Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.
![The Best Ways To Fly to Southeast Asia With Points and Miles [Step-by-Step]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Singapore.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.
Whether you’re scheming your next big vacation or passively looking for travel destinations, you are sure to have encountered the picturesque scenery of Southeast Asia.
Perhaps you’ve also seen the amazing and ultra-cheap street food available on the curbs deep within major cities.
Well, exploring the vast depths of Southeast Asia should be on everybody’s bucket list. The diversity, vast culture, phenomenal food, and amazing attractions make it a must-visit.
Southeast Asia hasn’t always been the most accessible travel destination for U.S. citizens. Luckily, we’ve got the inside scoop on the best ways to fly to Southeast Asia with points and miles.
There’s tons of value to be had here, but it’s important to understand the best routes to take en route to Southeast Asia.
There are very few nonstop flights from the U.S., so you’ll most likely have to take a connecting flight to get to your final destination.
For the purposes of our analysis, we’re going to consider Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam as “Southeast Asia.” Notably, we are generally going to be excluding China, Japan, and South Korea (generally known as part of North Asia) and India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka (generally thought of as being part of South Asia).
Let’s get started.
As we mentioned above, we’ll be strictly including nonstop flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia, and since the region is generally quite far from the 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:
And here are the U.S. airlines offering nonstop flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia:
Because of the diverse route network of connecting flights from the U.S. to Southeast Asia, there is an unbelievable number of redemptions you can make to book flights there.
We’ve analyzed all of the booking programs and came up with the top frequent flyer programs to focus on when booking flights.
The first choice to book sweet spots award tickets is using All Nippon Airways’ frequent flyer program, Mileage Club. This loyalty program features astonishingly good redemption rates (especially for business class redemptions), a great set of routing rules, and excellent access to Southeast Asian routes from major U.S. hubs.
ANA has several restrictions on award bookings; namely, you cannot book one-way flights using miles. Depending on which airline you fly, ANA may pass on fuel surcharges as well. Even so, paying a couple of hundred dollars in fuel surcharges is absolutely worth saving tens of thousands of points.
To begin, let’s talk about how ANA prices award tickets. There are 2 award charts:
Currently, your best options to fly to Southeast Asia would be on ANA-operated flights due to the miles you’ll save.
For example, if you wanted to fly to Indonesia from North America, you’d pay:
Because of this large mileage differential, you generally will want to focus on booking ANA business class.
ANA splits its Asia award chart into 2 zones:
Here is the ANA partner award chart:
| Departure Point | Class of Service | Asia 1 (Zone 3) | Asia 2 (Zone 4) |
| North America (Zone 6) | Economy (Y) | 60,000 | 80,000 |
| Business (C) | 95,000 | 136,000 | |
| First (F) | 180.000 | 240,000 |
If you fly from North America to the Philippines (which is in Asia 1), you will pay round trip costs of 60,000 miles in economy, 95,000 miles in business, and 180,000 miles in first class.
Compare this to the Asia 1 and Asia 2 award charts for ANA flights from North America:
| Departure Point | Class of Service | Low Season | Regular Season | High Season |
| Asia 1 (Zone 3) | Economy (Y) | 45,000 | 55,000 | 60,000 |
| Premium Economy (PY) | 66,000 | 76,000 | 81,000 | |
| Business (C) | 80,000 | 90,000 | 95,000 | |
| First (F) | 165,000 | 165,000 | 180,000 | |
| Asia 2 (Zone 4) | Economy (Y) | 55,000 | 65,000 | 70,000 |
| Premium Economy (PY) | 84,000 | 94,000 | 99,000 | |
| Business (C) | 100,000 | 110,000 | 115,000 | |
| First (F) | 195,000 | 195,000 | 210,000 |
As you can see, the range of costs for ANA-operated flights depends on seasonality. Here are the dates that correspond to each seasonality bucket:
| Departure and Destination | Asia 1 (Zone 3) or Asia 2 (Zone 4) | North America (Zone 6) | |
| Season | Year | Period | |
| Low | 2021 | January 5-29, April 1-27, May 10-June 30, December 1-19 | January 5-February 28, April 1-27 |
| 2022 | January 4-20, April 1-26, May 9-June 30, December 1-18 | January 4-February 28, April 1-26 | |
| 2023 | January 4-12 | January 4-February 28 | |
| Regular | 2021 | January 30-March 31, July 1-22, August 23-November 30 | March 1-31, May 10-July 22, August 23-December 19 |
| 2022 | January 21-March 31, July 1-21, August 22-November 30 | March 1-31, May 9-July 21, August 22-December 18 | |
| 2023 | January 13-March 31 | March 1-31 | |
| High | 2021 | January 1-4, April 28-May 9, July 23-August 22, December 20-31 | January 1-4, April 28-May 9, July 23-August 22, December 20-31 |
| 2022 | January 1-3, April 27-May 8, July 22-August 21, December 19-31 | January 1-3, April 27-May 8, July 22-August 21, December 19-31 | |
| 2023 | January 1-3 | January 1-3 | |
To put all these charts together, let’s take an example itinerary.
