Choosing a cruise ship cabin is a lot trickier than booking a hotel room.

Not only do you have to think about how big a room you need and what your budget is, you have to decide if you want to pay extra for a window or private balcony, where on the ship you want your cabin to be, and which associated perks and privileges will enhance your vacation. If your travel party is especially large, you need to figure out exactly how to combine bed or room types to accommodate everyone.

That is, if you’re booking early enough, and the cruise room types you want haven’t sold out.

Plus, the average cruise ship cabin is much less spacious than the average hotel room. If you’re used to booking the cheapest room for a land-based stay, you might not want to take the same approach for your vacation at sea.

Choosing the right cabin is the first step in maximizing your cruise vacation and getting the most from your vacation budget. Here, I answer the most common questions about cruise ship cabins and picking the best fit for your travel party.

What are the different types of cabins I can book on a cruise?

When you book a hotel or resort, your choices might include one king bed or two queen beds; garden view or beach view; a standard room, suite or perhaps a villa or casita. On cruise ships, the basic cabin categories are inside, outside (often called ocean view), balcony and suite — but there are subcategories, as well.

Typically, inside cabins are smaller and cheaper; suites are larger and more expensive. Here’s a closer look at the different cabin types you can choose when you book your cruise.

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Inside

An inside, or interior, room on a cruise ship is notable for its lack of a window and therefore natural light. These cabins are located in the middle of each deck, rather than along the outer sides of the ship. They are generally small, often around 150 square feet, and while they come with an ensuite bathroom, closet and small desk or vanity area, they tend not to have a comfortable sitting area for hanging out.

Most inside cabins sleep two with a queen bed that can separate into twins, but you’d be surprised that many can sleep four with upper bunks that pull down from the ceiling.

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Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line have an interesting class of inside cabins with virtual windows. They are video screens, designed to look like a round porthole or floor-to-ceiling balcony door, that broadcast footage from outside the ship, so you can pretend you have a window.

Outside

Outside, or ocean view, cabins feature round porthole windows or one large picture window that cannot be opened. The rooms are often slightly larger than inside cabins; on some ships, they might have a sitting area in addition to the bed and bathroom.

Outside cabins offer natural light but not ocean breezes. The most affordable outside cabins have an obstructed view, meaning the windows look out on the lifeboats or other ship structures that block your view of the ocean beyond.

Balcony

Cruise ship balcony cabins are the most popular cabin category. So many travelers choose this type of cruise ship cabin that some ships put private verandas on all their outside cabins. That’s a recent trend; the oldest ships in a cruise line’s fleet might have more ocean-view rooms than balcony cabins, while the newest ships will have mainly balcony rooms.

Inside, a balcony cabin will offer an ensuite bathroom, bed(s), closet area, desk with chair and a small sitting area. The exterior wall will be a floor-to-ceiling window with a door leading to a private balcony, usually with two upright chairs and a small table for drinks or alfresco meals.

The private outdoor spaces are usually fairly small, but certain cabin categories might have roomier balconies due to the ship’s layout. Look for larger-than-average verandas on cabins at the back of the ship and in places where the structure of the ship juts out.

Royal Caribbean has an unusual type of balcony cabin on its Oasis Class ships. Instead of facing out to sea, these balconies look out on an interior yet open-air section of the ship, as if you had a balcony that overlooked a city street.

Some cruise ships, notably Celebrity Cruises’ Edge Class and Royal Caribbean’s Icon class, feature a new type of versatile balcony room. Instead of a typical veranda attached to each vessel’s exterior, these ships feature a large window that can slide down at the push of a button (like your car’s window) to bring the fresh air in. Close some folding doors and — voila! — instant balcony.

The benefit of this type of room (sometimes called an “infinite veranda”) is that all of the cabin’s square footage is usable rain or shine. With a traditional balcony, the extra outdoor space is wasted when it’s chilly or wet outside.

