What is the best way to use Chase points for domestic travel?

One of our top ways to use Chase points for domestic travel is to transfer them to United MileagePlus. You can then redeem United miles for domestic flights.

What is the best way to use Amex points for domestic flights?

Our 2 favorite ways to use Amex points for domestic travel are: Transferring them to Etihad Guest to book American Airlines Flagship Business or Flagship First Transferring them to Delta SkyMiles to book Delta economy or first class By following either of these, you can readily book flights on both American Airlines and Delta!

Should I use miles for domestic flights?

In general, it’s best to save your points and miles for international flights. That being said, if you can find a good deal for your miles, go ahead and use them!

How many points is a domestic flight?

With American AAdvantage miles, you may redeem anywhere from 7,500 to 12,500 miles for an economy flight. With United, that number is usually closer to 12,500 miles. With Delta, a domestic flight might be as cheap as 7,000 SkyMiles or as expensive as 40,000+ SkyMiles. Alaska Airlines charges as few as 5,000 miles for flights shorter than 500 miles in distance.

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The 15 Best U.S. Domestic Flight Redemptions for Max Value [2022]

Q: What are the best ways to redeem points for domestic U.S. travel?

Our top 4 favorite ways to redeem points for domestic U.S. travel are: Book United’s transcontinental Polaris class using Turkish Airlines miles transferred from Bilt, Capital One, Citi, or Marriott Bonvoy Book American Airlines Flagship First coast-to-coast using Etihad Guest miles transferred from Amex, Capital One, Citi, or Marriott Bonvoy Book American Airlines lie-flat business class using Etihad Guest miles transferred from Amex, Capital One, Citi, or Marriott Bonvoy Book Delta first class to Hawaii using Delta SkyMiles transferred from Amex or Marriott Bonvoy

Stephen Au

- UPDATED: May 16, 2022 |

Travel /
Airlines

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At Upgraded Points, we are big fans of being world travelers — visiting the most exotic, far-and-away destinations, and doing so in first class while enjoying pure luxury and opulence.

But sometimes, domestic travel is just as reinvigorating. It’s possible to visit somewhere close to home and feel like you’re a world away. And that way, you don’t need to worry about flipping time zones, flying 24 hours at a time, and the increased planning required with going someplace totally foreign. Some of the easiest, best vacations are domestic!

So if you’re focused (at least in the near term) on booking trips within the U.S., you’ll want to keep this guide handy. We’ll give you some inspiration for high-value ways to redeem your points for domestic U.S. flights!

Table of contents

How To Get Maximum Value When Redeeming Points for U.S. Domestic Flights
Best Ways To Earn Points for U.S. Domestic Redemptions
The 15 Best U.S. Domestic Redemptions
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

How To Get Maximum Value When Redeeming Points for U.S. Domestic Flights
Best Ways To Earn Points for U.S. Domestic Redemptions
The 15 Best U.S. Domestic Redemptions
Final Thoughts

How To Get Maximum Value When Redeeming Points for U.S. Domestic Flights

You may get the greatest value for your points when you use them for typically expensive flights, whether that’s domestic or international. Among the numerous types of vacations you can book within the U.S., 2 that are known to be the most expensive are beach vacations and ski vacations.

If you live in a cold area and find yourself frequently looking for sunny places to escape to like Hawaii, California, and Florida, you will inevitably come across a situation where plane tickets are ridiculously expensive.

Similarly, if you’re booking a ski vacation during the peak winter high season, it’s not surprising to shell out thousands of dollars for flights and hotels.

As with all points redemptions, you should always compare the cash price with the points price to determine if it’s a good deal (and by extension, whether you should use points or cash).

In the case of U.S. domestic redemptions, don’t worry about hitting that crazy 10 cents-per-point redemption sweet spot, because it’s not going to happen.

When redeeming points for domestic flights, you’ll typically achieve a redemption value similar to the accepted valuations, though you might sometimes get a better-than-expected outcome. You might also get a lower redemption value, but chances are you’ll always get at least 1 cent per point of value.

In this next section, we’ll show you some of the best ways to use your points for U.S. domestic flights.