Suppose you want to fly to Kuala Lumpur in ANA business class and have found award availability on April 22, 2022.
Since this falls under low season and consists wholly of ANA flights, your cost will be 100,000 ANA miles round-trip.
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:
By putting all of this knowledge together, let’s talk about some excellent route options you can take:
Hot Tip: You can always add 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw on itineraries booked using ANA miles. Be sure to incorporate this into your trip to visit multiple cities for free!
Here are the steps you can take to begin booking your flights with ANA miles:
Earning ANA miles is made easy by the fact that it is an Amex transfer partner and Marriott Bonvoy transfer partner.
You can transfer at a 1:1 ratio from Amex or a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus from Marriott Bonvoy when you transfer 60,000 points.
Transfers from Amex take around 3 business days, while transfers from Marriott take around 7 business days.
Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis card is undoubtedly the #1 card for luxury travel benefits. From the best lounge access (of any card) to statement credits, to complimentary elite status, you can’t go wrong.
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.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
The American Express® Gold Card is definitely a game-changer.
With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1x.
There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are a number of other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.
Recommended American Express Cards (Business)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.
When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.
Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 170,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum. The current public offer is 120,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesGet 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).
The American Express® Business Gold Card is excellent at racking up rewards for your business spend.
The card earns a whopping 4x points per $1 in the 2 categories (from a list of 6) that your business spends the most money on each month. With no need to opt-in or preselect your categories, so you can focus on what matters most — running your business.
Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 110,000 points with the Amex Business Gold card! The current public offer is 70,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesEarn Membership Rewards for your business spending the easy way: get 2x points for the first $50,000 in purchases per year.
As a business owner, getting a credit card that maximizes each dollar you spend does not have to be complicated or expensive. Especially when you opt for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.
With the Amex Blue Business Plus card, you’ll earn 2x Membership Rewards points on everyday business purchases throughout the year (up to $50,000; 1x thereafter) and receive purchase protections and no-additional-charge employee cards all for no annual fee (see rates and fees).
The simple and straightforward earning structure makes it a great fit for those looking to earn flexible rewards, without having to fixate on which purchases earn the most points.
Let’s take look at all that the Amex Blue Business Plus card has to offer.
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is, unsurprisingly, right at the top of our best ways to book travel to Southeast Asia. With amazing airline partners, sweet spot redemptions everywhere, and awesome routing rules, it’s no wonder that it is our highest-value airline mileage currency.
There are a ton of ways to redeem Alaska Airlines miles for huge value, and this one is no exception. The most useful airline partners will be:
The best airlines on the list are the first 2, and the award redemption rates are phenomenal. Additionally, you can add on a stopover for free on one-way flights, effectively getting you a free flight!
Fuel surcharges will not be passed on with Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines, which is the icing on the cake. If you’re still hesitating, check out our spectacular experiences in Cathay Pacific first class and Japan Airlines first class.
Here are some example routes you can take to Southeast Asia using Alaska Airlines miles:
If you’re ready to book using Alaska miles, here’s a step-by-step guide:
There are several ways to earn Alaska miles.
Alaska Airlines’ singular transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy, but there are tons of other ways to get your hands on Alaska miles, including using the co-branded Bank of America credit cards and purchasing miles during sales.
You can transfer Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred to Alaska Airlines. Transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take around 3 business days to process.
Since the best way is arguably transferring from Marriott Bonvoy, we’ve also written a guide on the best ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points.
Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards
A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual free night award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.
If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesA premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.
So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?
Bottom Line: In all, Alaska Airlines is a gem when booking flights to Asia. Whether it’s the numerous airline partners with sensational premium cabin products, the awesome mileage price, generous stopover and open-jaw policy on one-way awards, absence of fuel surcharges, or easy booking process, Alaska Airlines should be on your radar when booking flights to Southeast Asia with points.
