Handful of Short-Notice Deals U.S. Auckland One Way
Flash Deal Summary
Sample Savings via Starwood’s (new Marriott) points-to-miles transfer partnership with Air Canada: One-way Houston to Sydney for 80,000 Aeroplan miles and it costs even less if you have a Starwood/Marriott account: only 65,000 Starpoints (now 195,000 Marriott Points). United charges 70,000 miles for economy.
Sample Savings via Starwood’s (new Marriott) points-to-miles transfer partnership with Air Canada: One-way Houston to Sydney for 80,000 Aeroplan miles and it costs even less if you have a Starwood/Marriott account: only 65,000 Starpoints (now 195,000 Marriott Points). United charges 70,000 miles for economy.
In other words, if you have a Starwood/Marriott card and book via Aeroplan, as opposed to earning miles via mainstream ways, you’re getting an upgrade to Business Class for less than the cost of coach.
For one traveler (and possibly two), FCF’s research team has discovered an opportunity to save $6,858 / 79% if you don’t have any miles and want to pay in cash OR save up to 110,000 miles when compared to normal / everyday prices traveling one-way between the U.S. and Auckland.
*Please note that free mileage award space in the alert is for flights operated by partner Air New Zealand and not Air Canada or United.
NO MILES? NO PROBLEM
United is currently running a deal whereby miles can be acquired for as low as 2.2¢ each (includes taxes and processing fee), through a new, up to 70% bonus miles buy promo, which runs through March 25, 2019.
New to buying miles? Know: FCF’s Beginner’s Guide: How to Play the “Buy Miles to Fly In Style” Strategy to Net Up to 90% Off Premium Travel.
SAMPLE SAVINGS FROM U.S. TO Auckland IN business CLASS:
The one-way published Business Class fare on United’s Houston to Auckland route is $8,716 r/t; through the United purchase strategy, you can pay $1,858 r/t (includes taxes and about $58 in award tax), a savings of $6,858 (79%).
More here on getting flights (based on availability) from around the U.S. to the hub (Los Angeles or Houston) AND / OR flights from the destination (Auckland) to all over the South Pacific.
Example Deal Routes
Deal Availability
Availability using {{ bookingPartner.name }} miles flying on {{ bookingPartner.partner }} is displayed below:
Partner availability varies... Show More
Partner availability varies. Availability for the operating carrier, at times, is different when using partner airline currency. Check the Access Deal with Miles section below for more information. Show Less
Access Deal With Miles
Access Deal With Cash
Sample Best Deals Found
How to Book
- Confirm that the flights/dates you want are available for the upgrade using miles by requesting upgrade award space on the "All search options" page.
- Click on the "Upgrade type" search in the middle of the page.
- Select the "Upgrade to Premium Economy or Business" option to search for upgrade space to Business Class in the "Fare preferences" section, after you click on "Upgrade type." See below:
- When your search results come back, it will not only show fares and flight schedules, it will also show what flights offer an upgrade, and what the cost is.
- Select your flights, making sure that you are logged into your mileage account, and that you have the miles required in your account; then pay for your ticket.
- This can all be done online. If you want to book over the phone, call 800-421-4655
After you get a sense of “where good availability is” (perhaps using our survey), call American and confirm that the flights/dates you want are available for the upgrade using miles, and book it.
If the upgrade on the flights/dates you want is not available, have the agent check other dates/flights.
This cannot be done online. Call 1-800-433-7300.
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Everybody knows how frequently airfares change (some estimates claim that there are up to 500,000 fare changes daily). Because that’s a few too many for First Class Flyer to keep up with, FCF cannot guarantee that all fares discussed will be available when you go to make a booking. Also, for the sake of quick and easy “executive summary” format, all fare rules and restrictions can’t possibly be included. Fares quoted usually include the average taxes and fees for the routes in the chart.