What’s Happening in the Ever-Evolving World of Premium EasyUp and Flash Sale Fares
In a nutshell, they’re still around and—generally speaking—they are getting better for reasons I’ll detail.
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Locked-in elites don’t like to hear me say this so often, yet if you’re hyper-focused on United—or its Star Alliance—you could be playing unnecessary upgrade games. Consider the following…With summer economy fares high and international upgrades incurring co-pays on carriers including United, it’s often better to buy the EasyUp fare.
Example of Cheaper and Easier Booking: United’s lowest upgradeable economy fare is $1,446 on San Francisco-London for travel mid-week in August. Add to that the co-pay of $1,100, and you have an out-of pocket cost of $2,546 plus 40,000 miles (which are worth $1,000+ making the total ticket $3,500+)—and we’re not even talking about the difficulty of availability.
Yet, Delta has a $2,605 EasyUp fare on that route, only $58 more cash outlay. The miles saved are almost enough for a free domestic premium ticket, which is easily worth as much as $2,000+.
Takeaway: For every benefit you receive to be “elite”—think of the cost that comes with the shackles!
Also: In the example above you can clearly see why I coined the term “EasyUp” for the new fare category back in December, basing the term on the obvious benefits and its most salient feature, an automatic upgrade, either free or for a very reasonable cost—which ultimately negates the need to do back-flips to upgrade. Although I’m happy to do summersaults when I must, it’s nice when lower-cost premium travel is easy. Read more about the little-known fare trend in FCF’s December 2012 and January 2013 issue.
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BUSINESS CLASS
More Destinations, More Airlines, Fare Increases
To Asia
The best deals currently for Business Class travel to Asia are to Seoul, Shanghai, and Tokyo from the West Coast; and to Beijing, Seoul, and Shanghai from the East Coast. Fares start at about $3,000 on All Nippon, American, Delta, and United. Before the EasyUp fare eruption late last year, these fares were $4,000+ and when the new fares to Asia did arrive they could only be found to China, for the most part. Remember these fares are upgradeable to First on American and United (see FCF February for more).
To Europe
EasyUp fares currently start in the $2,000 to mid-$2,000 range for round-trip travel, which is up to 52% less than normal discounted fares to Europe (despite the fact that EasyUp fares have increased over the last few months). The number of airlines offering them has also increased: Even BA has gotten into the game (see our May 8 alert) along with Air France, Lufthansa, United and US Airways—which were not offering the fares before the landscape was upended late last year.
An interesting situation to think about is if one ought to be happy at the fare evolution’s greater prevalence at the expense of cost.
Airlines which allow EasyUp fares to Europe to be upgraded to First Class: American, British Airways, and United.
To South America
EasyUp fares currently start in the mid-$2,000’s round-trip, and are most often offered on American, with Delta and United matching from time to time. These fares didn’t exist that long ago, and they are being offered to more cities. Consider upgrading to First Class on United.
FIRST CLASS
More Destinations, More Airlines, and Lower Fares
Unlike Business Class fares, First Class is seeing many decreases in the lowest fares. This makes upgrading from Business Class to First with miles a bad call at times. On the other hand, is there anything better than getting a free upgrade to First Class without having to jump through hoops?
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The top 7 EasyUp fare deals found in our newsroom in May:
- Business Class fares to Europe and Asia starting at $1,997 (5/28)
- Summer Business Class fares to Europe starting at $2,399 (5/15)
- First Class to Europe on American starting at $3,550 (5/11 and 5/21)
- First Class to South America on American starting at $3,014 (5/22 and 5/24)
- First Class to Japan starting at $3,323 on American (5/7 and 5/21)
- Business Class from Canada to Europe starting at CA$2,632 (5/3)
- Business Class to Europe starting at $2,637 for travel now through 2014 on SkyTeam (5/10)
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To Asia
When American first came out with First Class EasyUp fares, it only offered them to China. Now China is off the list, but American offers the fares to Japan starting as low as $3,323—only $6 more than a discounted advance purchase Business Class fare—a true free upgrade to First Class. Even All Nippon and United have recently entered this game.
To Europe
American extended its summer deals to July 2. (see FCF May issue for more) Fares start as low as $3,550 and are available to more cities than ever before. Lufthansa, SWISS, and United even matched the fare for a few days—so more airlines are taking notice here and don’t want to be left out (as they were content to do only a few months ago).
To South America
First Class EasyUp fares have a built-in $500 round-trip surcharge for the upgrade and start as low as $3,014 r/t on American. The fares are now intermittently available to Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo, where they weren’t before.
When Amazing Fares on the Exact Route You Want Are Elusive…
- If your route does not offer a First Class EasyUp fare, but a Business Class one, book it with an airline that allows upgrading these fares with miles.
- If an EasyUp fare is offered to your destination but not from your departure city, consider grabbing the great fare and booking a separate ticket to that city.
- If a great fare is offered from your U.S. departure city but not to your destination, consider grabbing the great fare and booking a separate ticket to your final destination—and perhaps even make the EasyUp fare destination a stopover.
- Remember: EasyUp shelf-life is still short—sometimes they change by the hour; so if you find one, book it.