Travel

Touring to Iceland with factors & miles in 2024

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3 years ago

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This collection of articles about bank cards, factors and miles, and budgeting for journey is dropped at you in partnership with The Points Guy.

Advertiser Disclosure: This put up comprises references to merchandise from a number of of our advertisers. We could obtain compensation while you click on on hyperlinks to these merchandise. Phrases apply to the gives listed on this web page. This relationship may affect how and the place hyperlinks seem on this web site. This web site doesn’t embrace all monetary firms or all obtainable monetary gives. All details about the Alaska Airways playing cards, United Membership℠ Enterprise Card, Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire, and Citi playing cards has been collected independently by Lonely Planet. These playing cards aren’t obtainable by means of Lonely Planet.

The Land of Hearth and Ice has lengthy been a well-liked trip vacation spot, with spectacular waterfalls, volcanoes, glaciers and loads of dramatic surroundings at each flip. It’s possible you’ll even acknowledge a few of them from Sport of Thrones, which used Iceland as a filming location, highlighting Svínafellsjökull glacier in Vatnajökull National Park and Lake Mývatn, amongst different scenic spots.

When you’re sticking to a budget, it’s simple to offset the prices of your flights and lodges by paying for them with points and miles, which will also be used to cowl automobile leases or tour-related prices for those who’re planning an epic street journey round Iceland. 

Right here’s all the things you might want to learn about touring to Iceland with factors and miles, plus a few of our favorite places to visit there.

How to get started with travel points and airline miles

An ice collapse Vatnajokull Glacier Nationwide Park, Iceland © Marco Bottigelli / Getty

The most cost effective award flights to Iceland

U.S. residents are allowed to go to for as much as 90 days with no visa. When you’ve obtained the time, Icelandair permits its passengers to e-book a complimentary stopover in Iceland in both path in case your travels take you between the U.S. and Europe, which you could possibly then use to show this right into a two-in-one journey.

Along with the points-redemption flights talked about beneath, understand that PLAY, a budget-friendly Icelandic provider, gives inexpensive flights to Reykjavík (KEF) from Baltimore (BWI), Boston (BOS), New York (SWF, about 90 minutes from Manhattan) and Washington, DC (IAD). 

Whereas PLAY isn’t linked with any main loyalty applications or airline alliances, you may nonetheless earn factors by paying to your airfare with sure journey bank cards. The Platinum Card® from American Express*, as an illustration, permits you to earn 5X factors for reserving flights instantly with the airline on as much as $500,000 on these purchases per calendar 12 months.

It’s additionally value checking to see if there are any flight offers in your bank card’s journey portal, whether or not it’s Chase Final Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Capital One Journey or American Categorical Membership Rewards.

  • Least expensive financial system class ticket to Iceland: 36,000 Flying Blue miles round-trip (to fly on Delta from the U.S.)
  • Least expensive business-class ticket to Iceland: 88,000 ANA Mileage Membership miles round-trip
  • Least expensive first-class ticket to Iceland: 135,000 to 165,000 Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles round-trip

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Alaska Airways Mileage Plan

One of the crucial precious points-and-miles currencies on the market, Alaska Airways Mileage Plan miles mean you can e-book flights to Iceland by way of its companions, together with Icelandair, American Airways and British Airways.

Icelandair gives year-round flights from the U.S. by way of Baltimore (BWI), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), New York (JFK), Newark (EWR), Raleigh-Durham (RDU), Seattle (SEA) and Washington, DC (IAD), in addition to seasonal service from Denver (DEN), Detroit (DTW), Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP), Orlando (MCO), Pittsburgh (PIT, beginning Could 2024) and Portland, Oregon (PDX). 

As of 2024, Alaska Airways will probably be switching to a new award chart for its redemption flights, so go to Great Circle Mapper to calculate the space between your required airports first. 

