Here’s the best book-it-yourself way to snag an award or upgrade a ticket—and even better (we think) than relying on a reservationist. For this guide we’ll use an easy route: San Francisco to Seoul, departing on February 10 and returning on February 24.
Step One: Find out who flies the route
We recommend using the software program ITA (Innovative Travel Technology). Anyone can easily log in as a guest and search flight options for a route. ITA link
Step Two: Get your preferred schedule
ITA’s information menu is simple—divided into non-stop flights and everything else. Seeking non-stops only on the San Francisco to Seoul route, we found five options: Continental, Delta, Korean, Singapore, and United. Clicking on the fight details for each, we learned that Continental code-shares with United, and Delta code-shares with Korean, which reduces our five choices to three: Korean, Singapore, and United.
Step Three: Check partner airlines online
Singapore and United are in the Star Alliance. United also partners with seven non-alliance carriers, and Singapore partners with two non-alliance carriers. Korean is in the SkyTeam alliance, and it also has two non alliance partners. So even though you might not have any miles with Korean, Singapore, United, or any of the alliance airlines, you might have miles on their partners, such as Alaska, which partners with Korean. Or Emirates and Aer Lingus for United.
Step Four: Use two different credit card accounts to best advantage
We’ll use Starwood and Amex Rewards because we think they offer the greatest benefits, each for different reasons. Starwood gives you the most transfer partner options (32) and a 25% bonus for every 20,000 points transferred. Amex Rewards offers a generous mileage-purchase limit, up to 500,000 points annually, a great benefit if your preferred airline does not offer a buying miles option.
We recommend planning ahead by having miles in a few different airline accounts at the ready: All Nippon and US Airways for the Star Alliance, transferred from Starwood; Delta and Alaska Airlines for SkyTeam, transferred from Starwood.
Let’s also assume that we just emptied out our Delta account on a trip and forgot to transfer points to replenish it. In order to get miles quickly, we will transfer points from Amex Rewards. If you have no miles or credit card points, you could also resort to airline partners that allow you to buy all the miles needed, such as Alaska Airlines, which partners with Korean. For the Star Alliance airlines, buy all the miles needed from US Airways, which partners with Lufthansa, SWISS, and United among others. But before buying the miles, compare the cost to the lowest published Business or First Class fare.
Step Five: Book the flight
Keep these nuggets in mind when you do.
• Compare Mileage Redemption Charts:
Singapore charges 230,000 miles for a round-trip Business Class ticket and United 125,000 miles. But if you book the same seat with US Airways, a Star Alliance partner, you will only pay 90,000 miles, while Air Canada, another Star Alliance partner, costs 100,000 miles.
Korean charges up to 185,000 miles (depending on season and seat type) for a round-trip Business Class ticket; but by booking Korean via Alaska Airlines, the ticket costs 105,000 miles.
• Compare Seat Comfort:
On the San Francisco to Seoul route only two airlines offer a fully flat-bed Business Class seat: Singapore and United.
• Upgrade to First Class:
Use a few more miles on the San Francisco to Seoul route and go for a First Class award ticket, which is well worth it given that the ticket can cost $8,000 or more. Korean and United offer a saver First Class award (Singapore does not on this route, because of the aircraft used). We found that United had the best availability in both directions for December, and June through July.