Even if you’re not flying the routes covered below and on pages 12, 13, and 14, you can still use the information for itinerary planning, specifically to find connecting flights most likely to have upgrades available, flights with newer seats, a free award seat—or perhaps all three.
Good Business Class Award Availability to Europe on Air Canada (Star Alliance)
New Routes: Next summer Air Canada starts Toronto-Milan year-round on June 18; Toronto-Lisbon (three times weekly June 26 to Sept. 13); Toronto-Manchester (five times weekly June 26 to Sept. 13); Montreal-Nice (three times weekly June 5 to Oct. 13); Montreal-Barcelona (twice weekly June 4 to Oct. 11); and Toronto-Dublin (year-round starting May 1).
On one of the routes, Toronto-Milan, FCF found good mileage availability. Flat-bed Business Class seats are 75 to 79-inches-long, up to 21-inches wide, and are equipped with a 12 to 15.4-inch touch screen monitor.
A round-trip award ticket to Europe is 90,000 miles. Request award space online here. See chart below for Business Class mileage award availability.
Survey of Award Availability on Air Canada for One Traveler in Business Class: Toronto-Milan
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Getting Air Canada Aeroplan Miles: Transfer 80,000 Starpoints (with the 25% bonus, you’ll have 90,000 miles for Business Class) or Amex Rewards points.
Business Class Award Taxes: Using Air Canada miles incurs upwards of $957 in taxes, whereas using LifeMiles the cost is only $114 (see page 1 for more on LifeMiles).
Using Air Canada’s Route System: Toronto is one of Air Canada’s major hubs and a good jumping-off point for Edmonton, Quebec, Winnipeg, and dozens of other cities. Click here for Air Canada’s route map.
Air Canada’s European airline partners for connecting flights in Barcelona, Dublin, Manchester, Milan, Nice, and Lisbon include Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, and Scandinavian Airlines. Air Canada does not charge extra miles for connecting travel within Europe. For example, Toronto to Frankfurt via Milan is 90,000 miles round-trip including the Milan-Frankfurt flight on Lufthansa.
Good Business Class Award Availability to Europe on Air France (SkyTeam)
Aircraft Change: On March 30, 2014, Air France starts A380 service on San Francisco-Paris, with 9 First Class Seats, 80 Business Class seats, and 38 Premium Economy seats. Each First Class Seat is 21-inches wide, turns into a 78-inch-long flat-bed, and has a 10.4-inch monitor.
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Lufthansa’s First Class Seat[/caption]
Premium Economy seats (see the March issue for more on how FCF defines Premium Economy) are 19-inches wide, have 38-inches of pitch, recline 123-degrees, and are equipped with a 10.4-inch monitor.
A round-trip award ticket to Paris is 125,000 miles in Business Class and 100,000 miles in Premium Economy (First Class can only be redeemed by elites at the flex rate, 325,000 miles.) Request award space online here.
Survey of Award Availability in Business Class on Air France for One Traveler; SFO-Paris
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Getting Air France Flying Blue Miles: Transfer 100,000 Starpoints for Business Class—with the 25% bonus, you have 125,000 miles—and 80,000 miles for Premium Economy, or Amex Rewards points.
Even Better: Use Alitalia Millemiglia miles, which brings Business Class awards down to 80,000 miles if you book your ticket by Dec. 31. On Jan. 1, 2014, the rate goes up to 100,000 miles.
Getting Alitalia Millemiglia Miles: Transfer 65,000 Starpoints for Business Class now—with the 25% bonus; you have 80,000 miles—and 80,000 miles as of Jan. 1, 2014, or 80,000 Amex Rewards points.
Business Class Award Taxes: Book via Air France miles, and you will pay upwards of $660 in taxes; but if you book via Alaska miles (125,000 miles for the award) the tax is only $164, and via Alitalia miles, $361.
Using Air France’s Route System: Paris is Air France’s hub and a good jumping-off point to Athens, Dubai, and dozens of other cities. Click here for Air France’s route map.
