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.
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.
The Maldives is considered one of the most sought-after luxury vacation destinations in the world. Made up of more than 1,000 coral islands, the Maldives is a tropical archipelago located in the Indian Ocean.
With its incredible white sand beaches, extensive coral reefs, and crystal-clear blue water, the Maldives is the perfect island excursion for a relaxing vacation or special honeymoon destination.
And the Maldives can be a fun adventure, too! With an endless amount of water sports to choose from, no visit is complete without experiencing some of the best snorkeling and diving spots in the world (think manta rays and whale sharks).
While the Maldives does have some budget-friendly accommodations, most of those are in or very close to the capital city of Malé (MLE), and might not meet your high expectations for the Maldives.
This guide will help explain the best award programs for you to upgrade your entire dream vacation to the Maldives. From flights to hotels, we’ve got you covered to help you experience the Maldives in style without the high price tag.
Getting to the Maldives sounds like it could be a difficult task — a group of islands thousands of miles away in the middle of the Indian Ocean doesn’t seem like it would be super easy to get to!
But since this is such a sought-after destination, many airlines do offer flights to the Maldives. While no U.S. airlines offer flights directly to the Maldives, there are plenty of other options utilizing your flexible reward points and partner award charts.
Award availability may be a challenge when looking for flights to the Maldives, but we’ve got a great guide to help make searching for award space easier.
Hot Tip: If you’re running into a lot of dead ends, consider flying into Colombo (CMB), Sri Lanka. It’s just about an hour away by air to the Maldives and often has much more award availability.
The American Airlines AAdvantage program can help you get to the Maldives even though American Airlines doesn’t operate flights there.
On its partner award chart, the Maldives falls into the Indian Subcontinent region. Here are the one-way rates for award flights on Oneworld Alliance partners and partner airlines from the U.S.:
American Airlines offers some great options to get to the Maldives by booking on its partner airlines. Here are some of our favorite partners to redeem AAdvantage miles to the Maldives.
Etihad offers flights from the U.S. to the Maldives via Abu Dhabi (AUH) in the United Arab Emirates.
American Airlines does not show Etihad award availability or allow you to book these award flights online. You can search for award availability directly on Etihad and look for Etihad Guest seats since those are what American Airlines usually has access to.
Etihad offers an incredible first and business class product on its long-haul flights from the U.S., including the famous Etihad First Class Apartment on its A380 aircraft, which flies from New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) airport.
Etihad flies to Abu Dhabi from the following cities in the U.S.:
Award availability is usually pretty decent. Be sure to search segment by segment to increase your odds of finding the Etihad Guest award seats.
Hot Tip: If you are looking specifically for business or first class award seats on Etihad, the U.S. reservation agents are known to have difficulty in seeing that award space. Try calling other American Airlines reservation centers like Australia or Singapore, who can usually see Etihad’s availability.
Want to know other ways to book Etihad airways to the Maldives in style? Check out our in-depth guides to the best ways to book Etihad business class flights and Etihad first class flights in a step-by-step guide.
Cathay Pacific offers flights to the Maldives via Hong Kong International (HKG), where it operates direct flights 4 times a week.
American Airlines also does not allow you to book or see award availability on Cathay Pacific flights on its website. You can search award availability on British Airways or Qantas, and once you find your preferred seats on Cathay Pacific, call AAdvantage to book.
Cathay Pacific offers an incredible business and first class product on all flights from the U.S., but only offers business class flights on the 6-hour flight to the Maldives from Hong Kong.
Cathay Pacific flies to Hong Kong from the following cities in the U.S. and operates the Hong Kong – Malé route on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
There are a few more ways to get access to Cathay Pacific award seats using other airlines’ programs. Alaska Airlines actually beats American Airlines in rates, but it doesn’t seem to have as much access to award seats.
Hot Tip: You do have other options to fly up front with Cathay Pacific to the Maldives. Check out our step-by-step guide for booking business class flights and first class flights on Cathay Pacific.
Qatar Airways offers flights to the Maldives via Hamad International in Doha (DOH) and operates flights from 10 U.S. cities while providing daily flights from Doha – Malé.