Suite

Suites are the largest type of cruise ship cabin, and they come in a wide range of varieties. Minisuites or junior suites are slightly roomier versions of balcony cabins, with sleeping and sitting areas in the same space without a wall in between. Larger suites might include sleeping areas in separate rooms, dining tables, large living room spaces, multiple bathrooms and expansive private balconies.

Suites also come with extra amenities, perks and privileges.

Are all cruise ship suites the same?

The most spectacular suite at sea is likely Regent Seven Seas Cruises’ Regent Suite. The 4,443-square-foot multiroom luxury enclave features a gold-and-marble master bathroom that doubles as a spa, a $200,000 handmade mattress stuffed with horse hair, multiple balconies (one with a whirlpool tub) and an enormous living room, complete with piano and an actual Rembrandt painting.

Suites are not only about spacious digs, but also about the VIP perks and privileges that come with the booking.

Perks for passengers in the most expensive cabins can include priority boarding and disembarkation, freebies (Wi-Fi, laundry, drink packages, etc.), first pick of restaurant and shore excursion reservations, special queues to jump the line at the front desk or main dining room, and even reserved theater seating. You might also get nicer amenities such as name-brand toiletries, higher-thread-count sheets and linens, stocked minibars or fancy robes to enjoy on board.

In addition, suite guests might have access to the services of a butler or concierge, who can make tour, dining and show reservations, unpack your bags, bring you snacks and special room-service meals (perhaps from a specialty restaurant), and sort out any problems you might encounter. They might also bring you invitations to special events, such as cocktail parties and dinner at the captain’s table.

Some cruise lines, such as Norwegian Cruise Line and MSC Cruises, create special restaurants, lounges and sun decks exclusive to suite residents. This lets passengers avoid crowded public areas and enjoy fine dining in a less frenetic setting than the main dining room.

What specialty cabins should I know about?

Within each basic cabin category, you will find specialty cabins aimed at certain types of cruisers. These tend to be a little more expensive than the basic cabin in the same class but come with perks that can enhance your vacation.

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Accessible cabins

All of the large oceangoing cruise ships can accommodate travelers in wheelchairs or who have mobility impairments. In fact, cruising can be one of the best vacation options for travelers with a disability.

Accessible cabins come in all types, from insides to suites, and typically have more square footage than the basic room in the same category to allow for wheelchair turning radius and storage. They will often have features such as roll-in showers with benches, wider doorways, smooth thresholds and lowered sinks and counters.

Not all accessible cabins are the same, so do your research before booking. In general, newer ships offer better accessibility; older ships might have retrofitted a cabin to make it more accessible but might not be able to offer all the enhancements of a purposely designed room.

Related: The best cruise lines for wheelchair users and passengers with limited mobility

Spa cabins

Do you book a vacation to spend maximum time at the cruise ship’s spa? Then a spa cabin might be a good choice for you. From Celebrity Cruises‘ AquaClass to MSC Cruises’ Aurea cabins, spa cabins can come in multiple layouts (from inside to suite) and usually feature a Zen-inspired decor.

Perks vary widely by line but might include in-cabin amenities — such as spa showerheads, healthy room service menus, workout gear and room diffusers — and spa-related perks, such as a spa concierge, free access to the thermal suite, priority for spa treatment reservations and discounts. Celebrity AquaClass guests even get their own restaurant.

Family cabins

Many cruise lines offer some type of cruise ship cabins for families, usually rooms that can sleep five (or more), have a separate bedroom for kids, or come with an extra bathroom or a split bathroom set-up (shower and sink in one room, toilet and sink in another). Some family suites are configurations of connected cabins that can accommodate larger, multigenerational family groups.

Carnival Cruise Line‘s Family Harbor cabins even come with access to an exclusive family lounge with snacks, games, TVs and computers, and a concierge. Plus, families get perks, such as free late-night group babysitting.

Concierge cabins

Typically, concierge (and concierge lounge) access is a perk for suite guests and top-tier frequent cruisers. However, a few lines offer concierge services to passengers who book specialty cabins that aren’t suites.

