Which Oneworld airline program offers the cheapest economy and business class to the Seychelles?

If you’re looking to fly business class, American Airlines, Asia Miles, and Japan Airlines will offer the cheapest options. Iberia Avios is the cheapest award program to use to book economy flights.

Which Star Alliance airline program offers the cheapest economy and business class to the Seychelles?

ANA is the best award program to check out to book both economy and business class flights to Seychelles. However, ANA passes on fuel surcharges on all bookings, so avoid Lufthansa, SWISS Air, and other airlines that charge massive surcharges. Alternatively, you can redeem Aeroplan points or Avianca LifeMiles to get around the issue of fuel surcharges entirely.

Which SkyTeam airline program offers the cheapest economy and business class to the Seychelles?

Air France/KLM Flying Blue is the primary SkyTeam partner that you can use to book SkyTeam partner flights to Seychelles. Even though Korean Air offers better mileage pricing, it’s incredibly difficult to earn Korean Air miles. Delta SkyMiles is also an option, but its prices are almost always going to be higher than Flying Blue.

Which non-alliance airline program offers the cheapest economy and business class to the Seychelles?

Our only non-alliance frequent flyer program to make this list is Emirates, simply because it offers incredible first class opportunities. With that said, Emirates Skywards is definitely not the cheapest option — it’s best for those who want a first class experience from beginning to end and are willing to redeem more points.

The Best Ways To Fly to the Seychelles With Points [2023]

Seychelles is an African destination that ranks high on the exotic beach scale. Similar to Bora Bora and the Maldives, Seychelles is a remote place offering secluded beaches and incredible views.

Located in the Indian Ocean off of the coast of East Africa, Seychelles is known for its beaches, reefs, and rainforests. Its main airport is located in Mahé (SEZ), which is where all international flights fly into.

In this guide, we’ll show you how best to use your points and miles to fly from the U.S. to Seychelles!

Table of contents

Best Programs To Use To Book Flights
Final Thoughts

Table of Contents

Best Programs To Use To Book Flights
Final Thoughts

Best Programs To Use To Book Flights

Seychelles does not have any nonstop flights to or from the U.S., which is one of the main reasons why American travelers may look elsewhere for their beach fix.

But if you’re planning a honeymoon, crave exotic beach spots, or just want to get away from hordes of tourists, this is one of the best spots to do so.

As is the case when booking most long-haul flights, it’s best to search for award availability far in advance to increase your chances of booking the flights that you want.

What you may have not realized is that Seychelles is serviced by all of the major airline alliances in Oneworld, Star Alliance, and SkyTeam, as well as non-alliance airline partners like Emirates.

As we dive into the article, keep in mind that all award pricing shown is one-way unless otherwise specified (ANA only allows round-trips).

Here are all of the major airlines that operate 1-stop flights from the U.S. to Mahé (SEZ):

Aeroflot via Moscow (SVO)

Los Angeles (LAX) – Moscow (SVO) – Seychelles (SEZ)
Miami (MIA) – Moscow (SVO) – Seychelles (SEZ)
New York (JFK) – Moscow (SVO) – Seychelles (SEZ)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Moscow (SVO) – Seychelles (SEZ)

Air France via Paris (CDG)

Atlanta (ATL) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Boston (BOS) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Chicago (ORD) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Dallas (DFW) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Denver (DEN) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Detroit (DTW) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Houston (IAH) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Miami (MIA) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Minneapolis (MSP) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
New York (JFK) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Newark (EWR) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Philadelphia (PHL) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
San Francisco (SFO) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Seattle (SEA) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ)

EL AL via Tel Aviv (TLV)

Los Angeles (LAX) – Tel Aviv (TLV) – Mahé (SEZ)
Miami (MIA) – Tel Aviv (TLV) – Mahé (SEZ)
New York (JFK) – Tel Aviv (TLV) – Mahé (SEZ)

Emirates via Dubai (DXB)

Boston (BOS) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Chicago (ORD) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Dallas (DFW) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Houston (IAH) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Miami (MIA) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
New York (JFK) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Newark (EWR) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Orlando (MCO) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
San Francisco (SFO) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Seattle (SEA) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ)

Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa (ADD)

Chicago (ORD) – Addis Ababa (ADD) – Mahé (SEZ)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Addis Ababa (ADD) – Mahé (SEZ)

Etihad Airways via Abu Dhabi (AUH)

Chicago (ORD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ)
New York (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ)

Kenya Airways via Nairobi (NBO)

New York (JFK) – Nairobi (NBO) – Mahé (SEZ)