Award bookings and availability for Qatar Airways flights are not available when searching on American Airlines. Instead, it’s best to check the award search engines on British Airways or Qantas to find availability before calling AAdvantage.
Qatar Airways does not offer any of its first-class products from its U.S. destinations. Don’t let that deter you if you’re going for ultimate luxury since its business class product can easily be compared to some other first class products out there!
We would highly recommend trying to get availability on its business class product QSuites, which is among the best business class products on the market.
Qatar Airways flies to Doha from the following U.S. cities:
Best of all, all Qatar Airways U.S. routes have QSuites!
For even more information, check out our article on the best ways to book Qatar Airways QSuites.
Bottom Line: American Airlines AAdvantage provides some of the best award rates (70,000 one-way in business class) and best premium cabins in first and business class (Etihad Apartments) when using its award miles to book flights to the Maldives on partner airlines.
There are so many ways to earn American Airlines AAdvantage miles. Some of our favorite methods to earn lots of AAdvantage miles are the many credit cards that earn with (or can transfer to) American Airlines.
Both Citi and Barclays offer quite a few different flavors of American Airlines AAdvantage credit cards for both personal and business use. Each comes with unique benefits that will help you earn lots of AAdvantage miles and other great perks when you fly American Airlines.
Marriott Bonvoy has also enhanced its airline transfer program and added even more partner airlines you can transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points to, including American. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer to American at a 3:1 rate with a transfer time of 2 days.
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?
Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is a unique award program since it doesn’t belong to any airline alliance. Instead, Alaska Airlines has direct partnerships with several global airlines to expand its reach.
Each partner airline has a special award chart with Alaska Airlines, and the Maldives falls into the India and South Asia region category for its awards.
Here are the one-way rates for award travel on its partners that fly to the Maldives — and don’t forget to check out the best ways to earn lots of Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles.
Cathay Pacific
Emirates
Korean Air
We’ve already discussed flying Cathay Pacific with American Airlines miles. Even though Alaska Airlines has better rates, it seems it has even more limited award access compared to American Airlines AAdvantage.
Here, we’re going to focus primarily on Emirates award flights using Alaska Airlines miles.
Emirates offers multiple flights via Dubai International (DXB) on its exclusive A380 and Boeing 777 fleet, with both first class and business class options all the way to Malé.
Making an award booking on Emirates using Alaska Airlines miles is easy. Both award availability and booking can quickly be done online using an Alaska Airlines award search.
Want to add a couple of days in Dubai on your way to the Maldives? Alaska Airlines awards are perfect since they allow a free stopover, even on one-way flights!
Emirates has an incredible first and business class product on its fleet — including the showers on its A380 — and award availability is usually easy to find using Alaska Airlines miles. You can get an in-depth look at flying first class on the Emirates A380 with our detailed review.
Emirates also offers the most flights to the Maldives via Dubai, with several nonstop options and even more with short stops in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Emirates flies to Dubai from the following U.S. cities:
Want more options to get to the Maldives with Emirates? We have a step-by-step guide with the best ways to book business class flights and first class flights on Emirates.
Bottom Line: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan offers incredible rates to the Maldives, but they’re different for each partner. The best part about booking Alaska Airline award flights is when you have the opportunity to utilize a free stopover in the airline’s “hub” city.
Alaska Airlines has co-branded credit cards with Bank of America that can help you earn some extra Mileage Plan miles. Alaska Airlines also is a partner airline for Marriott Bonvoy, giving you even more flexibility when looking to book Alaska Airline partner awards.
We’ve covered some of the great benefits of transferring Marriott Bonvoy with partner airlines above, but you can see our guide on how to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points if you need more inspiration.
Korean Air offers flights to the Maldives via Seoul Incheon airport (ICN), but it’s important to note that the flight from Seoul to Malé makes a quick stop in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Your best use of Korean Air SKYPASS miles will be directly on Korean Air award flights.
Hot Tip: With the loss of Korean Air as a transfer partner for Chase Ultimate Rewards, you might think it’s difficult to get more Korean Air SKYPASS miles — check out our favorite ways to earn lots of Korean Air SKYPASS miles.
