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The Best Ways To Fly to the Middle East and North Africa With Points and Miles

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Stephen Au

Stephen Au

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Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used...
Edited by: Juan Ruiz

Juan Ruiz

Compliance Editor & Content Contributor

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Juan has been involved in credit cards, loyalty, travel, and personal finance for more than 10 years. He has worked for several outlets including The Points Guy and Forbes and was previously Editor-in...

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The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is one of the world’s most interesting places. And while there are a few countries ridden with internal strife there, this area is truly one of the most culturally significant and historic in the world.

Known for expansive deserts and ancient Arabian history, the Middle East and North Africa comprise of unique countries that should definitely be on your radar.

What’s more, plane tickets from the U.S. to the Middle East or North Africa are often incredibly expensive.

So that’s why we’ll be showing you the best ways to use your points and miles to fly to the Middle East and North Africa! We’ll highlight the best ways to fly here with all 3 alliances, as well as some of the best non-alliance options.

Let’s get started!

Nonstop Flights Between the U.S. and the Middle East and North Africa

Numerous airlines offer nonstop flights to the Middle East and North Africa. We’ve broken them down by airline; in total, 12 airlines offer nonstop flights to MENA.

Here are the foreign airlines operating nonstop flights to the Middle East:

  • EL AL
    • Boston (BOS) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • Miami (MIA) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • New York (JFK) – Tel Aviv (TLV)

  • Emirates 
    • Boston (BOS) – Dubai (DXB)
    • Chicago (ORD) – Dubai (DXB)
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Dubai (DXB)
    • Miami (MIA) – Dubai (DXB)
    • New York (JFK) – Dubai (DXB)
    • Orlando (MCO) – Dubai (DXB)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Dubai (DXB)
    • Seattle (SEA) – Dubai (DXB)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Dubai (DXB)

  • Etihad Airways
    • Chicago (ORD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)
    • New York (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH)

  • Kuwait Airways
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Kuwait City (KWI)
    • New York (JFK) – Kuwait City (KWI)

  • Qatar Airways
    • Atlanta (ATL) – Doha (DOH)
    • Boston (BOS) – Doha (DOH)
    • Chicago (ORD) – Doha (DOH)
    • Dallas (DFW) – Doha (DOH)
    • Houston (IAH) – Doha (DOH)
    • Los Angeles (LAX) – Doha (DOH)
    • New York (JFK) – Doha (DOH)
    • Miami (MIA) – Doha (DOH)
    • Philadelphia (PHL) – Doha (DOH)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Doha (DOH)
    • Seattle (SEA) – Doha (DOH)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Doha (DOH)

  • Royal Jordanian Airlines
    • Chicago (ORD) – Amman (AMM)
    • Detroit (DTW) – Amman (AMM)
    • New York (JFK) – Amman (AMM)

  • Saudia
    • Los Angeles – Jeddah (JED)
    • New York (JFK) – Riyadh (RUH)
    • New York (JFK) – Jeddah (JED)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Riyadh (RUH)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Jeddah (JED)

Here are the U.S. airlines operating nonstop flights to the Middle East:

  • American Airlines
    • Miami (MIA) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • New York (JFK) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • New York (JFK) – Doha (DOH)

  • Delta Air Lines
    • Atlanta (ATL) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • Boston (BOS) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • New York (JFK) – Tel Aviv (TLV)

  • United Airlines
    • Chicago (ORD) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • Newark (EWR) – Amman (AMM)
    • Newark (EWR) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • Newark (EWR) – Dubai (DXB)
    • San Francisco (SFO) – Tel Aviv (TLV)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Amman (AMM)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Tel Aviv (TLV)

Here are the airlines operating nonstop flights to North Africa:

  • EGYPTAIR
    • New York (JFK) – Cairo (CAI)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Cairo (CAI)

  • Royal Air Maroc
    • New York (JFK) – Casablanca (CMN)
    • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Casablanca (CMN)

As you can see, there are plenty of options you can book. The general rule of thumb should be to fly on the most direct route to the final destination. So for example, if you want to fly to Morocco, it’s probably a good idea to figure out the best ways to redeem points on Royal Air Maroc.

If there are no nonstop flights to your final destination from the U.S., there are plenty of connecting flight options, including on airlines like Air France, KLM, British Airways, Turkish Airlines, and much more.

There are many nonstop routes you can book from the U.S. to the Middle East or North Africa, but the number of 1-stop connecting flights is almost uncountable.

Best Programs To Use To Book Flights to the Middle East and North Africa

Let’s go through all of our favorite ways to use points and miles for flights to the Middle East and North Africa, starting with Aeroplan!

Air Canada Aeroplan

You can book award flights to the Middle East and North Africa with Aeroplan points. Image Credit: United

Aeroplan is a great option for those looking to fly to the Middle East or North Africa. As a Star Alliance partner, you’ll be flying with the likes of United, Turkish, EGYPTAIR, Lufthansa, and Swiss.

Air Canada operates on a distance-based award chart, which means you’ll pay a fixed price based on how far you’re flying. If your routing is under 4,000 miles in distance, here’s how much it’ll cost you in points to fly to either the Middle East or Africa:

Cabin ClassAeroplan Points Cost (One-way)
Economy40,000
Premium Economy (Air Canada flights only)60,000
Business70,000
First100,000

Here are a few example redemptions you can make:

  • Boston (BOS) – Munich (MUC) – Dubai (DXB) one-way in business with Lufthansa and Emirates for 70,000 points + ~$73 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Cairo (CAI) one-way in EGYPTAIR economy for 40,000 points + ~$85 in taxes and fees
  • New York (EWR) – Tel Aviv (TLV) one-way in United Polaris for 70,000 points + ~$95 in taxes and fees
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Tel Aviv one-way in United Polaris for 70,000 points + ~$98 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Istanbul (IST) – Amman (AMM) one-way in Turkish Airlines business for 70,000 points + ~$62 in taxes and fees

Here are the steps to book:

  1. Navigate to aircanada.com.
  2. Enter your city pairs — be sure to check that you’re using points!
  3. Find availability for your dates.
  4. Select the flights you’d like to book.
  5. Pay!

