The Best Ways To Fly to the Caribbean With Points and Miles

The Caribbean is an enormously popular region for U.S. travelers — and for good reason. It’s known for incredible weather, beautiful beaches, an abundance of culture, incredible cuisine, and so much more. Even better, it’s just a short flight away for many Americans, so it’s an easy trip.

Today, let’s take a look at the best ways to fly to the Caribbean with your points and miles.

Nonstop Flights Between the U.S. and the Caribbean

Thanks to the immense beauty and proximity of the Caribbean, there’s a ton of demand from U.S. travelers. Thankfully, all of the major U.S. airlines and many low-cost airlines offer flights to a number of islands in the region.

This area of the world is made up of a number of countries and islands that include:

This guide focuses on booking flights on full-service carriers as opposed to low-cost carriers like Spirit or Frontier, simply because you can generally get better value when booking business or first class flights with points.

Check out some of these airlines offering nonstop flights between the U.S. and the Caribbean:

American Airlines

Delta Air Lines

JetBlue (Mint-equipped Routes)

United Airlines

Hot Tip: In addition to booking for your flight to the Caribbean with miles, you can book some great Caribbean hotels with points too.

Best Programs for Booking Flights

It’s important to note that award availability can be found both close to departure and far in advance — not typically what you’ll see when you’re booking business and first class on long-haul flights, such as those from the U.S. to Australia.

What’s great about having so many U.S. airlines flying to the Caribbean is that you’ll have a ton of options to book award flights. In this post, you’ll find the Oneworld, Star Alliance, SkyTeam, and non-alliance airline programs that you can use to book flights to the Caribbean.

On a high level, American Airlines is most generous in providing award availability to partners, while United and Delta are generally stingier.

This means AA flights are generally easy to book using partner currencies like British Airways Avios and Alaska Airlines miles.

Air Canada Aeroplan

Air Canada Aeroplan is known for having a unique award chart — the amount of miles you’ll pay depends on how many miles your itinerary covers.

With 45,000 Aeroplan points, you can book round-trip economy flights between any North American destination that exceeds 2,750 flight miles. Business class is 70,000 points.

Flights between 1,501 and 2,750 flight miles, however, will cost 25,000 points round-trip in economy and 50,000 points round-trip in business class.

Follow these steps to book your award flight:

1. Head to Air Canada’s homepage.
2. Enter your travel dates, origin and destination airports, number of travelers, and desired class of booking.
3. Book the flight with Aeroplan points in your account and pay the taxes and fees with a credit card.

If you’re looking to visit the Caribbean, here are a couple of example round-trip routes that you book with your Aeroplan points:

• Chicago (ORD) – San Juan (SJU) for 25,000 Aeroplan points + ~$31 in taxes and fees in economy class on United
• Houston (IAH) – Bonaire (BON) for 50,000 Aeroplan points + ~$31 in taxes and fees in business class on United
• Montréal (YUL) – Punta Cana (PUJ) for 25,000 Aeroplan points + ~$31 in taxes and fees in economy class on Air Canada
• Newark (EWR) – Aruba (AUA) for 50,000 Aeroplan points + ~$31 in taxes and fees in business class on United
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Bridgetown (BGI) for 50,000 Aeroplan points + ~$31 in taxes and fees in business class on United

Earning Aeroplan Points

Earning Aeroplan points is easy because the airline is an American Express transfer partner, Capital One transfer partner, Chase transfer partner, and a Marriott Bonvoy transfer partner.

If you’re looking to transfer points from 1 of these programs to Aeroplan, you’ll want to keep the transfer ratios and transfer times in mind.

Amex and Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One miles transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott Bonvoy point transfers take 5 days at a 3:1 ratio.

You can also opt to acquire the co-branded Chase Aeroplan^® Credit Card, which earns 3x points per $1 spent on dining, groceries, and Air Canada, as well as 1x point per $1 spent everywhere else.

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U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

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A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

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The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

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Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
• 5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
• Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 21.49%-28.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Reserve^®

A top player in the high-end premium travel credit card space that earns 3x points on travel and dining while offering top luxury perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠

60,000 points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,200

Annual Fee

$550

APR

22.49%-29.49% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-850)

Why We Like This Card

If you’re looking for an all-around excellent travel rewards card, the Chase Sapphire Reserve^® is one of the best options out there.

