If you consider yourself to be a world traveler, you’re probably feeling bummed out right now. With U.S. citizens being restricted from tourism in many countries around the world, your holiday options are somewhat limited.
Although the travel restrictions are changing on a seemingly daily basis, you are probably getting antsier than ever to go somewhere. And if you have a bunch of credit card rewards points or airline miles, you’ll want to use them as cost-effectively as possible to maximize the bang for your buck.
In this guide, we’ll be examining the best international destinations that are open to U.S. citizens and you can fly to in the near-future. If you’re considering planning travel extremely far out, check out our 5 best post-pandemic first class flight deals you can book using points.
Additionally, our sole focus will be on booking premium cabin products, such as business class or first class. It’s ultra-important to book the best first class seats for social distancing, which will keep you extra-safe from contracting any sort of illness.
Let’s get started!
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The 5 Best Countries You Can Visit That Are Open to U.S. Tourists [Points Flights and Hotels Options]
Croatia
Croatia. Image Credit: Wikipedia
Croatia is a beautiful country to visit in its own right. As the main film location of HBO’s epic fantasy series Game of Thrones, Croatia is one of the world’s most beautiful, mythical, and accessible destinations. U.S. tourists can travel to Croatia without a 14-day quarantine as long as you present a negative nasal and pharynx swab test for SARS-CoV-2, not older than 48 hours (starting from the time of taking the swab until arrival at the border crossing).
Here are some of the best ways you can fly to Croatia from the U.S. with points in business class:
| Airline and Connecting City | Points Cost Per Person (Round-Trip) | Taxes and Fees Per Person (Round-Trip) | Cash Price of Ticket |
| Turkish Airlines via Istanbul | From 88,000 Amex points | As little as ~$6 | ~$4,300 |
| Air France via Paris | From 106,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$400 | ~$4,800 |
| KLM via Amsterdam | From 106,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$400 | ~$5,020 |
| British Airways via London | From 61,000 Amex or Citi points | As little as ~$1,200 | ~$5,300 |
| Lufthansa via Frankfurt/Munich | From 88,000 Amex points | As little as ~$61 | ~$7,000 |
| Qatar Airways via Doha | From 90,000 Amex or Citi points | As little as ~$11 | ~$18,500 |
| Aeroflot via Moscow | From 106,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$20 | ~$6,000 |
| Virgin Atlantic via London | From 88,000 Amex points | As little as ~$550 | ~$6,150 |
Here are some first class options you can book if you’re in the mood for opulence:
| Airline and Connecting City | Points Cost Per Person (Round-Trip) | Taxes and Fees Per Person (Round-Trip) | Cash Price of Ticket |
| British Airways via London | From 162,000 Amex or Citi points | Around ~$1,400 | ~$9,000+ |
| Lufthansa via Frankfurt/Munich | From 160,000 Amex points | As little as ~$62 | ~$16,000+ |
| American Airlines via London | From 162,000 Amex or Citi points | As little as ~$11 | ~$11,000+ |
| Emirates via Dubai | From 270,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$20 | ~$31,000+ |
Flying first class makes a big difference when it comes to maintaining utmost privacy. Check out our best first class seats for social distancing!
Here are some of the best hotels you can book in Croatia using points:
| Hotel Name | Points Cost Per Night (standard room) | City |
| San Canzian Village & Hotel | 25,000 Hyatt points | Buje |
| Hilton Imperial Dubrovnik | 70,000 Hilton points | Dubrovnik |
| Sheraton Dubrovnik Riviera Hotel | 30,000 – 40,000 Marriott points | Dubrovnik |
| Villa Orsula Dubrovnik | 40,000 Hyatt points | Dubrovnik |
| Boutique Hotel Alhambra | 30,000 Hyatt points | Mali Losinj |
| Hotel Lone, Rovinj | 30,000 – 40,000 Marriott points | Rovinj |
| D-Resort Sibenik | 25,000 Hyatt points | Sibenik |
| Hotel Vestibul Palace | 25,000 Hyatt points | Split |
| Le Méridien Lav, Split | 40,000 – 60,000 Marriott points | Split |
| Canopy by Hilton Zagreb – City Centre | 18,000 – 40,000 Hilton points | Zagreb |
| DoubleTree by Hilton Zagreb | 19,000 – 30,000 Hilton points | Zagreb |
| Hilton Garden Inn Zagreb Radnicka, Croatia | 20,000 Hilton points | Zagreb |
| Sheraton Zagreb Hotel | 15,000 – 20,000 Marriott points | Zagreb |
| The Westin Zagreb | 15,000 – 20,000 Marriott points | Zagreb |
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You might think that these ticket prices are impossible to attain, especially if you’ve tried booking business class flights in the past. But you’ll need to throw out everything you think you know about booking top-notch business and first class flights in order to take advantage of phenomenal deals that’ll save you millions of points in the long-run. Learn more by checking out our guide on first class flights, which you’ll want to read before booking any flights through Amex Travel.