Qatar Airways via Doha (DOH)

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

SWISS Air and Edelweiss Air via Zurich (ZRH)

Boston (BOS) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ)
Chicago (ORD) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ)
Miami (MIA) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ)
New York (JFK) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ)
Newark (EWR) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ)
San Francisco (SFO) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ)

Turkish Airlines via Istanbul (IST)

Atlanta (ATL) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
Boston (BOS) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
Chicago (ORD) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
Dallas (DFW) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
Houston (IAH) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
Los Angeles (LAX) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
Miami (MIA) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
New York (JFK) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
Newark (EWR) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
San Francisco (SFO) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ)

There are plenty of routes you can fly to Seychelles, and even more frequent flyer programs you can use. So to avoid completely overwhelming yourself, stick to the frequent flyer programs outlined in the next sections to get the best prices and experiences.

Emirates Skywards

Emirates Inaugural World's Shortest A380 First Class Window Suite Cherag Dubash — Travel like absolute royalty when you book Emirates first class to Seychelles. Image Credit: Cherag Dubash

Our top method to fly to Seychelles with points and miles is, undoubtedly, the most glamorous option available.

Emirates first class is world-famous for its opulence, including showers aboard its A380 aircraft, seemingly unlimited food, a phenomenal wine selection, fantastic service, and so much more.

In the case of Seychelles, Emirates first class is literally the only airline that operates first class itineraries the whole way from the U.S. to Seychelles (via Dubai).

So if you find yourself sitting on a ton of points, want the best luxury experience, and have an appreciation for 100% first class tickets, this will be the best option.

When you book first class award tickets using Emirates miles, you can add a complimentary stopover in Dubai for no additional cost, thanks to the Flex Plus fare type you’re booking.

You’ll spend around $300 in taxes and fees one-way, a relative steal compared to the $10,000+ in cash prices. Here are some phenomenal routes you can book using points:

Houston (IAH) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Emirates first class for 168,750 Skywards miles + ~$320 in taxes and fees
Los Angeles (LAX) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Emirates first class for 168,750 Skywards miles + ~$320 in taxes and fees
New York (JFK) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Emirates first class for 160,000 Skywards miles + ~$320 in taxes and fees
San Francisco (SFO) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Emirates first class for 168,750 Skywards miles + ~$320 in taxes and fees
Seattle (SEA) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Emirates first class for 168,750 Skywards miles + ~$320 in taxes and fees
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Dubai (DXB) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Emirates first class for 160,000 Skywards miles + ~$320 in taxes and fees

Follow these directions to book your Emirates first class flight online:

Visit Emirates’ website.
Toggle the box on the homepage’s search box that says Classic rewards.
Enter your flight information, and click Search flights.
After finding an available flight, redeem your Skywards miles and a credit card to pay for taxes and fees.

Earning Emirates Skywards Miles

Emirates has a long list of transfer partnerships: Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, and Marriott Bonvoy.

As you can tell, it’s easier than ever to earn Emirates miles.

Emirates is 1:1 transfer partners with Chase, Amex, Brex, Capital One, and Citi. All of these partners process transfers instantly.

Marriott Bonvoy is 3:1 transfer partners with Emirates, and transfers take 3 business days. Plus, if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Emirates, you’ll get a bonus of 5,000 miles.

Recommended Chase Cards

ANA Mileage Club

Turkish Airlines Boeing 787 9 Business Class Middle Aisle Seats — Use ANA miles to fly Turkish business class. Image Credit: Greg Stone

A Star Alliance airline program to keep your eye on is the ANA Mileage Club program. This program is known for having a competitive award chart when booking its own and partner airline flights.

Cabin Class	ANA Miles Cost (Round-Trip)	Taxes & Fees
Economy	65,000	~$73
Business	104,000	~$73

The main drawbacks with ANA are that partner award flights must be booked round-trip and its search engine isn’t the easiest to navigate.

ANA considers the Seychelles part of its Africa and the Middle East region, joining the likes of South Africa, Mauritius, Jordan, and Lebanon, among others.

When you’ve built up enough points and miles to book a flight, here are a couple of options to consider:

Chicago (ORD) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ) for 104,000 ANA miles in Turkish Airlines business class
Denver (DEN) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ) for 104,000 ANA miles in Turkish Airlines business class
Los Angeles (LAX) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ) for 104,000 ANA miles in Turkish Airlines business class
Miami (MIA) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ) for 104,000 ANA miles in Turkish Airlines business class
San Francisco (SFO) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ) for 104,000 ANA miles in Turkish Airlines business class
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ) for 64,000 ANA miles in Turkish Airlines economy class

With the ANA miles in your account, it’s helpful to follow these steps when you going through the booking process:

Go to the United website.
Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and the number of passengers.
Confirm the same availability on the ANA website.
Book the flight, and pay the taxes and fees with a credit card.

