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The Best Ways To Fly to Southeast Asia With Points and Miles [Step-by-Step]

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Key Takeaways

  • Using points from programs like American Airlines AAdvantage, Alaska Mileage Plan, or ANA Mileage Club can provide great value for business and first-class flights to Southeast Asia on airlines like Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines.
  • Transfer partners such as American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards can help build balances quickly for these redemptions.

Whether you’re planning your next big vacation or passively looking for travel destinations, you are sure to have encountered the picturesque scenery of Southeast Asia. Unfortunately, Southeast Asia hasn’t always been the most accessible travel destination for those coming from the U.S.

This guide will look at the best programs to utilize for award tickets between the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Best of all, your points and miles will provide great value, as cash fares to Southeast Asia tend to be expensive.

There are few nonstop flights from the U.S., so you’d most likely have to take a connecting flight to reach your final destination. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as there are incredible airlines you can fly to get there.

For our analysis, we will consider Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam as Southeast Asia. We’re not covering China, Taiwan, Japan, or South Korea (commonly known as East Asia), or India, Pakistan, or Sri Lanka (generally considered South Asia).

Nonstop Flights Between the U.S. and Southeast Asia

Since the Southeast Asia is quite far from the continental U.S., nonstop flight options are limited.

That being said, check out all of the following foreign airlines with nonstop flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia:

  • Cathay Pacific
    • Boston (BOS) – Hong Kong (HKG)
    • Chicago (ORD) – Hong Kong (HKG)
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG)
    • New York (JFK) – Hong Kong (HKG)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Hong Kong (HKG)
  • China Airlines
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Taipei (TPE)
    • New York (JFK) – Taipei (TPE)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Taipei (TPE)
  • Philippine Airlines
    • Honolulu (HNL) – Manila (MNL)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Manila (MNL)
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Manila (MNL)
    • New York (JFK) – Manila (MNL)
  • Singapore Airlines
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Singapore (SIN)
    • New York (JFK) – Singapore (SIN)
    • Newark (EWR) – Singapore (SIN)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Hong Kong (HKG)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN)
    • Seattle (SEA) – Singapore (SIN)

Here are the U.S. airlines offering nonstop flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia:

  • United Airlines
    • Newark (EWR) – Hong Kong (HKG)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Hong Kong (HKG)
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Manila (MNL)

Best Programs To Use To Book Flights

Because of the diverse route network of connecting flights from the U.S. to Southeast Asia, you can utilize an endless number of award programs.

We’ve analyzed all the booking programs and come up with the best frequent flyer programs to focus on when booking flights.

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

ANA B787 8 business class rear cabin
The ANA 787-9 rear business cabin with 3 rows of 2-2-2 seating. Image Credit: Ryan Smith

Regarding award redemptions to Asia, few programs are as valuable as the All Nippon Airways frequent flyer program, Mileage Club. This loyalty program has incredible redemption rates, particularly for business class redemptions. It also features a great set of routing rules and excellent access to Southeast Asian routes from major U.S. hubs.

ANA has several award booking restrictions; you cannot book one-way flights using miles. Depending on which airline you fly, ANA may also pass on fuel surcharges. Even so, paying a couple hundred dollars in fuel surcharges is worth saving tens of thousands of points.

With ANA being a member of Star Alliance, you can fly to Southeast Asia on partner airlines, including United Airlines and EVA Air.

ANA has a few award charts, including 1 for ANA-operated flights and a separate award chart for partner awards. For awards operated by ANA, prices are subject to seasonal fluctuations. Flights operated by partner airlines are not subject to seasonal pricing.

ANA divides Asia into 2 main regions, as Southeast Asia is a massive region. You can find the zone definitions here. It is worth noting that there are Southeast Asian destinations in both zones, with Hong Kong and Manila being in Asia 1 (Zone 3). Most of Southeast Asia is in Asia 2 (Zone 4).

