Bilt Points in Action: My Free Caribbean Escape from Nashville
In Part 2 of my “Vacation for Free” series, I’m breaking down how I used 200,000 Bilt Points to book a 7-day all-inclusive trip to Jamaica from Nashville—covering both flights and hotel with nearly zero out-of-pocket cost. From strategic airline transfers to Hyatt resort rewards, here’s how I turned points into paradise.
Welcome back to my blog series on how to vacation for free using points! In this second installment, I’m sharing how to book a 7-day, 6-night Caribbean escape to Jamaica—flights, resort, meals, and drinks included—while paying almost nothing out of pocket. With 200,000 Bilt Rewards Points and some strategic planning, I’ve crafted an incredible getaway from Nashville, TN, where points cover over 100% of the total cost of flights and hotel for 2 people. Here's exactly how I did it—and how you can too.
Goal Overview
Points available: 200,000 Bilt Points
Target coverage: 100% of total flight + hotel costs
Estimated total value needed: ~$2,000
Trip length: 7 days / 6 nights
Region: Caribbean (Aruba, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Bahamas, etc.)
Step 1: Maximize Point Value (Aim for 1.5–2.2 cents per point)
Bilt Points are incredibly valuable because they transfer 1:1 to a wide range of travel partners, many of which can offer 2.0+ cents per point in value when redeemed smartly.
Bilt Airline Transfer Partners (1:1)
American Airlines AAdvantage (Exclusive)
United MileagePlus
Air Canada Aeroplan
Flying Blue (Air France/KLM)
Avios (British Airways, Iberia, Qatar)
Turkish Miles&Smiles (great for low-cost awards to Caribbean)
Flights from Nashville to Montego Bay (MBJ)
Flying from Nashville (BNA) to Montego Bay, Jamaica is simple with connections through Charlotte or Miami on American Airlines.
Flight Strategy:
Airline Partner: American Airlines via Avios (British Airways) transfer
Points Used: ~40,000 Bilt Points for 2 round-trip tickets
Estimated Cash Value: $800
Out-of-Pocket: $0
✅ High redemption value: ~1.8–2.2 cents/point
Hotel: 6 Nights at Hyatt Zilara or Ziva Rose Hall (All-Inclusive)
Hyatt’s all-inclusive Zilara (adults-only) and Ziva (family-friendly) in Montego Bay, Jamaica are top-tier Caribbean resorts—and offer incredible value with points.
Hotel Strategy:
Hotel: Hyatt Zilara or Ziva Rose Hall
Category: All-Inclusive (Hyatt Category C)
Points Used: 25,000–30,000 points/night
Total Points: ~160,000 Bilt Points for 6 nights
Cash Value: ~$3,200+
Out-of-Pocket: $0
These properties include:
Ocean-view suites
Unlimited food and drinks
Access to private beaches, pools, and excursions
No resort fees or taxes when booked on points
Full Trip Breakdown
For this trip, I used 40,000 Bilt Points (transferred to Avios) to book two round-trip flights on American Airlines, covering about $800 in airfare with zero out-of-pocket cost. For the hotel, I transferred 160,000 Bilt Points to Hyatt and redeemed them for six nights at an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica, valued at $3,200—again, with nothing paid out of pocket. In total, I used 200,000 points to cover $4,000 worth of travel, leaving me to spend just around $222 (roughly 10%) on optional extras like excursions or tips. That means 100% of my flights and hotel are paid for with points, with no added costs for meals, drinks, or entertainment at the resort.
Why This Works So Well with Bilt
1:1 transfers to both Avios and Hyatt for premium value
Hyatt all-inclusives like Zilara/Ziva offer 2.0–2.5 cents per point in value
Bilt is the only program that transfers to American Airlines, unlocking tons of Caribbean routes
Avios bookings often cost fewer points than AAdvantage directly
Planning Your Own Free Trip to Jamaica?
If you’ve got Bilt Points, you’re sitting on a potential luxury vacation fund.
Whether you’re flying from Nashville or another U.S. city, you can use this same strategy to book:
Flights on American Airlines using Avios
All-inclusive stays at top Hyatt resorts
A vacation that’s mostly or totally covered by points
Want help figuring it out? I create custom points award travel plans. Just send me your destination, dates, and point balances—and I’ll map it out for you.
