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

Key Takeaways

• For Americans, Bali is relatively difficult to access as there are no nonstop flights from the U.S. However, because of its huge tourist appeal, there are seemingly unlimited connecting options.
• The best 1-stop routes to Bali include Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong (HKG), China Airlines via Taipei (TPE), and Emirates via Dubai (DXB).
• Other routes to consider are EVA Air via Taipei (TPE), Korean Air via Seoul (ICN), Philippine Airlines via Manila (MNL), Qatar Airways via Doha (DOH), and Singapore Airlines via Singapore (SIN).

To points travelers, it may seem overwhelming to find the best redemptions for flights to Bali. However, we did all the research so that you can plan your travel stress-free.

In this guide, we’ll discuss in detail the best ways to fly to Bali with points and miles. We’ll talk about round-trip options and will also touch on multi-city super itineraries — these involve travel to many different cities in addition to Bali and are perfect for long vacations.

We’ll begin with some sweet spots that give you the best “bang for your points” and work our way down to some alternative booking methods you may want to try, depending on which airlines you’d like to fly or what type of points you have.

Flights Between the U.S. and Bali

Even though there are no nonstop flights from the U.S., you still have numerous options as far as connecting flights go. In fact, there are so many possibilities that there’s simply no way to cover all of them.

We had to narrow down all of our flight options to the ones that could provide the most luxurious and comfortable inflight experience for the fewest miles.

As always, your secret to success will be to remain as flexible as possible and planning as far in advance as you can.

Here are most of the 1-stop routes between the U.S. and Bali:

Cathay Pacific via Hong Kong (HKG)

China Airlines via Taipei (TPE)

Emirates via Dubai (DXB)

EVA Air via Taipei (TPE)

Korean Air via Seoul (ICN)

Philippine Airlines via Manila (MNL)

Qatar Airways via Doha (DOH)

Singapore Airlines via Singapore (SIN)

Turkish Airlines via Istanbul (IST)

Best Programs To Book Flights to Bali

This guide will be very detailed — we will go over the options that will yield the best value for your points, and we’ll also include some options for stopovers in other countries so you can plan 2-in-1 vacations!

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

We’re huge fans of Alaska miles. There are truly very few ways to beat the amazing award prices that Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan offers on some amazing partner airlines, including Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Korean Air.

In this guide, we’ll discuss using Alaska miles to book travel on Cathay Pacific or Korean Air. Korean Air only permits round-trip bookings, while Cathay Pacific has no such restriction. Japan Airlines does not offer regular, scheduled flights to Bali.

Here’s the award chart for flights to Bali on the airlines we suggest:

Alaska Airlines does not pass on fuel surcharges with these airlines, so you can expect your out-of-pocket cost to be very low.

If you want to visit Hong Kong before heading over to the Bali beaches, you can add a complimentary stopover, as long as you find award availability on each flight segment.

To book this award ticket, you’ll need to first find availability and then call Alaska Airlines using the process below:

1. Log into your British Airways account.
2. On the left side of the page, scroll over the Book tab and select Book a flight with Avios.
3. Type your route, travel dates, number of passengers, and class of service.
4. Write down the flight number, date, and time.
5. Call Alaska Airlines at 800-252-7522.
6. Ask them t0 search for award space on Cathay Pacific for your dates (you may have to provide the flight number).
7. Complete the booking by paying with Alaska miles and for any taxes and fees.

Amazingly, you’ll only pay ~$19 in taxes and fees each way!

Hot Tip: Alaska Airlines offers 1 free stopover on one-way award flights.

Here are some great example routes you can fly:

• Atlanta (ATL) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 120,000 Alaska miles + ~$38 in taxes & fees in Korean Air business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 50,000 Alaska miles + ~$19 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• Las Vegas (LAS) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 120,000 Alaska miles + ~$38 in taxes & fees in Korean Air business class
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 70,000 Alaska miles + ~$19 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific first class and business class
• New York (JFK) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 50,000 Alaska miles + ~$19 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• San Francisco (SFO) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 120,000 Alaska miles + ~$38 in taxes & fees in Korean Air business class

Earning Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan Miles

The main way to earn Alaska Airlines miles is through the co-branded Bank of America credit card.

