Reward Alert: Space available for Business Class awards to Asia using transferable credit card points

SkyTeam member Vietnam Airlines flies nonstop between the US and Vietnam – four times a week between San Francisco and Ho Chi Minh City – with an Airbus A350. This flight currently has fantastic business class award offers for up to 4 passengers per flight, whether you want to travel immediately or in 11 months. You can use this flight for onward travel in Southeast Asia (or even beyond, if you’re willing to pay the required miles).

San Francisco (SFO) – Ho Chi Minh City (SGN), 22:50 – 4:30+2, Vietnam Airlines 99
Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) – San Francisco, 18:30 – 18:40, Vietnam Airlines 98

In the past it was difficult to get an award seat on this flight, but @findflightsforme indicates high availability, but is quite expensive for most affiliate programs. However, anyone with transferable bank points can access it.

Booking:

• Air France-KLM Flying Blue: 100,500 points + ~$250 each way (Chase, Amex, Citi, Capital One, Bilt transfer partners)
• Virgin Atlantic Flight Club: 140,000 points + ~$250 each way (Chase, Amex, Citi, Capital One, Bilt transfer partners)
• Korean Air Sky Pass: 77,500 points + ~ $250 each way

The great thing is that while these rewards are expensive when booked through Air France or Virgin, they both receive frequent transfer bonuses. My balances on both were recently boosted by 150% bonuses for transferring Bilt points, which eases the pain a little. Citi is currently offering a 25% bonus for transfers to Flying Blue.

Check the Virgin website for availability using the award calendar and book through Air France KLM unless you have Korean Air points. Some of you still have points left from transfers with Chase before Chase lost their partnership, and those are about to expire anyway.

Vietnam is worth visiting in its own right. It’s great to use it as a base for traveling to other parts of Asia or to build connections. I’ve visited much of the country and found it worthwhile every time I visited.

Presidential Palace

Pho Hoa

Hyatt Regency Danang

Once you have booked, @findflightsforme points out that you can enter your reservation number on the Czech Airlines website (or the Air Europa website) to get the Vietnam Airlines reservation number and use it for seat allocation.

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