How I Used 200,000 Amex Points to Book a $2,000 Caribbean Vacation — for Free
Discover how I turned 200,000 Amex Membership Rewards points into a completely free Caribbean vacation—flights, hotel, and even meals included. No cash, no compromises. In this post, I break down the exact strategy I used to book a $2,000 trip using points alone—and how you can do it too.
The Goal: A Luxury Escape with Zero Out-of-Pocket Cost
I set out to plan a quick 3-day, 2-night Caribbean getaway, and I wanted it to be completely covered by points—100%. No partial payments, no hidden fees. Just sun, sand, and stress-free travel, all funded by my Amex points.
With 200,000 points in my account, I needed to stretch every one of them to reach a $2,000 total value. The secret? Not using the Amex travel portal—but transferring points strategically to partners for maximum value.
Flights: Using Avios for Easy Caribbean Access
Booking flights with points can be hit or miss—unless you know where to look. Instead of using Amex’s travel portal (which typically gives you just 0.7 to 1 cent per point), I transferred 15,000 Membership Rewards points to British Airways Avios.
Why Avios? Because they unlock American Airlines flights, and short-haul flights from the U.S. to the Caribbean are often a sweet spot.
My Flight Redemption:
Route: Miami (or NYC) to Punta Cana (round-trip)
Points Used: 15,000 Avios
Cash Value: ~$400
Out-of-Pocket: $0
Value per Point: ~2.6 cents
In just a few clicks, I had my flight locked in—and hadn’t spent a dime.
Hotel: Two Nights of All-Inclusive Luxury
Next, I turned to hotel partners. Amex lets you transfer points to Hilton Honors at a 1:2 ratio, so 160,000 Amex points became 320,000 Hilton Points. That opened the door to Hilton La Romana, an all-inclusive beachfront resort in the Dominican Republic.
My Hotel Redemption:
Hotel: Hilton La Romana All-Inclusive Resort
Nights: 2
Hilton Points Used: 320,000 (equivalent to 160,000 Amex points)
Cash Value: ~$1,600
What’s Included: Oceanview room, all meals, drinks, resort activities
Out-of-Pocket: $0
From arrival to checkout, everything—yes, everything—was included. No resort fees, no taxes, no surprise bills at check-out. As a Brief Sidenote: If you have Hilton Diamond Status this gets even better. As a Diamond, you're eligible for complimentary room upgrades—potentially to Enclave or Preferred Club categories, which include perks like private lounge access, VIP pool and beach areas and Diamond status includes a 15% spa discount at Hilton all‑inclusive resorts—including La Romana.
The Full Breakdown
For my Caribbean getaway, I used 200,000 American Express Membership Rewards points to cover 100% of the trip. I booked round-trip flights using 15,000 points transferred to British Airways Avios, which secured an American Airlines flight valued at $400. For the hotel, I transferred 160,000 points to Hilton Honors and booked two nights at an all-inclusive Hilton resort, valued at $1,600. In total, I redeemed 175,000 points for $2,000 worth of travel—and paid absolutely nothing out of pocket.
And yes—I still have 25,000 points left over.
What You Can Learn From This
This trip was proof that with a little strategy, you can unlock serious value from your points:
Transfer your Amex points to airline and hotel partners—not the travel portal
Use Avios for short-haul Caribbean flights on American Airlines
Book Hilton all-inclusive resorts for incredible point value
Watch for transfer bonuses to squeeze even more value
It took me a few hours of research—but the results were worth it.
✈️ Ready to Travel on Points Like This?
You don’t need to be a travel hacker or spend hours searching award charts to travel for free—you just need the right strategy. I turned 200,000 Amex points into a 100% paid Caribbean vacation, and you can do the same.
But here’s the best part:
You don’t have to figure it out alone.
I’ve created a custom points award travel search service that takes the guesswork out of planning. I’ll help you:
✅ Find the best-value flight and hotel redemptions
✅ Use your exact points balance to its full potential
✅ Book luxury stays and flights with little (or no) out-of-pocket cost
👉 Let me find the best way to use your points.
Whether you’ve got Amex, Chase, Capital One, or Citi—I'll show you how to travel smarter, better, and for less.