The card combines elite travel benefits and perks like airport lounge access, with excellent point earning and redemption options.  Plus it offers top-notch travel insurance protections to keep you covered whether you’re at home or on the road.

Don’t forget the $300 annual travel credit which really helps to reduce the annual fee!

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase TravelSM immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually
• 10x points on Lyft purchases through March 31, 2025
• 10x points on Peloton equipment and accessory purchases over $250 through March 31, 2025

Cons

• $550 annual fee
• Does not offer any sort of hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $900 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.
• $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
• Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Travel℠ immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
• Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $900 toward travel.
• Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
• 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
• Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck^®
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 22.49%-29.49% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

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Chase Ultimate Rewards

Hot Tip: Did you know that you don’t even have to fly to earn Aeroplan points? See how you can earn miles simply by shopping at Aeroplan’s eStore.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is one of the most valuable loyalty programs around, thanks to individual partnerships with several airlines and favorable redemption rates. In the case of award flights to the Caribbean, American Airlines is the airline partner you’ll fly.

Alaska is known for its routing rules that allow you to book a stopover, even on one-way flights. This means you can be creative with your Caribbean itinerary by building in a stopover on your trip.

35,000 Alaska miles is enough to book round-trip economy flights between the U.S. and the Caribbean. Business class, on the other hand, will run you 55,000 miles round-trip.

Here’s a breakdown of the costs for round-trip flights booked through Alaska:

Follow these steps to book your award flight:

1. Go to Alaska Airlines’ website.
2. Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, number of passengers, and enable Use Miles.
3. Click the flight that you want, click Add To Cart, and then click Next.
4. Book the award ticket.

Below are a couple of examples of round-trip American Airlines flights that you can book with your Alaska Airlines miles:

• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Montego Bay (MBJ) for 55,000 Alaska miles in business class on American
• New York (JFK) – Antigua (ANU) for 55,000 Alaska miles in business class on American
• New York (LGA) – Nassau (NAS) for 35,000 Alaska miles in economy class on American
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Kingston (KIN) for 55,000 Alaska miles in business class on American
• Washington, D.C. (DCA) – Nassau (NAS) for 55,000 Alaska miles in business class on American

Earning Alaska Mileage Plan Miles

It can be tough to earn Alaska Airlines miles, because Alaska only partners with 1 transferable point program: Marriott Bonvoy. Point transfers take 2 business days at a 3:1 ratio, and you’ll receive a bonus of 5,000 Alaska miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.

While the Alaska miles are relatively hard to earn, they are valuable because of how competitive the Alaska award charts are.

In addition to partnering with Marriott Bonvoy, Alaska Airlines offers co-branded Bank of America credit cards, though the easiest way to earn Alaska miles is to transfer them from Marriott Bonvoy.

We explore the large number of Marriott credit cards available in our detailed guide.

Bottom Line: The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program shines because of 2 factors: 1) the ability to book a stopover, and 2) competitive award prices when flying with partner airlines. 

American Airlines AAdvantage

American Airlines is a member of the Oneworld alliance and is best known for its competitive redemption prices for partner airline flights to the Middle East and Africa. Using AAdvantage miles for flights to the Caribbean is sometimes overlooked, but it can be very valuable.

American considers the following destinations to be in its Caribbean region:

Here’s a look at what you can expect to pay for round-trip award flights:

When you’re ready to book a flight, follow the steps below:

1. Head to American Airlines’ website.
2. Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and number of passengers.
3. Select the flight that you want, book the flight, and pay the taxes and fees with a credit card.

Here are a few examples of round-trip award flights you can book:

• Boston (BOS) – Grand Cayman (GCM) for 50,000 American miles in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Havana (HAV) for 25,000 American miles in American off-peak economy
• Charlotte (CLT) – Samaná (AZS) for 50,000 American miles in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – San Juan (SJU) for 25,000 American miles in American off-peak economy
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Aruba (AUA) for 50,000 American miles in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Dominica (DOM) for 50,000 American miles in American business class

Earning American Airlines AAdvantage Miles

AAdvantage miles are fairly easy to earn because American offers a number of co-branded credit cards and partners with Marriott Bonvoy.

Earning miles directly from American Airlines credit cards is the easiest way to earn miles, however, transfers from Marriott Bonvoy shouldn’t be overlooked.

If you’re looking to transfer your Marriott Bonvoy points to American, expect transfers to be complete in 2 days at a 3:1 ratio.