The high value of Alaska miles is offset by the fact that Alaska Airlines only has 1 transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy. Transfer times are usually around 2 business days from Marriott Bonvoy to Alaska.

For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, you will receive 20,000 Alaska miles plus 5,000 bonus miles. If you don’t transfer in increments of 60,000, points will transfer at a ratio of 3:1.

Also, you can buy Alaska miles — the airline often has sales that feature a bonus of 30% to 50% on purchased miles. If you’re planning on buying Alaska miles, we would definitely encourage you to do so during a sale.

Although you’re looking at a maximum of 60,000 Alaska miles per purchase transaction, you can make as many purchases as you wish.

There are many Marriott credit cards available which we cover in our in-depth guide.

Bottom Line: Alaska Airlines offers some of the best redemption rates for flights to Bali. With partners like Cathay Pacific, Korean Air, and Qatar Airways, and its generous stopover allowance on one-way flights, it’s easy to get outsized value. Be sure to check each airline’s award chart before booking, as there are separate charts for each. 

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club

ANA Mileage Club comes in at a close second to Alaska Airlines due to its amazing business class awards. In this case, ANA does not operate any flights from its home country of Japan to Bali, so you will have no choice but to opt for the partner award pricing.

Also, while ANA allows 1 open-jaw and 1 stopover, you must book round-trip flights. If that works for you, ANA miles are redeemable on airlines like EVA Air, Garuda Indonesia, Asiana Airlines, Singapore Airlines (if they release partner availability), or even Turkish Airlines.

Regardless of what flights you choose, it’ll cost 80,000 miles for round-trip economy and 136,000 miles for round-trip business class.

Once you’re ready to book your flights, you can follow this process to get started:

1. Go to ANA’s website.
2. Click ANA Mileage Club on the top-right banner.
3. Click International and then Award Reservation.
4. Log in to your account with your Member ID and password.
5. Type in your desired route and dates.
6. Choose your desired booking class.
7. Choose your flights.
8. Complete your reservation and pay for any taxes and fees.
   • Generally speaking, ANA does not permit award holds, even when calling them. You may occasionally encounter a representative who will, but they are few and far between.

Here are some great example routes you can fly:

• Houston (IAH) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 136,000 miles + ~$187 in taxes and fees in EVA Air Royal Laurel business class
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 136,000 miles + ~$187 in taxes and fees in EVA Air Royal Laurel business class
• New York (JFK) – Istanbul (IST) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 136,000 miles + ~$395 in taxes and fees in Turkish Airlines business class
• New York (JFK) – Tokyo (HND) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 240,000 miles + ~$409 in taxes and fees in ANA first class and Garuda Indonesia first class
• San Francisco (SFO) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 136,000 miles + ~$187 in taxes and fees in EVA Air Royal Laurel business class
• Seattle (SEA) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 136,000 miles + ~$187 in taxes and fees in EVA Air Royal Laurel business class
• Seattle (SEA) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) round-trip for 136,000 miles + ~$458 in taxes and fees in Asiana Airlines business class and Garuda Indonesia business class

Hot Tip: Use ANA’s generous stopover and open-jaw policy to work in some creativity to your vacations. You can visit Japan, Taiwan, or South Korea for a week before heading to Bali!

Earning ANA Mileage Plan Miles

ANA partners with American Express Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy for points transfers.

Amex Membership Rewards points transfer to ANA at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio, but if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ll receive an extra 5,000 ANA miles to bring your total up to 25,000 ANA miles.

Amex points will take approximately 2 to 3 days to transfer to ANA, and Marriott Bonvoy points can take up to 7 days to transfer.

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Pros

• 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

• $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
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• Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $8,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
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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.

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

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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!

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

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Annual Fee

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Credit Recommended

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.

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Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
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Bottom Line: ANA is ideal in this situation because business class flights are very reasonable. With Garuda Indonesia as an additional airline partner, you can formulate a seemingly infinite number of routes to get to Bali. Just be careful of fuel surcharges with airlines like Air China, and be sure to utilize its policy that allows for 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw. 

Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer

We like Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer because it’s the cheapest way to use Chase Ultimate Rewards for flights to Bali in both economy and business class.

