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!
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 |
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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
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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
One of the top U.S. domestic redemptions you can book is United’s transcontinental Polaris class with Turkish Airlines miles! Image Credit: Chris HassanOur 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 is an elite premium cabin product reserved for select flights in the U.S. market. Image Credit: Stephen AuOne 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’ Flagship Business is one of the most comfortable ways to fly around the U.S. Image Credit: Stephen AuIn 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
Fly Delta first class to Hawaii using Amex points! Image Credit: Greg StoneFlying 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
Aspen is a fantastic year-round destination you can visit using points. Image Credit: Evan Wise via UnsplashPlanning 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
Get your ski on by using points to avoid paying cash for your travels! Image Credit: Vail Resorts Management CompanyBooking 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
Enjoying Jackson Hole’s beautiful nature and scenery is one of the best ways to use points in the U.S. Image Credit: Aleesha Wood via UnsplashJackson 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 offers a fantastic getaway, but can be expensive if paying for your flights using cash. Image Credit: Zetong Li via UnsplashAlaska’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
Visit entrancing Yellowstone using points! Image Credit: Denys Nevozhai via UnsplashA 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
Book a flight from the Midwest to the scenic Atlantic Northeast with points. Image Credit: Mercedes Mehling via UnsplashThe 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
For a short flight within the Pacific Northwest, using points could save you a good chunk of change. Image Credit: Dave Hoefler via UnsplashIf 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
If you’re booking a short hop flight within Florida, using points could be a good deal! Image Credit: Denys Kostyuchenko via UnsplashNeed 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
Save a bundle by using points to book your flight from the West Coast to Nashville. Image Credit: djgmix via PixabayNashville 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
Escape the cold Midwest and book a desert vacation today using points. Image Credit: Kyle Kempt via UnsplashThe 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
First class flights between the South and Las Vegas are quite pricey! Image Credit: Pexels via PixabayOur 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.
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