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![The Best Ways To Fly to Vietnam With Points and Miles [Step-by-Step]](https://upgradedpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Hanoi.jpg?auto=webp&disable=upscale&width=1420&height=650&fit=crop)
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Vietnam is the fastest-growing country for tourism, full stop. With an annual tourism growth rate exceeding 20% to 30%, one might wonder why exactly Vietnam is poised to become one of the world’s economic powers after being ravaged by war in the mid- to late-20th century.
Simply put, Vietnam is more attractive than ever from a foreign investment perspective. The country also has a relatively stable government and strong geographic centrality to the rest of Asia.
All of these factors contribute to the growth of tourism in Vietnam. While nonstop routes to the U.S. are not currently available, they may soon become a reality since Vietnam has received the FAA certification to do so. With all being said, visiting this Southeast Asian country is a must-do for all travelers.
Flying deep into Southeast Asia can be challenging, especially with all the route possibilities of connecting flights such as on Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and more. In this guide, we’ll be working to demystify the process for booking flights to Vietnam with points.
Let’s take a look at some of the best ways to fly to Vietnam using your hard-earned points and miles.
With such a vast network of connecting flights to Vietnam, it can be easy to get overwhelmed quickly. When flying to Vietnam, you will typically fly to 1 of 3 airport hubs:
Award bookings consist of 2 parts:
While flights to Europe typically command $500 to $1,000+ in fuel surcharges on top of the miles/points you pay, fuel surcharges above $300 per person round-trip to Asia are incredibly rare. In other words, seeing large taxes and fees above a couple of hundred dollars per person is more the exception than the norm.
This is good news because it’ll minimize your out-of-pocket costs when thinking about which flights to book. In any case, let’s take a look at the best programs to consider when booking flights to Vietnam.
Without a doubt, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is one of the most attractive frequent flyer programs in the world. Alaska miles are worth around 1.8 cents per point, making them the most valuable airline miles according to our valuations.
The rich partnerships and best-in-class award redemption rates are why there are so many great ways to redeem Alaska miles for maximum value. Alaska Airlines is part of the Oneworld alliance, which includes airlines like Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines, and also has non-alliance partnerships with some of the best airlines in the world like Emirates and Singapore Airlines.
In addition to this, it has generous low fuel surcharges, often less than $100 round-trip. Lastly, Alaska Airlines has an awesome stopover allowance on one-way flights, which is the icing on the cake.
These are the major reasons why Alaska Airlines has managed to preserve its mileage value in the face of competitors devaluing its currency. The most helpful airlines for flights to Vietnam are:
The following table illustrates the one-way award costs to/from the U.S. and Southeast Asia, which includes Vietnam:
| Cabin Class | Alaska Miles Cost for Cathay Pacific | Alaska Miles Cost for Japan Airlines | Alaska Miles Cost for Korean Air* |
| Economy | 30,000 | From 35,000 | 85,000 |
| Premium Economy | 35,000 | N/A | N/A |
| Business | 50,000 | From 60,000 | 120,000 |
| First | 70,000 | From 70,000 | N/A |
* Korean Air redemptions are only available round-trip
As you can see, Cathay Pacific has the best mileage prices. Pair this with the quality of the Hong Kong-based airline and flying on Cathay Pacific is essentially a no-brainer.
Also, Hong Kong is a short, 2-hour hop away from Vietnam, so it’s as close to a nonstop flight as you can get without actually having a nonstop flight. In particular, the Cathay Pacific first class and business class prices are insanely good, especially when you take into consideration that you can book a stopover in Hong Kong for free.
Cathay Pacific is cutting back on first class in Asia; luckily for travelers originating in the U.S., you can book the majority of your itinerary in long-haul first class (14 to 16 hours). Be sure to refer to our guide on Cathay Pacific’s direct routes from the U.S. when planning your trip.
Here are some great example routes you can take:
Hot Tip: Alaska Airlines doesn’t currently allow online bookings for Cathay Pacific, so you’ll want to call them to book Cathay Pacific first class and business class.
