Amex 250k points = $4000-4500, but amex can’t directly transfer to United or AA, so if you want book United, you need go thru its partners airlines like air Canada/ANA/Columbia air lifemiles, so it's not so easy to use AMEX points to book flights to China.
If you looking to Europe, 250k can get you 2 RT biz class award tickets with money to spare, if you looking to go Africa or Japan, not quite enough for 2 RT biz tickets