It’s also one of the only ways to experience Singapore Airlines’ famous business class on some of the longest flights in the world since partner award availability in premium cabins is sparse.

There are 2 award charts in this case: one for the East and Central Coasts and one for the West Coast. Here’s a summary of routes originating from the U.S. that you can fly on Singapore Airlines to Bali via Singapore:

When you fly on Singapore Airlines, you won’t be hit with pesky fuel surcharges, and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is a transfer partner with all major transferable points currencies.

This process can be done completely online by following these steps:

1. Visit Singapore Airlines’ website.
2. Log in to your KrisFlyer account with your membership number and PIN.
3. Click the button that says Redeem Flights.
4. Type in your travel dates, airports, and class of service. Click Search.
5. Pick your flight and pay for any taxes and fees.

Earning Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles

Luckily, earning enough KrisFlyer miles is easy because of partnerships with all major transferable currencies: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express transfer partners, Brex Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.

American Express, Chase, Citi, Capital One ,and Brex points transfer to KrisFlyer at a 1:1 ratio.

Brex takes around 5 business days, Chase and Amex take 1 to 2 business days, Citi takes 2 business days, Capital One takes up to 36 hours, and Marriott Bonvoy takes 2 business days.

For every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer, you’ll receive a 5,000-point bonus, which means you’ll have 25,000 KrisFlyer miles when all is said and done.

Overall, Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer is an excellent way to get to Bali with points and miles.

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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.

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• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
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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.

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Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

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Cons

• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status

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• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
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• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC

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• APR: 21.99% - 28.99% Variable
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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Bottom Line: With such diverse transfer partners, no fuel surcharges, a stopover allowance on round-trip flights, and the best Chase Ultimate Rewards redemption to fly to Bali, Singapore Airlines should definitely be at the top of your list to get to Bali.

American Airlines AAdvantage

We like American Airlines a lot here because of its reasonable redemption prices and simplicity.

The best way to use AAdvantage miles for flights to Bali is on its Oneworld partner Cathay Pacific.

Here are the pros of using AAdvantage miles:

• Excellent redemption prices (75,000 for round-trip economy, 140,000 for round-trip business, and 220,000 for round-trip first)
• No fuel surcharges to Bali (except on British Airways and Iberia)
• Booking process is easily understandable
• Easy to accumulate miles fast from credit card welcome bonuses

And here are the cons:

• No stopover allowance (no free extra countries in your vacation)
• Only 1 transfer partner: Marriott Bonvoy
• Relative lack of flexibility with Oneworld partner routes

Here’s how you can book on American Airlines (you’ll need to visit British Airways to search availability):

1. Visit British Airways’ website.
2. Log into your British Airways Executive Club account by clicking Log in in the top-right corner and entering your account details.
3. After logging in, hover over the Book button in the top banner, and click Book a flight with Avios under the Flights sub-menu.
4. Enter your travel information and click Get flights.
5. Write down the flight numbers, airlines, and times.
6. Call American Airlines at 800-433-7300 and ask to hold the reservation for 5 days.
7. When you have all the miles ready to go, call back and confirm the reservation. Be sure to ask to waive the $25 telephone booking fee!

Here are some great example routes you can take:

• Boston (BOS) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 70,000 miles + ~$141 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 70,000 miles + ~$141 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 70,000 miles + ~$167 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• San Francisco (SFO) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 70,000 miles + ~$167 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• Seattle (SEA) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 70,000 miles + ~$167 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• Toronto (YYZ) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 70,000 miles + ~$167 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class
• Vancouver (YVR) – Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 70,000 miles + ~$167 in taxes and fees in Cathay Pacific business class

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

There are plenty of ways to earn AAdvantage miles quickly, especially through welcome bonuses offered on the Citi and Barclays co-branded American Airlines credit cards.

If you still don’t have quite enough miles, you can top off your AAdvantage account by transferring Marriott Bonvoy points at a 3:1 ratio. We generally don’t recommend this approach, though, since there are much better uses of Marriott Bonvoy points.

Remember that Marriott Bonvoy transfers to American Airlines can take up to 2 business days.

