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Hi, I’m Andrew! I caught the travel bug in 2011 when I studied exchange in Singapore and traveled throughout Southeast Asia, returning to the United States with a full passport.
I began my points and miles journey a few years later in 2016, when I opened the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. Completely by chance, two weeks later, the Chase Sapphire Reserve® debuted, so I also opened the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (before Chase implemented the family rule restriction). Between the two, I was able to earn close to 200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points from both sign up bonuses!
I joined the 10xTravel Insiders Facebook group a few months later after coming across Bryce’s How I Booked a $28,000 Trip to Thailand for $326.42 – Step-By-Step and have been a points and miles junkie ever since!
After continuing to build up my Chase Ultimate Rewards points for a few years, I finally booked my first bucket list flight to fly “Crazy Rich Asians” style in Singapore Airlines Suites from New York-John F. Kennedy (JFK) to Singapore (SIN) in January 2020 (fortunately right before COVID-19).
Familiarizing myself with the safety features
Enjoying their famous lobster thermidor
Since then, I had been eyeing my next bucket list experience, which was to take a shower at 30,000 feet! I was attending a wedding in Bali in January and found availability for Etihad Airways The Apartment from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New York-John F. Kennedy (JFK) and figured it would be the perfect way to fly back from Bali!
I was already excited to experience Etihad Airways The Apartment, but as I was heading to the gate from the First Class Lounge in Abu Dhabi (AUH), I was stopped and asked to provide my boarding pass. My heart stopped because I wasn’t sure what would happen next, but the staff informed me that I had received a complimentary upgrade to The Residence! Not only was I going to experience a shower in the sky, but I was going to be able to experience it within the comfort and privacy of my own three-room suite!
I spent a total of 453,000 points and $784.22 in taxes and fees for $20,389.34 worth of flights and hotels which I’ll explain in more detail below. I also have it documented on 10xTravel’s new Redemption Tracker!
How I Earned the Points and Miles
Through mostly opening up new credit cards over the years, I had accumulated close to 800,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, 300,000 American Express Membership Rewards points, 60,000 Citi ThankYou points, and 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (plus seven free night awards) by the time I started looking for redemptions for this trip. I’ll share below in more detail how I earned these points.
Chase Ultimate Rewards Points (800k)
Since I started my points and miles journey by opening both the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and earning close to 200,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, I continued down the list of Chase Ultimate Rewards earning cards.
I opened the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, Chase Freedom® with Ultimate Rewards (no longer open to new applicants), and the Chase Freedom Flex®. Once I started renting out my house in 2021, I opened the Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card, Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card, and Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card and built up close to 800,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points by the time I started looking for redemptions for this trip.
American Express Membership Rewards Points (300k)
When I was eligible in 2021 to earn my Chase Sapphire Reserve® sign up bonus again, I decided to step outside my comfort zone and open the Chase Sapphire Preferred instead of the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and pair it with American Express Platinum Card® as my foray into the American Express ecosystem. My rationale was that the benefits I would give up from the Chase Sapphire Reserve® would be more than made up by the Platinum Card®.
My original plan was to sometime in the future open the American Express® Gold Card but unfortunately with a recent rule change, I am now ineligible to earn the American Express® Gold Card welcome bonus.
However, I have been able to continue earning more American Express Membership Rewards points through asking for retention offers once every so often and also through electing to receive my cash back from Rakuten in the form of American Express Membership Rewards points. I had close to 300,000 American Express Membership Rewards points by the time I started looking for redemptions for this trip.
Citi ThankYou Points (60k)
In addition to Chase Ultimate Rewards points and American Express Membership Rewards points, I also opened the Citi Strata Premier® Card and had close to 60,000 Citi ThankYou points by the time I started looking for redemptions for this trip.
Marriott Bonvoy Points and Free Award Nights (200k + Seven Free Nights)
Since I occasionally travel for work and get reimbursed for my expenses, and there is a Marriott property that is close to the office whenever I have to be on site, I was able to earn a significant amount of Marriott Bonvoy points using my Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card to earn 6X Marriott Bonvoy points on each dollar of eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program (which I had product changed into from the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card) in addition to other promotional offers for bonus points when booking and staying during certain time windows. I had close to 200,000 Marriott Bonvoy points by the time I started looking for redemptions for this trip.
- I also had several free night awards:
- I earned five free night awards, each worth up to 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points, when I opened the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card.
- I selected a free night award worth up to 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points as an annual choice benefit when I reached Titanium Elite status (where I already had a head start with 15 elite night credits from my Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card and another 15 elite night credits from my Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card).
- I received a free night award worth up to 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points as part of my Ritz-Carlton™ Credit Card.
In total, I had seven free night awards by the time I started looking for redemptions for this trip.
Flights I Booked
I was able to find great award redemptions for all of my flights to be able to fly business or first class except for one leg from Bangkok (BKK) to Bali (DPS) where I flew economy. I spent a total of 357,000 points plus $784.22 in cash for $19,690.87 in cash value in flights! I’ll share more details below about how I booked my flights and my flight experience with each segment.
Flights to Bali (100k United MileagePlus Miles + $26.70)
Initially, I was unable to find a reasonable award redemption several months out to fly business class to Bali from Connecticut (where I’m based) even after trying to reposition in nearby airports such as Boston (BOS), New York-Newark (EWR), New York-LaGuardia (LGA) or New York-John F. Kennedy (JFK). So I originally planned to fly economy and pay cash, since I prefer saving my points for premium flights.
