Where to Go in 2026: Using Points and Miles to Reach the Year's Trendiest Resorts

Stop Hoarding — Start Going: Make 2026’s Trendiest Resorts Affordable with Points

If you’re tired of hunting through inconsistent reviews, juggling complicated booking flows and wondering whether your points will ever turn into a real holiday, this guide is written for you. In 2026, resort travel is booming — but so is dynamic pricing and demand. For UK travellers, that means the smartest trips will be those planned with flexibility, the right reward currency and clear transfer routes.

Why 2026 Is Different: Key Trends UK travellers must know

Late 2025 and early 2026 brought three developments that reshape how UK travellers should use points and miles:

• More dynamic award pricing across airlines and hotels means peak dates can spike quickly — but off-peak windows remain very bookable if you watch calendars.
• Transfer partner expansion from major UK-friendly programmes (notably broader partnerships for Membership Rewards and several hotel programmes) gives more route options without buying expensive cash tickets.
• Short-haul resort demand has surged as remote work stays and wellness escapes remain a post-pandemic priority — making nearby hotspots (Atlantic islands, Mediterranean islands, Morocco, Iceland and UK coastlines) the best value for point redemptions.

What you’ll learn in this guide

• Which reward currencies to prioritise in 2026
• Transfer partner strategies for the year’s trendiest nearby resorts
• Step-by-step booking workflows to find the best rates and seasonal offers
• Advanced tips for upgrades, avoiding surcharges and combining hotel + flight points

Start with the Right Currency: Where UK Points Deliver Most Value in 2026

Not all points are equal. Prioritise flexibility and transfer options rather than hoarding a single airline currency.

Top transferable currencies for UK travellers

• American Express Membership Rewards — the most flexible pool for UK cardholders; transfers to a wide range of airlines and hotel programmes make it central to planning.
• Avios (British Airways Executive Club & partners) — still excellent for short-haul flights from the UK to Atlantic and Mediterranean islands; remember to check partner airlines to reduce carrier surcharges.
• Virgin Points (Virgin Atlantic) — good for routes with partner airlines (Delta, ANA in specific cases) and often useful for premium cabin redemptions on transatlantic routes.
• Hotel programmes (Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, IHG One Rewards) — use hotel points for resort stays and watch for seasonal award sales; combining hotel points with cash can be an efficient way into high-end resorts in shoulder seasons.

How to choose between airline and hotel points

If your goal is resort access within a 4–6 hour flight from the UK, airline points for short-haul reward flights often deliver the best cash-value swap. For luxury beachfront resorts where cash rates spike seasonally, hotel points or a points + cash option can give superior value.

Top Nearby Resort Destinations for 2026 and How to Reach Them with Points

Below are the trendiest resort hotspots for UK travellers in 2026 (adapted from broader destination interest) and practical redemptions using UK-friendly reward programmes.

1. Canary Islands (Spain) — Year-round sunshine, easy Avios wins

Why go: Reliable winter sun, excellent family and wellness resorts, and strong short-haul reward availability from UK airports.

• Best points programme: Avios (British Airways, Iberia, Aer Lingus)
• Booking tips: Use Avios for short-haul redemptions. Check Iberia and Aer Lingus availability to avoid British Airways’ higher carrier charges. Consider one-way awards so you can mix carriers.
• Advanced move: Transfer Amex MR to Avios for flexibility; search Avios reward calendars early for winter weeks and book shoulder-season stays for lower hotel award rates.

2. Madeira & Azores (Portugal) — Green islands with surprisingly good value

Why go: Outdoor adventure, dramatic coastline resorts and off-peak value.

• Best points programme: Avios + Amex transfers
• Routing: Look for direct Avios redemptions from UK regional airports. If availability is tight, check TAP/partner routes and mix a cash positioning flight on a low-cost carrier.
• Pro tip: Many small high-quality resorts run seasonal award availability on hotel programmes; hotel award nights in the Azores can be excellent value in shoulder months.