Bottom Line: AAdvantage miles are quite competitive for this specific redemption in Cathay Pacific business class, beaten only by Alaska miles. If you have a stockpile of AAdvantage miles, be sure to give this program lots of thought. You can put awards on hold for 5 days, earn miles relatively quickly through welcome bonuses, and book this award very easily. 

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles is a frequent flyer program that doesn’t get enough love. It’s not for everybody — most people are only interested in round-trip flights to/from a single country, and Cathay Pacific doesn’t necessarily shine in the “vanilla” round-trip flights arena.

Where it does shine, however, is more complex award redemptions, including round-the-world award tickets.

Qatar Airways Qsuites flights transit through the carrier’s hub in Doha. Unfortunately, American Airlines doesn’t allow flights to Bali when they’re transiting through the Middle East, which means you would have to book 2 separate tickets at much more expensive prices.

Enter Asia Miles, which has no such routing rules.

Let’s take a look at some amazing redemption options for Qsuites flights with a connection in Doha:

• Boston (BOS) – Doha (DOH) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 90,000 miles + ~$508 in taxes and fees in Qatar Airways Qsuites
• Dallas (DFW) – Doha (DOH) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 90,000 miles + ~$508 in taxes and fees in Qatar Airways Qsuites
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Doha (DOH) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 90,000 miles + ~$508 in taxes and fees in Qatar Airways Qsuites
• Miami (MIA) – Doha (DOH) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 90,000 miles + ~$508 in taxes and fees in Qatar Airways Qsuites
• San Francisco (SFO) – Doha (DOH) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 90,000 miles + ~$508 in taxes and fees in Qatar Airways Qsuites
• Seattle (SEA) – Doha (DOH) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 90,000 miles + ~$508 in taxes and fees in Qatar Airways Qsuites
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Doha (DOH) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way for 90,000 miles + ~$508 in taxes and fees in Qatar Airways Qsuites

Another way Asia Miles offers amazing value is through its round-the-world award tickets, which are referred to as Oneworld multi-carrier awards.

Cathay Pacific has 3 different award charts and a slew of different routing rules. Here are award charts:

1. Cathay Pacific (Flying Cathay Pacific only)
2. Airline partners (Flying 1 partner ONLY, e.g., Qantas)
3. Oneworld multi-carrier award chart (Flying multiple partners, e.g., British Airways, Qantas, AND Qatar Airways)

For round-the-world tickets, we’ll focus on the Oneworld multi-carrier award chart.

Also, its award routing rules are:

1. For Cathay Pacific-operated flights and partner flights (remember, only 1 partner as indicated in award chart #2), you’re allowed 1 stopover on one-ways and 2 stopovers on round-trips.
2. For Oneworld multi-carrier award flights, you can fly a maximum of 2 partners when Cathay Pacific is not included. If you include Cathay Pacific in your itinerary, you can fly any number of partners.
3. The maximum distance for Oneworld multi-carrier awards is 50,000 miles.
4. You can make a maximum of 5 stopovers, 2 open jaws, and 2 transfers (layovers).

Hot Tip: Don’t worry if you’re confused — Cathay Pacific has a great award flight calculator you can use to price out your flights.

When utilizing the Oneworld multi-carrier award chart, be sure to click Multi-City. If you’re not sure whether the itinerary you’re planning is allowed within the rules above, there’s a very easy way to tell. If it violates any of the rules above, you’ll receive this message:

Here’s one example of how epic your vacation could get:

1. Los Angeles (LAX) – Sydney (SYD) in Qantas business class
2. Sydney (SYD) – Hong Kong (HKG) in Cathay Pacific business class on the Boeing 777
3. Hong Kong (HKG) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) in Cathay Pacific business class on the Boeing 777
4. Bali-Denpasar (DPS) – Kuala Lumpur (KUL) in Malaysia Airlines business class on the Airbus A330
5. Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – London-Heathrow (LHR) in Malaysia Airlines’ brand-new Airbus A350 business class
6. Madrid (MAD) – Santiago, Chile (SCL) in Iberia business class
7. São Paulo (GRU) – Los Angeles (LAX) in American Airlines Flagship business class on the Boeing 787

To sum this up, you would have the chance to fly ~35,000 miles for ~73 hours on 5 different business class products from 4 different airlines between 8 countries with this itinerary. All of this costs 210,000 Asia Miles per person. 

