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Many points and miles enthusiasts have “bucket list” redemptions. Maybe it's a business- or first-class flight, or even a five-star hotel stay. While some redemptions are more luxurious than others, some offer a level of exclusivity that's simply impossible to buy — or at least impractical for most travelers to pay cash for.
From stays on a billionaire's private island to VIP experiences and more, here's our list of the top experiences you can book with points and miles.
The Top Experiences You Can Book With Points and Miles
Many of these experiences can be booked by transferring points from major flexible rewards programs. If you earn transferable points through one of the following programs, you'll have access to several of the redemptions below:
- American Express Membership Rewards
- Bilt Rewards
- Capital One Miles
- Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Citi ThankYou Rewards
- Wells Fargo Rewards
Stay on Richard Branson's private island on points
Richard Branson is one of the world's best-known billionaires, especially among the traveling public. His companies Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Voyages, and Virgin Galactic have all made seismic changes in their respective industries.
Branson owns a private island in the British Virgin Islands called Necker Island. If you're feeling adventurous, you could rent the whole island for around $160,000 per night for you and your 47 closest friends. Or, you can rent a room from roughly $6,400 a night. If you don't have around $20,000 for a three-night getaway, you can instead redeem Virgin Points for your stay.
You'll spend 750,000 Virgin Points during the standard season for a minimum three-night stay. Each additional night is 250,000 points. During the festive season, also known as Christmas, you'll pay 900,000 points for a three-night stay and 300,000 for each additional night.
This is certainly a large chunk of points, but the rate is for two people and includes all meals, drinks (including alcohol), and a boat transfer to and from Beef Island/Terrance B. Lettsome International Airport (EIS).
Assuming a standard rate of $6,400 a night or 250,000 Virgin Points, you're getting an average valuation of 2.56¢ per point. This is a bit lower than the average 3.49¢ valuation AwardWallet users typically get from their Virgin Points, but you also get a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Staying on a billionaire's private island is an experience that's out of reach for most travelers paying cash. With Virgin Points, though, it's at least within reach. You can earn these points by spending on the Virgin Red Rewards Mastercard®, or by transferring points from the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club program at a 1:1 ratio.
Fortunately, Virgin Red partners with several major transferable rewards programs, making this redemption much more attainable than earning 750,000 points through flying alone. Here are the currencies you can transfer to either Virgin Atlantic or directly to Virgin Red:
Keep in mind that Virgin Atlantic offers household accounts, which allow you to pool your points with other members of your household. You could then move your pooled points to Virgin Red to book the award. Since the rates are for two people, this is an easy way to ensure two people can contribute to the points needed to book the award. If you and your partner both earn a 100,000-plus welcome bonus, you'd be well on your way to booking a room at Necker Island.
$895Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- Earn 5X points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel® (up to $500,000 in purchases per calendar year).
- Earn 5X points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel®.
- Earn 5X points on Fine Hotels + Resorts® and The Hotel Collection bookings.
$795Rates & Fees
- 8x points on all purchases through Chase Travel℠
- 4x points on flights and hotels booked directly
- 3x points on dining worldwide
- 1x points on all other purchases
$325Rates & Fees
(Terms apply)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at restaurants worldwide, plus takeout and delivery in the U.S. (on up to $50,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 4X Membership Rewards® points at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per year in purchases, then 1X)
- 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotels booked on amextravel.com
- 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked directly with airlines or on amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through amextravel.com
- 2X Membership Rewards® points on cruises booked and paid through amextravel.com
- 1X on other eligible purchases
Related: Ways To Redeem Your Virgin Points Other Than Flying
Marriott Bonvoy Moments
Many loyalty programs offer redemptions beyond flights and hotels. These exclusive experiences reward loyal members with access to sporting events, concerts, and more, providing a welcome alternative to another flight or hotel stay.
