The most exclusive travel experiences you can book with points and miles

You do not want me to remind you that points and miles can get you fancy flights and posh lodge stays.

However do you know that your rewards also can land you private butlers and stays on non-public islands?

Factors and miles can do wonders. This put up examines probably the most unique journey experiences your rewards should buy. Not solely are these uber-cool experiences, however additionally they provide an honest worth on your factors and miles.

You’ll be able to redeem 630,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club factors plus $5,700 to get a three-night keep for 2 at Richard Branson’s Necker Island.

Necker Island is a 74-acre non-public island oasis east of Puerto Rico within the British Virgin Islands. The resort sleeps as much as 40 folks throughout 15 complete rooms. Facilities embrace infinity swimming pools, serene leisure areas, a number of bars, elegant eating areas, garden video games, tennis courts, water sports activities and a sizzling tub immediately on the seashore.

Bookings are restricted to those that have Virgin Atlantic Silver or Gold standing, although you might be able to status match to Virgin Atlantic from one other airline or lodge program.

Test in to Etihad’s A380 Residences

The primary airline to introduce a single aisle on the Airbus A380, Etihad Airways gives first-class „Residences“ with an unimaginable quantity of non-public area; it lets you stroll round inside your non-public space. Every seat in an House consists of a large armchair and a separate sofa that converts right into a 6-foot, 10-inch mattress. 9 Residences alternate between forward- and rear-facing; additionally they alternate between being nearer to the window and nearer to the aisle.

Rows 3 and 4 are ideally suited in the event you’re touring with somebody, as you possibly can decrease a partition to attach the seats. It would not kind a real double mattress like you will discover on Singapore Airways and Qatar Airways, however with the doorways closed, it is about as non-public as you will get in business aviation. First-class passengers can clean up by taking an onboard bathe earlier than touchdown.

Etihad flies the A380 between Abu Dhabi’s Zayed Worldwide Airport (AUH) and London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), New York Metropolis’s John F. Kennedy Worldwide Airport (JFK) and Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG). You will pay 160,000 Etihad Guest miles when reserving the JFK-AUH route.

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Within the entrance of the Etihad A380 first-class cabin (the place you’d count on to see seats 1A and 1C) is the „Residence.“ It is a three-room mega suite full with a separate front room, a bed room and a toilet (with a bathe, in fact). Whilst you can’t ebook the Residence with factors and miles, you possibly can improve with money.

Commonplace one-way Residence improve costs on the New York route complete $4,790 per particular person.

Keep on the North Island resort within the Seychelles

If you happen to’re sitting on a big stash of Marriott Bonvoy factors, you need to use them to remain on the unimaginable North Island, a Luxurious Assortment Resort, Seychelles.

You will get to remain in a two-bedroom villa that covers almost 5,000 sq. ft. Your keep may even embrace complimentary breakfast, use of an island buggy, morning yoga and children actions.

Award nights value greater than 400,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per night time, and the lodge has a four-night minimum-stay requirement. This fee additionally would not embrace the 1,110 euros ($1,200 on the time of writing) you’d have to pay for a helicopter switch every manner. Nonetheless, contemplating money charges usually cross $7,000 per night time, this may very well be thought-about an important worth — so long as you’ve a large stash of Marriott factors.

Associated: Best ways to earn Marriott Bonvoy points: From hotel stays and credit card spending to travel partners

Retreat to the all-inclusive, non-public Calala Island lodge

Hilton Honors members can redeem as few as 50,000 factors per night time to remain at uber-exclusive Calala Island, an SLH Lodge — assuming they’ll discover award availability.

Calala Island is an all-inclusive, non-public island retreat off the coast of Nicaragua. It is so unique that it has simply 4 beachfront suites and might solely accommodate eight visitors at a time.

Room charges usually prime $4,000 per night time, so it is an absolute steal with factors. Stays embrace meals, drinks, actions and airport transfers.

