loyaltypointsdestinations

The 17 Places to Go in 2026: Best Airline Loyalty Redemptions for Each Destination

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2026-01-30

13 min read

Map TPG’s 17 top destinations for 2026 to the smartest loyalty redemptions — save points, score premium seats and use transfer bonuses strategically.

Beat rising award prices: 17 top destinations for 2026 and the loyalty redemptions that actually save points

Searching for premium seats with points in 2026 feels like navigating a moving puzzle: dynamic award pricing, fewer guaranteed award charts and seasonal inventory swings make it harder to know where to spend your hard-earned points. This guide maps TPG’s 17 top places for 2026 to the smartest loyalty-program redemptions and point-saving tactics so you can lock in business and premium-economy seats without overpaying.

How to use this guide

Each destination includes: the best loyalty programs to search, the most valuable bank transfer partners, practical routing hacks and a short, actionable strategy to find off-peak, premium award inventory in 2026. Focus on the programs and transfer partners listed, and use the tactical tips to save points and reduce cash surcharges.

In 2026, the biggest win is flexibility: flexible dates, flexible airports and flexible programs (transfer partners) beat hoarding a single airline balance.

2026 travel trends that change award-booking tactics

Dynamic award pricing is now the default across most large carriers. Expect price variability and shop multiple programs before transferring points.
Transfer bonuses remain frequent — bank points often run 15–40% bonuses to airline partners in late 2025/early 2026; time transfers to those promotions when possible.
More nonstop premium routes were added in late 2025, expanding business-class inventory to secondary gateways (good for off-peak bookings).
Point marketplaces and consolidators (e.g., award search tools and brokers) matured — they can expose hidden availability and creative routings.

The 17 destinations and the best redemptions for premium & off-peak award travel

1. Kyoto — Japan’s cultural capital

Best programs: ANA Mileage Club & Japan Airlines Mileage Bank (JAL), plus transfer partners: Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Capital One.

Why: Japan remains a sweet spot for premium cabins—Japanese carriers and Star Alliance partners release saver seats repeatedly during off-peak months (late autumn/winter excluding New Year).
Strategy: Search ANA and JAL award calendars separately; if ANA saver space is scarce, check partner awards through Star Alliance programs like Aeroplan or Avianca LifeMiles.
Tip: Consider one-way redemptions and book open-jaw itineraries (e.g., fly into Osaka/Kansai and out of Tokyo) to maximize city pair coverage.

2. Lisbon — Europe’s sunlit smart city

Best programs: Flying Blue (Air France-KLM), Iberia Plus, British Airways Avios. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One.

Why: Lisbon sees robust seasonal capacity; Iberia and Avios distance-based pricing create value for transatlantic flights from the US East Coast and seasonal secondary gateways.
Strategy: Use Iberia off-peak awards when available — transfer to Iberia Plus during transfer bonuses. Flying Blue’s monthly Promo Rewards still delivers cheap biz seats to Europe occasionally.
Tip: For shorter intra-Europe hops, Avios redemptions on Iberia/BA can be significantly cheaper than other program awards due to distance-based charts.

3. Oaxaca — Mexico’s culinary hotspot

Best programs: Alaska Mileage Plan (Aeromexico partner), Aeromexico Club Premier, United MileagePlus for domestic positioning. Transfer partners: Alaska (via credit card transfers limited), bank points to partners for long-haul legs.

Why: Oaxaca is often served via Mexico City; short domestic legs on Aeromexico or Viva Aerobus can be cheap when combined with international award space.
Strategy: Book an international award into Mexico City with a protected connection on Aeromexico or transfer to Alaska to book Aeromexico awards with lower mileage requirements.
Tip: Consider paid domestic segments if award routing rules impose heavy surcharges; sometimes buying a cheap short-haul ticket and saving points on the transborder premium seat is the better value.

4. Reykjavik — Iceland’s base for Northern adventures

Best programs: Air France-KLM Flying Blue (Promo Rewards), British Airways Avios for short-haul legs, Aeroplan for flexible stopovers. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One.

Why: Flying Blue Promo Rewards frequently include Reykjavik and can drive premium seats to Europe at sweet prices.
Strategy: Monitor monthly Flying Blue promos and set alerts for Iceland routes. Use Avios for intra-Europe positioning and Aeroplan for longer itineraries with flexible stopover rules.

5. Patagonia — remote, premium adventure

Best programs: LATAM Pass (LATAM), Aerolineas Argentinas/Avianca Lifemiles for regional Star Alliance legs; transfer partners: flexible bank points to Lifemiles or to LATAM via transfer bonuses.

Why: Flights to Patagonia often require regional connections — using local carrier programs can save points and cash.
Strategy: For Chilean Patagonia, position into Santiago and use LATAM to Puerto Natales/ Punta Arenas; for Argentine Patagonia, position into Buenos Aires and use Aerolineas or ALA partners.
Tip: Book international long-haul in premium cabins and pay for the short regional hop when award routing surcharges or lack of partner availability makes awarding expensive.