Celebrity Cruises’ concierge cabins are essentially standard balcony cabins with access to a concierge and a few other perks. Oceania Cruises also offers a concierge category of balcony cabin that comes with the services of a concierge and access to a concierge lounge, plus additional perks such as room service from the Grand Dining Room menu, access to the spa terrace sun deck and free laundry service.

I’m traveling solo. Are there cabins for just one person?

Single travelers often get short-changed when booking a cruise cabin. If they choose a regular cabin, priced for two people, they have to pay a single supplement — a solo cruiser tax, if you will, that can be akin to paying double the per-person fare. Some cruise lines have solved this problem by offering solo cabins designed and priced for one traveler.

Depending on the line, solo cabins come in inside, ocean-view and balcony options, though they’re often smaller than the same style of cabin designed to sleep two or more. You’ll find either a twin or full-size bed intended for one person.

Norwegian’s Studio cabins have access to an exclusive lounge where single travelers can meet and mingle and grab snacks. On Oceania’s Vista and upcoming Allura, solo cabin occupants have concierge-level perks and privileges, including concierge lounge access.

Related: The 6 best cruise lines for solo travelers

My large family can’t fit in one room. Which cruise ship cabin should we book?

As I mentioned earlier, larger families can look into family cabins and suites that accommodate five or six people. Some of the best cruise lines for families will have suites that can sleep eight, such as Norwegian’s three-bedroom garden villas. Disney’s deluxe family balcony cabins can sleep five in an oversized room with a queen bed, convertible sofa with a pulldown bunk above and a single Murphy bed that folds down from the wall.

But what if you’re traveling in a large family group with cousins, grandparents, friends, even a nanny in tow? You might need to book connecting rooms.

Many cruise ship cabins have doors that can be opened between rooms to turn side-by-side cabins into shared spaces. Some lines, such as MSC Cruises and Royal Caribbean, go so far as to arrange different kinds of cabins together that can be sold as individual rooms or opened up into a warren of rooms that can sleep 10 or so travelers.

Does it matter where my cabin is on the ship?

For some cruisers, any room will do. For others, scoring the best cabin location is vitally important because your enjoyment of the cruise is at stake.

Do you get horribly seasick (or are worried that you do)? You’ll want to choose a midship cabin on a lower deck to experience less ship movement and rocking. A balcony cabin that gives quick access to fresh air and a view of the horizon is also key.

Travelers who don’t sleep well with ambient noise should prioritize cruise ship cabins that are not above or below public areas, such as the pool deck, main dining room or nightclub. Connecting cabins are less soundproof than rooms without those extra doors, so avoid those, too, if you’re not booking both rooms.

If you have trouble walking long distances, you should book a cabin close to an elevator bank, so you don’t have to trudge down long hallways to your room. (Though rooms near stairwells are some of the worst cabin locations for folks who don’t want noisy rooms.)

Finally, you might prefer a cruise cabin that’s close to the parts of the ship you use most. Fitness enthusiasts might choose a room near the spa; poker players might like to be not far from the casino. Families might like to stick close to the pool or kids club.

What are the cheapest cruise ship cabins?

If you’re on a budget, windowless inside cabins are nearly always the cheapest option. But how do you find the most affordable rooms within other cabin categories?

Some cruise lines offer cruise cabin guarantee fares, which are typically the cheapest rate you can get for a cabin in any category. The catch is that you cannot pick your cabin. You’re guaranteed (hence the name) a room on the ship in the category you paid for — or higher.

These fares can be a great option for travelers who don’t care much about cabin location or who don’t spend much time in their rooms. At worst, you get a cheap cruise in a room that’s a little smaller, somewhat noisier or a longer walk than other cabins, and you might not be eligible for certain extra-value booking perks. At best, you can get upgraded to a room in a higher cabin category than you paid for.

Can I upgrade my cruise cabin like I can upgrade a flight or hotel room?

