I'll quickly do away with my thanks to FT: without FT, I would never be in the points "game", and would not have accrued enough points in less than a year to book trips to Paris, Scotland, Amsterdam and Bora Bora for 2 people (on just my points earnings!) flying in business class and staying at nice hotels. A sincere thank you.
Now, on with the problem.
1) Goal: Plan a truly aspirational resort vacation for 2013 (most likely March/April, possibly November), and try to incorporate Cathay Pacific and/or Singapore premium cabins on trip (leaves out Europe -- already segregating BA points + 2-for-1 for that). Prefer more private setting (think overwater bungalow in Bora Bora, as opposed to the Atlantis resort in Bahamas). Obviously too early to start booking now, but want to get the plan down now so I can start booking things as soon as I can.
2) Constraints: (a) time: hard for fiancee and I to get more than 10 consecutive days (5-6 business days+2 weekends) off at a time; (b) two travelers: need to find seating for two in same cabin (can make certain award redemptions tough/risky, like Singapore biz class across the Pacific); (c) want to use Hilton points to stay at Hilton-family resort.
3) Relevant resources: 270k AA miles, no status (enough for 2 F r/t award tix on Cathay Pacific to Asia 2 zone); ~140 MR points (enough to transfer to Krisflyer for 2 r/t biz on Singapore SIN-MLE); ~300k Hilton points, Gold status for GLON (enough for 7-8 nights on standard rates, but not jacked up premium rates); ~450,000 Delta skymiles, Platinum Medallion; ~150,000 UR points; cash (don't mind reasonable out-of-pocket cash expenses).
Thoughts: based on reviews on FT and elsewhere, I've got my eye initially on Conrad Maldives, Conrad Koh Samui, and Hilton Seychelles. All three look amazing. (I've considered Conrad Bali, but the hotel does not seem as "private" as these three.)
Specific question 1: What other properties should I consider putting on this list?
Specific question 2: Pros/cons of choosing a particular destination over other? Seychelles might drop out because of difficulty getting there (now that Air Seychelles is no longer flying CDG-SEZ and I can't use 120k DL miles for LAX-CDG-SEZ r/t in biz). The Maldives looks amazing, and I'd love to dine in the underwater restaurant, the only dings being that it is the farthest destination (and most expensive in cash and point outlay) and the isolated water villa idea seems similar to what I'll experience in Bora Bora this year on honeymoon. The idea of Conrad Koh Samui has been rapidly growing on me after seeing trip reports, pics, and videos of the place. Stunning.
Specific question 3: How to use miles/points to get there? Are there creative routings or point utilizations that I should check? For example, if Maldives, I've read you can use Delta skymiles, 120k each, to fly Malaysia Air (changed to One World but I believe still partners with Delta) LAX-TPE-KUL-MLE r/t in biz. But using a lot more points (and more valuable non-skymiles points), I could do LAX/SFO-HKG-SIN in Cathay First and SIN-MLE in Singapore Biz (transferring MR to KF). I'd really be blowing the bank on the latter option but travel time being equal, I'd rather do that to experience the Cathay/Singapore premium cabins everyone so glows about. If Koh Samui, I'd probably go LAX/SFO-HKG-BKK in Cathay, and pay couple hundred dollars for Bangkok Air BKK-USM. (Am I missing a One World partner that might complete this trip for me?)
Many thanks in advance.
Now, on with the problem.
1) Goal: Plan a truly aspirational resort vacation for 2013 (most likely March/April, possibly November), and try to incorporate Cathay Pacific and/or Singapore premium cabins on trip (leaves out Europe -- already segregating BA points + 2-for-1 for that). Prefer more private setting (think overwater bungalow in Bora Bora, as opposed to the Atlantis resort in Bahamas). Obviously too early to start booking now, but want to get the plan down now so I can start booking things as soon as I can.
2) Constraints: (a) time: hard for fiancee and I to get more than 10 consecutive days (5-6 business days+2 weekends) off at a time; (b) two travelers: need to find seating for two in same cabin (can make certain award redemptions tough/risky, like Singapore biz class across the Pacific); (c) want to use Hilton points to stay at Hilton-family resort.
3) Relevant resources: 270k AA miles, no status (enough for 2 F r/t award tix on Cathay Pacific to Asia 2 zone); ~140 MR points (enough to transfer to Krisflyer for 2 r/t biz on Singapore SIN-MLE); ~300k Hilton points, Gold status for GLON (enough for 7-8 nights on standard rates, but not jacked up premium rates); ~450,000 Delta skymiles, Platinum Medallion; ~150,000 UR points; cash (don't mind reasonable out-of-pocket cash expenses).
