The bona fide First Class seat is the white rhino of air travel: singular, rare and endangered. One of the airlines that does First Class best today is British Airways, but the problem is still the cost. A full First Class fare on the NewYork to London route can easily cost $16,000.
Here are fiveways that can get you a First Class BA seat for up to 87% less.
Use BA’S Mileage Upgrade ProgramIt’s the best way to save. BA only requires 50,000 miles for a round-trip upgrade to Europe and it allows upgrades from the lowest promotional Business Class fare (booking code I). When BA is running a Business Class promotion, as it is now, you can save as much as $14,000 (87%). (Business Class promotional fares to London start at $1,800 from NYC and $2,600 from SFO.) BA miles can be easily transferred from Starwood or Diners Club.
• Take Advantage of the BA Visa 2-for-1 Promotion
Buy one First Class ticket at full price and receive the second ticket free. From NYC to Johannesburg the fare is $18,390 or $9,195 per person, only about $2,500 more than Business Class.
For details: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/offerusvisa2for1/public/en_us?source=spoffers
• Book 42 Days Out
Chicago to London 42-day advance fare is $7,057 (booking code A) vs. full First Class at $16,778.
• Book the Ticket in the UK
LAX to London round-trip is $12,542 (42-day advance) while London to LAX is $8,233 round-trip and only requires 7-day advance purchase. To get on a London-US flight pattern, purchase a one-way discounted Business Class fare or use a mileage ticket to the UK.
• Book Via Partner Airlines
From the US, British Airways requires 150,000 - 195,000 miles to Europe, 195,000 - 270,000 to Africa, and up to 360,000 to Asia. But its partner airlines that use a flight-distance award chart often ask for fewer miles. For instance, Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles requires 120,000 miles from NYC to London, and 180,000 miles from NYC to Tokyo for a First Class ticket. Alaska Airlines asks for 140,000 to Europe and 160,000 to Africa.