One of the Best Award Chart Sweet Spots, Renewed

by Michael

With epic weather, amazing scenery, great beaches, and endless outdoor activities, Hawaii has something for everyone. But getting there on points and miles is rarely easy. Even if you can find saver availability to get there on miles, the US-based airlines charge a steep premium, with United and American both charging 45,000 miles round-trip for a saver coach fare from the mainland to Hawaii. This is almost double the 25,000 mile round-trip rate for a normal domestic ticket.

This is an ideal time to take advantage of one of the best award chart sweet spots, British Airways’ distance-based award chart. On this chart, one-way flights between 2,001 – 3,000 miles are only 12,500 Avios. Los Angeles to the Hawaiian islands clocks in at approximately 2,600 miles, and Seattle to the islands is approximately 2,700 miles, putting it right in the wheelhouse of this sweet spot. Being a part of the OneWorld alliance, you can redeem your Avios for flights on American or Alaska airlines, which is an amazing deal from anywhere on the west coast of the United States.

When my brother and his fiancée decided that they wanted to spend their honeymoon on Kauai, I couldn’t think of a better gift than to get them their flights for free using this sweet spot. Here’s what it looks like, only 12,500 miles and $5.60 for a one-way non-stop flight from Los Angeles to Kauai on American Airlines; 10,000 fewer miles than you’d spend using your AA miles:

a screenshot of a website

You can transfer points into Avios at a 1:1 ratio from Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards, so it’s not difficult to come up with 12,500 points.

In fact, you can get started right now with the The American Express® Gold Card, which gives 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly with airlines, and 2 points per dollar at restaurants and gas stations in the United States. The American Express® Gold Card is currently offering 25,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 in your first 3 months as a cardmember.

Michael Prodanovich is a contributor to Point Me to the Plane, and author of The Ultimate Guide to Free Travel

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