journey.
2. Center East
Residence to a few of the world’s main airways in Emirates, Etihad Airways, and Qatar Airways, it’s no surprise that many Miles & Factors fans find yourself creating a really shut familiarity with the Center East all through their points-collecting careers.
Whether or not you spend time in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, or surrounding vacationer hotspots like Egypt or Jordan, you’ll don’t have any scarcity of the way to place your factors to good use.
For many travellers, an Aeroplan redemption on Etihad Airways might be essentially the most accessible path to the Gulf, and you’ll add a stopover for five,000 factors to soak up the sights of the UAE’s capital for those who’re headed onward from there.
For those who’re up for a little bit of a splurge, and an ostentatious expertise to match, you possibly can additionally use Aeroplan factors to e book an Emirates flight in enterprise class or First Class.
Alternatively, think about amassing Alaska miles, Asia Miles, American Airways AAdvantage miles, or British Airways Avios to make use of for Qatar Airways Qsuites, broadly thought of the world’s finest enterprise class.
Inside the area, Avios redemptions on Qatar Airways can be your short-haul transportation of alternative. Contemplate regional flights in Qatar Airways First Class to attain entry to the decadent Al Safwa First Class Lounge Doha, full with a jacuzzi, effective eating, and a museum.
For inns, the Center East has one of many best concentrations of high-end chain inns on this planet, they usually signify improbable deployments of the Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, and World of Hyatt factors that you just’ve stockpiled.
All three chains have spectacular portfolios within the area, with some top-notch properties just like the Waldorf Astoria DIFC, the Waldorf Astoria Lusail Doha, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, the St. Regis Dubai The Palm, the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi, or the St. Regis Abu Dhabi.
In comparison with South East Asia, the Center East additionally has the benefit of not being fairly as in style of a vacationer hotspot, supplying you with superb possibilities of securing a shocking suite improve as a member with elite standing.
By way of the worth of your factors, it’s value noting that the aforementioned properties are usually comparatively inexpensive if booked with money, too, given the extremely aggressive nature of those native resort markets.
However there are at all times pockets of remarkable worth to be discovered, and for that, we will look no additional than the Al Maha Desert Resort Dubai. A $2,000+/night time Bedouin Suite with a personal pool and all-inclusive meals and actions for as little as 92,000 Bonvoy factors per night time on the off-peak charges is certainly probably the most aspirational Marriott Bonvoy redemptions worldwide.
3. East Asia
In comparison with South East Asia, the East Asian metropolises in Japan, South Korea, and Higher China could be barely dearer as vacationer locations, however stay ripe searching grounds for Miles & Factors bargains.
You’ll nonetheless get pleasure from an abundance of choices for the long-haul flight, whether or not that’s the aforementioned premium carriers throughout the Pacific, or having fun with a stopover in Europe alongside the best way.
Once more, a few of the finest names in luxurious journey are on the desk, between ANA and Japan Airways’s First Class cabins and the engaging chance of Lufthansa or Etihad Airways First Class for the great distance round.
You may also think about flying into Osaka (KIX) as an alternative of Tokyo, for better award availability.
Regionally, there’s no scarcity of airways to shuttle you round on short-haul Aeroplan or Avios bookings both.
Particularly, it’s value stating that worldwide flights between China, South Korea, and Japan can usually get disproportionately costly to the gap flown – an issue simply resolved by Aeroplan’s distance-based charts throughout the Pacific area and the one-way stopover allowance.
Why pay $742 (CAD) for a journey by way of the trio of East Asian nations, when you possibly can as an alternative pay 13,000 or 25,000 Aeroplan factors in economic system class or enterprise class (together with a stopover), respectively?
By way of the resort expertise in East Asia, there’s a pleasant mixture of extremely aspirational properties, reminiscent of The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, the Conrad Osaka, or The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo, in addition to very inexpensive choices which might be extra commonplace all through China.
General, the worth in your resort factors may not be fairly as spectacular as you’ll discover in South East Asia, each by way of greenback worth (as a result of increased price base) and the resort expertise itself (because you’re extra prone to be staying in a metropolis resort, the place you gained’t spend a lot time on the property, moderately than a sunny resort with seashores and swimming pools).
Having stated that, the elite recognition stays wonderful and the breakfast buffets are usually simply as spectacular, so it’s arduous to go fallacious for those who’re seeking to redeem factors at an excellent worth on this a part of the world.
4. Indian Subcontinent
On the confluence of all of the areas we’ve mentioned to this point lies the Indian Subcontinent, so it’s solely pure that your loyalty factors could be utilized to good use for travelling all through this area as effectively.
From the west, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Qatar Airways, Swiss, Lufthansa, and Turkish Airways all serve a number of locations in India and its environs. To the east, connections are equally plentiful on ANA, JAL, Thai Airways, and Singapore Airways.
By way of different airways, think about searching for a long-haul flight with Vistara to India, or route through Bahrain or Oman with Gulf Air or Oman Air, respectively.
And for those who’re searching for a less complicated itinerary for this comparatively lengthy journey, you may go together with Air Canada’s direct flights from Toronto or Montreal to Delhi, or from Toronto to Mumbai through London.