Best Ways To Earn Points for U.S. Domestic Redemptions

For domestic travel, you’ll want to earn points and miles you can use with U.S. carriers. Because of the way U.S. frequent flyer programs such as United MileagePlus and Delta SkyMiles work, it’s a bit more challenging to redeem partner airline miles for travel on a U.S. airline.

For example, Delta SkyMiles’s dynamic award pricing system makes it extremely difficult to suss out which award tickets are bookable by partners. Its mileage prices are mostly reasonable for domestic travel, anyway.

Best Ways To Earn Points for United Airlines Flights

United MileagePlus is a 1:1 transfer partner with Chase Ultimate Rewards and Bilt Rewards.

In addition, it’s a 3:1.1 transfer partner with Marriott Bonvoy (which also offers a 5,500-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred).

Lastly, numerous co-branded credit cards enable you to earn United miles directly.

But broadly speaking, the best way to earn United miles is via Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards, which can transfer points to United MileagePlus. Here are our recommended picks:

Best Ways To Earn Points for Delta Air Lines Flights

Delta SkyMiles is a 1:1 transfer partner with American Express Membership Rewards.

Also, you can transfer Marriott Bonovy points at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Amex also offers a variety of co-branded credit cards to earn Delta SkyMiles.

You can certainly accumulate a lot of Delta SkyMiles with the co-branded cards, but it’s easier to earn more miles on everyday spending with Amex Membership Rewards cards. Here are some recommended cards you can consider opening:

Best Ways To Earn Points for American Airlines Flights

American Airlines AAdvantage has a 1:1 transfer partner in Bilt Rewards, but its primary transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers at a 3:1 ratio to American Airlines AAdvantage with a bonus of 5,000 miles after every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Also, Barclays and Citi both issue co-branded American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards to earn AAdvantage miles directly:

Best Ways To Earn Points for Alaska Airlines Flights

Similar to American Airlines AAdvantage, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan does not have any 1:1 transfer partners; indeed, the only transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy, which follows the same transfer ratio of 3:1 with a 5,000-mile bonus after transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Bank of America is the sole issuer of co-branded Alaska Airlines credit cards, which offers one of the best ways to earn Alaska Airlines miles:

CARD	BENEFITS & INFO
Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card	Get a $100 Statement Credit, 40,000 bonus miles and Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ from $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22) with this offer. To qualify, make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening Every year on your credit card account anniversary you'll receive a companion fare which allows you to book a companion flight from just $121($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22). Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com. Free checked bag for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation – that's a savings of $60 per person roundtrip! Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases and unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don't expire on active accounts. Enjoy 20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases and 50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge when you pay with your new card. Annual Fee: $75

CARD

BENEFITS & INFO

Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card

Get a $100 Statement Credit, 40,000 bonus miles and Alaska's Famous Companion Fare™ from $121 ($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22) with this offer. To qualify, make $2,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of your account opening
Every year on your credit card account anniversary you'll receive a companion fare which allows you to book a companion flight from just $121($99 fare plus taxes and fees from $22). Valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.
Free checked bag for you and up to 6 guests on the same reservation – that's a savings of $60 per person roundtrip!
Earn unlimited 3 miles for every $1 spent on eligible Alaska Airlines purchases and unlimited 1 mile for every $1 spent on all other purchases. And, your miles don't expire on active accounts.
Enjoy 20% back on all Alaska Airlines inflight purchases and 50% off day passes at the Alaska Lounge when you pay with your new card.
Annual Fee: $75

The 15 Best U.S. Domestic Redemptions

When you’re booking a flight on a U.S. airline such as United, your first instinct should be to redeem miles belonging to that airline (United MileagePlus miles in this example).

Using an airline’s miles to book will almost always steer you in the right direction. But if you have extra time and are willing to try to find partner award availability (particularly for premium cabin domestic flights), you may be able to cut down on the number of points you spend by up to 50%!

That American Airlines flight that costs 50,000 AA miles? You could possibly get that same flight booked for 32,500 Amex Membership Rewards points! That United Airlines flight that costs 50,000 miles? You might be able to get the same ticket booked for 15,000 Citi ThankYou Points!

To be clear, this generally only works on select premium cabin flights; you’ll still find the vast majority of availability when booking using the U.S. airline’s frequent flyer program. And in most cases, the mileage prices are reasonable enough to warrant booking through these programs.