American Airlines belongs to the Oneworld alliance. Notable Asian partners include Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Malaysia Airlines. By strategically leveraging these partners, you’ll be able to piece together an itinerary to Southeast Asia much quicker than usual.
Here are the one-way mileage costs on partner flights between the U.S. and Southeast Asia (in American’s Asia Region 2) using AA miles:
| Class of Service | American AAdvantage Miles Cost |
| Economy | 37,500 |
| Business | 70,000 |
| First | 110,000 |
American Airlines AAdvantage does not allow stopovers or open-jaws on award tickets. If you want to stopover in a certain country, you’ll need to pay the mileage price for each individual segment.
For example, if you wanted to fly on Japan Airlines business class from the U.S. to Japan followed by another flight several days or weeks later to Southeast Asia, you’ll need to pay 60,000 AA miles for the first segment and another 30,000 AA miles for the second 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.
Remember also that American Airlines allows only transpacific routes from the U.S. to Southeast Asia, so you won’t be able to fly the “long way” across the Atlantic to get to Southeast Asia.
Here are some great example routes you can take while trying 2 distinct premium cabin products:
To begin using AAdvantage miles for Southeast Asia travel, follow this procedure:
There are 2 main ways to earn AAdvantage miles from credit cards:
Besides this, there are a lot of other ways to earn a lot of American Airlines miles.
Marriott Bonvoy transfers to AAdvantage at a 3:1 ratio, and tansfers take around 2 business days to complete.
Bottom Line: The possibilities with AAdvantage are honestly limitless. While you can’t add stopovers and open jaws to your AAdvantage reservation to Southeast Asia, we believe the best utilization of your American Airlines miles is in business class. First class is significantly more expensive, and there aren’t many itineraries deep into Southeast Asia wholly in first class.
Air Canada Aeroplan is a fantastic frequent flyer program to use! Over the years, it has maintained great redemption prices, consistent airline policies, and a streamlined booking process.
Redeeming Aeroplan points is possible on Star Alliance flights, along with select Air Creebec, Bearskin Airlines, Calm Air, Canadian North, Cathay Pacific, First Air, GOL Airlines, Middle East Airlines, and Olympic Air flights.
Here are some notable pros of using Aeroplan:
Here are the mileage prices for flights to/from North America and Southeast Asia:
| Distance (Miles) | Operated By | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
| 7,501 to 11,000 | Air Canada | 50,000 to 90,000 | 70,000 to 160,000 | 85,000 to 200,000 | 130,00 to 300,000 |
| Partner Airlines | 60,000 | 85,000 | 130,000 |
Here are some cool sample routes you can take:
As you can imagine, there’s a huge list of possible routes you can take. Here are the steps you’ll take to book using Aeroplan points:
It’s extremely easy to earn lots of Aeroplan points with 4 transfer partners in American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Amex, Capital One, and Chase all transfer at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly.
On the other hand, Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio and takes around 4 business days. Also, for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred to Aeroplan, you’ll get a bonus of 5,000 Aeroplan points.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit 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.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesGet 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!
As a frequent traveler with excellent credit, you’re always on the lookout for a credit card that comes with all the bells and whistles. And the easier it is to understand, the better!
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 sign-up bonus, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe card offers unlimited miles at 1.25x per $1 and no annual fee. When you consider the flexible rewards, frequent travelers come out on top.
Interested in a travel rewards credit card without one of those pesky annual fees? Then say hello to the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, the no-annual-fee version of the more popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
In addition to no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne card offers no foreign transaction fees.
But is this card worth its salt, or is it merely a shell of the more popular Capital One Venture card?
Booking United MileagePlus awards to Southeast Asia is super easy. Currently, the cost of partner awards is competitive in business class.
United MileagePlus has moved to a dynamic award pricing system for flights on its own metal. However, the pricing for partners has largely remained the same.
The only exception is that for flights booked within 30 days before departure, there’s an additional “close-in booking fee” of 3,500 miles.
These award prices don’t include the close-in booking fee, so you’ll want to add 3,500 miles for any close-in bookings.