Thoughts: based on reviews on FT and elsewhere, I've got my eye initially on Conrad Maldives, Conrad Koh Samui, and Hilton Seychelles. All three look amazing. (I've considered Conrad Bali, but the hotel does not seem as "private" as these three.)
Specific question 1: What other properties should I consider putting on this list?
Specific question 2: Pros/cons of choosing a particular destination over other? Seychelles might drop out because of difficulty getting there (now that Air Seychelles is no longer flying CDG-SEZ and I can't use 120k DL miles for LAX-CDG-SEZ r/t in biz). The Maldives looks amazing, and I'd love to dine in the underwater restaurant, the only dings being that it is the farthest destination (and most expensive in cash and point outlay) and the isolated water villa idea seems similar to what I'll experience in Bora Bora this year on honeymoon. The idea of Conrad Koh Samui has been rapidly growing on me after seeing trip reports, pics, and videos of the place. Stunning.
Specific question 3: How to use miles/points to get there? Are there creative routings or point utilizations that I should check? For example, if Maldives, I've read you can use Delta skymiles, 120k each, to fly Malaysia Air (changed to One World but I believe still partners with Delta) LAX-TPE-KUL-MLE r/t in biz. But using a lot more points (and more valuable non-skymiles points), I could do LAX/SFO-HKG-SIN in Cathay First and SIN-MLE in Singapore Biz (transferring MR to KF). I'd really be blowing the bank on the latter option but travel time being equal, I'd rather do that to experience the Cathay/Singapore premium cabins everyone so glows about. If Koh Samui, I'd probably go LAX/SFO-HKG-BKK in Cathay, and pay couple hundred dollars for Bangkok Air BKK-USM. (Am I missing a One World partner that might complete this trip for me?)
Many thanks in advance.
Quote:
Now, on with the problem.
1) Goal: Plan a truly aspirational resort vacation for 2013 (most likely March/April, possibly November), and try to incorporate Cathay Pacific and/or Singapore premium cabins on trip (leaves out Europe -- already segregating BA points + 2-for-1 for that). Prefer more private setting (think overwater bungalow in Bora Bora, as opposed to the Atlantis resort in Bahamas). Obviously too early to start booking now, but want to get the plan down now so I can start booking things as soon as I can.
2) Constraints: (a) time: hard for fiancee and I to get more than 10 consecutive days (5-6 business days+2 weekends) off at a time; (b) two travelers: need to find seating for two in same cabin (can make certain award redemptions tough/risky, like Singapore biz class across the Pacific); (c) want to use Hilton points to stay at Hilton-family resort.
3) Relevant resources: 270k AA miles, no status (enough for 2 F r/t award tix on Cathay Pacific to Asia 2 zone); ~140 MR points (enough to transfer to Krisflyer for 2 r/t biz on Singapore SIN-MLE); ~300k Hilton points, Gold status for GLON (enough for 7-8 nights on standard rates, but not jacked up premium rates); ~450,000 Delta skymiles, Platinum Medallion; ~150,000 UR points; cash (don't mind reasonable out-of-pocket cash expenses).
Thoughts: based on reviews on FT and elsewhere, I've got my eye initially on Conrad Maldives, Conrad Koh Samui, and Hilton Seychelles. All three look amazing. (I've considered Conrad Bali, but the hotel does not seem as "private" as these three.)
Specific question 1: What other properties should I consider putting on this list?
Specific question 2: Pros/cons of choosing a particular destination over other? Seychelles might drop out because of difficulty getting there (now that Air Seychelles is no longer flying CDG-SEZ and I can't use 120k DL miles for LAX-CDG-SEZ r/t in biz). The Maldives looks amazing, and I'd love to dine in the underwater restaurant, the only dings being that it is the farthest destination (and most expensive in cash and point outlay) and the isolated water villa idea seems similar to what I'll experience in Bora Bora this year on honeymoon. The idea of Conrad Koh Samui has been rapidly growing on me after seeing trip reports, pics, and videos of the place. Stunning.
Specific question 3: How to use miles/points to get there? Are there creative routings or point utilizations that I should check? For example, if Maldives, I've read you can use Delta skymiles, 120k each, to fly Malaysia Air (changed to One World but I believe still partners with Delta) LAX-TPE-KUL-MLE r/t in biz. But using a lot more points (and more valuable non-skymiles points), I could do LAX/SFO-HKG-SIN in Cathay First and SIN-MLE in Singapore Biz (transferring MR to KF). I'd really be blowing the bank on the latter option but travel time being equal, I'd rather do that to experience the Cathay/Singapore premium cabins everyone so glows about. If Koh Samui, I'd probably go LAX/SFO-HKG-BKK in Cathay, and pay couple hundred dollars for Bangkok Air BKK-USM. (Am I missing a One World partner that might complete this trip for me?)