The Maldives falls into the Southwest Asia region on the Korean Air award chart; here are the award redemption rates for one-way flights:
Off-Peak
Peak
Hot Tip: Check out our in-depth guide to booking first class on Korean Air since you can only experience Korean Air’s first class is by using its own SKYPASS miles. Partner airlines do not have access to Korean Air’s exclusive first class seats.
Korean Air offers an incredible first and business class product on flights to the U.S., which provides easy connections to the Maldives. The flight from Seoul to the Maldives also offers first class, but it’s basically the same seat as business class with an enhanced menu.
It’s easy to search and book award flights using Korean Air SKYPASS miles directly on its website. Just watch out for those taxes and fees, since they’re on the higher side compared to other programs.
The good news is that award availability is usually pretty easy to find on Korean Air, and most of it will fall in the off-peak rates.
Korean Air flies to Seoul from the following U.S. cities:
Even though Korean Air makes its first class redemptions exclusive to its own SKYPASS mileage program, there are other ways to book business class. Take a look at the best ways to book Korean Air business class flights for other redemption options with other travel programs.
Korean Air does have co-branded credit cards with U.S. Bank. It also used to be one of our favorite transfer partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards, but unfortunately, that partnership has ended.
Hot Tip: The best way to earn lots of Korean Air SKYPASS miles is by transferring from Marriott Bonvoy. Here is our guide on how to earn lots of Marriott Bovnoy points so you can transfer them to Korean Air.
United Airlines is a member of Star Alliance, which allows quite a few different options when looking for award flights to the Maldives using the United MileagePlus program.
United MileagePlus uses a variable award pricing system, but you can expect this approximate mileage price on flights from the U.S. to the Maldives.
Star Alliance carriers that offer regular service to the Maldives are Air India, Singapore Airlines, and Turkish Airlines. Other carriers sometimes operate seasonal service to the Maldives.
When using MileagePlus, you could easily be flying with multiple carriers on a wide range of routes throughout the U.S. and beyond.
The best part of the program is that there are so many ways to earn lots of United MileagePlus miles!
Hot Tip: Don’t forget to check out our review of United Airlines in its own dedicated piece!
We’ve covered many ways of earning United MileagePlus miles, but if you’re in a rush for a one-way business class ticket to the Maldives, check out our guide on how to earn 100,000 United MileagePlus miles in 90 days!
Chase Bank does have United Airlines co-branded credit cards, but our favorite way to earn MileagePlus miles is by transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards — it has lots of great airline transfer partners that transfer 1:1.
Marriott Bonvoy is another flexible option when looking to transfer points into United MileagePlus.
Here are our favorite Chase Ultimate Reward credits cards that will help you earn points to transfer directly to United Airlines:
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!
If you’re a business owner, see our list of the best Chase business credit cards.
The Maldives is a very popular bucket-list destination, but you have to book right to make it live up to the hype. Staying at the right hotel in the Maldives will definitely help this dream destination live up to your expectations.
Luckily, there are plenty of options to find your perfect stay in the Maldives using points. Here, we’ll cover the top hotels in the Maldives to stay at using points.
It’s important to consider the additional costs of staying at a popular but remote tourist destination.
For example, traveling from the international airport in Malé to some of these resorts can cost $500+ per person to transfer by seaplane or speedboat!
The Hilton Honors loyalty program is a great way to have a luxurious stay in the Maldives. It can be incredibly easy to earn lots of Hilton Honors points and make sure you have an extended stay in paradise.
There are currently 3 Hilton resorts in the Maldives: the Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi, and the SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton.
The Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is one of the best options to book using points in the Maldives because it’s the only one that offers an overwater bungalow for the standard award price.
That’s right: you can stay in an overwater villa in the Maldives on points! The Conrad Maldives is one of Hilton’s highest-tiered properties, costing 95,000 points per night for the standard award rate.
But you don’t have to stay in an overwater villa for 95,000 points per night if you don’t want to — the resort offers some fabulous beach bungalows in the same award category. Beach bungalows are generally around double the size of overwater villas and have easy beach access. Beach villas tend to be popular for smaller families, while overwater villas tend to be popular with the younger crowd.
Having elite status with Hilton Honors will give you even more value for your points for longer stays. Starting at Silver status, Hilton Honors members get the fifth night free on a standard room award booking.