Right here’s what number of Mileage Plan miles you’d have to fly there by way of Icelandair, starting from the East Coast to West Coast of the U.S.:

  • Economic system Class: 45,000 to 55,000 miles round-trip
  • Enterprise Class: 90,000 to 110,000 miles round-trip
  • First Class: 135,000 to 165,000 miles round-trip

Utilizing Mileage Plan miles is the best solution to e-book award flights on Icelandair, just because the provider has no bank card switch companions so it’s solely doable to build up Saga Factors by making a ton of flights. 

That stated, it’s not a nasty concept to pay for an financial system seat on Icelandair with money (in different phrases, not with factors or miles) after which use Saga Factors to improve to a business- or first-class seat.

Whereas JetBlue and Icelandair at present have a codeshare alliance, it’s not but doable to e-book award flights on Icelandair with JetBlue TrueBlue factors — although you may earn miles with every provider by flying with the opposite.

To high up your miles stability, switch factors over from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio or think about signing up for considered one of Alaska Airways’ two cobranded bank cards so you may reap the benefits of its profitable welcome bonus.

  • Alaska Airways Visa® card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 throughout the first 90 days of account opening — and Alaska’s Well-known Companion Fare™ from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and costs from $23) annually after you spend $6,000.
  • Alaska Airways Visa® Enterprise Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles, plus Alaska’s Well-known Companion Fare™ from $122 ($99 fare plus taxes and costs from $23), after spending $3,000 throughout the first 90 days of opening your account.
  • Marriott Bonvoy Bold® Credit Card: Earn 30,000 bonus factors after spending $1,000 throughout the first three months of account opening.
  • Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card: Earn three free nights (value 50,000 factors every) after you spend $3,000 throughout the first three months of opening your account.
  • Marriott Bonvoy Bevy™ American Express® Card*: Earn 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you utilize your new card to make $5,000 in purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.
  • Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant® American Express® Card*: Earn 95,000 Marriott Bonvoy bonus factors after you utilize your new card to make $6,000 in purchases throughout the first six months of card membership.

How to make a travel budget using points and miles 

All Nippon Airways. You possibly can fly to Japan within the airline’s esteemed “The Room” enterprise class from simply 88,000 miles round-trip © Eric Rosen / The Factors Man

All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Membership

Star Alliance followers can use ANA Mileage Membership to e-book tickets to Iceland on United Airways for much less. Take into account, nevertheless, that you just’ll solely have the ability to e-book a round-trip redemption (no one-ways allowed), you may solely e-book award flights for your self or a member of the family (not buddies) and also you’ll have to test for availability by means of United’s web site first, then affirm it with ANA.

  • Economic system Class: 55,000 miles round-trip
  • Enterprise Class: 88,000 miles round-trip
  • First Class: 165,000 miles round-trip

When you’re out there for a brand new travel credit card, the welcome bonus from The Platinum Card® from American Express would every be sufficient to cowl a round-trip financial system flight, whereas that of The Business Platinum Card® from American Express* would simply care for a business-class flight.

ANA Mileage Membership miles will also be transferred from Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio or from American Categorical Membership Rewards at a 1:1 ratio.

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Avianca LifeMiles

Top-of-the-line redemption candy spots round is utilizing Avianca LifeMiles to e-book flights with the provider’s Star Alliance companions, like United Airways. The one actual issue is the place you’re flying in from, as charges are usually a bit decrease from East Coast cities versus different elements of the U.S.

  • Economic system Class: 40,000 miles round-trip from the East Coast; 60,000 miles round-trip from elsewhere within the U.S.
  • Enterprise Class: 120,000 miles round-trip from the East Coast; 126,000 miles round-trip from elsewhere within the U.S.
  • First Class: 174,000 miles round-trip (from wherever within the U.S.)

To bump up your stability, switch factors over from Bilt Rewards, American Categorical Membership Rewards, Capital One Rewards or Citi ThankYou Rewards at a ratio of 1:1 or from Marriott Bonvoy at a ratio of three:1.

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A United aircraft © The Factors Man

United Airways MileagePlus

United Airways gives seasonal service to Reykjavík from Chicago (ORD) and Newark (EWR, restarting in Could 2024). Whereas it’s not probably the most profitable redemption, particularly after a recent devaluation, it’s simple to accrue United MileagePlus miles. And you could possibly at all times use them to fly with considered one of United’s Star Alliance companions, like Air Canada or Scandinavian Airways, as an alternative.

