FirstClassFlyer

How Perfection Blindness is Robbing You of Great Award Deals – From the East Coast to the West – For the Whole Family

I believe that perfectionism and travel don’t mix.

Yes, there are exceptions. The planets occasionally align and you can get an amazing deal for the price you want, on the day you want, on a nonstop flight, at the right time of day (and it’s sunny), on the airline you want, in the seat you want, with the brand of champagne you want, sitting next to Margot Robbie (or whoever you may want to sit next to).

But ask any mathematician how often you’ll get all those details to work out for you if you want to use miles.

About as often as Ken outshines Barbie.

This special report is about the notion that travel perfectionism is likely holding you back and that your miles, in particular, are taking a big hit. We have solid proof with a range of examples, focusing on one of the world’s biggest carriers: American Airlines. And we have a strategy for it that is surely going to change the way many of you approach your next trip.

Imperfection can still taste great. It’s cheaper too.

Let’s start with what most travelers would naturally want when heading to Europe: a nonstop flight in Business Class with low-cost-award seat availability.

Simple, right?

Then you crunch the numbers with American Airlines, as our team has. We looked at 50 nonstop routes to Europe for low-cost (under 100,000 miles one-way) free award seats. For days with available award seats through mid-January, 2025, these are the prices we found, one-way:

Percentage of time one-way awards are available Non-stop by price range: The summary

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Pricing by route

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Many travelers with a perfectionist mindset will stop right there and say, “I’m done. Darn airlines — there’s never anything for me to use my &^%$ miles on at a reasonable price.”

But they’re missing a golden opportunity that will quench their thirst.

ARC: Perfecting the Art of Being Imperfect

We call it the ARC Strategy, for All the Right Connections. The idea is to use two very effective but yet little-used tools in your travel toolkit: connecting flights and partner airlines. As you’ll discover, they are bottle openers for mile meisters. Hear that sound? Schweppervescence? In this case, it’s Milervescence! Drink it in.

How Michael ARCed Up and Milked Maximum Mileage

Dallas native Michael is flying to London.

His perfectionist default mindset (like most of us) has him looking at nonstops on either American Airlines or British Airways using his American miles. His choices are not the best.

He could fly on AA50 for 104,500 miles + $6 in taxes, one-way: ouch!
He could fly on BA192 for 57,500 miles + $733 in taxes, one-way: ouch!

Yes, that's a big mileage hit on American Airlines. And yes, a huge IRS-style tax hit on British Airways. Surely there’s a better way. Hello, ARC strategy!

Dallas to London Nonstop on American Using American Miles

Dallas to London Nonstop on British Airways Using American Miles

Michael’s brother Max decides to join him. Max lives in Rapid City.

Max finds that he can fly from Rapid City to Dallas, connect with Michael’s flight to London on American for 89,500 (15,000 less miles than Michael’s 104,500), or on British Airways for the same 57,500 miles and pay $737 in taxes.

Rapid City > Dallas > London on American Using American Miles

Rapid City > Dallas > London on American and British Airways

Max is thinking that’s a lot of miles. For that many miles, Max suggests traveling to Milan instead of London. Michael’s up for it.

Now, over in Europe, it gets interesting — and even better.

Michael can now fly from Dallas to London and then to Milan. If he flies through London on American connecting with British Airways, he will pay 57,500 miles and $23 in taxes. That’s 47,000 miles less than Michael’s original nonstop Dallas-London itinerary on American or the same number of miles (57,500) and $750 in taxes if he flies on BA through London. That’s a no-brainer decision.

Dallas > London > Milan on American and British Airways Using American Miles

Dallas > London > Milan on British Airways Using American Miles

Now it’s Max’s turn. He is excited to see that he can fly all the way from Rapid City to Milan for the same 57,500 miles and $23 in taxes, and on the same flights as Michael. That’s 32,000 miles less than Max’s original Rapid City-Dallas-London itinerary on American.

Rapid City > Dallas > London > Milan on American Using American Miles

What a deal! The brothers collectively saved 158,000 miles.

That’s like a two-for-one to Europe.

Or like getting a free Upgrade to Business for the price of Premium Economy.

No matter how you look at it, you win. Bingo!

