We're Back: Waldorf Astoria Maldives Once Again Bookable With Hilton Honors Points
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
The Maldives is one of the most popular destinations for points and miles enthusiasts. With round-trip flights from the United States to Male rarely going for less than $1,000 in coach and hotels for $600 per night, the Maldives is the perfect place to use your points and miles.
So, when Hilton announced what is arguably the chain's most ambitious property ever, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Itaafushi, would be bookable with Hilton Honors points, members were understandably excited. However, that excitement was quickly met with disappointment when it appeared that the property pulled standard award rates from its website only a week later.
Thankfully, the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Itaafushi can once again be booked using points. In a statement from Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi Reservations Manager Afrah Abdulla to TPG, Abdulla says the outage was a "technical error" in the booking system that has been rectified as of Feb. 24.
Just over 24 hours since the hotel's website stopped listing standard room rewards, a quick search shows that rates are once again available:
Available rates for mid-July 2019 (image via Hilton.com):
If you're lucky enough to have 120,000 Hilton Honors points in your account, you can head over to Hilton's website and book the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Itaafushi in a matter of minutes. If you, like many travelers, have not yet amassed 120,000 points, now is the perfect time to start planning for your dream trip to one of the most luxurious hotels opening this year.
Thanks to the Hilton Honors Aspire Card from American Express, you can earn a whopping 150,000 Hilton Honors points after qualifying spend. That's enough points for a night at the Waldorf Astoria Maldives plus, you'd still have 30,000 miles left over that you could put towards a second night at the hotel using Hilton's cash and points feature.
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.
Getting to the Maldives
Half of the appeal of the Maldives comes from its geographic isolation, which makes getting to Male (MLE) and on to the hotel a bit of a challenge. Be sure to check out this guide for ideas on how to cover your flights to the Maldives with credit card points and airline miles. Keep in mind too that once you get there, you'll almost certainly have to pay an additional fee for a seaplane or speedboat transfer from Male to the hotel. Make sure to pay attention to the transfer fee, as it can range from ~$100 to almost $700 per person.
TPG featured card
at Bilt's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 1X | Choose to earn up to 1X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee |
| 2X | Earn 2X points + the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases |
Pros
- Choice to earn up to 1 Bilt Point per dollar spent on rent and mortgage payments
- Elevated everyday earnings with both Bilt Points and the option to earn Bilt Cash
- $400 Bilt Travel Portal hotel credit per year (up to $200 biannually)
- $200 Bilt Cash annually
- Priority Pass membership
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Moderate annual fee
- Designed primarily for members seeking a premium, all-in-one card
- Earn points on housing with no transaction fee
- Choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Use Bilt Cash to unlock point earnings on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee, up to 1X.
- 2X points on everyday spend
- $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
- $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). At the end of each calendar year, any Bilt Cash balance over $100 will expire.
- Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
- Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
- Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.