Air France’s domestic airline partner for connecting flights to its U.S. gateways are Alaska and Delta. Air France does not charge extra miles for connecting travel within the U.S. For example, departing Seattle to Paris via SFO is 125,000 miles round-trip including the Seattle-SFO flight on Alaska.
Good First Class Award Availability to Europe on American (oneworld)
Seasonal Aircraft Change: Next year American is introducing B777-200ERs on three European routes: Dallas-Madrid on April 1, Dallas-Paris on May 8, and adding another B777-200ER on one of its four Chicago-London flights on May 8. This is huge, because B767s only have Business Class seats, whereas B777s have 16 First Class seats meaning these three routes have a lot of First Class availability through Aug. 18, 2014, which can be booked with American miles, British Airways miles, and Alaska miles.
First Class seats come in a 1-2-1 configuration, turn into a 78-inch-long, lie-flat-bed, and have privacy dividers, power ports, and 8.4-inch touch screen monitors.
A round-trip award ticket to Europe is 125,000 miles in First Class with American miles; 120,000 to 150,000 with British Airways Avios, and 125,000 with Alaska Airlines miles. Request award space online here on American. See chart below for First Class mileage award availability (Business Class hardly has any space.)
Survey of Award Availability on American for One Traveler in First Class
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Getting American AAdvantage Miles: Transfer 100,000 Starpoints for First Class—with the 25% bonus, you’ll have 125,000 miles.
Perhaps Even Better: If you don’t have American miles or Starwood points; buy Alaska miles. The cost for a First Class award ticket is the same as AA at 125,000 miles round-trip, but right now Alaska is offering up to a 35% buying miles bonus. When AA has First Class award availability using its own miles, Alaska availability currently looks great, too. Through Alaska’s current purchase bonus, Dallas-Paris in First Class would only cost $2,808—normally as high as $15,000 if you didn’t have a Saturday-night stay or no advance purchase.
Using American’s Route System: Not flying the routes mentioned above? Chicago and Dallas are both American hubs and good jumping-off points for dozens of other cities. Click here for American’s route map.
American’s airline partners for connecting flights in Europe are AirBerlin, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia. AA does not charge extra miles for connecting travel within Europe. For example, Chicago-Moscow via London is 125,000 miles in First Class (intra-Europe flights are in Business Class).
[aside headline="American New Business Class Seat Roll-out Update" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]AA intends to retrofit its entire fleet of Boeing 777-200ERs to include lie-flat Business Class seats, beginning in early 2014.[/aside]
Good First and Business Class Award Availability to the Middle East on Etihad Airways
New Routes: On June 1, Etihad Airways starts non-stop Los Angeles-Abu Dhabi (the airline’s fourth U.S. gateway, along with New York, Chicago and Washington, DC) using a B777. The 8 First Class Suites, configured 1-2-1, have sliding privacy doors, and mini-bar, a 29.5-inch-wide seat that converts to an 80-inch-long bed, and a 23-inch monitor. The 40 flat-bed Business Class seats, arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, are 20-inches wide and have a 15.4-inch monitor.
A round-trip award ticket to Abu Dhabi is 292,572 miles in First Class and 232,974 miles in Business Class when booking with Etihad miles. Request award space online here. See chart below for First and Business Class mileage award availability.
Survey of Award Availability on Etihad Airways for Two Travelers Los Angeles-Abu Dhabi
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Getting Etihad Guest Miles: Transfer 240,000 Starpoints for First Class—with the 25% bonus, you’ll have 292,572 miles—and 188,000 miles for Business Class.
Even Better: Use American AAdvantage miles, which brings a Business Class award down to 135,000 miles and First Class to 180,000 miles round-trip.
Getting American AAdvantage Miles: Transfer 145,000 Starpoints for First Class—with the 25% bonus, you’ll have 180,000 miles—and 110,000 miles for Business Class.
First Class Award Taxes: Book with Etihad miles and you will pay $82 in taxes; if you book via American, the cost is $43.