Big picture, the ARC strategy acknowledges that the airlines are rewarding you for flying farther, which is very carrier-counterintuitive. Also, rather than a somewhat limiting direct flight, connections make it possible to divide and conquer the journey for better value.

Here’s all that in a table.

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*AA over the water.

More Ways ARC Lands Big Value

Don't want to connect with BA through London?

Charlotte > Munich > Helsinki American and Finnair Using American Miles

Now, you may not live in Charlotte, or maybe you weren’t planning to include Helsinki. But the ARC strategy gives you low-cost, low-tax options to consider. It could be a cheap connection from your home to Charlotte. At the other end, you can add Helsinki, the beautiful “Pearl of the Baltic,” to your ever-expanding bucket list. Or you can typically add on a connecting flight, when available, for no additional cost to any Oneworld city.

AA’s One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability

We checked 396 one-stop low-cost, low-tax routes departing from seven American hub cities.

Here are the highlights:

There are 107 one-stop low-cost, low-tax free award seat routes available. That’s 88% more low-cost award space when compared to AA’s nonstop routes.
Departing from or connecting through New York and Chicago had the most routes available.
Good news from the West Coast with 15 available routes from AA’s Los Angeles hub.
A decent number of routes are available from AA’s Charlotte, Dallas, and Raleigh hubs.
Flights from AA’s Philadelphia hub were scarce with only two routes available.
We did not find any connecting flights from AA’s Miami or Phoenix hubs.

One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Charlotte

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One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Chicago

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One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Dallas

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One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Los Angeles

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One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from New York

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One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Philadelphia

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One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Raleigh-Durham

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You can typically add on a U.S. connecting flight for no additional cost, when available from any of Oneworld’s U.S. departure cities, such as:

AA U.S. Route Map

Our research found a lot of routes with free awards for 57,500 miles each way and low taxes. In any case, FCF always recommends grabbing your ticket when you come across a good deal or something you can live with — and if it's not perfect, upgrade later. And of course don't book backwards.

Oh, it's such a perfect day

I'm glad I spent it with you

It's just a perfect day

You just keep me hanging on

~ “Perfect Day,” Lou Reed

[["Days Available with Awards Under 100,000 Miles","Days Available with Awards 101,000 - 200,000 Miles","Days Available with Awards 201,000 - 300,000 Miles","Days Available with Awards 301,000 - 400,000+ Miles"],["5.9%","24.4%","30.8%","38.5%"]]

[["From","To","Under 100,000 Miles","101,000 - 200,000 Miles","201,000 - 300,000 Miles","301,000 - 400,000+ Miles"],["\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nCharlotte","Dublin","3%","21%","45%","31%"],["#rowspan#","Frankfurt","16%","26%","33%","25%"],["#rowspan#","London","6%","50%","30%","15%"],["#rowspan#","Madrid","6%","23%","29%","41%"],["#rowspan#","Munich","12%","18%","34%","36%"],["#rowspan#","Paris","2%","11%","52%","35%"],["#rowspan#","Rome","1%","5%","28%","66%"],["\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nChicago","Athens","0%","2%","21%","77%"],["#rowspan#","Barcelona","1%","24%","51%","24%"],["#rowspan#","Dublin","1%","36%","50%","12%"],["#rowspan#","London","29%","65%","4%","2%"],["#rowspan#","Paris","4%","21%","40%","34%"],["#rowspan#","Rome","0%","24%","33%","42%"],["#rowspan#","Venice","4%","1%","35%","61%"],["\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nDallas","Amsterdam","0%","2%","46%","52%"],["#rowspan#","Barcelona","2%","6%","38%","53%"],["#rowspan#","Dublin","1%","9%","52%","38%"],["#rowspan#","Frankfurt","5%","19%","45%","31%"],["#rowspan#","London","19%","58%","20%","3%"],["#rowspan#","Madrid","4%","8%","45%","43%"],["#rowspan#","Paris","0%","24%","31%","45%"],["#rowspan#","Rome","2%","13%","30%","56%"],["Los Angeles","London","12%","63%","19%","6%"],["\n\n\n\nMiami","Barcelona","1%","13%","26%","60%"],["#rowspan#","London","2%","22%","55%","21%"],["#rowspan#","Madrid","2%","31%","25%","42%"],["#rowspan#","Paris","0%","40%","27%","32%"],["\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nNew York","Athens","3%","4%","30%","63%"],["#rowspan#","Barcelona","11%","37%","37%","15%"],["#rowspan#","London","34%","63%","2%","1%"],["#rowspan#","Madrid","11%","50%","32%","7%"],["#rowspan#","Milan","6%","18%","34%","42%"],["#rowspan#","Paris","4%","33%","38%","24%"],["#rowspan#","Rome","8%","60%","32%","0%"],["\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nPhiladelphia","Amsterdam","2%","4%","19%","76%"],["#rowspan#","Athens","0%","3%","25%","72%"],["#rowspan#","Barcelona","2%","19%","22%","57%"],["#rowspan#","Copenhagen","2%","1%","48%","49%"],["#rowspan#","Dublin","1%","19%","33%","47%"],["#rowspan#","Lisbon","1%","11%","28%","59%"],["#rowspan#","London","3%","40%","34%","23%"],["#rowspan#","Madrid","13%","33%","24%","30%"],["#rowspan#","Naples","2%","3%","15%","80%"],["#rowspan#","Nice","3%","5%","19%","72%"],["#rowspan#","Paris","3%","6%","22%","69%"],["#rowspan#","Rome","4%","7%","23%","65%"],["#rowspan#","Venice","1%","8%","29%","62%"],["#rowspan#","Zurich","1%","2%","15%","82%"],["Phoenix","London","1%","8%","47%","45%"],["Raleigh","London","4%","47%","23%","26%"]]

