What Is a Sweet Spot?
A sweet spot is a redemption that offers exceptional value—typically 2x or more compared to standard redemptions. They exist because of quirks in how programs price awards.
Sweet spots happen when:
- Award charts are region-based, underpricing certain routes
- Partner awards are priced differently than the airline's own program
- Distance-based charts have favorable breakpoints
- Programs offer promotional pricing on specific routes
Classic Sweet Spots
Virgin Atlantic → ANA to Japan
Cost: 55,000-60,000 miles round trip in business class
Why it's sweet: ANA's own program charges 75,000-95,000+ miles one-way for the same flights. Virgin offers round-trip business to Japan for what others charge one-way.
Transfer from: Amex, Chase, Capital One
Turkish → United Domestic
Cost: 7,500 miles one-way
Why it's sweet: United charges 12,500+ miles for the same flights. Turkish's Star Alliance chart offers significant savings on short United hops.
Transfer from: Citi, Capital One
British Airways Avios → Short Flights
Cost: 7,500 Avios for flights under 1,150 miles
Why it's sweet: Distance-based pricing means short expensive routes (NYC-Miami, LA-Vegas) can be incredibly cheap.
Transfer from: Chase, Amex
Flying Blue Promo Awards
Cost: 50% off monthly promo destinations
Why it's sweet: Air France/KLM offers half-price awards to specific destinations each month. Europe round trip for 25,000 miles.
Transfer from: Amex, Chase, Citi, Capital One
Hyatt Category 1-4 Hotels
Cost: 5,000-15,000 points per night
Why it's sweet: Some Hyatt properties in expensive cities (Tokyo, Paris) are categorized low but sell for $250+/night in cash.
Transfer from: Chase
How to Find Sweet Spots
1. Compare Partner Pricing
For any flight, check how different programs price it. United → United vs. United → Turkish vs. United → Avianca can vary by 50%.
2. Watch for Distance-Based Bargains
Programs like British Airways price by distance. Short, expensive routes offer the best value.
3. Monitor Promotions
Flying Blue promos, transfer bonuses, and limited-time offers create temporary sweet spots.
4. Know the Charts
Understanding region-based award charts reveals which routes are underpriced relative to distance or typical cash fares.
Airlines adjust award charts regularly. Today's sweet spot may disappear tomorrow. Use them while they last, but don't hoard points waiting for perfect redemptions that might never come.
Key Takeaways
- Sweet spots offer 2x+ the value of standard redemptions
- They exist due to quirks in how programs price awards
- Partner bookings often reveal better pricing than booking direct
- Distance-based programs favor short, expensive routes
- Sweet spots change—use them before they disappear