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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Guides
6 award chart sweet spots that can save you money on domestic flights
Kyle Olsen is the former points and miles reporter at TPG. He specializes in maximizing points and miles, elite status and credit cards so readers travel more comfortably and at a lower cost.
Andrew Kunesh is TPG's Points & Miles editor. He has been active in the points and miles space since 2014, using them to travel far and wide around the world. He is originally from Chicago but moved to New York City after graduating from DePaul University. His work is featured on Credit Karma, UpgradedPoints, ValuePenguin and various other travel and finance publications. He currently holds Delta Diamond Medallion and Marriott Titanium status, and 20+ credit cards that each have a special place in Andrew's wallet.
also contributed to this story
August 8, 2025 • 9 min read
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By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
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Quick summary
The article highlights top domestic award chart sweet spots for maximizing the value of transferable points and airline miles.
Notable deals include low-mileage redemptions to Hawaii and on select transcontinental routes, especially when booking through certain airline loyalty programs.
Transferable rewards can be moved to various airline partners, enabling access to these favorable redemption rates.
Dynamic pricing and award availability can affect the ease of booking these deals, requiring flexibility and planning.
What to consider
Award availability, especially for premium cabins or peak travel dates, can be limited and may require searching multiple dates or routes.
Taxes and fees vary by program and route, with some awards incurring higher out-of-pocket costs than others.
Transfer times between rewards programs and airline partners can impact booking timelines, so plan accordingly.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of which airline programs and transfer partners offer the best value for specific domestic routes, including Hawaii and short-haul flights.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
Knowing the best ways to redeem your transferable points and airline miles is essential for getting good value from your rewards. Many of the best airline award sweet spots are for international business-class flights, but you can also find great deals on domestic flights if you know where to look.
Use transferable rewards to whisk yourself away to Oahu or another major Hawaiian island. KYLE OLSEN/THE POINTS GUY
Hawaii is a reader favorite here at TPG. And thankfully, there are many great ways to reach Hawaii with points and miles. Here are a few of our favorite ways to book flights to Hawaii with major U.S. carriers.
The best ways to book United flights to Hawaii
The best flight deal to Hawaii is to book United Airlines flights with Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles. This Star Alliance loyalty program charges just 10,000 miles for a one-way flight from anywhere in the U.S. to Hawaii. Better yet, a business-class ticket is just 15,000 miles one-way — but award space is challenging to find.
TURKISH AIRLINES
You can transfer Bilt points, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards points and Marriott Bonvoy points to Turkish Airlines.
Alternatively, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points, Capital One miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards points, Citi ThankYou Rewards points and Marriott Bonvoy points to Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer to book United flights to Hawaii. Award tickets from the mainland U.S. to Hawaii cost 19,500 miles.
SINGAPORE AIRLINES
Book American, Alaska or Hawaiian flights with Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan
You can use Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles to book flights on Alaska- and Hawaiian Airlines-operated flights at dynamic rates. You can also leverage the program's distance-based partner award chart to book flights to Hawaii on American Airlines.
The cheapest Alaska and Hawaiian flights from the mainland to Hawaii often start at just 10,000 miles plus $5.60 in taxes and fees from the West Coast. On peak dates, however, you may find significantly higher prices.
ALASKA AIRLINES
Meanwhile, flights on American start at 17,500 miles and $19 in taxes and fees from the West Coast to Hawaii. You'll pay more miles for longer flights, but connecting itineraries are priced the same as nonstop flights.
ALASKA AIRLINES
You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy and Bilt Rewards points to Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan, or earn them directly with an Alaska Airlines cobranded credit card, like the Atmos™ Rewards Ascent Visa Signature® credit card.
Always look for good deals on Southwest flights
If you have a Companion Pass, Southwest Airlines may provide the most affordable options for using points or cash to travel to Hawaii. There are many ways to earn more Southwest points, including spending on Southwest credit cards and transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points, Bilt Rewards points or Marriott Bonvoy points to Southwest Rapid Rewards.
Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles remains an underrated airline program with great benefits. Similar to flights to Hawaii, you can book other United Airlines domestic flights in economy and business class for just 10,00 and 15,000 miles one-way, respectively. This even includes transcontinental flights with lie-flat seats, though award space is hard to find.
These are among the lowest award rates for domestic medium- and long-haul routes. For a comprehensive overview, check out our guide to Turkish Miles&Smiles sweet spots.
TURKISH AIRLINES
As discussed above, you can transfer rewards from Bilt Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy to Turkish Miles&Smiles.
While Avianca LifeMiles has a standard, zone-based award chart, you'll often see different award rates for travel within the U.S. Many domestic awards cost 10,000 miles and $5.60 in taxes and fees, including this flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). Longer flights will cost more.
LIFEMILES.COM
You can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points, Bilt Rewards points, Capital One miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards points, Wells Fargo Rewards points and Marriott Bonvoy points to Avianca LifeMiles.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan for short-haul American flights
An American Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport (ORD). SEAN CUDAHY/THE POINTS GUY
Even outside of flights to Hawaii, you can use Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan to score an excellent deal on American Airlines and Alaska Airlines domestic flights. Alaska utilizes a distance-based award chart for partner flights, with flights under 700 miles costing just 4,500 Alaska miles plus taxes and fees. Some slightly longer flights — like from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to O'Hare International Airport (ORD) — also fall into this price band.
ALASKA AIRLINES
Longer flights cost more miles, but prices are reasonable. For pricing, refer to this award chart for Alaska partner flights within the U.S.
The Delta Air Lines SkyMiles program has received criticism for its volatile award pricing and lack of published award charts. Dynamic pricing has undoubtedly made redeeming SkyMiles for high-value international flights difficult. But you'll sometimes find affordable domestic flights you can book with Delta SkyMiles.
For example, consider this Chicago-to-Minneapolis flight that you can book for just 3,200 miles in Delta basic economy or 5,900 miles in economy.
DELTA AIR LINES
Delta even offers transcontinental flights at bargain award rates, like this flight from Boston to Los Angeles, which costs as little as 7,900 miles.
DELTA AIR LINES
If you have an eligible Delta credit card, you're eligible for a 15% discount on Delta-operated SkyMiles award tickets thanks to the TakeOff 15 benefit.
DELTA AIR LINES
If you need to earn Delta SkyMiles, you can use a Delta credit card or transfer American Express Membership Rewards points or Marriott Bonvoy points to Delta.
Benefit from AAdvantage's dynamic pricing
Dynamic pricing of American Airlines awards can let you snag bargain award rates if you have flexible travel plans. For example, we found award rates between Detroit and Philadelphia that start at just 5,000 miles in economy.
AMERICAN AIRLINES
You can also find deals on short-haul international flights between the U.S. and Canada or Mexico. For example, this flight from Dallas to Mexico City costs just 8,000 miles plus $51.68 in taxes and fees.
Credit cards that can help you stock up on rewards
Throughout this article, we mention various types of transferable rewards you can transfer to select airline loyalty programs. Here are some of the best cards that earn transferable points or miles:
Although some of these cards offer excellent welcome bonuses, remember that it can take a while to meet the minimum spending requirements for the bonus. So, it's best to apply for a new card months before you expect to book your award flights.
The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Maximizing the value of your transferable rewards and airline miles requires knowledge of the best redemption strategies. While international business-class flights to far-flung destinations often offer great value, it's essential not to overlook the domestic award chart sweet spots.
You can find excellent deals on domestic flights by leveraging transferable credit card rewards. Take advantage of these opportunities and unlock your rewards' full domestic and international travel potential.