United Airways makes use of dynamic pricing, which varies by season and demand. Right here’s what number of MileagePlus miles you’d have to fly to Iceland on United metallic, utilizing a pattern seek for a nonstop flight in Could 2024 from Newark:

  • Economic system Class: 66,200 miles round-trip
  • Enterprise Class: 388,200 miles round-trip

The Chase Sapphire Preferred, the Chase Sapphire Reserve and a number of other United MileagePlus cobranded bank cards every supply beneficiant welcome bonuses that can assist you construct up your factors stability shortly. Factors will also be transferred from Chase Final Rewards and Bilt Rewards at a 1:1 ratio or Marriott Bonvoy at a 3:1 ratio if wanted.

  • Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card: Earn 60,000 bonus factors when you spend $4,000 throughout the first three months of opening your account.
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Earn 60,000 bonus factors when you spend $4,000 throughout the first three months of opening your account.
  • United Gateway℠ Card: Earn 30,000 bonus miles after spending $1,000 throughout the first three months of account opening.
  • United℠ Explorer Card: Earn 60,000 bonus miles when you spend $3,000 throughout the first three months of opening your account.
  • United Quest℠ Card: Earn 70,000 bonus miles and 500 premier qualifying factors (PQP) after spending $4,000 throughout the first three months of account opening.
  • United Club℠ Infinite Card: Earn 90,000 bonus miles when you spend $5,000 throughout the first three months of opening your account.
  • United℠ Business Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 throughout the first three months of account opening.
  • United Membership℠ Enterprise Card: Earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $5,000 throughout the first three months of account opening.

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Air France Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner © Eric Rosen / The Factors Man

Air France/KLM Flying Blue

Whereas Air France and KLM don’t fly on to Iceland, you may nonetheless use Flying Blue miles to e-book nonstop journeys from the U.S. aboard its SkyTeam alliance companion, Delta Air Traces, which gives seasonal flights to Reykjavík (KEF) from New York (JFK), Detroit (DTW) and Minneapolis/St. Paul (MSP).

As a result of Delta Air Traces makes use of dynamic pricing, which modifications based mostly on the time of the 12 months, your vacation spot and different components, monitoring down award flights by means of Flying Blue is often a extra inexpensive choice.

Right here’s what number of Flying Blue miles you’ll want to go to Iceland from the U.S., based mostly on a pattern search from New York (JFK) for dates in Could 2024:

  • Economic system Class: 36,000 miles round-trip
  • Enterprise Class: 100,000 miles round-trip

For comparability, right here’s what number of SkyMiles you’d have to e-book the same flight on Delta in Could 2024 from New York (JFK):

  • Economic system Class: 58,000 miles round-trip
  • Enterprise Class: 282,000 miles round-trip

To rack up Flying Blue miles shortly, switch factors from Chase Final Rewards, Amex Membership Rewards, Bilt Rewards, Capital One Rewards or Citi ThankYou Rewards at a 1:1 ratio or Marriott Bonvoy at a 1:1 ratio.

Alternatively, Delta devotees can earn miles by signing up for considered one of its cobranded bank cards and maximizing the profitable welcome bonus.

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Iceland lodges you may e-book with factors

You’ll discover factors lodges from Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards and World of Hyatt throughout Iceland, so make sure to join their free loyalty program — or higher but, a related hotel rewards credit card to maximise the welcome bonus and earn factors towards free nights.

Sure cobranded playing cards, just like the Hilton Honors American Categorical Aspire, additionally include $200 value of assertion credit meant to cowl resort charges and different on-property expenses made at Hilton properties twice per 12 months.

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Cover by Hilton Reykjavík Metropolis Centre © Ben Smithson / The Factors Man

Reykjavík

Most guests begin or finish their Iceland journey within the capital, Reykjavík, situated about 45 minutes from Keflavík Worldwide Airport (KEF) and residential to 4 top-notch Hilton properties. The Hilton Reykjavík Nordica has nightly charges from 36,000 factors, whereas the Cover by Hilton Reykjavík Metropolis Centre gives rooms from 57,000 factors per night time. 

