TPG readers reveal their best-value points and miles award redemptions
We recently asked our TPG Lounge readers to share their cheapest, best-value points and miles award redemptions. Here’s a look at some of our favorite answers. (Some responses have been lightly edited for style and clarity).
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Readers' best-value flight redemptions
From memorable flights in ANA first and business class to an entire round-the-world adventure courtesy of airline miles, our intrepid TPG Lounge members never fail to impress and inspire us when it comes to epic flight redemptions.
"Just booked 30,000 Delta SkyMiles to fly from Detroit to Munich round-trip in the main cabin. That's 4.1 cents per point in value based on today's cash price. Pretty happy about this one!" — Ray O.
"15,000 AAdvantage miles for a business-class ticket from San Francisco (SFO) to New York (JFK) and 15,000 AAdvantage miles to fly from Buffalo (BUF) to SFO in business class. Both had lie-flat seats and cost $800 in cash, so the value was over $0.05 per mile." — Brad P.
"Just recently redeemed for a flight from Houston (IAH) to Tokyo (HND) flying NH (ANA) in business class for 85,000 miles. Even with the fuel surcharge, it amounted to $0.11 per mile." — Tom S.
"Newark (EWR) to Singapore (SIN) to Bali (DPS) and back to EWR for our family of four for 320,000 miles thanks to United's Excursionist Perk. The cash price was more than $23,000 and we came home via Taipei on EVA Air's Hello Kitty flight, which was super fun for our kids. $0.07 per mile." — Lauren C.S.
"15,000 AAdvantage miles for a nonstop round-trip flight from Phoenix (PHX) to Lihue, Kauai (LIH) this month." — Cheryl C.
Related: The best travel credit cards
"125,000 Delta SkyMiles per ticket for my wife and me to fly in business class from Phoeniz (PHX) to Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR), London City (LCY) to Amsterdam (AMS), and Lisbon (LIS) to AMS to Salt Lake City (SLC) to PHX. The LAX-LHR leg was on Virgin Atlantic thru Delta. I’ve tried getting a general idea of what that would have cost in cash and it’s always at least $6,000-$7,500." — Jorge N.
"I got a deal through American Airlines once for a first-class ticket on Cathay Pacific. I looked at the actual cost of the flight and it had gone up to $14,000. I got the ticket for 67,500 AAdvantage miles, so that's about $0.20 per point." — Daniel N.
"Flew from Atlanta (ATL) to Seoul (ICN) to Osaka (KIX) for 80,000 miles in a Delta One Suite when the A350s came out. Connection was in business class on a Korean Air 777. Ticket was pricing at $7,800." — Scott M.
"40,000 AAdvantage miles [to fly from] Hong Kong to Sydney in Cathay Pacific business class." — Brian B.
"320,000 miles and around $200 in taxes for to fly business class from Charlotte (CLT) to San Francisco (SFO) to Sydney (SYD) to Cairns (CNS) outbound on Qantas and from Auckland (AKL) to Los Angeles (LAX) to Charlotte (CLT) inbound on American Airlines. This was for two people and the total price would have been over $18,500 if we'd bought them." — Stephen C.
"130,000 miles transferred from American Express to Emirates for a round-trip first-class flight from Newark (EWR) to Athens (ATH), plus about $1,000 in taxes. The cash price was about $15,800 unless you booked way in advance for about $8,000." — Clark T.
"18,000 miles to fly nonstop (round-trip) from Miami (MIA) to London (LHR) on Delta in March 2019. It was during a 24-hour Delta SkyMiles flash sale. I got lucky and grabbed four seats. The flights were on Virgin Atlantic, too." — Rob E.
"About to book Qatar Airways' QSuite from Boston (BOS) to Doha (DOH) to Zanzibar (ZNZ) for 75,000 American AAdvantage miles per person for four people. Cash tickets are around $8500 each." — Rob R.
"In 2016: 40,000 United miles to fly United and Turkish Airlines from Oklahoma City (OKC) to Chicago (ORD) to Istanbul (IST) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL). Paid for the Air Asia flight from KUL to Sydney (SYD) and also an LATAM flight from SYD to Auckland (AKL). Return trip was AKL to SYD to Dallas (DFW) to OKC via Qantas and American using 32,000 AAdvantage miles per person. A round-the-world trip for 73,000 miles and $450. Probably could not do it today due to devaluations." — Ryan B.
"Qatar QSuite from Cape Town (CPT) to Doha (DOH) to Sydney (SYD) for 75,000 miles. I think it was more than $10,000 at a time." — Kinnier L.
"56,000 miles for an $8,800 business-class seat from Denver to Geneva on Lufthansa." — Carin H.
"My first redemption was the best for me. 50,000 miles for two round-trip tickets from New York (JFK) to Athens (ATH) upstairs on a TWA 747." — Jon W.
"100,000 Etihad Guest miles to fly in American Airlines business class from Los Angeles (LAX) to London (LHR) — I bought two one-way tickets. Got a 40% transfer bonus from American Express so only used 72,000 Amex Membership Rewards points and paid about $30 in taxes. Round-trip would have cost $10,000 so putting it at $5,000 for each one-way values my award ticket at 13.9 cents per mile." — Stephen H.
"Gotta be JAL first class from New York (JFK) to Tokyo (NRT) for 75,000 AAdvantage miles per person after a credit card rebate. Cash price was around $14,000 per person, so we got a value of over $0.18 per mile." — Kyle P.
"Transferred 85,000 Amex Membership Rewards points to Virgin Atlantic with a 30% bonus, then booked a round-trip ticket from Los Angeles (LAX) to Tokyo (NRT) on NH (ANA) in first class. 85,000 points + $250 in taxes for a $23,000 flight. Worth every point!" — Peter H.
Related: Choosing the best Amex card for you
Readers' best-value hotel redemptions
Some of our TPG Lounge readers mentioned how they were able to save by cashing in their precious points for bucket-list-worthy hotel stays around the world, including in New York City, Cancun, the Bahamas, the Maldives and a great redemption during The Masters in Augusta.
"380,000 Hilton Honors points for a five-night stay worth $8,200 in an overwater superior bungalow in the Maldives." — Ryan M.D.
"25,000 points for Hyatt Ziva Cancun over Christmas break. The cash price was between $800 and $1,100 a night." — Denise R.
"200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for five nights at The Royal at Atlantis over Christmas last year, while nightly rates were around $1,200." — Doruk S.
"It would probably be the Park Hyatt New York at Thanksgiving for $1,300 in cash or 30,000 points." — Drew T.
"36,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a room for three nights in Augusta, Georgia, during The Masters Tournament that was [going for] $1,199 a night. Value: $0.09 per point." — Chris K.
Related: Maximize your wallet with this perfect quartet of Chase cards
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.