French Polynesia/Bora Bora
Bora Bora. Image Credit: Fshoq
Traveling to Bora Bora is definitely a bucket list item for many. Bora Bora is part of French Polynesia, which consists of over 100 islands in the South Pacific. In fact, Bora Bora is one of our 5 best vacation spots for couples using points!
French Polynesia re-opened its borders for international tourists as of July 15. In order to board your flight, you must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within the previous 72 hours. You must also submit an electronic form certifying that you have travel insurance that would cover coronavirus-related expenditures. You can also agree to personally pay for any coronavirus costs that you incur.
There aren’t many choices for nonstop flights from the U.S., but here are the major airlines that you can fly in business class, along with associated costs:
| Airline | Points Cost Per Person (Round-Trip) | Taxes and Fees Per Person (Round-Trip) | Cash Price of Ticket |
| Air Tahiti Nui (through Los Angeles) | From 147,000 Chase, Amex or Citi points | As little as ~$11 | ~$5,400+ |
| Air France (through Los Angeles) | From 128,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | Around ~$500 | ~$5,800+ |
| United Airlines (through San Francisco) | From 154,000 Chase points | As little as ~$11 | ~$4,700+ |
Here are some of the best hotels you can book in French Polynesia using points:
| Hotel Name | Points Cost Per Night (standard room) | City |
| Le Méridien Bora Bora | 50,000 – 70,000 Marriott points | Bora Bora |
| The St. Regis Bora Bora Resort | 70,000 – 100,000 Marriott points | Bora Bora |
| Hilton Moorea Lagoon Resort & Spa | From 80,000 Hilton points | Bora Bora |
| Conrad Bora Bora Nui | From 89,000 Hilton points | Bora Bora |
| InterContinental Hotels Bora Bora Resort Thalasso Spa | From 70,000 IHG points | Bora Bora |
| InterContinental Hotels Le Moana Bora Bora | From 70,000 IHG points | Bora Bora |
| InterContinental Hotels Resort Tahiti | From 50,000 IHG points | Tahiti |
The Maldives
The Maldives. Image Credit: Leica Camera AG
The Maldives is yet another picturesque beach vacation destination that is one of the world’s most exclusive travel spots in the world, if not the most exclusive. In fact, it makes our list of the 5 most exotic places to travel to using points!
Effective as of September 10, 2020, the Maldives requires all visitors to present a negative PCR test certificate conducted no more than 72 hours prior to departure.
Until then, you need to fill out a health declaration form, and anyone with symptoms will be required to pay for and take a coronavirus test. You may also be subject to random testing at no cost to you. Tourists will be provided with a free 30-day visa. You must also have a confirmed booking a tourist facility and the entire vacation needs to be at the same hotel, except when transiting.
Getting to the Maldives from the U.S. is challenging, thanks to its ultimate exclusion off of the cost of Sri Lanka. Most who fly in economy must pay more than a thousand dollars for an economy ticket, though it’s typically a troublesome route that takes you through at least 2 connecting airports and long, unproductive layovers.
