7 great miles and points buying opportunities available in December 2024

Since the pandemic, travel has returned strong. As this happens, hotel and flight rates are sky-high, especially in the luxury segment. However, almost all major travel outlets, fortunately, often sell miles and points with bonuses or at a discount, which could make for a good deal on the rates these airlines and hotels offer.

It would be a great time to update all the hotel miles and points that are up for sale right now so that you can stock up on the right ones for your travels and start planning your travel for the times ahead. Also, since this is sort of the end of the year, if you buy now, the limits get reset within 30 days as the year turns. So, you will have the opportunity to buy afresh next year as well.

[This is a continuously updated post, so please keep checking back for more sales to be added or deleted]

Airline Miles bonus sales


Purchase Air France / KLM Flying Blue Miles with a 45% Discount (Through December 19, 2024)

Air France-KLM’s Flying Blue programme is offering a tiered 45% discount on buying miles, and this is amongst nearly the best promotions we have seen from the house of Flying Blue through December 19, 2024.

a close up of a sign

The discount is tiered and is initiated if you buy at least 4,000 miles. Here is how the tiered discount works out:

  • Buy 4,000 – 10,000 FB Miles, get 35% Off
  • Buy 12,000 – 22,000 FB Miles, get 40% Off
  • Buy 24,000 – 100,000 FB Miles, get 45% Off

Miles are sold in units of 2,000 up to 100,000 Miles and units of 25,000 when buying between 100,000 and 300,000 Miles. Elite members may purchase an unlimited number of Miles. In contrast, Explorer members may only purchase or receive up to 100,000 Miles in any calendar year unless a promotion is active.

You can maximise the promotion by buying miles at the cost of 1.68 Cents (US)/ 1.59 Cents (Euro)/ INR 1.42 INR. That is sort of the best price you’ve gotten with this programme in recent times—more details in this post.

Buy Air France / KLM Flying Blue miles with up to 45% Discount.

(through December 19, 2024)


Purchase Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles with up to 60% Bonus Miles (Through December 23, 2024)

Through December 23, 2024, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is offering a promotion, offering up to a 60% bonus on purchasing miles. Here is the offer I received:

  • Buy 3,000-19,000 miles, and get a 40% bonus.
  • Buy 20,000-39,000 miles, and get a 50% bonus.
  • Buy 40,000-100,000 miles, and get a 60% bonus.

At the top end of the promotion, one can buy miles at the price of 1.85 US Cents / INR 1.56 per Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan mile. More details are in this post.

a man and woman in a boat

Buy Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles with up to 60% Bonus Miles

(through December 23, 2024)


Buy Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards Points with a 50% Discount (Through December 21, 2024)

Through December 31, 2024, Southwest is offering a flat discount of 50% when you purchase Rapid Rewards points, as long as you purchase at least 3,000 points in one transaction. The airline lets you buy up to 60,000 Rapid Rewards points daily with no annual limits. With the discount, you are looking at paying US Cents 1.5 per point purchased.

a person sitting on a bench in the snow

Buy Southwest Rapid Rewards Points with a 50% Discount

(Through December 31, 2024)


Hotel Points bonus sales

Purchase IHG Rewards points with an (up to) 100% Bonus (Through December 13, 2024)

IHG Rewards is currently offering an up to 100% bonus on purchased points when you buy more than 5,000 points, you earn a 100% bonus until December 13, 2024. You can buy a maximum of 300,000 points in this promotion (with another 300,000 points as a bonus). The limit on points purchased has been enhanced for this year-end sale. The price of each point works out to be 0.5 USD Cent or INR 0.42 per point purchased. Read this post for details.

a pool with lounge chairs and a building

Buy IHG Rewards points with a 100% Bonus.

(Through December 13, 2024)


Purchase Marriott points with a 45% bonus (Through December 23, 2024)

Marriott Bonvoy is now offering a 45% Bonus on the purchase of Marriott Bonvoy Points until December 23, 2024.  To trigger the promotion, you must buy at least 2,000 Marriott Bonvoy points in a transaction.

Marriott Bonvoy had also doubled its cap on the points one could buy in 2023. The limit was 50,000 points, but now it has become 100,000 points. This promotion’s limit has been moved up further to 150,000 points. In this case, hence, I can buy a total of 217,500 points for USD 1,875 (INR 1,57,600), making the per point cost of purchase at US Cent 0.86 (INR 0.72) — full details in this post.

a woman in a yellow sweater outside in the snow

Buy Marriott Points with a 45% Bonus.

(Through December 23, 2024)


Buy Hilton Honors Miles with a 100% Bonus (Through December 31, 2024)

Hilton Honors is offering a 100% bonus on Hilton Honors Points purchased through September 31, 2024. In this round of points sale, you get your bonus if you buy a minimum of 5,000 points. The price of each Hilton point drops to 0.5 US cents or INR 0.42 during the sale.

Hilton Honors members can usually buy up to 80,000 points each calendar year. This means you can buy 80K points and receive 160K points. However, members can buy up to 240,000 points for this promotion and get 480,000 points in their accounts. All the details are in this post.

a person standing behind a curtain

Buy Hilton Honors Points with a 100% Bonus (Through December 31, 2024)


Purchase World of Hyatt points with a 25% bonus (Through January 4, 2025)

Through January 4, 2025, World of Hyatt is offering a 25% Bonus on points purchased when you buy at least 3,000 points in one transaction. The promotion allows you to purchase a maximum of 110,000 points, which is double the usual quota. At the top end, it costs 1.92 USD cents per World of Hyatt point after the 25% bonus is factored in. Full details in this post.

a green couch in front of a window

Purchase World of Hyatt points with a 25% bonus (till January 4, 2025)


Which credit card should you use to buy miles and points?

Typically, these point purchases are processed through Points.com and not directly by the hotel or airline. However, you will almost always pay in USD/EUR/GBP, not INR. So, the best cards to earn a bonus are Axis Olympus, American Express Platinum Charge Card and Axis Bank Reserve Credit Card, as these cards offer an international spending bonus. Beyond these, you might look at any card that provides a reduced foreign exchange spend conversion or one where you want to meet minimum spend requirements.


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About Ajay

Ajay Awtaney is the Founder and Editor of Live From A Lounge (LFAL), a pioneering digital platform renowned for publishing news and views about aviation, hotels, passenger experience, loyalty programs, travel trends and frequent travel tips for the Global Indian. He is considered the Indian authority on business travel, luxury travel, frequent flyer miles, loyalty credit cards and travel for Indians around the globe. Ajay is a frequent contributor and commentator on the media as well, including ET Now, BBC, CNBC TV18, NDTV, Conde Nast Traveller and many other outlets.

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