Earning Aeroplan Points

Aeroplan points are some of the easiest to earn thanks to the program’s strong partnerships with card issuers. You can transfer over from Amex Membership RewardsBilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Chase Ultimate Rewards at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy points also transfer over, but at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points you transfer.

All Nippon Airways Mileage Club

Turkish Airlines business class. Image Credit: Greg Stone

ANA Mileage Club is an incredible frequent flyer program that offers amazing round-trip pricing on Star Alliance flights, particularly in business class.

This means that you’ll probably redeem the fewest points to fly to MENA with ANA Mileage Club, though there are 2 caveats:

  • You must book a round-trip flight (no one-ways)
  • Almost all fuel surcharges are passed on

You should avoid all of the European airline partners, including Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines — otherwise, you’ll need to spend an additional $800+ each way out-of-pocket!

Not to worry, as both Turkish Airlines and LOT Polish boast lower fuel surcharges than their partners. Follow this award chart to book your round-trip flights from North America:

Cabin ClassANA Miles Cost (Round-trip)Turkish Airlines Taxes and FeesLOT Polish Taxes and FeesEGYPTAIR Taxes and Fees
Economy65,000~$571~$488~$563
Business104,000~$747~$713~$581

ANA also categorizes Morocco as part of Europe and Russia 2 (Zone 7), which means you can follow this award chart:

Cabin ClassANA Miles Cost (Round-trip)Turkish Airlines Taxes and FeesLOT Polish Taxes and FeesEGYPTAIR Taxes and Fees
Economy55,000~$571~$488~$563
Business88,000~$747~$713~$581

As you can tell, it’s pretty difficult to avoid fuel surcharges entirely — and even the taxes and fees in economy are egregious, which is why you’d want to leverage ANA Mileage Club for business class only.

Here are a few example redemptions you can make:

  • Atlanta (ATL) – Istanbul (IST) – Marrakesh (RAK) round-trip in Turkish Airlines business class for 88,000 ANA miles + ~$747 in taxes and fees
  • Chicago (ORD) – Warsaw (WAW) – Tel Aviv (TLV) round-trip in LOT Polish business class for 104,000 ANA miles + ~$713 in taxes and fees
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Warsaw (WAW) – Dubai (DXB) round-trip in LOT Polish business class for 104,000 ANA miles + ~$713 in taxes and fees
  • Miami (MIA) – Istanbul (IST) – Muscat (MCT) round-trip in Turkish Airlines business class for 88,000 ANA miles + ~$747 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Cairo (CAI) round-trip in EGYPTAIR business class for 104,000 ANA miles + ~$581 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Cairo (CAI) round-trip in EGYPTAIR business class for 104,000 ANA miles + ~$581 in taxes and fees

You can book all of these flights directly online; while we wouldn’t recommend searching for availability on ANA’s website, you can perform the search on a partner site like united.com and then navigate to ANA’s website when you’ve located availability.

Here are the steps:

  1. Find availability on united.com.
  2. Write down the flight information you’d like to book.
  3. Visit ANA’s website.
  4. Click on ANA Mileage Club on the top-right side of the website.
  5. Under the Flight Awards section on the left-hand side, click International, followed by Award Reservation.
  6. Enter your ANA Mileage Club login information.
  7. Enter the flight information and click Search.
  8. Transfer your points to ANA Mileage Club after confirming availability.
  9. After receiving the transferred points, complete the reservation by paying for taxes and fees using a credit card.

Earning ANA Mileage Club Miles

ANA Mileage Club is transfer partners with 2 transferrable rewards programs: Amex Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex transfers at a 1:1 ratio and takes around 3 business days, while Marriott transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus when you transfer 60,000 points and takes around 7 business days.

Hot Tip: Your mileage may vary, but you may be able to hold an award reservation while your points are being transferred by calling 800-235-9262.

Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)

The Platinum Card® from American ExpressTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

The Platinum Card® from American Express

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This 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.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

The Platinum Card® from American Express

This 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.
Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
80,000 points
$1,760
$695
See Pay Over Time APR
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)

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.

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!
  • 5x points per $1 spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with American Express Travel (up to $500,000 per year)
  • 5x points per $1 spent on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel
  • Annual and monthly statement credits upon enrollment (airline credit, Uber Cash credit, Saks Fifth Avenue credit, streaming credit, prepaid hotel credit on eligible stays, Walmart+ credit, CLEAR credit, and Equinox credit)
  • TSA PreCheck or Global Entry credit
  • Access to American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts
  • Access to Amex International Airline Program
  • No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

  • $695 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Airline credit does not cover airfare (only incidentals like checked bags)
  • Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
  • Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
  • $200 Hotel Credit: Get up to $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings with American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®. The Hotel Collection requires a minimum two-night stay.
  • $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back in statement credits each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Disney+, a Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, The New York Times, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The Wall Street Journal. Enrollment required.
  • $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership (subject to auto-renewal) with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card®. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Plus Up Benefits are excluded.
  • $200 Airline Fee Credit: Select one qualifying airline and then receive up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year when incidental fees are charged by the airline to your Platinum Card®.
  • $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
  • $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $300 back in statement credits per calendar year on an Equinox membership, or an Equinox club membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. Visit https://platinum.equinox.com/ to enroll.
  • $189 CLEAR® Plus Credit: Breeze through security with CLEAR Plus at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues nationwide and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your Membership (subject to auto-renewal) when you use your Platinum Card®. Learn more.
  • $100 Global Entry Credit: Receive either a $100 statement credit every 4 years for a Global Entry application fee or a statement credit up to $85 every 4.5 years for a TSA PreCheck® (through a TSA official enrollment provider) application fee, when charged to your Platinum Card®. Card Members approved for Global Entry will also receive access to TSA PreCheck at no additional cost.
  • Shop Saks with Platinum: Get up to $100 in statement credits annually for purchases in Saks Fifth Avenue stores or at saks.com on your Platinum Card®. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $300 SoulCycle At-Home Bike Credit: Get a $300 statement credit for the purchase of a SoulCycle at-home bike with your Platinum Card®. An Equinox+ subscription is required to purchase a SoulCycle at-home bike and access SoulCycle content. Must charge full price of bike in one transaction. Shipping available in the contiguous U.S. only. Enrollment Required.
  • Unlock access to exclusive reservations and special dining experiences with Global Dining Access by Resy when you add your Platinum Card® to your Resy profile.
  • $695 annual fee.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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American Express Membership Rewards

American Express® Gold CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express® Gold Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

American Express® Gold Card

This is the go-to card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants and those who want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months.
60,000 points
$1,320
$250
See Pay Over Time APR
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)

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.