Enough talk — let’s get into our top U.S. domestic redemptions you can make for maximum value.

We’ll dip our toes in partner-level award tickets for premium cabin redemptions early in this section, but we’ll focus on the cheapest realistic price you’ll find on a given domestic flight without worrying about the lowest theoretical price you’d find if you spent all day looking for partner award space.

Let’s get started!

1. United Transcontinental Polaris Class

United Polaris Business Class Seat on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner — One of the top U.S. domestic redemptions you can book is United’s transcontinental Polaris class with Turkish Airlines miles! Image Credit: Chris Hassan

Our top redemption on this list also happens to be one of the most difficult to pull off in practice, but if you can pull it off, you’re getting a steal of a flight using points.

Usually, United charges 25,000 miles for Saver-level Polaris class availability on transcontinental flights.

But if you book your flights through Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles (a Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou, and Marriott Bonvoy transfer partner), you can book one-way business class flights for 15,000 points!

That’s a savings of 40% of your points! And if you’re fine flying in coach, one-way economy tickets cost just 7,500 points!

Hot Tip: The challenge in pulling off this sweet spot redemption is in finding Saver-level availability. United is extremely stingy in releasing Saver-level Polaris class award space on transcontinental routes. Keep your dates as flexible as possible!

Check out some of these nonstop transcontinental routes you can fly aboard United Polaris class:

Los Angeles (LAX) – New York (JFK) one-way in United’s transcontinental Polaris class for 15,000 Turkish miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Newark (EWR) one-way in United’s transcontinental Polaris class for 15,000 Turkish miles + $6 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – New York (JFK) one-way in United’s transcontinental Polaris class for 15,000 Turkish miles + $6 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Newark (EWR) one-way in United’s transcontinental Polaris class for 15,000 Turkish miles + $6 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: Need to earn more Citi points? Check out our complete guide to the best ways to earn Citi ThankYou Points!

2. American Airlines Flagship First

American Airlines Flagship First Class — American Airlines’ Flagship First is an elite premium cabin product reserved for select flights in the U.S. market. Image Credit: Stephen Au

One of the most comfortable ways you can fly in the U.S. is aboard American Airlines’ Flagship First product, which is only offered on A321T and 777-300ER aircraft.

Traditionally offered on select premium transcontinental flights, the cash prices that these flights command are immense (think $1,500 one-way).

Normally, American charges 50,000 miles for a one-way Flagship First ticket on a Saver award ticket, which actually isn’t a bad deal considering the high cash prices.

But if you are looking for the best deals possible and can be flexible, you can find Saver award space on American’s website and book that same ticket using Etihad Guest miles (transferred from Amex, Capital One, Citi, or Marriott Bonvoy) to save big!

In general, American Flagship First Saver award space is more generous than United’s transcontinental Polaris class Saver award space, so you probably have a better chance of booking the flight you want by using Etihad Guest miles.

For this flight, expect to redeem around 32,500 Etihad Guest miles one-way.

Here are a few example redemptions you can make:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Miami (MIA) one-way in American Flagship First for 32,500 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – New York (JFK) one-way in American Flagship First for 32,500 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – New York (JFK) one-way in American Flagship First for 32,500 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Santa Ana (SNA) – New York (JFK) one-way in American Flagship First for 32,500 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees

3. American Airlines Lie-flat Business Class

American Airlines 787-9 Flagship Business Class seat 4L — American Airlines’ Flagship Business is one of the most comfortable ways to fly around the U.S. Image Credit: Stephen Au

In addition to a top-quality first class product, American also offers a great business class product, should you be interested in booking lie-flat seats.

The benefit of Flagship Business is that it can be a bit cheaper than Flagship First. Plus, it’s easier to find a Flagship Business product, thanks to its offerings on other 777 and 787 aircraft.

On select domestic flights, you can find lie-flat business class seats akin to what you’d encounter on a long-haul international flight, which will maximize your comfort.