The holy grail of the frequent traveler is the complimentary, or at least cheap, upgrade to a nicer airline seat or hotel room than they paid for. You might wonder if there are tricks to accomplish the same on a cruise.

Cruise cabin upgrades are rarely guaranteed, but you have a few ways to chase one. Beyond the aforementioned guarantee booking, you can look for booking promotions or loyalty program perks that allow you to pay for one category of cabin and get upgraded to the next. A few cruise line credit cards let you use your points to pay for a cabin upgrade.

Sometimes a cruise line will reach out to booked passengers and offer them a low-cost upgrade or the option to bid on a cabin upgrade. While not free, these offers could get you a nicer room at a discount.

And it never hurts to ask! If you see prices drop on your cruise, you might be able to adjust your room selection to an upgraded one if the cost for the new cabin is the same as the original one. You can always ask at the front desk when you board your ship, but even if you play the birthday/anniversary/special occasion card, you can rarely sweet talk your way to a suite.

Related: 5 reasons to turn down a cruise ship cabin upgrade

Can I really survive a week in a tiny cabin?

A standard cruise ship cabin is much smaller than a typical hotel room, and, yes, if you squeeze four adults into a tiny inside cabin, you might regret that decision by week’s end. But you’d be surprised how livable cruise cabins are. Cruise ship designers are talented at maximizing space, creating cozy hangouts and surprise storage to make your cabin feel larger than it is.

That said, you can employ a variety of smart cruise ship cabin hacks to improve on the basic cabin design. Whether that’s bringing necessary extras like night-lights or an inflatable bathtub for your toddler or creating extra storage by using your suitcase under your bed as an extra drawer, a little creativity goes a long way toward helping you survive life in a tiny cabin.

But also … what are you doing in your cabin?! Get out there and explore the ship and the ports of call. That’s what you booked this trip for.

If you’ve read this guide and are still confused about choosing a cabin on a cruise, I suggest you connect with a knowledgeable cruise travel agent. They can walk you through the entire booking process — and maybe get you a great price on the cabin you ultimately select.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Here at TPG, we’re all about maximizing every dollar you spend. Often, you can accomplish that by using the best credit card to enjoy the highest return for a specific purchase. But sometimes, you can go a step further.

Enter “double dipping,” or the practice of earning two (or more) different types of points on a single transaction. Taking advantage of double-dipping opportunities will help you accelerate your points-earning — bringing you that much closer to your dream award trip.

Below, we’ve outlined some of our top double-dipping opportunities that you can (and should) work into your everyday points practices.

One of the simplest ways to double dip is to use shopping portals for your online purchases. These third-party sites partner with various retailers to give you points, miles or cash back when you click through their links. This is in addition to the points and miles you earn from putting the transaction on your credit card. So, you earn one bonus from the portal and another from your card.

No matter what type of points you’re trying to earn, there’s likely a portal out there that will suit your needs. Several airlines and hotel chains have their own portals, as does Chase Ultimate Rewards. Meanwhile, Rakuten allows you to receive your earnings in the form of American Express Membership Rewards points as an alternative to its usual cash back. New members can earn a one-time $30 bonus by joining Rakuten and spending $30 in the first 90 days.

Not sure which portal to use? Try using a shopping portal aggregator like Cashback Monitor to compare earning rates across numerous portals for a given retailer.

Join restaurant rewards programs

Dining out can be a lucrative activity by itself, with cards such as the American Express® Gold Card offering 4 points per dollar on restaurant purchases worldwide (on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1 point per dollar). But it’s also an opportunity to double dip using dining rewards programs.

Once you register, participating restaurants automatically award you points or miles when you pay for a meal with a linked credit card. Once again, these earnings are on top of the points or miles you net just for purchasing with your favorite credit card for dining.

There’s just one key thing to remember: Each of your credit cards can only be registered for one dining program, so you can’t earn through two airline or hotel programs for a single purchase.