If you have points and can plan well, you can end up booking amazing first class (and business class) flights to make your vacation that much more relaxing. Here are some awesome business class flights you can book using points:
| Airline | Points Cost Per Person (Round-Trip) | Taxes and Fees Per Person (Round-Trip) | Cash Price of Ticket |
| Cathay Pacific business class via Hong Kong | From 170,000 Amex or Citi points | As little as ~$39 | ~$7,000+ |
| Turkish Airlines business class via Istanbul | From 136,000 Amex points | As little as ~$11 | ~$5,000+ |
| Emirates business class via Dubai | From 170,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$39 | ~$8,200+ |
| Qatar Airways business class via Doha | From 180,000 Amex or Citi points | As little as ~$11 | ~$8,300+ |
| Etihad Airways business class via Abu Dhabi | From 304,771 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$30 | ~$8,200+ |
| Swiss Air business class via Zurich | From 136,000 Amex points | As little as ~$11 | ~$9,000+ |
| Aeroflot business class via Moscow | From 182,000 Chase, Amex or Citi points | As little as ~$1,000 | ~$6,500+ |
| Singapore Air business class via Singapore | From 218,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$49 | ~$7,000+ |
Here are your best-bet first class flights you can book from the U.S. to the Maldives using points. Notice that these are all 1-stop options:
| Airline | Points Cost Per Person (Round-Trip) | Taxes and Fees Per Person (Round-Trip) | Cash Price of Ticket |
| Emirates first class via Dubai | From 255,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$39 | ~$16,000+ |
| Etihad Airways first class via Abu Dhabi | From 414,681 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$30 | ~$30,000+ |
| Cathay Pacific first class via Hong Kong | From 250,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$39 | ~$18,000+ |
Racking up enough points to book these amazing business or first class flights to far-flung destinations like the Maldives might feel like an impossible task, but you can get a massive headstart by reading out guide on how to fly first class by travel hacking.
Here are some of the best hotels you can book in the Maldives using points:
| Hotel Name | Points Cost Per Night (standard room) | Atoll |
| Park Hyatt Maldives Hadahaa | 30,000 Hyatt points | Gaafu Alifu Atoll |
| Conrad Maldives Rangali Island | From 95,000 Hilton points | Alifu Dhaalu Atoll |
| SAii Lagoon Maldives, Curio Collection by Hilton | From 85,000 Hilton points | South Malé Atoll |
| Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi | From 120,000 Hilton points | South Malé Atoll |
| JW Marriott Maldives Resort & Spa | From 70,000 – 100,000 Marriott points | Shaviyani Atoll |
| The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort | From 70,000 – 100,000 Marriott points | Dhaalu Atoll |
| W Maldives | From 70,000 – 100,000 Marriott points | North Ari Atoll |
| Sheraton Maldives Full Moon Resort & Spa | From 40,000 – 60,000 Marriott points | North Malé Atoll |
| The Westin Maldives Miriandhoo Resort | From 50,000 – 70,000 Marriott points | Baa Atoll |
| Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa | Coming soon | Ihaviyani Atoll |
Find out how to maximize your points!
Tanzania
Tanzania. Image Credit: Pikist
Tanzania is an East African country famous for its vast wilderness, particularly the 2 plains of Serengeti National Park and Kilimanjaro National Park. It’s also home to Africa’s highest mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro. On top of this, Tanzania has the beautiful, tropical islands of Zanzibar. This African country has significant Arabic influences, and it’s a wonderfully safe country to visit. There’s no better way to holiday than using the points you’ve earned from maximizing your business rewards on a sublime safari vacation.