You’ll additionally discover two Curio Assortment properties, the Reykjavík Konsulat Resort,  with rooms from 60,000 factors per night time, and the Iceland Parliament Resort, which has nightly charges beginning at 63,000 factors.

To spice up your stability, switch factors from American Categorical Membership Rewards to Hilton Honors at a ratio of 1:2 or think about signing up for a cobranded or versatile rewards bank card.

The welcome bonus from the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card supplies sufficient factors for 2 to 4 nights (relying on the lodge), whereas the welcome bonus from The Platinum Card might rating you a complimentary night time at any of these lodges.

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Nesjavellir

Within the coronary heart of Iceland’s scenic Golden Circle, a well-known street lined with waterfalls, geysers and volcanoes, is the ION Journey Resort, Nesjavellir, a part of the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. Simply an hour’s drive from Reykjavík and surrounded by nature, room charges at this unforgettable property begin at 50,000 factors per night time.

To build up Marriott Bonvoy factors shortly, switch some over from American Categorical Membership Rewards at a ratio of 1:1 or think about signing up for considered one of Marriott’s cobranded bank cards. The welcome bonus from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card could be sufficient to cowl a three-night keep, the proper jumping-off level to your Iceland journey.

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Hella

Iceland’s solely World of Hyatt property, Resort Rangá is situated about 90 minutes from Reykjavík and located alongside the Ring Road, one of many nation’s hottest street journeys. It’s additionally a part of the Small Luxurious Lodges of the World assortment, providing rooms from 30,000 factors per night time.

With the welcome bonus from both the World of Hyatt Credit score Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you’d have sufficient factors to cowl a two-night keep. In any other case, Chase Final Rewards factors may be transferred to Phrase of Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio to extend your stability.

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View of the well-known Rainbow Road in Reykjavík, Iceland © Finn Hafemann / Getty

Actions and floor transportation

Vehicles are pushed on the correct aspect of the street in Iceland and renting automobiles or campervans for an epic multi-day road trip is an effective way to see the nation and its dramatic surroundings up shut. All the time check the road conditions and obtain the Safetravel app earlier than you head out, simply in case.

You’ll additionally discover a number of public buses working between main cities alongside the Ring Street, whereas firms like Iceland By Bus, Volcano Trails and Reykjavík Excursions supply tourist-friendly hop-on-hop-off service and regional day journey packages in the course of the busier summer time months.

Whichever manner you select to get around Iceland, understand that sure journey bank cards, just like the Capital One Venture and the Capital One Venture X, mean you can “erase” expenses by redeeming factors towards journey bills at a price of 1 cent per level. 

Different playing cards just like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, include a $300 annual journey credit score perk that gives assertion credit to cowl travel-related bills. 

Cardholders of the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Chase Sapphire Preferred also can save on rental automobiles, guided excursions and different journey parts by redeeming Final Rewards factors for 1.5 cents per level or 1.25 cents per level, respectively, by means of the Chase journey portal.

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Svínafellsjökull glacier, the most important ice cap in Europe © Rixipix / Getty

Backside line

A trip to Iceland doesn’t have to interrupt the financial institution for those who plan forward, take note of airline companions, reap the benefits of profitable welcome bonuses from cobranded bank cards and maximize your factors and miles at any time when doable. Whether or not you’re visiting as a part of a family vacation, a romantic getaway or an epic solo journey, you’re certain to have a memorable journey.

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* Eligibility and Profit stage varies by Card. Phrases, Circumstances, and Limitations Apply. Please go to americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for extra particulars. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Firm.

Phrases apply to American Categorical advantages and gives. Enrollment could also be required for choose American Categorical advantages and gives. Go to americanexpress.com to study extra.

Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed listed below are the creator’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, airline or lodge chain, and haven’t been reviewed, accredited or in any other case endorsed by any of those entities.

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