That means you can stay in an overwater bungalow for 5 nights for just 380,000 points. That might sound like a lot of points, but there are plenty of American Express Hilton Honors credit cards to consider signing up for that can help you get there and even enhance your stay!
Some of these Hilton Honors credit cards give you Gold or Diamond status, which will provide tremendous value when staying at this resort. For example, Gold status gives you free breakfast during your entire stay, which includes 2 different restaurants (one on each island) at this resort.
The Conrad Maldives also goes above and beyond to provide a complimentary afternoon tea and happy hour for elite guests. You can get afternoon tea each day from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. with small sweets and light snacks. Immediately afterward, Gold members also are invited to a free happy hour with beer, wine, and mixed drinks at the Rangali bar from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m.!
Bottom Line: For an average of just 76,000 Hilton Honors points per night, you can stay in an incredible overwater bungalow using the fifth-night free benefit and get free breakfast, tea, and happy hour with Hilton Honors Gold status — which is instantly earned just by having a Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card.
American Express has quite a few co-branded Hilton Honors credit cards that can easily get you enough Hilton Honors points for your stay in the Maldives.
Another huge perk is that some of these credit cards can instantly get you elite status with Hilton Honors. As mentioned above, that benefit alone can save you hundreds of dollars with free breakfast and other perks during your stay at Hilton properties in the Maldives.
Hilton Honors is also an Amex transfer partner — it often has a transfer bonus, but the standard transfer rate is 1:2.
Don’t forget to bring your Hilton credit card with you to the Maldives and use it for any extra charges during your stay — you could be earning up to 14 Hilton Honors points per dollar on eligible purchases at Hilton properties.
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.
Business owner? Several American Express business cards earn points that can be transferred to Hilton.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesComplimentary Hilton Honors Silver status, plus great earnings at Hilton, U.S. gas stations, U.S. supermarkets, and U.S. restaurants!
You can’t beat a comfy king-sized bed and room service. For many travelers, it’s the hotel that really makes or breaks an experience. If you’re one of those people, you’ve probably stayed at a Hilton hotel.
Whether your visits are for work or pleasure, the Hilton brand has you covered with more than 6,200 locations in 100 counties and territories.
To enjoy a host of great benefits, you may want to apply for the Hilton Honors American Express Card.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesAn excellent high-earning Hilton credit card that comes with perks like Hilton Honors Gold status and Priority Pass lounge access.
If you’re someone who loves traveling and loves staying in Hilton hotels, adding a co-branded Hilton hotel card to your wallet is almost a no-brainer. From automatic Hilton elite status, to airport lounge access, the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card can be a great fit for Hilton loyalists looking to up their travel game.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesAutomatic Hilton Diamond status, an annual free night, and a travel and resort credit make this the perfect card for those who stay in Hilton hotels.
Paying hundreds of dollars for an annual fee on a co-branded hotel card might seem ridiculous, but you should know that the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is much more than your run-of-the-mill hotel credit card.
The Hilton Aspire card is not only a phenomenal card for Hilton Honors loyalists, but even those who visit Hilton hotels just a few times a year can still get excellent value out of all the benefits that are packed into this card.
So let’s have a look at what makes the card so valuable to travelers.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesAn excellent option for business owners and business travelers who stay at Hilton properties often and want perks like Hilton Honors elite status.
For frequent business travelers who regularly stay in Hilton hotels, The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card is a great option.
Not only will the card help you earn more points on all of your Hilton stays, but you’ll also receive automatic elite status, complimentary Priority Pass visits, travel protections, and the opportunity to earn free night certificates.
Here’s a detailed look at all the benefits this card offers so that you can determine if it’s a good fit for you.
The World of Hyatt loyalty program is another fantastic option to consider for staying at an incredible remote resort in the Maldives.
There are plenty of opportunities to earn lots of World of Hyatt points to help you get there. You will have only one Hyatt property to choose from, but the Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa is definitely worth a visit.
The Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa is an incredible resort with a 360-degree house reef just steps away from each villa. The standard award room is a Park Villa, and direct beach access makes it easy for you to snorkel just by walking out the door.
