Southeast Asia offers a truly diverse range of travel experiences. From buzzing street markets in Bangkok to dreamy beaches in Bali, lantern-lit nights in Hoi An, and world-class food just about everywhere you turn.  The only catch? Getting there from the U.S. can be a little pricey when paying with cash.  Thankfully, points and miles can open up amazing opportunities to explore Southeast Asia without spending a lot on airfare. With some planning, you can stretch your rewards for some of the best long-haul deals out there, and even be like Jess and sip champagne at 35,000 feet.

 

Alaska Atmos™ Rewards

Alaska Airlines’s Atmos™ Rewards program offers some great opportunities thanks to its unique partnerships with world-class carriers like Cathay Pacific and Japan Airlines. These partnerships open up incredible opportunities to travel to Asia at surprisingly low mileage rates.

For example, you can book a one-way economy flight from the U.S. to Asia for as little as 42,500 miles + $35 in taxes and fees. I even found availability from San Francisco to Singapore at this rate for much of early 2026. Even more exciting, premium cabin redemptions on partners like Starlux Airlines are showing at just 55,000 miles + $35, which is a great value for long-haul international travel.

 

 

 

American Airlines AAdvantage

American Airlines’s AAdvantage program shines when it comes to redemptions on premium partners like Japan Airlines and Cathay Pacific. These partnerships often unlock more affordable award availability in both economy and business class compared to what you’ll find through other airline programs.

For instance, you can fly one-way from Seattle to Bangkok in economy for as little as 37,500 miles + $24.50 in taxes and fees. Business-class redemptions on these carriers can also be far more reasonable than what you’d expect to pay with competing programs. 

AAdvantage remains one of the most versatile and rewarding programs for travelers heading to Asia due to competitive pricing across economy and premium cabins, as well as strong award availability and options with its many airline partners. 

 

Avios Program

If you’re looking for a smart and potentially ultra-luxurious way to get into Southeast Asia with points and miles, Qatar Airways is a fantastic option. From San Francisco, Qatar offers flights to Hong Kong via Doha, which can be booked using Avios. 

What makes this flight so valuable is that Hong Kong serves as a major gateway to Asia. Once you’ve landed, you’ll find plenty of options for short, affordable connections to Southeast Asia destinations like Bangkok, Phuket, Ho Chi Minh City, or Bali. This means you can use your long-haul award redemption to position yourself in Asia at a great rate and then hop on a low-cost carrier or partner airline to reach your final stop.

Looking ahead to 2026, you can find award space from San Francisco to Hong Kong for approximately 47,500 Avios in economy class, plus minimal taxes and fees. Or just 95,000 Avios to fly in luxury Qsuites business class.  That’s a tremendous value for crossing the Pacific in style, while strategically placing you in a central hub to explore the rest of Southeast Asia.

Using Hong Kong as your entry point, you can save miles compared to booking directly into Southeast Asia and gain access to multiple onward flights for just a fraction of the cost. It’s a clever way to stretch your miles while still enjoying one of the best long-haul airline experiences available.  

 

Qatar Airlines Economy Option 

 

Business Class Option in QSuites

 

Other Flight Options

A few other loyalty programs that are great options when planning a trip to Southeast Asia are Air Canada Aeroplan, United MileagePlus, and Delta SkyMiles. 

Air Canada offers a vast partner network, including Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, EVA Air, ANA, and others, which provides access to dozens of route options into Asia. Aeroplan also gives you stopover options. For 5,000 extra points, you can add a stopover on a one-way ticket. For example, you could fly from San Francisco to Tokyo, then to Bangkok, and enjoy a few days in Japan before heading to Thailand. There are some great redemptions looking into 2026 for flights from Seattle to Bangkok. 

 

 

United’s MileagePlus award-search calendar is one of the easiest ways to search for Star Alliance partner awards, and their program provides some great options that can make booking easy.  With MileagePlus, if you find a last-minute seat, you won’t incur extra charges like some other programs.  Using the flexible search option on United allows you to view award costs across an entire month. For example, flying from San Francisco to Bangkok can be booked for as low as 42,700 points + $16.20 in January 2026. 

 

Flying Delta can also be a great use of SkyMiles or partner miles, especially if you’re able to snag award space in Delta One for the long-haul.  If you’re on the West Coast, or able to position, flights from San Francisco to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam can currently be booked for much of 2026 for 35,000 miles + $6 in Economy. 

 

 

Tips for Finding & Booking Awards

Scoring an award ticket to Southeast Asia doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Here are some tried and true tips to keep in mind when searching for flights: 

Use partner award search engines.  Don’t limit yourself to just the airline you want to fly. Use tools such as United MileagePlus, Aeroplan, or Alaska Atmos™ Rewards, which allow you to search across multiple partners and sometimes even show seats that you won’t see on the airline’s own website.  The same seat can be priced very differently depending on the program you use. For example, a flight may cost 60,000 miles through American Airlines but 75,000 miles through another partner. Always compare before booking. 

If you’re able to be flexible on dates and airports, you’ll have an easier time finding a flight that fits your needs. Award space to Southeast Asia can be hit or miss, so positioning yourself to West Coast cities will often find you with lower prices in miles than from the East Coast. 

If you’re looking for a premium cabin, you’ll need to plan in advance and book early.  Airlines tend to release premium cabin award space early, and it tends to get booked quickly.  If you know your dates, start looking around 11 months out. 

 

Bottom Line

Getting to Southeast Asia doesn’t have to mean shelling out thousands of dollars or cramming into a middle seat for 20 hours. By having the right strategy and planning ahead, you can fly in comfort while saving your cash for pad thai in Bangkok or beachside cocktails in Bali. 

 

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