About a month out, I received an award alert I had set up and saw that there were some deals going on, so I ran some award searches and found an itinerary on United Airlines’s web site that was 110,000 United MileagePlus miles plus $26.70 in taxes and fees. It wasn’t an ideal itinerary since there were two stops and the last leg was economy, but considering I would fly most of the way to Southeast Asia in business class for only 110,000 United MileagePlus miles during peak holiday season, it seemed like a reasonable award redemption! Because I have United Quest℠ Card, I received an additional 10,000 United MileagePlus miles discount on the award flight and only needed 100,000 United MileagePlus miles! So I went ahead and booked the award flight.
Oddly, this itinerary was only bookable through points and miles and was not available by paying cash. I also checked both United Airlines and Thai Airways web sites, who were operating the flights. So, I estimated the cash value of the itinerary by searching the cash price for each individual flight and adding them up. I came up with $9,311.74, but in reality, the cash price may be a little lower. Nevertheless, it was still great value for only 100,000 United MileagePlus miles and just $26.70 out of pocket!
I already had around 69,000 United MileagePlus miles in my account from a combination of miles earned through spend and flying, so I only needed to transfer an additional 31,000 United MileagePlus miles from my pool of Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
United Airlines Polaris Business Class
The first leg of my flight was on United Airlines Polaris Business Class from New York-Newark (EWR) to Munich (MUC). I’d flown United Polaris once before. In fact, my very first award flight, booked in 2019 from Hong Kong (HKG) to New York-Newark (EWR) for 75,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points, was on United Polaris. I was unable to get to the United Polaris Lounge in New York-Newark (EWR) because I landed in a different terminal and would have had to go through security again to get to the United Polaris Lounge.
My very first time flying business class using points just over five years ago on United Polaris
Fast forward five years later, since I was flying United Polaris again and this time departing from New York-Newark (EWR), I had the opportunity to check out the United Polaris Lounge and it was one of the nicest lounges I’ve been to! There was plenty of room, the food was delicious, and it even had a sit down restaurant area!
I found a quiet corner where I could watch the planes at the United Polaris Lounge in New York-Newark (EWR) Airport.
As excited as I was to fly United Polaris again (or any business class since it had been a long time since my last premium flight), it was my least favorite experience out of all of my business-class flights on this trip, particularly since I was unlucky in that my window was almost completely blocked by the seat in front of me and the little bit of view I had was further obstructed by a lamp that was fixed to the wall.
United Polaris seat 8L with a mostly obstructed window
Furthermore, my screen was having issues and the flight map, which I usually like to stare at when I’m not sleeping, did not work at all. So not only could I not see out the window but I had no sense of where I was during the flight. However, it was still a comfortable flight and I am super grateful to be able to sleep on the plane with the lie-flat seat.
Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class
The next leg of my flight was on Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class from Munich (MUC) to Bangkok (BKK). I was excited to have both a window and a working map! But that aside, the seat felt much larger, and the food and service was much better!
I will never take a business-class window seat for granted ever again.
At first I was surprised to be served salmon sashimi (the menu said “salmon fillet”) until I realized it was smoked salmon. Still very delicious.
Dinner was my favorite meal out of the three flights to Bali. I chose the stir-fried beef which was fantastic. The ground beef was perfectly seasoned and moist.
Fortunately, this was also the longest of the three flights – 10 hours from Munich (MUC) to Bangkok (BKK) compared to eight hours from New York-Newark (EWR) to Munich (MUC) and four and a half hours from Bangkok (BKK) to Bali-Denpasar (DPS).
Thai Airways Economy Class
The last leg of my flight was on Thai Airways Economy Class from Bangkok (BKK) to Bali-Denpasar (DEN). I had considered upgrading to business class and there was availability, but it would have cost another $250. For a four and a half hour flight, I decided to save the $250 and stick with my economy seat for the last flight of the journey to Bali. It was an adjustment to be back in an economy seat again, but at least it was a shorter flight.
The first and only economy flight in this trip
Flight to Singapore on Singapore Airlines Business Class (21k Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles + $15.15)
Since Singapore is where I caught the travel bug while studying exchange, I decided to make a stopover in Singapore on my way back home. As a personal rule, I typically don’t fly premium flights shorter than six hours, but I decided to fly Singapore Airlines Business from Bali-Denpasar (DPS) to Singapore (SIN) which was only a two hour flight. I decided to make an exception to my rule and fly Singapore Airlines Business Class since they allow you to carry more cabin baggage weight, which to me was worth it for the peace of mind of not having to check any bags in.
I already had enough Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles in my account from a few award flights I had previously booked and canceled. I used 21,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles plus $15.15 in taxes and fees to book my flight from Bali-Denpasar (DPS) to Singapore (SIN). Not the best bang for my buck since the cash value was only $561.76, but worth it for the peace of mind, plus I had Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles that were going to expire soon anyway. Singapore Airlines is very strict with their miles expiration. As soon as the miles hit your account, you have three years to use them and can only extend another six months one time, for a fee.
I’ve flown Singapore Airlines Business Class a few times, including once on the world’s longest flight—from Singapore (SIN) to New York-John F. Kennedy (JFK), which was just shy of 18 hours! It’s always been a pleasant experience with them, and these flights were no different!
Once again, I’ve got a window.
Singapore Airlines’s food is always top notch.
Flights to Abu Dhabi (60k Air Canada Aeroplan Points + $77.90)
Since I had booked my flight from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New York-John F. Kennedy (JFK) and Etihad Airways is not very forgiving with their cancelation policy, I decided to give myself two days in Abu Dhabi as a buffer in case I ran into any delays or issues getting to Abu Dhabi. If I changed my mind even the moment I booked the flight, I would already lose 25% of my Etihad Guest Miles if I wanted them redeposited into my account to use for another flight. If I had waited to cancel until I was within seven days of the flight, I would have lost 75% of my Etihad Guest Miles.