Bottom Line: American Airlines and Alaska Airlines are the 2 major U.S. airlines that have not moved their award charts to dynamic pricing. United Airlines was the most recent airline to do this, and American’s made some moves towards dynamic pricing, so don’t be surprised if American’s award chart goes away completely in the not-so-distant future.

Asiana Airlines Asiana Club

Asiana Airlines continually flies under the radar. It’s a South Korea-based Star Alliance partner that can be used to book partner flights to the Caribbean. The Asiana Club program considers these destinations to be in its Central America region:

Here’s a look at what you can expect to pay for round-trip flights:

Thanks to Asiana’s membership in the Star Alliance, you can book Air Canada or United Airlines flights.

Unfortunately, you can’t book Star Alliance partner awards on Asiana’s website, so you’ll need to call the airline to book. Follow these steps:

1. Search for award availability using Air Canada and/or United.
2. Enter your route, travel dates, number of passengers, and cabin class.
3. Write down all the flight information, including flight numbers, dates, and times.
4. Call Asiana Airlines at 800-227-4262 between 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. PST Monday to Friday.
5. Tell the representative that you want to book an Air Canada or United award flight.
6. Provide the flight numbers, travel dates, and any other flight information.
7. Once they’ve confirmed the award space, provide them with your credit card to pay for taxes and fees.

Here are some examples of round-trip flights you can book:

• Chicago (ORD) – Grand Cayman (GCM) for 55,000 Asiana miles in United business class
• Houston (IAH) – Havana (HAV) for 55,000 Asiana miles in United business class
• Newark (EWR) – Montego Bay (MBJ) for 35,000 Asiana miles in United economy class
• Toronto (YYZ) – Nassau (NAS) for 55,000 Asiana miles in Air Canada business class
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Providenciales (PLS) for 55,000 Asiana miles in United business class

Hot Tip: Check out our step-by-step guide on booking United business class with points.

Earning Asiana Miles

The primary way to earn Asiana miles is to transfer Marriott Bonvoy points to Asiana. The transfer ratio is 3:1 and you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer. Note, however, that Bonvoy points take 10 days to transfer to Asiana.

Avianca LifeMiles

The Avianca LifeMiles program is known for its Star Alliance sweet spots and for not passing on fuel surcharges, though there is a $25 award booking fee for one-way award flights. Sadly, Avianca LifeMiles won’t allow open jaws or stopovers on its awards flights.

Here’s a look at the miles required for round-trip flights, along with taxes and fees:

Keep this in mind as you follow these steps to book your next flight:

1. Go to Avianca LifeMiles. Change the language as necessary by clicking on the flag icon in the top right corner and choosing English.
2. Click Log in on the top right corner.
3. Click Fly at the top banner. Type in your origin and destination airports, number of passengers, and cabin class. Click Find Flights.
4. Click and select your flights and reserve them by paying with LifeMiles and your credit card for taxes and fees.

Here are a few examples of round-trip flights you can book:

• Chicago (ORD) – Sint Maarten (SXM) for 70,000 Avianca LifeMiles in United business class
• Houston (IAH) – Nassau (NAS) for 35,000 Avianca LifeMiles in United economy class
• Newark (EWR) – Curaçao (CUR) for 70,000 Avianca LifeMiles in United business class
• Toronto (YYZ) – Antigua (ANU) for 35,000 Avianca LifeMiles in Air Canada economy class
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Saint Thomas (STT) for 70,000 Avianca LifeMiles in United business class

Earning Avianca LifeMiles

LifeMiles partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy, meaning you can transfer these points directly to Avianca to book an award flight.

American Express, Capital One, and Citi points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, while Brex points transfer in up to 1 business day at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer in less than 24 hours at a 3:1 ratio.

If you’re looking to earn even more LifeMiles, Avianca offers co-branded credit cards from Banco Popular.

You can also purchase LifeMiles directly. Avianca has sales with bonuses of up to 200% with some frequency, so you’ll definitely want to wait to buy miles until a sale is offered.

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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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Cons

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Card Highlights

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British Airways Executive Club

British Airways recently updated its partner award charts, though fortunately pricing for flights to the Caribbean was not affected that much, so the British Airways Executive Club continues to be a viable option for booking these flights.

U.S. travelers may be familiar with the Executive Club program because of how cheaply you can book domestic American Airlines flights. As a reminder, British Airways charges per segment, so you’ll want to avoid making connections if at all possible.