If flying on Japan Airlines or having a stopover in Tokyo is more desirable to you, you can make that happen with Alaska miles. Once you’ve taken a look at Japan Airlines’ direct routes from the U.S., you’ll probably want to book. Check out some great example routes you can take:
Hot Tip: Japan Airlines’ first class and business class are industry-leading, so heavily consider these when thinking about how you’re going to get to Vietnam.
You can book your Japan Airlines flights completely online when using Alaska miles, so check out our step-by-step guides on the best ways to book Japan Airlines’ first class and business class for more information.
Although the award availability on Korean Air is limited and you’re required to book round-trip flights, some travelers may understandably be interested in either trying Korean Air business class (you can’t book Korean Air first class using Alaska miles) or stopping in Korea to visit the land of K-pop.
Korean Air’s nonstop U.S. routes are plentiful, so you have plenty of American airports to depart from. Remember that you must always connect in Seoul (ICN).
Let’s talk about some great example routes to Vietnam via Seoul:
Here’s how you can book Korean Air business class using Alaska miles:
While not as easy to earn as some other miles, you can still earn Alaska miles easily. The first option to explore is the co-branded Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® Credit Card. There is also a business equivalent, and both credit cards routinely offer big welcome bonuses.
The second, and perhaps the easiest way to earn Alaska Airlines miles is to transfer from Marriott Bonvoy, Alaska’s only transfer partner. The transfer ratio is 3:1, and you’ll receive a transfer bonus of 5,000 Alaska miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred. Transfers to Alaska Airlines take around 4 business days to complete.
The maximum you can transfer in a single day from Marriott Bonvoy is 240,000 points, which would equate to 100,000 Alaska miles. There are loads of ways to earn lots of Marriott Bonvoy points, so don’t sleep on this method to accrue Alaska miles!
Hot Tip: Thinking of other ways to spend Marriott Bonvoy points? Check out our best ways to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for flights, as well as for hotel stays, too.
The last major option to earn Alaska miles is to buy them. Alaska Airlines frequently offers sales with a 30% to 50% bonus on purchased miles, which can make business class and first class flights ridiculously cheap.
A great option for Marriott hotel fans who want a no annual fee card and automatic Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Casual travelers who like to frequent properties that are part of the Marriott Bonvoy collection of brands may want to consider the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card.
The Marriott Bold card rewards cardholders for Marriott stays and gives them a boost towards Marriott Bonvoy elite status.
Marriott loyalists will love this card's annual free night award, automatic elite status, and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays.
If you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist, there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year, automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status), and multiple options for redeeming points.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Marriott Bonvoy Bevy card gives you automatic Marriott elite status and helps you earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on your everyday purchases.
The Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, the latest mid-tier offering in the Marriott Bonvoy lineup of cards, offers cardholders automatic elite status and ways to earn more Marriott Bonvoy points on each of their stays and daily purchases.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesA premium card for Marriott fans who want perks like an annual statement credit and Free Night Award, plus a fast track to Marriott elite status.
The Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card is a premium card designed with road warriors and Marriott Bonvoy loyalists in mind.
So is the card a worthwhile addition to your wallet?
Bottom Line: Overall, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan’s partnerships with Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines, and Korean Air make it an extraordinarily useful loyalty program to utilize on flights to Vietnam. Additionally, the award redemption prices, particularly on Cathay Pacific, represent a too-good-to-pass-up deal, especially when taking advantage of its stopover policy and low taxes/fees.
Our next pick for the best booking programs is All Nippon Airways Mileage Club, or ANA Mileage Club for short. ANA offers spectacular value consistently, and this instance is no exception. However, ANA is subject to a few more rules that make it slightly more complicated than other booking programs.
These are:
ANA is in the Star Alliance, which includes airlines like United Airlines. You can also fly on one of its extremely useful non-Alliance partners, Vietnam Airlines.
Here are the most useful airlines that we’ll be exploring using ANA miles:
Flying on ANA is the cheapest, especially when doing so during low season. However, the taxes and fees will generally be the highest, running at around $420 round-trip.
