Hot August Nights Still Open for Business and First Class Travel
July 17, 2022 You Only Live Once
Spontaneous summer deals up to 53% off are still possible to Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South Pacific for Business and First Class flyers
I know what some of you are thinking. It’s July and you would love to have an international summer trip to look forward to, especially if your friends and family are bending your ear about all THEIR amazing adventures this year.
But then you hear all the news about bad availability using miles thanks to full flights and the high cost of dynamic pricing, and when you check fares you see that prices to most destinations, particularly within 60 days, are high.
So you figure that your summer trip potential has passed you by, right? WRONG!
Our incredible team here at FCF has been burning the midnight oil to find not only award availability for solo travelers (more about those independent folk in this special report), but also some great options for couples and families.
Summer Lovin’
Attention all summer lovin’, deal grabbin’ airficionados: You’re going to love this special report.
We looked at this optimistically: With hundreds of flights for international travel from the U.S., there must be a handful with award space in August if you’re a last-minute planner (and if you’ve read this far, you probably are). Whether you were planning a trip, have your bags permanently packed and ready to go, or you want to trade your trip to Des Moines for one to London or Tahiti, here are some pre-baked trips to choose from, meaning there’s little effort required on your end. FCF has done all the work for you.
Hidden Routes for a Late Summer Fling
Let’s take a look at the team’s discoveries to Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South Pacific for Business and First Class flyers.
Business Class to Europe
How much do I love summer in Europe? Let me count the ways: Paris sidewalk cafes, Dublin rooftop bars, an afternoon Dubrovnik boat tour, a stroll through London’s Hyde Park among office sunbathers (wear your sunglasses!), Rome’s ancient vias with a cooling gelato, beautiful Vienna in shorts and T-shirts, and Germany’s cobbled lanes without those winter chill goosebumps.
Austrian Airlines’ Washington, DC-Vienna route has a handful of days with two seats in August outbound, one seat on the return; Chicago-Vienna has one seat both directions for a handful of days in August.
Lufthansa has a handful of four seat options outbound for August travel on its Detroit-Frankfurt route.
Singapore Airlines’ Houston-Manchester route offers seats in both directions for two travelers in August. New York-Frankfurt has a handful of seats for four travelers outbound in August and some both directions for two travelers.
SWISS’ New York-Geneva route has seats on the return in August for four travelers.
TAP’s Boston-Lisbon route is wide open for four travelers in August, both directions.
Summer Travel to Europe Using United Miles
Airline | Route | One-way Mileage | Outbound | Return | ||||
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 | |||
Austrian | Chicago-Vienna | 77,000 | Aug. | Aug. | ||||
Washington, DC-Vienna | Aug. | Aug. | ||||||
Lufthansa | Detroit-Frankfurt | Aug. | ||||||
SWISS | New York-Geneva | 73,000 | Aug. | |||||
TAP | New York-Lisbon | 77,000 | Aug. | Aug. |
Summer Travel to Europe Using Singapore Miles
Airline | Route | One-way Mileage | Outbound | Return | ||||
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 | |||
Singapore | Houston-Manchester | 103,500 | Aug. | Aug. | ||||
New York-Frankfurt | Aug. | Aug. | Aug. | Aug. |
United Business Class Mileage Upgrades to Europe
From Boston to London, United has a handful of two-seat options available to upgrade outbound and is wide open on the return for up to four travelers in August. Washington, DC, to Dublin has a handful of seats for four travelers in August, in both directions, and they’re upgradeable on the lowest fares for 20,000 miles each way.
Summer Travel to Europe Using United Miles
Airline | Route | One-way Mileage | Outbound | Return | ||||
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 | |||
United | Boston-London | 20,000 | Aug. | Aug. | ||||
Washington, DC-Dublin | Aug. | Aug. | Aug. | Aug. |
First Class to Asia
While Tokyo is just starting to open up, you can fly via Tokyo as we reported here to fly beyond Tokyo. All Nippon has one seat available and is wide-open for travel in the month of August on their Chicago-Tokyo route.
Summer Travel to Asia Using All Nippon Miles
Airline | To Tokyo From | Round-trip Mileage | Outbound | Return | ||||
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 | |||
All Nippon Airways | Chicago | 150,000 | Aug. | Aug. |
Business Class to the Middle East
The Middle East in summer is hot, but it’s geared up for it with everything from the world’s tallest indoor roller coaster in Doha (185 feet!) to an indoor ski resort in Dubai.
Qatar’s Dallas and New York-Doha is wide open for four travelers both directions in August; Boston and Los Angeles are wide open for four travelers in August outbound, with a handful of four seats on the return from Los Angeles and a handful of two seats on the return in August from Boston.
Summer Travel to the Middle East Using Qatar Miles
Airline | To Doha From | One-way Mileage | Outbound | Return | ||||
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 | |||
Qatar | Boston | 70,000 | Aug. | Aug. | ||||
Dallas | Aug. | Aug. | ||||||
Los Angeles | Aug. | Aug. | ||||||
New York | Aug. | Aug. |
Business Class to the South Pacific
The sun and the South Pacific go together like Penn and Teller: pure magic. And Tahiti? That’s a poster attraction. The crew of The Bounty didn’t want to leave, and neither will you.
United from San Francisco to Papeete has seats for four travelers on the return in August or both directions for one traveler.
Summer Travel to the South Pacific Using United Miles
Airline | To Papeete From | One-way Mileage | Outbound | Return | ||||
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 | |||
United | San Francisco | 70,000 | Aug. | Aug. |
Upgrade to Business Class to the South Pacific
United from San Francisco to Papeete has a handful of seats for one traveler in August, both directions.
Summer Travel to the South Pacific Using United Miles
Airline | To Papeete From | One-way Mileage | Outbound | Return | ||||
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 | |||
United | San Francisco | 30,000 | Aug. | Aug. |
Summer Deal What Ifs…
What to do if you only find one seat
What to do if you only find seats in one direction
What to do if you don’t see your origin or destination
How returning in a different class can make for better value
FCF’s Summer Playlist to Get You in the Mood
“Summertime” – Ella Fitzgerald & Louis Armstrong
“All Summer Long” – The Beach Boys
“Hot Fun in the Summertime” – Sly and the Family Stone
“Summer Breeze” – Seals and Crofts
“Summer Samba” – Marcos Valle
“August Day Song” – Bebel Gilberto
“Summer Nights” – Olivia Newton John and John Travolta
“Sunny” – Bobby Hebb
“Summer Wind” – Frank Sinatra
‘Island in the Sun” – Weezer