5 Reopened Destinations to Visit Using Credit Card Points and Miles

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• Destinations like Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and Canada have lifted pandemic travel restrictions.
• If you’re sitting on a stash of credit card rewards, it’s a great time to plan a trip.
• Flexible credit card points give you the most options for redeeming rewards for flights.
• Read Insider’s guide to the best travel rewards credit cards.

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Travel has undoubtedly taken a hit over the last two years. Still, with rising COVID-19 vaccination rates and lower cases, hospitalizations, and deaths, it’s easy to get excited about hitting the road again. 

Some destinations briefly closed (or never closed at all). Others – like Thailand – opened after lengthy delays and introduced strict entry requirements. And now, many destinations no longer have arrival restrictions.

These are some of the hottest destinations to redeem your credit card points and airline miles this year.

We’re focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won’t be worth it if you’re paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it’s important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Hawaii

Hawaii recently dropped its coronavirus restrictions, and travelers are no longer required to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. Travelers also no longer have to register with the “Safe Travels” program. 

Hawaii ended its mask mandate on March 25. However, masks are still “strongly recommended” for unvaccinated people, those over 65, and people with compromised immune systems or who care for people at risk of severe illness.

Hawaii is one of the most popular destinations for points and miles hobbyists, given how expensive flights and hotels on the islands can be. Now, with restrictions gone, more travelers will likely visit the state this spring and summer. 

How to get to Hawaii using points and miles:

• Transfer Chase Ultimate Rewards points, American Express Membership Rewards points, Capital One miles, or Citi ThankYou points to Singapore Airlines to book United award flights. Economy seats from the continental US to Hawaii are 35,000 miles round-trip.
• It’s much simpler to fly to Hawaii if you’re based on the West Coast. That’s because award flights to Hawaii are just 26,000 Avios points round-trip on American Airlines or Alaska Airlines when you transfer from Chase, Amex, or Capital One.
• Finally, you can also use 12,500 Turkish Miles & Smiles miles round-trip to book a United Airlines economy flight to Hawaii when you transfer from Citi or Capital One.

Read more: The best credit card rewards sweet spots that get you the most from your hard-earned points and miles

Thailand

Thailand was all but closed for travel until the summer of 2021, when the Southeast Asian nation gradually began to reopen. 

As of April 1, international travelers no longer need to take a pre-departure COVID-19 test. However, RT-PCR testing upon arrival is still mandatory, and travelers must also take a self-administered rapid antigen test on day five of their trip – even if they have proof of recovery.

How to get to Thailand using points and miles:

• Like many rewards programs, United MileagePlus has shifted to dynamic pricing in recent years, which means the cost of an award flight can vary depending on several factors. But prices with Star Alliance partners on United’s site are pretty reasonable, with one-way tickets from Newark, for instance, to Bangkok starting at just 35,000 United miles in economy.
• Avianca LifeMiles is another Star Alliance program to consider. It has a pretty complicated award chart, but if you were flying from a “United States 1” destination – such as New York – to South Asia, which includes Thailand, rates start at 39,000 LifeMiles one-way. LifeMiles are pretty easy to earn, as the program is a transfer partner of Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One Miles, Citi ThankYou, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Read more: I redeemed 47,000 Amex points for a phenomenal first-class flight to Asia worth $14,000, and it was one of the best in-air experiences of my life

Canada

Like many other countries, Canada has also ended restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers. Effective April 1, pre-departure COVID-19 testing is no longer required for fully vaccinated travelers entering Canada by land, sea, or air. Fully vaccinated means a traveler has received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine or a single dose of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.

How to get to Canada using points and miles:

• Air Canada uses a distance-based award chart, and prices for flights within North America are pretty competitive. One-way flights under 500 miles start at just 6,000 Aeroplan miles. Air Canada is a transfer partner of three major credit card issuers – Amex, Capital One, and Chase – and Marriott Bonvoy. 
• British Airways Avios is another program to seriously consider, particularly if you’re traveling a short distance, such as the New York-to-Toronto route or Philadelphia to Montreal. You can score dirt-cheap tickets for just 9,000 Avios each way. British Airways is a transfer partner of Amex, Capital One, Chase, and Marriott Bonvoy. 

Read more: Chase Aeroplan credit card review: A welcome bonus worth up to 100,000 points and unique travel perks make this a good pick even if you don’t fly Air Canada

Orlando

Disney World in Orlando has been open for some time now. Mask-wearing is optional for fully vaccinated guests in most areas but is still required for all guests on Disney buses and monorails. Disney says it expects all unvaccinated guests to “continue wearing face coverings in all indoor locations.” Disney World does not require proof of a COVID-19 vaccination for entry but advises guests exhibiting symptoms to stay at home. 