Here is the ANA award chart on its flights to Asia 2, which includes Vietnam.
| ANA Award Chart for Round-Trip ANA-Operated Flights to Asia 2 (Including Vietnam) | |||
| Cabin Class | Low Season Cost | Regular Season Cost | High Season Cost |
| Economy | 55,000 | 65,000 | 70,000 |
| Premium Economy | 84,000 | 94,000 | 99,000 |
| Business | 100,000 | 110,000 | 115,000 |
| First | 195,000 | 195,000 | 210,000 |
To figure out whether your travel dates fall under low, regular, or high season, visit ANA’s international flight awards page and click on the button that says Seasonality and Required Mileage Charts.
As you can see, the difference in seasonality can have a huge impact on how many points you’ll spend on these flights, so it’s important to plan accordingly.
Here are a few great example redemptions you can make for ANA flights to Vietnam using ANA miles:
If trying out ANA business class or first class is something you’ve already done, you can also book the partners we discussed above on flights to Vietnam. Here’s the ANA award chart for partner-operated flights:
| Cabin Class | ANA Miles Cost |
| Economy | 80,000 |
| Business | 136,000 |
| First | 240,000 |
You’ll pay 80,000 ANA miles for round-trip economy, 136,000 ANA miles for round-trip business, and 240,000 ANA miles for round-trip first class. We generally don’t recommend booking first class with partners using ANA miles for 2 reasons:
You’d essentially be paying the difference between a business and first class round-trip booking for the initial long-haul flight from the U.S.
That being said, let’s examine some great example routes:
Hot Tip: When using ANA miles, you can book up to 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw. Use these to add extra value and convenience to your trip.
Here’s how to redeem ANA miles for flights to Vietnam:
Earning ANA miles is easy, especially since ANA is an Amex transfer partner and a Marriott transfer partner. Transfers from Amex take around 2 to 3 days at a 1:1 ratio, whereas Marriott Bonvoy takes 4 days at a 3:1 ratio with a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.
Recommended American Express Cards (Personal)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.
When it comes to cards that offer top-notch benefits, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better card out there than The Platinum Card® from American Express.
Make no mistake — the Amex Platinum card is a premium card with a premium price tag. With amazing benefits like best-in-class airport lounge access, hotel elite status, and tremendous value in annual statement credits, it can easily prove to be one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet year after year.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!
The American Express® Gold Card is 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 several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.
Recommended American Express Cards (Business)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis card is ideal for business travelers who enjoy luxury travel and are looking for a card loaded with benefits!
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express is a premium travel rewards card tailored toward business owners who are frequent travelers with a high number of annual expenses.
When you factor in the large number of perks that the card offers like the best airport lounge access at over 1,400 lounges, along with tons of annual credits, it’s easy to see why this card can is a top option for frequent traveling business owners.
Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a huge welcome bonus offer of up to 170,000 points with the Amex Business Platinum. The current public offer is 120,000 points. (This targeted offer was independently researched and may not be available to all applicants.)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesGet 4x points in 2 select categories where your business spends the most each month (on your first $150,000 spent each year).
The American Express® Business Gold Card is excellent at racking up rewards for your business spend.
The card earns a whopping 4x points per $1 in the 2 categories (from a list of 6) that your business spends the most money on each month. With no need to opt-in or preselect your categories, so you can focus on what matters most — running your business.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesEarn Membership Rewards for your business spending the easy way: get 2x points for the first $50,000 in purchases per year.
As a business owner, getting a credit card that maximizes each dollar you spend does not have to be complicated or expensive. Especially when you opt for The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express.
With the Amex Blue Business Plus card, you’ll earn 2x Membership Rewards points on everyday business purchases throughout the year (up to $50,000; 1x thereafter) and receive purchase protections and no-additional-charge employee cards all for no annual fee (see rates and fees).
The simple and straightforward earning structure makes it a great fit for those looking to earn flexible rewards, without having to fixate on which purchases earn the most points.
Let’s take look at all that the Amex Blue Business Plus card has to offer.
Bottom Line: ANA’s amazingly attractive redemption sweet spots are for business class redemptions on its airplanes. In addition to this sweet spot, ANA Mileage Club offers some similarly fantastic rates for partner flights to Vietnam. Be sure to take advantage of the plentiful ways to earn ANA miles, stopover/open-jaw allowances, and unique non-alliance partnership with Vietnamese flag carrier Vietnam Airlines.