Here are the best routes you’ll often find lie-flat business class seats on:

Chicago (ORD) – Honolulu (HNL) one-way in American Flagship Business for 37,500 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees
- American charges 55,000 miles for Saver-level availability
Dallas (DFW) – Honolulu (HNL) one-way in American Flagship Business for 37,500 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees
- American charges 55,000 miles for Saver-level availability
Dallas (DFW) – Kahului (OGG) one-way in American Flagship Business for 37,500 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees
- American charges 55,000 miles for Saver-level availability
Los Angeles (LAX) – Miami (MIA) one-way in American Flagship Business for 25,000 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees
- American charges 25,000 miles for Saver-level availability
Los Angeles (LAX) – New York (JFK) one-way in American Flagship Business for 25,000 Etihad Guest miles + $6 in taxes and fees
- American charges 25,000 miles for Saver-level availability
San Francisco (SFO) – New York (JFK) one-way in American Flagship Business for 25,000 Etihad Guest miles transferred from Amex or Citi + $6 in taxes and fees
- American charges 25,000 miles for Saver-level availability

4. Delta First Class to Hawaii

Delta Airbus A220 First Class Seats 3A 3B — Fly Delta first class to Hawaii using Amex points! Image Credit: Greg Stone

Flying Delta to Hawaii is often the most convenient option, in addition to a great quality product. The diamond-stitched leather seats, warm service, and edible catering options make this one of the better airlines to fly nonstop to Hawaii.

The catch? It’s really difficult to book these flights using partner miles such as Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles. To maximize your odds of booking these tickets, you ought to accumulate Delta SkyMiles or Amex or Marriott Bonvoy points (which can then be transferred to Delta).

The great news is that Delta is excellent about offering a “baseline value” for your points, so while redeeming Delta SkyMiles may not theoretically be the cheapest option, you’ll probably get at least 1.2 cents per point of value, often more.

Here are some of Delta’s terrific routes to Hawaii:

Atlanta (ATL) – Honolulu (HNL) one-way in Delta One/Delta first class from 127,500 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Lihue (LIH) one-way in Delta One/Delta first class from 51,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Salt Lake City (SLC) – Kahului (OGG) one-way in Delta first class from 62,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – Kona (KOA) one-way in Delta One/Delta first class from 54,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees

5. Nonstop Flights to Aspen

Planning a ski vacation to Aspen? Depending on which airport you fly out of, you could see large cash price tags upwards of $400 one-way!

Fortunately, it’s easy to use points to avoid paying hundreds of dollars for a short-haul domestic flight to Aspen.

United, American, and Delta all offer nonstop flights. If you can get 2 cents per point of value on this trip, consider it a success!

Here are some of the best nonstop flights available to Aspen:

Atlanta (ATL) – Aspen (ASE) in Delta economy class from 29,500 Delta SkyMiles + ~$6 in taxes and fees miles
Austin (AUS) – Aspen (ASE) in American economy class for 12,500 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Chicago (ORD) – Aspen (ASE) in United economy class for 14,200 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
- American economy class is also bookable for 12,500 AAdvantage miles
Dallas (DFW) – Aspen (ASE) in American economy class for 12,500 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Denver (DEN) – Aspen (ASE) in United economy class for 15,000 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Aspen (ASE) in United economy class for 12,500 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
- American economy class is also bookable for 12,500 AAdvantage miles
- Delta economy class is also bookable from 19,500 Delta SkyMiles
Phoenix (PHX) – Aspen (ASE) in American economy class for 7,500 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: Be prepared for your next trip to the Rockies with our guide to airline ski/snowboard baggage policies and ultimate ski and snowboard trip packing list. Learn more about the 2 passes that cover Aspen Snowmass in our ultimate guide to season ski passes around the world.

6. Nonstop First Class Flights to Vail

Vail Ski Resort — Get your ski on by using points to avoid paying cash for your travels! Image Credit: Vail Resorts Management Company

Booking a ski trip to Vail can get ridiculously expensive, just like booking a ski trip to Aspen.

And while there are differences, there’s no way to get around it — you’ll be spending quite a bit of money here.

