How to Get Business Class to Europe for $1,549 Round-Trip

How to Get Business Class to Europe for $1,549 Round-Trip

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Finnair is a oneworld member airline and flies to many destinations and some that few airlines do. From the U.S. Finnair flies non-stop to Helsinki from Chicago (seasonal service: April through Oct.), New York, Los Angeles (April through Oct.), San Francisco (April through Oct.), and Miami in the winter months (Dec. through April).

JUST IN: NEW BUY MILES DEAL

We rarely see miles on sale from this airline, but one just surfaced and works via one of our favorite strategies: the buy miles to fly in style strategy. The promotion offers up to a 50% bonus on up to 120,000 miles purchased till December 9. This amounts to about 1 cent each (180,000 miles for €1,545; at today’s exchange rate that’s about $1,760), and you have 18 months to use the miles.

HOW TO BEST USE THE DEAL

Finnair offers mileage redemptions for one-away upgrades between North America and Finland for 50,000 miles on any published economy fare. For travel onward in Europe from Helsinki the upgrade will cost an extra 7,500 to 10,000 miles.

HOW TO GET THE $1,549 DEAL

Say you’re traveling New York to Helsinki in off-season—usually January to March—the economy ticket costs $523 round-trip. Upgrading the ticket with miles would cost 100,000 miles round-trip, which you can buy now—no waiting time to buy miles after you create a Finnair mileage account—for €901 (at today’s exchange is $1,026), giving you a total ticket cost of $1,549.

You can check availability on your favorite route without an account here, so you can shop your dates before you buy. FCF’s research found decent upgrade availability for February on the New York route, see chart below for all five U.S. gateways, with Los Angeles having the best upgrade availability during the summer months.

ONWARD TRAVEL TO TEL AVIV OR DUBAI

If you fly intra-Europe to Dubai or Tel Aviv, the deal is even better: upgrade for just 10,000 miles one-way.

Sample cost for Tel Aviv: From New York the economy ticket starts at $915 round-trip. Upgrading the ticket with miles would cost 120,000 miles round-trip, which you can buy now for €1,030 (at today’s exchange is $1,171), giving you a total ticket cost of $2,086.

Sample cost for Dubai: From New York the economy ticket starts at $1,002 round-trip. Upgrading the ticket with miles would cost 120,000 miles round-trip, which you can buy now for €1,030 ($1,171), giving you a total ticket cost of $2,173.

HOW TO BOOK MILEAGE UPGRADES ON FINNAIR

Determine availability date-clusters online using our survey below.

  • Then make your booking and buy the economy ticket and miles required for the upgrade.
  • Once miles are in your account and you have bought your economy ticket and are logged in to your mileage account, click on website link “here” to take you to the travel upgrade page, on which you add your last name and booking reference. The upgrade request can also be done by phone by calling 1-877-757-7143.

When was the last time you saw a $1,549 Business Class fare to Europe?

UPGRADE PROGRAM CAVEATS

  • Upgrades can be used by Finnair Plus members, their close relatives, or persons living in the same household. So buy the miles in the name of the traveler if there are any doubts.
  • Upgrades can only be done after the Economy Class reservation has been confirmed and the flight ticket has been issued. You want to do this all at once so availability doesn’t have more than a minute to shift!

Sweet Redeem Survey: Finnair Mileage Upgrades to Helsinki

RoutesDepartReturn
4 to 8 Days Per Month9 to 12 Days Per Month13+ Days Per Month4 to 8 Days Per Month9 to 12 Days Per Month13+ Days Per Month
Chicago - HelsinkiAprilApril
Los Angeles - HelsinkiApril through JuneApril through June, July through Sept.Aug., Oct.April through JuneMay, June, July, Aug.Sept., Oct.
Miami - HelsinkiAprilJan., Feb., AprilMarch
New York - HelsinkiJan.Feb.March, AprilDec., Jan.Feb.
San Francisco - HelsinkiApril, May, Aug., Sept.May, Sept., Oct.
Months in black at least one seat available; in blue at least two seats; in purple at least five seats.