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The Best Ways To Fly to Seychelles With Points and Miles

BY 

Michael McHugh

- UPDATED: October 22, 2021   |    2

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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!

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)

Air France via Paris (CDG)

EL AL via Tel Aviv (TLV)

Emirates via Dubai (DXB)

Ethiopian Airlines via Addis Ababa (ADD)

Etihad Airways via Abu Dhabi (AUH)

Kenya Airways via Nairobi (NBO)

Qatar Airways via Doha (DOH)

SWISS Air and Edelweiss Air via Zurich (ZRH)

Turkish Airlines via Istanbul (IST)

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

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:

1. Visit Emirates’ website.
2. Toggle the box on the homepage’s search box that says Classic rewards.
3. Enter your flight information, and click Search flights.
4. 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, and Citi, and 2:1 transfer partners with Capital One. 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

CREDIT CARD	CARD INFO
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	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 new benefits such as a $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3x points on dining and 2x points on all other travel purchases, 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. With Pay Yourself BackSM, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories. Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash’s subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21. Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more. Get up to $60 back on an eligible Peloton Digital or All-Access Membership through 12/31/2021, and get full access to their workout library through the Peloton app, including cardio, running, strength, yoga, and more. Take classes using a phone, tablet, or TV. No fitness equipment is required. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $95 UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $1,200 Must Reads: For more info on the Chase Sapphire Preferred, see our thoughts on its benefits and travel insurance coverage, which includes primary car rental insurance. Take a look at our full review to see why it’s one of our favorite cards.
Chase Sapphire Reserve® Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	Earn 50,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That’s $750 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. Through 12/31/21, gas station & grocery store purchases will also count towards earning your Travel Credit Earn 5x total points on air travel 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, 50,000 points are worth $750 toward travel Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✓® Excellent Credit Recommended (740-850) Annual Fee: $550 UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $1,000 Must Reads: For more on the Chase Sapphire Reserve, see our thoughts on its benefits, global airport lounge access, and travel insurance protection. Take a look here for our full review.
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $15,000 on purchases in the first 3 months. Bonus Valuation*: $2,000 Earn 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent in combined purchases on travel, shipping purchases, internet, cable and phone services, advertising purchases made with social media sites and search engines each account anniversary year Earn 1 point per $1 on all other purchases—with no limit to the amount you can earn 25% more value when redeeming points through Ultimate Rewards® travel Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $95 Must Reads: For more info on the Ink Business Preferred, see our guides on its benefits, 7 things to do as a new cardholder, and our full review. This is our favorite Chase business credit card.

ANA Mileage Club

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.

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:

1. Go to the United website.
2. Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and the number of passengers.
3. Confirm the same availability on the ANA website.
4. 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

CREDIT CARD	CARD INFO & BENEFITS
New 100k Welcome Offer The Platinum Card® from American Express Learn More (at Amex's secure site)	Earn 60,000 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on the Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, earn 10x points on eligible purchases on the Card at restaurants worldwide and when you Shop Small in the U.S., on up to $25,000 in combined purchases, during your first 6 months of Card Membership. 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 $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®. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 in statement credits each month when you pay for eligible purchases with the Platinum Card® at your choice of one or more of the following providers: Peacock, Audible, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline. $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 available to Basic Card Member only. $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $25 back each month on select Equinox memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required. $179 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $179 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $695 Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Platinum card, click here. UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $2,200
New Welcome Offer American Express® Gold Card Learn More (at Amex's secure site)	Rose Gold is back. You can now choose between Gold or Rose Gold. Earn 35,000 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $4,000 on eligible purchases with your new Card within the first 6 months. Earn 4X Membership Rewards® Points at Restaurants, including takeout and delivery, 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: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth's Chris Steak House, Boxed, and participating Shake Shack locations. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required. Get up to 12 complimentary months of an Uber Eats Pass subscription when you enroll with your Gold Card by 12/31/21. No Foreign Transaction Fees. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-840) Annual Fee: $250 Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Gold Card, click here. UP's Bonus Valuation*: $1,320
New Welcome Offer The Business Platinum Card® from American Express Learn More (at Amex's secure site)	Welcome Offer: Earn 85,000 120,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases with your Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Plus, 0% Intro APR for 12 months from the date of the account opening on purchases eligible for Pay Over Time. After that, your APR will be 14.24% to 22.24% based on your credit worthiness and other factors as determined at the time of account opening. Get 5X Membership Rewards® points on flights and prepaid hotels on amextravel.com. Earn 1.5X Membership Rewards® points on eligible purchases in key business categories, as well as on purchases of $5,000 or more everywhere else. Cap applies. Unlock over $1,000 in value per year for statement credits on select purchases with your Card, including up to $400 with Dell Technologies, up to $360 with Indeed, up to $150 with Adobe and up to $120 on wireless telephone purchases. Enrollment required. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year toward baggage fees and more at one qualifying airline. $179 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $179 back per year on your CLEAR® membership. Access to more than 1,300 airport lounges across 140 countries and counting with The American Express Global Lounge Collection®. More lounge options than any other credit card on the market as of 8/2020. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $595 ($695 if application is received on or after 01/13/2022) Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Platinum card, click here. UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $2,640
American Express® Business Gold Card Learn More (at Amex's secure site)	Welcome Offer: Earn 70,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases with the Business Gold Card within the first 3 months of Card Membership.* MORE REWARDS: Get 4x Membership Rewards® points on the 2 select categories where your business spent the most each month. 1x is earned for other purchases. ** **4X points apply to the first $150,000 in combined purchases from these 2 categories each calendar year.* AIRLINE BONUS: Get 25% points back after you use points for all or part of an eligible flight booked with Amex Travel, up to 250,000 points back per calendar year.* PAY OVER TIME OPTION: A flexible payment option with interest to help manage cash flow on purchases of $100 or more.* Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-840) Annual Fee: $295 *Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Amex Business Gold card, click here. UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $1,540