This is what you can generally expect to pay for round-trip flights when booking through British Airways:

Follow these steps to use your Avios on your next trip:

1. Head to British Airways’ website.
2. Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and the number of passengers.
3. Select the flight you want.
4. Book the award flight and pay the taxes and fees with your credit card.

Examples of round-trip American Airlines flights you can book with British Airways Avios include:

• Boston (BOS) – Montego Bay (MBJ) for 44,000 British Airways Avios in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Puerto Plata (POP) for 44,000 British Airways Avios in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Saint Thomas (STT) for 77,500 British Airways Avios in American business class
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – San Juan (SJU) for 77,500 British Airways Avios in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Anguilla (AXA) for 44,000 British Airways Avios in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Nassau (NAS) for 18,000 British Airways Avios in American economy
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Aruba (AUA) for 44,000 British Airways Avios in American business class
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Providenciales (PLS) for 44,000 British Airways Avios in American business class

Earning British Airways Avios

British Airways Avios are easy to earn because the airline partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy. When you earn points in any of these programs, the points can be transferred directly to British Airways.

American Express, Capital One, and Chase transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio. Marriott Bonvoy points transfer in about 1 day at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll get a 5,000-Avios bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.

In addition to its transfer partners, British Airways offers a co-branded credit card — the British Airways Visa Signature^® Card from Chase. The welcome offer on this card is typically high, helping you to earn Avios quickly.

If you’re looking to earn Amex points to transfer, consider applying for the following cards:

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U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Amex Platinum reigns supreme for luxury travel, offering the best airport lounge access plus generous statement credits, and complimentary elite status.

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• The best airport lounge access out of any card (by far) — enjoy access to over 1,400 worldwide lounges, including the luxurious Amex Centurion Lounges, Priority Pass lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and many more!
• 5x points per dollar spent on flights purchased directly with the airline or with AmexTravel.com (up to $500,000 per year)
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The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

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If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

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This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.

60,000 points + up to $100 back

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$1,420

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
• 3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

• $325 annual fee (rates and fees)
• No lounge access

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Card Highlights

• Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® Points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Plus, receive 20% back in statement credits on eligible purchases made at restaurants worldwide within the first 6 months of Card Membership, up to $100 back. Limited time offer. Offer ends 11/6/24.
• Get the American Express^® Gold Card in either the Gold, Rose Gold or Limited-Edition White Gold metal design. White Gold design is only available while supplies last.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
• Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
• Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
• $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year.
• $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Dunkin' locations.
• $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
• $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
• Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit to use towards eligible charges, which may include food and beverage, spa, or other on-property charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Credit use varies by property.
• No Foreign Transaction Fees.
• Annual Fee is $325.
• Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

• APR: See Pay Over Time APR
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

Bottom Line: British Airways should be among the first programs U.S. travelers turn to when looking to book American Airlines award flights. 

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles can be an alternative to British Airways Executive Club if you already have miles or an easy way to transfer points to the program.

Unfortunately, not all Cathay Pacific airline partners can be booked online, making the booking process slightly more difficult as you’ll need to call to book your flights.

One important item to note is that there’s no publicly available award chart to use when booking an award flight with just 1 Oneworld airline partner. To figure out the number of miles needed for a specific award flight, you’ll need to reference the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Standard Award chart and add 5,000 miles to the rate shown there.

Here’s what you can expect to pay, in general, for round-trip flights with American Airlines:

For those who want to book a flight with Asia Miles, use the steps below:

1. Go to British Airways’ website.
2. Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and number of passengers.
3. Select the flight that you want.
4. Call Cathay Pacific at 866-892 2598 to confirm the award availability you found.
5. Book the award flight and pay the taxes and fees with your credit card.

Here are some examples of round-trip American Airlines flights you can book with Asia Miles:

• Boston (BOS) – Punta Cana (PUJ) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Curaçao (CUR) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Saint Croix (STX) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Grand Cayman (GCM) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Nassau (NAS) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Santo Domingo (SDQ) for 60,000 in American business class
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) – Port-au-Prince (PAP) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Fort-de-France (FDF) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – St. Lucia (UVF) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• New York (JFK) – Antigua (ANU) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Saint Thomas (STT) for 60,000 Asia Miles in American business class

Hot Tip: Does finding award availability on Oneworld partners seem daunting? Check out our step-by-step guide on searching for availability on Oneworld. 

