TPG Reader Hall of Fame: A month of luxury down under
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Today’s TPG Reader Hall of Fame story comes to you courtesy of Kevin, who spent an entire month visiting Australia, New Zealand and Singapore while still managing to log 30,000 butt-in-seat miles. Let’s check out how he did it.
For more TPG news delivered each morning to your inbox, sign up for our daily newsletter.
Kevin spent years accumulating the points required for his trip, using a variety of methods in order to earn the massive 535,000 points required to make his holiday happen. This included tons of actual flying, spend on credit cards, and welcome bonuses. Here are the cards he used:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred Card– Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 in the first three months from account opening.
- United Explorer Card– Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
- Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card– Earn 130,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass Card in the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, you can earn an additional 50,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend a total of $10,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months.
- Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express– Earn 150,000 Hilton points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening.
The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: The best ways to use points and miles to fly from the U.S. to Australia
Kevin’s clever mix of business, first and economy flights means that he was able to fly nearly 30,000 total miles for just 235,000 miles out of pocket. Never one to shy away from a challenge, he swung the lengthy San Francisco — Sydney — Auckland legs of his flight in economy, which he snagged for just 40,000 United Airlines miles. In contrast, he spent 80,000 United miles for his Melbourne — Los Angeles — San Francisco return. Perhaps his best redemption, though, was his phenomenal Singapore — Bangkok — Sydney routing in Thai Airways first and business class, which afforded him eleven hours in top-notch first class for 65,000 United Airlines miles.
All flights aside, he spent a total of 26 days in high-end hotels, nearly all of them in Hilton properties. He took full advantage of the Hilton Diamond elite status afforded by his Aspire card to gain access to room upgrades, executive lounge access and tons of free drink vouchers.
Even better than that? He spent 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards, transferred to Hyatt, for a fantastic room at possibly my favorite hotel ever: The Park Hyatt Sydney. A cash upgrade to his award netted him this view:
Here are the total points he spent:
| Program | Points used | Current TPG valuation (cents per point) |
| United MileagePlus | 185,000 | 1.3 |
| Chase Ultimate Rewards | 60,000 | 2 |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 50,000 | 1.4 |
| Hilton Honors | 240,000 | 0.6 |
Here’s how he spent them:
| Flights | Cities | Name | Class of service | Points used | Comments |
| Flight | San Francisco to Sydney to Auckland | United Airlines | Economy | 40,000 | United Airlines miles |
| Flight | Christchurch to Auckland to Perth | Air New Zealand | Economy | N/A | Free with United Excursionist perk |
| Flight | Perth to Singapore | Qantas | Economy | 30,000 | American Airlines miles |
| Flight | Singapore to Bangkok to Sydney | Thai Airways | Business and first | 65,000 | United Airlines miles |
| Flight | Sydney to Melbourne | Qantas | Business | 20,000 | American Airlines miles |
| Flight | Melbourne to Los Angeles to San Francisco | United Airlines | Business | 80,000 | United Airlines miles |
| Hotels | City | Name | Points used | Comments |
| Hotel rewards | Auckland | Hilton Auckland | N/A | Free night award via Hilton Surpass |
| Hotel rewards | Singapore | Conrad Centennial Singapore | 240,000 | Fifth night free |
| Hotel rewards | Sydney | Park Hyatt Sydney | 60,000 | Chase UR transferred to Hyatt |
| Hotel paid | Sydney, Perth, Melbourne, Christchurch | N/A | N/A | Paid 17 nights total |
These redemptions show how mixing points and miles with cash can really make your vacation stretch, even in high-end hotels and the pointy end of the plane. Great job, Kevin!
Featured photo courtesy of Kevin Lew.
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
Earn 90,000 bonus miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new card in the first three months of card membership. Offer ends 11/10/2021.
With Status Boost™, earn 10,000 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, up to two times per year getting you closer to Medallion Status. Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels, 2X Miles at restaurants and at U.S. supermarkets and earn 1X Mile on all other eligible purchases. Terms Apply.
- Limited Time Offer: Earn 90,000 Bonus Miles and 10,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card in your first 3 months. Offer expires 11/10/2021.
- Earn up to 20,000 Medallion® Qualification Miles (MQMs) with Status Boost® per year. After you spend $25,000 in purchases on your Card in a calendar year, you can earn 10,000 MQMs two times per year, getting you closer to Medallion® Status. MQMs are used to determine Medallion® Status and are different than miles you earn toward flights.
- Earn 3X Miles on Delta purchases and purchases made directly with hotels.
- Earn 2X Miles at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery and at U.S. supermarkets.
- Earn 1X Miles on all other eligible purchases.
- Receive a Domestic Main Cabin round-trip companion certificate each year upon renewal of your Card. *Payment of the government imposed taxes and fees of no more than $75 for roundtrip domestic flights (for itineraries with up to four flight segments) is required. Baggage charges and other restrictions apply. See terms and conditions for details.
- Enjoy your first checked bag free on Delta flights.
- Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓®.
- Enjoy an exclusive rate of $39 per person per visit to enter the Delta Sky Club® for you and up to two guests when traveling on a Delta flight.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- $250 Annual Fee.
- Terms Apply.
- See Rates & Fees
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.