Here are ANA’s award charts:

  1. ANA-operated flights (subject to seasonality rules)
  2. ANA partner-operated flights

Mileage requirements are typically lower on flights ANA operates, particularly during the low season. However, this can vary on certain routes.

For example, if you wanted to fly between Indonesia (Zone 4) and the U.S (Zone 6), you’d pay:

  • 100,000 to 115,000 ANA miles for ANA business class through Tokyo (HND or NRT)
  • 136,000 ANA miles for partner business class through Tokyo (HND or NRT)

Here is the ANA partner award chart for flights between the U.S. (Zone 6) and Asia 1 (Zone 3) and Asia 2 (Zone 4):

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Class of Service

Required Mileage (Zone 3)

Required Mileage (Zone 4)

Y (economy)

60,000

80,000

C (business)

95,000

136,000

F (first)

180,000

240,000

Conversely, flights operated by ANA are subject to seasonal pricing. Pricing is lowest during the low season (L) and highest during the high season (H). Regular season (R) pricing is somewhere between.

Here is the award pricing for flights between the U.S. (Zone 6) and Asia 1 (Zone 3):

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Eligible class

L

R

H

Y (economy)

45,000

55,000

60,000

PY (premium economy)

66,000

76,000

81,000

C (business)

80,000

90,000

95,000

F (first)

165,000

165,000

180,000

Here is the award pricing for flights between the U.S. (Zone 6) and Asia 2 (Zone 4):

SCROLL FOR MORE

Eligible class

L

R

H

Y (economy)

55,000

65,000

70,000

PY (premium economy)

84,000

94,000

99,000

C (business)

100,000

110,000

115,000

F (first)

195,000

195,000

210,000

ANA’s mileage scheme is a bit complex, but those who take the time to learn the ins and outs of ANA Mileage Club will reap the rewards of very cheaply priced award flights.

If you’re not willing to fly on ANA business class, check out some other partners that will be useful in planning your Southeast Asia itineraries:

  • Air China (via Beijing (PEK))
  • Air India (via Delhi (DEL) or Mumbai (BOM))
  • Asiana Airlines (via Seoul (ICN))
  • EVA Air (via Taipei (TPE))
  • Garuda Indonesia (via Jakarta (CGK) or Bali (DPS)
  • Philippine Airlines (via Manila (MNL))
  • Singapore Airlines (via Singapore (SIN), Tokyo (NRT), or Hong Kong (HKG))
  • THAI Airways (via Bangkok (BKK))
  • United Airlines

By putting all of this knowledge together, let’s talk about some excellent routes you can take:

  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Beijing (PEK) – Singapore (SIN) round-trip in Air China and Singapore Airlines first class for 240,000 ANA miles plus taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Manila (MNL) round-trip in Philippines Airlines business class for 95,000 ANA miles plus taxes and fees
  • Seattle (SEA) – Taipei (TPE) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) round-trip in EVA Air business class for 136,000 ANA miles plus taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Tokyo (NRT) – Manila (MNL) round-trip in ANA business class during low season for 80,000 ANA miles plus taxes and fees
Hot Tip:

ANA Mileage Club allows for open-jaws and stopovers for itineraries booked using ANA miles.

Here are the steps you can take to begin booking your flights with ANA miles:

  1. If you are searching for flights on Star Alliance partners, you can use ANA’s website directly.
  2. On the right side of the top banner of ANA’s website, click ANA Mileage Club.
  3. Click International on the left side of the following page. Then, click Award Reservation.
  4. Log in with your ANA member number and password.
  5. Type in your cities, travel dates, class of service, number of passengers, and click Search.
  6. Once you’ve found award availability, you’ll want to transfer your points. Be sure to incorporate any transfer times into your booking.
  7. Click on the flights you want.
  8. If searching for award space separately from ANA, such as through ExpertFlyer, call ANA at 800-235-9262 after finding availability for your desired flights.
  9. Confirm your reservation and pay for any taxes and fees.