Pros

  • 4x points per $1 at restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.
  • 4x points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases; and 1x thereafter
  • 3x points per $1 on flights purchased directly from airlines or at Amex Travel
  • Up to $120 annual dining credit: up to $10 monthly statement credit when you pay with the Amex Gold card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations
  • Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: get $10 monthly in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S. when you add your Gold Card to your Uber account
  • No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
  • Access to Amex’s The Hotel Collection
  • Access to American Express transfer partners

Cons

  • Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S., and earn 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year in purchases, then 1X).
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings and earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment required.
  • Get a $100 experience credit with a minimum two-night stay when you book The Hotel Collection through American Express Travel. Experience credit varies by property.
  • Choose the color that suits your style. Gold or Rose Gold.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $250.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: See Pay Over Time APR
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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American Express Membership Rewards

Qatar Airways Privilege Club

Everyone wants to try out Qsuites! Image Credit: Alex Miller

Qatar Airways switched its Privilege Club currency over to the Avios program in 2022, making a huge splash as its award seats became suddenly much more available. This was amazing news for travelers, as its Qsuites business class product is one of the best around. Even better, it’ll cost you just 70,000 Avios one-way to fly from the U.S. to Doha (DOH), its hub.

  • Boston (BOS) – Doha (DOH) one-way in Qsuites for 70,000 Avios + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Doha (DOH) one-way in Qsuites for 70,000 Avios + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • Miami (MIA) – Doha (DOH) one-way in Qsuites for 70,000 Avios + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • Seattle (SEA) – Doha (DOH) one-way in Qsuites for 70,000 Avios + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Doha (DOH) one-way in Qsuites for 70,000 Avios + ~$8 in taxes and fees

Booking Qatar Airways business class is super easy; follow these steps to get this dream ticket reserved!

  1. Visit Qatar Airway’s website.
  2. Log in to your account (you may need to have some Avios in your account to complete a search).
  3. Enter your route information.
  4. Select your desired flights.
  5. Book your award.

Earning Qatar Airways Avios

Avios are some of the easiest currencies to earn since the currency is interchangeable between British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia, and Qatar Airways. This means you’ll find transfers from all the main transferable currencies, including Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy!

Amex, Bilt, Capital One, Chase, and Citi all transfer almost instantaneously at a 1:1 ratio.

Lastly, Marriott transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for transferring 60,000 points. Transfers from Marriott usually take around 3 business days.

Hot Tip: British Airways has also dropped its pricing to match Qatar Airways’ flights, which means these can be booked via the British Airways site just as easily!

Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
60,000 points
$1,200
$95
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)

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.

Pros

  • 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $250 (through March 31, 2025)
  • 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)
  • 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
  • 2x points on all other travel worldwide
  • $50 annual credit on hotel stays booked through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 6 months of complimentary Instacart+ (activate by July 31, 2024), plus up to $15 in statement credits each quarter through July 2024
  • Excellent travel and car rental insurance
  • 10% annual bonus points
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs like United MileagePlus and World of Hyatt
  • Complimentary Spot Club Platinum status with The Parking Spot for 2 years, 20% off of your first reservation, and points for 1 free day of parking (enroll by October 26, 2023)

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.
  • Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3x on dining, and 2x on all other travel purchases, and $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, plus more.
  • Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
  • Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2024.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.

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.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve®

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.
Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 points
$1,200
$550
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 (740-850)

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!

Pros

  • 10x points on car rentals, hotels, and dining booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 10x points on Lyft purchases March 31, 2025
  • 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025
  • 5x points on airfare booked via the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal
  • 3x points on all other travel and dining purchases; 1x point on all other purchases
  • $300 annual travel credit
  • Priority Pass airport lounge access
  • TSA PreCheck, Global Entry, or NEXUS credit
  • Access to Chase Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection
  • Rental car elite status with National and Avis

Cons

  • $550 annual fee
  • Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status
  • Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
  • $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
  • Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
  • Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel
  • 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
  • Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
  • Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

If you’re a business owner, see our list of the best Chase business credit cards.

American Airlines AAdvantage

Qatar Airways Qsuites is possibly the best business class in the world. Image Credit: Alex Miller

We’d be remiss if we didn’t mention American Airlines AAdvantage for 1 reason — those aforementioned Qatar Airways Qsuites. Before Qatar switched over to Avios, American Airlines was the absolute best way to book these flights. If you’re looking for an alternative to booking with Avios, American Airlines miles are still an excellent way to book these fabulous business class seats.

Here’s how much it’ll cost for one-way flights between the U.S. and the Middle East:

Cabin ClassAAdvantage Miles Cost (One-Way)Qatar Airways Taxes and Fees
Economy40,000~$8
Business70,000~$8

And here’s how much it’ll cost for one-way flights between the U.S. and Africa:

Cabin ClassAAdvantage Miles Cost (One-Way)Qatar Airways Taxes and Fees
Economy40,000~$8
Business75,000~$8

Here are the countries that fall into each region:

Middle EastAfrica
Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab EmiratesAlgeria, Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Melilla, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Given all of this information, here are a few fantastic redemptions you can make:

  • Boston (BOS) – Doha (DOH) – Alexandria (HBE) one-way in Qatar Airways Qsuites for 70,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Doha (DOH) – Khartoum (KRT) one-way in Qatar Airways Qsuites for 75,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • Miami (MIA) – Doha (DOH) – Cairo (CAI) one-way in Qatar Airways Qsuites for 70,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Doha (DOH) – Tunis (TUN) one-way in Qatar Airways Qsuites for 75,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • Seattle (SEA) – Doha (DOH) – Salalah (SLL) one-way in Qatar Airways Qsuites for 70,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$8 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Doha (DOH) – Casablanca (CMN) one-way in Qatar Airways Qsuites for 75,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$8 in taxes and fees

