Here is an easy guide on how to use miles and points for the Maldives and an overwater villa, saving up to 65%. When my boredom and curiosity save you money and show you how to use miles and points for a Maldives trip, saving you thousands. Yesterday I was talking to a friend who I had signed up for a Virgin Atlantic card, and we were discussing where they can go.
Now, I lived in hotels for a year before I went to the Maldives for free, but there are ways to have the same luxury experience for a fraction of the price, even during peak travel.
I had looked at the Maldives for fun a few weeks earlier, and then my ADHD brain decided to check and plan a holiday for all of you there.
My goal with this website has always been to share my experiences and crazy travel ideas, especially on points, so this is exactly that.
The whole holiday is planned according to how I like to travel with miles and points to upgrade my travel experience from budget to luxury, which otherwise I couldn’t afford, especially now as a single mum.
Making my money “work” harder for me, ie maximising every pound.
Step 1: Planning Your Luxury Maldives Trip on Miles and Points
I discuss my strategy on credit cards, which is vital for this trip, and you can read my thought process.
But based on the principle of living in a hotel for a year to accumulate points for my Umrah hotels and my Maldives Waldorf Astoria stay, I use miles for everything I can possibly do.
From my daily spending and paying with my credit card to various portals for rewards, to double-tipping into as many pots as possible.
Over the course of a year I can save enough to at least offset some if not my full luxury holiday.
Miles and Points can seem really intimidating for many travellers, especially Muslim travelers when we need to navigate the religious part as well. This Maldives points and miles strategy is completely halal-friendly and designed for Muslim families seeking luxury travel experiences.
However, they are halal and, when used right, can really transform your travels.
The below is an example of planning a luxury holiday to the Maldives for a fraction of the actual price using miles.
It is for illustration purposes, but it can also help you if you want to check dates specific to you.
Step 2: Booking Flights Using Virgin Atlantic Miles for the Maldives
One of the cheapest ways to get to the Maldives currently from the UK, but even from the USA, is to use Virgin Atlantic miles, offering the best Maldives redemption value currently available.
Yes, they devalued their program, but this created a great option for those with more flexibility to use fewer points.
Currently, you can find flights for December 2025 (there are also Christmas dates, but I would avoid those due to the Gala prices in the Maldives)
2nd of December to 9th of December 2025
- Miles: 21,000 per person + £305 taxes in economy return
- This is 42,000 per couple plus £611 taxes in economy return.
A cash price for those tickets is £580 with Qatar Airways (indirect) and £734 with Virgin Atlantic.
So using your miles and points, especially in the way I teach you in [my Virgin Atlantic Masterclass] can easily save you half the price in flights.
Step 3: Booking Your Hilton Points Maldives Overwater Villa
Now, when it comes to hotels, you have many options, of course. You can pay cash and go to a local island and experience life there, which is one of the best budget ways to explore the Maldives. We did this, and I highly recommend it.
Your other option is to go my way of luxury, which your cash couldn’t buy, but your points can – this is where the real Maldives travel hacking happens!
I love using my points for stays in very expensive properties, and the Hilton, thanks to their partnership with Small Luxury Resorts, offers many options.
Now, I used my points for the Waldorf, but at the time of writing, the property is not worth the points. Unless you have $5,000 a night in cash, then sure!
Now, you might be thinking, Elena I don’t have any points, how do I do that?
Well, if you don’t have any points, Hilton is currently selling them until the 29th of May, and I always top them up with a 100% bonus.
You then use those for the stays in the Maldives.
My points strategy course bundle is highly recommended if you want to maximise this trip and any other Umrah in Ramadan trip. Plus, we have a community for all your questions. This comprehensive Muslim traveller’s point-of-view guide has helped hundreds of families experience luxury for less.
Currently, you can buy up to 280,000 Hilton points, which costs £1,150 in total. Since you will be going with a couple, you both buy points, and then you combine them, making the pot 560,000 and costing £2,500 in total.
Looking at some of the properties in the Maldives on the Hilton website, we of course want the full-on luxury overwater villa experience that the Amilla Maldives, an SLH Hotel, offers—one of the best Hilton SLH Maldives redemptions currently available.
It costs $1,600 a night or $8,000 (£6,000) for 5 days but by using the points above and 5th night free you can have the same experience and room for just £2,500.
Plus you will also have some extra points left because you only need 480,000 for your 5 night stay in your luxurious overwater villa.
Yes, you need to factor in transport to the resort and food which are not included but considering the money you are saving you can order room service, which is also the cheapest way to feed yourself in those resorts.
Step 4: When to Book Your Discount Luxury Maldives Vacation
The timing of when you book your Maldives points trip can dramatically impact availability and value. Here are the key booking windows to consider:
- For Flights: Book Virgin Atlantic award flights 10-11 months in advance when schedules open for best availability
- For Hotels: Monitor Hilton point sales, which typically happen quarterly (current sale ends May 29th)
- Best Travel Seasons: December-April offers ideal weather without the Christmas/New Year premium pricing
- Avoid: Christmas, New Year, and Valentine’s periods when resorts charge mandatory gala dinners (often $500+ per person)
- Sweet Spot: Early December and late April offer excellent weather with lower occupancy and better award availability
For this specific Amilla Maldives example, I recommend searching for and booking your hotel redemption 6-9 months in advance or last minute, which is what I did with my Waldorf stay.
Step 5: How to Make Sure You Use Your Miles and Points Right
I know this whole process might be super overwhelming due to the complexity, so I have created a [points strategy course bundle] that you can apply for your Maldives trip but also for your Umrah in Ramadan and the five star Conrad which costs as much as a Maldives villa during the last 10 nights. In Ramadan 2025 it was £1,200 per night!
My courses are broken down into easy-to-follow steps, and the bundle for the Hilton Masterclass Training plus the Virgin Atlantic / Saudia Unlocked course gives you everything you need to learn the tips and use them over and over again for amazing holidays.
My specialised points travel for Muslim families approach ensures that all strategies respect halal principles while maximising your luxury travel opportunities.
Cash vs. Points: The Affordable Maldives Luxury Travel Comparison
Now, my favourite part is adding up how much money we can save while using points.
People always get surprised when I tell them I have saved over $100,000 over the last 10 years using my miles for luxurious experiences that otherwise were a dream.
I mean, only my Waldorf Astoria Maldives holiday saved me $25,000!
Flights to the Maldives
- Cash price: £1500 for two people
- Miles used: 42,000 + £611 instead
Overwater Villa in the Amilla Maldives, an SLH
- Cash price for 5 nights: £6,000 ($8,000) for two
- Points price for 5 nights: £2,000 ($2,500) for two
The holiday like-for-like would have cost in cash around £7,500, but by using your miles and points, it will cost you £2,611 approximately if you buy the exact points you need.
This is a saving of £4,800+ for the same trip by using loyalty points and knowing how to accurately use them.
Now, you will notice you can do the trip for 5 days or you can take the 8 day option and also visit a local island which is what I would recommend to truly enjoy and visit the Maldives because the resorts are amazing but not the real country.
This is a very simplified version to show you how much you can save and the potential. If you want to learn more, check out my points strategy course bundle for step-by-step instruction or sign up for my free starter miles and points course below.
More posts to enjoy
Waldorf Astoria Maldives Yacht and Transfer Hack
Waldorf Astoria Maldives King Reef Villa – Part 1
Your Guide to Maafushi for the Maldives on a Budget
How I earned 1 million Hilton points & My Best Redemption Yet