How to get to Asia in Business Class for $1,850 or First Class for $2,590 (versus $30,000+); and to Europe in Business Class for $1,850 or First Class for $3,145
You might think that Alaska Airlines doesn’t fly to the places you want to go, but freeze that thought for a moment, because this little airline holds the key to a glacier-sized opportunity for travelers who don’t book backwards. The airline is discounting miles right now to 1.85 cents through August 21.
Buy Alaska Miles, Not Flights
The idea is not to use your cheaply bought miles on Alaska Airlines’ limited flight options, but instead to redeem them for flights on Alaska’s partners: Iberia, Japan Airlines, Qatar Airways, and 23 other carriers.
For Business and First Class flights, you could net savings of up to 91%. Your miles can also be used for itineraries that don’t originate in the U.S., and for amazing round-the-world deals. More on that later.
If you don’t fly often and are looking to buy miles for a specific trip with firm dates, make sure there’s availability BEFORE you purchase miles.
Save Up to 91% Off Premium Flights
Alaska Airlines loves a miles sale, and you can typically save 50% to 60% during these sale periods, which occur every couple of months or so.
You can’t buy Japan Airlines miles, but with Alaska’s buy-miles deal you can get Japan Airlines First Class seats from New York to Tokyo for 140,000 miles round-trip, or $2,590. When you compare that to a $20,900 published New York-Tokyo fare, you’re looking at a savings of $18,310/88%. Or you can get a Business Class fare for 120,000 miles, which costs just $2,220 compared to the regular published fare of $8,264, a 73% savings.
Insider tip: Alaska Airlines often offers close-in First Class availability for Japan Airlines flights. We’ve seen as many as five First Class seats available for a handful of days in August using Alaska miles. It’s easy to book online with Alaska Airlines and if you’re looking to book close in, you can score big.
So, if you’re already heading to Asia soon, consider canceling your ticket and using Alaska miles instead, using FCF’s two-step strategy.FCF’s two-step strategy.
Comparing Normal First Class Fares TO ASIA With the Alaska Strategy
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SAMPLE First Class Savings to Europe
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Sample First Class Savings to Brazil
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Sample First Class Savings to THE SOUTH PACIFIC
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Comparing Normal Business Class Fares With the Alaska Strategy TO ASIA
With Alaska’s buy-miles deal you can get a Cathay Pacific Business Class fare for 100,000 miles round-trip. At 1.85 cents each, the cost is $1,850 versus $6,074, which amounts to about 70% off.
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Up to 52% Savings to Europe in Business Class
With Alaska’s buy-miles deal you can get Air Tahiti Nui’s Business Class for 120,000 miles round-trip. At 1.85 cents each, the cost is $2,220, or 52% off.
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Up to 65% Savings to Middle East in Business Class
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Up to 36% Savings to South America in Business Class
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Up to 77% Savings to South Pacific in Business Class
With Alaska’s buy-miles deal you can get a Qantas Business Class fare for 110,000 miles round-trip. At 1.85 cents each, the cost is $2,035, or 77% off.
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When to Buy Miles
Buy miles when normal fares are on the higher side, for example, at $3,500+ for long-haul Business Class flights and $5,500+ for First Class. Fares are often highest when they’re booked on short notice — the perfect time to use miles.
If you don’t fly often and are looking to buy miles for a specific trip with firm dates, make sure there’s availability BEFORE you purchase miles.
Getting the Miles
Alaska is offering a bonus of up to 60% on mile purchases, which is as good as it gets with this program. The current promo brings the cost down to just 1.85¢ per mile, including taxes. The maximum purchase per transaction is 100,000 miles, but there’s no limit on the number of transactions you can make. The annual purchase limit for non-elite members is 150,000 miles per calendar year, which includes miles gifted to you, while elite members can purchase as many miles as they want.
If you need more miles and need to get around mileage-purchase limits, most airlines allow you to redeem miles from your account for someone else’s travel— such as your mom, your sister, your golf partners, your call. (With the availability on the JAL flight, maybe you can all go.)
Alaskan Gold Doesn't Stop There
Alaska boasts a generous stopover rule for its partner awards, allowing a free stopover in their partner airline’s hub city. Most other carriers don’t allow stopovers at all with mileage awards. And it gets better, as you get one stopover for a one-way ticket and two stopovers on a round-trip. Ka-ching.
You can also use this opportunity to book round-the-world tickets cheaply.
Good-to-Knows about Alaska’s MileagePlan
- Although Alaska’s award chart shows dynamic pricing for Air Tahiti Nui and Japan Airlines, we haven’t seen awards at an increased rate, yet.
- Alaska’s award chart shows dynamic pricing for Qatar Airways starting at 85,000 one way. We’ve also seen awards available (at times) at a rate of 170,000 miles one way.
- Iberia taxes are low using Alaska Airlines. New York to Madrid is $19 outbound and $55 return, versus using American and British Airways miles at $111 outbound and $142, return, and Iberia miles at $109 outbound and $140, return.
- One caveat is that you can’t book Cathay online with Alaska. But you can go to British Airways’ website, find availability (which is typically similar), then call Alaska to book.
- Don’t spend Alaska miles for British Airways flights as taxes are high to London and beyond. Even at $200 less than BA charges, taxes still come in at $1,776 using Alaska. Instead, opt for American’s New York-London route in First Class where taxes are much less than British Airways’ at just $325 round-trip using Alaska.
- Alaska Allows booking awards 330 days out.
FCF’s FIRST CLASS Treasure Map When You Can Save
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FCF’s BUSINESS CLASS Treasure Map When You Can Save
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Related Reads:
Beginner’s Guide to Playing the “Buy Miles to Fly In Style” Strategy