The same flights in economy will cost 130,000 Asia Miles per person.

Frankly, this is a jaw-dropping deal. To give you some perspective on how great of a deal this is, flying just to Bali-Denpasar round-trip costs 170,000 Asia Miles per person in business class. 

The difference between the complex itinerary above and the simple itinerary is only 40,000 Asia miles in business class. We think this is a no-brainer and could definitely be planning a cultural excursion in all of those countries!

Now you know why we feel that Cathay Pacific Asia Miles presents the absolute best value when building a complex itinerary involving a lot of segments and at least 1 Cathay Pacific flight.

Of course, the challenge is going to be finding all the flight availability at once. With so many different flights on different carriers, it’s best to get started searching for availability early.

For Oneworld carriers, we always recommend using British Airways to find availability. You can also use Qantas for its month-long calendar view of award flights, too. Be sure to write down every single flight number and all the times/dates.

Once you have found all your award availability, call the Asia Miles U.S. office at 866-892-2598.

Earning Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

With 5 transfer partners (American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy), you’ve got lots of transfer options to earn Cathay Pacific Asia Miles.

American Express, Brex, Capital One, and Citi transfer at a 1:1 transfer ratio.

Capital One takes around 36 hours to transfer, while Amex and Chase transfer within 1 business day. Brex transfers take up to 9 business days to process.

Normally, Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio and takes about 5 business days. However, if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you will receive a bonus of 5,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred to the airline. This means transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points will net you 25,000 Asia Miles.

There’s also a Synchrony Bank co-branded Asia Miles credit card for the U.S. market that offers a decent welcome bonus for those who need some extra Cathay Pacific miles. The bonus has been as high as 75,000 miles in the past, so we recommend holding out for an offer similar to that.

Recommended Citi Cards

Citi Premier^® Card

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 information regarding the Citi Premier card has expired, and the card is no longer open to applicants.

Citi Premier^® Card

*The information regarding the Citi Premier card has expired, and the card is no longer open to applicants.

Welcome Offer

No offer available

No offer available

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$0

Annual Fee

$95

APR

21.24% - 29.24% variable

Credit Recommended

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 (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

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!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotel purchases
• Access to Citi transfer partners
• Annual hotel credit

Cons

• $95 annual fee

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• No welcome offer available
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Gas Stations, Air Travel and Other Hotels
• Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants and Supermarkets
• Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Annual Hotel Savings Benefit
• 60,000 ThankYou^® Points are redeemable for $600 in gift cards redeemable for $600 in gift cards or travel rewards at thankyou.com
• No expiration and no limit to the amount of points you can earn with this card
• No Foreign Transaction Fees on purchases

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.24% - 29.24% variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Bottom Line: Cathay Pacific Asia Miles isn’t as lucrative as it used to be for regular round-trip flights. However, if you’re open to traveling to lots of different countries, you can plan an epic vacation with killer redemption rates.

Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles is yet another program that doesn’t get enough love. We think LifeMiles is a great way for a specific group of people to redeem points:

1. Those who have a lot of Capital One miles
2. Those who don’t want to fly crazy itineraries (like the one in the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles section above)

Since Avianca is a Star Alliance partner, booking with LifeMiles will enable you to fly on any Star Alliance flights to get to Bali.

Hot Tip: There are frequent sales on LifeMiles with bonuses of 125% to 200%. If you’re interested in buying LifeMiles, be sure to purchase during lucrative sales like these. 

Here are some great example redemptions you can make with LifeMiles:

• Chicago (ORD) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in EVA Air business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
• Houston (IAH) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in EVA Air business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in EVA Air business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in EVA Air business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Asiana Airlines business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Asiana Airlines business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in EVA Air business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees

To finalize your itinerary, follow these steps:

1. Go to the LifeMiles website.
2. Hover over Use and click on Airlines.
3. Type in your desired destination, origin, and travel dates. Hit Continue.
   • The next screen shows availability and costs for those dates, as well as for 2 days before and after.
4. Select your flight and pay for taxes and fees. Keep in mind that a $25 award booking fee will apply.