Earning Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

Earning Cathay Pacific miles is easy because the airline partners with 5 transferable point programs: Amex Membership Rewards, Brex Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex points transfer in 1 to 4 days at a 1:1 ratio, Brex points transfer in up to 1 business day at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One miles transfer in 36 hours at a 1:1 ratio, Citi Points transfer in 24 hours at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott Bonvoy points transfer in 5 days at a 3:1 ratio.

Keep in mind that you’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.

In addition to earning miles from transfers, Cathay Pacific offers a co-branded credit card from Synchrony Bank.

Etihad Guest

Etihad Guest is a program to keep on your radar for booking flights on its partner American Airlines. This is because Etihad utilizes American Airlines’ old award prices on some award routes, allowing you to book award flights at a discount.

For just 35,000 Etihad miles, you can book round-trip economy flights between the U.S. (including Alaska and Hawaii) and Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean — all of these areas are part of its North America region.

However, if you’re looking for business class flights, both American Airlines AAdvantage and British Airways Executive Club offer more competitive pricing.

Here’s what you can expect to pay for round-trip flights using Etihad Guest miles:

Follow these steps to book a flight:

1. Head to British Airways’ website.
2. Enter your travel dates, origin and destination airports, number of travelers, and desired class of booking.
3. Call Etihad at 877-690-0767 to confirm flight award availability.
4. Book the flight and pay the taxes and fees over the phone.

Here are some examples of round-trip flights you could book with your Etihad miles:

• Charlotte (CLT) – San Juan (SJU) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Bridgetown (BGI) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Aruba (AUA) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Montego Bay (MBJ) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Punta Cana (PUJ) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Sint Maarten (SXM) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Bonaire (BON) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Freeport (FPO) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• New York (JFK) – Antigua (ANU) for 35,000 Etihad miles in the American economy
• New York (JFK) – Saint Kitts (SKB) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Grand Cayman (GCM) for 60,000 Etihad miles in American business class
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Nassau (NAS) for 35,000 Etihad miles in American economy

Earning Etihad Miles

It’s easy to earn Etihad miles because the airline partners with Amex Membership Rewards, Capital One, Citi ThankYou Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Etihad, unfortunately, doesn’t offer a co-branded credit card, so you’ll want to earn points in these programs and then transfer the points to Etihad.

Amex points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, Capital One miles transfer in 24 to 36 hours at a 1:1 ratio, Citi Points transfer in 6 to 7 days at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott Bonvoy points transfer in 3 to 5 days at a 3:1 ratio. Note, too, that you’ll receive a bonus of 5,000 miles for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.

Iberia Plus Avios

Similar to British Airways, Iberia Plus is a program many U.S. travelers may have used in the past because sometimes you can book American Airlines flights for less than American charges for the same flights.

The main difference between booking British Airways versus Iberia is that the latter requires you to book round-trip flights with American Airlines.

Here’s what you can generally expect to pay for round-trip flights:

Follow these steps to book your flights:

1. Go to Iberia’s website.
2. Search for your routing, dates of travel, cabin class, and the number of passengers.
3. Select the flight you want.
4. Book the award flight and pay the taxes and fees with your credit card.

Here are several examples of round-trip flights you can book on American using Iberia Avios:

• Boston (BOS) – Nassau (NAS) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Antigua (ANU) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Grand Cayman (GCM) for 18,000 Iberia Avios in American economy class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Grenada (GND) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Nassau (NAS) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Saint Lucia (UVF) for 77,500 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Providenciales (PLS) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Santo Domingo (SDQ) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Curaçao (CUR) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Saint Croix (STX) for 33,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• New York (LGA) – Aruba (AUA) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• New York (JFK) – Sint Maarten (SXM) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• New York (JFK) – St. Thomas (STT) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Montego Bay (MBJ) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class
• Philadelphia (PHL) – San Juan (SJU) for 44,000 Iberia Avios in American business class

Earning Iberia Avios

It’s easy to earn Iberia Avios because the airline has partnerships with Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex points transfer in 2 days at a 1:1 ratio, Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, and Marriott Bonvoy points transfer in 24 to 36 hours at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll get a bonus of 5,000 Avios for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.

Finally, Iberia offers a co-branded credit card issued by Chase that allows you to earn Iberia Avios directly.

