Fly to the Seychelles on an Award Ticket

One of the nice things about having a large stash of frequent flyer miles is that you can dream about going almost anywhere in the world, and then actually do it. Travelers who love to collect points and miles end up going to some of the planet’s most far-flung destinations just because they can. The Seychelles, in the Indian Ocean off the east coast of Africa, definitely rates as one of those distant destinations.

The chain of 115 atolls that make up the Seychelles are what desert island dreams are made of: gorgeous white-sand beaches dotted with huge boulders polished smooth by the sea, lush rain forests, unusual wildlife like giant tortoises and seabirds, and healthy coral reefs that make for some of the best diving and snorkeling in the world.

Where to Stay With Points

The Seychelles only international airport is located on Mahé island. There are some resorts there, but many visitors only spend a night or two on Mahé before island hopping to Silhouette, Praslin, Victoria or La Digue. There are a few resorts where you can use hotel loyalty points for your stay, including:

• Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove on Mahé (use Starwood Preferred Guest points; from 20,000 points per night)
• DoubleTree Seychelles-Allamanda Resort & Spa on Mahé (use Hilton HHonors points; from 60,000 points per night)
• Hilton Seychelles Northolme Hotel & Spa on Mahé (use Hilton HHonors points; from 80,000 points per night)
• Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa on Silhouette Island (use Hilton HHonors points; from 80,000 points per night)

Airlines That Fly to the Seychelles

There are only a handful of airlines that fly to the Seychelles. They include:

• Etihad: An American Airlines’ partner that flies from Abu Dhabi. You can also transfer Citi ThankYou points to Etihad.
• Emirates: An Alaska Airlines’ partner that flies twice daily from Dubai. You can also transfer American Express Membership Rewards points to Emirates.
• Air Seychelles: Flies from Abu Dhabi; Antananarivo, Madagascar; Dar es Salaam, Tanzania; Johannesburg; Mauritius; Mumbai; and Paris. You can redeem Etihad Guest miles for flights on Air Seychelles.
• Kenya Airways: A SkyTeam member that flies four times a week from Nairobi, Kenya.
• Ethiopian Airlines: A Star Alliance member that flies three times a week from Addis Ababa.
• Mihin Lanka: A oneworld member that flies three times a week from Colombo, SriLanka.
• Condor: Flies once a week from Frankfurt

Selecting Your Route

You can connect to the Seychelles through Paris, the Middle East, Sri Lanka, India, Mauritius or several African cities. The flights to the connecting cities from the United States can be long, so it’s nice to book an open jaw or stopover if possible, and stop in the connection city for a day or two before moving on to the Seychelles. Your most direct options are through Paris, Dubai or Abu Dhabi.