Earning ANA Mileage Plan Miles

There are several ways to earn ANA miles. The easiest way is with transfer partners. ANA Mileage Club is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex is a 1:1 transfer partner with ANA, and transfers typically take 2 to 3 business days to complete.

Marriott Bonvoy transfers to ANA at a 3:1 ratio and can take up to 7 business days. You also receive an additional 5,000 ANA miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

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The Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
You may be eligible for as high as 175,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Apply With Confidence and, if approved, find out your welcome offer before deciding to accept the Card. You may not be eligible for the maximum welcome offer amount.
As High As 175,000 Points (Find out your offer)
$1,760
$695
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Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
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Why We Like This Card

When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.

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  • The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
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Cons
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Card Highlights
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  • Receive either a $120 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
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  • $695 annual fee.
  • Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
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  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
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American Express Membership Rewards

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American Express® Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Apply Now(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months. Apply With Confidence and, if approved, find out your welcome offer before deciding to accept the Card. You may not be eligible for the maximum welcome offer amount.
As High As 100,000 Points (Find out your offer)
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Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
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Why We Like This Card

The American Express® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

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Cons
Card Highlights
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  • 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.
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  • Terms Apply.
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  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
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American Express Membership Rewards

American Airlines AAdvantage

Japan Airlines Boeing 777 300ER First Class Bed
Use miles to fly Japan Airlines first class to Southeast Asia. Image Credit: Cherag Dubash

American Airlines AAdvantage is excellent for award flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia. Although the program has undergone significant devaluations over the years, it provides a ton of value, thanks to its partners.

American Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance. Notable Asian partners include Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines. By strategically leveraging these partners, you can piece together an itinerary to Southeast Asia much quicker than usual.

For its own flights, American Airlines uses a dynamic pricing model. Award pricing varies significantly from day to day. Here is the award chart for American Airlines-operated flights:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Region:

Main Cabin Starting From:

Premium Economy Starting From:

Business/First Starting From:

Contiguous 48 U.S. states and Canada

7,500

15,000

Mexico, Caribbean, Central America

10,000

20,000

South America, Short Haul

15,000

30,000

Hawaii and Alaska

20,000

40,000

60,000

Europe

25,000

50,000

75,000

South America, Long Haul

30,000

60,000

90,000

Asia, Middle East, South Pacific

35,000

60,000

95,000

However, partner awards with American’s AAdvantage miles are not subject to dynamic pricing, unlike American’s own flights. The simple award chart lets you know exactly how many miles you need for a redemption.

American Airlines divides Asia into 2 regions, with all of Southeast Asia in Asia Region 2. Here is the award pricing for partner-operated flights to Asia from the U.S.:

SCROLL FOR MORE

Main Cabin

Premium Economy

Business/First

First

Asia Region 1

35,000

50,000

60,000

80,000

Asia Region 2

37,500

50,000

70,000

110,000

Unfortunately, American AAdvantage does not allow stopovers or open-jaws on award tickets. If you want to stopover in a certain country, you must pay the mileage price for each segment.

Neither Cathay Pacific (based in Hong Kong) nor Japan Airlines (based in Tokyo) offers first class flights from their hub airports to destinations in Southeast Asia, so your connecting segment to your final destination in Southeast Asia will, at best, be in business class. However, American Airlines partners Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines offer fantastic long-haul products.

Keep in mind that American Airlines only allows trans-Pacific routes from the U.S. to Southeast Asia, meaning you won’t be able to fly the long way across the Atlantic to get there.