And if you are considering different partner airlines like Royal Jordanian or Iberia, here are a few options you can book:

  • Chicago (ORD) – Amman (AMM) one-way in Royal Jordanian business class for 70,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
  • Detroit (DTW) – Amman (AMM) – Cairo (CAI) one-way in Royal Jordanian business class for 70,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$6 in taxes and fees
  • Miami (MIA) – Madrid (MAD) – Algiers (ALG) one-way in British Airways business class for 75,000 AAdvantage miles + ~$487 in taxes and fees

These bookings can be made directly on American Airlines’s website:

  1. Visit American Airlines’s homepage.
  2. You’ll see a search box in the middle of the screen.
  3. Check off the box that says Redeem miles.
  4. Toggle One way or Round trip.
  5. Enter your city pairs, number of passengers, and travel dates. Click Search.
  6. Select the flight that matches your needs, redeem your AAdvantage miles, and use a credit card for taxes and fees.

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

American Airlines AAdvantage miles can be earned from credit cards in 3 main ways:

Bilt Rewards transfer to American Airlines at a 1:1 ratio. American Airlines also transfers from Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers at a 3:1 ratio with an additional 5,000-mile bonus after transferring 60,000 points.

Transfers from Marriott to American Airlines take around 2 business days to complete.

Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.

Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card

A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
30,000 points
$210
$0
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)

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.

Pros

  • Up to 14x points per $1 on Marriott purchases
  • 2x points per $1 on travel purchases
  • 15 Elite Night Credits each year (automatically gives you Silver Elite status)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • Lower point earn rate than other Marriott Bonvoy cards
  • Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status is the lowest status tier
  • Earn 30,000 Bonus Points after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
  • Pay no annual fee with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card from Chase®!
  • Earn up to 14X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Card.
  • 2X points for every $1 spent on other travel purchases (from airfare to taxis and trains).
  • 1X point for every $1 spent on all other purchases.
  • Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, qualifying you for Silver Elite Status. Restrictions apply.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.

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.

Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card

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.
Earn 3 Free Nights after you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases (each night valued up to 50,000 points) within the first 3 months from account opening.
Up to 3 Free Nights
$1,050
$95
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)

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.

Pros

  • Earn big when you use your card at over 7,000 participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels
  • New benefit to earn big at grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
  • Automatic Silver Elite Status
  • 1 Free Night Award each cardmember anniversary (up to 35,000 points)
  • DoorDash DashPass subscription
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • Marriott Silver status is the lowest status tier
  • Earn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) after qualifying purchases.
  • Earn 3X points per $1 on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases each year on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining.
  • Earn 1 Elite Night Credit towards Elite Status for every $5,000 you spend.
  • 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary.
  • Earn up to 17X total points per $1 spent at thousands of hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card.
  • Receive 15 Elite Night Credits annually, automatic Silver Elite status, and path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each calendar year.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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 Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card

The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.
Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months.
125,000 points
$875
$250
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

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.

Pros

  • 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy
  • 4x points per $1 at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases per calendar year, then 2X points)
  • 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
  • Complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status
  • 15 Elite Night Credits per year
  • 1,000 bonus points per paid stay
  • 1 Free Night Award (up to 50,000 points) when you spend $15,000 on the card in a year
  • No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

  • $250 annual fee (rates and fees)
  • Free Night Award certificate is not an automatic benefit
  • Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in purchases within the first 6 months of Card Membership.
  • Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy® points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • Earn 4X points at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on up to $15,000 in combined purchases at restaurants and U.S. supermarkets per calendar year, then 2X points).
  • Earn 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • 1K Bonus Points Per Stay: Earn 1,000 Marriott Bonvoy® bonus points per paid eligible stay booked directly with Marriott for properties participating in Marriott Bonvoy.
  • With complimentary Gold Elites status, earn up to 2.5X points from Marriott Bonvoy® on eligible hotel purchases with the 25% Bonus Points on stays benefit.
  • Marriott Bonvoy Bevy Free Night Award: Earn 1 Free Night Award after spending $15,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ Card in a calendar year. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points) at a hotel participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • 15 Elite Night Credits: Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express Card® you can receive 15 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
  • Plan It® is a payment option that lets you split up purchases of $100 or more into equal monthly installments with a fixed fee. Plus, you'll still earn rewards the way you usually do.
  • $250 Annual Fee.
  • Terms apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.

A 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.

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card

A 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.
Earn two 85K Free Night Awards after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card in your first 6 months.
Two 85K Free Night Awards
$1,190
$650
20.99%-29.99% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

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?

Pros

  • 6x points per $1 at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy program
  • 3x points per $1 on flights booked directly with airlines and restaurants worldwide
  • 2x points per $1 on all other purchases
  • 25 Elite Night Credits each year
  • Priority Pass Select membership upon enrollment
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee statement credit
  • Annual Free Night Award after card renewal
  • Complimentary Platinum Elite status