I found award availability for business class from Singapore (SIN) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) with a transit in Kolkata, India (CCU). I transferred 60,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Air Canada and booked the itinerary using 60,000 Aeroplan Points plus $77.90 in taxes and fees. The price for this itinerary, had I paid for it with cash, would have been $2,008.10.
Singapore Airlines Business Class
The first leg of this flight was operated by Singapore Airlines, so it just felt like a continuation of my previous flight—same exact seat and similar service, but it was a slightly longer four-hour flight from Singapore (SIN) to Kolkata, India (CCU).
Pretty much the same style seat as the previous flight, but I was at the back of the section so I had a little more privacy. I also didn’t need to familiarize myself with the seat so I could just relax once I sat down.
Even though I had a six hour layover in Kolkata, India (CCU), I nearly missed my next flight due to what I think may have been a miscoordination between Air Canada (with whom I booked), Singapore Airlines (the arriving flight) and Etihad Airways (the departing flight). Long story short, I had just enough time to sort everything out and catch my next flight. I learned my lesson, especially when there are multiple airlines involved, to do my own research into visa requirements and not to rely on the airlines.
Etihad Airways Business Class
The second leg of the flight was operated by Etihad Airways, which was a new airline for me. For some reason, I did not review the seat map correctly when I booked, thinking I would be in a more modern business-class seat. However, I was lucky in that I did not have a neighbor, so I had the entire row to myself! Although the plane was older and the hard product was not as great, especially since it was a red-eye, five-hour flight from Kolkata, India (CCU) to Abh Dhabi (AUH) and the seat was not a lay flat, the service was still excellent and much more comfortable than flying economy.
Flight to New York on Etihad Airways The Residence (200k Etihad Guest Miles + $664.47)
Through one of the many award alerts I’m subscribed to, I found that there was availability on Etihad Airways The Apartment for 200,000 Etihad Guest Miles. At the time, Citi had a 40% transfer bonus to Etihad Airways, so I finally found the perfect use for my Citi ThankYou points! I transferred all 60,000 of my Citi ThankYou points to Etihad Airways, which turned into 84,000 Etihad Guest Miles and transferred 116,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to Etihad Airways for a total of 200,000 Etihad Guest Miles plus an additional $664.47 in taxes and fees required to book the flight. The cash value of the flight was $7,809.26.
Check-In
Typically, I would use mobile check-in for convenience and have one less piece of paper to carry or lose. However, I wanted my physical boarding pass as a memento for this special occasion and wanted to get the full experience.
There was a dedicated first-class check-in counter which was more like a lounge. I arrived five hours early since I wanted to get the full ground experience. Since the check-in area wasn’t really anything more than some comfy seats, I didn’t spend any time there and headed straight through security and to the first-class lounge.
The very exclusive first class check-in counter
Elegant atmosphere and comfy seats
Business- and First-Class Lounge
The first-class lounge is actually a lounge within a lounge with its own dedicated section on the top floor within the much larger business-class lounge. This is by far the largest lounge I’d ever been to. The entire lounge is three floors high and includes several bars, dining areas, napping rooms, a family room, game room, plenty of seating, and even direct access to a few of the boarding gates if you’re lucky enough to be flying out of one of the adjacent gates!
Upon checking into the first-class lounge, I was offered a complimentary 15 minute massage. The spa was also part of the business-class lounge, and I had an amazing shoulder and back massage that got me nice and relaxed for the flight.
The first-class lounge entrance is on the first floor and leads straight to the first-class lounge section on the top floor by way of two sets of escalators.
The spa is on the first floor of the business-class lounge, where I had a complimentary massage before heading up to the first-class lounge.
After making my way up two sets of escalators to the third (top) floor, I found the exclusive first-class lounge.
The layout is sort of narrow and long but there’s still plenty of space and open seats.
There was a buffet dining area.
As well as a sit down restaurant style dining area.
The lounge was extravagant and comfortable. It’s more like a very wide hallway, so I headed down to the end and back to scope out the place. I was one of maybe a handful of other travelers. There was a buffet dining area but also a sit down area, which I decided to go to first and order some food from the menu.
I couldn’t decide if I wanted a hot beverage or a cold one so I got both plus some fancy water.
Started off with a lamb and lentil soup.
Next, I ordered a kale and apple salad.
And for my main, I ordered the braised wagyu short ribs, which were fancy and delicious.
After a delicious and fancy meal, I decided to go for a walk and explore the business-class lounge.
One of the many bars scattered throughout the lounge
Family room for those with little ones to keep them entertained
Also a game room with foosball and a pool table
There were definitely more amenities in the business-class lounge than the first-class lounge, but none that I particularly cared for so I headed back to my exclusive corner after having a nice walk. I decided to head to a more quiet and private area in the back to read and prepare as much as I could to maximize my experience in The Apartment.
At the back is a more quiet and private area with some more comfy seats.
I decided to grab a seat in one of the semi-enclosed spaces.
U.S. Preclearance and Preclearance Lounge
Since there’s U.S. Preclearance (where you go through U.S. security, customs and immigration prior to the flight but arrive in the U.S. like any other domestic flight), I needed to leave the lounge earlier to allow myself time to go through security, customs and immigration prior to boarding. Therefore, even though the scheduled departure time was 2:50 a.m., the boarding time shown on the boarding pass was three hours prior.