The closest airport to Vail is Eagle County (EGE), and there are many nonstop flights operated by the big 3 U.S. airlines.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

Atlanta (ATL) – Eagle County (EGE) in Delta first class from 41,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Denver (DEN) – Eagle County (EGE) in United first class from 25,000 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Eagle County (EGE) in United first class from 25,000 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Eagle County (EGE) in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Philadelphia (PHL) – Eagle County (EGE) in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Eagle County (EGE) in United first class from 25,000 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees

7. Nonstop First Class Flights to Jackson Hole

Jackson Hole is known for its outdoorsy and rugged terrain, as well as the annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium that hosts dozens of Federal Reserve and finance professionals.

Often voted as the best ski resort location in North America, it’s no surprise that the idea of flying to Jackson Hole for a domestic vacation has probably crossed your mind.

Well, hesitate no longer because those traditionally expensive flights are now almost free, thanks to points!

All of the Big 3 U.S. carriers operate flights out of their hub airports to Jackson Hole (JAC). If you’re interested in the best deal, American and United offer reasonable fares, while Delta tends to be the priciest.

Here are some of the best example redemptions you can make:

Atlanta (ATL) – Jackson Hole (JAC) one-way in Delta first class from 55,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Boston (BOS) – Jackson Hole (JAC) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Dallas (DFW) – Jackson Hole (JAC) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Jackson Hole (JAC) one-way in United first class from 27,500 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Newark (EWR) – Jackson Hole (JAC) one-way in United first class from 50,000 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees

8. Nonstop Flights to Alaska

Alaska’s scenery and wildlife are often associated with storybook imagery and picturesque wilderness you’d only find in high-budget Hollywood movies.

Whether it’s glaciers, fjords, rivers, national parks, wildlife spotting, or rugged activities like fishing, a trip to Alaska will make you one with nature.

But getting to Alaska can be expensive — most of the flights from the continental U.S. you’ll find fly into Anchorage (ANC), and depending on when you fly, you might observe economy ticket prices exceeding $500 one-way!

Here are some solid redemptions you can make on flights to Alaska:

Atlanta (ATL) – Anchorage (ANC) one-way in Delta economy from 34,500 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Chicago (ORD) – Fairbanks (FAI) one-way in United economy from 18,100 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Anchorage (ANC) one-way in United economy for 18,800 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Minneapolis (MSP) – Anchorage (ANC) one-way in Delta economy from 24,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees

9. Nonstop Flights to Yellowstone

A visit to Yellowstone is one of the glorious trips you can book within the U.S. As the first national park in the U.S. and also widely accepted to be the first national park in the world, making a vacation to enjoy the natural wonders of Yellowstone is a must-do.

To check out Old Faithful and all of its surrounding attractions, you can fly into Bozeman (BZN). Here are a few great redemptions you can make using points:

Atlanta (ATL) – Bozeman (BZN) one-way in Delta economy class from 23,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Charlotte (CLT) – Bozeman (BZN) one-way in American economy class from 10,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Houston (IAH) – Bozeman (BZN) one-way in United economy class from 12,500 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Bozeman (BZN) one-way in United economy class from 12,500 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees

10. Short-haul Flights Between the Midwest and the Northeast

The Northeast is home to some of America’s most quaint towns. And although visiting states like Maine and Massachusetts isn’t quite as popular as Florida or California, it’s still definitely worth a look.

Here are some great example domestic redemptions you can make:

Chicago (ORD) – Burlington (BTV) one-way in United economy class from 12,500 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Milwaukee (MKE) – Portland (PWM) one-way in United economy class from 12,500 United miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Minneapolis (MSP) – Pittsburgh (PIT) one-way in Delta economy class from 16,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Rapid City (RAP) – New York (LGA) one-way in American economy class from 12,500 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
St. Louis (STL) – Boston (BOS) one-way in American economy class from 12,500 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees

11. Short-haul Flights Within the Pacific Northwest

If you’ve ever looked at ultra-short-haul flights within the Pacific Northwest, you’ll know that Alaska Airlines basically has a monopoly on these routes. Furthermore, these plane tickets are often very expensive when you take into account how short they are.

