The Best (and Cheapest) Ways to Fly to Dubai On Points

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Published · 2 min read
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Written by Ariana Arghandewal
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Edited by Mary M. Flory
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Fact Checked

Dubai is kind of like a giant outdoor theme park: Lots of shiny, fancy things all around you. There are endless entertainment options for kids and adults alike, making it a popular destination.

The best part? You can get there fairly easily using points and miles. Below are some of the cheapest ways to fly to Dubai on points.

Airline loyalty programs to fly to Dubai on points

ANA Mileage Club

If you don’t have All Nippon Airways (ANA) Mileage Club miles, you'll want to get on that right away. The program has some terrific sweet spots, and partner flights to Dubai is one of them. You can fly round-trip between the U.S. and Dubai for just 65,000 miles in economy or 104,000 miles in business class.

The business class fare, in particular, is an excellent deal when you compare it to current redemption rates on Star Alliance partner Air Canada, which charges 82,500 miles for the same award, one-way.

ANA is a transfer partner of the American Express Membership Rewards program, meaning you can stock up on this currency using the following credit cards:

Terms apply.

American Airlines AAdvantage

American Airlines’ partnerships with Etihad, Royal Jordanian and Qatar Airways make it a great option for flying to Dubai on points. A one-way economy class award will cost you just 40,000 miles, while business goes for 70,000 each way.

While American Airlines isn’t a transfer partner of any major bank rewards program, AAdvantage miles are still fairly to get a hold of thanks to a huge line-up of rewards credit cards issued by Barclays and Citi.

Avianca Lifemiles

Have Citi ThankYou points and want to fly to Dubai? Avianca Lifemiles is the way to go. You can book a one-way economy class award for 42,500 miles. If you’re short on Citi ThankYou points, you can pick up the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card to give your account a boost.

Based on our most recent analysis, NerdWallet values Avianca LifeMiles at 1.2 cents each.

Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan

Alaska Airlines partners with Emirates to offer award flights to Dubai for 42,500 miles each way in economy and 82,500 miles in business class. There are cheaper options, like British Airways business class for 70,000 mile each way, but those awards carry huge fuel surcharges (often over $400 one-way) that don’t make it a valuable redemption.

One thing to watch out for with Alaska is that the airline is notorious for pricing out itineraries with multiple stops based on the highest cabin. For example, if you’re booking a flight between San Francisco and Dubai and you see a business class award with a stop in Los Angeles, pay close attention. Sometimes the Los Angeles segment is in business or first class while the rest of the flight is in economy. Alaska will still price out the entire award as business class.

There’s a warning when you click on the award, but we’ve heard from so many people who ignored it and then realized too late that they paid 82,500 miles for a mostly economy class award to Dubai.

So how do you earn enough Alaska miles for an award ticket to Dubai? Through Bank of America®, Alaska offers one personal and one business card to choose from: The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card and the Alaska Airlines Visa® Business card.

The Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card currently has a welcome bonus that will get you most of the miles requires for a one-way business class award: Buy one ticket, get one for just the taxes and fees ($0 fare plus taxes and fees from $23) and get 50,000 bonus miles with this offer. To qualify, make $3,000 or more in purchases within the first 90 days of opening your account.

If you want to fly to Dubai on points

Finding cheap flights to Dubai is made easier by leveraging points and miles to get you there. Even beginner travel rewards hobbyists can find ample opportunity and options to get to this sparkling city without spending a fortune.

Add the right travel credit card to your wallet and plan your trip at least six months out to take full advantage of award flights to Dubai.


How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024:

Travel Cards from Our Partners
Chase Sapphire Preferred Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1x-5x

5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

Points

Intro offer

60,000 Points + $300 Travel Credit

Get up to $1,050 in Chase Travel℠ value. Earn 60,000 bonus points after $4,000 in purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. That’s worth $750 when redeemed through Chase Travel. Plus, get up to $300 in statement credits on Chase Travel purchases within your first year.

Chase Freedom Unlimited Credit Card

on Chase's website

Chase Freedom Unlimited®
5.0
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

1.5%-5%

Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

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Up to $300

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

on Capital One's website

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
NerdWallet Rating
Rewards rate

2x-5x

Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options

Miles

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75,000

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

Miles
See more travel cards
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