[["Connection","Route","Airline","Cost","Flight Number","Taxes"],["\nNone/Non-Stop","\nDallas-London","AA*","104,500","AA50","$6"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","BA","57,500","BA192","$732"],["\nU.S. Connection","\nRapid City-Dallas-London","AA/AA*","89,500","AA3649 / AA50","$6"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","\nAA*/BA","\n\n\n\n\n\n57,500","AA3649 / BA192","$737"],["\nEurope Connection","\nDallas-London-Milan","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","AA50 / BA576","$23"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","BA/BA","#rowspan#","BA192 / BA590","$750"],["\nU.S. Connection and Europe Connection","\nRapid City-Dallas-London-Milan","AA/AA*/BA","#rowspan#","AA3649 / AA50 / BA576","$23"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","AA/BA/BA","#rowspan#","AA3649 / BA192 / BA590","$754"]]

[["\n\nTo","Outbound","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Amsterdam","March","March","April","March","March"],["Athens","March","March","","",""],["Basel","March","March","","March","March"],["Bilbao","March","","","March",""],["Copenhagen","March","","April","March","March"],["Lisbon","March","","March","",""],["Milan","March","March","April","March","March"],["Nice","March","","April","March","March"],["Oslo","March","March","April","March",""],["Prague","March","","March","March",""],["Sofia","March","","March, April","",""],["Stuttgart","March","March","April","March",""],["Vienna","March","March","April","April","March"],["Zagreb","March","","March, April","",""],["Zurich","March","March","April","March","March"]]

Months in black at least one seat available; in blue, at least two seats; in green, at least four seats. Remember to use the data as a guide since availability can be volatile...