Your standard award room rate will be 30,000 World of Hyatt points per night. While you can’t get an overwater bungalow just on points, hotels will often offer you paid upgrades, which could be worth it in this case. Those rates can depend on status but mainly depend on availability.
To get any exclusive benefits from elite status, you’ll have to go big — only Globalist elite members receive extra benefits.
If you are a World of Hyatt Globalist elite member, you’ll get free breakfast for up to 2 guests, plus complimentary cocktails and canapés from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. There’s also a chance you could get a complimentary Pool Villa upgrade.
The hotel also provides snorkel gear for all guests that you can borrow from its dive shop for your entire stay, and free yoga classes and kayaking to keep you active!
You can also stay active by participating in some of the paid activities to really enhance your experience in the Maldives. This could include a private island picnic, visiting a local island, or snorkeling with whale sharks and manta rays!
Hot Tip: There’s nothing worse than forgetting to pack essentials. To ensure you’re beach ready, explore our Ultimate Beach Vacation Packing List to make sure you have everything you need.
Chase offers The World of Hyatt Credit Card and World of Hyatt Business Credit Card, but another way to rack up even more World of Hyatt points is by transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards. World of Hyatt is a Chase transfer partner with Chase Ultimate Rewards at a rate of 1:1.
Hot Tip: Check out our guide on the best ways to redeem your World of Hyatt points, which includes the easiest way to earn points transferring from Chase Ultimate Rewards.
You have lots of options to use the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program for your stay in the Maldives. Bringing together 2 major hotel brands also offers many great opportunities to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points.
Marriott currently operates 6 resort properties in the Maldives, including the Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa, Lhaviyani Atoll.
Don’t forget that all Marriott Bonvoy members get a fifth night free on award bookings, which can add significant value to your reward stay in the Maldives.
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort can go for thousands of dollars a night, but luckily this property is now much easier to get on points. That’s if you can find availability, which is rare. Award rates start around 70,000 points but get progressively more expensive during times of demand.
Hot Tip: Award availability is hard to find for the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort. Be sure to check the Marriott Bonvoy mobile app when looking for your reward stays because sometimes it shows more availability than what’s on the website. The search is definitely worth it, because this property is one of the best St. Regis hotel point redemptions out there!
It’s important to account for the cost of transportation to these remote resorts in the Maldives. This property probably has one of the most expensive seaplane transfer costs, running at $665 per person!
But with high costs come high rewards, and the St. Regis Maldives won’t disappoint on service. It provides a butler to help plan your stay with dinners and activities, offers free bike rentals to ride around the island, and also provides free yoga and other group exercise activities daily.
You can even rent your own 68-foot private yacht named Norma to go island-hopping (or escape the island for an overnight getaway)!
The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort will definitely make your dream of the Maldives a reality and provide the most value for your points, especially if you take advantage of the fifth-night free!
The W Maldives is an incredible private island resort and makes for a great redemption using your Marriott Bonvoy points.
This could cost you as few as 70,000 points per night but the price will increase during times of higher demand. It’s also possible to book an overwater bungalow on points. This will be at a higher rate than the standard room and starts at 135,000 points per night.
The W Maldives offers both seaplane and speedboat transfers — the seaplane costs around $500 and the speedboat costs $350.
The W Maldives does have a house reef, so you can just snorkel right out from your room. It also has plenty of additional activities you can book, like swimming with whale sharks and manta rays, or sunset sail cruises.
JW Marriott opened in 2019, and it’s shaken up the competition in the Maldives.
It’s is situated on Vagaru Island on the Shaviyana Atoll, meaning you’ll have to pony up $600 per person for a round-trip seaplane transfer to access this resort.
Perhaps the coolest part about this resort is that the “base” level rooms are overwater villas, which means you can book these for as few as 70,000 points per night during periods of low demand.
There are 5 restaurants and 3 bars, in addition to 2 outdoor pools, a kids’ pool, game room, gym, spa, and even a salon. If you’re looking for activities during your stay, you can go boating, kayaking, snorkeling, jet skiing, sailing, scuba diving, water skiing, and even play table tennis or volleyball!
The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort is a Marriott property focusing on sustainable luxury. Standard rooms at this property start at around 50,000 points per night during periods of low demand.