Although there’s a Preclearance lounge near the gate, it wasn’t nearly as nice and comfortable as the main one, so all the staff told me to wait until the very last minute before heading to the gate. They told me to ignore the boarding time and leave the lounge at 1:25 a.m. instead since there would be a dedicated security line for business- and first-class passengers.
Finally, it was time for me to head to the gate. As I was headed out of the lounge, the staff stopped me and asked me for my boarding pass. Although I’ve been flying premium flights for a few years now, I still have that feeling in the back of my mind that because I used points for this fancy flight and not cash, I just felt out of place so my paranoia kicked in and I started to worry.
The staff took my boarding pass, and gave me a new one saying that I had received a complimentary upgrade. The Apartment is already the cream of the crop, but there was one level above that—The Residence. I was in disbelief! I felt like I got a golden ticket, and couldn’t contain my excitement as I walked out of the lounge and waltzed through security, customs and immigration!
After clearing security for the final time this trip, I headed to the U.S. Preclearance Lounge to wait for boarding. I was immediately greeted by name, which caught me off guard, but the staff at the first-class lounge had actually moved over to this lounge and remembered me. They told me to sit wherever I liked and that they would come get me once boarding began.
The not-as-fancy U.S. Preclearance lounge but with the same super friendly staff
Boarding and First Impressions
Finally it was time to board. I still could not believe that I was flying in Etihad Airways The Residence, but I was going to savor this once-in-a-lifetime experience and enjoy as much of the 15-hour flight and its amenities as I possibly could!
I was completely blown away when I was led to my “seat,” which, at 125 square feet, is bigger than some New York City apartments! I couldn’t believe I had this all to myself and had a dedicated flight attendant, Elisavet, who was absolutely amazing and had all of the service streamlined to make my experience as seamless as possible.
When I arrived, she had already prepared my pajamas, which came in a huge folio along with other toiletries. Unfortunately, the pajamas were too big, but she gave me a smaller size that fit perfectly and allowed me to keep the larger size. I will definitely share them with one of my taller friends!
The main room and seating area. Notice how high the divider is behind the seat.
I have two windows and a huge television screen.
In addition to the main seating area, which is already larger than The Apartment (which is already very large to begin with), I had a mini hallway that led to my own private bedroom and bathroom.
I had my own private bedroom and a sleeping gown with pockets.
The best part of the flight was definitely having my own private bathroom and shower.
And just when I thought it couldn’t get any better, I got an extra hour aboard this private suite because the flight was delayed. This gave me more time to explore the features of the seat, figure out how to work the lights and find all the outlets and little storage spaces. There was also a mini-fridge underneath the footrest with beverages ready to go.
Finally, it was time for take off! During my research while I was studying up on the lounge, I read about the A380’s tail camera and so I had to see for myself. It was so much fun watching take-off from this perspective while watching the airplane map in the controller and seeing out the window all at the same time! Definitely one of the most fun and immersive take-off experiences I’ve ever had!
Watching the plane take off on the big screen
Meal and Bedtime Service
Once we were in the air, since we took off at around 4 a.m., I wanted to eat first and then head to sleep so I could spend the last few hours of the flight enjoying my private suite and finish off with a shower before landing. One of the great things about Etihad Airways is that your experience is very customizable, and even more so with The Residence, so I could eat whatever, whenever I wanted to.
After getting the complimentary wifi working, I was served the appetizer with caviar which I honestly didn’t really know how to eat and just kind of winged it. I don’t think I can fully appreciate caviar or super fancy food in general, as I tend to prefer eating local food when I travel, but I figured I should order it for the experience.
Started off with their signature caviar service
Ordered a selection of hot and cold arabic appetizers
For the main, I ordered the rubian tahta (an arabic shrimp rice dish).
For dessert, I ordered a date and fig pudding with orange marmalade and vanilla ice-cream.
The table was already massive, but the seat/room was even bigger.
Meal service was spectacular, delicious, and very filling! While I enjoyed my delicious gourmet meal, the flight attendant prepared my bed, so by the time I finished I could go right to bed. There was a nightgown for me to change into, and once I was settled into bed, the flight attendant closed the door to the main seat/room (which already had its own door to the rest of the plane) and I had complete privacy, which was incredibly outrageous and surreal to experience on an airplane!
View of a second screen from the comfort of my bed with the door closed on the left. Hard to believe that I was on an airplane.
I asked the flight attendant to wake me up for breakfast, but I woke up on my own. While I enjoyed my gourmet breakfast, the flight attendant prepared the shower.
Beautiful and delicious breakfast
Showering at 30,000 Feet
Finally, it was time to check showering at 30,000 feet off my bucket list. Not only was I able to take a shower in the sky, but I was able to take it within the comfort of my own personal suite and bathroom! While I was in the lounge, I was mentally preparing how to reserve my shower and make the most out of my 30-minute time window. However, I had no more time pressure and had easily an hour to take my time and enjoy the shower in The Residence!
The flight attendant turned on the power for the shower and showed me how to use it. I had five minutes of water but could start and stop it as many times as I wanted to. She also prepared soap, shampoo, and conditioner, a towel and a bathrobe and showed me how to use the hair dryer.
Getting ready to shower at 30,000 feet
Bathrobe I was able to lounge around in post shower
Close up of the controls. The left knob controls the temperature, and the button on the right turns the water on and off.
The shower was such an incredible experience. It was incredibly spacious, well lit, easy to use, and the water pressure was much better than I expected. I wouldn’t have expected an airplane shower to be better than some showers I’ve had on land!