[["\nTo","Outbound","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","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"],["Amsterdam","March, April, July, Aug., Oct., Nov., Jan.","March, Nov., Dec.","Dec.","May, Aug., Dec.","April","March"],["Athens","March, April, Nov., Dec., Jan.","","","March, April, Dec.","",""],["Basel","March, April, Aug., Nov. to Jan.","March, April, Nov.","","Dec., Jan.","March",""],["Bilbao","March, Nov. to Jan.","Nov.","","March, Dec.","",""],["Copenhagen","March, April, Aug., Oct., Nov. to Jan.","March, April, Nov.","","","","March, April"],["Florence","July, Aug.","","","Aug.","",""],["Ibiza","April","","","April","",""],["Lisbon","March, Aug., Nov. to Dec.","Nov.","","March, Dec.","",""],["Marseille","Aug., Nov., Dec., Jan.","April","","April, Dec.","April",""],["Milan","March, April, Aug., Oct., Nov. to Jan.","March, April, Nov., Dec.","","May, Dec.","March, April","April"],["Nice","March, April, Aug., Nov., Jan.","April, Nov.","","March, April","March","April"],["Oslo","March, April, Aug., Nov., Dec.","April, Nov., Dec., Jan.","","March, May, Aug., Dec., Jan.","March, April","April"],["Prague","April, Aug., Nov., Dec., Jan.","April, Nov.","","March, April, Dec., Jan.","March",""],["Rome","April, Aug., Oct., Nov. to Jan. ","Nov.","","March, May, Dec.","",""],["Santorini","April","","","April","April",""],["Sofia","April, Aug., Nov., Jan.","Nov., Dec.","","April, Dec.","",""],["Stuttgart","Nov. to Jan.","Nov.","","March, April, Aug., Dec.","",""],["Venice","April, Aug., Oct., Nov. to Jan. ","Nov.","","April, Dec.","April",""],["Vienna","March, April, Nov. to Jan.","April, Aug., Nov.","April","May, Aug.","March","April"],["Zagreb","March, April, Nov., Jan.","","","March, April","",""],["Zurich","March, April, July, Aug., Oct., Nov., Dec.","April, Nov.","","May, Aug., Dec.","March, April","March, April"]]

[["\n\nTo","Outbound","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Amsterdam","March","March","April, Aug.","April","March"],["Basel","March","","April, Jan.","March","March"],["Copenhagen","March","","","","March, April"],["Frankfurt","March","","April","March","March"],["Nice","March","","","","March"],["Oslo","March","","Jan.","March, April","March, April"],["Paris","March","","April","April","March"],["Prague","March","","April","March","March"],["Sofia","March","","March, April","",""],["Stuttgart","March","","April","","March"],["Vienna","March","March","","","March, April"],["Zagreb","March","","April","March","March"],["Zurich","March","","Aug.","April","March"]]

[["\n\nTo","Outbound","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","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"],["Amsterdam","April, July, Nov., Dec., Jan.","March, April, July, Aug.","March, Aug.","","","March"],["Athens","March, April, Aug., Nov.","April, Aug.","","April, May, June, July, Aug., Nov., Dec., Jan.","","March"],["Basel","April, July, Aug., Nov., Jan.","March, Aug., Jan.","March, Aug.","April, May, June, Oct., Dec., Jan.","March, Nov.","March"],["Bilbao","March, Nov., Jan.","","","March, April, May, Nov., Dec.","",""],["Copenhagen","April, July, Nov., Dec., Jan.","March, April, July, Aug.","March, April, Aug.","July, Oct., Dec.","May, June, Sept., Oct., Nov.","March, April, May to July, Aug."],["Corfu","Aug.","Aug.","","April, May, June, July","May",""],["Florence","April, July, Aug.","Aug.","","June, July, Aug.","",""],["Frankfurt","March, April, Aug., Jan.","March, Aug.","","April to June, Aug., Oct., Nov., Dec.","April, May, Sept.","March, May, Sept."],["Krakow","March, Jan.","","","March","Nov.",""],["Lisbon","March, Aug., Nov., Dec.","Aug.","Aug.","April, May to Aug.","March, May, June, July, Dec.","June, July, Nov."],["Marseille","April,","April","","May, July, Aug., Oct., Dec.","March, April, May, June, Sept., Oct., Dec.","April., May, Nov."],["Milan","April, Aug., Nov., Dec., Jan.","March, April","March","May, June, Oct., Jan.","Dec.","March, April, Nov."],["Naples","April","Aug.","Aug.","Nov., Dec.","",""],["Nice","Nov.","","","","March","March, May"],["Oslo","March, April, Aug.","","","April to June, Aug., Oct., Dec.","March, April, May, Sept., Dec.","Nov."],["Palermo","April","","","April","",""],["Paris","April, July, Aug., Nov., Jan.","March, Aug.","","Sept., Oct., Dec.","April to June, Sept.","March, Nov."],["Pisa","April, Nov.","April","","March, May, Nov., Dec., Jan.","",""],["Prague","March, April, July, Nov., Dec., Jan.","","Aug.","March, April, Sept., Dec.","March, Nov.","Nov."],["Rome","April, Aug., Nov., Jan.","","Aug.","April, June, July, Aug., Sept.","March, May, July, Dec.","May, Nov."],["Santorini","April","","","April","",""],["Sofia","","April, Aug.","March, April, Aug., Nov., Dec., Jan.","March to June, July, Oct., Nov., Dec.","March, April, May, June, Nov., Dec.","May, Nov."],["Stuttgart","March, April, July, Aug., Nov.","March, April, July, Aug.","","April, May, June, July, Aug., Oct., Dec., Jan.","March, April, May, Aug., Sept., Nov.","March, Sept., Oct., Nov."],["Venice","April, July, Aug., Nov., Jan.","April","","March, April, May, Dec., Jan.","March, April, Dec.","Nov."],["Vienna","March, July, Aug., Jan.","March, April, July, Jan.","April, Aug.","June, July, Oct., Dec.","May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct.","March, April, May, June, Aug., Nov."],["Zagreb","March, April, Nov., Jan.","April","","April, May, Oct. to Jan.","March, Nov.","March"],["Zurich","April, July, Nov., Jan.","March, April, July, Aug.","March, April, Aug.","July, Oct.","May, June, Sept., Oct., Dec.","March, April, May, Aug., Sept., Nov."]]