Earning ANA Miles

ANA doesn’t offer a co-branded credit card, so the best way to earn ANA miles is to transfer them from Amex Membership Rewards or Marriott Bonvoy.

When you have enough points to book one of these award flights, transferring from Amex to ANA takes 2 to 3 days at a 1:1 ratio and the Marriott to ANA point transfer takes 4 days at a 3:1 ratio (you’ll get a 5,000-mile bonus when you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points).

If you’re looking for recommendations on American Express credit cards, here are the ones we recommend:

Recommended Amex Cards

Bottom Line: ANA has the most competitive award pricing; however, Aeroplan and United allow you to book one-way Star Alliance award flights while ANA is less flexible with its round-trip requirement.

United MileagePlus

Fly SWISS Air and Edelweiss Air business class to Seychelles with United miles. Image Credit: Edelweiss Air

One of the least-known secrets of the United MileagePlus program is the ability to book Edelweiss Air and SWISS Air award flights on the same itinerary.

Admittedly, this is a bit niche, but if you love SWISS Air and want to fly to Seychelles, one of the only ways to book a single itinerary is with United miles; Aeroplan and Avianca don’t partner with Edelweiss!

Here’s how much it will cost (relatively similar to the 78,000 LifeMiles charged by Avianca in business class):

Cabin Class	United Miles Cost (One-Way)	Taxes & Fees
Economy	From 44,000	~$21
Business	From 80,500	~$21

If you’re wanting to use your United miles, below are a couple of example flights that you can book:

Chicago (ORD) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ) for 80,500 United miles in SWISS Air and Edelweiss business class
Los Angeles (LAX) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ) for 44,000 United miles in SWISS Air and Edelweiss economy class
San Francisco (SFO) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ) for 80,500 United miles in SWISS Air and Edelweiss business class
Tampa (TPA) – Zurich (ZRH) – Mahé (SEZ) for 80,500 United miles in Edelweiss business class

When the time comes to book your next flight with United, use the steps below:

Go to United’s website.
On the homepage, check off the box that says Book with miles. Fill in the search details. Click Find flights.
Log into your United MileagePlus account.
Select your flights and reserve them by paying with United miles and any taxes with your credit card.

Hot Tip: If you’re wanting to book a SWISS Air business class flight and are struggling with connecting your itinerary to Seychelles, use the United MileagePlus program to be able to fly on Edelweiss Air onwards from Zurich to Seychelles!

Earning United MileagePlus Miles

United has partnerships with Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy. The points that you earn in each of these programs can be transferred directly to United MileagePlus to book an award flight.

Points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio for Chase. It’ll take around 3 business days for your Marriott Bonvoy points to transfer at a 3:1 ratio; and if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ll receive a 5,500-mile bonus.

You’ll want to consider the United co-branded credit cards below if you’re looking to earn United miles directly:

Recommended United Cards

One additional way to earn more United miles is to buy them when a bonus is offered (up to 100%).

Air Canada Aeroplan

The Air Canada Aeroplan program is best known for the ability to maximize open-jaws and stopovers and should be on the radar for those looking to fly Star Alliance partner airline flights.

Also, Aeroplan has a handy partnership with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways that could be instrumental in helping you plan a vacation to Seychelles. That’s because Etihad Airways has a solid business class product, and you can even book Etihad Airways first class from select U.S. cities using Aeroplan points!

Currently, Air Canada Aeroplan uses a distance-based award chart for flights between the U.S. and the Atlantic region (which includes Seychelles):

	Aeroplan Points Cost
Distance (Miles)	Economy	Business	First	Taxes & Fees
0 to 4,000	35,000	60,000	90,000	~$41
4,001 to 6,000	40,000	70,000	100,000
6,001 to 8,000	55,000	85,000	120,000
8,001+	70,000	100,000	130,000

If you’re ready to book a flight, below are a couple of example flights that can be booked with Aeroplan points:

Atlanta (ATL) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ) for 70,000 Aeroplan points one-way in Turkish Airlines economy class (add 5,000 points for a stopover in Istanbul)
Chicago (ORD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ) for 100,000 Aeroplan points one-way in Etihad Airways business class (add 5,000 points for a stopover in Abu Dhabi)
Chicago (ORD) – Addis Ababa (ADD) – Mahé (SEZ) for 70,000 Aeroplan points one-way in Ethiopian Airlines economy class (add 5,000 points for a stopover in Addis Ababa)
Houston (IAH) – Istanbul (IST) – Mahé (SEZ) for 100,000 Aeroplan points one-way in Turkish Airlines business class (add 5,000 points for a stopover in Istanbul)
New York (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ) for 130,000 Aeroplan points one-way in Etihad Airways first class and business class (add 5,000 points for a stopover in Abu Dhabi)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ) for 130,000 Aeroplan points one-way in Etihad Airways first class and business class (add 5,000 points for a stopover in Abu Dhabi)
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Addis Ababa (ADD) – Mahé (SEZ) for 100,000 Aeroplan points one-way in Ethiopian Airlines business class (add 5,000 points for a stopover in Addis Ababa)

With Aeroplan points, you’ll want to focus your efforts on booking Ethiopian through Addis Ababa (ADD), Turkish Airlines through Istanbul (IST), or Etihad Airways through Abu Dhabi (AUH).

When you have enough Aeroplan points in your account, the steps below will help you to book your next award flight:

Go to the Aeroplan homepage.
Enter your travel dates, origin and destination airports, number of travelers, and desired class of booking.
Book the flight on the website and pay the taxes and fees with a credit card.

Earning Aeroplan Points

It’s easy to earn Aeroplan points because the airline partners with Chase, American Express, Capital One, and Marriott Bonvoy.

You can also opt to acquire the co-branded Chase Aeroplan® Credit Card, which earns 3x points per dollar spent on dining, groceries, and Air Canada, as well as 1x point per $1 spent everywhere else.

For those of you looking to transfer points from Amex, Chase, Capital One, and/or Marriott Bonvoy to Aeroplan, keep these transfer ratios and transfer times in mind: Amex, Capital One, and Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio and Marriott Bonvoy point transfers take 5 days at a 3:1 ratio.

To earn more Capital One miles, here are some of the personal cards that we recommend:

Recommended Capital One Cards (Personal)

American Airlines AAdvantage

Qatar Airways Boeing 777 Qsuite Business Class Cabin — Qatar Airways Qsuites are a sight to see. Image Credit: Greg Stone

The first Oneworld member on our list is American Airlines. The AAdvantage program has been gutted over the years of many of its sweet spots, however, you may be able to find value when booking its partner airline flights (such as Qatar Airways and Etihad Airways) to the Middle East.

Cabin Class	American Airlines Miles Cost (One-Way)	Taxes & Fees
Economy	40,000	~$16-$67
Business	75,000	~$16-$67

For flights to Seychelles, American Airlines considers Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mauritius, Morocco, Seychelles, South Africa, and Tanzania among those in its Africa region.

Here are a couple of flight options to consider if you have the necessary American Airlines miles to book a flight:

Atlanta (ATL) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 75,000 American Airlines miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
Boston (BOS) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 40,000 American Airlines miles in Qatar Airways economy class
Chicago (ORD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 40,000 American miles in Etihad Airways economy class
New York (JFK) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 75,000 American Airlines miles in Etihad Airways business class
Philadelphia (PHL) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 75,000 American Airlines miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
Seattle (SEA) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 75,000 American Airlines miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 75,000 American miles in Etihad Airways business class

You’ll want to follow the steps below to a flight with American miles:

Head to the American Airlines website.
Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and the number of passengers.
Book the flight and pay the taxes and fees with a credit card.

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

It’s easy to earn American Airlines miles due to the number of co-branded American Airlines credit cards that are available and its partnership with Marriott Bonvoy.

The easiest way to earn miles is by putting your spending on an American Airlines credit card. A second way to earn American miles is to earn Marriott Bonvoy points, and then transfer those points to American Airlines.

For those looking to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to American Airlines, the point transfer takes 2 days at a 3:1 ratio.

Recommended Marriott Bonvoy Cards

Bottom Line: Delta and United have now moved their award programs to dynamic award pricing. Both American Airlines and Alaska Airlines have kept award charts, however, based on some award pricing we’re seeing on the American Airlines website, dynamic award pricing seems eminent.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

QSuites, 777, Alex Miller of Upgraded Points — Use Cathay Pacific miles to fly Qatar business class. Image Credit: Alex Miller

Our second Oneworld program to use to book flights to Seychelles is Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, known for its ability to book Qatar Airways Qsuites flights at reasonable mileage prices.

However, keep in mind that you’ll be responsible for hefty fuel surcharges of $450 to $550 each way.