Spending American Airlines miles is very attractive for flights to Vietnam. Although award availability on American Airlines’ own long-haul flights is terrible, you’ll have luck by exploring its Oneworld partners, specifically Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
Hot Tip: Crossing the Atlantic Ocean en route to Asia on an airline like Qatar Airways is not a permissible routing in AAdvantage’s eyes and can’t be booked as a single itinerary.
The award costs for one-way flights to/from the U.S. and Vietnam are:
| Cabin Class | American AAdvantage Miles Cost |
| Economy | 37,500 |
| Business | 70,000 |
| First | 110,000 |
The main appeal of AAdvantage is that there are more ways to earn AAdvantage miles from credit card spending.
Unfortunately, there are no stopovers allowed, but your taxes and fees will be extremely low.
Here are some great example routes you can take:
You can book most partner itineraries completely online, including Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
Here are the instructions:
By focusing on co-branded American Airlines credit cards, you can earn a lot of American AAdvantage miles. Both Citi and Barclays offer several American Airlines credit cards, so your options are plentiful.
If you don’t quite have enough AAdvantage miles to make a redemption, you can top off your balance by transferring from Marriott Bonvoy. Transfers come at a 3:1 ratio and they take around 2 business days.
Bottom Line: Using American Airlines AAdvantage miles represents an easy way to book award travel to Vietnam. With a simple pricing structure, great redemption prices, and numerous ways to earn miles, it’s not exactly a secret why AAdvantage is a great program to leverage on flights to Vietnam.
Air Canada Aeroplan is a great partner to utilize, especially if you have lots of Capital One miles. Aeroplan uses a distance-based award chart for flights between North America and the Pacific:
Aeroplan points can be used for any Air Canada partners, which includes the entire Star Alliance. Aeroplan is also partners with Cathay Pacific, but its use is limited since you can only redeem award flights between Hong Kong (HKG) and:
Hot Tip: If you fly on one-way itineraries between the U.S. and Vietnam using Aeroplan points, you can add a stopover or open-jaw for just 5,000 miles!
Here are some great example routes you can take:
Air Canada Aeroplan presents an option for travelers to book Star Alliance flights at a great price without having to book round-trip flights as required when using ANA miles. Other highlights of this method include low taxes and fees and the stopover allowance for another 5,000 miles.
Air Canada Aeroplan is an Amex transfer partner, Chase transfer partner, Capital One transfer partner, and Marriott transfer partner.
Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, and Chase Ultimate Rewards have the best transfer ratio, sitting at a simple 1:1 ratio. Transfers from Amex, Capital One, and Chase to Aeroplan are instant.
The last transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy, which transfers in 4 business days at a 3:1 ratio with a bonus of 5,000 Aeroplan points for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred, up to 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per day.
Recommended Capital One Cards (Personal)
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe Capital One Venture X card is an excellent option for travelers looking for an all-in-one premium credit card.
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is the premium Capital One travel rewards card on the block.
Points and miles fans will be surprised to see that the Capital One Venture X card packs quite the punch when it comes to bookings made through Capital One, all while offering the lowest annual fee among premium credit cards.
Depending on your travel goals and preferences, the Capital One Venture X card could very well end up being your go-to card in your wallet.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesGet 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!
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.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThe 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.
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?
Bottom Line: Over the years, Aeroplan has fallen off the radar of many points enthusiasts. However, the addition of Capital One as a transfer partner makes it most appealing for Capital One loyalists. Remember that you can add a stopover on one-way flights for just 5,000 miles, which can add significant value to your trip. Aeroplan provides a straightforward method to redeem your points for high-value flights to Vietnam.
LifeMiles falls closely behind Air Canada Aeroplan and ranks lower due to the relatively inflexible nature of its booking engine. Avianca LifeMiles struggles tremendously with any bookings with 2 stops. Furthermore, it is known to not show all available flights, which can be aggravating.
That being said, its abundance of transfer partners, competitive award pricing to Vietnam, and the absence of fuel surcharges make LifeMiles an excellent option nevertheless.
Here’s the award chart for one-way flights from the continental U.S. to Vietnam:
| Cabin Class | Avianca LifeMiles Cost |
| Economy | 39,000 |
| Business | 78,000 |
| First | 99,000 |
As you can see, LifeMiles charges 7,000 fewer miles than Aeroplan for one-way business class flights, and it is significantly cheaper for first class bookings. However, there are no open-jaws allowed, which is why LifeMiles falls just behind Aeroplan.