3. Iceland — Wellness stays and outdoor adventure

Why go: Short, dramatic getaway with geothermal spas and boutique lodges; excellent for long weekends.

• Best points programme: Avios & Amex transfers; consider hotel points for Reykjavik and nearby resorts
• Availability strategy: Short-haul reward seats are often released early and in small batches; set alerts and be ready to book one-way awards for the outbound or return.

4. Mallorca & Balearics (Spain) — Classic Mediterranean resorts, spring & autumn value

Why go: Superb family resorts, cycling and wellness retreats with strong shoulder-season value.

• Best points programme: Avios primarily; use hotel points for high-end resorts
• Timing: Mid-May and September offer the best award value and lower hotel redemptions.

5. Algarve (Portugal) — Easy access, great resort deals outside school holidays

Why go: Short flights, family-friendly resorts and golf packages that pair well with hotel points.

• Best points programme: Avios and hotel loyalty currencies
• How to save: Use hotel points for all-inclusive packages in shoulder season; split bookings (points nights + cash) can reduce overall spend.

6. Marrakech & Moroccan coast — Affordable luxury and boutique riads

Why go: Proximity, low-cost flights and a vibrant resort scene — from desert lodges to beach escapes.

• Best points programme: Avios, Virgin Points (on select partners), Amex transfer partners
• Surcharge tip: Avoid routes with heavy taxes by searching for airlines with lower carrier charges or consider flying via Spain to reduce fees.

7. Croatia & Dalmatian Coast — Growing luxury resort scene

Why go: Island-hopping, private villas, and boutique resorts expanding fast in 2026.

• Best points programme: Star Alliance programmes if you have transferable points that move to a Star Alliance carrier (search partner availability then book with your chosen programme)
• Practical tip: Use low-cost regional flights for the final island leg and use hotel loyalty points for the resort stay.

Booking Workflow: From Search to Confirmed Award — A Step-by-Step Playbook

Follow this repeatable workflow for any 2026 resort booking using points and miles.

1. Decide the dates and be flexible — use a ±3 day window and target shoulder-season weeks for better award and hotel availability.
2. Search alliances and partners — start with the airline alliance that has the best direct routing (oneworld for BA/Avios, Star Alliance for Lufthansa/SAS options).
3. Use a partner search engine — use the airline’s own search tool and third-party award search engines to compare availability across programmes.
4. Check fees and surcharges — BA often adds significant carrier charges; search Iberia, Aer Lingus or partner airlines where Avios bookings can be cheaper.
5. Transfer only when availability is confirmed — transfers can be irreversible or take time. Confirm the seat holds (if available) then move points. Some programmes allow instant transfers; others do not.
6. Book the hotel smartly — compare hotel award nights vs cash-and-points; if refundable cash rates are similar, keep points for upgrades and use cash for the refundable rate.
7. Set the upgrade and seat strategy — use uplift offers from the airline (cash or points upgrades) and check elite benefits (household accounts, lounge access) that may be available.

Advanced Strategies for 2026: Maximise Value, Minimise Fees

Here are advanced tactics I use and recommend based on 2026 market behaviour.

1. Use household accounts and pooled points

Many UK-friendly programmes let you pool points across a household. This makes it far easier to hit the redemption thresholds for resort flights or luxury hotel awards — consider pooled points and household account strategies to combine balances efficiently.

2. Exploit one-way awards and mixed-cabin itineraries

Book the outbound in economy using Avios short-haul sweet spots and use hotel points or a cash upgrade for the return. Mixed-cabin bookings often reduce total points while still getting premium comforts one way.

3. Avoid BA surcharges with partner routings

When Avios redemptions on BA attract high carrier charges, search Iberia, Aer Lingus or other Avios partners. Positioning via a low-cost carrier into a partner hub can save hundreds in taxes and fees.

