The best way to use 100,000 points depends on the type of reward currency you have and the value of your points or miles. For example, 100,000 Hilton Honors points may not be enough for a one-night stay in one of the best hotels. However, the same amount of Chase Ultimate Rewards Points or American Express Membership Rewards Points are worth $2,000 (and potentially more) on the trip if transferred to the right partner for a valuable redemption.
So, what is the best way to use 100,000 AMEX points? What is the best use of 100,000 tracking points? And how can someone get a ton of value from 100,000 airline miles?
If 100,000 points are burning holes in your pocket, you can read and learn six great ways.
Book a cheap economy flight to Europe for a family of 5
You can use 100,000 points to book five one-way flights to Europe, but only with the right program. My favorite airline loyalty program for this purpose is the Air France-KLM Flying Blue Program. This happens to be one of the best ways to use 100,000 tracking points and is a partner of the American Express Membership Rewards Program and Capital One Mill.
If you want to find Economy Awards flights at the lowest possible rate, you need to be flexible, but they are definitely there. For example, my search gave me 20,000 Air France miles from Chicago (ORD) to Paris (CDG), plus $97.20 in airline taxes and fees, which gave me the following one-way flights:
Pay for two business class flights with Lee Flat Seat
If you’re looking for the best way to spend 100,000 American Express points on business class airfares, the Flying Blue program also has options in that area. You’ll need to dig into finding destinations and dates at the lowest possible rate, but they are definitely there.
For example, I found a one-way business class flight for $243.70 with airline taxes and fees, plus 50,000 miles from New York (JFK) to Amsterdam (AMS). The longest foot of this flight (New York to Paris) takes place on the Air France Boeing 777-300 with a completely flat bed sheet with a 1-2-1 configuration. This is much better than flying the economy for a reasonable few miles, and having a Lee Flat seat makes it easier to sleep peacefully all night while traveling towards your destination.
Spend a week at a boutique hotel
And if you’re part of a flexible program like Chase Ultimate Rewards or Amex Membership Rewards, you can spend a week in a 100,000-point hotel almost anywhere.
As an example, consider the searches you did for a week’s stay in Krakow, Poland. I found an Indigo Krakow room in the hotel. This October Old Town spent one night at just 11,340 Chase Ultimate Reward Points in the middle of this stunning European city.
Please note that this search was made using my Chase SapphireResirse® account. So it reflects the fact that spare cardholders get 50% more value on points when redeeming for a trip.
At this rate, you can spend more than a week at this boutique hotel with under 100,000 points. It even leaves you with enough remaining chase points for Skip the Line tickets to Oscar Schindler’s factory and a guided walking tour of the city.
Spend over a week at a luxury hotel in Europe
Maybe you want a luxurious hotel somewhere fancy and flashy and worthy of an Instagram photo shoot. In that case, you can consider booking a few nights at the 5-star Grand Hyatt Berlin in Berlin, Germany. A one night stay here at World of Hyatt Points will only allow 15,000 points back in the standard room, so 100,000 points for six nights is enough.
This rate gives you a king bed with over 400 square feet of space, free spa access, free mineral water, fresh apples and luxurious Balmain bath products. It is also within walking distance of the town’s major attractions, and this amazing city must offer all of its amazing city.
4-5 nights at a comprehensive resort
Also, don’t forget that you can use different types of points to stay in a comprehensive resort with a variety of brands. For example, you can spend multiple nights in the Hyatt Program world at many comprehensive facilities in Cancun, Mexico. This is breathtaking Cancun Seoul Resort & Spa, Hyatt Zilara Cancun, Dreams Natura Resort & Spa, and more.
Dreams Sapphire Resort and Spa’s nightly rate is as low as 17,000 points, even at double the occupancy rate.
The Marriott Bonvoy program has plenty of comprehensive resorts within the brand, including most Royalton Properties. If you have a Marriott credit card or have points to transfer from Amex or Chase Ultimate Rewards, they are a good option.
However, you will need to fork more points for a free night with Marriott Bonvoy than Hyatt. For example, Royal Tompun Takana Resort allows you to book your awards for just 55,000 points with double occupancy.
Five people fly back and forth to the Caribbean
Finally, don’t forget all the different ways you can maximize your flight’s airline miles. A good example comes from the American Airlines AADVantage Rewards program, which offers a variety of web specials that can be booked to destinations around the world.
To find these deals, you need to be flexible with destinations and dates, but there are quite a lot of destinations, including those in the Caribbean.
As an example, I found these round-trip flights from Indianapolis, Indiana (Indian) to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, for just 19,000 miles, with taxes and fees of $134.98 per person.
Bonus Tip: Redeem points on gift cards
Normally, the best way to redeem 100,000 points involves redemption of your trip, but those who are not interested in traveling may consider redemption of points on a gift card as a good option. With most reward programs, you can redeem gift card points at hundreds of your favorite retailers. These gift cards can be used to buy what you need, or to cover costs such as holiday shopping.
Better yet, some reward programs offer regular gift cards sales. This will help you reduce your gift cards. For example, during your search, I found out that Ulta Beauty gift cards are available for 10% off through Chase Ultimate Rewards. This means that 100,000 tracking points could be worth $1,100 for your favorite retailer gift card.
Conclusion
When it comes to rewards, whether you burn 100,000 or 50,000 points, it has all sorts of ways to get more for your money. Make sure to check all your options before booking your next trip. Don’t forget to look at all the different ways you can use flexible points. With some research and planning, you can turn it into an epic journey that will never forget 100,000 points.