This is one of the newer Marriott options, which makes it an appealing property for honeymooners and other demographics.
You’ll also have to take a 35-minute seaplane flight to get to this resort costing $550 per person round-trip, but once you’re there, you can explore all the resort has to offer.
Located on Baa Atoll, this property features 3 eateries, a luxe bar, barbecues, and even tennis courts. Notably, this resort is within a biosphere reserve, and you’re close to snorkeling with sharks and manta rays.
Of course, water sports are available, such as kayaking, jet-skiing, and more. To pamper yourself, you can check out the spa with a classic glass floor looking into the depths of the sea.
The Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa would probably be our last choice when looking to redeem points for an award stay in the Maldives.
It is not far from the international airport (only 15 minutes by speedboat), making it a less remote destination compared to other resorts. Also, the shared speedboat transfers are complimentary to all guests at this resort. That does help save a bundle on costs, especially compared to the $500-$800 per person you’ll pay at other properties.
The Sheraton Maldives starts at 40,000 points per night during periods of low demand.
While redeeming points at this property will still provide tremendous value, it is usually the least expensive when booking regular rates with cash.
We’ve already covered multiple ways to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points from our favorite Marriott Bonvoy credit cards.
If you’re not transferring your Marriott Bonvoy points to its many airline partners to get you to the Maldives, using your points to cover your stay is another great option!
With tons of fantastic properties available, you have plenty of options to use your Marriott Bonvoy points for your stay in the Maldives.
We hope that this guide will help you make the trip to the Maldives — one of the most sought-after dream vacation destinations — for a fraction of the cost by utilizing your points and miles.
While the Maldives is a luxury destination, we don’t want you to pay luxury prices! Taking a special trip to the Maldives is the perfect time to start using your hard-earned points and miles to upgrade your travel style.
Our recommendation for the best airline reward program for your luxury business or first class flight is either:
For the best hotel loyalty reward program to use for your exotic private island resort in the Maldives, we recommend:
We know availability can be tough to find, but it’s worth spending some time looking into all your options! Persistence is key — sometimes hotels and airlines release reward space sporadically, so it’s always best to keep checking and using different avenues to search for award space.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding The World of Hyatt Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here.
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.
For rates and fees of the Hilton Honors American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card, click here.
We recommend using American Airlines miles to fly with Etihad, Qatar, or Cathay Pacific. Another great option is to use Alaska Airline miles to fly Emirates, Korean Air, or Cathay Pacific.
Was this page helpful?
Brandon was born and raised in California and really didn’t travel much growing up, even outside of his own state. While attending college, he was constantly looking to find the cheapest fares to any destination abroad, and quickly learned about the motto- “Chase the fare, not the destination”. Luckily, his first international flight was to Costa Rica (under $300 roundtrip) where that “Pura Vida” lifestyle (and Imperials) hit him hard, and he knew he had to see more.
Travel is changing fast... Stay on top of all the points strategies, exclusive offers & pivotal news - and lock in huge savings along the way.
We respect your privacy. Please view our privacy policy here.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Disclaimer: Any comments listed below are not from the bank advertiser, nor have they been reviewed or approved by them. No responsibility will be taken by the bank advertiser for these comments.
October 06, 2018
Is there a preferred or bad time of the year to go to the Maldives?
October 06, 2018
Hey Dan, the monsoon season generally lasts from May to October and is the worst around June. We generally avoid going at these times. But at the same time, prices will be way cheaper during these months. November to April is high-season.
October 07, 2018
Thanks for the great extensive & informative piece. I have a question going the other way though: Maldives to JKF (one way) since we’ll be booking a one way from JFK to Southeast Asia to visit family (& will likely pay for a flight from there to Maldives as cash fares are t too bad). Do these flights you mentioned from US to Maldives also operate one way from Maldives to US? We would love to either fly QSuitea or Ethihad from Maldives to JFK. Thanks!
October 08, 2018
Hi Tigris23,
Etihad does have a nonstop from Male to Abu Dhabi and then a nonstop from Abu Dhabi to JFK. Unfortunately, only the Abu Dhabi – JFK route is in their most famous A380. Qsuites does not operate to/from the Maldives as of right now.
