Best International Flights Point Systems

International flights are really where Ultimate Rewards points shine when it comes to redeeming options. To start, you can book directly through the Chase portal. If you have the Sapphire Reserve, they’ll be worth 1.5 points each. If you decide to transfer your rewards to a travel partner, be sure to check the lists of international travel partners, which include some top ones like United, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines and Emirates Skywards. Even though American Airlines isn’t on the transfer list, you can always transfer points to Iberia Plus or British Airways and book AA flights directly through their sites. It’s also worth mentioning: The most lavish way to redeem for international travel -- either international business or first class -- is to use United transfer partner to book tickets on Star Alliance partners. Those airlines include, but are not limited to, options like Singapore Suites, Air China lie-flat Business and Lufthansa first class. Not only super easy to acquire but also marvelously simple to redeem, Ultimate Rewards continues to make our 'Best of' lists.

Of all of the point systems, you are most likely to find your international destination on United. The points offer great value, and you can transfer in from Chase. Business saver tickets are a real steal if you can find one on your itinerary.

In terms of simplicity in booking and variety of destinations, Delta is only second to United. With a huge number of cards and transfers from Amex rewards, you'll have no shortage of options to collect points. You'll find a few less exotic destinations and business class flights will set you back more points, but Delta is a solid choice if you want coach to Europe or other mainstream destination.

American Express is an excellent way to give your Chase card applications a rest, but still enjoy international flights. Utilize the Amex portal to book tickets, which are almost always treated as purchased fare. That means even though points are only valued at 1 cent each here, you can earn redeemable and elite qualifying miles. Should you decide to transfer to one of the 18 Amex Membership partners, this is where you can snag some really great international seats. Transfer directly to Virgin Atlantic and book one-way international flights for better redemption rates and far greater availability. Also, use your Virgin Flying Club rewards to book international Delta flights in Delta One, luxury seating for half the points than if you transferred and booked directly through Delta. Singapore is another great international airline with its KrisFlyer Miles program. The program allows you to book ‘round the world awards, with a trip of up to 7 cities for set mileage rates: 180,000 economy, 240,000 business or 360,000 first. Because the transfer with these rewards is so broad, accessing all 3 of the Major alliances -- OneWorld, Star Alliance and SkyTeam -- you’ll find a fantastic option no matter where you want to travel.

American airlines has some great options at solid value for international flights. The problem is, you won't find many of them on their searches with points checked. If it involves a partner airline, you'll need to call to book with points. Don't let it scare you off, it just drops them to 5th on the list.

Maybe you don’t normally say, let’s fly “Singapore Airlines!” But if you’re flying international, you might want to start. Singapore Airlines’ points system is called KrisFlyer Miles, and they’re a powerful asset in traveling internationally. Earning them is fairly easy, considering that all the main transferable point programs are partnered up with them. And Singapore Air is part of the Star Alliance, so you can technically book any partner flight using KrisFlyer Miles. You’re allowed one free stopover on round-trip tickets and up to 3 additional stopovers for $100 each, meaning you can check off multiple bucket-list vacations grouped into one trip. Here are another couple of really exciting things attached to this particular points system: They’re champions for holding first place in the world’s longest flight between Newark and Singapore. Their gorgeous Singapore Suites are undeniably the best in the world. And KrisFlyer offers a waitlist request, which must be made at least 21 days before your flight (if you waitlist multiple flights, you must have the necessary amount of KrisFlyer miles for the single, most expensive award). And book early, because while you’re still not guaranteed a seat, you have a better chance of getting a seat, and you can also waitlist yourself for upgrades. KrisFlyer Miles are your gateway to exotic and luxury airline travel, making them arguably the most underestimated point system for international flights.

You’ll see the name Virgin Atlantic pop up here and there, surrounded by the more commonly known Delta. That’s because you can actually book flights on Delta with your Virgin Atlantic Flying miles for fewer points than if you booked your Delta flight with Delta miles -- and that includes Delta One luxury seats. These deals aren’t limited to only Delta, though. Use points to fly ANA to Asia for about half what most other airlines charge, even in business or first class. Use points to fly Air New Zealand, whose planes will soon have bunk beds for their economy passengers. Fly Air China, whose planes have not only pajamas but also lay-flat business seat options. Don’t overlook flying directly on Virgin Atlantic, either. They have some super deals between the U.S. and the U.K. and/or Europe. Points are easy to accumulate since you can transfer them from all four major points systems.

These nifty little points can get you to some big places. Once you have a pool of ThankYou Points, you can transfer them to any one of the big 3 alliances: Star Alliance, SkyTeam and/or OneWorld. Check out our Transfer Rates tool to see the value of transferring to international partners like Avianca, Quantas, Sinagapore KrisFlyer and Virgin Atlantic, all over 100% value retained. Plus you can share points between your spouse or partner at no extra charge, making pooling points and getting to your destination together even easier. These points may not seem like much at first glance. But because they are so versatile and the best redemption comes from heavy international hitters, they are much more valuable when used toward flights abroad.