Cons

  • Earn two 85K Free Night Awards after you spend $6,000 in purchases on the Card in your first 6 months. Each award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy. Card Members could enjoy a value of up to $1,200 when redeeming each reward. Certain hotels have resort fees. Offer ends 11/1/2023.
  • $300 Brilliant Dining Credit: Each calendar year, get up to $300 (up to $25 per month) for eligible purchases made on the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant Card at restaurants worldwide.
  • With Marriott Bonvoy Platinum Elite status, you can receive room upgrades, including enhanced views or suites, when available at select properties and booked with a Qualifying Rate.
  • Earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. 3X points at restaurants worldwide and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2X points on all other eligible purchases.
  • Marriott Brilliant Free Night Award: Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card renewal month. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®. Certain hotels have resort fees.
  • Each calendar year after spending $60,000 on eligible purchases on your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card, you will be eligible to select an Earned Choice Award benefit. You can only earn one Earned Choice Award per calendar year. See https://www.choice-benefit.marriott.com/brilliant for Award options.
  • $100 Marriott Bonvoy Property Credit: Enjoy your stay. Receive up to a $100 property credit for qualifying charges at The Ritz-Carlton® or St. Regis® when you book direct using a special rate for a two-night minimum stay using your Card.
  • Fee Credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®: Receive either a statement credit every 4 years after you apply for Global Entry ($100) or a statement credit every 4.5 years after you apply for a five-year membership for TSA PreCheck® (up to $85 through a TSA PreCheck official enrollment provider) and pay the application fee with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card. If approved for Global Entry, at no additional charge, you will receive access to TSA PreCheck.
  • Each calendar year with your Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card you can receive 25 Elite Night Credits toward the next level of Marriott Bonvoy® Elite status. Limitations apply per Marriott Bonvoy® member account. Benefit is not exclusive to Cards offered by American Express. Terms apply.
  • Enroll in Priority Pass™ Select, which offers unlimited access to over 1,200 lounges in over 130 countries, regardless of which carrier or class you are flying. This allows you to relax before or between flights. You can enjoy snacks, drinks, and internet access in a quiet, comfortable location.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees on international purchases.
  • With Cell Phone Protection, you can be reimbursed, the lesser of, your repair or replacement costs following damage, such as a cracked screen, or theft for a maximum of $800 per claim when your cell phone line is listed on a wireless bill and the prior month's wireless bill was paid by an Eligible Card Account. A $50 deductible will apply to each approved claim with a limit of 2 approved claims per 12-month period. Additional terms and conditions apply. Coverage is provided by New Hampshire Insurance Company, an AIG Company.
  • $650 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 20.99%-29.99% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Marriott Bonvoy

Etihad Guest

Royal Air Maroc’s business class. Image Credit: Royal Air Maroc

One of the sweet spots of North African travel is aboard Royal Air Maroc, which is the flag carrier of Morocco.

Specifically, Etihad Guest offers some astonishing award redemption prices for nonstop flights between the U.S. and Morocco!

On any nonstop flight aboard Royal Air Maroc that’s longer than 2,000 miles in distance, you’ll redeem just 44,000 Etihad Guest miles in business and 22,000 miles in economy!

These are for one-way flights, and Etihad Guest prices these flights on a per-segment basis. Here are a couple of fantastic example routes you can book:

  • New York (JFK) – Casablanca (CMN) one-way in Royal Air Maroc business class for 44,000 Etihad Guest miles + ~$201 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Casablanca (CMN) one-way in Royal Air Maroc business class for 44,000 Etihad Guest miles + ~$201 in taxes and fees

To book these tickets, you’ll want to find award space on American Airlines’s website, then call Etihad Guest to confirm the ticket.

  1. Visit American Airlines’s homepage.
  2. On the homepage’s search box, toggle the checkbox that says Redeem miles.
  3. Enter your travel information and click Search.
  4. Then, a series of flight options should appear. Sort the options to look for nonstop flights only (Royal Air Maroc is the only airline operating these nonstop routes) and write down the flight you’d like to book.
  5. Call Etihad Guest at 877-690-0767 to confirm the reservation and pay for taxes and fees with a credit card.

Earning Etihad Guest Miles

Etihad Guest miles are surprisingly easy to earn — this frequent flyer program is transfer partners with American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex and Citi transfer at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly. Capital One transfers at a 1:1 ratio but may take up to 36 hours to process.

Lastly, Marriott transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus when you transfer 60,000 points. Additionally, Marriott takes around 3 business days to transfer to Etihad Guest.

Recommended Citi Cards

Citi Premier® Card

Citi Premier® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.

Frequent flyers will enjoy 3x ThankYou Points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels.

Learn More(at our partner's secure site)

Citi Premier® Card

Frequent flyers will enjoy 3x ThankYou Points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels.
Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
60,000 points
$960
$95
21.24% - 29.24% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent (670-850)

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

  • 3x points at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, airfare, and hotel purchases
  • Access to Citi transfer partners
  • Annual hotel credit
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • Earn 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Plus, for a limited time, earn a total of 10 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals, and attractions (excluding air travel) booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through June 30, 2024.
  • 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

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Citi Rewards+® Card

Citi Rewards+® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating.We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This 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.

Learn More(at our partner's secure site)

Citi Rewards+® Card

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.
Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $250 in gift cards at thankyou.com.
20,000 points
$320
$0
0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months and on purchases. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% - 28.74%.
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 Recommended (670-840)
  • Earn 20,000 bonus points after you spend $1,500 in purchases with your card within 3 months of account opening; redeemable for $200 in gift cards at thankyou.com
  • Plus, for a limited time, earn 5 ThankYou® Points per $1 spent on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel(SM) portal through June 30, 2024.
  • 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, the variable APR will be 18.74% – 28.74%, based on your creditworthiness. There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).
  • Earn 2X ThankYou® Points at Supermarkets and Gas Stations for the first $6,000 per year and then 1X Points thereafter. Plus, earn 1X ThankYou® Points on All Other Purchases.
  • The Citi Rewards+® Card – the only credit card that automatically rounds up to the nearest 10 points on every purchase – with no cap.
  • No Annual Fee

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months and on purchases. After that, the variable APR of 18.74% - 28.74%.
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each purchase transaction in US dollars

Card Categories

Citi® Double Cash Card

Citi® Double Cash Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!

Learn More(at our partner's secure site)

Citi® Double Cash Card

Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!
None
$0
19.24% - 29.24% Variable
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Fair to Excellent (580-850)

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.

Pros

  • Uncapped 2% for every $1 spent (1% when you buy and another 1% when you pay)
  • Flexible redemption options
  • No annual fee

Cons

  • No bonus categories
  • 3% foreign transaction fees
  • Lack of premium travel benefits
  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
  • To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
  • If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
  • There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 19.24% - 29.24% Variable
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of the U.S. dollar amount of each purchase

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Citi ThankYou Rewards

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Citi Custom Cash® Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!

Learn More(at our partner's secure site)

Citi Custom Cash® Card

Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
$200
$0
0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%.
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.
Fair to Excellent (580-850)

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.