6. Amalfi Coast (Naples/Salerno) — Italy’s dramatic coastline

Best programs: Aeroplan (stopover-friendly), Flying Blue, Avios distance-based redemptions. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Citi.

Why: Multiple entry options (Naples, Rome, Naples+train) open routing flexibility and stopovers in other Italian cities at low extra mileage with Aeroplan.
Strategy: Use Aeroplan to book a transatlantic award with a free or low-cost stopover in Rome; connect to Naples on Avios or short Flying Blue awards.

7. Petra & Wadi Rum, Jordan — the desert classic

Best programs: Aegean Miles+Bonus (Star Alliance), Turkish Miles&Smiles, Virgin Atlantic for partner interlines. Transfer partners: Amex, Capital One, Chase to Avios when routing via London or Iberia for Europe-to-Middle East options.

Why: Limited nonstop options from the US make multi-carrier routing common; look for awards to Amman (AMM) or neighboring gateways plus a short intra-region connection.
Strategy: Use Istanbul or Athens as positioning gateways — Turkish and Aegean often show Star Alliance availability to AMM. Consider mixed-cabin if only partial premium inventory is available.

8. Cape Town — South Africa’s iconic coast

Best programs: Singapore KrisFlyer (partner redemptions on Star Alliance), Avianca LifeMiles, Air France-KLM Flying Blue for seasonal deals. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One.

Why: Routes to Cape Town have grown, but premium award seats remain concentrated on select carriers — target Star Alliance inventory or Flying Blue promo awards.
Strategy: Book long-haul premium with a Star Alliance program that allows generous routings (e.g., Avianca Lifemiles often lists Star Alliance space without fuel surcharges).

9. Cartagena — Colombia’s Caribbean gem

Best programs: Avianca LifeMiles, Alaska Mileage Plan on Avianca partners, American AAdvantage for direct partner inventory. Transfer partners: Amex, Citi, Capital One.

Why: Short regional hops and multiple South American carriers create award flexibility and opportunities for lower-cost premium economy or business class segments.
Strategy: Use LifeMiles during sales (they frequently discount awards) or Alaska to book partner awards on LATAM/Avianca when available.

10. Quebec City — Canada turned cultural escape

Best programs: Aeroplan (excellent for Canada inbound), Avios for short hops, United MileagePlus for cross-border options. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One.

Why: Short transborder hops can be award-friendly; Aeroplan’s North America award pricing and stopover rules are useful for multi-city Canada trips.
Strategy: Book a transatlantic or transborder premium award into Montreal or Quebec City and take a short Avios-positioned flight for the final leg when award inventory is tight.

11. Lagos — Nigeria’s rising gateway

Best programs: Turkish Miles&Smiles, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Virgin Atlantic partner awards via Delta/AF. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One.

Why: New routes launched in 2025 expanded premium capacity to West Africa; Turkish and Air France often release business seats out of Istanbul and Paris respectively.
Strategy: Use positioning to major European hubs with consistent award inventory and pick a single-carrier itinerary into Lagos to simplify changes.

12. Medellín — Colombia’s urban revival

Best programs: Avianca LifeMiles, United MileagePlus for Star Alliance routing, LATAM Pass for LATAM-operated segments. Transfer partners: Amex, Citi, Capital One.

Why: Strong regional connectivity and consistent short-haul award availability. Medellín is a frequent target for sales on LifeMiles.
Strategy: Watch LifeMiles for discounts and use an Atlantic positioning gateway if traveling from Europe — sometimes cheaper than direct US options during off-peak.

13. New Zealand (South Island) — epic landscapes with premium service

Best programs: Air New Zealand Airpoints for direct service, Aeroplan/United for Star Alliance routings (via Asia), Virgin Atlantic for creative partner routing. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One to programs that book Star Alliance or partner routes.

Why: Late-2025 long-haul growth from Asia-Pacific opened new routings and premium inventory to New Zealand in 2026.
Strategy: Consider one-way awards into Auckland and separate domestic premium tickets on Air New Zealand for key South Island legs when partner award inventory is limited.

14. Dubrovnik — Adriatic history & summer routes

Best programs: Avios, Aeroplan, Flying Blue. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One, Citi.

Why: Seasonal charter and scheduled premium routes make for bargains during shoulder months; Avios sweet spots on short intra-Europe hops can save huge points.
Strategy: Travel shoulder season (May/Sept) to catch premium off-peak availability and use Avios for short hops from larger European hubs.

15. Melbourne — Australia’s cultural powerhouse

Best programs: Qantas Frequent Flyer (oneworld), Alaska Mileage Plan for Qantas partner awards, Aeroplan for Star Alliance routings via Asia. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase (to partners), Capital One.

Why: Increased A350/A330 premium service and late-2025 capacity increases improved premium award availability between North America and Australia.
Strategy: Use Qantas availability for direct premium routes; if unavailable, construct one-ways via Asia on Star Alliance or Oneworld partners and combine into a roundtrip.

