How to use AMEX points to travel USA to Vietnam?

Old Sep 6, 2018, 11:14 am
  #16  
mia
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I merged your question into a previous discussion. There are only about a dozen posts, but using an existing thread may elicit responses from members who Subscribed to that thread when researching their own trips.
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Old Sep 6, 2018, 11:17 am
  #17  
 
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perfect!!! thx
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Old Sep 6, 2018, 6:51 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by J Banker
Hi,

Trying to get my family of 4 to Vietnam in late December, business class. I can use MR for all 4 (which would be ideal), pay for 2 and use MR for 2, pay for 4 and upgrade w MR, wash dishes or airplanes... whatever. Any advice for where and how to search? ANA shows only waitlist for the flights. I have about 500k MR to use. Thanks in advance!!!
AwardHacker will help you identify which airlines fly from NYC to SGN and for how many MR points. You'll then need to find award availability with the specific airline of your choosing.

I fly ANA somewhat frequently and my experience has been that business class availability doesn't show up until about 3 weeks prior to the intended travel date(s). In addition, the Dec/Jan holiday period is one of the busiest travel times of the year, so finding those award tickets in business class may be challenging. Good luck.
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Old Sep 7, 2018, 9:17 am
  #19  
 
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If you're strictly looking at Star Alliance: from Canada in the past, I've had good luck on Turkish Airlines which fly to Hanoi and Saigon from Istanbul in something of a triangle (some days it is IST-HAN-SGN-IST, and others it is IST-SGN-HAN-IST, so if you're flexible on your days you may get lucky.) I've used Aeroplan for those before, though I'm not a fan of the Turkish Airlines business class product at all, and Aeroplan has become all but useless lately in my opinion. If you're more into oneworld, I've had friends spend BA Avios flying from Montreal to Saigon via Doha on Qatar.

My advice: see if you can make it as far as HKG, SIN, KUL or BKK and then buy the last flight separately. Those airports are bringing in many A380s and 777s full of premium seats from all over the world, but then putting people on A320s and 737s for the last hop to Saigon. SGN is a much, much smaller airport that doesn't see the number of big planes like those other 4 airports.

My other advice: also look at entering Vietnam through Hanoi or (increasingly) Da Nang.
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Old Sep 9, 2018, 10:00 pm
  #20  
 
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Thanks for all the great advice. I'll see what I can pull together and post my results!
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