Cabin Class	Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Cost (One-Way)	Taxes & Fees
Economy	47,000	~$450 to $550
Business	90,000	~$450 to $550

The Cathay Pacific Asia Miles program doesn’t have an award chart when you’re flying 1 Oneworld airline partner. To figure out the number of miles needed for award flights to Seychelles, you’ll need to use the flight awards calculator.

Here are some great example redemptions you can make:

Atlanta (ATL) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 90,000 Asia Miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
Dallas (DFW) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 90,000 Asia Miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
Houston (IAH) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 90,000 Asia Miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
Los Angeles (LAX) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 90,000 Asia Miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
Miami (MIA) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 90,000 Asia Miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
New York (JFK) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 94,000 Asia Miles miles in Qatar Airways economy class
San Francisco (SFO) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 90,000 Asia Miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites
Seattle (SEA) – Doha (DOH) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way for 90,000 Asia Miles in Qatar Airways Qsuites

For those who want to book a flight with Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, use the steps below to your next award flight:

Head to the British Airways website.
Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and the number of passengers.
Select the flight that you want.
Call Asia Miles at 866-892-2598 to confirm award availability.
Book the flight and pay the taxes and fees with your credit card.

Earning Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Asia Miles partners with American Express, Capital One, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, making it easy to earn Asia Miles.

For each of these programs, keep the transfer ratios and transfer times in mind: American Express point transfers take 1 to 4 days at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One mile transfers take 36 hours at 1:1 ratio, Citi point transfers take 24 hours at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott Bonvoy point transfers take 5 days at a 3:1 ratio.

Cathay Pacific also offers a co-branded credit card from Synchrony Bank for another way to earn Asia Miles. When you spend money on this credit card, you will earn miles directly with your spending.

Recommended Citi Cards

Air France/KLM Flying Blue

Air France business class. Image Credit: Air France

The very last frequent flyer program is Air France/KLM Flying Blue, which is essentially the only program you should use to book SkyTeam flights.

In almost all cases, Flying Blue has better award pricing than Delta SkyMiles — plus, it has more transfer partners than Delta, so it’s almost all upside.

The most relevant airlines to examine for flights between the U.S. and Seychelles are Air France via Paris (CDG), Kenya Airways via Nairobi (NBO), and Aeroflot via Moscow (SVO).

Although Flying Blue doesn’t publish an award chart, you can click here to access an award flight calculator.

Here are some of our favorite redemptions you can make:

Boston (BOS) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles
Chicago (ORD) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles
Dallas (DFW) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles
Denver (DEN) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles
Houston (IAH) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles
Los Angeles (LAX) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles
Miami (MIA) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 85,000 Flying Blue miles
New York (JFK) – Nairobi (NBO) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Kenya Airways business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles
San Francisco (SFO) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles
Seattle (SEA) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 115,000 Flying Blue miles
Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Paris (CDG) – Mahé (SEZ) one-way in Air France business class for 91,000 Flying Blue miles

Follow these instructions to book a SkyTeam ticket using Flying Blue miles:

Visit Air France’s U.S. site.
In the top-right corner, click Log in and enter your login credentials.
Once you’re back on the homepage, click the Book with Miles button on the top-left of the flight search bar.
Choose Round trip or One-way.
Enter your flight information.
Click Search flights.
Find your preferred flight itinerary and redeem your Flying Blue miles and use a credit card for any taxes and fees.

Earning Air France/KLM Flying Blue Miles

Earning Flying Blue miles is easier than ever, thanks to transfer partnerships with Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One Miles, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

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

Marriott transfers in around 3 business days at a 3:1 ratio with a bonus of 5,000 miles if you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to Flying Blue.

Final Thoughts

Seychelles is an exotic place that you’ll hear and see on many travelers’ lists. It’s not the easiest to get to from the U.S., but once you’re there, you’ll experience some of the best beaches on the planet.

What’s important to know is how best to get there. With this article, you have all of the award programs at your fingertips and an outline of how to earn points and miles to get you to Seychelles.

The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards card, Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, and Capital One Venture X Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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3 comments

Wes July 2, 2021
Great article. However there appears to be a disconnect between the number of ANA miles needed as displayed in the table (104k miles for biz) vs the written example (150k). Similar issue with economy.
- Jarrod West July 8, 2021
  Hi Wes,
  Thank you for pointing that out. I’ve just corrected that mention in the post!
Bryan July 23, 2022
AA’s will find an itinerary for cash but gives an error when trying to book with miles.