TPG Readers Reveal Their Favorite Flight Redemptions
There's nothing quite like the thrill of cashing in on a truly remarkable redemption, except maybe getting the chance to humblebrag about it later. A few weeks ago, we asked our TPG Lounge members to tell us about the best flight redemptions they'd been able to score in 2018. Here's a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity).
Epic European Vacations
From flights to Barcelona (BCN) and Amsterdam (AMS) to experiences in fabulous first and business class products, our TPG Lounge members never fail when it comes to impressing us with their favorite flight redemptions to Europe.
"My first points redemption ever: Raleigh-Durham (RDU) to Rome (FCO) in first class via Toronto (YYZ) on Air Canada, then a return trip in Emirates First Class from Milan (MXP) to New York-JFK. I’m addicted now." — Brandon H.
"Four of us ladies got the Barclaycard AAdvantage Aviator Red World Elite Mastercard and flew to Barcelona — and back to Knoxville (TYS) from Amsterdam — on 60,000 miles." — Vickey A.
"32,000 SkyMiles from RSW-VIE [Southwest Florida to Vienna] round-trip during ski season in February." — Arie V.D.
"Singapore Suites: 76,000 KrisFlyer miles each from Frankfurt (FRA) to JFK. Epic experience!" — Jason B.
"220,000 United miles for Lufthansa First Class round-trip from Houston (IAH) to Frankfurt. [We took the] A380 there and the 747-8 back via Washington-Dulles (IAD). [We visited the] Polaris Lounge on the way there and the holy grail Lufthansa First Class Terminal and First Class Lounge in Frankfurt. It was a lot of miles but I priced it out and at cash, it was almost €20,000." — Adam P.
"Originally booked SAS from Bologna, Italy (BLQ) to Newark (EWR) for 70,000 United miles each for wife and myself. On the main leg from Copenhagen (CPH) to EWR, the plane was switched for the Torfinn Viking. I called SAS and they refunded 40,000 UA miles each, so [we flew] BLQ-EWR in business class for 30,000 miles per person." — Larry S.
"Round-trip from Los Angeles (LAX) to Barcelona in September 2019 for 11,700 AAdvantage miles. Yes, you're reading that right — under 12,000 miles and $50 round-trip! AA web specials were available for about three hours." — Robby M.
"100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for two Delta One seats from Detroit (DTW) to Amsterdam. Booked through the Virgin site but actually heard about the sale from TPG. [This was] for two tickets one-way." — John L.
"United: 50,000 miles + $5.60 for a one-way flight from Denver (DEN) to Munich (MUC) in Polaris business class! We returned five weeks later on a military hop for $39." — Deb C.
"87,500 United miles for the following: Cleveland (CLE) to London-Heathrow (LHR) in business class with a two day layover in London, LHR to Shannon, Ireland (SNN) and then SNN to Canton, Ohio (CAK)." — Dawn D.
"DFW-IAD-FRA-BLR [Dallas-Fort Worth to Washington-Dulles, to Frankfurt, to Bengaluru, India) for my stepmother. All long-hauls in Lufthansa First for 140,000 United miles." — Bert W.
"112,000 Skymiles for Delta One round-trip from Atlanta (ATL) to Ireland." — Jade M.
Adventures in Asia, Africa and the Middle East
Several TPG Lounge readers said they'd cashed in their precious points and miles for epic first class flights aboard Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways and JAL, among others, while some treasured taking a shower in the sky in Etihad's Apartment.
"100,000 miles for Cathay Pacific First Class from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Hong Kong (HKG), $18,215 in cash value." — Alex F.
"99,000 LifeMiles for ANA and Thai First Class from Houston to Tokyo-Narita (NRT) to Bangkok (BKK)." — Suprotik P.
"Hands down, Cathay First from Tokyo (NRT) to Hong Kong (HKG) with a three-day stopover, then to Chicago (ORD). 21 hours in top-notch first class for 70,000 Alaska miles that I earned almost entirely without flying." — Alex B.
"70,000 Alaska miles for Cathay Pacific First Class from JFK to Hong Kong and business class from Hong Kong to Bangkok." — William D.Y.
"320,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points + $300 for two Korean Air first-class [tickets from] JFK to Hanoi via Seoul (ICN), a $0.112/UR redemption." — Brent L.C.
"82,500 AAdvantage miles for Sydney-Tokyo-Bangkok-Hong Kong all in J on Qantas, JAL and Cathay Pacific." — Aaron N.
"60,000 SkyMiles for Delta One from Los Angeles to Tokyo-Haneda (HND) one-way." — Yan Y.C.
"JAL First from JFK to Tokyo (NRT) for two people for 150,000 AAdvantage miles that were all from bonuses. Cash fare was $13,000 each." — Kyle P.
"A tie between 155,000 JAL miles round-trip from JFK-DXB-BKK (New York to Dubai to Bangkok) in Emirates First and 70,000 Alaska miles from Johannesburg (JNB) to Hong Kong to JFK, [with the] first flight in J (no F) and second flight in F." — Inga K.C.
"Taking a shower at 35,000 feet in Etihad's Apartment from Abu Dhabi to New York for $140." — Pranav M.
"JFK-BOS-DOH-NBO [New York to Boston to Doha to Nairobi, Kenya] in business for my wife and I on our honeymoon. 150,000 miles one-way, with a return route from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to JFK in Etihad business class — 140,000 for two!" — Ted D.
"Detroit to Dubai on Delta/Air France in business class for 84,500 SkyMiles." — Robin T.
"60,000 AA miles for business class in Etihad from Abu Dhabi to Washington, DC, plus 10% miles back for having the AAdvantage card, so 54,000 total." — Dan F.
Trips to the US, Mexico and South America
Some members of our TPG Lounge recalled memorable first-class flights to Hawaii on Delta, while others were able to take the family to Argentina or get engaged in their favorite city thanks to points and miles.
"90,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for two 767 lie-flat Delta first-class seats from Los Angeles to Honolulu (HNL). RIP to Korean Air and Chase’s partnership." — Randall C.W.
"15,000 Delta miles for a round-trip [flight from] Boston (BOS) to Aspen during ski season." — Mark E.
"Probably 25,000 Southwest points [for a] round-trip [flight from] Boston to San Jose — for two, since I used my Companion Pass — because we ended up getting engaged on that trip." — Kristen L.
"12,000 SkyMiles round-trip from Boston to Cancun (CUN). With my status, I got upgraded to first class both ways." — Jay F.
"125,000 [SkyMiles] for Delta One from Milwaukee (MKE) to Argentina for three people." — SantiHolly S.
"Los Angeles to Lima, Peru (LIM), on United. Six family members for 20,000 each way. [To get] home, we did Delta One with Virgin miles to Atlanta at 50,000 per person." — Sarah V.
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.