To begin, here’s the award chart for Star Alliance partners:
| Class of Service | United MileagePlus Cost (Saver-Level Availability) |
| Economy | 44,000 |
| Business | 90,000 |
| First | 140,000 |
The countries included in South Asia are:
Here is what the cheapest level of availability will cost on United-operated flights. The range is huge, but the Saver-level availability is what you’ll want to look for.
| Class of Service | United MileagePlus Cost (Saver Level-Availability) |
| Economy | From 35,000 miles |
| Business | From 70,000 miles |
Here are some great example routes you can take:
Booking award flights on United MileagePlus is easy. Just follow these steps and you’ll be on your way to Southeast Asia in no time:
There are several ways to earn United miles, and using Chase co-branded United credit cards or transferring points from Chase (best way) or Marriott Bonvoy are some of the best ways to do so.
Chase Ultimate Rewards points transfer to MileagePlus at a 1:1 ratio and are instantaneous. On the other hand, transfers from Marriott Bonvoy are at a 3:1.1 ratio. This 3:1.1 ratio is slightly better than its usual airline partners.
Also, you will receive a 15,000 Marriott Bonvoy points bonus transferred to United when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. This means you will get a total of 27,500 United miles when transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.
Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!
This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.
When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.
Don’t forget too, there’s 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ sure does pack quite a punch — especially for a no-annual-fee card.
The Freedom Flex card is an incredible option for those looking for a well-rounded cash-back card, or a powerful point-earner when paired with a premium card in the Ultimate Rewards family.
If you’re a business owner, see our recommended Chase business credit cards.
Avianca LifeMiles is extraordinarily useful, particularly if you’re a Citi ThankYou Rewards loyalist.
Up until now, there haven’t been any options to redeem Citi ThankYou Rewards points for flights to Southeast Asia. That changes with the introduction of one of the most underrated airline loyalty programs in the business.
Here’s what Avianca LifeMiles has to offer:
For flights to Southeast Asia, the mileage price is as follows:
| Class of Service | Avianca LifeMiles Cost |
| Economy | 39,000 |
| Business | 78,000 |
| First | 99,000 |
The countries included in the South Asia region are:
Note that areas like Guam, Palau, the Philippines, and Taiwan fall under the North Asia pricing, which is as follows:
| Class of Service | Avianca LifeMiles Cost |
| Economy | 35,000 |
| Business | 75,000 |
| First | 90,000 |
Here are some great example routes you can book:
Here’s how to get started booking your LifeMiles reservation:
As mentioned above, Avianca LifeMiles is transfer partners with Citi ThankYou Rewards, along with American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.
Amex, Brex, Capital One, and Citi transfer instantaneously at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy transfers in around 1 business day at a 3:1 ratio.
In addition to regular credit card transfers, you can purchase LifeMiles with huge bonuses regularly. In fact, the largest bonus was a whopping 200%, so it’s definitely worth it to wait until these sales to buy LifeMiles.
There are other ways to earn lots of Avianca LifeMiles as well.
Frequent flyers will enjoy 3x ThankYou Points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels.
The Citi Premier® Card is an excellent option for anyone looking for an all-around travel rewards credit card. The card helps you earn points fast with great 3x bonus categories such as restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotels. Plus, it offers access to airline and hotel transfer partners, doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, and has a reasonable annual fee!
This no annual fee card rewards cardholders for everyday purchases. Earn bonus points at supermarkets and gas stations, plus your points are rounded up on every purchase.
Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!
The Citi® Double Cash Card has long been one of the top cash-back credit cards on the market, and the card now has the ability to earn Citi ThankYou Points!
This means that cardholders of the Double Cash card will now earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. Cash back is earned in the form of ThankYou Points. This means each billing cycle, you will earn 1 ThankYou point per $1 spent on purchases and an additional ThankYou point for every $1 paid on your purchase balance as long as there is a corresponding balance in your Purchase Tracker.
Citi has turned the Double Cash card into a top choice for those who are looking for an everyday, no-fuss credit card.
Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!
The Citi Custom Cash® Card is inventive when it comes to cash-back credit cards. Instead of earning a set amount of cash-back on predetermined bonus categories, the Citi Custom Cash card earns 5% cash-back on your highest eligible spend category each billing cycle, without an annual fee.
Thanks to that unique perk, you’ll never need to worry about whether you’re using the right card for the right purchase, as your Citi Custom Cash card will always pay you 5% back on whichever category you end up spending the most on each month.
The very last option we’re including in this guide 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.
Furthermore, the only way you’re going to book airline awards in business/first class on Singapore Airlines (except for intra-Asia flights) is by redeeming KrisFlyer miles.