How to get to Disney World using points and miles:

• You can use Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles to book tickets if you’re on the West Coast. Alaska uses a distance-based award chart, so if you were flying from Seattle or San Francisco, for instance, both distances greater than 2,101 miles, a one-way ticket would start at just 12,500 miles each way. 
• You can also use Alaska miles to book flights on American Airlines, with one-way flights within the continental US starting at 12,500 miles each way.

Read more: 5 real-life trips taken by credit card reward travel experts to inspire your vacation planning — especially if you have lots of points and miles to burn

Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico is a US territory, and domestic travelers are not required to present proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test as of March 10 — but all travelers arriving on international flights must have a negative COVID-19 test taken one day before departure and proof of vaccination. According to figures from the New York Times, cases on the island have steadily decreased this year, and just 405 new cases were reported on March 30. 

Travelers flying to Puerto Rico from the US East Coast typically enjoy low non-stop fares on various full-service and low-cost carriers year-round. But there are still plenty of points and miles options if you want to save some cash.

How to get to Puerto Rico using points and miles:

• If you live on the US East Coast, using British Airways Avios to book American Airlines award flights is a good deal starting at 9,000 Avios one-way in economy class.
• You can book an award ticket on United using 10,000 Turkish miles for a one-way flight or 15,000 miles for a business class ticket. Citi or Capital One are both transfer partners to the program if you don’t have enough Turkish miles. 

How to earn credit card points for travel

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Pros

• Long list of travel benefits, including airport lounge access and complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott (enrollment required)
• Annual statement credits with Saks and Uber

Cons

• Bonus categories leave something to be desired
• One of the highest annual fees among premium travel cards

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More Information

• Earn 100,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card®, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu.
• Earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards® Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel.
• $200 Hotel Credit: Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts® or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card®.
• $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card® on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Enrollment required.
• $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax.
• American Express has expanded The Centurion® Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. There are even more places your Platinum Card® can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks.
• $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline.
• $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only.
• $300 Equinox Credit: Get up to $25 back each month on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card®. Enrollment required.
• $179 CLEAR® Credit: Use your Card and get up to $179 back per year on your CLEAR® membership.
• $695 annual fee.
• Terms Apply.

Most award travelers say transferable points and miles — that is, credit card points that you can transfer to major airline and hotel rewards programs — are the best. There are several flexible points currencies, but the most popular include American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Capital One Miles.

If it’s Amex points you want to earn, a few of the best cards include The Platinum Card® from American Express
, which offers 100,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 in your first 6 months of card membership and has a $695 annual fee (See Rates).

Read more: I had sticker shock over the Amex Platinum card’s annual fee, but 6 lucrative benefits convinced me to open it anyway

If that price seems a little too high, there’s also the American Express® Gold Card
, which offers 60,000 points after you spend at least $4,000 in your first 6 months of account opening. That card has a $250 annual fee (See Rates).

If you’re going with Chase, one of the best cards for points and miles beginners is the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. The card, which has a modest annual fee of $95, offers 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. 

If you want to avoid an annual fee entirely, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 1.5% cash back in addition to regular earning on everything you buy up to $20,000 spent in the first year (worth up to $300 cash back). Chase markets this card as a “cash back” card, but it also earns Ultimate Rewards points that you can redeem for cash, gift cards, travel, and more. And if you also have a Chase Ultimate Rewards annual-fee card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, you can combine your rewards and transfer them to Chase’s airline and hotel partners.

Read more: Guide to the best Chase credit cards

Citi doesn’t get nearly as much attention as it should, but its ThankYou Points are pretty valuable, as you can transfer them to more than a dozen hotel and airline programs when you have the Citi Premier® or Citi Prestige® Card
(no longer available to new applicants).

The Citi Premier® has a $95 annual fee and comes with a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus ThankYou® Points after you spend $4,000 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening. 

Finally, Capital One has a handful of card options, including the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, which has a welcome bonus of 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening and a $395 annual fee.

Read more: The premium Capital One Venture X is actually just as affordable as the Capital One Venture — here’s why the Venture X is a better pick for most travelers

If you’re looking for a more affordable option and don’t want to pay a high annual fee, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, with a $95 annual fee, offers 60,000 miles after spending $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.