Avianca LifeMiles is capable of booking Star Alliance itineraries, so you’ll want to stick with the airlines we mentioned in the ANA and Aeroplan sections to get inspiration for routes.
You can also explore the direct U.S. routes on Asiana and Air China for further analysis.
Avianca LifeMiles is one of the easiest types of miles to earn out there. You can earn LifeMiles easily by doing 1 or more of the following:
Transfers from Amex, Citi, Brex, and Capital One are nearly instant, and transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take less than 1 business day, so you’ll have very few issues with transferring to LifeMiles. Furthermore, be on the lookout for transfer bonuses of 25% to 30% from Amex and Citi.
Also, Avianca LifeMiles regularly offers mileage sales with up to a 125% to 200% bonus, which is a huge discount. You can purchase LifeMiles for around 1.0 to 1.5 cents per mile during these times.
Recommended Citi Cards
Frequent flyers will enjoy 3x ThankYou Points at restaurants, gas stations, supermarkets, air travel, and hotels.
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!
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.
Great card for the average spender with no specific focus category; worry-free cash-back earning on everything!
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.
Earn big on purchases in your top eligible spend category, up to the first $500 each billing cycle, with no annual fee!
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.
Bottom Line: Avianca LifeMiles is one of the most underrated programs. There are tons of ways to redeem LifeMiles for maximum value, but the ease of earning, absence of fuel surcharges on award bookings, and easy online booking process makes this method a no-brainer, particularly for Citi loyalists.
United Airlines’ frequent flyer program is known as MileagePlus, and as you’ll find out, booking using United miles is exceedingly simple.
That, along with the presence of Chase as a core transfer partner and the network of Star Alliance routes to Vietnam, is why United MileagePlus makes it on our list of best ways to fly to Vietnam.
Let’s first look at the partner award chart on one-way flights from the U.S. to Vietnam (United uses dynamic award pricing, so the actual cost may fluctuate):
| Cabin Class | United MileagePlus Cost |
| Economy | From 44,000 |
| Business | From 99,000 |
| First | From 154,000 |
While using United miles for first class redemptions isn’t the best idea out there, it might be your only shot if you are especially low on other transferable currencies.
If you’re open to having a connection in Hong Kong (HKG), Tokyo (NRT), or Taipei (TPE), you might even be able to locate Saver-level availability on United Polaris for a cheaper price of 70,000 to 75,000 United miles.
You can then purchase a cheap positioning flight to get to your final destination in Vietnam, saving 15,000 to 20,000 United miles in the process.
When using United miles, another luxury you’ll experience is the lack of fuel surcharges, which will do wonders to minimize your overall out-of-pocket costs.
Here are some great example routes you can take:
One of 2 Chase transfer partners covered in this piece, United Airlines MileagePlus is an extremely simple way to use points to book flights to Vietnam. Chase transfers at a 1:1 ratio to United almost instantly.
United Airlines miles are easy to earn due to the suite of co-branded Chase United credit cards and the abundance of credit cards that earn Ultimate Rewards points, Chase’s proprietary rewards currency.
If this wasn’t enough, Marriott Bonvoy also transfers to United. What’s even better is that Marriott Bonvoy’s transfer ratio to United is slightly better, sitting at 3:1.1 instead of the usual 3:1.
With every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred, you’ll also receive a slightly improved 5,500-mile bonus. This means that every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred to United will result in a total of 27,500 United miles compared to the normal 25,000 miles elsewhere.
If you transfer the daily maximum of 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, you’ll earn 110,000 United miles.
Bottom Line: The process of using United miles to book awards online is probably one of the easiest in the world. If you’re looking for a simple way to book flights to Vietnam leveraging the Star Alliance and using Chase Ultimate Rewards points, United is probably your best bet.
Recommended Chase Cards (Personal)
A fantastic travel card with a huge welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.
The Chase Sapphire Preferred® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.
Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.
A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.
If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® is one of the best options out there.
The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options. Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.
Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!
This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.
When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.
