The Deal: Business Class to Europe for 50,000 miles, the same cost as many airlines charge for economy.
Two Ways to Get It: Transfer 40,000 Starwood Starpoints to Air France’s Flying Blue mileage program and receive 50,000 Flying Blue miles with the 25% transfer bonus, or transfer 50,000 points from Amex’s Membership Rewards Program. If needed, the miles can be purchased for $1,250 from Amex.
Window of Opportunity: Through Sept. 28, for U.S. departures, and Oct. 29, for Canada departures.
Gateways & Destinations: From Atlanta, Calgary, Dallas, and New York on KLM, and from Houston on Air France (57,500 miles) to more than 40 European cities.
More Info: Flying Blue Promotion
The Deal: 65% Off British Airways First Class
Getting It: By taking advantage of a new rule that allows Membership Reward members to transfer points into British Airways’ Executive Club for travel on BA and its partners.
Smart Alternative: Buy the points from Amex Rewards (2.5¢ each; 500,000 annual limit). British Airways requires only 25,000 points, round-trip, to upgrade from Premium Economy to Business (low-season fares start as low as $659). The fare plus the points come to $1,284, a lot less than BA’s $2,100+ Business Class fare. BA’s Executive Club is also one of the few programs that allows upgrading to First Class from the lowest Business Class fares (I class). For example: Currently, the lowest 50-day advance Business Class fare from Los Angeles to London is $3,055 and requires 50,000 Amex Reward points ($1,250), for a total of $4,305. BA’s best published First Class fare is $12,522, a savings of $8,217 (65%).
When: The new partnership between BA and Amex becomes official later this year.