How I Flew Business Class to Bangalore Using Points (Without Losing My Mind)
Quick disclaimer: This is my personal experience with award travel. I’m not affiliated with any tools or programs mentioned (except where noted) and don’t get paid for sharing them. Always check program terms before transferring points.
As a physician, I never imagined business class was in my budget—until a late-night PICU chat sparked the idea of flying to Bangalore, India, in style using credit card points. With the right tools, I made it happen for just 198,000 points and about $200 in fees, all while saving my sanity. If someone like me can do this, so can you. Here’s how I did it.
The PICU Chat That Changed Everything
It was another long night in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), and I was talking with a resident about life goals and money moves. He casually mentioned wanting to fly business class someday. That hit me like a challenge. I’d been racking up credit card points but never thought about using them for something as fancy as business class. I decided to figure it out, and what started as a random conversation turned into an epic trip to Bangalore.
Why I Ditched the Old-School Way
Look, the traditional way of booking award flights is a total slog. You’re expected to hop between every airline’s website, dig through their award portals, compare loyalty programs, and hope you stumble on a decent seat. As a physician, I’ll be blunt: my time is too valuable for that kind of hassle, and I bet yours is too! When the idea of flying business class to Bangalore took root, I went online and found game-changing tools like point.me, roame.travel, and pointsyeah.com. Were they the real deal? I wasn’t sure at first, so I put them to the test. The results? They saved me hours and landed me business class seats. Enough said.
Step 1: Booking the Outbound Flight with Points.me
I kicked things off with point.me, a tool that’s like a travel agent for points. It made my Cleveland-to-Bangalore flight a breeze. Here’s the process:
Connected my Chase account: I signed into points.me and linked my Chase credit card to see my points balance.
Searched for flights: I entered Cleveland to Bangalore, and points.me scanned multiple airline programs for award availability and then gave me the best one.
Transferred points: The tool provided clear, step-by-step instructions for transferring 88,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards points to United MileagePlus. It was as simple as following a recipe, which really helped calm my nerves since it was a large amount of points to move.
Booked business class: I snagged a business class seat for just $53.30 in taxes and fees. Business class for under $60? I was grinning ear to ear!
The outbound flight was smooth, but the return flight required some effort.
Step 2: Cracking the Return Flight with Roame.travel and Pointsyeah.com
Finding a return flight from Bangalore to Cleveland was like searching for a unicorn. Points.me showed either no availability or options that required a substantial amount of points. I was ready to settle for economy when Google ads (those sneaky trackers) led me to roame.travel and pointsyeah.com. These tools were a revelation.
Unlike points.me, they excel at finding mixed-cabin itineraries—short domestic legs in economy, long-haul flights in business class. Here’s how I did it:
Found a creative route: Using pointsyeah.com, I found a return flight with the major legs in business class. The U.S. segment (under 2 hours) was economy, but I didn’t mind.
Transferred more points: I moved 110,000 points and paid $149.54 in taxes and fees. For a mostly business-class trip? A total steal.
Handled a long layover: The itinerary had a long layover in London (LHR). I booked a hotel, got some rest, and boarded my next flight feeling refreshed. Pro tip: a layover hotel can turn a hassle into a highlight.
Check the exact itinerary here if you’re curious—it’s proof this works.
Step 3: A Domestic Bonus with Pointspath.com
For domestic trips, I’ve got another trick up my sleeve: pointspath.com, a Chrome extension that’s a game-changer. It helps you decide whether to pay cash or use points for flights. It’s not great for international travel (like Bangalore), but for local hops—like my old Cleveland-to-Wisconsin runs—it’s gold. The tool analyzes options and shows if points are cost-effective, saving me from overpaying. While pointsyeah.com and roame.travel offer similar features, pointspath.com shines when you’re browsing Google Flights. It’s a quick way to optimize domestic travel without the guesswork.
Why These Tools Were a Lifesaver
These platforms saved me from the nightmare of searching individual airline websites. Here’s the breakdown:
Point.me: Perfect for straightforward bookings and beginners—my go-to for the outbound. It was great for me as a newbie and I am incredibly thankful for this one.
Roame.travel and pointsyeah.com: Ideal for complex routes or mixed cabins, nailing my return.
Pointspath.com: A must for domestic flights, especially with Google Flights.
Time savings: Hours turned into minutes. As a physician, that’s worth its weight in gold.
Mixed cabins: Economy for short hops, business for long flights—a smart way to stretch points.
My Actual Results
Total cost: 198,000 points + ~$200 in taxes and fees
What I got: Cleveland to Bangalore and back, mostly in business class
The feeling: Like I’d unlocked a secret level. Business class for $200 out of pocket? That’s a win.
A Huge Shoutout to 10xTravel
I can’t skip giving props to 10xTravel. Their free resources are unreal. In a world where everyone’s selling courses, they offer a free course and a podcast that breaks down award travel in plain English. Start with their first six episodes—they’re a goldmine for beginners. I’m not affiliated; I’m just a fan who’s amazed they give this away for free.
Tips for Your Own Points Adventure
Ready to fly fancy without the hassle? Here’s my advice:
Use the right tools: Point.me for easy bookings, roame.travel and pointsyeah.com for complex routes, pointspath.com for domestic deals.
Be flexible: Mixed cabins and layovers (with a hotel) can save tons of points and still feel luxurious.
Learn the basics: 10xTravel’s free course and podcast will fast-track your skills.
Track your points: These tools keep everything organized so you don’t overspend.
Start small: If you’re earning points (especially as a physician with decent spending), award travel is closer than you think.
Bottom Line
What started as a casual PICU chat turned into a business class trip to Bangalore for essentially $200 out of pocket. Tools like points.me, roame.travel, pointsyeah.com, and pointspath.com made it possible by ditching the soul-crushing airline portal grind. If you’re sitting on points, you’re steps away from a dream trip—you just need to know where to look.
Got questions or your own points wins? Drop a comment—I’d love to hear! Happy travels,
Neil