Tanzania is open to U.S. tourists, as long as you complete a Health Surveillance questionnaire and undergo screening, including a possible COVID-19 test. Here are the main airlines operating business class flights to Tanzania:
| Airline | Points Cost Per Person (Round-Trip) | Taxes and Fees Per Person (Round-Trip) | Cash Price of Ticket |
| KLM via Amsterdam | From 207,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$850 | ~$4,000+ |
| Qatar Airways via Doha | From 170,000 Amex or Citi points | As little as ~$11 | ~$4,000+ |
| Turkish Airlines via Istanbul | From 104,000 Amex points | As little as ~$11 | ~$4,300+ |
| Emirates via Dubai | From 170,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$39 | ~$7,500+ |
| South African Airways via Johannesburg | From 104,000 Amex points | As little as ~$11 | ~$6,600+ |
And here is your only first class option as of now:
| Airline | Points Cost Per Person (Round-Trip) | Taxes and Fees Per Person (Round-Trip) | Cash Price of Ticket |
| Emirates via Dubai | From 255,000 Chase, Amex, or Citi points | As little as ~$39 | ~$20,000+ |
And although you’ll probably be booking a boutique lodge/safari experience, here are your best hotels you can book using points in the event you feel like touring around any major cities:
| Hotel Name | Points Cost Per Night (standard room) | City |
| Four Points by Sheraton Arusha | 10,000 – 15,000 Marriott points | Arusha |
| Hyatt Regency Dar es Salaam, The Kilimajaro | 12,000 Hyatt points | Dar es Salaam |
| DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dar es Salaam – Oyster Bay | 34,000 – 50,000 Hilton points | Dar es Salaam |
| Protea Hotel Dar es Salaam Amani Beach | 15,000 – 20,000 Marriott points | Dar es Salaam |
| Protea Hotel Dar es Salaam Courtyard | 10,000 – 15,000 Marriott points | Dar es Salaam |
| Four Points by Sheraton Dar es Salaam New Africa | 15,000 – 20,000 Marriott points | Dar es Salaam |
| Protea Hotel Dar es Salaam Oyster Bay | 10,000 – 15,000 Marriott points | Dar es Salaam |
| Protea Hotel Zanzibar Mbweni Ruins | 15,000 – 20,000 Marriott points | Zanzibar |
| DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Hotel Zanzibar – Nungwi | 30,000 Hilton points | Zanzibar |
| Park Hyatt Zanzibar | 15,000 Hyatt points | Zanzibar |
| 25,000 – 30,000 Hilton points | Zanzibar |
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The Caribbean
The Caribbean. Image Credit: Public Domain Pictures
The Caribbean is a huge region consisting of many islands and territories. Many of these islands are world-famous for their luxurious beaches, including Anguilla, Turks and Caicos, Barbados, Saint Martin, Grand Cayman, and more.
And while each of these islands has its own reopening guidelines and travel policies, they are, for the most part, open for U.S. tourists. This means that you can access a secluded beach getaway without having to travel too far internationally.
Also, the Caribbean is one of the more family-friendly places to travel. You’ll definitely want to check out our 5 best vacations you can book for your family using rewards from your business if you’re looking to save tens of thousands of dollars on travel for your family.
In The Bahamas, you must present proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within a week of arrival, as well as completing various forms and complying with various rules like wearing a mask, getting your temperature taken at the airport, and more.
For the most part, you will need to fly through select airports in the U.S. to be able fly nonstop. These airports include New York-JFK, Miami, Newark, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, or Minneapolis. Those originating in the West Coast will have to connect through another U.S. airport to fly to the Caribbean. In order to maximize your experience, here are some solid flight options you can take that include high-quality business or first class seats:
| Airline | Points Cost Per Person (Round-Trip) | Taxes and Fees Per Person (Round-Trip) | Cash Price of Ticket |
| Delta One via Atlanta | From 70,000 Amex points | Around ~$11 | ~$600-$2,000+ |
| American Airlines Flagship First or Business Class via Miami, Dallas, or New York-JFK | From 50,000 American AAdvantage miles | Around ~$11 | ~$1,000-$3,000+ |
| JetBlue Mint via Boston and New York-JFK | From 100,000 JetBlue points | Around ~$11 | ~$1,000-$2,000+ |
| United Polaris via Newark | From 66,000 Chase points | Around ~$11 | ~$500-$2,500+ |
Final Thoughts
Travel has traditionally been a non-negotiable necessity for many of us. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has been in full swing, travel has, largely, been halted. However, with other countries opening back up again and implementing “new normal” policies, travel is finally picking back up again.
If you’d like to stop wasting your points and start maximizing them for these business and first class tickets, click the button below to learn about the points wealth and travel management service that you’ll never want to live without again.
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