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

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):

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:

1. Go to United’s website.
2. On the homepage, check off the box that says Book with miles. Fill in the search details. Click Find flights.
3. Log into your United MileagePlus account.
4. 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

CREDIT CARD	BENEFITS & INFO
UnitedSM Explorer Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	Earn 40,000 bonus miles after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining, hotel stays, and United purchases Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® fee Credit 25% back on United inflight purchases Check your first bag for free (a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip) when you use your card to purchase your ticket Enjoy priority boarding privileges and visit the United ClubSM with 2 one-time passes each year for your anniversary Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on dining and select delivery services Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $0 intro for the first year, then $95.
UnitedSM Business Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months you account is open. Receive a 5,000-mile "better together" bonus each anniversary when you have both the UnitedSM Business Card and a personal United credit card. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United purchases, dining (including eligible delivery services), at gas stations, office supply stores, and on local transit and commuting. Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases. Plus, employee cards at no additional cost - miles earned from their purchases accrue in your account so you can earn rewards faster. Enjoy a free first checked bag - a savings of up to $140 per roundtrip (terms apply), 2 United ClubSM one-time passes per year, and priority boarding privileges. Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for one year with DashPass, DoorDash's membership service. Activate by 12/31/21. $100 United travel credit after 7 United flight purchases of $100 or more each anniversary year. Annual Fee: $0 introductory for the first year, then $99.
United ClubSM Infinite Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	Earn 75,000 bonus miles Earn 4 miles per $1 spent on United purchases including tickets, Economy Plus, inflight food, beverages and Wi-Fi, and other United charges. Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on all other travel and on dining at restaurants and eligible delivery services. Earn 1 mile per $1 on all over purchases. Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheckTM fee credit. 25% back as a statement credit on purchases of food, beverages, and Wi-Fi onboard United-operated flights when using your card. Excellent Credit Recommended (740-850) Annual Fee: $525
United GatewaySM Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	Earn up to 15,000 bonus miles Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United Airlines purchases, at gas stations and on local transit and commuting Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on United Airlines purchases Earn 2 miles per $1 spent at gas stations Earn 2 miles per $1 spent on local transit and commuting Earn 1 mile per $1 spent on all other purchases Earn 3x on grocery store purchases up to $15k for the first year account is open. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $0
United QuestSM Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	Earn 80,000 bonus miles after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open Earn 3x miles on United® purchases, 2x miles on dining, select streaming services & all other travel, 1x on all other purchases Earn 3x miles on United purchases Earn 2x miles on dining and select streaming services Earn 2x miles on all other travel Earn 1x mile on all other purchases Each year, receive a $125 credit on United® purchases and two 5K-mile anniversary award flight credits. Terms apply. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $250

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):

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:

1. Go to the Aeroplan homepage.
2. Enter your travel dates, origin and destination airports, number of travelers, and desired class of booking.
3. 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.

Aeroplan will be launching co-branded credit cards for U.S. residents in 2021, but in the meantime, we recommend that you focus on earning transferable points instead.

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 and Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One miles transfer instantly at a 2:1.5 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)

Credit Card	Benefits & Info
Capital One Venture Rewards Card Learn More (at our partner's secure site)	Earn 60,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. Earn unlimited 2X 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 Receive up to $100 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck No Foreign Transaction Fees Excellent Credit Recommended (740-850) Annual Fee: $95 Must Reads: For more info on the CapOne Venture card, see our thoughts on its benefits and our full review.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card Learn More (at our partner's secure site)	Earn 20,000 mile sign up bonus (worth $200) once you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. 0% Intro APR on purchases for 12 months; 14.99% - 24.99% variable APR after that Earn 1.25X Miles on every purchase Annual Fee: $0 Must Reads: For more info on the VentureOne Card, see our thoughts on its benefits and our full review.