Pros

  • 5% cash-back (on up to $500 each billing cycle) from your largest purchase category, including restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, select travel, select transit, select streaming services, drugstores, home improvement stores, fitness clubs, and live entertainment
  • No annual fee
  • Multiple redemption options
  • No redemption minimums

Cons

  • Your 5% category is limited to $500 in spend ($25 in cash-back) each month
  • Not particularly rewarding for any purchases outside of your top 5% cash-back category
  • Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
  • 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% – 29.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Earn 5% cash back on purchases in your top eligible spend category each billing cycle, up to the first $500 spent, 1% cash back thereafter. Also, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • No rotating bonus categories to sign up for – as your spending changes each billing cycle, your earn adjusts automatically when you spend in any of the eligible categories.
  • No Annual Fee
  • Citi will only issue one Citi Custom Cash® Card account per person.

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 0% Intro APR on balance transfers and purchases for 15 months. After that, the variable APR will be 19.24% - 29.24%.
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: 3%

Card Categories

Hot Tip: While we do not profile Etihad first or business class or Emirates first or business class in-depth here, check out our detailed guides for the best ways to book these classes with points and miles!

Avianca LifeMiles

Lufthansa first class is a glorious way to fly in style to your destination. Image Credit: Cherag Dubash

One of our favorite airline loyalty programs of all time is Avianca LifeMiles.

Sure, its online award booking capabilities are incredibly inconsistent, but it is actually one of the most underrated programs and serves a critical purpose: booking Star Alliance premium cabin flights without fuel surcharges.

Avianca LifeMiles has a few things going for it:

  • LifeMiles are incredibly easy to earn
  • The redemption chart is reasonable
  • There are absolutely no fuel surcharges that get passed on

If we put all of these factors together, LifeMiles is one of the best ways you can book Lufthansa first class, SWISS business class, and other premium cabin products on European airlines.

Hot Tip: Keep in mind that Lufthansa first class is usually only bookable up to 15 days before departure, so you’ll likely need to be a last-minute traveler to book this coveted first class product.

Cabin ClassAvianca LifeMiles Cost (One-Way)Taxes and Fees (One-Way)
Economy42,500~$38
Business78,000~$38
First105,000~$38

If you happen to be booking a mixed-cabin itinerary, your mileage price will actually be a bit cheaper, due to the fact that the pricing is based on the percentage of the whole itinerary you’re flying in each cabin.

As you can also tell, there are no fuel surcharges passed on — there’s usually a small award booking fee, but this is included in the $38 amount above.

Here are a few example bookings you can make:

  • Chicago (ORD) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Djerba (DJE) one-way in Lufthansa first class and business class for 99,500 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
  • Denver (DEN) – Munich (MUC) – Marrakesh (RAK) one-way in Lufthansa business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Copenhagen (CPH) – Beirut (BEY) one-way in SAS business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
  • Miami (MIA) – Zurich (ZRH) – Cairo (CAI) one-way in SWISS business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Vienna (VIE) – Tel Aviv (TLV) one-way in Austrian Airlines business class for 78,000 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Hurghada (HRG) one-way in Lufthansa first class and business class for 97,800 LifeMiles + ~$38 in taxes and fees

Hot Tip: One of the biggest complaints about LifeMiles is that the search engine doesn’t always display all the bookable options that another website like united.com might. Unfortunately, the customer service hotline isn’t very helpful, either.

Here’s how you can book your ticket on LifeMiles:

  1. Visit LifeMiles’s website.
  2. In the top-right corner, click the flag icon to change the site language to English.
  3. On the English homepage, click Log in in the top-right corner.
  4. Enter your login details.
  5. On the redirected page, you’ll see a ribbon at the top of the page. Click the button that says Travel.
  6. You’ll see a search box. Enter your trip details, and click Find Flights.
  7. After searching, click on the travel dates you’d like to search.
  8. After completing the search, choose the flight options you’d like to book.
  9. Complete the booking and use a credit card to pay for taxes and fees.

Earning Avianca LifeMiles

Avianca LifeMiles, as we mentioned earlier, are very easy to earn.

Currently, LifeMiles has transfer partnerships with Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Brex, Capital One, and Citi transfer at a 1:1 ratio almost instantly. Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred and takes around 1 business day to complete.

You can also often purchase LifeMiles with huge bonuses, making your cost per purchased mile around 1.0 to 1.4 cents each!

Recommended Capital One Cards

TOP PICK
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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.
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
75,000 miles
$1,350
$395
22.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Excellent (740-840)

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

  • 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
  • 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
  • 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
  • $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel
  • Unlimited complimentary access for cardholder and 2 guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and the Partner Lounge Network
  • 10,000 bonus miles awarded on your account anniversary each year
  • Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
  • Add authorized users for no additional annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees

 

Cons

  • $395 annual fee
  • 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

 

  • 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 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
  • Elevate every hotel stay from the Premier or Lifestyle Collections with a suite of cardholder benefits, like an experience credit, room upgrades, and more
  • Receive up to a $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 22.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: $0

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

 

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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!
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
75,000 miles
$1,350
$95
21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

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.

Pros

  • 5x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
  • 2 complimentary visits to a Capital One Lounge or Plaza Premium Lounges each year
  • Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Access to Capital One transfer partners

Cons

  • $95 annual fee
  • Limited elite benefits
  • 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 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 $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
  • Enjoy two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or to 100+ Plaza Premium Lounges through the Partner Lounge Network
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase – or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Enrich every hotel stay from the Lifestyle Collection with a suite of cardholder benefits, like a $50 experience credit, room upgrades, and more
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 21.24% - 29.24% (Variable)
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industryexperts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as ratesand 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 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.

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

The 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.
Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel.
20,000 miles
$360
$0
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
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)

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?

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • Ability to use transfer partners
  • Access to Capital One Dining

Cons

  • Weak earn rate at 1.25x miles per $1 spent on all purchases
  • No luxury travel or elite benefits
  • $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
  • Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
  • Earn unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
  • Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
  • Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
  • Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
  • Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
  • Enjoy 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

United Airlines MileagePlus

SWISS offers lavish throne seats in business class. Image Credit: SWISS

United Airlines’s MileagePlus program has been devalued many times over the years. However, in spite of all these devaluations, it’s still an attractive program to keep in the back of your pocket.

