The place to journey with 100,000 Amex Membership Rewards Factors

Let’s say you lately utilized for one of the legendary playing cards in the marketplace—the Platinum Card by American Categorical—and scored a hefty, six-figure welcome bonus. 

As a well-informed bank card aficionado, you realize that these American Categorical Membership Rewards Factors are price a measly 0.6 cents per level for those who go for a cash-back redemption, however may be price much more if saved towards your subsequent trip. However the place do you have to go? 

Amex has so many switch companions that it may be genuinely tough to a) think about which companions will maximize the worth of your factors and b) plan out your subsequent journey from there. That’s why Fortune Recommends determined to do the exhausting give you the results you want. From petting wombats outdoors Sydney to neon-soaked excursions of Tokyo, listed below are three dream journeys you possibly can take with 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors.

1. Order life-changing ramen in Tokyo

If you happen to’ve learn our information on the most effective redemption choices for Membership Rewards, you’ll know that the best choice—by far—is to switch your factors to an airline or resort loyalty program. 

Amex has 21 switch companions as of this writing, together with 18 airways and three resort chains (full record beneath). Except in any other case said, you possibly can switch 1,000 Membership Rewards Factors (MRP) in change for 1,000 associate factors, which means a 1:1 switch charge.

Airline companions

• Aer Lingus
• AeroMexico (1,000 MRP to 1,600 AeroMexico Rewards Factors)
• Aeroplan
• AIR FRANCE KLM
• ANA Mileage Membership
• Avianca LifeMiles
• British Airways Govt Membership
• Cathay Pacific
• Delta Air Strains
• Emirates Skywards
• Etihad Visitor
• HawaiianMiles
• Iberia Plus
• JetBlue TrueBlue (250 MRP to 200 TrueBlue factors)
• Qantas Frequent Flyer (500 MRP to 500 Qantas Factors)
• Qatar Airways Privilege Membership
• Singapore Airways KrisFlyer
• Virgin Atlantic Flying Membership

Resort companions

• Selection Privileges
• Hilton Honors (1,000 MRP to 2,000 Hilton Honors Factors)
• Marriott Bonvoy

Now, how does this chart enable you order comfortingly scorching, gloriously genuine ramen in Tokyo? 

Effectively, the trick to redeeming Membership Rewards Factors is to know which associate has probably the most worthwhile factors. Japan’s largest airline ANA, for instance, has factors that may typically be price effectively over 2 cents per level (CPP) every. Which means a flight from JFK to Tokyo—which might usually price you effectively over $800—could price you as little as 40,000 ANA Mileage Membership Miles spherical journey. See the instance from my very own analysis beneath:

Which means when you have 100,000 Membership Rewards factors at your disposal–and also you’re versatile on dates–you and a companion may fly all the way in which around the globe with 20,000 Membership Rewards factors to spare. 

From there, you possibly can take a Mt. Fuji tour by day…

… and discover the world’s largest metropolis by night time, sipping tonkotsu broth earlier than you embark in your Winter Illumination Tour.

After all, 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors received’t cowl 100% of your bills the complete time you’re in Tokyo—however talking from firsthand expertise, getting to Tokyo is by far the costliest half. When you’re there, you’ll be pleasantly stunned to seek out that an genuine bowl of ramen prices round ¥1200 or roughly $7.60. 

Oh, and for those who’re seeking to earn a beneficiant charge of 4X Membership Rewards Factors per greenback spent as you fulfill your inside foodie, keep in mind to carry your American Categorical® Gold Card for its eating rewards.

All that being mentioned, for those who’d choose to discover a sprawling, adventure-rich metropolis nearer to house, why not spend your hard-earned MRP within the Large Apple? Right here’s how.

2. Discover NYC, beginning 5 blocks from Central Park

With New York being as costly as it’s, you would possibly already be questioning: how far can 100,000 MRP actually take you when you’re there? 

Seems, it might probably get you inside shouting distance of Central Park—and also you received’t should dwell just like the forged of Hire, both. 

Because of a 1,000-to-2,000 switch ratio, your 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors can immediately turn out to be 200,000 Hilton Honors factors. If it can save you a mere 500 extra Membership Rewards Factors/1,000 Hilton Honors factors, you’ll have precisely sufficient within the financial institution to e book a three-night keep on the New York Hilton Midtown based mostly on what my analysis turned up. 

Among the many seemingly billions of resort choices in New York, what makes the New York Hilton Midtown particular? 

Effectively, not solely is it insanely good worth for New York lodging—it’s additionally inside a roughly 10-minute stroll of Instances Sq., Rockefeller Middle and Central Park. 

Which means you and your companion can comply with within the footsteps of Carrie Bradshaw, Joey Tribbiani and Buddy the Elf with out ever having to hail a cab. And whereas a three-nighter in a New York Hilton will shortly wipe out the stash of Membership Rewards you’re working with on this instance, you don’t should pay one other penny to benefit from the pure splendor of Central Park in autumn. 

Now, possibly you’re pondering Tokyo and New York are fantastic—however you wish to spend your 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors on one thing you’re feeling is actually distinctive and particular. One thing you’ve by no means accomplished earlier than. One thing you possibly can inform your folks about and so they’ll go you probably did WHAT?

In that case, enable me to introduce you to the mighty Australian wombat. 

3. See the opera in Sydney and possibly pet a wombat

Past ANA and Hilton, one other Amex associate with favorable switch ratios is Australia’s personal Qantas Airways Restricted. 

After a fast search, I discovered a flight possibility from San Francisco to Sydney for $1,152 or 41,900 Miles plus $99 money. Which means 41,900 Miles lined $1,053 of the fare, or offered over 2.5 CPP every. 

Now, to set expectations, that’s 41,900 Miles one-way—so that you’ll seemingly should pay one thing out of pocket to fly each you and a companion “down under,” in addition to cowl lodging. 

However 100,000 Membership Rewards factors (transferred 1:1 to Qantas) will nonetheless foot a large chunk of the invoice, and for additional consideration, look who might be ready for you: 

Sure, along with ‘roos and snakes, Australia is home to the adorable, friendly wombat. You can take a day tour from Sydney to meet both kangaroos and wombats up close before enjoying a lunch that I’d guess should contain some extent of vegemite. 

Then, within the night, why not a twilight cruise by Sydney harbor? 

Sure, I confess once more that 100,000 Membership Rewards Factors received’t get you and your plus-one all the way in which to Australia and again, nor will it absolutely cowl lodging whilst you’re there. However I needed to spotlight this selection nonetheless to indicate simply how a lot worth Qantas is prepared to present you on your Membership Rewards Factors—and level out {that a} wombat-filled Aussie journey may very well be effectively inside your monetary attain. 

The takeaway

Amex’s lengthy record of switch companions is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it provides you tons of choices. However however, it provides you tons of choices, which may make selecting and planning the right journey moderately tough. 

Hopefully at some point AI will assist us spend our bank card rewards like a robotic journey agent, operating countless calculations to seek out the perfect redemption path. However till then, it’s a extra guide course of. 

No less than it’s a massively rewarding one, with wombats, cherry blossoms and $1 New York slices awaiting our arrival.