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Related: Which card should I pay with when dining at a hotel?

Earn more with Uber and Lyft

Whether you use Uber or Lyft, you can make your rides more valuable by linking certain rewards accounts to earn points on every ride.

With Lyft, you have several choices when it comes to earning bonus points or miles, though you must select one of the following as your designated loyalty rewards partner:

Delta Air Lines also has a partnership with Lyft, but that partnership will end April 7 when it links up with Uber.

Another Lyft partnership ending this year is with Chase. However, through March, you can use an eligible card — like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® or Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card — to earn up to 10 points per dollar spent on the platform.

Meanwhile, with Uber, you can link your Marriott Bonvoy account and earn the following:

• 3 points per dollar spent on rides with Uber XL, Uber Comfort, Uber Black and Uber Black SUV
• 2 points per dollar spent on Uber X rides when you reserve in advance
• 2 points per dollar spent on Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders of $40 or more delivered to Residence Inn, TownePlace Suites or Element hotels
• 1 point per dollar spent on all other Uber Eats restaurant and grocery orders above $40

Make sure you’re also using a credit card with a great return on travel purchases; for instance, the American Express® Green Card, which offers 3 points per dollar spent on travel and transit purchases, including ride-hailing services.

The information for the American Express Green Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

Related: Frequent Uber or Lyft passenger? These credit cards are for you

Order with Starbucks

The Starbucks Rewards program has lost some of its luster over the years, but it has inked partnerships with a pair of travel brands that may make your morning Starbucks run more rewarding.

This started a few years ago with Delta Air Lines, though the partnership was updated last June. Now, you’ll earn bonus SkyMiles when you reload $25 or more to your Starbucks account — up to 200 miles for a $100 reload.

Last year, Starbucks and Marriott launched a new partnership that offers additional bonus opportunities. First, if you make three purchases at Starbucks during any Marriott Bonvoy Week, you can earn 100 bonus Marriott points. In addition, any Starbucks purchases you make while staying at a Marriott property earn double Stars in the Starbucks Rewards program. Finally, you can convert your Marriott points to Stars at a ratio of 1,000 points to 100 Stars.

Neither of these partnerships is worth going out of your way to use, but if you’re a frequent Starbucks patron, you might as well link your Delta and Marriott accounts.

Related: The best credit cards to use at Starbucks

Rent with Airbnb or Vrbo

Make your Airbnb stays more valuable by booking them through Delta Air Lines’ or British Airways‘ online portals. Choose a program and click the booking button on its dedicated Airbnb page to rack up extra miles. You’ll earn 1 mile per dollar spent through Delta SkyMiles and 2 Avios per dollar spent through British Airways Executive Club. So, expensive Airbnb bookings can quickly add up to award flights.

Alternatively, you can earn JetBlue TrueBlue points on your next Vrbo stay, as the pair launched a new partnership last year. This lets members earn 1 point per dollar spent when booking home rentals through Paisly, JetBlue’s site for nonflight bookings. These purchases also count toward earning JetBlue Mosaic status.

As with Uber and Lyft, pay with a travel credit card that earns bonus points on vacation rentals to further maximize your points-earning.

Related: Tips for choosing the perfect beach house rental

Earn bonus United miles with MileagePlus X

This app provides endless double-dipping possibilities for those looking to rack up United MileagePlus miles. It awards you bonus miles for buying electronic gift cards through the app, which you can later use online or in person at shops and restaurants. This is particularly great for merchants not included in popular bonus categories on credit cards.

The deal is even sweeter for those with a cobranded United Airlines credit card, like the United℠ Explorer Card. If you link your United card to the app, you’ll earn a 25% mileage bonus for every gift card you buy, whether or not you use that card to pay for the purchase.

The best part? With MileagePlus X, you can take things to the next level for a triple dip. Simply buy a gift card through the app — earning points from the app and points for the transaction on your credit card — and then use that gift card to make an online purchase while utilizing a shopping portal. Just ensure the shopping portal you use doesn’t exclude purchases made with a gift card from earning points.

