Fly United Business Class for 45,000 fewer miles to Asia, 32,000 fewer miles to Europe and South America—or save enough for a free domestic First Class round-trip for every long-haul booked.
Many FCF readers are United loyalists, or feel that they don’t have a choice, given the sway United holds in many cities.
That’s fine.
But many travelers use United co-branded credit cards well beyond the spend required to ‘waive’ the Premier Qualifying Dollars (PQDs) requirement to net elite status easier.
That’s where I draw the line.
Why? Because the miles are not transferable and you (likely) already have many United miles and therefore you don’t need any more of this limited-opportunity currency.
C’mon, you know it.
A Better Idea
(If you Insist on Flying United and Its Partners)
Earn Amex Points or Starwood Starpoints, and transfer them to an All Nippon mileage account. It makes a lot more sense because it gives you a much better value per mile.
The devil’s in the United details: All Nippon’s mileage program often has lower rates for United-operated flights than United’s own rate. Plus, award availability using All Nippon’s mileage program is often the same as United’s.
Furthermore, All Nippon’s mileage program award taxes are about the same as those that United charges to Asia, Europe, and South America.
BONDAGE BUSTER PROOF:
SAVE 32% / 45,000 MILES TO ASIA
For example, San Francisco-Beijing in Business Class costs 140,000 United miles round-trip and $36 in taxes. The same flight using All Nippon miles costs 95,000 miles and $72 in taxes.
United.com @ 140,000 Miles…
AllNippon.com @ 95,000 Miles…
BONDAGE BUSTER #2:
Sample trip to Europesaves 32,000 miles: On the Newark-London route United’s lowest Business Class award costs 120,000 miles and $291 in taxes for a Feb. 6 departure and a Feb. 20 return (these travel dates had four flights available using United miles and All Nippon miles; see screenshots below). Booking the flights using All Nippon miles costs 88,000 miles round-trip and $224 in taxes.
AllNippon.com with four United flights
United.com @ 120,000 Miles…
AllNippon.com @ 88,000 Miles…
BONDAGE BUSTER #3:
Sample trip to South Americasaves 32,000 miles: On the Chicago-São Paulo route United’s lowest Business Class award costs 120,000 miles and $56 in taxes, while All Nippon charges only 88,000 miles and $93 in taxes.
United.com @ 120,000 Miles…
AllNippon.com @ 88,000 Miles…
FIRST CLASS BONDAGE BUSTER #4:
Sample trip to Asiasaves 70,000 miles: Based on past FCF research, United almost never has First Class award space for its own flights, but sometimes it offers First Class seats on partners. However, they cost more. The solution is to book All Nippon’s First Class using All Nippon miles. On the Los Angeles-Tokyo route, United’s lowest First Class partner award costs 220,000 miles and $46 in taxes, whereas All Nippon charges 150,000 miles and $170 in taxes.
United.com @ 220,000 Miles…
AllNippon.com @ 150,000 Miles…
BONUS BONDAGE BUSTER:
Buying Amex Rewards points makes sense, even if you have none: Flying All Nippon Los Angeles-Tokyo in First Class costs $15,838, but the cost to buy 150,000 American Express points, the amount needed for the flight, comes to about $3,920 (including $170 for taxes). You save $11,918 or 75%.
HOW TO SEARCH FOR ALL NIPPON AWARD SPACE
Just create an All Nippon mileage account, which can be done in 5 minutes or less, and login. Then go to “Flight Awards”, click on “Partner Flight” and then click on “Award Reservation.” No sweat.