Using Etihad Airways’ Route System: Abu Dhabi is its hub and a good jumping-off point to Amman, Delhi, and dozens of other cities. Click here for Etihad Airways’ route map.
Etihad Airways’ domestic airline partner for connecting flights to its U.S. gateways is American. Etihad does charge extra miles for connecting travel within North America. American miles can often cost less because it uses a zone chart and it does not charge extra for connecting flights in the Continental U.S., which is one zone.
Good Business Class Award Availability to Europe on Lufthansa from Canada (Star Alliance)
New Routes: On June 5, Lufthansa starts non-stop Toronto-Munich service using an A330-300. The 8 First Class Seats have a 1-2-1 configuration, offer an 84-inch-long flat-bed, are 31-inches wide (width at shoulder is 27-inches), and have a 17-inch monitor. The flight will also have Business Class seats arranged 2-2-2.
They are 20 inches wide, convert into a 78-inch-long flatbed—per Lufthansa’s PR office, “it is too early to say whether the flight will have the new Business Class or not,” but it appears that Lufthansa hopes to have it on this route—and have a 15-inch monitor.
A round-trip award ticket to Munich is 170,000 miles in First and 105,000 miles in Business Class with Lufthansa miles. Request award space online here.
Survey of Award Availability, Using Lufthansa Miles, for One Traveler: Toronto-Munich
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Getting Lufthansa Miles & More Miles: Transfer 140,000 Starpoints for First Class—with the 25% bonus, you’ll have 175,000 miles—and 85,000 miles for Business Class.
Business Class Award Taxes: Book with Lufthansa miles and you will pay upwards of $984, but book with US Airways miles and the cost drops to $144; book with LifeMiles and taxes/fees are about $114.
First Class on Lufthansa is generally not available more than 14 days out on partner awards.
Using Lufthansa’s Route System: Munich, one of Lufthansa’s two German hubs, is a good jumping-off point to places like Delhi, Istanbul, Moscow, and dozens of other cities. Click here for Lufthansa’s route map.
Lufthansa’s domestic airline partners for connecting flights to its Canadian or U.S. gateways are Air Canada, United, and US Airways. Lufthansa does not charge more miles for connecting travel within North America (except for Hawaii departures). For example, Winnipeg to Munich via Toronto at 105,000 miles round-trip includes the Winnipeg-Toronto flight on Air Canada.
[aside headline="For FCF Subscribers Who Live Abroad" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]Knowing the months that have favorable mileage award availability on Air Canada, Air France, American, Etihad, Lufthansa, and US Airways enables you to get a better flight experience from many countries to the U.S. or Canada.[/aside]
Good Business Class Award Availability to Europe on US Airways (Star Alliance)
New Seasonal Routes: Next summer US Airways will offer four new seasonal European routes from Charlotte: to Barcelona (May 22 to Oct. 24, 2014), Brussels (June 5 to Sept. 1, 2014), Manchester (May 22 to Sept. 28, 2014), and Lisbon (May 22 to Sept. 28, 2014).
On one of the routes, Charlotte-Brussels, FCF research found good mileage availability. US Airways will use a B767 on this route, with 18 Business Class seats in a 2-2-2 layout, 170-degree recline, 20.5-inches wide, 62 inches of pitch.
A round-trip award ticket to Europe is 100,000 miles in Business. Request award space online here. See chart below for Business Class mileage award availability.
Award Availability on US Airways in Business Class, Charlotte-Brussels
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Getting US Airways Dividend Miles: Transfer 80,000 Starpoints. With the 25% bonus, you’ll have 100,000 miles for Business Class.
Using US Airways’ Route System: Charlotte is one of US Airways’ hubs and a good jumping-off point for Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix, and dozens of other cities. Click here for US Airways’ route map.
US Airways’ European airline partners for connecting flights beyond Brussels include Brussels Airlines, Lufthansa, and Scandinavian Airlines. US Airways does not charge extra miles for connecting travel within Europe. For example, departing Charlotte to Copenhagen via Brussels is 100,000 miles round-trip including the Brussels Copenhagen flight on Brussels or Scandinavian Airlines.