Weekend Edition / Dear Ohad...

Dear Curious,
This one’s not hype—it’s a glow-up. Flying Blue went from being that forgotten sock in your drawer to an unexpected style icon. Why? Dynamic pricing done right (mostly), plus monthly Promo Rewards that can be chef’s kiss if you strike while the iron’s cheap.

Examples that slap:

• JFK to Paris in business class for 55,000–70,000 Flying Blue miles one-way. Cash price? $3,000+.
• Boston to Amsterdam in economy for 15,000–20,000 miles on a good promo month.
• Want to get spicy? Mexico City to Europe in business can dip below 50,000 miles, which is criminally underrated.

Best part? Transfers from Amex, Chase, Capital One, and Citi are nearly instant. So when that deal drops, you can actually get it—unlike those Delta “flash sales” that vanish faster than Taylor Swift concert tickets.

Pro tip: Set up a Flying Blue account and use their “Miles Price Estimator” tool to stalk your dream routes. Then pounce like a points panther.

Dear Curious,
Listen. Hyatt all-inclusives aren’t just worth it—they’re a points paradise. You’re trading spreadsheet math for poolside margaritas, and that’s the kind of ROI I live for.

Let’s talk real numbers:

• Hyatt Ziva Cancun: 25,000–29,000 points/night for two adults. Cash price hovers around $500–$600/night, so you’re getting 2+ cents per point—amazing.
• Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana (Dominican Republic): Around 40,000–45,000 points/night. Cash rates push $800–$1,000. Still elite value.
• Want to go big? Impression Isla Mujeres by Secrets clocks in at 50,000–58,000 points/night, but rooms regularly hit $1,200+ per night.

TL;DR: Yes, these are worth it. Yes, they include food, drinks, and activities. And yes, they still cost zero resort fees, unlike Marriott’s "surprise and delight" billing strategy.

Dear Deflated,
Oh, there’s still gold in them hills—you just have to know where to dig. Most people waste points on uninspired domestic redemptions. But the real juice? It’s overseas, baby.

Actual sweet-spot hotel redemptions (2025 edition):

• Hyatt:
  • Park Hyatt Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City): 20,000 points/night. Cash? Around $350. Elegant, colonial, and an insane value.
  • Alila Villas Uluwatu (Bali): 35,000–40,000 points/night. Suites go for $900–1,200 cash. You’ll feel like royalty with your own cliffside pool.
• Choice Privileges via Citi:
  • Villa Barbarich Venice (Italy): 12,000 points/night (yes, twelve). Paid rates around €250–€300. Transfer from Citi at 1:2 and you’re paying Citi 6,000 points per night.
• IHG:
  • InterContinental Budapest: 19,000–24,000 points. Usually $200–$250 cash.
  • Six Senses Uluwatu (Bali): 50,000–60,000 points. Cash? $800+.

So no, not everything is inflated garbage. But if you’re redeeming 95,000 Marriott points for a Residence Inn in Boise, that’s not inflation—that’s a cry for help.

Dear Dreams,
Bless your ambition—and your taste. With 90K Amex MR, you’re dangerously close to first-class glory. Let me walk you through the magic.

Option 1: ANA Roundtrip Biz Class to Japan

• 75,000–90,000 Amex points (roundtrip!) transferred to ANA Mileage Club.
• Book JFK to Tokyo on ANA metal.
• Cash price? $4,000–$7,000. You pay nothing but a few hundred bucks in taxes.
  Catch? ANA only allows roundtrip awards, and availability takes finesse. But it’s the redemption if you want peak value.

Option 2: Emirates Business or First Class (with a twist)

• Transfer to Emirates Skywards.
• New York to Milan in Emirates Business: Around 87,000 miles one-way.
• Want First Class? Dubai to Europe can be as low as 85,000 miles for the shower-in-the-sky experience.

Please don't forget:

• Avianca LifeMiles = Business to Europe for 63,000–70,000 points.
• Virgin Atlantic = ANA First Class for 55,000 miles (one-way from West Coast), but transfer bonuses make it even juicier when they pop.

So yes—you can absolutely turn 90K points into a lie-flat or a glass of Dom Pérignon at 38,000 feet. Don't waste it on gift cards or Delta. I said what I said.

Dear Tempted,
Most of the time, buying points is like buying “as seen on TV” kitchen gadgets—you think you’ll use them, but they collect dust and regret. But when it is worth it? Oh, it’s fireworks.

Deals that slap:

• Hyatt: 25%–30% discount or 40% bonus = ~1.7–1.8 cents/point. If you’re eyeing that $600/night Andaz and you can buy the points for $300… you win.
• Alaska Airlines: When bonuses hit 60%–70%, you’re paying about 1.7 cents/mile. Book Japan Airlines biz class (typically 60,000–65,000 miles) and you’re getting a $3,000 seat for $1,000 or less.

Hard pass:

• Hilton or Marriott: Unless you need a small top-up, don’t even bother. You're often paying 0.5–0.6 cents/point for redemptions worth the same or less. That’s not strategy—it’s charity.

Only buy when you have a specific high-value redemption in mind. Otherwise, it’s just points hoarding with a credit card bill.

Until next time…
Stop redeeming points like you’re settling for middle seat mediocrity. You’re worth lie-flats, champagne, and elite check-in—and your points should reflect that. Be bold, book smart, and never ever redeem for an iPad.

Questions? Regrets? Flight upgrades you want to humblebrag about? Send them all to newsletter@upnonstop.com and get yourself a first-class answer.