Related: Here’s why it matters which card you use to pay in the United MPX app

Give RewardsPlus a go

Beyond the MileagePlus X app, you can leverage the RewardsPlus program to enjoy elevated benefits with United and/or Marriott.

With this program, United Gold (or higher) elite members automatically receive Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status, while Marriott Titanium Elite and Ambassador Elite members automatically receive United Premier Silver status. Of course, it’s relatively easy to get Marriott Gold status with cards — including The Platinum Card® from American Express or the Marriott Bonvoy Business® American Express® Card. As a result, top-tier Marriott elite members get the better end of this deal. Enrollment is required for select benefits.

In addition to reciprocal elite benefits, all members enjoy extra miles when transferring Marriott points to United, regardless of status. While most (but not all) of Marriott’s transfer partners offer a 5,000-mile bonus for every 60,000 Marriott points transferred, United members get 10,000 bonus miles for transferring 60,000 points. That means you can effectively convert 2 Marriott points to 1 United mile.

Related: When does it make sense to transfer Marriott points to airlines?

Leverage retail loyalty programs

While they won’t get you first-class tickets or luxury hotel stays, many sports retailers, restaurants, office supply stores and pet supply stores offer loyalty programs that you can maximize when shopping. Most of these programs give you rewards in the form of future discounts (e.g., spend $100 and get a $5 coupon) on top of the standard earnings you’d get from using your credit card.

Some of the ones I use frequently include Chick-fil-A One, Jersey Mike’s Shore Points Rewards and Dunkin’ Rewards — especially since I can receive up to $84 in statement credits each year at Dunkin’ (up to $7 per month; only at U.S. locations) when I make a purchase with my Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required.

Related: Why changes to the Amex Gold Card made me love it even more

Credit card offers and discounts

Applying for a new credit card typically comes with a large number of points or miles as a welcome bonus (after you meet the minimum spending requirement, of course). However, once you’ve opened a card, there are a number of other ways to earn bonus rewards or unlock discounts on everyday purchases.

Most of the major issuers offer a program along these lines, including:

These are targeted to each individual cardholder, and you typically must activate them before making a purchase. You also may find several obscure merchants with whom you have no intention of doing business. However, by frequently checking your online accounts, you may be able to find some good opportunities for bonuses or savings.

Here’s just a sampling of the offers that TPG staffers currently have on their cards:

• An Amex offer to receive 10% back on insurance purchases, up to $20
• A Chase offer to earn 30% back on purchases with Dropbox, up to $30
• Multiple Wells Fargo offers to earn 10% back when you spend $100 with multiple Marriott brands — including AC Hotels, Autograph Collection and Renaissance Hotels
• A Citi offer to earn 5% back on Lyft rides

You can also stack these with many of the other “dips” on this list to create a double dip or triple dip. For example, you may be able to stack an Amex Offer at a nearby restaurant with a dining rewards program or an online purchase with a shopping portal.

Bottom line

For rates and fees of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.
For rewards and benefits of the Bilt Mastercard, click here.

Redeeming your hard-earned airline miles and credit card points can be confusing. If you’re traveling on popular international routes like New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR), there are a multitude of airlines, cabins and taxes to be aware of. As a result, knowing which airlines offer the most lucrative awards is worth your while.

We’ve searched for one-way tickets on some of the most popular nonstop international flights from the U.S. to find which programs offer the most appealing award rates. That said, more loyalty programs are moving away from fixed-price award charts in favor of dynamically priced awards. Because of this, some of these award rates are starting prices, while others are fixed prices for a given flight.

Here’s a look at what we found. Note that prices and award availability were accurate at the time of writing and may have changed by the time you read this.

Related: 7 of the best airline award chart sweet spots

Book a flight from New York to London

The New York-to-London corridor is one of the most competitive and profitable international routes, with dozens of nonstop flights daily across numerous American and British airlines. Here are some options for redeeming your points and miles to travel from New York to London.

