FirstClassFlyer

Where are the premium United and Star Alliance award flight needles (Biz Class from 88,000 miles R/T) in the haystack? Find out how and where spontaneous travelers, partner-bookers, and flexible-destination travelers can win cheap awards in 2023 and into next year too.

Low-cost mileage award availability to Europe is as rare as a discounted surgeon’s fee these days. With American and United, our global research team is quickly losing patience (yes, terrible pun). As for Delta, I’ll go so far as to say it’s insulting to even redeem Delta miles these days for premium travel, as they’re usually only worth a penny, or much less. I’d almost feel better letting them expire! Picking between humiliation and loss is not easy.

Warning: when you see airlines below like Air Canada, All Nippon, Avianca, Lufthansa, and United, keep in mind that many of the points that you already have can be transferred into these airlines mileage programs, which you can also use to fly with partners. See chart below before you dive into the availability opportunities that follow based on the power of your points.

Star Alliance Sample Award Cost Comparison

Let’s first look at who offers the best deals, all other things and availability being equal…

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Star Alliance Partners & Level of Availability

In this chart below, at the top we include the points programs that can be transferred into airline mileage programs. In each row underneath, we describe the “relative availability” that the partner mileage program offers, as compared to the operating airline’s mileage program. In other words, with few exceptions, the operating airline’s mileage program usually offers the most mileage seats at discount levels, while partners offer either the same number of seats, less seats, or almost none.

Also note: in FCF’s award availability surveys at the bottom of this report, we cover availability using the operating airline’s miles, so you want to know which partners have the same or less seats, which this chart describes for Star Alliance airlines:

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Paging Doctor Heimlich:
The Chokingly Few Low-Cost Award Routes

Of 63 routes on United to Europe, we only found four routes with three or more months of availability for two or more seats in both directions. Meanwhile United typically offers close-in low-cost award availability on a handful of routes as well as a handful of routes with award seats in one direction.

We’re talking like 6% of routes have seats 27% or more of the time. I smell a colonoscopy, and that’s not good!
So what do you do when you’re set on getting premium flights to Europe using United miles or points transferred to Star Alliance mileage programs?

Latest First Class Trends to Europe
Flying United & Star Alliance Partners

Lufthansa First Class

New York to Frankfurt and Munich; and Boston and Washington, DC, to Munich offer award seat availability for up to two travelers for summer travel in both directions.

Booking Lufthansa First Class flights through partners is almost never available, although we have seen award seats in the past within 14 days of departure using partner Air Canada miles and on occasion United miles.

No Lufthansa miles? No problem! Save up to $5,828 in First Class to Europe with this strategy.

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Singapore Airlines First Class

There are some single-seat free award opportunities in January and February in both directions if you’re keen on a winter vacation across the pond.

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Business Class to Europe

United Business Class

As previously mentioned, United had only four routes with availability three or more months for two passengers. New York-London booking through United and its partners All Nippon, Air Canada, LifeMiles, Lufthansa/SWISS has seats for four or more travelers for close in travel in April, May, and again in November and February.

On other routes below to Europe, United typically offers close-in availability with a few scattered months in both directions. Below find the four routes we found.

Get Star Alliance partner connecting flights to over 60 cities all over Europe on United when booking with All Nippon and Lufthansa for the same or similar price. More on Skipping Stones.

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Austrian Airlines Business Class

On Austrian’s New York-Vienna route, booking through partner Lufthansa/SWISS miles offers award seats for four or more travelers for travel from July to March. Booking through partners All Nippon and Air Canada offers seats for up to four or more travelers for travel in January and February. Meanwhile, United offers seats for up to two travelers for travel from August to February. Partner LifeMiles offers almost zero seats.

Not flying to Vienna? Get Star Alliance partner connecting flights to over 25 cities all over Europe on Austrian when booking with All Nippon, Lufthansa, and United for the same or similar price. More on Skipping Stones.

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Brussels Airlines Business Class

On Brussels Airlines’ New York-Brussels route booking through partners All Nippon, Air Canada, LifeMiles, and Lufthansa/SWISS, you can find award seats for up to two travelers for travel in both directions, from December to March. Partner United miles offers almost zero seats.

Not flying to Brussels? Get Star Alliance partner connecting flights to over 25 cities all over Europe on Brussels Airlines when booking with All Nippon and Lufthansa for the same or similar price. More on Skipping Stones.

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LOT Polish Airlines Business Class

On LOT’s New York-Warsaw route, when booking through partners All Nippon, Air Canada, LifeMiles, Lufthansa/SWISS, and United you can find award seats for up to two travelers for travel from August to February. Chicago to Warsaw has up to two seats for travel in October, January, and February in both directions.