American Airlines AAdvantage

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.

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:

1. Head to the American Airlines website.
2. Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and the number of passengers.
3. 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

CREDIT CARD	CARD INFO
Limited Time Offer Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	For a Limited Time Only! Earn 60,000 Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. Earn up to 14x total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Card. Earn 2x Bonvoy 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. Earn unlimited Marriott Bonvoy points and get Free Night Stays faster. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $0
Limited Time Offer Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card Learn More (at Chase's secure site)	For a Limited Time Only! Earn 125,000 Bonus Points and 1 Free Night Award (value up to 50,000 points) after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 1 Free Night Award (valued up to 35,000 points) every year after account anniversary. Earn up to 17x total Bonvoy points per $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy® with the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Card. Earn 2X Bonvoy points for every $1 spent on all other purchases. Automatic Silver Elite Status each account anniversary year. Path to Gold Status when you spend $35,000 on purchases each account year. 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year. No foreign transaction fees. Earn unlimited Marriott Bonvoy points and get Free Night Stays faster. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $95
​​ Limited Time Offer Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card Learn More (at Amex's secure site)	Limited Time Offer: Earn 150,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points and a bonus Free Night Award after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months of Card Membership. Resort fees may apply. Terms apply. Offer expires 11/3/2021. Enjoy up to $300 in statement credits each year of Card Membership for eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Earn 6 Marriott Bonvoy points for each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. 3 points at U.S. restaurants and on flights booked directly with airlines. 2 points on all other eligible purchases. Receive 1 free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Award can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points) at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Certain hotels have resort fees. Enjoy unlimited airport lounge visits when you enroll in Priority Pass™ Select membership. No Foreign Transaction Fees. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-840) Annual Fee: $450 Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant card, click here. UP's Bonus Valuation*: $1,400
​​ Limited Time Offer Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card Learn More (at Amex's secure site)	Limited Time Offer: Earn 125,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus points & 2 bonus Free Night Awards after you use your new Card to make $5,000 in eligible purchases within the first 3 months. Each bonus Free Night Award has a redemption level up to 50K points. Certain hotels have resort fees. Offer ends 11/3/2021. Earn 6x points at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Earn 4x points at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. gas stations, on wireless telephone services purchased directly from U.S. service providers and on U.S. purchases for shipping. 2x points on all other eligible purchases. Receive 1 Free Night Award every year after your Card account anniversary. Plus, earn an additional Free Night Award after you spend $60K in purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Awards can be used for one night (redemption level at or under 35,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy™ program. Certain hotels have resort fees. Enjoy complimentary Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status with your Card. Plus, earn Gold Elite status after making $35,000 in eligible purchases on your Card in a calendar year. Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-840) Annual fee: $125 Terms Apply. For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business Card, click here. UP’s Bonus Valuation*: $875

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

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.

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:

1. Head to the British Airways website.
2. Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and the number of passengers.
3. Select the flight that you want.
4. Call Asia Miles at 866-892-2598 to confirm award availability.
5. 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 2:1.5 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

CREDIT CARD	CARD INFO
Citi Premier® Card Learn More (at our partner's secure site)	Earn 80,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. Earn 3 Points per $1 spent at Restaurants, Supermarkets, Gas Stations, Air Travel and Hotels. Earn 1 Point per $1 spent on all other purchases. Annual Hotel Savings Benefit 80,000 Points are redeemable for $800 in gift cards when redeemed 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 Good to Excellent Credit Recommended (670-850) Annual Fee: $95 UP's Bonus Valuation*: $1,280
Citi Rewards+® Card Learn More (at our partner's secure site)	For a limited time, 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 0% Intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months from date of first transfer and on purchases from date of account opening. After that, 13.49% - 23.49% variable APR. Balance transfer fee will apply. 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 standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.49% - 23.49% variable. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi's discretion. Annual Fee: $0

Air France/KLM Flying Blue

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:

1. Visit Air France’s U.S. site.
2. In the top-right corner, click Log in and enter your login credentials.
3. Once you’re back on the homepage, click the Book with Miles button on the top-left of the flight search bar.
4. Choose Round trip or One-way.
5. Enter your flight information.
6. Click Search flights.
7. 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, and Citi all transfer almost instantly at a 1:1 ratio, while Capital One transfers almost instantly at a 2:1.5 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 and Capital One VentureOne Rewards 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 Business Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Business Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Business™ American Express® Card, click here.