FirstClassFlyer

Here are the best ways to land in luxury, now that these glamorous islands are open again – whether you have miles or points, or neither.

The beautiful Seychelles are open for business once again, but if we’re really being honest, this is all about pleasure. A thousand miles off the coast of East Africa, this group of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean offers a warm vacation oasis in an exotic locale. And talk about bragging rights: You’ll crush the next one-upmanship among your friends and colleagues. All you must do is present a valid negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before departure. Here’s the official word.

Get There With Emirates

Emirates offers daily flights to the Seychelles via Dubai with discount award availability in First Class from Boston, Chicago, Dallas, and San Francisco. Business Class is available from Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, DC.

Emirates First Class fares from U.S. cities range from $13,302 to $14,416 while Business Class fares range from $5,551 to $6,661.

And for “tax avoiders,” there’s more good news: Emirates recently lowered its taxes as we reported here. For Chicago to Dubai in First Class, for example, taxes were previously $1,543; currently, they’re about $400.

No Miles? No Problem.
We Sell Seychelles by the Sea Shore.
(Up to 56% Off)

You can buy points from Amex and transfer them directly to Emirates. Do this, and you’ll pay up to $8,041 / $56% less than the traveler sitting next to you. Look at the math below:

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FCF’s Emirates Availability Treasure Map

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Or Get There With Turkish Airlines

Turkish doesn’t offer First Class flights to the Seychelles. Business Class fares from the U.S. range from $5,416 to $6,561.

However, if you use United miles for Business Class it can save big. See our chart a little further below.

Turkish flies to the Seychelles via Istanbul on Mondays and Saturdays with discount award availability using United miles in Business Class from Boston, Chicago, and New York.

Don’t forget that Turkish Airlines offer fully lie-flat seats that open to a 76-inch bed. (I like these seats.)

Business Class Costs

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Business Class AVAILABILITY TREASURE MAP

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[["To Seychelles From","Emirate Buy Miles Partner","Emirates Award Cost","Cost Per Mile \/ Point","Cost","Regular Published Fare","Difference","#colspan#"],["Boston","Amex","255,000","0.025","$6,375","$13,302","$6,927","52%"],["Chicago","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$6,375","$13,302","$6,927","52%"],["Dallas","#rowspan#","270,000","#rowspan#","$6,750","$13,367","$6,992","52%"],["San Francisco","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$6,750","$14,416","$8,041","56%"]]

[["First Class to Dubai from","Depart","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Boston","July, Sept., Oct.<\/span>","Sept., Oct.","Aug., Nov., Jan.<\/span>","May,<\/span> June, Sept.,<\/span> Jan.","May, Oct.<\/span>","Nov., Dec.<\/span>"],["Chicago","Aug., Nov.<\/span>","Aug., Sept., Jan.<\/span>","Oct.,<\/span> Jan.","Sept., Nov.,<\/span> Dec., Jan., Feb<\/span>","Sept., Oct.<\/span>",""],["Dallas","Nov., Feb.","","Jan.","Dec., Jan., Feb.<\/span>","Feb.","Dec."],["San Francisco","May, July, Sept., Jan.","Aug., Nov.","","May, June, Sept. to Nov., Jan.","","Dec."]]

*Months in black at least one seat available; in blue at least two seats.

[["First Class to Seychelles from","Depart","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Dubai","Aug., Dec.<\/span>","July, Feb.<\/span>","May, June, Sept. to Nov., Jan.<\/span>","","Feb.<\/span>","May to Jan.<\/span>"]]

*Months in black at least one seat available; in blue at least two seats.