The Freedom Flex card is an excellent no-annual-fee card that still earns big with 5% cash-back on travel and other bonus categories.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ sure does pack quite a punch — especially for a no-annual-fee card.
The Freedom Flex card is an incredible option for those looking for a well-rounded cash-back card, or a powerful point-earner when paired with a premium card in the Ultimate Rewards family.
Recommended Chase Cards (Business)
The Ink Business Preferred card is hard to beat, with a huge welcome bonus offer and 3x points per $1 on the first $150,000 in so many business categories.
The Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is a powerhouse for earning lots of points from your business purchases, especially for business owners that spend regularly on ads.
Plus the card offers flexible redemption options, including access to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners where you can achieve outsized value.
Business owners will also love the protections the card provides like excellent cell phone insurance, rental car insurance, purchase protection, and more.
This card offers great rewards and no annual fee. Any new business owner that needs to get going will enjoy this card.
The Ink Business Cash® Credit Card has a lot going for it that makes it a compelling choice for small business owners. The card features a very lucrative 5% back on up to $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on cellular phone, landline, internet, and cable TV services each account anniversary year.
When you factor in that the card has no annual fee, and 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter, you could be adding big value back into your business for no cost out of pocket.
The Ink Business Unlimited card is a stellar option for business owners looking for a no-fuss uncapped 1.5% cash-back card without an annual fee.
As a business owner, you likely keep pretty busy and probably prefer a credit card that just keeps things simple.
If so, the Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card might be just the card for you. From zero annual fee to a flat cash-back rate, the card is a no-frills option that you don’t have to think twice about.
Don’t forget too, 0% intro APR on purchases for 12 months; variable 18.49% - 24.49% thereafter
Earn up to 5% cash-back for your business without complex bonus earning categories!
Chase has introduced the Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card to its business credit card lineup. With straightforward cash-back earnings on everyday purchases and large expenses, tools to help you monitor your business, and multiple ways to redeem your rewards, this is a great card option to consider.
Air France/KLM’s Flying Blue employs a variable award pricing structure, and it can be difficult to predict just exactly how much a certain ticket is going to cost in points.
Specifically, here is the best estimation for one-way flights from the U.S. to Vietnam using Flying Blue miles:
| Cabin Class | Flying Blue Miles Saver Cost |
| Economy | 34,500 to 37,500 |
| Premium Economy | 68,000 |
| Business | 85,000 to 115,000 |
Interestingly, Flying Blue is one of the few programs that permits transatlantic routes to Vietnam without adding to the mileage price. We can exploit this to get 2 long-haul business class flights in many instances, though taking the long way is going to shorten your vacation a little bit.
Here are some great example transatlantic routes you can take:
Keep in mind that flights that traverse the Pacific will likely be priced at 115,000 Flying Blue miles one-way, instead of 85,000 miles. So, it’s mostly more cost-effective to take the long way via Europe than the short way via Asia.
Perhaps the most flexible rewards currency out there, Air France/KLM Flying Blue takes the cake in having the most ways to transfer from credit card points. There are tons of ways to earn lots of Air France/KLM Flying Blue miles.
Even though Flying Blue has the most transfer partners of any currency out there, the miles are still extremely valuable and can be redeemed for tons of value.
Chase Ultimate Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Captial One Miles, and Citi ThankYou Rewards all transfer at a 1:1 ratio and almost all transfers are instantaneous.
Marriott Bonvoy transfers in around 1 business day at a 3:1 ratio. You will receive a 5,000 Flying Blue miles bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points. You can transfer a maximum of 240,000 Marriott Bonvoy points daily, which would get you 100,000 Flying Blue miles.
Another fantastic niche program is Japan Airlines Mileage Plan. Although the quality of the loyalty program has been ravaged through devaluation after devaluation, it remains one of the cheapest ways to book certain flights that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Japan Airlines miles are among the hardest airline miles to earn, which is why it tends to command lower costs for flights relative to partners like American Airlines. Nonetheless, it has 4 non-alliance partners that would be interesting on flights to Vietnam.