You can look at Cathay Pacific for flights via Hong Kong too.
October 08, 2018
Stephan, thanks for that note! Ah that’s a bummer—no QSuites from Maldives to JFK via Doha (but if I still book Qatar from Male to JFK, will they Doha to JFK connection be at least QSuites?). Cathay Pacific may not work as we’ll be visiting Malaysia and not sure how we’ll fit KL-HKG-MLE-JFK into a pts redemption. Thanks for your insight!
October 10, 2018
Hey Tigris23,
Your DOH-JFK flight will be in QSuites. Just be sure that it’s on flight 701 or 702. There’s 2 daily flights and only one of the has QSuites!
If you’re visiting Malaysia and want to fly Qatar Airways QSuites, consider using Cathay Pacific Asia Miles to construct a oneworld multi-carrier flight. This will allow you to try flights on Malaysia Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qatar Airways! The redemption prices are very reasonable too considering the amount of value you’re getting.
October 08, 2018
Stephen, so if I want to do a one way Etihad in business class from MLE–AUH–JFK, do I search for it segment by segment or can I search it MLE–AUH–JFK on Etihad’s website? Also, is the 70k AA miles for this whole route? Thanks!
October 10, 2018
Hey Tigris,
You can search the whole route together.
It’s 40k AA each way in economy and 70k each way in business. Hope this helps!
October 17, 2018
Thanks for the clarification Stephen!
October 18, 2018
No problem, Tigris!
October 27, 2018
Thank you for this helpful post. I see a mixed cabin award from JFK to Dubai to Maldives. JFK to Dubai is in j, but Dubai to Male is in coach. Do you know if j seats open for the Dubai to Male segment, if I can call Alaska to change my seats? Will I need to pay anything to do this? Where do you suggest I search? I’ve been looking on Emirates, Qantas and Alaska. Do you also know if I end up keeping the coach seats, if I will be able to use the business class lounge in Dubai since I already paid for it? Or I probably won’t since my boarding pass will show I am in coach. Thank you!
October 29, 2018
Hey Angie, please see this link for Alaska award change fees: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/optional-services-fees/fee-changes
It is difficult to predict when award availability will be released. You won’t be able to use the business class lounge unless it is just a layover. You can use Alaska to check award availability. What we generally suggest is performing the same search once a day and then if/when award availability pops up for the DXB-MLE leg, immediately call Alaska.
December 03, 2018
I have a question about booking the W Maldives with points. The article mentioned an overwater villa is 85k a night, where did you find that information? I looked on the W Maldives page and the only room that can be booked with points is the beachfront villa. I even called the Marriott customer service number and they can’t see any award availability for the overwater villa. Can you tell me a way to book that with points? Thanks!
December 04, 2018
Hey Tina,
Overwater villas in places like the Maldives and Bora Bora are wishy-washy. It’s very rare that you can find overwater villas at the same price as regular rooms, but one example is the Conrad Maldives, which for specific dates, can actually be found for the same 95,000 Hilton points as the “regular” villas. The availability is very sporadic and may not always exist. Promotions can randomly pop up that enable these rooms to be booked.
December 14, 2019
Which airlines do you recommend to use for flying out from MLE – NRT – LAX? I’m considering Singapore Airlines, but does it look like American Airlines work as well? I have chase points and would be transferring to book business class. Thanks!
December 17, 2019
Hey Averie, I’d highly recommend flying Singapore Airlines on this route. Singapore has a much nicer seat and generally better service than American, and it’s easier to book the itinerary with Chase points as Singapore Airlines is a transfer partner.
While you’ll need to stop in SIN on your way from Male (MLE) to Tokyo (NRT), but there is a nonstop flight from NRT to Los Angeles (LAX) on Singapore Airlines. If you’d like a stopover in Singapore or Tokyo on your ticket you can call to book and add one for a $100 fee. I recommend checking for saver award space on the Singapore Airlines website before calling in.
Email needed if you'd like comment updates. It will NOT be published.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Update:In light of the spread of COVID-19, the suggested routes below may not immediately be available for booking. Please contact the airline for the most current available options and review COVID-19 updates for the Maldives.