American Airlines

British Airways

Delta Air Lines

• Economy: 28,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $6
• Premium economy: 72,000 SkyMiles plus $6
• Business: 250,000 SkyMiles plus $6

JetBlue

• Economy: 23,400 JetBlue TrueBlue points plus $6
• Business: 152,200 TrueBlue points plus $6

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United Airlines

• Economy: 34,600 United MileagePlus miles plus $5.60
• Premium economy: 50,000 United miles plus $5.60
• Business: 127,500 United miles plus $5.60

Virgin Atlantic

• Economy: 6,000 Virgin Atlantic Flying Club points plus $72
• Premium economy: 10,500 Virgin points plus $102
• Business: 57,500 Virgin points plus $455

Related: The complete guide to flying to London on points and miles

Book a flight from Honolulu to Tokyo

Flights between Honolulu’s Daniel K. Inouye International Airport (HNL) and Tokyo’s Narita International Airport (NRT) and Haneda Airport (HND) have largely returned to their pre-coronavirus pandemic frequencies.

There are also flights from HNL to other airports in Japan, like Osaka’s Kansai International Airport (KIX) and Nagoya’s Chubu Centrair International Airport (NGO). Consider checking these routes if you have trouble finding availability.

Here are some of the best ways to redeem your points and miles from Hawaii to Japan.

Delta Air Lines

• Economy: 34,000 SkyMiles plus $6
• Premium economy: 58,000 SkyMiles plus $6
• Business: 190,000 SkyMiles plus $6

Hawaiian Airlines

• Economy: 35,000 Mileage Plan miles plus $6, 37,500 AAdvantage miles plus $6, or 40,000 HawaiianMiles plus $6
• Business: 65,000 AAdvantage miles plus $6

Japan Airlines

• Economy: 30,000 Mileage Plan miles plus $19
• Premium economy: 40,000 Mileage Plan miles plus $19

Related: Save money: How you can book flights to Hawaii using points and miles

Book a flight from New York to Toronto

Many travel regularly from JFK to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) for work or pleasure. Heads-up here — as we mentioned earlier, some of these awards are dynamically priced, meaning you could find lower or higher award rates depending on your travel dates. This route is particularly susceptible to dynamic pricing during conferences and other major events in New York and Toronto.

Air Canada

• Economy: 10,000 Air Canada Aeroplan points plus around $30
• Business: 16,400 Aeroplan points plus around $30

American Airlines

• Economy: 7,500 AAdvantage miles plus $6
• Business: 15,000 AAdvantage miles plus $6

Delta Air Lines

• Economy: 8,500 SkyMiles plus $6
• Business: 24,500 SkyMiles plus $6

United Airlines

• Economy: 15,000 United miles plus $6
• Business: 36,700 United miles plus $6

Related: How to redeem Aeroplan points for maximum value

Book a flight from New York to Paris

Air France is an excellent option for flying from New York (and other major U.S. cities) to Paris, as it operates numerous daily flights between the two cities. Its loyalty program — Air France-KLM Flying Blue — often offers rock-bottom award prices to Paris from various U.S. cities through its monthly Promo Rewards. However, standard award rates were recently devalued.

Here’s what you can expect when using points and miles to fly from New York to Paris.

Air France

• Economy: 25,000 Flying Blue miles plus $94
• Premium economy: 40,000 Flying Blue miles plus $145
• Business: 66,000 Flying Blue miles plus $217

American Airlines

• Economy: 19,000 AAdvantage miles plus $6
• Premium economy: 39,000 AAdvantage miles plus $6
• Business: 56,000 AAdvantage miles plus $6

Delta Air Lines

• Economy: 26,500 Flying Blue miles plus $33, or 33,000 SkyMiles plus $6
• Premium economy: 98,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $6
• Business: 225,000 Delta SkyMiles plus $6

United Airlines

• Economy: 34,600 United miles plus $6
• Premium economy: 62,100 United miles plus $6
• Business: 142,000 United miles plus $6

Related: How points and miles made my son’s Paris travel dreams come true

Book a flight from New York to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic is another popular international destination from New York. As with Toronto, flights on this route are often subject to dynamic pricing, so award prices for your travel dates could vary greatly.