Here are some great example routes you can take while trying 2 distinct premium cabin products:

  • Dallas (DFW) – Tokyo (NRT) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) one-way on Japan Airlines business class and Malaysia Airlines business class for 70,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Tokyo (NRT) – Hanoi (HAN) one-way on Japan Airlines first class and business class for 110,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali (DPS) one-way on Cathay Pacific first class and Cathay Pacific business class for 110,000 AAdvantage miles plus taxes and fees

To book an award using American Airlines miles, follow these steps:

  1. Visit the American Airlines website.
  2. Log in using your AA username and password.
  3. In the search box, check off the box that says Redeem Miles.
  4. Enter the departure city, destination city, travel dates, and number of passengers.
  5. Click Search.
  6. Complete the booking 100% online by using your miles and a credit card for taxes and fees.

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage miles is relatively easy, thanks to Citi and Barclays co-branded American Airlines credit cards and several transfer partners.

The American AAdvantage program is a transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy. Marriott Bonvoy is a 3:1 transfer partner, and transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take around 2 business days.

Air Canada Aeroplan

Eva Air Royal Laurel Class business passenger sleeping
A comfortable, lie-flat seat, fantastic food and beverage offerings, and even pajamas are what you can expect in EVA Air business class. Image Credit: EVA Air

Air Canada Aeroplan is another fantastic frequent flyer program to consider for partner awards. Over the years, the program has made significant changes.

The Aeroplan program offers some award redemption rates and has plenty of airline partners. The program does not pass on fuel surcharges and allows for stopovers on bookings, including one-way award tickets.

Aeroplan uses a zone-based award chart for Star Alliance partner awards and takes the total distance flown into pricing. Award pricing increases the farther you fly as you fall into a new distance band.

Aeroplan divides the world into 4 distinct travel zones: North America, the Atlantic, the Pacific, and South America. The U.S. is placed in the North America zone, and the entirety of Southeast Asia is in the Pacific zone.

Aeroplan region map for awards
Aeroplan divides the world into 4 regions. Image Credit: Aeroplan

As pricing depends on the total distance flown, Aeroplan’s distance-based award chart favors those on the West Coast of the U.S. Here is the award pricing for flights between the North America and Pacific zones.

Aeroplan NA Pacifiz zone award chart
Award pricing between North America and Pacific zones. Image Credit: Aeroplan

For example, a United-operated flight between San Francisco and Hong Kong can be booked for 75,000 Aeroplan points one-way in business class as the total distance flown is 6,927 miles.

However, the flight distance between Newark and Hong Kong is 8,065 miles, which places this route in the next distance band. The Newark-to-Hong Kong flight would be priced at 87,500 miles one-way in business class.

Best of all, Aeroplan allows for stopovers, including one-way redemptions. Stopovers can be booked for 5,000 points. However, you should factor in the total distance flown, as award pricing increases if you fall into the next distance band.

  • Chicago (ORD) – New Delhi (DEL) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Air India business class with a stopover in India for 92,500 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees
  • Houston (IAH) – Taipei (TPE) – Hanoi (HAN) one-way in EVA Air business class with a stopover in Taipei for 92,500 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in United economy class with a stopover in Hong Kong for 65,000 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Tokyo (NRT) – Da Nang (DAD) one-way in ANA first class and business class with a stopover in Tokyo for 130,000 Aeroplan points plus taxes and fees

As you can imagine, there’s a huge list of possible routes. Thanks to Aeroplan’s numerous partners, you have a great selection of airlines, including United, EVA Air, and Singapore Airlines.

Here are the steps you’ll take to book using Aeroplan points:

  1. Visit Air Canada Aeroplan.
  2. Click Log in on the top-right corner of the homepage. Type your Aeroplan number followed by your password. Click Enter to log in.
  3. On the homepage, toggle the slider bar that says Points within the main search box.
  4. Fill in the search details, including travel date(s), trip type (one-way, round trip, or multi-city), destination and origin cities, and the number of travelers.
  5. Search for the flights you want to book. Complete the booking by redeeming your Aeroplan points and paying taxes and fees.

Earning Air Canada Aeroplan Points

Earning Air Canada Aeroplan points is relatively simple, as the program is a transfer partner with nearly every major credit card program. Aeroplan is a 1:1 transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Capital One Miles.