Lounging in my bathrobe savoring the last moments of my incredible flight
As this incredible experience came to an end, I had to change back into my street clothes and sit back in the seat for landing, and I was able to watch the landing from the big screen again with the A380 cameras, which was a fun experience in itself. I thought that once I took my bucket list shower at 30,000 feet, I’d be good forever. But after walking off the plane feeling extremely refreshed and in such a great mood to make my six-hour train journey back to Connecticut, I think I may have to do it again!!
Hotels I Booked
I paid cash for all of my hotel stays in Bali, primarily to save my points for better value redemptions, since most accommodations were inexpensive. I also paid cash in order to use the $200 Hotel Credit from the Amex Platinum Card for my hotel in Singapore. For all of my cash hotel bookings and anywhere I used my credit card instead of using the local currency, I used my Citi Strata Premier Card since there’s no foreign transaction fees and I earn 3X Citi ThankYou points per $1 on other hotel purchases, at restaurants, supermarkets and gas and EV charging stations.
I did use some points to book Marriott hotels in combination with free night awards for both the first hotel stay and last hotel stay of the trip, where I redeemed a total of 96,000 Marriott Bonvoy points (two free award nights plus 6,000 Marriott Bonvoy points) with a cash value of $698.48.
Repositioning in Newark
Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott (One 40k Free Night Award + 2k Marriott Bonvoy Points)
I was born and raised in Connecticut, where I’m currently based, and have come to fully appreciate the ability to easily reach multiple major airports, such as New York-Newark (EWR), which is a little more than a two-hour drive with no traffic. However, I decided to stay the night before my flight at the Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott, which is located right in the heart of the New York-Newark (EWR) Airport.
I used my 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points free night award I selected as my annual choice benefit from reaching Titanium Elite status, and used an additional 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to get to the 42,000 Marriott Bonvoy points required for the stay.
I was hoping to be facing the airport, but still appreciated the view of the control tower.
It was a nice property, but I mainly stayed for the location, since it was only a five-minute shuttle to get to the airport, and I wanted to arrive early to check out the United Polaris Lounge.
Bali
First Night at Four Points by Sheraton Bali, Seminyak (Cash)
Since I was arriving in Bali on New Year’s Eve and was attending a New Year’s Eve party with my friend Phil and his wife Ani, I decided to stay at the Four Points by Sheraton Bali, Seminyak, where they were staying as well. I decided to pay $327.26 in cash instead using the Amex Platinum Card so that I could get reimbursed in case I was unable to arrive in time by using the Trip Interruption Insurance (I would have lost the 25,000 Marriott Bonvoy points had I booked using points).
Fortunately, I was able to arrive in Bali without a hitch and my stay at the Four Points by Sheraton Bali, Seminyak was a fantastic and much needed comfort after my journey of over 30 hours from the U.S. The check-in experience was one of the best hotel check-in experiences I’ve ever had. I received a welcome drink and a hot towel to freshen up, and as a Titanium Elite member, I elected to receive the welcome Marriott Bonvoy points instead of the free breakfast, since I like to explore and eat local food. However, the front desk staff gave me free breakfast anyway, as well as a free 15 minute massage, even though I was only staying one night! I had booked a king suite, which was the least expensive room available at $327.26—not too bad considering it was New Year’s Eve.
Beautifully folded rabbit towel
These nuts came in very handy to snack on after the New Year’s Eve party.
Bathroom could see into the bedroom and into the balcony as well.
Took a much needed shower after my long journey. I had my choice of a waterfall or showerhead.
New Year’s Eve Party with Akon at Atlas Beach Club in Canggu
I was able to ring in the new year in a beach club with Ani and Phil in Bali thanks to points and miles.
U Tube Hotel and Spa in Uluwatu (Cash)
For the next three days, I decided to stay close to the wedding venue for the wedding festivities given the weather and traffic and since accommodations were inexpensive. There also weren’t any properties from the major hotel chains I could use points on that were close to the venue, so I decided to pay cash and stayed at the U Tube Hotel and Spa in Uluwatu. I paid $143.10 in cash for three nights on Booking.com.
Nothing too special about the hotel except that it was a great location, where everything I needed was within walking distance and anywhere I needed to be by transport was within 15 minutes.
There was a nice courtyard, where there was a resident cat howling every night (view from my balcony).
Aloft Bali Seminyak (Cash)
My next stay was at the Aloft Bali Seminyak, which was the cheapest option within walking distance to the wedding after party at the Cafe Del Mar in Canggu. I stayed one night for a total of $89.54. After three nights in the U Tube Hotel and Spa which was fairly basic, it was a pleasure to stay in a nicer hotel again!
Once again, I had a wonderfully pleasant check-in experience. I arrived around 12 p.m., so my room was not ready yet, but they were able to expedite the preparation of my room and give me a room upgrade to a king suite. They also provided me some tea to sip on while I waited. I only stayed one night at the Aloft Bali Seminyak since I wanted to spend the next few days exploring other parts of Bali by myself after the wedding festivities had concluded. When my room was ready, I had a beautiful suite to relax in before walking over to the wedding after party.
I’ve only stayed in an Aloft property one other time and I love the modern and artsy vibes.
I sipped on some tea while I waited for my room to be ready.
There was a visitor from the neighboring temple.
While there was no complimentary breakfast at this hotel, the staff left me cute, handwritten notes and some sweets.
Upgraded to a king bed suite with a mini couch by the window (no balcony)
View from the other side of the room
Montana Villas (Cash)
I decided to spend the rest of my time in Bali by myself in the mountains away from the hustle and bustle of the southern part of the island, where most of the tourists go, and headed to Kintamani, toward the northern part of the island. There weren’t any properties from the major hotel chains I could use points to book, so I decided to pay cash again since hotels were fairly inexpensive.