That’s because United Airlines offers an easy booking process, no fuel surcharges on almost all flights, ease of accruing points, and access to Star Alliance’s vast route network.

Although we touched on a few ways to redeem points for Star Alliance flights above (i.e. ANA Mileage Club and Avianca LifeMiles), there are quirks with these programs, namely the passage of fuel surcharges and absence of all possible flights during the search process.

So if you’re willing to spend more points and are looking for a seamless, headache-free frequent flyer program, United MileagePlus will be your best bet. This is particularly true for Chase credit cardholders.

United uses a dynamic award pricing scheme, which means that your plane ticket will be priced according to a range of numbers, not a set value.

Specifically, United’s lowest-priced awards are called Saver awards, and they’re priced as follows on flights between the U.S. and the Middle East:

Cabin ClassUnited Miles Cost for United FlightsUnited Miles Cost for Partner Flights
Economy42,500 to 100,00046,750
Business75,000 to 180,00093,500
FirstN/AN/A

Here’s what MileagePlus award tickets look like on flights between the U.S. and North Africa:

Cabin ClassUnited Miles Cost for United FlightsUnited Miles Cost for Partner Flights
Economy40,000 to 100,00040,000
Business80,000 to 200,00080,000
FirstN/A143,000

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

  • Miami (MIA) – Frankfurt (FRA) – Dammam (DMM) one-way in Lufthansa first class and business class for 143,000 United miles + ~$5.60 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Brussels (BRU) – Nador (NDR) one-way in Brussels Airlines business class and EGYPTAIR business class for 93,500 United miles + ~$5.60 in taxes and fees
  • Newark (EWR) – Tel Aviv (TLV) one-way in United Polaris from 75,000 United miles + ~$5.60 in taxes and fees
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Tel Aviv (TLV) one-way in United Polaris from 75,000 United miles + ~$5.60 in taxes and fees

To book your flight using United MileagePlus miles, simply follow these steps:

  1. Go to United Airlines’ homepage.
  2. In the search box, check off the box that says Book with miles.
  3. Enter your flight details.
  4. Click Find flights.
  5. Choose the flight you wish to book.
  6. Enter the traveler information, redeem your miles, and pay for any taxes and fees.

Earning United MileagePlus Miles

United miles are some of the most popular in the U.S. and Chase and United’s co-branded credit card offerings allow you to earn United miles directly.

However, perhaps a better way to earn United miles is through Chase credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards, which you can transfer at a 1:1 ratio to United.

Simply put, Chase Ultimate Rewards credit cards offer better bonus categories like dining and travel, which you can maximize and then transfer to United MileagePlus.

United is one of Chase’s airline transfer partners, which transfers instantaneously at a 1:1 ratio. Another transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers at a 3:1.1 ratio with a 5,500-mile bonus for every 60,000 points transferred.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

British Airways business class comes with great award availability but high taxes and fees. Image Credit: Greg Stone

One of the most valuable Oneworld frequent flyer programs is Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles. With decent award redemptions and clutch transfer partnerships, we’ll show you why you should never disregard Asia Miles.

Cathay Pacific is a Oneworld partner, which means your redemptions will be limited to Oneworld airlines for the most part, unless there’s a specific non-alliance partner airline that Asia Miles works with.

The main partner airlines that are relevant to the Middle East and North Africa are Qatar Airways, American Airlines, British Airways, Iberia, and Royal Jordanian.

Asia Miles passes on fuel surcharges, which isn’t pleasant, particularly for British Airways and American Airlines flights.

Still, if you’re looking to book Qatar Airways Qsuites and don’t have hundreds of thousands of American Airlines miles, Avios, or Marriott Bonvoy points sitting around, Asia Miles will be your best bet.

Best of all, Asia Miles provides access to up to 360 days of advance award availability, compared to 330 and 331 days from some other airlines offering award seats to MENA. In other words, utilizing Asia Miles gives you up to 1 extra month to look for award availability.

Since Asia Miles uses a distance-based award chart and doesn’t readily publish it, your best bet to figure out how much your trip will cost in miles is to visit the Asia Miles flight awards site and price it out from there.

It can cost anywhere from 61,000 to 90,000 miles in business class, depending on what flight you book. Here are a few example redemptions you can make:

  • Boston (BOS) – London-Heathrow (LHR) – Marrakesh (RAK) one-way in British Airways business class for 61,000 Asia Miles + ~$760 in taxes and fees
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Madrid (MAD) – Casablanca (CMN) round-trip in Iberia business class for 150,000 Asia Miles + ~$974 in taxes and fees (Asia Miles doesn’t permit one-way award bookings on Iberia)
  • New York (JFK) – Amman (AMM) one-way in Royal Jordanian business class for 75,000 Asia Miles + ~$212 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Amman (AMM) – Kuwait City (KWI) one-way in Royal Jordanian business class for 75,000 Asia Miles + ~$284 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Tel Aviv (TLV) one-way in American Airlines business class for 75,000 Asia Miles + ~$680 in taxes and fees
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Doha (DOH) – Jeddah (JED) one-way in Qatar Airways Qsuites for 90,000 Asia Miles + ~$513 in taxes and fees

To book Asia Miles awards, you’ll want to first search for award space on a partner airline’s website, such as American Airlines or British Airways.

  1. Visit American Airlines’s website.
  2. On the homepage, check off the box that says Redeem miles within the search box in the middle of the screen.
  3. Choose One way or Round trip.
  4. Enter your city pairs, number of passengers, and travel dates. Click Search.
  5. Find a flight itinerary with availability that you’d like to book. Write down the flight details.
  6. Visit Asia Miles’s flight redemption website.
  7. You’ll see a search box. Fill in the search box. Click Search.
  8. Enter the travel dates and number of passengers.
  9. Complete the booking, redeem your Asia Miles, and pay for taxes and fees.

Earning Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Earning Asia Miles is easy — this frequent flyer program has transfer partners in Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Brex, Capital One, and Citi all transfer to Asia Miles at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy transfers to Asia Miles at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus after transferring 60,000 points.

