If it appears that everyone and their mother is attempting to use points and miles for a trip to Japan lately, you are correct. But is it fair to blame them? With its people, history, culture, architecture, nightlife, shopping, and delicious cuisine, Japan is a dream destination for many, especially honeymooners planning their once-in-a-lifetime trips.
How I Booked a Luxury Honeymoon in Japan My husband and I fit neatly into that category, and we were lucky to have a considerable accumulation of credit card points—specifically American Express Membership Rewards and Chase Ultimate Rewards points—to utilize effectively in this situation. We used 607,000 American Express Membership Rewards points and 120,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points for business class flights to and from Asia,
two inter-Asia business class flights, and a stay at a five-star hotel. It was part of our plan to utilize a small amount of cash for other hotel accommodations and a positioning flight within Vietnam, but most of our trip was covered using points and miles. Much research, planning, and luck were needed to make it happen in October 2023. This is how we managed it.
Making flight reservations to Japan
We began planning our honeymoon for the fall of 2023 in late 2022. Being located in the New York City area, our options for nonstop flights to Tokyo were limited to United, All Nippon Airways (ANA), or Japan Airlines (JAL).
We eliminated United from consideration because it doesn’t offer flights into our preferred Tokyo airport—Haneda Airport, which is only about 15 minutes from the city center (as opposed to over an hour when arriving from the larger Narita International Airport). Moreover, although United Polaris, the airline’s business class offering, is quite good, it pales in comparison to the service and catering provided by Japanese airlines. ANA was also eliminated relatively quickly (though we certainly made efforts to make it happen!) due to the difficulty of finding award availability for one person, much less two.
Fortunately, JAL had openings during the period we were aiming for, which made our decision almost automatic. For two one-way business class flights on Japan Airlines, I transferred 150,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to Cathay Pacific’s frequent flier program at a 1:1 ratio; the cost for a flight from New York-JFK to Tokyo Haneda is 75,000 miles. It is possible to book JAL via Cathay, as both carriers belong to the Oneworld alliance; theoretically, if you possess the appropriate miles currency,
you could reserve the identical tickets via another partner airline in the alliance, such as American. Since we booked with Cathay Pacific, we acknowledge that the taxes and fees were somewhat steep—around $361 per ticket—but given our collection of American Express points, these flights were the most logical choice for us at the time of booking.
The flight was worth all the points and money. The meal was among the finest I’ve experienced. Every seat had direct access to the aisle, and the service was attentive and friendly but not overbearing. Once the flight attendants realized it was our honeymoon, they created a postcard for us to commemorate the occasion.
Making hotel reservations in Japan
Our journey began in Kyoto. Although I had been there a few years earlier, my husband hadn’t included the city on his must-visit list. With its history, cuisine, and customs, the cultural capital embodies Japan in all its essence.
We stayed at the Park Hyatt Kyoto during our three-night visit. My expectations were high from the outset, and the hotel easily surpassed them. Even for Japan, the service was flawless, and my husband and I were astonished by the design. It is luxurious and elevated, though in a rather understated manner. Its location is perfect, just off the Sannenzaka Path, yet it doesn’t feel like tourists are constantly nearby.
Selbstverständlich hat ddoesn’ts seinen Preis: Die Raten liegen üblicherweise bei über 1.000 $ pro Nacht in bar. As a Category 8 hotel in the World of Hyatt program, its standard rate is 40,000 points per night (with Hyatt, nightly point prices vary based on the hotel category and time of booking). To cover our stay, we transferred 120,000 points from Chase Ultimate Rewards to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.
Subsequently, we boarded a train bound for the Japanese capital. Tokyo is among my all-time favorite cities globally. Although the food, shopping, and sightseeing are top-notch, the friendliness and hospitality of the people have always distinguished it. My husband shared the same sentiment, so it was unquestionable that we would return.
Although I was very much looking forward to my return visit to the Conrad Tokyo, the hotel seemed to have lost its sparkle since my initial stay there in 2019. No kidding, when I first stayed there, 10 people accompanied me to my room at check-in—presumably due to my Hilton Honors Diamond status. The staff went above and beyond to ensure I felt comfortable and looked after during my entire stay. The meals featured a lavish breakfast; the rooms exuded a contemporary and stylish vibe. The hotel was one of the reasons I initially fell in love with Tokyo.