Screenshot of my two and a half hour Grab ride (equivalent to Uber) from the main part of the island (near Kuta) to Kintamani. Up until this point, I had spent most of my time in the southern part of the island for the wedding festivities.
There were plenty of places to stay in and around Mount Batur, where I wanted to do a sunrise hike. Since I was arriving close to 11 p.m., I narrowed down my search to hotels that were close to the trailhead and I could still check in around 11 p.m. and settled on Montana Villas. I stayed three nights, for a total of $90.96 using Booking.com.
On the way to the hotel, I messaged the hotel’s Whatsapp, and to my surprise, even though it was very last minute, they were happy to set up a tour to hike Mount Batur the very next morning, only a few hours after I checked in! Diana checked me in when I finally arrived and was going to also wake up a few hours later to be my tour guide.
The hotel wasn’t nearly as fancy as the Four Points by Sheraton, Seminyak or Aloft Bali Seminyak, but it had free home cooked breakfast every morning and was run by a very warm and friendly family (Diana, who checked me in, is their oldest son). The room itself, one of four standalone identical studio villas, was quite nice. If I had more time, I would have loved to stay longer and explore more of Kintamani.
Modern, clean, and comfortable villa with private bathroom
Private bathroom had a nice shower with rocks giving some nice nature vibes.
View from the bed of the common area. When the clouds clear, you can see Mount Abang in the background. Common area just outside where I had breakfast every morning and socialized with the other guests.
I stayed in one of these four identical villas here. Mount Batur is in the distance there.
My breakfast every morning was home cooked vegetarian mie goreng (stir fried noodles) with some ginger tea with a view of Mount Abang in the background.
The common area, which also included a pool and beautiful Mount Abang backdrop.
The most popular activity in Kintamani is the sunrise hike at Mount Batur. Since it was the rainy season and the weather could be unpredictable, there was no guarantee that I would be able to see a nice sunrise. I was lucky, since even though it started drizzling when I had to leave by 3:30 a.m., the weather ended up being great after that and stayed mostly sunny the entire time I was in Kintamani.
Lucked out with the weather and caught a beautiful sunrise overlooking Lake Batur and Mount Abang atop Mount Batur
Standing on the highest point of Mount Batur, photo taken by Diana
I chose the longer, more difficult tour, so the crowds thinned out and I got to try out my drone.
Got to ride on the back of a jeep back to the hotel (taken with my drone).
The next day, I rented a scooter to check out a few coffee shops along the ridge of the caldera that offered beautiful views of Mount Batur and the caldera. I finished off the day by renting a kayak on Lake Batur before catching the sunset near the hotel.
Rented a scooter to get around Kintamani. Diana arranged for someone to drop it off, and when I was finished, I just needed to leave it at the hotel.
View from the patio of Ritatkala Cafe overlooking Mount Batur while enjoying Balinese laksa, ginger tea, and fresh papaya juice
Made some new friends on the way to get to the kayak.
I was literally the only one in the lake and love doing things most people are not willing to do so I can get away from the crowds. Having been in the more hot and humid southern part of Bali the first half of the trip, it was so refreshing to be on the lake.
View of Mount Abang from Lake Batur
View of Mount Batur from the lake (taken with the drone)
Tried to find a secret lookout point, but didn’t make it in time for sunset overlooking Mount Batur. Still caught a beautiful sunset view on my way back out overlooking Mount Abang across Lake Batur.
Ubud (Stayed with Friends)
I had to start making my way back toward the airport to catch my flight out of Bali. However, by chance, Ina and Jan, who I had met scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef just outside of Cairns, Australia five years ago, also happened to be traveling through Bali. They were staying in a villa in Ubud which happened to be on my way back toward the airport. So I stopped by to catch up, and ended up staying the night at their villa.
Reunited with my scuba diving friends Ina and Jan from five years ago at their villa in Ubud.
Five years ago, when Jan and I flew our drones during our liveaboard in the Great Barrier Reef just outside Cairns, Australia. This was actually toward the end of the same trip that began with my very first bucket list flight on Singapore Airlines Suites.
Five years later, Jan and I reunited and discovered that we had both bought the new DJI Neo drone and brought it with us.
Ina and Jan’s villa with private pool overlooking rice fields
Hilton Garden Inn Bali Ngurah Rai Airport (Cash)
Finally, it was my last day in Bali. I bid farewell to Ina and Jan and headed toward the airport. I stopped by Taman Air Spa near the airport to sneak in an amazing full body massage before checking into the Hilton Garden Inn Bali Ngurah Rai Airport only minutes away from the Bali-Denpasar (DPS) airport. Hotel check-in and the room were fairly standard, but I mainly chose the hotel due to the location—minutes away from the airport, and it was also inexpensive at $61.90 for the one-night stay.
Lavender drink and lavender infused towel to freshen up while I waited for my massage
Changed into a robe before getting a much needed, well-deserved 90 minute full-body Balinese massage.
Singapore
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore (Cash with $200 Hotel Credit)
My original plan was to use my 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points free award night to stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Bali. However, it was pretty far from everything, and I know that if I stay in a very nice hotel, I’ll want to stay and use all the amenities in the hotel.