Bottom Line: Iberia offers one of the cheapest ways to fly American Airlines economy. However, you are required to book round-trip flights.

Japan Airlines Mileage Bank

The Japan Airlines Mileage Bank program is one to consider for Oneworld flights to the Caribbean. Business award pricing is not as low as British Airways, so you’ll want to focus on economy award flight redemptions.

Japan Airlines uses a distance-based award chart for Oneworld partner airline flights so you’ll want to use a tool like the Great Circle Mapper to calculate the total distance of your itinerary to see how many miles you’ll need.

Generally, you can expect to pay the following for round-trip flights:

Follow the steps below to book a flight:

1. Head to British Airways’ website.
2. Enter your travel dates, origin and destination airports, number of travelers, and desired class of booking.
3. Go to Japan Airlines’ website.
4. Confirm the same award availability on the Japan Airlines website.
5. Book the award flight and pay the taxes and fees.

You’ll be booking flights on American Airlines — here are some examples of what you can fly round-trip:

• Boston (BOS) – Providenciales (PLS) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Aruba (AUA) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Charlotte (CLT) – Saint Kitts (SKB) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Providenciales (PLS) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Punta Cana (PUJ) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) – Saint Lucia (UVF) for 60,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Dominica (DOM) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – Port-au-Prince (PAP) for 30,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Miami (MIA) – St. Kitts (SKB) for 23,000 Japan Airlines miles in American economy
• New York (JFK) – Montego Bay (MBJ) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• New York (JFK) – Providenciales (PLS) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Bermuda (BDA) for 15,000 Japan Airlines miles in American economy
• Philadelphia (PHL) – Sint Maarten (SXM) for 42,000 Japan Airlines miles in American business class

Earning Japan Airlines Miles

Earning Japan Airlines miles is difficult, as the program’s only transfer partner is Marriott Bonvoy and its own credit card doesn’t have a sizable welcome offer.

For those with Marriott Bonvoy points, transfers take 2 days at a 3:1 ratio. If you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points in a single transaction, you’ll earn an extra 5,000 miles.

Korean Air SKYPASS

Korean Air SKYPASS is 1 of the few programs you can leverage if you’re looking to fly a SkyTeam airline. For flights to the Caribbean, you’ll be using Korean Air SKYPASS miles to fly Delta Air Lines.

For just 35,000 SKYPASS miles, you can book round-trip economy flights between North America (Mexico and the U.S., including Hawaii) and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, Puerto Rico, and Central America. Business class award flight pricing is not as competitive, so you’ll want to use another program for business class award tickets.

Korean Air considers the following destinations to be in its Central America region:

The primary downside of using Korean Air miles to book partner flights is that you’re required to book round-trip flights — here’s what you can expect to pay:

Use the steps below to book your award flight:

1. Search for award availability on Delta’s website.
2. Write down the flight numbers, dates, and times.
3. Confirm the same availability through Korean Air’s website.
4. Book the flight, and pay the taxes and fees with a credit card.

Here are a few examples of round-trip flights you can book:

• Atlanta (ATL) – George Town (GGT) for 75,000 Korean Air miles in Delta business class
• Atlanta (ATL) – Grand Cayman (GCM) for 75,000 Korean Air miles in Delta business class
• Atlanta (ATL) – North Eleuthera (ELH) for 75,000 Korean Air miles in Delta business class
• Atlanta (ATL) – Providenciales (PLS) for 35,000 Korean Air miles in Delta economy
• Detroit (DTW) – Montego Bay (MBJ) for 75,000 Korean Air miles in Delta business class
• Minneapolis (MSP) – San Juan (SJU) for 75,000 Korean Air miles in Delta business class
• New York (JFK) – Nassau (NAS) for 35,000 Korean miles in Delta economy
• New York (JFK) – Punta Cana (PUJ) for 75,000 Korean Air miles in Delta business class

Earning Korean Air Miles

Korean Air miles aren’t as easy to earn as other programs, as there’s only 1 partner to transfer points from: Marriott Bonvoy. Transfers from Marriott Bonvoy take 2 days at a 3:1 ratio.

Also, U.S. Bank offers a few co-branded Korean Air credit cards.

Hot Tip: Korean Air miles aren’t easy to earn, but it’s not impossible. Here’s how to best earn Korean Air miles.