Earning Avianca LifeMiles

Generally, there are several ways to earn lots of LifeMiles: you can transfer from American Express Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards,  Capital One Miles, and Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 transfer ratio. You can also transfer from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio.

Amex, Capital One, and Citi transfer almost instantly, while Marriott Bonvoy transfers take around 1 business day. Finally, Brex transfers may take up to 1 business day.

You can also purchase LifeMiles during sales. If you decide to buy miles, be sure to wait for the sales that can get you anywhere from 125% to 200% bonus miles so you can get a big discount.

Recommended Capital One Cards

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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!

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

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

Welcome Offer

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

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

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

• $95 annual fee (rates & fees)
• Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

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% - 29.74% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

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.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

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

Welcome Offer

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

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,350

Annual Fee

$395

APR

19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

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

Read Full Review

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
• Unlimited complimentary access for you and two guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges 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% - 29.74% (Variable)
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Bottom Line: Have lots of Citi ThankYou Points? Looking for a simple booking process done completely online? Like flying Star Alliance? With no fuel surcharges and competitive award rates (78,000 for round-trip economy, 156,000 for round-trip business, and 198,000 for round-trip first), you should definitely consider using Avianca LifeMiles.

United Airlines MileagePlus

We have 2 main reasons for including United Airlines MileagePlus in this list, even though booking with ANA and Singapore Airlines are superior options, as far as Star Alliance carriers go:

1. A simple booking process
2. Decent (though not the best) award rates for those with Chase Ultimate Rewards points

Here’s what you can expect to pay when booking flights to Bali with United miles (please note that United uses dynamic award pricing):

We like United because the process for booking your award flights is extremely easy; it doesn’t involve any phone calls or visiting any other websites to find award availability. You can basically take care of everything on United’s website.

Check out these great redemptions:

• Atlanta (ATL) – Istanbul (IST) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Turkish Airlines business class from 99,000 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
• Boston (BOS) – Istanbul (IST) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Turkish Airlines business class from 99,000 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
• Denver (DEN) – Istanbul (IST) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Turkish Airlines business class from 99,000 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in EVA Air business class from 99,000 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in EVA Air business class from 99,000 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Asiana Airlines business class from 99,000 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Asiana Airlines business class from 99,000 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in United Polaris business class and EVA Air business class from 99,000 United miles + ~$6in taxes and fees
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Istanbul (IST) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Turkish Airlines business from 99,000 United miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees

To book awards with MileagePlus, follow these steps:

1. Visit United’s website.
2. Click Roundtrip or One-way, depending on what type of flight you’re looking for.
3. Check off the box that says Book with miles.
4. Type in your route, dates, number of travelers, and class of booking.
5. Choose your flights and confirm your booking by paying with your miles and for any taxes and fees.

Hot Tip: When you search for award availability using United, be sure to use the award calendar to look for Saver awards.

Earning United Airlines MileagePlus Miles

You can earn United Airlines miles directly or by transferring them from its partners: Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.

To earn United Airlines miles directly, you’d want to go through Chase’s United credit card offerings.

Chase Ultimate Rewards transfer to United at a 1:1 ratio instantly, and Marriott Bonvoy transfers to United at a 3:1 ratio in less than 24 hours.

If you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to United, you will receive a bonus of 10,000 miles added to your transfer. This means transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points will net you 30,000 United miles.

Recommended United Cards

There are many United credit cards available which we cover in our in-depth guide.

Bottom Line: Booking with United Airlines is very simple and can minimize the headache you’ll face when securing award flights. You won’t be paying much out of pocket, but the awards are going to cost a bit more for the convenience you get. 

Air France/KLM Flying Blue

In this guide, we’ve focused pretty heavily on 2 of the 3 major alliances: Oneworld and Star Alliance.

Unfortunately, the SkyTeam alliance doesn’t have many sweet spots nowadays, with rampant devaluations and huge fuel surcharges.

That said, the last method we will mention to fly to Bali with points and miles is with Air France/KLM Flying Blue. With Flying Blue, you can fly partners such as Xiamen, China Southern, China Airlines, Delta, China Eastern, and Korean Air.

If you decide to fly transatlantic, you’re going to be hit with hefty fuel surcharges.