Many thanks in advance.
WOW congrats you really got all that in a year? Must have done some nice spending on top of the CC bonuses.Originally Posted by andysiz
I'll quickly do away with my thanks to FT: without FT, I would never be in the points "game", and would not have accrued enough points in less than a year to book trips to Paris, Scotland, Amsterdam and Bora Bora for 2 people (on just my points earnings!) flying in business class and staying at nice hotels. A sincere thank you.Now, on with the problem.
1) Goal: Plan a truly aspirational resort vacation for 2013 (most likely March/April, possibly November), and try to incorporate Cathay Pacific and/or Singapore premium cabins on trip (leaves out Europe -- already segregating BA points + 2-for-1 for that). Prefer more private setting (think overwater bungalow in Bora Bora, as opposed to the Atlantis resort in Bahamas). Obviously too early to start booking now, but want to get the plan down now so I can start booking things as soon as I can.
2) Constraints: (a) time: hard for fiancee and I to get more than 10 consecutive days (5-6 business days+2 weekends) off at a time; (b) two travelers: need to find seating for two in same cabin (can make certain award redemptions tough/risky, like Singapore biz class across the Pacific); (c) want to use Hilton points to stay at Hilton-family resort.
3) Relevant resources: 270k AA miles, no status (enough for 2 F r/t award tix on Cathay Pacific to Asia 2 zone); ~140 MR points (enough to transfer to Krisflyer for 2 r/t biz on Singapore SIN-MLE); ~300k Hilton points, Gold status for GLON (enough for 7-8 nights on standard rates, but not jacked up premium rates); ~450,000 Delta skymiles, Platinum Medallion; ~150,000 UR points; cash (don't mind reasonable out-of-pocket cash expenses).
Thoughts: based on reviews on FT and elsewhere, I've got my eye initially on Conrad Maldives, Conrad Koh Samui, and Hilton Seychelles. All three look amazing. (I've considered Conrad Bali, but the hotel does not seem as "private" as these three.)
Specific question 1: What other properties should I consider putting on this list?
Specific question 2: Pros/cons of choosing a particular destination over other? Seychelles might drop out because of difficulty getting there (now that Air Seychelles is no longer flying CDG-SEZ and I can't use 120k DL miles for LAX-CDG-SEZ r/t in biz). The Maldives looks amazing, and I'd love to dine in the underwater restaurant, the only dings being that it is the farthest destination (and most expensive in cash and point outlay) and the isolated water villa idea seems similar to what I'll experience in Bora Bora this year on honeymoon. The idea of Conrad Koh Samui has been rapidly growing on me after seeing trip reports, pics, and videos of the place. Stunning.
Specific question 3: How to use miles/points to get there? Are there creative routings or point utilizations that I should check? For example, if Maldives, I've read you can use Delta skymiles, 120k each, to fly Malaysia Air (changed to One World but I believe still partners with Delta) LAX-TPE-KUL-MLE r/t in biz. But using a lot more points (and more valuable non-skymiles points), I could do LAX/SFO-HKG-SIN in Cathay First and SIN-MLE in Singapore Biz (transferring MR to KF). I'd really be blowing the bank on the latter option but travel time being equal, I'd rather do that to experience the Cathay/Singapore premium cabins everyone so glows about. If Koh Samui, I'd probably go LAX/SFO-HKG-BKK in Cathay, and pay couple hundred dollars for Bangkok Air BKK-USM. (Am I missing a One World partner that might complete this trip for me?)
Many thanks in advance.
Anyway good luck with your trip. I will leave the advice for the pros since I am pretty new to all of this.
Quote:
Anyway good luck with your trip. I will leave the advice for the pros since I am pretty new to all of this.
Thanks, though I was a little off: my fiancee did get the Chase BA 100k card and a 75k AA Citi card, and I did buy a few hundred dollars worth of skymiles (with their 100% transfer bonus promo). 90% of the points came from credit card signup bonuses and the rest from travel/spend.Originally Posted by World-Wide
WOW congrats you really got all that in a year? Must have done some nice spending on top of the CC bonuses.Anyway good luck with your trip. I will leave the advice for the pros since I am pretty new to all of this.
Any help out there, FT? Some guidance would be much appreciated!