However, after five years and one pandemic, the hotel felt different. Due to the high number of guests, the hotel was crowded, and the quality of breakfast, the service was primarily impersonal. The design I had once loved seemed dated, and signs of wear were becoming apparent on the room’s set and furniture. Nevertheless, we opted to pay cash for our time here because the rates were fair. Alternatively, we could redeem 285,000 American Express points for the Hilton Honors program and pay 95,000 Hilton points per night for three nights.
We had to spend an additional night in Tokyo because of a last-minute visa issue (details to follow), and we moved to The Tokyo EDITION, Toranomon for the night. Out of necessity, we paid for the night out in cash. Even though our time at the property was limited to a single night, it struck us as very chic, youthful, and effortlessly cool. Whenever my next trip to Tokyo may be, I would consider staying there again, especially if I have Amex or Marriott points.
Flight reservations for Vietnam
Regarding that visa issue: Americans traveling to mainland Vietnam must apply for a visa in advance to enter the country—something I was unaware of at the time (I know, I know). Phu Quoc, our planned destination, is a unique administrative region. Therefore, you can avoid the requirement. You’re flying from another international location outside mainland Vietnam and directly to Phu Quoc. We transferred 60,000 American Express points to Cathay Pacific to fly to Hong Kong. Subsequently, we used them to pay for our flights on the low-cost carrier VietJet to achieve that. Eventually, everything turned out fine, but let my honeymoon-planning blunder—albeit embarrassing—serve as a lesson to you all.
For wit’siit’sht’shyou’ryou’reouseous about the cost of our initial plans—we had intended to fly from Tokyo to Ho Chi Minh City, then a morning flight to Phu Quoc. By transferring 122,000 American Express points to Canada’s plan at a 1:1 ratio, I secured two business class flights on All Nippon Airways (ANA). We will pay for Canada’s round-trip flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc in cash. Bei der Rückkehr,
I planned to utilize 48,000 American Express points (transferred to Singapore Airlines at a 1:1 ratio) for two business class flights from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore, to position us for our flight back home to the U.S. Finally, we planned to spend just one night in Singapore before flying back to New York on worldworld’sestsest flight with Singapore Airlines business class, after transferring a total of 287,000 American Express pointsSinwoSinworld’sAirlinesines 1:1 ratio.
Due to the visa mix-up, I had to organize refunds for these flights, and everything turned out fine. Another positive aspect of making reservations with points and miles is this flexibility.
Making hotel reservations in Phu Quoc, Vietnam
My husband and I planned to spend the second half of our honeymoon at Phu Quoc, aiming for the newly opened Regent hotel (April 2022). Our expectations were again extraordinarily high, and the Regent Phu Quoc exceeded them. We felt well looked after when we entered Hotel Sel’s Rover for our airport pickup and were given cold hand towels and water. The beautiful group doesn’t have a cookie-cutter hotel; I never got tired of the food on-site choices. That service genuinely enhanced our stTdon’Tdon’taffeded expectations by learning our names and getting to know us, our preferences, and how they could ensure our perfect trip.
We opted for a cash payment for our room since we wanted one with a plunge pool, which could not be booked with points then. With that in mind, Regent Phu Quoc belongs to the IHG hotel collection, and transfers from Chase Ultimate Rewards to IHG One Rewards can be made at a 1:1 ratio; the usual starting rate is 61,000 points for one night. Although inexpensive, this luxury hotel offers a deal, mainly when you factor in that it includes what is bound to be one of the finest breakfast buffet spreads you will probably ever encounter. It’s a dream of mine and my husband’s.
Making flight reservations from Singapore and Vietnam to New York
When we found ourselves in Singapore for our return flight, our husband faced our second trip-related issue: My husband suffered from food poisoning after landing in Singapore, just a few hours before our flight to JFK. Due to his unfitness for an 18-hour flight, we missed our New York flight and had to devise a new strategy after he improved.
Usually, this strategy is not tested on individuals. Still, given the lack of options and our need to return home, we booked two business class tickets via the Amex Travel portal for our flight from Singapore to Japan and then onward to JFK. The cost is relatively high (around 400,000 points per item), but, as I noted before, we were lucky to have a substantial reserve of points to draw from, particularly in a situation like this. Additionally, it served as a good pretext to try ANA’s Room.
The seat was nearly laughably large, but after flying business class with both JAL and ANA, I find that you can’t make a mistake in terms of service in terms of service. Nowadays, I’d choose the winner, whichever one you can find available. As you know, you can’t make the trip.