Contemplate redeeming 87,500 Aeroplan factors in enterprise class for those who’re fortunate sufficient to seek out seats on the decrease finish of the dynamic vary with Air Canada. Alternatively, attempt reserving an Economic system (Latitude) or Premium Economic system (Versatile) fare and making use of your eUpgrades.
On the bottom, when you’ve got elite standing with a resort loyalty program, you’ll be able to count on to be handled like royalty on this a part of the world.
Value-wise, many high-end inns are very moderately priced with both money or factors. What’s extra, vice-presidential and presidential suite upgrades aren’t essentially unusual, which may make for a really memorable keep.
One a part of the subcontinent the place the excellent worth of Miles & Factors has been well-documented through the years is the Maldives, though some travellers might discover the upfront prices prohibitive.
For those who’ve had your eyes set on an aspirational journey to the center of the Indian Ocean for a keep in an overwater villa, many of the aforementioned airways can get you there at a fraction of the value. To your resort reserving, use factors to cowl the bottom price of the keep, after which strategically leverage your free breakfast profit (if any) after which be ready to fork out some money in your different meals and actions.
5. Europe
As you’ll be able to inform by now, lots of the finest locations for maximizing Miles & Factors are usually straddling the road between the creating and developed worlds.
In these international locations, the price of labour stays decrease than in Western international locations, however fast progress and powerful demand for journey have led to plentiful flight connections and fierce competitors within the resort market.
Now, these locations can absolutely present wonderful experiences, however there’s no denying that they have an inclination to make for “larger” journeys for the common traveller to plan round.
What for those who needed to take an “simpler” journey not simply by way of maximizing factors, but in addition within the conventional sense – someplace a bit nearer to residence, maybe with out having to cope with any main language or cultural limitations?
Properly, a easy transatlantic hop to Europe is perhaps what you’re searching for.
Geographically, Europe’s proximity to North America signifies that flights are quick and candy: as little as six hours from the East Coast, or eight to 9 hours from the West Coast.
Most eastbound flights are usually in a single day, which can be an excellent factor (for those who’re seeking to maximize time on the bottom) or a foul factor (for those who actually needed to maximise the enterprise class expertise along with your factors). Within the latter case, intention for one of many “Dayliners” from Toronto or New York to London for the complete daytime expertise.
With Aeroplan, we’ve got a strong vary of enterprise class airways to select from, between Swiss, Lufthansa, Austrian, Brussels Airways, and TAP Air Portugal. You may even go for a fifth freedom flight from New York (JFK) to Frankfurt with Singapore Airways, or from Newark (EWR) to Athens (ATH) or New York (JFK) to Milan (MXP) with Emirates.
After all, Air Canada additionally presents many direct flights from its hub airports to Europe. For those who’re capable of finding a flight on the decrease finish of the dynamic spectrum – nice! If not, think about searching for eUpgrade availability after which use your eUpgrades to fly in Air Canada enterprise class.
Additionally notice that for those who e book a Enterprise Class (Versatile) fare with Air Canada, you’ll have entry to the Air Canada Signature Suite in Vancouver (YVR) or Toronto (YYZ) previous to your flight.
When you have entry to American Categorical Membership Rewards, then you must strongly think about a redemption to Europe with Air France/KLM Flying Blue. That is particularly the case for those who can make the most of a Promo Reward that gives a 25–50% low cost on award redemptions.
Prior to now, we’ve seen costs as little as 7,500 Flying Blue miles from Montreal to Europe in economic system, or 27,500 miles from Montreal to Europe in enterprise class. Not solely is that this a superb deal, however Air France and KLM have in depth networks in Europe, and the arduous and mushy merchandise are higher than many different airways.
Different candy spots are additionally value a point out, reminiscent of 13,000 or 50,000 British Airways Avios for an off-peak Toronto–Dublin flight on Aer Lingus in economic system or enterprise class, respectively. For such a brief flight length, maybe an economic system class seat could be definitely worth the vital financial savings right here.
Geography additionally performs into your favour when you’re on the bottom. Star Alliance and Oneworld collectively provide an enormous array of airways for short-haul flying by way of Aeroplan and Avios, respectively. And similar to in South East Asia, we will additionally fall again on the low-cost stalwarts of Ryanair and EasyJet to see many locations inside a brief span of time.
In the case of inns, the general worth proposition might admittedly be a step under a few of the different locations on this listing. What do you count on from the continent that gave us “continental breakfast”?
However there’ll at all times be good offers to hunt for, from the luxurious $600+/night time Mystique Resort on Santorini, to scoring a deal in ultra-expensive Switzerland, to principally any metropolis resort within the top of summertime when the money costs are a lot increased than typical.
Conclusion
We spend a whole lot of time enthusiastic about the very best methods to rack up rewards factors and earn elite standing, so it’s simply as vital to additionally take into consideration how we plan to maximise the fruits of our labour.
Normally, Asia, the Center East, and Europe are usually the very best locations world wide by way of the feasibility of redeeming your factors for the very best worth.
Conveniently, these areas could be linked with one another in a complete round-the-world journey, and it’s no surprise why such round-the-world journeys (whether or not with Aeroplan, Avios, ANA, and so on.) are so in style among the many group.
Now, what if you wish to journey to locations which might be not on this listing? Properly, it’s not that you just gained’t be capable to get good worth out of your factors – moderately, you’ll simply must work a bit more durable for it.