United Airlines MileagePlus

United MileagePlus no longer has an award chart. Instead, the frequent flyer program uses dynamic award pricing, which makes it a bit more difficult to figure out award prices.

At the lowest level, you can spend 35,000 United miles to book round-trip economy flights between the mainland U.S., Alaska, Canada, and the Caribbean. The same tickets will cost 60,000 miles in business class.

Estimated taxes and fees are usually around $50 to $150 per ticket.

United considers these destinations to be in its Caribbean region:

Follow the steps below to book your award flight:

1. Go to United’s website.
2. Enter your travel dates, origin and destination airports, number of travelers, and desired class of booking.
3. Select the flight you want, and then pay the taxes and fees with a credit card to complete the booking.

Here are several example round-trip routes that you book:

• Chicago (ORD) – Punta Cana (PUJ) for 60,000 United miles in United business class
• Chicago (ORD) – Saint Lucia (UVF) for 60,000 United miles in United business class
• Houston (IAH) – Punta Cana (PUJ) for 35,000 United miles in United economy
• Houston (IAH) – Port of Spain (POS) for 60,000 United miles in United business class
• Newark (EWR) – Antigua (ANU) for 60,000 United miles in United business class
• Newark (EWR) – Puerto Plata (POP) for 60,000 United miles in United business class
• Newark (EWR) – Saint Kitts (SKB) for 60,000 United miles in United business class
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – San Juan (SJU) for 35,000 United miles in United economy
• Washington, D.C. (IAD) – Nassau (NAS) for 60,000 United miles in United business class

Earning United Airlines MileagePlus Miles

You can easily earn United miles because the airline partners with Chase Ultimate Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy, and both of those programs offer a number of credit cards that allow you to earn miles in a hurry.

Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio while Marriott Bonvoy points transfer in 2 days at a 3:1.1 ratio.

If you transfer 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to United, you’ll end up with 27,500 United miles, thanks to the bonus you typically earn from transferring Bonvoy points to a partner and the elevated transfer ratio between Marriott Bonvoy and United.

United also offers co-branded credit cards from Chase.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

The Virgin Atlantic Flying Club program has a number of sweet spots with airline partners, but there’s 1 airline partner that U.S. travelers should keep on their radar: Delta Air Lines.

Having Virgin points allows you to book Delta flights between the U.S. and the Caribbean according to distance-based award pricing.

Here are some examples of round-trip flights you can book with your Virgin Points:

• Atlanta (ATL) – Bonaire (BON) for 90,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• Atlanta (ATL) – Saint Kitts (SKB) for 90,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• Atlanta (ATL) – Sint Maarten (SXM) for 90,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• Boston (BOS) – Nassau (NAS) for 80,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• Boston (BOS) – Saint Thomas (STT) for 90,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• Detroit (DTW) – Punta Cana (PUJ) for 90,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• Minneapolis (MSP) – Montego Bay (MBJ) for 105,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• New York (JFK) – Aruba (AUA) for 90,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• New York (JFK) – Nassau (NAS) for 80,000 Virgin Points in Delta business class
• New York (JFK) – San Juan (SJU) for 25,000 Virgin Points in Delta economy

When you’re ready to book a flight, use the steps to help you with the booking process:

1. Head to Virgin Atlantic’s website.
2. Enter your travel dates, origin and destination airports, number of travelers, and desired class of booking.
3. Book the flight and pay the taxes and fees with a credit card.

Hot Tip: Virgin Atlantic will not allow you to search for all of Delta’s flight routes. Try searching for Saver-level award flights on Delta, then call Virgin Atlantic at 800-365-9500 to book the award flight. 

Earning Virgin Atlantic Points

It’s easy to earn Virgin Points because the program partners with American Express, Chase, Citi, and Marriott Bonvoy.

Amex, Citi, and Chase points transfer instantly at a 1:1 ratio, while Marriott Bonvoy points transfer in 1 to 2 days at a 3:1 ratio. You’ll receive a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott Bonvoy points you transfer.

Virgin Atlantic also offers a co-branded credit card issued by Bank of America that will allow you to earn points directly with your credit card spend.

Final Thoughts

The Caribbean is an immensely popular destination for U.S. travelers. With plenty of beautiful beaches, different countries to explore, and food to taste, it’s hard to go wrong with whatever destination you choose.

The key to booking your next trip to the Caribbean is to know how best to use the miles and points you have. With an array of programs at your disposal, flights in both economy and business class are within reach.