New Sale On Miles For Travel With 17+ Airlines

New Sale On Miles For Travel With 17+ Airlines

Share:

Time to take advantage of a great sale on miles?

Yes, it’s a great sale on Alaska Airlines miles, but here’s the real bonus in this opportunity: You don’t even have to fly Alaska Airlines to use the miles as you can cash in those purchased miles on Alaska’s numerous partners: American, Air France, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, LAN, Qantas, and 10 other carriers—for up to 91% off normal fares. Here’s a recap of the offer that expires on February 22.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This is for Americans or Canadians who either don’t have any miles in their kitty or don’t have a credit card that allows them to buy points. But the sale is only open to Mileage Plan members who received the promo by email—so check your mailbox and spam folder to see if this is you.

The airline previously had a rule that you must be a member of Alaska Mileage Plan for at least 10 days in order to buy miles; we tested this recently and even though we didn’t see this rule on the website, our buy miles purchase for a new account was rejected. So get an account now if you don’t have one already so you’re prepared to pounce the next time the promo comes around.

SALE DETAILS

Alaska is offering a bonus of up to 40% on miles purchased (2.1¢ per mile). This is a good buy even though we occasionally see sales with a 50% bonus. The maximum purchase per transaction is 60,000, with a maximum of four transactions within 30 days, and Alaska introduced a new calendar year cap of 150,000, whether purchased by you or gifted to you. However, if you need more miles, and need to get around mileage-purchase limits, just open another account for your dad, daughter, or other family members or friends, fill it with miles when they go on sale, and then use the miles for your ticket.

SAVE 91% TO ASIA IN FIRST CLASS

Using Alaska miles, Cathay Pacific First Class from the U.S. to Asia is 140,000 miles round-trip, and can save you 91%. The lowest published fare from New York to Hong Kong is $33,056 round-trip. Booking a partner award during this miles sale through Alaska reduces the price to $3,023 round-trip (including taxes and about $67 in award tax), a savings of $30,033 or 91%. See a recent FCF’s Sweet Redeems alert for Cathay Pacific First Class mileage availability.

SAVE 76% TO AUSTRALIA IN FIRST CLASS

Using Alaska miles, Qantas First Class from the U.S. to Australia is 140,000 miles round-trip, a savings of up to 67% on First Class. The lowest published fare from Los Angeles to Melbourne is $16,441 round-trip. Booking a partner award through Alaska during this miles sale reduces the price to $3,956 (includes taxes and about $1,000 in award tax), a savings of $12,485, or 76%.

SAVE 53% TO SOUTH AMERICA IN BUSINESS CLASS

LAN Business Class from the U.S. to South America costs 90,000 miles round-trip with Alaska. The lowest published fare from New York to Santiago is $4,121 round-trip. Booking a partner award through Alaska during this sale reduces the price to $1,951 (includes taxes and about $61 in award tax), a savings of $2,171, or 53%.

SAVE 34% TO EUROPE IN FIRST CLASS

British Airways First Class from the U.S. to Europe is 140,000 miles round-trip. The lowest published fare from Seattle to London is $6,507 round-trip. Booking a partner award through Alaska during this sale reduces the price to $4,281 round-trip (including taxes), a savings of $2,226 (34%). See a recent FCF Sweet Redeem alert for British Airways First Class mileage availability.

Keep in mind: The Alaska buying miles strategy is most worthwhile to Europe when fares are high ($6,000+), which often is the case on short-notice.

SAVE 24% TO AFRICA IN FIRST CLASS PLUS A FREE SECOND CITY

British Airways First Class from the U.S. to Africa is 160,000 miles round-trip using Alaska miles, a 31% savings. The lowest published fare from Chicago to Johannesburg is $7,125 round-trip. Booking a partner award through Alaska during this sale on miles reduces the price to $5,419 round-trip (including about $2,015 in award taxes), a savings of $1,706, or 24%.

FREE STOPOVERS = BUCKET LIST BONANZA

Plus, if you take advantage of Alaska’s generous stopover rule on partner awards, which, in case you forgot, allow for a free stopover in the partner’s hub city—in this case London—you get to see a second city for free—a perk which is easily worth $5,592 if you buy a separate ticket, giving you a total savings of $7,298.

WHEN SHOULD I BUY MILES?

Our general rule of thumb is to consider buying miles when published premium fares are high, say $1,800+ for domestic tickets; $4,000+ for Business, and $6,000+ for First Class international tickets. Published international First and Business Class fares are often highest when booked on short notice—the perfect time to use miles.

If you don’t fly often and are looking to buy miles for a specific trip—make sure there is space on the flights and dates you want to book, before you buy them.

FOUR MORE REASONS TO LIKE THIS STRATEGY

SAVE ON TAXES: On some international routes, Alaska charges lower award taxes than the operating airline itself charges. For example, Air France’s Business Class award taxes on the Washington, DC-Paris route are $618 round-trip, while that ticket booked through Alaska’s mileage program incurs only $164 in taxes, a savings of $454 (73%).

EASY SEARCH: Some airlines including Air France and British Airways require you to sign up for their mileage programs to check award space online. With Alaska you don’t have to—you can see what’s offered by its partners, even before you join. Note: To find availability on Cathay Pacific or LAN, you have to call (800) 252-7522. All others are booked online.

MIX AND MATCH: Alaska’s awards allow you to use a different partner in each direction, or to book a one-way award. All of its partners are priced on a one-way basis, so a round-trip is simply double the amount of a one-way ticket.

FREE STOPOVERS: We said it before but it really must be reiterated—Alaska boasts a generous stopover rule on partner awards, allowing a free stopover in the partner’s hub city. (Many other carriers allow no stopovers at all when traveling on a mileage award.) What’s even more—you get one stopover for a one-way ticket (which is awesome enough), and two stopovers on a round-trip.