[["Airline \/ Class","To \/ From","Buy Miles Partner","Award Cost","Cost per miles when on sale","Cost","Regular Published Fare","Difference","#colspan#"],["Emirates Business Class","Boston","Amex","170,000","0.025","$4,250","$5,606","$1,356","24%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago","#rowspan#","170,000","#rowspan#","$4,250","$5,606","$1,356","24%"],["#rowspan#","Dallas","#rowspan#","180,000","#rowspan#","$4,500","$5,940","$1,690","28%"],["#rowspan#","Houston","#rowspan#","180,000","#rowspan#","$4,500","$5,940","$1,690","28%"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles","#rowspan#","180,000","#rowspan#","$4,500","$6,661","$2,411","36%"],["#rowspan#","New York","#rowspan#","170,000","#rowspan#","$4,250","$5,551","$1,301","23%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco","#rowspan#","180,000","#rowspan#","$4,500","$6,661","$2,161","32%"],["#rowspan#","Washington, DC","#rowspan#","170,000","#rowspan#","$4,250","$5,606","$1,106","20%"],["Turkish Business Class","Boston","United","166,000","0.018","$2,988","$6,561","$3,573","54%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$5,416","$2,428","45%"],["#rowspan#","New York","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$6,217","$3,229","52%"]]

[["Airline","Business Class to Dubai from","Depart","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Emirates","Boston","May, Dec., Feb.<\/span>","July<\/span>","Aug. to Nov., Jan.<\/span>","June, Jan.<\/span>","May,<\/span> June, Sept., Feb.<\/span>","May, Oct. to Dec.<\/span>"],["#rowspan#","Chicago","Aug.<\/span>","Aug., Feb.<\/span>","Sept. to Nov., Jan.<\/span>","June., Jan.<\/span>","June., Feb.<\/span>","May, Sept. to Dec.<\/span>"],["#rowspan#","Dallas","July, Feb.<\/span>","Aug. to Oct.<\/span>","Nov., Jan.<\/span>","May,<\/span> June, Sept., Jan.<\/span>","Sept., Feb.<\/span>","Oct. to Dec.<\/span>"],["#rowspan#","Houston","July, Oct., Nov., Feb.<\/span>","Aug., Sept.,<\/span> Oct., Nov.","Aug., Jan.<\/span>","May, <\/span>June, Sept., Dec., Feb.<\/span>","Sept., Oct., <\/span>Dec., Jan.<\/span>","Oct., Nov.<\/span>"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles","May, July,<\/span> Nov., Feb.<\/span>","Sept., Oct.<\/span>","Aug., <\/span>Sept., Oct., Jan.<\/span>","July<\/span>","May, Nov., Dec., Feb.<\/span>","May, June,<\/span> Sept., Oct., <\/span>Nov., Dec., Jan.<\/span>"],["#rowspan#","New York","Feb.<\/span>","May, Nov.<\/span>","Aug. to Oct., Jan.<\/span>","Jan.<\/span>","Dec., Feb.<\/span>","May, June, <\/span>Sept. to Nov.<\/span>"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco","May, July, Aug., Feb.<\/span>","Sept.<\/span>","Sept., Oct., Nov., Jan.<\/span>","May<\/span>","June, Sept., Oct., Feb.<\/span>","May, June., Sept., Oct., Nov. to Jan.<\/span>"],["#rowspan#","Washington, DC","May,<\/span> Dec., Feb.<\/span>","","Aug. to Nov., Jan.<\/span>","May, June, Jan.<\/span>","Feb.<\/span>","Sept. to Dec.<\/span>"]]

*Months in black at least one seat available; in blue at least two seats; in green at least four seats.

[["Airline","Business Class to Seychelles from","Depart","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Emirates","Dubai","Dec.<\/span>","July, Feb.<\/span>","May, June, Aug. to Nov., Jan.<\/span>","","Feb.<\/span>","May to Jan.<\/span>"]]

[["Airline","Business Class to Istanbul from","Depart","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Turkish","Boston","June, Aug. to Nov., Jan.<\/span>","","","June, Sept. to Nov.","",""],["#rowspan#","Chicago","June, Aug. to Nov., Jan.<\/span>","","","June, Sept.","Nov.",""],["#rowspan#","New York","May, Sept., Nov., Dec.<\/span>","June, Oct.<\/span>","Aug., Jan.<\/span>","May, June, Aug. to Dec.","",""]]

*Months in black at least one seat available.

Pining for Exotic Isles? Take a Sea Spell in the Seychelles