Marriott Bonvoy Moments is one such offering. There are two main categories of redemptions: Moments auctions and fixed-price experiences. Many of these events aren't available for purchase by the general public, making them one of the program's most unique redemption opportunities.
Bonvoy Moments also offers 1-point drops, which allow you to book a package for just 1 Marriott Bonvoy point. However, these limited-time offers are extremely rare and typically disappear almost instantly.
At the time of writing, you can redeem 55,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for two club box seats at a Chicago Cubs game. The package also includes a chance for your child to run out onto the field before the Cubs take their positions.
Or, you can bid for a luxury Las Vegas getaway with a two-night stay at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, a nine-course degustation menu with wine pairing and a kitchen tour at the three-Michelin-Star Joël Robuchon restaurant, and two tickets to KÀ by Cirque du Soleil. Bidding started at just 70,000 points, and in a little over a week, the current bid is at 127,500 points. Who knows how high the auction will go for such a unique experience.
Some experiences are reserved for co-branded credit cardholders or Marriott Bonvoy® Ambassador Elite members, so check your eligibility before getting too excited. If you need a stash of Marriott Bonvoy points and you want to ensure you'll have access to cardmember-exclusive sales, consider applying for one of these cards:
$95Rates & Fees
- 6X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- 3X points for every $1 spent on the first $6,000 spent in combined purchases annually on grocery stores, gas stations, and dining
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
$650Rates & Fees
(Terms Apply)
- 6X points on purchases at Marriott Properties
- 3X points at restaurants worldwide, including takeout and delivery
- 3X points on flights booked directly with airlines
- 2X points on all other eligible purchases
- 3X points for every $1 spent at over 7,000 hotels participating in Marriott Bonvoy®
- 2X points for every $1 spent at grocery stores, rideshare, select food delivery, select streaming, and internet, cable, and phone services
- 1X point on all other purchases
For members looking to redeem points on something more memorable than another hotel stay, Bonvoy Moments can provide some truly unique opportunities.
Related: Marriott Bonvoy® Credit Cards Compared
Hyatt FIND experiences
A lesser-known feature in the World of Hyatt program is FIND, which offers excursions and experiences around the world. Experiences can be booked with either cash or points, and World of Hyatt members can even choose FIND experience credits as select Milestone Rewards.
Occasionally, FIND offers limited-time, one-of-a-kind experiences that pair luxury accommodations with exclusive access to authors, chefs, artists, or other special guests. For example, you can purchase a trip to ULUM Moab with two Reese Witherspoon's book club authors for two nights for 100,000 World of Hyatt points.
These experiences can only be accessed through the World of Hyatt program, making this an extra-special perk!
- Earn up to 75,000 Bonus Points. Earn 45,000 Bonus Points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. Plus, up to 30,000 more Bonus Points by earning 2 Bonus Points total per $1 spent in the first 6 months from account opening on purchases that normally earn 1 Bonus Point, on up to $15,000 spent.
- Enjoy complimentary World of Hyatt Discoverist status for as long as your account is open.
- Get 1 free night each year after your Cardmember anniversary at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel or resort
- Receive 5 tier qualifying night credits towards status after account opening, and each year after that for as long as your account is open
- Earn an extra free night at any Category 1-4 Hyatt hotel if you spend $15,000 in a calendar year
- Earn 2 qualifying night credits towards tier status every time you spend $5,000 on your card
- Earn up to 9 points total for Hyatt stays - 4 Bonus Points per $1 spent on qualified purchases at Hyatt hotels & up to 5 Base Points per $1 from Hyatt as a World of Hyatt member
- Earn 2 Bonus Points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airline tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- Member FDIC
- Up to 9X points total per $1 spent at Hyatt - 4X points per $1 when you use your card at Hyatt hotels & 5X points per $1 you can earn as a World of Hyatt member
- 2X points per $1 spent at restaurants, on airlines tickets purchased directly from the airlines, on local transit and commuting and on fitness club and gym memberships
- 1X point per $1 everywhere else
Uniquely United
United Airlines offers similar exclusive experiences to its MileagePlus loyalty members from time to time. Aptly named “Uniquely United,” past events have included behind-the-scenes experiences at a flight training center. Depending on the event, members can either redeem MileagePlus miles at a fixed price or bid miles in an auction to secure their spot.
