Please Help Me Plan on Points: LAX - MLE
 

Hi Everyone,

I'm trying to plan out a trip to MLE from LAX maybe sometime in early 2017. Currently I have Chase Freedom and CSP with 120k points. My fiancee has Amex SPG with around 60k points. I am looking to fly in either J or F for at least the long hauls.

The easiest way I see so far is to accumulate AS miles by signing up for the AS credit card for 25k points + 25k SPG Amex. Then spend and earn til I have 320k for J or 360k for J to book EK from LAX - DXB - MLE - DXB - LAX. Will probably do a stopover at DXB on the way there.

It looks like it'll be pretty difficult to accumulate 360k points for my fiancee and I though. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

EK is not your only option.
You could do a mix of airlines, such as J/F on QR/EY/TK in one direction and EK in another for the J/F experience.
Or one of those on the way there and KE on the way back (only flies on certain days via CMB).

Spreading your flights over different airlines can help maximize your experience and use of miles. Getting UA/AA and AS miles via signup options can make this trip more practical. The UR points transfer to UA also.

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" Any other suggestions?"

Sure: Forget about flying EK. Instead, accumulate a total of 125K AS miles, and redeem for a one-way in J for two on Cathay LAX-HKG-MLE.



Concurrently, each of you apply for a Citi/AA credit card with the 50K bonus, and continue accumulating AA miles through her SPG Amex card and your Citi/AA card until you each have amassed 67.5K AA miles, and redeem for two one-ways in J on QR MLE-DOH-LAX.

I just planned JFK-MLE trip for June 2016. Routing is JFK-WAW-IST-MLE, return is MLE-SIN-JFK.

Total miles used on way there: J Class entire way, 160k on UA awards through Mileage Plus Card + Chase UR
Return miles are: 247k on KrisFlyer, Suites in the A380! Used a combo of Chase UR + Amex MR points.

I would look into Krisflyer (Singapore Airlines) as they can route LAX-SIN-MLE, 15% off redemptions made through their websites and you may be able to score a suite!

Hi! I have planned my honeymoon to maldives too and it actually was easy. I am flying MIA-JFK-AUH (layover for several days) AUH-MLE (stay several days) MLE-AUH-CDG (stay for several days) CDG-MIA.

I highly recommend you to save the chase UR points to pay for the maldives hotel since all of them are expensive, and right now the best redemtion rate is the park hyatt maldives for 25k a night. You could get the hyatt CC next year.

This year focus on getting citi AA CCs. My trip cost me 400k AA miles, which sounds like a lot but you guys could do 2 75k citi executive, 2 50k citi and tranfer the 60k spg points to AA NOW because there is a promo and you will get 90k AA miles for that. You will end up with more than 360k AA miles which is enough for the same trip in first class without the layover in AUH, but it will include the layover in europe. I am doing mine in first class (Etihad A380 and 77w)

How many points in coach from lax to the Maldives? What is the cheapest way?

This varies by program and routing. And cheapest isn't an easy thing to say. Some points in programs are "worth" more. 100,000 US miles doesn't mean it's equal to 100,000 AS miles or 100,000 MR points. Also some airlines charge different fees (fuel surcharges) and taxes by route and stay overs.

Read up on the rules of the programs you have miles in, can transfer to and/or can get a signup bonus for.

+1 for that. Cheapest and easiest is a subjective thing. :) Good luck OP!

Thanks for the recommendations everyone! Looks like I've got some more research to do.

I should've mentioned that due to work schedules, we're unable to take too much time off. We would prefer to fly as direct as possible to maximize our time at the destinations. I am looking into LAX-DXB-MLE on EK with MLE-SIN-NRT-LAX on SQ since I can transfer my UR points to SQ.

I just tried looking for MLE-LAX on AA site, but the only results I am getting is on BA economy. Am I doing something wrong?

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"I just tried looking for MLE-LAX on AA site, but the only results I am getting is on BA economy. Am I doing something wrong?"

Yes: aa.com can only be used to check award-seat availability for about half of AA's partners. For QR, you can use BA's website to check availability on a segment-by-segment basis, and then call AA to book with AAdvantage miles. (Note that QR's DOH-LAX service is not yet in operation. I think it is due to commence in December or January.)

it doesnt have to be an exact cheapest

I am asking for a rough consensus pick on what is the lowest entry point into using points to get to Maldives from LAX round trip

For example, wil 75K united points do it?

or are there better values out there like 60K american points?

I am just asking for a general idea, i get that it is very subjective

i thought this would be a good thread to ask since it is LAX-MLE

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Whose points do you have? AA would be 75K miles on QR; AS would be less on CX. DL no longer publishes an award chart, but you can do award searches on delta.com to try to glean DL's lowest rate. Aeroplan and UA both publish Star Alliance award charts on their websites.

Do about 10 minutes worth of research, and you should have your answers. Be aware that some FFPs assess cash surcharges for travel on some carriers.

thank you - I have chase points that are transferrable

also, what airline is "AS"?

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AS is Alaska Airlines. But there is an error in my post: For Coach travel, AS redemptions on CX cost more than AA redemptions on QR. (Business Class redemptions are cheaper with AS miles.)

However, none of this matters to you if you only have UR points. You simply need to research the redemption rates of each UR airline partner, taking into account cash surcharges, where applicable.

Be prepared to pay a lot of money on hotels if you dont have hyatt points or hilton points. I was recommending you to use your UR points on hyatt because its an awesome hotel and its only 25k points.