Amex is generally the fastest, with transfers processing within a few hours most of the time. Brex and Citi take around 1 business day, Capital Ones take around 36 hours, and Marriott Bonvoy takes the longest at 5 business days.

Air France-KLM Flying Blue

Air France business class is chic and luxurious. Image Credit: Air France

The very last loyalty program we’ll talk about is Air France/KLM Flying Blue.

As the sole SkyTeam program in this guide, we’ll be leaning on this program heavily to book business class awards to little-known cities and countries, particularly in Northern Africa.

Flying Blue generally follows a region-based award chart for partner flights, passes on all fuel surcharges, and has access to SkyTeam airline partners like Air France, KLM, Saudia, and more. For flights on Air France or KLM, you’ll notice a dynamic award pricing scheme.

You can price out an award ticket by scrolling down to the Miles Price Estimator, and filling out the calculator.

Here are a few example redemptions you can make:

  • Houston (IAH) – Amsterdam (AMS) – Bahrain (BAH) one-way in KLM business class for 95,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$418 in taxes and fees
  • Las Vegas (LAS) – Amsterdam (AMS) –  Cairo (CAI) one-way in KLM business class for 95,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$418 in taxes and fees
  • Los Angeles (LAX) – Amsterdam (AMS) – Dubai (DXB) one-way in KLM business class for 95,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$418 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Paris (CDG) – Agadir (AGA) one-way in Air France business class for 55,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$252 in taxes and fees
  • San Francisco (SFO) – Paris (CDG) – Tangier (TNG) one-way in Air France business class for 65,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$252 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Paris (CDG) – Oran (ORN) one-way in Air France business class for 56,500 Flying Blue miles + ~$252 in taxes and fees

Here are a few nonstop flight redemptions you can book aboard Saudia:

  • New York (JFK) – Jeddah (JED) one-way in Saudia business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$41 in taxes and fees
  • New York (JFK) – Riyadh (RUH) one-way in Saudia business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$41 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Jeddah (JED) one-way in Saudia business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$41 in taxes and fees
  • Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Riyadh (RUH) one-way in Saudia business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles + ~$41 in taxes and fees

Once you’re ready to book your Flying Blue ticket, follow these instructions:

  1. Visit Air France’s U.S. site.
  2. In the top-right corner, click Log in and enter your account credentials.
  3. You’ll be redirected back to the homepage. Click the Book with Miles button at the top left of the search box.
  4. Choose Round trip or One-way from the dropdown box.
  5. Enter your departure and arrival airports.
    • For certain minor cities like Agadir, you may need to call Flying Blue to book your award ticket at 800-375-8723.
  6. Choose your travel dates, number of passengers, and cabin class.
  7. Click Search flights.
  8. Find the flight option you like, redeem your miles, enter your traveler information, and book the ticket.

Earning Air France-KLM Flying Blue Miles

Flying Blue miles are among the easiest to accumulate.

This frequent flyer program is transfer partners with every major transferable currency, including Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Brex, Capital One, Chase, and Citi transfer almost instantly at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus after transferring 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.

Final Thoughts

Whew! There’s a lot to take away from this guide, but the biggest takeaway is that there’s no “one size fits all” frequent flyer program to help you fly to the Middle East or North Africa using points.

Ultimately, it’ll depend on which airline you prefer to fly, what route you’re taking, what type of flexible points you earn, and what level of luxury you’d prefer to take.

ANA Mileage Club has best-in-class business class tickets when booking round-trip, as long as you can avoid fuel surcharges.

We hope that you’ve found this complete guide useful in helping you plan your next trip to MENA!

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.

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 Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our favorite luxury airline to fly to Africa if cost and price aren’t prohibitive is Qatar Airways! It has tons of routes from the United States to its hub in Doha. From there you can make a simple hop all over the rest of the Middle East and North Africa.

Yes, there are plenty!

Currently, these carriers offer nonstop routes:

  • American
  • Delta
  • Egyptair
  • EL AL
  • Emirates
  • Etihad Airways
  • Kuwait Airways
  • Royal Air Maroc
  • Qatar Airways
  • Royal Jordanian Airlines
  • Saudia
  • United

You can either fly nonstop or book a connecting flight. Either way, you have tons of options.

You can fly nonstop on Emirates to Dubai, on Etihad to Abu Dhabi, on Qatar Airways to Doha, on Kuwait Airways to Kuwait City, on Saudia to Saudi Arabia, on Royal Jordanian Airlines to Amman, on EL AL to Tel Aviv, or on any of the Big 3 U.S. carriers to Tel Aviv. United also flies to Dubai and Amman.

You can also fly nonstop on Egyptair and Royal Air Maroc to Cairo and Casablanca, respectively.

And if you’re booking a connecting flight, you can fly on Air France, Lufthansa, SWISS, British Airways, and many more via their respective hubs.

A flight from the U.S. West Coast to the Middle East can be as long as 16.5 hours in length. A flight from the U.S. East Coast to the Middle East is usually around 12 to 14 hours long, depending on where you’re exactly you’re flying to.

The best ways to fly to the Middle East are aboard QSuites with Qatar Airways Avios or American Airlines AAdvantage miles, using Aeroplan points for Star Alliance, Turkish Airlines business class booked with ANA miles, Lufthansa first and business class booked with Avianca LifeMiles, Royal Air Maroc business class booked with Etihad Guest miles, British Airways business class booked with Asia Miles, or Air France-KLM business class booked with Flying Blue miles.

About Stephen Au

Stephen is an established voice in the credit card space, with over 70 to his name. His work has been in publications like The Washington Post, and his Au Points and Awards Consulting Services is used by hundreds of clients.

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2 comments

Angelo

April 10, 2022

Hey there,
I can’t seem to get Qatar Airways via AAdvantage website… the itinerary only sends me through London to Cairo, all on British Airways managed flights. Any tips on how I can try and use AA points/site for the Qatar flight, NYC to Cairo?

Stephen Au

April 13, 2022

Hi Angelo,

Not all dates will have Qatar Airways availability since it’s a much more “in-demand” business class. The best thing to do is be flexible and search for as many dates as you can. Thanks for reading!

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