Since I’ve been to Singapore many times and this stopover was mainly to eat Singapore Laksa (which I’m incredibly obsessed with and need to have whenever I’m in Singapore), I decided to stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. Instead of using my 85,000 Marriott Bonvoy points free award night, which wouldn’t expire for several months, I used my $200 Hotel Credit from my Platinum Card®. I earned this credit last year by booking through the American Express Travel® portal. I paid $493.66 to stay one night, or $293.66 with the $200 Hotel Credit.
Enjoying a delicious bowl of Singapore Laksa from Wei Yi Laksa with a grass jelly drink, which was my go-to breakfast almost every morning when I studied exchange in Singapore 14 years ago. I had a heart warming exchange with the owner who, 14 years later, is still serving, in my opinion, the best Singapore Laksa on the island.
I honestly was a bit disappointed with The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore. While it was high quality from the moment I stepped foot onto the property until I caught a taxi to the airport, I had expected more amenities. There was a very nice fitness center and swimming pool and some restaurants in the main lobby, but that was it. There was no club-level lounge and on top of that, The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore did not participate in the Marriott Bonvoy program. As a consolation, they gave me a slight 10% discount to one of their restaurants.
The main pick up and drop off area which had nice architecture
One of the nicer fitness centers I’ve been to with lots of equipment
The room had a classic timeless feel and was very spacious with a desk and couch.
And a very large king sized bed
The bathroom was extravagant, but I particularly liked this octagonal window overlooking the Marina Bay Sands hotel, which I later took a bath in while watching the light show.
Beautiful view of the Gardens By The Bay and Marina Bay Sands Hotel from the room
Similar view but at night with the light show
However, through the American Express Fine Hotels + Resorts program, I still was able to receive a guaranteed 4 p.m. check out and was able to have my room upgraded to the Marina Bay Sands view on top of having a free breakfast and a $100 experience credit (neither of which I used since I had my eyes and stomach set on Singapore Laksa).
Not a bad view to wake up to
Abu Dhabi
W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island (One 50k Free Night Award + 4k Marriott Bonvoy Points)
For my final hotel stay, I had one night in Abu Dhabi before my flight back to the U.S. I did a quick Google search and saw that many people suggested to stay in Yas Island. I looked at the available Marriott properties and found the W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island was located right on the Yas Marina Circuit race track, which I thought would be a cool experience.
I used one of my 50,000 Marriott Bonvoy points free night awards I earned from opening the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card and used an additional 4,000 Marriott Bonvoy points to get to the 56,000 Marriott Bonvoy points required for the stay.
After my ordeal in Kolkata and arriving from a red-eye flight, all I wanted to do was shower and sleep in a comfortable bed, so it was a pleasant surprise that when I arrived at the W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island at 9:30 a.m., my room was already ready. To my disappointment though, I was unable to get my guaranteed 4 p.m. check out as a Titanium Elite member. I was only able to extend my check out time to 1 p.m., since the hotel was anticipating a lot of guests coming in for a concert.
Pick up and drop off area with fancy W logo surrounded by fountains
The property was very modern and fancy and so was the room. The room was huge and luxurious, but the best part was the balcony, where I could watch race cars on the track!
Very spacious and modern room with king sized bed, couch and a very long table on the left
Very spacious bathroom with separate partitions for the bathtub, shower, toilet, and sink area
Balcony overlooking the marina and part of the racetrack
Watching some race cars zooming by from the balcony
Decided to check out the pool. There is a lower area below the pool where you can sunbathe and order food and drinks by the bar.
Upper section with the pool
The gym was very nice as well. It was sort of a wide hallway with alcoves on the right and a nice view of the marina on the left.
When I finally had to check out at 1 p.m., I had pretty much an entire day before my flight at 2:50 a.m., so I decided to explore Yas Island a bit. I happened to be in Abu Dhabi on one of the two days each week (Mondays and Wednesdays) that the Yas Marina Circuit is open to the public for walkers, runners, and cyclists in the evening, so I explored Yas Bay for a few hours then finished off my stopover in Abu Dhabi by taking a lap around a Formula One race track—the perfect way to get my legs moving before sitting on a plane for 14 hours!
One of the four astroCAT guardians of Yas Bay
I had a few hours before I could walk the Yas Marina Circuit, so I decided to get some food at this restaurant overlooking the bay. Ordered some kebab meats with some Moroccan mint tea.
About a quarter of the way through the track, I reached the W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island and could see my room!
Surreal to be able to walk on a Formula One race track
Total Points Used
Here is a summary of the points and miles I spent on my 16-day trip:
Flights
| Flights | Taxes & Fees | Points/Miles Required | Actual Points/Miles Used |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines Polaris Business Class New York-Newark (EWR) to Munich (MUC) Thai Airways Royal Silk Business Class Munich (MUC) to Bangkok (BKK) Thai Airways Economy Bangkok (BKK) to Bali-Denpasar (DPS) | $26.70 | 100k United MileagePlus miles | 100k United MileagePlus miles
|
| Singapore Airlines Business Class Bali-Denpasar (DPS) to Singapore (SIN) | $15.15 | 21k Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles | All 21k Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Miles (already in account) |
| Singapore Airlines Business Class Singapore (SIN) to Kolkata, India (CCU) Etihad Airways Business Class Kolkata, India (CCU) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) | $77.90 | 60k Air Canada Aeroplan Points | 60k Chase Ultimate Rewards transferred to Air Canada Aeroplan |
| Etihad Airways The Apartment Abu Dhabi (AUH) to New York-John F. Kennedy (JFK) | $664.47 | 200k Etihad Guest Miles | 176k Etihad Guest Miles
|
| Total | $784.22 | 357k |
Hotels
| Hotels | Actual Points Used |
|---|---|
| Newark Liberty International Airport Marriott | One free night award (40k) plus 2k Marriott Bonvoy Points |
| W Abu Dhabi Yas Island | One free night award (50k) plus 4k Marriott Bonvoy Points |
| Total | 96k Marriott Bonvoy Points (or two free night awards plus 6k Marriott Bonvoy Points) |
Flights and Hotels Total
In summary, between flights and hotels, I paid $784.22 out of pocket plus 453,000 points I earned through credit card sign up bonuses to pay for $20,389.34 worth of flights and hotels!
| Cash | Points | Cash Value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flights | $784.22 | 357k | $19,690.87 |
| Hotels | - | 96k | $698.48 |
| Total | $784.22 | 453k | $20,389.34 |
Feel free to check out the details on 10xTravel’s new Redemption Tracker!