Specifically, these are:
Japan Airlines Mileage Plan employs a distance-based award chart on partners as follows:
| Total Trip Distance (Miles) | Economy Class Mileage Cost | Premium Economy Class Mileage Cost | Business Class Mileage Cost | First Class Mileage Cost |
| 1 to 1,000 | 12,000 | 17,000 | 24,000 | 36,000 |
| 1,001 to 2,000 | 15,000 | 21,000 | 30,000 | 45,000 |
| 2,001 to 4,000 | 23,000 | 30,000 | 42,000 | 65,000 |
| 4,001 to 6,000 | 37,000 | 46,000 | 60,000 | 90,000 |
| 6,001 to 8,000 | 45,000 | 59,000 | 80,000 | 120,000 |
| 8,001 to 10,000 | 47,000 | 62,000 | 85,000 | 135,000 |
| 10,001 to 12,000 | 50,000 | 70,000 | 100,000 | 145,000 |
| 12,001 to 14,000 | 55,000 | 77,000 | 110,000 | 165,000 |
| 14,001 to 20,000 | 70,000 | 94,000 | 130,000 | 190,000 |
| 20,001 to 25,000 | 90,000 | 112,000 | 145,000 | 220,000 |
| 25,001 to 29,000 | 110,000 | 135,000 | 160,000 | 250,000 |
| 29,001 to 34,000 | 130,000 | 160,000 | 190,000 | 290,000 |
| 34,001 to 50,000 | 150,000 | 180,000 | 210,000 | 330,000 |
The distance computed by Japan Airlines is not always the same as calculated from Great Circle Mapper, so you’ll want to use the Japan Airlines distance calculator. Due to the distance-based pricing of award charts, longer flights will be more expensive, so flying across the Atlantic is not usually recommended.
Japan Airlines Mileage Bank is one of the last ways you can book China Eastern first class, which barely makes our best international first class airlines in the world. It is near the top of the list of best first class seats for couples because it is the only airline besides Etihad and Singapore that has double beds.
Unfortunately, there aren’t many ways to book them, but JAL Mileage Bank is an excellent way to do so. Here are some great example routes you can take:
The first option is somewhat of a misnomer since it’s technically not a route to Vietnam. It’s actually a sweet spot if you book the round-trip ticket. The round-trip ticket falls into the 12,001 to 14,000 distance bracket, while the one-way distance bracket is 6,001 to 8,000 miles. You’ll notice that the one-way flight costs 120,000 miles, but round-trip is only slightly more expensive at 165,000 miles. It’s extremely easy to book a cheap ticket from Shanghai to Vietnam if it means saving loads of miles.
If you needed a cost-effective way to fly to Vietnam from Shanghai, you can often find round-trip economy tickets nonstop for ~$240. When you consider that one-way tickets typically cost around 10,000 to 20,000 miles one-way, you’ll definitely want to use cash when you can.
You can also fly on Emirates via Dubai (DXB) to Hanoi (HAN). Unfortunately, this route doesn’t currently have first class, only business class in a 2-3-2 layout, which is an inferior arrangement. You’ll also have to shell out significant amounts in fuel surcharges to book the ticket, but it’s still an option.
Unfortunately, while Japan Airlines has great redemption rates, particularly for round-trip award bookings, it only has 1 transfer partner, Marriott Bonvoy.
With a 3:1 transfer ratio and transfer time of ~2 days, you’ll receive 20,000 Japan Airlines miles plus a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points transferred.
Bottom Line: Japan Airlines is useful for niche redemptions, particularly for China Eastern first class and Emirates. However, the difficulty in earning Japan Airlines miles nullifies some of the value, but it’s still a cost-effective option to fly to Vietnam once you’ve accrued enough miles.
Delta SkyMiles is the last frequent flyer program we’ll talk about. The most useful partners for flights to Vietnam are:
On top of this, Delta routinely offers award sales to Asia that cut economy award prices nearly in half, so be sure to hold out for one of those if you want to fly in economy. Here are the normal one-way award costs:
| Cabin Class | Delta SkyMiles Cost |
| Economy | 46,000 |
| Business | 147,500 (160,000 if within 21 days of departure) |
You want to avoid booking close-in departures of 21 days or more since that will make your business class awards skyrocket in price.
The best SkyTeam partner options to fly to Vietnam are:
Booking China Airlines business class necessitates connecting flights through Taipei before continuing to Vietnam, just like Korean Air does with Seoul and XiamenAir with a Chinese airport.
