✨ We Flew to the Maldives in Style on Points (Here’s How You Can Too)

Some trips live rent-free in your imagination… until you finally go—and it’s even better than you hoped. In 2024, our family made one of those dream trips happen: Qatar Airways Qsuites to Doha, followed by a scenic island transfer to the Maldives and a blissful stay at the Alila Kothaifaru Maldives, a stunning Hyatt resort tucked away in the Raa Atoll.

Here’s the wild part—we didn’t spend $15,000+ on flights and overwater villas. Instead, we used points earned over two years with a carefully planned credit card strategy.

🛫 Why We Flew Qatar Airways Qsuites

If you’ve never flown in a Qsuite, let us paint a picture: lie-flat seats, closing privacy doors, a full dining menu, and cozy pajamas handed to you before takeoff. It felt more like a boutique hotel in the sky than a long-haul flight.

We booked our tickets almost entirely with points—minimal cash out of pocket for this luxury. Thanks to a combination of travel credit cards and clever redemptions, the splurge became possible (and totally worth it).

🏝️ Why We Chose Alila Kothaifaru Maldives

This Hyatt resort is located on its own private island in the Maldives, and it was everything we hoped for: peaceful, picture-perfect, and just the right size—not too big, not too busy. We were able to book with Hyatt points, saving thousands on what would’ve been a $1,200+/night stay.

We split our time between an overwater villa and a beachfront villa, and each had its own kind of magic.

From the overwater villa, we watched colorful tropical fish swim around the reef right beneath us. Using the swim platform ladder, we’d hop into the water to snorkel among the fish, then climb back up to our sun deck for snacks and lounging under the Maldivian sun.

The beachfront villa had its own hidden charm—a tropical pathway led from our back patio to the beach, where a private cabana waited for us every morning. We spent long, quiet days reading at the water’s edge with nothing but the sound of the waves.

💳 The Secret Behind the Trip: Points Strategy

We didn’t just luck into this. Over the course of two years, we used a select group of travel credit cards to earn points that transferred to both airline and hotel partners. We even used strategies through specific services that helped us earn even more points!

But this kind of travel planning isn’t one-size-fits-all. It takes a little finesse, some insider knowledge, time, and a plan that works with your lifestyle and goals.

That’s where we come in. We can help you create a two—or three-year spending/ saving plan that will help you attain a similar experience.

✈️ Want to Plan a Trip Like This?

Whether you're dreaming of a luxury escape to the Maldives, a stopover in Doha, or your own version of a bucket-list trip—we’ll help you build a custom points strategy to make it happen.