FirstClassFlyer

Leveraging one of the best ways to get in the upgrade game almost instantly

More and more airlines nowadays restrict mileage- purchase, a favorite FCF tool because it gets you into the upgrade game lightning fast. The most common restrictions include imposing a waiting period before you can buy miles or requiring an account to have existing miles to purchase.

Below is a chart listing the major airlines offering mileage-purchase, the restrictions each imposes, and a workaround. Often that just boils down to one word: planning.

The best airlines from a no-planning, mileage-purchase perspective are: Air France, Avianca (Life Miles), KLM, Thai Airways, and United because none of them impose restrictions. (See special reports on SkyTeam and Star Alliance, for more details on getting miles fast and easy.)

[table_opt style="blue-header" id="1821 " width="" alignment="center" responsive="all" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter"]

Leveraging one of the best ways to get in the upgrade game almost instantly

Below is a chart listing the major airlines offering mileage-purchase, the restrictions each imposes, and a workaround. Often that just boils down to one word: planning.

[table_opt style="blue-header" id="1821 " width="" alignment="center" responsive="all" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter"]

...

[["Restriction:<\/span><\/strong><\/font>","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["Mileage Balance Required in Account<\/strong> \n(before you can purchase)","New Account Waiting Period<\/strong>\n(after joining loyalty program)","Both a Waiting Period and Prior Balance Required<\/strong>"],["Alitalia: at least 25% of the award cost","American: 30 days","Delta: 10 days and at least one mile"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["British Airways: at least one mile","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","Iberia: 3 months","#rowspan#"],["Cathay Pacific: at least one mile","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["Iberia: at least one mile or","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","LAN: 3 months","#rowspan#"],["LAN: at least 1,600 kilometers (about 994 miles) or","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","*Etihad: 2 days","#rowspan#"],["Qatar: at least 3,000 miles","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["Emirates: at least one mile","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","Alaska: 10 days","#rowspan#"],["Virgin Atlantic: at least one mile","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["Workaround:<\/span><\/strong><\/font>","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["Need to Have Miles in the Account<\/strong>","Waiting Period<\/strong>","Need Both<\/strong>"],["Transfer points from a credit card, rent a car or book a hotel from a mileage-earning partner, or through retail or dining programs.","So you'\u0092re ready for any opportunity that surfaces, sign up now.","← See the two here. "]]

When more than two consecutive months are indicated, it includes the entire last month. Thus, Jan. to April means “through April.”

Getting Around Obstacles to Buying Miles

Leveraging one of the best ways to get in the upgrade game almost instantly

Leveraging one of the best ways to get in the upgrade game almost instantly

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