Here are some great example routes you can take:
Earning Delta SkyMiles is made easy by the fact that the airline is transfer partners with Amex Membership Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy.
Also, Delta offers many co-branded credit cards issued by American Express.
As usual, the Amex transfer ratio is 1:1, and Amex transfers instantaneously to Delta. Marriott Bonvoy transfers at a 3:1 ratio and takes around 3 business days.
Recommended Delta Cards
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesThis card provides bonus SkyMiles on all purchases, along with a free bag, priority boarding, and discounted award flights.
Frequent Delta flyers will love the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card. The card offers great benefits that will help save you money, effectively mimics low-level elite status with Delta SkyMiles, and helps you earn miles even faster, all for a low annual fee. Let’s dive into the benefits to see if the Delta Gold card is a good fit for your needs.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesFrequent Delta travelers will enjoy this card's bonus categories, benefits, and ability to reach higher levels of elite status.
The Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card can be a great option for those seeking additional ways to obtain a higher level of status — or to maintain their current status — with the airline.
A key feature of this card is the ability to earn bonus Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) that are essential for earning Delta status. This could help you get closer to earning free flights and other valuable rewards.
Terms Apply / Rates & FeesDelta loyalists will love the fast track to Delta elite status, lounge access, baggage benefits, and upgrade priority with the Delta Reserve card.
The Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card is a stellar option for frequent travelers who always fly with Delta thanks to its lounge access, status boost, annual companion certificate, and many other great benefits.
Here is a full look at everything the Delta Reserve card can offer to you to help you decide whether the card deserves a place in your wallet.
Bottom Line: With so many ways to earn Delta SkyMiles and the ease of booking SkyTeam flights, Delta’s frequent flyer program is worth considering as a good way to fly to Vietnam using points. There are few fuel surcharges, and searching for SkyTeam award availability is ridiculously easy.
In all, there are tons of different ways to fly to Vietnam and even more ways to fly to using points and miles. Every major alliance and transferable currency has been covered in this piece, so it’s up to the traveler to pick the best frequent flyer program for their needs to get the best award redemptions to Vietnam.
Happy redeeming!
The information regarding the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Chase Freedom Flex℠ was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® card, click here.
For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
For rates and fees of The 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 Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Gold American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of the Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, click here.
For rates and fees of Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, click here.
Generally, all the airlines discussed will impose some form of fuel surcharge. The magnitude can range from $100 to $300 one-way. Importantly, the fuel surcharges aren’t necessarily passed on by some frequent flyer programs.
Aeroflot, Air France, ANA, China Eastern, Vietnam Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines will have the highest surcharges, though they’re all relatively mild.
By using a frequent flyer program such as United or Aeroplan, you can minimize these surcharges.
The cheapest mileage prices are achieved by spending ANA miles on ANA flights during low season. For economy, you will pay 55,000 ANA miles. Regular season is 65,000 ANA miles, while high season is 70,000 miles.
Another option is to spend Alaska miles booking Cathay Pacific economy for 30,000 miles one-way or 60,000 miles round-trip.
Without a doubt, spending Alaska miles is best here. You can spend as little as 50,000 miles one-way in Cathay Pacific business class. With this, you will pay $19 in taxes and fees, and you’ll also get a free stopover.
ANA offers a price of 100,000 miles for ANA flights during low season, but the round-trip requirement and seasonality restriction can be unattractive for some travelers.
The 2 cheapest mileage prices to fly first class to Vietnam are flying on Cathay Pacific first class and Japan Airlines first class using Alaska miles. The prices are 70,000 miles one-way for these 2 airlines.
Best of all, the taxes and fees will only run around $20 to $40 each way, which is excellent.
You can also spend 195,000 ANA miles for round-trip first class on ANA during low and regular season.
The best business class airlines are generally accepted to be ANA, Cathay Pacific, China Airlines, EVA Air, and Japan Airlines.
The best first class airlines are generally accepted to be ANA, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, Japan Airlines, and Singapore Airlines.
We didn’t discuss the redemption prices for Singapore Airlines in this guide due to the unattractive award costs.
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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 by hundreds of clients.
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