Not flying to Poland? Get Star Alliance partner connecting flights to over 25 cities all over Europe on LOT when booking with All Nippon, Lufthansa, and United for the same or similar price. More on Skipping Stones.

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Lufthansa Business Class

We’ve found award seats available using Lufthansa miles on a number of Lufthansa’s routes including from Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco, as well as the Washington, DC-Frankfurt and Boston, Chicago, Miami, and Washington, DC-Munich routes. Partners All Nippon, Air Canada and LifeMiles only have a handful of seats for close-in departure. United offered even less.

Not flying to Frankfurt or Munich? Get Star Alliance partner connecting flights to over 25 cities all over Europe on Lufthansa when booking through All Nippon and United for the same or similar price. More on Skipping Stones.

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Singapore Airlines Business Class

Booking through Singapore’s Kris Flyer program, New York-Frankfurt is wide open from April to March for four or more travelers. Houston to Manchester has award seat availability for four or more travelers for travel in January and February both directions, and up to two-seat availability in August and from October to March in both directions.

Booking Singapore flights through partners is almost never available, although we have seen award seats on Singapore’s New York-Frankfurt route in the past using partner Air Canada miles. More on Skipping Stones.

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SWISS Business Class

Booking through SWISS’ Miles&More program, the New York-Zurich route has wide open award seats for four or more travelers in both directions for travel in July, August, and October to March.

New York to Geneva has wide open award seats for four or more travelers for travel in both directions from April to March; Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Montreal, and San Francisco to Zurich offer seats for four or more travelers in both directions.

Booking through partners All Nippon, Air Canada, and LifeMiles offers a handful of seats for four or more travelers for travel in April and May, both directions, and on the return from October to January. Partner United offers almost zero seats.

Not flying to Geneva or Zurich? Get Star Alliance partner connecting flights to over 20 cities all over Europe on SWISS when booking with All Nippon for the same or similar price. More on Skipping Stones.

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TAP Air Portugal Business Class

Booking the airline’s New York-Lisbon route through partners All Nippon, Air Canada, and United offers free award seats for four or more travelers for travel from November to February. Most other routes (see below) offer four or more seats for travel in January and February. Partners LifeMiles and Lufthansa/SWISS offer almost no seats.

Not flying to Lisbon? Get Star Alliance partner connecting flights to over 25 cities all over Europe on TAP when booking with All Nippon and United for the same or similar price. More on Skipping Stones.

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Workaround Magic

Low-cost award availability may be rare, but not impossible. Savvy travelers who know how to scour the haystack can find those previous cost-saving needles.

Keep these tips in mind: Be flexible and fly on the few dates that actually have Business or First Class award seats. Don’t lock yourself into a time and place that doesn’t have great award availability. Book based on a great opportunity, instead. And keep your eyes on the charts so you can find the best ways to put your miles to work for you.

Then stretch out in your premium seat and enjoy the flight in upgraded comfort all the way across the pond.

Mining for Miles Availability: 10 Common Mistakes Most Travelers
Make

Don’t See Your Origin and/or Destination in an FCF Headline? This Report Was Made For You.

United Partner Power 101: Hidden Opportunities and Mileage Availability Comparison

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[["\nRoute","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"],["Chicago - Frankfurt","Nov., Dec., Jan., Feb., March","","Jan.","April","",""],["Boston - Munich","April, Oct.","July, Aug.","July, Aug.","June, July, Sept.","April, July, Aug., Oct.","Aug."],["Chicago - Munich","April, Sept., Oct.","July","July","April, Sept., Oct.","",""],["New York - Munich","July, Aug., Oct.","","","June","",""],["Washington, DC - Munich","April, May, June","Sept.","July, Aug., Oct.","April to July, Oct.","Sept.","Aug."]]

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...

[["To / From Frankfurt","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"],["New York","","Jan., Feb.","","Oct., Nov.","","Dec. to March"]]

Months in black at least one seat available. Remember to use the data as a guide since availability can be volatile...

[["\n\nTo / From Vienna","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"],["Chicago","Dec.","April","Jan., Feb.","June, Nov.","","April, Dec. to Feb. "],["Montreal","Dec.","Jan., Feb.","Jan.","May, June, Nov.","Jan., Feb. ","Dec. "],["New York","April, July to Sept., Dec.","April, July, Oct., Dec.","Aug., Jan. to Feb.","July, Sept.","July, Oct., Dec. ","April to June, Aug., Oct., Nov., Dec., Jan. to March "],["Washington, DC","","Feb.","Jan.","April","Dec. ","Jan., Feb. "]]

[["\n\nTo / From Brussels","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"],["New York","Nov., Dec.","","Jan. to Feb.","Nov.","Nov., Dec.","Jan. to Feb."]]

