Who doesn't want to head out on an adventure this summer? For many of us, that's what we save our miles for — a free vacation to a warm, sunny spot we've been dreaming about. Fortunately, there are lots of good options for award travel this summer, especially if you know how to pick the right destination.
The trick to booking your vacation using miles is simple: avoid destinations that other travelers are also trying to get to using miles and points. A trip to Hawaii, for instance, is something that a lot of people save their miles for, so those tickets were booked up months ago. The same goes for places like Orlando, Las Vegas, Paris, and Rome.
But if you turn to alternative destinations, you might find more open space and some appealing deals. Many airlines put short domestic flights on sale just for passengers who are redeeming points. On American, for instance, if you want to reach a destination less than 650 miles away, you only have to spend 7,500 miles each way to get there, instead of the 12,500 miles it takes to get to most domestic destinations. (And if you have an American Airlines credit card from Citi, you may also be eligible for an additional discount on your next award redemption.) United offers flights to destinations under 700 miles away for 10,000 miles each way, and Delta offers similar discounts.
Hotels do the same thing. IHG, for instance, has a popular Points Breaks promotion that puts various hotels (typically in less-frequented destinations) on sale for just 5,000 points per night, instead of the usual 10,000 to 50,000 points per night.
Need inspiration? Here are a few unique spots that you can fly to or stay at with your miles.
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San Antonio, Texas
If you want to explore the historic Alamo and stroll along the popular River Walk, redeem points for an elegant stay at the beautifully restored St. Anthony, A Luxury Collection Hotel, or the lively Westin Riverwalk, each of which costs 12,000 Starwood Preferred Guest points per night. And if you have lots of Starwood points, they can even help you get to San Antonio for free: If you transfer 20,000 miles to your preferred airline, Starwood will toss in a bonus 5,000 free miles, which is enough to redeem for a free domestic saver award ticket.
Naples, Florida
Just a few hours’ drive south of Orlando, this spot on the Gulf Coast is a family-friendly destination. It is also home to two luxurious properties that many travelers forget they can use points for: the Ritz-Carlton Naples and Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort Naples. With large swimming pools, an educational kids' program, and impressive spas, these hotels are excellent places to stay, and you can get there with Marriot points (as well as the points from Ritz-Carlton’s rewards program).
What’s more, you can transfer points from a Chase Ultimate Rewards program to Marriott Rewards and pay for your room that way. The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort costs 50,000 points per night while the beachfront Ritz-Carlton Naples costs 70,000 points; guests at either property can use a free shuttle to access the amenities at both resorts.
Ireland
The Emerald Isle is closer than you might think, especially now that national carrier Aer Lingus offers more redemption options than ever. You can use both American and United miles for flights on Aer Lingus at 30,000 miles for a one-way economy class flight.
And travelers coming from Boston can get an even better bargain: If you can use Avios points (the mileage program for British Airways or Iberia), you can get to Ireland for only 12,500 each way. And don’t forget, Avios is also a transfer partner of Chase Ultimate Rewards and American Express Membership Rewards, so you can use those points to book the trip too. (Also, it’s worth noting that if you live in Boston, there are lots of deals on award flights to Europe this summer with Air France and KLM taking 25 percent off business class redemptions with Flying Blue points, another American Express Membership Rewards transfer partner.)
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