Other Cash Expenses
Points aside, I paid cash for the following:
- $1,006.43 for eight nights in Bali and one night in Singapore
- $290.73 on food
- $392.27 on transportation
- $249.56 on activities (New Year’s Eve Party admission, Balinese Massage, Kayak Rental, and Mount Batur Guided Hike)
The grand total, including taxes and fees from the award flights, was $2,799.32 out of pocket for a 16-day trip (roughly $175/day).
Final Thoughts
I’ve been on my points and miles journey for close to nine years, and I’m still learning new things almost every day. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way that I hope can be helpful, whether you’re starting your points and miles journey or you’re a points and miles veteran!
- Don’t sit on your points! I waited years to start even thinking about using my points because I was worried that I wouldn’t have enough. But in reality, as time goes on, points become worth less and less and I learned that it’s quite easy to earn points and much harder to use them, so take advantage of any opportunity to use your points! For example, when I flew Singapore Airlines Suites, it cost me 120,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles in 2019 for saver level redemption. When I looked only a year later in 2020, it had gone up to 132,000 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles for the exact same flight for saver level redemption. Now, according to the latest Singapore Airlines Award Chart, the same flight requires 148,500 Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles for saver level redemption!
- Practice makes perfect. I was so focused on earning enough points that I didn’t start redeeming until a few years after I opened my first credit card and hadn’t really practiced award searching until about two years ago. What I have found helpful is signing up for award alerts. 10xTravel offers award alerts for free. I’m also subscribed to a few others, both paid and free. Even if the award alerts don’t work for your interest or schedule, it’s still a great way to see what great deals look like, so when you do run award searches you’ll know when you’ve found one. For more complex itineraries, 10xTravel offers an award booking service, which I plan on using if I have a complex itinerary in the future. As a solo traveler, however, it is much easier for me to find award availability, since I have a lot of flexibility.
- You don’t need a P2 to be successful. It’s possible to be successful in this hobby if you don’t have a P2 and sometimes it may be more advantageous. While having a P2 allows you to take advantage of earning additional referral bonuses, finding award availability for two or more is far more challenging than for a single person. Not to mention that a single person can be much more flexible, so where I had a disadvantage in earning points, I made up for it with ease of using them. So if you don’t have a P2, don’t be discouraged!
- Good things come to those who wait. Even if you aren’t able to find availability, don’t lose hope! If you are able to keep yourself as flexible as possible, better awards may become available as your trip gets closer. I originally was going to fly economy most of the way and pay cash to get to Bali. A month out, I found a deal that was only available in points to fly business all the way to Bali (except the last leg) for only 100,000 points, so I canceled my cash flights and booked via United Airlines instead. It’s not a bad idea to have a “backup” flight booked—either with points or cash—that’s refundable or able to be redeposited back into your account if you find something better.
- Be mindful of cancellation fees. Most U.S. airlines have flexible cancellation policies and no cancellation fees for award flights. However, the opposite is true for most non-U.S. carriers. For example, at the other extreme, Etihad Airways has a very steep cancellation policy, in which you would need to give up between 25-75% of your hard-earned points if you were to change your plans, which is why I gave myself an extra two days just in case. Also, I did have to pay a cancellation fee with Singapore Airlines, since I had originally booked an economy flight on Delta Air Lines to get to Taipei, then an award flight on Singapore Airlines to get from Taipei to Bali. I still came out ahead since the cancellation fee was more than offset by the savings I had booking with points.
- Be careful with insurance policies. At the very least, you’ll have to use the card to charge some amount (or all of it in some cases) in order to qualify for insurance coverage. Insurance typically only covers what is charged and does not cover the loss of points, so if you pay for a hotel entirely with points and have to cancel after the deadline, you will likely lose those points.
- Don’t rely on airlines for visa requirements. Although one of the main tenets of this hobby is finding sweet spots by taking advantage of different pricing models of partner airlines, make sure you fully understand the visa requirements and don’t rely on the airlines to remind you whether or not you need a visa to transit, especially when there are multiple airlines involved.
Sunrise from my flight from Kolkata, India (CCU) to Abu Dhabi (AUH)
The most important takeaway is to be present and don’t worry too much about trying to optimize and maximize everything at the expense of your enjoyment. Even though I missed out on many experiences and amenities, I purposefully didn’t pack my schedule full of activities or try to use every single amenity at every place I stayed so I could be fully present and enjoy my trip.
Hopefully my experience and takeaways have helped inspire you to start using those points if you’ve been sitting on them!
Happy Travels!
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
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Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
10xTravel is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. All values of Membership Rewards are assigned based on the assumption, experience and opinions of the 10xTravel team and represent an estimate and not an actual value of points. Estimated value is not a fixed value and may not be the typical value enjoyed by card members.
Editors Note: Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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