Aeroplan is also a transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy. Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio to Aeroplan; for every 60,000 Bonvoy points transferred, you get a 5,000-mile bonus.

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon
U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.

Apply Now(at Capital One's secure site)
The Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
75,000 miles
$1,350
$395
19.99% - 29.49% (Variable)
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Excellent (740-840)
Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.

Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.

Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.

 

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
  • 5x miles per $1 on flights and vacation rentals purchased through Capital One Travel
  • 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
Cons
  • $395 annual fee (rates & fees)
  • Does not offer bonus categories for flights or hotel purchases made directly with the airline or hotel group, the preferred booking method for those looking to earn elite status
Card Highlights
  • Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Receive a $300 annual credit for bookings through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Get 10,000 bonus miles (equal to $100 towards travel) every year, starting on your first anniversary
  • Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on all other purchases
  • Enjoy complimentary access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide, including Capital One Lounge locations and the Partner Lounge Network
  • Use your Venture X miles to easily cover travel expenses, including flights, hotels, rental cars and more—you can even transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
  • Enjoy a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Premier Collection
  • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.99% - 29.49% (Variable)
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees
Star rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating iconStar rating icon
U.P. Rating 
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Apply Now(at Capital One's secure site)
Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
75,000 miles
$1,350
$95
19.99% - 29.49% (Variable)
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)
Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons
Pros
  • 5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
  • Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Cons
Card Highlights
  • Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
Financial Snapshot
  • APR: 19.99% - 29.49% (Variable)
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

Singapore Airlines Business Class 777 - Cabin
Singapore Airlines business class 777 cabin. Image Credit: Alex Miller

Another excellent Star Alliance member program that offers solid redemption options is Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer. Known for its luxurious business class and over-the-top first class products, Singapore Airlines offers one of the best ways to fly to Southeast Asia. Since it is based in the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore, it’s one of the absolute best candidates to traverse Southeast Asia.

The KrisFlyer program still uses award charts, so you know exactly how many miles you need for an award redemption. However, there are different award charts for Singapore-operated flights, Star Alliance, and other nonalliance partner award flights. The award chart for Singapore-operated flights can be found here.

Previously, you could only book Singapore Airlines awards with KrisFlyer miles. However, that has changed, and other programs, such as Air Canada Aeroplan, can now do so.

Regarding awards, Singapore Airlines has 2 redemption prices: Saver and Advantage. Saver awards cost fewer miles, but award space is generally much more difficult to find. Advantage awards cost more miles but provide more award availability.

Singapore Airlines enjoys an incredibly versatile route network, thanks to its centralized home airport in Southeast Asia.

Hot Tip:

Here are some Singapore Airlines routes you can take to Southeast Asia:

  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Singapore Airlines business class for 107,000 KrisFlyer miles
  • New York (JFK) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Singapore (SIN) one-way in Singapore Suites for 148,500 KrisFlyer miles
  • Newark (EWR) – Singapore (SIN) – Siem Reap (REP) one-way in Singapore Airlines business class for 111,500 KrisFlyer miles
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Singapore (SIN) – Mandalay (MDL) one-way in Singapore Airlines business class for 107,000 KrisFlyer miles

Another important part of the KrisFlyer program is stopovers. Singapore allows stopovers on award tickets, but the rules vary depending on the award ticket you book.

Saver award tickets allow for 1 stopover on a round-trip ticket, and Advantage award tickets allow for 1 stopover on a one-way ticket and 2 on a round-trip ticket. To take advantage of the KrisFlyer stopover program, Singapore Airlines must operate all flights.

Here’s how you can book your KrisFlyer itinerary:

  1. Visit Singapore Airlines.
  2. Log in to your Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer account.
  3. Click Redeem Flights.
  4. Select your dates of travel and airports.
  5. Choose your booking class by selecting either Business or First/Suites if you’re a premium cabin traveler.
  6. Click Search.
  7. Choose your flight and pay for any taxes and fees.