However, if you decide to fly airlines like China Airlines or Korean Air across the Pacific Ocean, you’ll save hundreds of dollars in fuel surcharges.

Air France/KLM Flying Blue removed its award chart and now uses variable award pricing, so it’s difficult to pinpoint a specific cost. Rather, we’ll use a range of mileage costs.

Depending on your route, round-trip economy awards will cost between 68,000 and 92,000 Flying Blue miles, while round-trip business class awards will cost between 170,000 and 230,000 miles.

American Express and Citi have offered transfer bonuses (multiple times) of up to 35% to Flying Blue. This means that a flight award costing 170,000 miles will only cost ~126,000 points round-trip. These transfer bonuses definitely help soften the blow.

You can search for award availability through Air France/KLM and book awards completely online.

Hot Tip: Need alternative ways to optimize Air France/KLM miles? Check out the best ways to redeem Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles for maximum value.

Here are a few example routes you can book:

• Boston (BOS) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Korean Air business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$145 in taxes and fees
• Chicago (ORD) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Korean Air business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$145 in taxes and fees
• Dallas (DFW) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Korean Air business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$145 in taxes and fees
• Las Vegas (LAS) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Korean Air business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$145 in taxes and fees
• Los Angeles (LAX) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in China Airlines business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$148 in taxes and fees
• New York (JFK) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in China Airlines business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$148 in taxes and fees
• San Francisco (SFO) – Taipei (TPE) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in China Airlines business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$148 in taxes and fees
• Seattle (SEA) – Seoul (ICN) – Bali-Denpasar (DPS) one-way in Korean Air business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$145 in taxes and fees

Here is the process for booking Air France/KLM Flying Blue awards:

1. Visit Air France’s website.
2. On the top right, click My Account. Log into your Flying Blue account using your email and password.
3. After logging in, click on the top right corner that shows your last name and first initial. Click Book a Ticket with My Miles
4. Scroll down and type in your route, dates, number of passengers, and cabin class.
   • Be sure to check off the box that says You are looking for a flight around these dates. This will make the award calendar show up and will give you a full month’s view of award prices.
5. Select your desired flight and complete your reservation by paying your miles and for any taxes and fees.

Earning Air France/KLM Flying Blue Miles

Even though Air France/KLM Flying Blue Miles aren’t as valuable as the other currencies mentioned above, you’ll have lots of ways to earn them.

Flying Blue is a transfer partner with all of the 4 major transferable currencies: Chase Ultimate Rewards (1:1), American Express Membership Rewards (1:1), Citi ThankYou Rewards (1:1), Brex Rewards (1:1), Capital One Miles (1:1), and Marriott Bonvoy (3:1 with a 5,000-mile bonus after transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points).

Chase, Amex, Citi, and Capital One all transfer almost instantly, while Brex takes up to 1 business day.

Lastly, Marriott Bonvoy takes up to 3 business days to transfer points to Flying Blue.

Other Options To Fly to Bali

It’s possible to book with airlines like Korean Air, Delta, Asiana Airlines, and Air Canada Aeroplan, but they were generally excluded for at least 1 of the following reasons:

1. High redemption rates
2. High fuel surcharges
3. Other viable alternatives with better routing rules
4. Difficulty in booking flights (e.g., Korean Air SKYPASS for non-family members)

You could also consider flying to Dubai and then to Bali in Emirates’ First Class suites. It will cost you lots of miles, but the experience simply can’t be beaten in terms of luxury and service.

Hot Tip: Looking for a place to stay once you get there? Check out these great boutique hotels in Bali.

Final Thoughts

There are so many different ways to fly to Bali with points and miles, but it’s hard to go wrong when booking with the options covered in this guide.

While there aren’t any nonstop flights to Bali-Denpasar from the U.S., there are plenty of ways to get there with easy connections in some of the world’s best hub airports.

And, don’t forget that there are many options for tacking on another country before or after your visit to Bali. For example, you could visit Hong Kong and explore Asia’s dynamic financial capital before flying to Bali for a relaxing beach getaway.

We hope we’ve taken a lot of the guesswork out of flying to Bali with points and miles. Now that you know the value to be had, it’s time to start booking and get that trip to one of the world’s most popular beach destinations on your calendar!