Bathe on board in Emirates first-class

There are not any methods to redeem factors and miles for personal jet journey, however Emirates first class is the following neatest thing. You’ll be able to ebook these awards by way of Emirates Skywards, Qantas Frequent Flyer or Air Canada Aeroplan.

If you wish to expertise gold-studded suites and onboard showers and bars, you will need to fly on Emirates‘ flagship A380 plane. If fashionable sports activities car-inspired interiors are extra your model, go for Emirates‘ newer 777-300ER planes with the sport changer absolutely enclosed suites. It doesn’t matter what aircraft you find yourself on, you will get pleasure from Emirates‘ identical top-notch meals and drinks (together with caviar and Dom Perignon) and repair.

Emirates usually expenses decrease redemption charges than Qantas or Air Canada, with first-class flights between JFK and Dubai Worldwide Airport (DXB) costing 163,500 miles every manner. You’ll be able to switch factors to Emirates from six transferable factors packages: Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One, Marriott Bonvoy and Bilt Rewards.

Associated: You can now use Aeroplan points for Emirates first class, but it isn’t cheap

Fly in model in Air France’s La Premiere first-class

One other top-notch first-class product is Air France’s La Premiere, obtainable solely on a number of the service’s 777-300ERs. The cabin options simply 4 seats throughout a single row, making it one of many smallest and most unique cabins within the sky.

La Premiere seats are elegant and personal, that includes a person lamp at each seat and floor-to-ceiling curtain dividers. The meals is world-class, and the bottom expertise is unparalleled; passengers get chauffeured from an ultraluxe first-class lounge and the aircraft in a personal automotive.

Sadly, this product is extraordinarily arduous to ebook with miles. To ebook La Premiere awards with miles, you will need to maintain Air France-KLM Flying Blue Platinum elite standing or above. Additional, eligible elite members can solely redeem on the „flex“ stage (not saver), so a one-way ticket between the U.S. and Europe will sometimes value a minimum of 220,000 miles.

If you happen to’re eligible to ebook these awards, you possibly can switch factors to Flying Blue from Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Chase Final Rewards, Marriott Bonvoy, Bilt Rewards and Wells Fargo Rewards.

Associated: Bucket list achieved: Reviewing Air France’s incredibly hard-to-book La Premiere first class

Take pleasure in double beds in Singapore’s first-class suites

If you happen to’re touring with a major different, you possibly can’t beat Singapore Airlines‘ A380 suites.

Every suite options a powerful 50 sq. ft and accommodates not only a reclinable armchair however a wholly separate mattress. If you happen to’re touring with somebody, you possibly can mix two suites to create a double mattress and have as much as 100 sq. ft of area.

Singapore would not launch first-class award area to associate packages, but it surely does make it obtainable by way of its personal Singapore KrisFlyer frequent flyer program. Sadly, Singapore Airways would not fly its A380 to the U.S., so you will need to fly between Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) and someplace like LHR or Sydney Airport (SYD) to expertise it.

It is easy to get your palms on KrisFlyer miles for the reason that program is a associate of Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Final Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Capital One.

Associated: How to book Singapore Airlines first-class suites with points and miles

Unwind at luxurious Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties

You’ll be able to earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors at Ritz-Carlton Reserve properties. Beforehand, the model didn’t take part within the loyalty program.

Ritz-Carlton Reserve is one in all Marriott’s most unique manufacturers, with simply seven properties worldwide in areas reminiscent of Japan, Thailand and Mexico. It is a step above the usual Ritz-Carlton model, emphasizing luxurious, tranquility and sustainability. The properties are intimate, every composed of as few as 50 rooms, and they’re sometimes in distant areas.

Award stays usually vary from 80,000 to 240,000 factors per night time. Though steep, the money charges at these lodges are sometimes north of $800 per night time. As with different Marriott Bonvoy award stays, you will get a fifth night free for each 4 consecutive nights you ebook with factors.

By capitalizing on a couple of large sign-up bonuses and being strategic together with your spending, an extravagant first-class flight or journey to a personal island may very well be inside attain.