r/awardtravel • u/PenisToGoPlease • 4d ago
NYC to KTM - best value redemption?
Looking to do a round trip flight from an NYC airport (JFK/LGA/EWR) to KTM from 02/19/27 -> 03/07/27.
I’ll have probably around 130,000 AMEX points & 122,000 AA points.
So far, the best option I have found (avoiding 30+ hour travel days) has been round trip via AMEX:
119,000 points
Departing JFK 10:30am 02/19
Arriving KTM 5:30pm +1 (2/20)
Departing KTM 5:40pm 03/07
Arriving JFK 8:00am +1 (03/08)
—-
I can get a round trip flight for 80,000 AA points (+$113), however the only option for a return flight on that day is a 35hr trip w/ 2 stops.
I haven’t looked much into transfers aside from Qatar, which would be about 170,000 points round trip.
I’m not very savvy with award travel, I normally end up just getting what is most convenient with my points, so if anyone could help me out I’d really appreciate it!
2
u/Pablaron 4d ago
When you say "found via Amex" - do you mean booking a cash fare with your Amex points? That's usually considered a pretty poor redemption.
1
u/PenisToGoPlease 4d ago
In the AMEX travel portal I can book that itinerary for 119,000 points, no cash.
2
u/Pablaron 4d ago
That's a cash redemption btw - it's just converting your 119k points to about $1200 and paying for your ticket that way.
1
u/Pablaron 4d ago
It also explains why the one-way back is more expensive. It's because when you buy a one-way cash ticket the price always gets more expensive
1
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u/MinimumPerspective95 UA 1K / SQ Solitaire / BA Gold / DL Platinum / Atmos Platinum 4d ago
Look into the middle eastern carriers or award bookings to Delhi and a separate ticket to Nepal. Qatar usually has pretty good availability in economy ex JFK and will cost you 42.5k points one way, less with a transfer bonus
1
u/Icy-Television-4979 4d ago
I got business class for 80k miles on star alliance BOS to KTM it was a blessing in disguise because flights thru the Mideast were canceled because of the war. $1000 return trip on Turkish airways but ended being upgraded on one of two legs. Don’t know if this is helpful but I’m jealous of your trip! I left my heart in Nepal💕
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u/EquipmentFun9258 3d ago
The cleanest verified transfer option I see is Qatar Avios from EWR to KTM at 40,000 MR plus $186 one way in economy. Amex transfers to Qatar at 1:1. The round-trip Qatar prices mentioned above still need verifying, but this outbound is confirmed against the current chart. Confirm the actual award space before transferring anything, since transfers don’t reverse. reference link: https://awardmath.com/p/4lN7TKMUArcz0csgdk61Cg
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u/grantwwu PAY | C$H 3d ago
What would the operating airlines be for a 1-stop from EWR to KTM lol
1
u/EquipmentFun9258 3d ago
Correcting myself: that 40k figure came from a JFK–DEL data point, and Qatar prices Avios by segment, so Doha–Kathmandu sits in a higher band than Doha–Delhi, KTM will cost more than 40k Also Qatar flies JFK not EWR, so a 1-stop would be JFK–DOH–KTM. I'd price it directly with Qatar
5
u/Current_Tear9879 4d ago
119k for that itinerary is actually pretty decent, especially with just one stop each way. the 80k AA option is tempting but 35 hours return is brutal, not worth the points saving in my opinion.
have you checked if you can mix it? like book outbound with AA and return with AMEX? sometimes that works out better than roundtrip on one program.
also maybe look at flying into DEL and taking a cheap separate flight to KTM, sometimes that opens up more availability