So if you’re booking a short-haul flight within the Northwest, you can redeem either Alaska miles or Delta SkyMiles to save a few hundred dollars:

Boise (BOI) – Spokane (GEG) in Alaska economy class from 5,000 Alaska miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Eugene (EUG) – Salt Lake City (SLC) in Delta economy class from 12,500 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Portland (PDX) – Kalispell (FCA) in Alaska economy class from 5,000 Alaska miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – Sun Valley (SUN) in Alaska economy class from 5,000 Alaska miles + $6 in taxes and fees

12. Intra-Florida Flights

Need to travel within Florida and can’t take a car?

If you’re using points, chances are you’ll get a good deal booking American economy flights with AAdvantage miles.

Here are a few solid redemption ideas:

Key West (EYW) – Miami (MIA) one-way in American economy class from 7,500 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Pensacola (PNS) one-way in American economy class from 12,500 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Tallahassee (TLH) – Miami (MIA) one-way in American economy class from 7,500 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees

13. First Class Between the West Coast and Nashville

Nashville is a fast-growing city. Known to be an incredible music mecca, Tennessee’s economic hub is a popular domestic vacation spot.

Here are some examples of nonstop first class flights you can book using points:

Los Angeles (LAX) – Nashville (BNA) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
- Delta first class is also available from 44,000 Delta SkyMiles
Phoenix (PHX) – Nashville (BNA) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Salt Lake City (SLC) – Nashville (BNA) one-way in Delta first class from 44,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Nashville (BNA) one-way in United first class from 45,300 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – Nashville (BNA) one-way in Delta first class from 26,500 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees

14. First Class Between the Upper Midwest and Phoenix

The winter season in the Midwest can get blisteringly cold. To avoid being cooped up in your house all day, go ahead and make your way down to Phoenix. The weather is much warmer year-round, and American offers tons of nonstop flights.

To book first class, you’ll redeem around 25,000 AAdvantage miles. Here are a few interesting nonstop flights you can book:

Bismarck (BIS) – Phoenix (PHX) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Columbus (CMH) – Phoenix (PHX) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Fargo (FAR) – Phoenix (PHX) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Grand Rapids (GRR) – Phoenix (PHX) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Indianapolis (IND) – Phoenix (PHX) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Milwaukee (MKE) – Phoenix (PHX) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees

15. First Class Between the South and Las Vegas

Our last redemption in this guide is booking first class flights for a short vacation to Las Vegas!

There are plenty of things to do in Las Vegas besides gambling, like shows and live entertainment, resort hopping, sightseeing, and sunbathing!

Flying in first class can be affordable — check out these sample redemptions:

Atlanta (ATL) – Las Vegas (LAS) one-way in Delta first class from 61,000 Delta SkyMiles + $6 in taxes and fees
Austin (AUS) – Las Vegas (LAS) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Charlotte (CLT) – Las Vegas (LAS) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Dallas (DFW) – Las Vegas (LAS) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees
Miami (MIA) – Las Vegas (LAS) one-way in American first class from 25,000 AAdvantage miles + $6 in taxes and fees

Final Thoughts

In short, redeeming points and miles for U.S. domestic travel won’t net you those ultra-aspirational redemption values you’d find on international flights aboard Emirates or Lufthansa first class. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t achieve excellent redemption value domestically!

To maximize your redemption value, the best flights to book are transcontinental or Hawaii flights aboard lie-flat-configured aircraft with true premium seats. These tickets are much more comfortable than your run-of-the-mill domestic recliner seat with enhanced legroom.

But if you would prefer not to visit a major coastal city, you can also redeem points to check out Nashville, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Yellowstone, Aspen, Jackson Hole, and much more.

The information regarding the Citi® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® World Elite™ Mastercard®, CitiBusiness® / AAdvantage® Platinum Select® Mastercard®, and Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

2 comments

Nick January 30, 2022
Hello, I’ve been trying to find a Turkish Miles&Smiles via United from LAX to New York (EWR or JFK) but I cannot find any flight for one way, round trip, within a few weeks or next year… this sounds good on paper but there is no such flight. It was probably a glitch in the system at one point that’s why you guys found it. But now, I don’t think it exists.
- Stephen Au January 30, 2022
  Hi Nick, this is definitely not a glitch. These deals are not easy to find, but they 100% exist. Remember that these tickets are totally dynamic. This means that if you look at the whole schedule tomorrow, you might find a few dates with availability. Same if you look a week later, a month later, and more. Keep looking!