If there aren't any Uniquely United experiences on offer, there are still United Exclusives to book or bid on. At the time of writing, the airline is offering a 10-course meal at Blue Duck Tavern, the signature restaurant at the Park Hyatt Washington, D.C. Members can redeem MileagePlus miles for the package, which includes:
- A ten-course meal prepared by Chef Jean-Claude Plihon
- All wines, cocktails, and beverages
- Private seating for just you and your guest at the chef's table in the restaurant
Keep in mind that Blue Duck Tavern holds one Michelin star, so this is a truly unique experience: sitting at the chef's table at such an establishment!
Hilton Honors Experiences
Hilton Honors Experiences operates similarly to Marriott Moments, with packages and events up for bidding and purchase with Hilton Honors points.
We've previously written about Hilton's partnership with America 250 events across the country, like a four-day road trip to America's best amusement parks. These experiences are promotionally priced at just 250 Hilton Honors points, so act fast if any of these opportunities look interesting.
Other events have included a cricket masterclass, a July 4th rooftop experience during New York's Tall Ships Parade, and a VIP concert experience at Wembley Stadium.
IHG Auctions
IHG offers its own auction-based experiences for members, dubbed IHG Auctions. IHG One Rewards members can redeem for rugby matches, private dinners in Bangkok, and Sydney Harbor sunset cruises. They can even bid on a snorkeling trip to La Paz, Mexico, including two nights at the Hotel Indigo in the city, a 30-minute massage, daily breakfast for two, and snorkel gear.
At the time of writing, bidding started at just 20,000 points for a Singapore cooking class for two, while premium experiences like a Rugby Nations Championship experience for two in Sydney had already climbed above 150,000 points.
Capital One Entertainment
Capital One partners with dozens of musical acts and sports leagues to bring exclusive redemption opportunities to its members. For instance, baseball fans should know that for select games, they can redeem just 5,000 Capital One miles for a pair of tickets.
For Capital One cardholders, even more exclusive experiences are on offer, including the MLB All-Star Game (56,250 miles each) and a VIP experience at the British Open, including a three-night hotel stay in Liverpool, England (281,250 miles). While many of these experiences can also be purchased with cash, you can redeem Capital One miles instead.
- 10X miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars booked via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on purchases through Capital One Entertainment
- 5X miles per $1 on flights when booking via Capital One Travel
- 5X miles per $1 on vacation rentals booked via Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per $1 on all other eligible purchases
Choice Privileges Experiences
Choice Privileges Experiences offers several options for sporting events. Currently, that means NASCAR and Canadian football. All are auction-based, but in my expert opinion, there aren't as many bidders for these experiences as for other auctions on this list. So, if there's interest in taking in a race or game this summer among Choice's offerings, you might have a good chance of scoring tickets!
For example, if you're a fan of NASCAR, the VIP experiences include meet-and-greets with drivers, pre-race hospitality with food and drink, and VIP race tickets. Not too shabby for car enthusiasts!
Bottom Line
Flights and hotel stays will always be the bread and butter of points and miles, but sometimes the most memorable redemption isn't a trip at all. Exclusive experiences can turn a points balance into a once-in-a-lifetime memory.
For me, Hyatt's FIND experiences are the ones I'd be watching most closely for my next aspirational redemption.
For rates and fees of the cards mentioned in this post, please visit the following links: American Express Platinum Card® (Rates & Fees), Chase Sapphire Reserve® (Rates & Fees), American Express® Gold Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card (Rates & Fees), Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card (Rates & Fees), and The World of Hyatt Credit Card (Rates & Fees)