[["To / From Warsaw","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"],["Chicago","April, Aug., Dec.","April, July, Oct., Dec.","April, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov., Jan., Feb.","April, Aug.","Oct.","June, July, Aug., Sept., Oct., Nov. to Feb."],["New York","April, July, Aug., Sept. to Nov., Dec., March","Oct., Nov.","April, Jan., Feb.","April, May, June, Oct., Nov., Dec., March","June, Sept., Jan.","Jan., Feb."]]

[["\n\nRoute","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"],["Chicago - Frankfurt","May","","April, July to March","","May, June, July","April., May, July, Aug. to March"],["Houston - Frankfurt","Sept.","April, July","Aug., Oct.","May to July, Oct., Feb.","Sept.","April, Aug., Sept."],["Los Angeles - Frankfurt","April, Dec.","Jan.","Jan., Feb., March","Nov., Dec.","April, Jan.","Feb., March"],["Miami - Frankfurt","April, Sept., Dec., Jan., March","Feb.","Feb.","April, July, Aug., Sept., Nov.","May","June, Aug., Sept., Jan. to March"],["New York - Frankfurt","May","Sept.","April, July, Aug., Oct. to March","June., July, Aug., Sept.","Oct.","April, Nov. to March"],["San Francisco - Frankfurt","July, Aug., Oct.","April","Nov. to March","May","Aug., Nov.","April, Nov. to March"],["Washington, DC - Frankfurt","May, June","April, Sept.","July, Aug., Oct. to March","May to July, Sept.","May","April, Aug., Oct. to March"],["Boston - Munich","June, Sept., Feb., March","April, July, Aug., Oct., Dec., Jan.","April, July, Oct.","May to Aug., Nov.","June, July, Sept., March","April, Aug., Sept., Oct., Dec. to Feb."],["Chicago - Munich","May","Sept.","April, July, Oct. to March","May","May, June, July","April, July, Oct. to March"],["Miami - Munich","April, Jan., March","Feb.","","April, Nov., Dec.","April","Jan. to March"],["Washington, DC - Munich","","May, June","May, July to March","April","June, July, Oct.","May, June, July, Aug., Sept., Nov. to March"]]

[["\n\nRoute","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"],["New York - Geneva","","","April to March ","","","April to March"],["Boston - Zurich","April, July, Aug., Sept.,","Oct., Nov.","Jan. to March ","May, June to Aug., Nov. ","June, Sept.","April, July to Sept., Oct., Dec. to March"],["Chicago - Zurich","Aug., Sept., Oct.","May","May, Sept., Nov. ","Sept., Jan., Feb., March ","July, Sept., Dec.","May, June, July, Sept., Oct., Nov., Dec."],["Los Angeles - Zurich","April, Nov.","Nov., Dec. to March","Feb.","April, Dec. ","Dec., Jan., March","Feb."],["Miami - Zurich","April, July, Oct., Feb., March","Feb.","","May, June, Sept. ","April, Aug.","Jan. to March"],["Montreal - Zurich","May, July, Oct.","July","April, Nov. to March ","Aug., Oct.","May","April, Nov. to March"],["New York - Zurich","March, May, June, Sept.","Oct., March","April, July, Aug., Oct., Nov. to Feb., March","March ","","April to March"],["San Francisco - Zurich","Dec., Jan.","April, Dec., Jan., Feb., March","","April, Nov., March ","April, Dec. to Feb.","April"]]

[["\nTo / From Lisbon","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"],["Boston","Dec.","Nov.","Jan., Feb.","Nov.","Jan.","Dec., Jan., Feb."],["Chicago","Jan., Feb.","","","Jan.","Feb.",""],["Miami","Jan., Feb.","","","Dec.","","Jan., Feb."],["Montreal","Jan., Feb.","","","Dec., Jan.","","Feb."],["New York","Nov., Dec.","Nov.","Jan., Feb.","Nov., Dec.","","Jan., Feb."],["Toronto","Nov.","","Jan., Feb.","","Dec.","Jan., Feb."],["Washington, DC","Nov.","","Jan., Feb.","","","Jan., Feb."]]

Euro-logist Needed to Unblock the Star Alliance Award Availability Crisis Across the Pond, Part 1