FCF readers seem to write us more often about A380 adventures than anything else. Which is why this month we’re starting the FCF A380 Cam, a sustained look at how to get the best deal on this path-breaking aircraft, whether it’s knowing low-cost mileage routes, routes with good mileage availability, new service, or other strategies that get you into Business or First Class.
We’re picking up from the June issue that looked at A380 routes with low fares and good mileage-award space. This time we’re focusing on low-cost routes for using miles.
There are 23 of them in the chart below, all accessible via the carrier’s own loyalty or a partner program. The chart also shows the best ways to get the miles if you don’t have them.
23 Low-Cost A380 Routes Using Miles R/T
[table_opt id="937" style="double-blue-header" width="wide" alignment="center" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="all"]
[["From \/ To","To \/ From","Operating Carrier","Class of Service","<strong>Opportunity #1: Partner Award Strategy<\/strong>","#colspan#","#colspan#","<strong>Opportunity #2: Buying Miles Strategy<\/strong>","#colspan#","#colspan#","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","Operating Carrier Miles Needed","Partner Carrier Miles Needed","Savings","Credit Card Transfer Partner Airline","Purchase from Credit Card","Normal Published Fare","Cost to Buy the Miles","Savings"],["Seoul","Hong Kong","Asiana","Business","80,000","30,000 \/ Air Canada","62%","Air Canada","AX","$1,359 ","$750","45%"],["Seoul","Tokyo","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","60,000","#rowspan#","50%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$974","$750","23%"],["Guangzhou","Beijing","China Southern","First","35,000","None","#colspan#","China Southern","SW","$1,689 ","Cannot buy all points needed; Starwood has a 20,000-point limit ","#colspan#"],["Beijing","Shenzhen","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$1,737 ","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["Dubai","Kuwait","Emirates","Business","30,000","None","#colspan#","Emirates","AX","$1,179 ","$750","36%"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","45,000","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$1,786 ","$1,125 ","37%"],["Dubai","Jeddah","#rowspan#","Business","30,000","None","#colspan#","Emirates","AX","$1,949 ","$750","62%"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","45,000","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$2,774 ","$1,125 ","59%"],["Auckland","Sydney","#rowspan#","Business","72,000","42,000 \/ Japan Airlines","42%","Japan Airlines","SW","$1,486 ","Cannot buy all points needed; Starwood has a 20,000-point limit ","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","108,000","65,000 \/ Japan Airlines","40%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$2,166 ","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["Dubai","Mumbai","#rowspan#","Business","55,000","42,000 \/ Japan Airlines","24%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$1,122 ","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","82,500","65,000 \/ Japan Airlines","21%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$1,462 ","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["Bangkok","Hong Kong","#rowspan#","Business","40,000","None","#colspan#","Emirates","AX","$475","$1,000 ","None"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","60,000","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$1,122 ","$1,500 ","#rowspan#"],["Singapore","Beijing","Singapore","Business","70,000","30,000 \/ Air Canada","57%","Air Canada","AX","$4,198 ","$750","82%"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","100,000","50,000 \/ Air Canada","50%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$5,408 ","$1,250 ","77%"],["Singapore","Hong Kong","#rowspan#","Business","55,000","30,000 \/ Air Canada","45%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$3,379 ","$750","78%"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","75,000","50,000 \/ Air Canada","33%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$4,819 ","$1,250 ","74%"],["Singapore","Shanghai","#rowspan#","Business","70,000","30,000 \/ Air Canada","57%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$4,070 ","$750","82%"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","100,000","50,000 \/ Air Canada","50%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$5,152 ","$1,250 ","76%"],["Bangkok","Osaka","Thai Airways","Business","75,000","30,000 \/ Air Canada","60%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$3,980 ","$750","82%"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","110,000","50,000 \/ Air Canada","55%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$4,212 ","$1,250 ","70%"],["Bangkok","Tokyo","#rowspan#","Business","75,000","30,000 \/ Air Canada","60%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$3,652 ","$750","80%"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","First","110,000","50,000 \/ Air Canada","55%","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$4,208 ","$1,250 ","70%"]]
<small><em>AX = Amex Rewards, SW = Starwood.</em></small>