Here are some options for using points and miles to fly between JFK and Santo Domingo’s Las Americas International Airport (SDQ).

Delta Air Lines

• Economy: 11,000 SkyMiles plus $54
• Business: 35,000 SkyMiles plus $54

JetBlue

• Economy: 11,200 TrueBlue points plus $54
• Business: Not offered on this route

United Airlines

• Economy: 12,200 United miles plus $54
• Business: 35,000 United miles plus $54

Related: Best all-inclusive resorts in the Dominican Republic

Book a flight from Los Angeles to Sydney

With its world-famous Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach and laid-back lifestyle, Sydney has long been a popular choice for travelers heading Down Under. Here are some of the most affordable award flights from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Sydney Airport (SYD).

American Airlines

• Economy: 35,000 AAdvantage miles plus $25, or 42,500 Mileage Plan miles plus $38

Delta Air Lines

• Economy: 33,000 SkyMiles plus $37
• Premium economy: 145,000 SkyMiles plus $37
• Business: 410,000 SkyMiles plus $37

Qantas

• Economy: 40,000 AAdvantage miles plus $31, 41,900 Qantas Frequent Flyer points plus $95, or 42,500 Mileage Plan miles plus $44

United Airlines

• Economy: 50,300 United miles plus $32
• Premium economy: 70,000 United miles plus $32
• Business: 200,000 United miles plus $32

Related: The best Australia and New Zealand cruises

Book a flight from Miami to Buenos Aires, Argentina

While it’s historically been difficult to redeem points and miles to fly on Argentina’s flag carrier, Aerolineas Argentinas is a SkyTeam member. Therefore, Air France-KLM Flying Blue members can redeem Flying Blue miles for tickets from Miami International Airport (MIA) to Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport (EZE). However, award rates on its flights are often underwhelming, so consider sticking to American Airlines.

Aerolineas Argentinas

• Economy: 35,500 Flying Blue miles plus $33
• Business: Limited, if any, award space

American Airlines

• Economy: 23,500 AAdvantage miles plus $6
• Premium economy: 38,000 AAdvantage miles plus $6
• Business: 110,500 AAdvantage miles plus $6
• First: 120,500 AAdvantage miles plus $6

Related: TPG’s favorite hotels in Latin America

Book a flight from San Francisco to Singapore

Despite a 16-hour marathon flight, there are usually four daily flights to Singapore Changi Airport (SIN) from San Francisco International Airport (SFO).

Singapore Airlines

• Economy: 42,000 Singapore KrisFlyer miles plus $6, or 60,000 Aeroplan points plus $57
• Business: 87,500 Aeroplan points plus $57

United Airlines

• Economy: 50,700 United miles plus $6, or 60,000 Aeroplan points plus $56.49
• Premium economy: 95,000 United miles plus $6
• Business: 87,500 Aeroplan points plus $57

Related: Is United Polaris business class worth it to Singapore?

Bottom line

As you can see, loyalty programs may charge different amounts on the same route. Some programs tack on steep fuel surcharges that can ruin what would have been an excellent use of points and miles. In some instances, one loyalty program may charge more for a premium economy seat than what another program charges for a lie-flat business-class seat on the same route. It pays to know your options.

Flexibility in travel dates, airports and airlines is key to a successful award redemption. Earning transferable points can give you more flexibility, allowing you to transfer to the best program for your particular flight. Just remember that transfers are irreversible, so confirm that your desired dates have award space before moving your points.

If you can’t find award space, consider setting up an alert with ExpertFlyer (owned by TPG’s parent company, Red Ventures) so you’ll be notified if an award seat becomes available.