16. Marrakesh — North Africa’s colors and riads

Best programs: Royal Air Maroc (RAM’s new partnerships), Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Iberia/Avios for European positioning. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One.

Why: New RAM partnerships in late 2025 expanded transatlantic and intra-European connectivity; Flying Blue promos periodically include Marrakech.
Strategy: Position to Madrid or Paris and use short Avios or Flying Blue redemptions for the final leg; consider mixed awards to combine cheap economy positioning with premium long-haul redemptions.

17. Santorini — Greece’s classic island escape

Best programs: Avios for short-haul Greek hops, Aeroplan for flexible routing, Flying Blue for occasional promos. Transfer partners: Amex, Chase, Capital One.

Why: Santorini is heavily seasonal; shoulder-month off-peak awards are where you’ll find premium seats without paying full summer surcharges.
Strategy: Fly into Athens on a premium long-haul award and book a short Avios redemption or low-cash regional flight to Santorini. Use flex dates to capture cheaper premium availability in May or October.

Advanced cross-destination strategies that save points

Mix paid and award segments: Buy a cheap economy short-hop when that leg destroys award value — preserve points for the premium long haul.
Use transfer bonuses: Wait for a 25–40% transfer bonus from Amex/Chase/Capital One to the airline you need — it often beats immediate transfers at variable pricing.
Book one-ways and open-jaws: One-ways let you use different programs for each direction to exploit availability. Open-jaws let you combine city pairs and save on positioning flights.
Leverage program sweet spots: Learn the distance- and partner-based quirks of Avios, Aeroplan and LifeMiles. These programs often let you squeeze more value than variable-pricing carriers.
Search engine stacking: Use a mix of award search tools (airline calendars, ExpertFlyer equivalents, and paid tools like Point.Me / paid tools) — availability can show up in one program but not another.
Book during shoulder/off-peak windows: Outside peak summer and holiday weeks, premium cabins release more saver inventory; plan for May–June and September–November windows where possible.

Real-world example: Booking Kyoto business in 2026

Scenario: You want one business-class seat from New York to Kyoto in October 2026.

Search ANA and JAL award calendars for saver space. If not available, search Aeroplan and Avianca LifeMiles for Star Alliance alternatives.
If Aeroplan shows space but you hold Chase UR, time a transfer to Aeroplan during a Chase-to-Aeroplan bonus (late 2025 saw several 30% bonuses).
If only mixed-cabin is available, consider booking a long-haul business seat to Tokyo and a separate one-way to Osaka/Kansai on a short domestic flight — that often saves points and guarantees the long-haul experience.

Tools and alerts to use in 2026

Program calendars: Aeroplan, Flying Blue, United and Alaska calendars — check all.
Points marketplaces & award search tools: Consider Point.Me or ExpertFlyer-style tools for advanced routing and multi-program searches.
Bank transfer bonus alerts: Sign up for bank newsletters (Amex, Chase, Capital One) and set calendar reminders — bonuses appear frequently and stack with promotions.
Fare and award alerts: Use Google Flights for cash fares then set award alerts in award-search tools; sudden cash fare spikes often mean award inventory will be released.

Common pitfalls to avoid

Transferring bank points before confirming award space — transfers are often irreversible.
Ignoring surcharges: Some programs impose heavy fuel/airport surcharges — always check total out-of-pocket costs.
Locking into peak-season dates — if your dates are flexible, you will save points and get better premium inventory.
Assuming a single program is best for every route — the best program for Lisbon may not be best for Kyoto; diversify balances across transferable points.

Quick-reference cheat sheet (what to check first)

If you want Europe or Iceland: check Flying Blue Promo Rewards and Iberia Avios first.
If you want Japan or Korea: search JAL/ANA then Aeroplan/LifeMiles.
If you want South America: LifeMiles and LATAM Pass are often the best sources.
If you want Africa: Flying Blue and Star Alliance partners typically have best access to major gateways.
If you want short intra-Europe/island hops: Avios almost always deserves a look first.

Final takeaways for 2026 award travel

TPG 2026 named 17 inspiring destinations — but your redemption value depends on strategy more than destination. In 2026, the best redemptions are those that combine program knowledge, transfer-timing and flexibility: use transfer bonuses, hunt Flying Blue promos for Europe/Iceland, exploit Avios distance charts for short hops, and book Star Alliance partners via Aeroplan or LifeMiles for complex routings and stopovers.

Remember: flexible dates, split-booking one-ways, and mixing paid short hops with premium long-haul awards are the three practical levers that will save the most points while landing you in a premium seat.

Ready to book your 2026 trip?

Sign up for our award-alerts, set transfer-bonus notifications and use our route-specific redemption checklists to lock in premium seats at the best possible point price. If you’d like, tell us your destination and point balances below and we’ll lay out a step-by-step redemption plan tailored to your dates and tolerance for stopovers.

Action: Subscribe for alerts and get a free one-route redemption audit — get ahead of dynamic pricing and fly premium in 2026 without breaking the points bank.

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