Earning Singapore KrisFlyer Miles

There are several ways to earn KrisFlyer miles; however, using its credit card transfer partners is the easiest way.

Singapore Airlines is a transfer partner of nearly every major transferable currency: American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Brex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi all transfer at a 1:1 rate — transfers typically take 1 to 2 days.

Krisflyer is also a transfer partner of Marriott Bonvoy. Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 rate., You receive a 5,000 KrisFlyer miles bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred. Transfers take up to 2 business days to complete.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Lastly, we thought we would include at least 1 SkyTeam option on this list. China Airlines, with its hub in Taipei, offers several nonstop flights to U.S. destinations. The best way to book these awards is with the Air France-KLM Flying Blue loyalty program.

Flying Blue utilizes dynamic pricing and does not have a set award chart. This means that award prices fluctuate. Despite using dynamic pricing, Flying Blue tends to have some of the best pricing for SkyTeam awards. Best of all, award space tends to be plentiful.

Air France-KLM does pass on fuel surcharges on award tickets, which can be a few hundred dollars for an award ticket.

You can search for award availability directly through the Air France-KLM site and book awards entirely online. When searching for award space through the Air France or KLM website, you’ll only see availability for a few days at a time. Leave the travel dates blank if you want to utilize a calendar view for award space.

To book an Air France-KLM award, follow these steps:

  1. Go to the Air France website.
  2. In the top right corner, click My Account and log in with your Username and Password.
  3. After logging in and being returned to the homepage, click Use Your Miles.
  4. Type in your airport information, dates, number of passengers, and class type.
  5. Select your flights and pay for any taxes and fees.
Hot Tip:

Check out our guide on the best ways to redeem Air France-KLM Flying Blue miles for maximum value.

Earning Air France-KLM Flying Blue Miles

The Air France-KLM Flying Blue program is a transfer partner of several major credit card rewards programs, including American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

All the points transfer to Flying Blue at a 1:1 rate, except for Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers to Flying Blue at a 3:1 ratio. For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, you receive a 5,000-mile bonus.

Final Thoughts

In all, we’ve presented a vast list of ways you can use points to fly to Southeast Asia. We analyzed comprehensive route information from the 3 major alliances in this guide: Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam. With a huge list of excellent airlines, you’ll be sure to find an itinerary that fits your needs to help plan and guide your travel.

You now know the absolute best ways to fly to Southeast Asia using points and miles.

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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which points programs transfer to Air Canada Aeroplan?

Aeroplan is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.

All points transfer to Aeroplan at a 1:1 ratio, except for Marriott Bonvoy. Bonvoy points transfer at a 3:1 ratio. For every 60,000 points you transfer, you get a 5,000-point Aeroplan bonus.

What is the fewest number of miles you can use to book an economy class award flight to Southeast Asia?

You can pay as little as 45,000 ANA miles to book round-trip economy using ANA miles. ANA is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.

Can I use American Airlines miles to fly to Southeast Asia?

Yes, you can use American Airlines miles to fly to Southeast Asia. Since American Airlines is a member of Oneworld, you can use AA miles to fly on any of its partners. American Airlines has an award chart for partner awards.

What are the best business class airlines to fly to Southeast Asia?

Some of the best business class airlines flying from the U.S. to Southeast Asia are ANA, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, EVA Air, Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines.

Check out our post on the best international business class airlines in the world to learn more.

What are the best first class airlines to fly to Southeast Asia?

Some of the best first class airlines flying to Southeast Asia are ANA, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines. However, airlines change routes and aircraft, and not all options will include first class.

To learn more about the best international first class airlines, check out our post.

Ehsan Haque's image

About Ehsan Haque

Ehsan is an avid traveler who has traveled to 100 countries, diligently using points and miles to fund his journeys. Currently, he holds 32 active credit cards and earns over a million points and miles annually, primarily using them for luxury hotels and long-haul premium cabins.

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