4. Combine promo awards with hotel award sales

Hotel loyalty programmes occasionally run award night sales in early 2026; couple these with short-haul Avios tickets and you can create 7–10 day resort stays at a fraction of the cash price. Also see practical case studies that show how local partners and resort offers stack up in practice (example field reviews are useful for local-market context: neighbourhood & resort commerce reviews).

5. Use alerts and calendar tools

Set alerts for award space and cash fares. Tools like AwardWallet, SeatSpy (for UK reward seats), and airline email alerts can notify you the moment inventory opens.

Seasonal Offers & Finding the Best Rates in 2026

Hunt for these seasonal windows to get the biggest point-value wins:

• Late January – March: Great time for booking summer award space, early hotel award sales and long-lead flight awards.
• May – early June and September – October: Shoulder season for Mediterranean and Atlantic resorts with lower cash rates and available hotel awards.
• November – December: Look for last-minute winter sun redemptions and resort award availability on hotel programmes.

Deal-hunting checklist

• Compare cash vs points value: if a points redemption yields less than 1p per point value (varies by programme), consider saving points.
• Search multiple programmes: the same flight can be priced differently across partner loyalty schemes.
• Book refundable/cancelable cash fares while holding award space if your programme allows a short hold through transfers.

Real-World Example: A 7‑Night Resort Escape to the Canary Islands (Case Study)

Scenario: Two adults flying from London to Tenerife in late October 2026, wanting a beach resort and one premium cabin night on the way home.

1. Search Avios availability for outbound and return. Found economy outbound on Iberia and return in premium economy on British Airways one-way.
2. Hold Iberia segment by logging into Iberia Plus (partner Avios systems often show different fees).
3. Transfer Amex Membership Rewards to Avios to top up the account for both legs.
4. Book a 7-night resort using hotel points (Marriott Bonvoy), using an award sale week for a beachfront resort; use cash upgrade voucher for one night in a suite.
5. Result: Lower total cost than paying cash for flights + hotel, with one premium night and flexible cancellation.

“Flexibility — with dates, airlines and the choice to mix cash and points — is the single biggest lever to get the most value from rewards in 2026.”

Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them

• Transferring points too early: Never transfer unless you’ve confirmed award space and understand transfer times.
• Overpaying carrier surcharges: Search partner airlines and different booking programmes to find the best tax/surcharge mix.
• Ignoring hotel cancellation policies: For resort stays especially, book refundable rates if availability is uncertain — points are best used when you don’t need to cancel.

Future Predictions: How Points Travel Will Evolve Through 2026

Based on late 2025 trends, expect:

• More dynamic award pricing — programmes will push more variable pricing windows. The antidote is flexibility and early booking when award inventory is released.
• Greater value in short-haul award sweet spots — as long-haul places face capacity constraints, nearby resorts near the UK will remain excellent points targets.
• Bundles and hybrid product growth — look for combined flight + resort award packages from hotel groups and airlines seeking to capture staycation and wellness demand.

Actionable Takeaways — What to Do Next

• Audit your points balances and prioritise Amex Membership Rewards and your primary airline/hotel account.
• Set award-space alerts for your target dates and destinations using SeatSpy and airline email alerts.
• Be ready to transfer points only after you confirm availability — and consider one-way or mixed-cabin bookings to stretch value.
• Book resorts in shoulder season when hotel award nights and cash rates drop the most.
• For quick seasonal-win tactics, see practical guides on local-market offers and weekend sale windows: weekend sale playbooks.

Final Thoughts: Make Your Points Work for Real Resort Time in 2026

2026 rewards travel is a game of preparation more than luck. With dynamic pricing on the rise, the travellers who win are the ones who pool flexible currencies, watch release windows, and combine airline partners and hotel award sales. For UK travellers, that means prioritising Avios and Amex Membership Rewards while keeping an eye on partner routings to avoid unnecessary surcharges.

Start small — book a shoulder-season resort week with a short-haul Avios ticket and a hotel award night or two. You’ll quickly learn the mechanics and be ready to scale to longer trips or premium cabins as award windows and promotions align.

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