Singapore Airlines enjoys the most versatile route network due to its centralized home airport located in the heart of Southeast Asia. Also, no fuel surcharges will be levied for Singapore Airlines flights, though the case is not the same with partners.
Hot Tip: If you want to figure out how you’re going to cross the Pacific from the U.S. aboard Singapore Airlines, check out our definitive guide on Singapore Airlines’ direct U.S. routes.
Here are some Singapore Airlines routes you can take to Southeast Asia:
When flying nonstop to Singapore, you get to fly to exotic/relatively inaccessible cities such as Bandung (BDO), Koh Samui (USM), and Kota Kinabalu (BKI) with a one-stop itinerary, which is great news.
Here’s how you can book your KrisFlyer itinerary:
Hot Tip: Need help booking? Check out the step-by-step guide for booking Singapore Airlines business class or first class.
There are tons of ways to earn KrisFlyer miles.
Singapore Airlines is transfer partners with 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 are all 1:1 transfer partners and all take 1 to 2 days to execute.
Marriott Bonvoy is a 3:1 transfer partner, and you’ll receive a 5,000 KrisFlyer miles bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred, up to 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per day. Transfers take up to 2 business days to complete.
Bottom Line: The only way to book Singapore premium cabin awards from the U.S. is by using its own frequent flyer program, KrisFlyer. While the mileage prices are not the best out there for a similar route, the difference is flying on one of the best airlines in the world. Luckily, there are loads of ways to earn KrisFlyer miles.
Although the value of Delta SkyMiles for business/first class redemptions is extremely limited on Delta Air Lines’ own flights, partner airlines are a completely different story.
In fact, much of Delta SkyMiles’ value proposition lies in business class flights on partners.
Although SkyMiles charges lots of miles for these flights, you’ll generally pay minimal taxes and fees for one-way flights in business class deep into Southeast Asia.
To fly to Southeast Asia using Delta SkyMiles, you’ll want to take advantage of the relationship Delta has with its SkyTeam alliance partners. Specifically, these airlines will be useful for planning travel to Southeast Asia:
As you can see, nearly a third of the SkyTeam partners (plus non-SkyTeam partner China Southern) are located centrally within Asia, so this will be a tremendous advantage in terms of award availability, route flexibility, and more.
Hot Tip: We’ve written detailed route guides for China Airlines, China Eastern, China Southern, and Korean Air, so be sure to check those out to aid in planning your award travel.
Neither Garuda Indonesia nor Vietnam Airlines operate nonstop routes to the U.S., so keep that in mind, too.
All in all, using Delta SkyMiles on one-way flights with partners will be priced as follows:
| Class of Service | Delta SkyMiles Cost |
| Economy | 67,500 |
| Business | 165,000 |
Here are some example routes you can take:
You can make your award search much quicker by using Delta’s flexible award calendar search.
If you ever thought about booking Delta One using SkyMiles, you’d see prices anywhere from 200,000 to 600,000 miles on round-trip flights, which is a jaw-dropping number.
Here are the steps you’ll want to take to book travel to Southeast Asia using Delta SkyMiles:
There are lots of ways to earn Delta SkyMiles, including directly via the American Express co-branded credit cards and with partners American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
Currently, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio.
Transfers from Amex process instantly, while Marriott takes around 1 business day to transfer to Delta.
Recommended Delta Cards
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis card provides bonus SkyMiles on all purchases, along with a free bag, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.
Frequent Delta flyers will love the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. The card offers great benefits that will help save you money, effectively mimics low-level elite status with Delta SkyMiles, and helps you earn miles even faster, all for a low annual fee. Let’s dive into the benefits to see if the Delta Gold card is a good fit for your needs.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesFrequent Delta travelers will enjoy this card's bonus categories, benefits, and ability to reach higher levels of elite status.
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card can be a great option for those seeking additional ways to obtain a higher level of status — or to maintain their current status — with the airline.
A key feature of this card is the ability to earn bonus Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) that are essential for earning Delta status. This could help you get closer to earning free flights and other valuable rewards.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesDelta loyalists will love the fast track to Delta elite status, lounge access, baggage benefits, and upgrade priority with the Delta Reserve card.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is a stellar option for frequent travelers who always fly with Delta thanks to its lounge access, status boost, annual companion certificate, and many other great benefits.
Here is a full look at everything the Delta Reserve card can offer to you to help you decide whether the card deserves a place in your wallet.
