TPGtv Episode 14: Heading to Vietnam for the First Time on Vietnam Airlines' A350
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
For a while, Vietnam was in the number one spot on my travel bucket list — I'd always seen photos of the country's amazing landscapes and heard about its friendly people and delicious food. I'm also a huge AvGeek and wanted to make sure I got there in the coolest way possible. My options were to fly from London on Vietnam Airlines' 787 Dreamliner or to fly from Paris to Hanoi on the carrier's new Airbus A350. For me, the decision was easy — I had to test out that A350.
But first I needed to get to Paris. I'd already flown from New York (JFK) to London (LHR), where I started my trip with an overnight layover, checking out some of the city's best off-the-beaten-path sites and popular restaurants with my TV host friend, Fletcher Cowan. After that, I hopped on the Eurostar train from London to Paris — another bucket list item of mine — and boarded my A350 flight to Hanoi (HAN). Watch the latest episode of TPGtv, below, to see how it went!
I really enjoyed taking the Eurostar from London to Paris. Note that you can actually redeem British Airways Avios for train tickets, with base awards starting at 10,000 Avios round-trip — according to our latest valuations, Avios are worth 1.5 cents each, so be sure that you're getting a good deal before you book.
For this trip I paid full price ($429) for my Eurostar Business Premier ticket and used my Chase Sapphire Preferred card so I'd earn 2x the points on travel, earning 858 Chase Ultimate Rewards points just for this one-way trip. Thanks to my ticket option, I also received extra perks like fast-track check-in, access to a business-class lounge with free Wi-Fi and a gourmet three-course meal on the train.
Booking my one-way flight from Paris to Hanoi was pretty easy, too. Since Vietnam Airlines is a member of the SkyTeam Alliance, I had the option to redeem 80,000 Delta SkyMiles (+ $100 in taxes and fees) or 100,000 Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles (+ $275 in taxes and fees). Additionally, Delta is also a partner of American Express Membership Rewards, while Flying Blue is a partner of Citi ThankYou Rewards, so you have even more options to play with.
Unfortunately for me, there wasn't any award availability on the day I wanted to travel, so I used my Chase Sapphire Preferred card once again to pay the $1,756 for my business-class ticket, earning 2x the points for travel and a total of 3,512 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for my one-way flight. I credited the purchase to my Delta account, earning an additional 7,142 Delta SkyMiles, 5,713 Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and $1,429 in Medallion Qualification Dollars (MQDs). I normally would have used my Amex Premier Rewards Gold Card to score 3x the points for airfare, however Vietnam Airlines doesn't accept American Express.
I have to say the business-class section of Vietnam Airlines' A350 was definitely middle of the road, sporting 29 staggered seats in a 1-2-1 layout that were fairly comfy but still a bit cramped, especially for anyone who's tall or has broad shoulders. The food service really wasn't anything to write home about but I did enjoy the 15" high definition in-flight entertainment system as well as the Charriol amenity kits that were offered, so overall it was a pretty good flight. For more info about the Vietnam Airlines A350 flight experience, check out my flight review of the airline's business-class product.
Can't wait to see what I'm working on next? Follow along with all my travel adventures on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat for a behind-the-scenes look at what's coming up on TPGtv, and don't forget to subscribe to The Points Guy on YouTube — you'll be notified as soon as each new episode appears.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 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. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
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 $8,000 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.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.