[["\n\nTo","Outbound","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Amsterdam","April","March, April, Nov., Dec.","April",""],["Copenhagen","April","March","April","April"]]

[["\n\nTo","Outbound","Return","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month"],["Athens","Jan.","March, Jan.",""],["Copenhagen","March, Jan.","March, May, Jan.","March, April"],["Frankfurt","March, Jan.","March, April to June","March, Jan."],["Lisbon","Jan.","March, June, Jan.",""],["Marseille","Jan.","March, April, June, Jan.",""],["Milan","March, Jan.","March, April, Jan.","March, Jan."],["Nice","Jan.","March, May, Jan.",""],["Oslo","Jan.","March, April","April, Jan."],["Paris","March, Jan.","March, April, May, Jan.",""],["Prague","Jan.","March, April, Jan.",""],["Rome","Jan.","March, Jan.",""],["Stuttgart","Jan.","March, April, May, Jan.",""],["Venice","Jan.","March","Jan."],["Vienna","Jan.","March, April to June, Jan.",""],["Zurich","March, Jan.","March, April, May, June, Jan.","March"]]

107 Secret Routes to Europe That Offer Two or Three Business Class Tickets for the Price of One with American Miles

How Perfection Blindness is Robbing You of Great Award Deals – From the East Coast to the West – For the Whole Family

Percentage of time one-way awards are available Non-stop by price range: The summary

Pricing by route

Many travelers with a perfectionist mindset will stop right there and say, “I’m done. Darn airlines — there’s never anything for me to use my &^%$ miles on at a reasonable price.”

But they’re missing a golden opportunity that will quench their thirst.

ARC: Perfecting the Art of Being Imperfect

How Michael ARCed Up and Milked Maximum Mileage

Dallas to London Nonstop on American Using American Miles

Dallas to London Nonstop on British Airways Using American Miles

Michael’s brother Max decides to join him. Max lives in Rapid City.

Rapid City > Dallas > London on American Using American Miles

Rapid City > Dallas > London on American and British Airways

Now, over in Europe, it gets interesting — and even better.

Dallas > London > Milan on American and British Airways Using American Miles

Dallas > London > Milan on British Airways Using American Miles

Rapid City > Dallas > London > Milan on American Using American Miles

What a deal! The brothers collectively saved 158,000 miles.

That’s like a two-for-one to Europe.

Here’s all that in a table.

More Ways ARC Lands Big Value

Don't want to connect with BA through London?

Charlotte > Munich > Helsinki American and Finnair Using American Miles

AA’s One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability

One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Charlotte

One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Chicago

One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Dallas

One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Los Angeles

One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from New York

One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Philadelphia

One-Stop Low-Cost Low-Tax Free Award Seat Availability Trends from Raleigh-Durham

AA U.S. Route Map

Oh, it's such a perfect day

I'm glad I spent it with you

It's just a perfect day

You just keep me hanging on

You just keep me hanging on

~ “Perfect Day,” Lou Reed