I don’t know about you, but I currently have a plethora of points that are burning a hole in my pocket and wanted to see what great deals I could find. Arguably the best deal that I found was a First Class nonstop flight from Florida to Honolulu for $11.20 + points! Let’s take a look below at the process and how to easily earn enough points to make this dream vacation happen.
The Flights
Obviously mileage may vary depending on location, however for us Florida folks a first class nonstop flight to Honolulu sounds wonderful! No layovers, no changing planes, and more importantly fewer people you come in contact with. The beauty of the new nonstop flights from MCO(Orlando) to HNL(Honolulu) is that it isn’t a heavily traveled route and therefore allows for many options for mileage flights.
The flights that I selected provide you first class lie flat seat accommodations and 13 days in Honolulu for 260K points + $11.20 per passenger.
This same flight would cost you $5,576.12 if you were to pay out of pocket, as seen below.
The Points
As with any reward or mileage redemption, you are always looking to maximize your value. The industry currently values Hawaiian Airlines miles at .9 cents per point and American Express Membership Reward points at 2 cents per point, therefore we want to ensure we are earning at minimum both of those values depending on what mileage/points you currently have. For me, I am going to be using the American Express transfer portal to convert 1000 American Express Membership Reward points to 1000 HawaiianMiles. This 1:1 transfer technically devalues the AMEX MR(Membership Reward) points to .9 cents per point, however that isn’t a big deal for this amazing flight as we will still be earning a 2.15 cent per point valuation!
If we use the flights above, let’s see the valuation below:
- Cash value for two round trip tickets is $11,152.24
- Miles value for two round trip tickets is 520,000 miles(points)
- 11,152.24/520,000 = .02145
- .02145 x 100 = 2.15 cents per point
- We are looking for cents per point so converting dollars into cents for a final valuation
Earning The Points
Arguably the most difficult part in this equation is earning the points, however with the right strategy it is pretty easy. The American Express Gold Card is my workhorse, earning 4X points on dining and grocery, 3X points on travel, and 1 point on all other purchases for a $250 annual fee. Right now, Amex is offering a 75K point sign up bonus for new members that gets you even closer to the 260K points needed. My other recommendation for quick points would be to sign up for the American Express Platinum Card which is currently offering 150K points! This bonus is extremely oversized and since you are traveling, this may be the card for you. The American Express Platinum Card offers 5X points on all travel booked through amextravel.com or the airline directly, a $250 airline credit, access to the Delta SkyClub, access to the American Express Centurion Lounges, Hilton Honors Gold status, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status and National Rental Car Executive status. If you are planning on staying at a Hilton or Marriott property while in Hawaii, you may want to consider the platinum card for room upgrades and benefits!
If not Hawaii, where are you looking to travel once the world opens back up? Do you have points burning a hole in your pocket? Drop a comment below with some of your YOLO vacations and I will be on the lookout for a great deal!
The Points Authority: Mastering The Points Game 