FirstClassFlyer

Amex, Capital One, and Chase points collectors score on opportunities to London and beyond

I got an email the other day from BA that I didn’t quite understand.

So I did some research to figure out what BA was up to. I noticed that off-peak First Class from New York to London is priced at 68,000 miles each way (136,000 round-trip), while Business Class off-peak is priced at 80,000 each way (160,000 round-trip). In other words, First Class round-trip is 24,000 miles less than Business Class.

NEW YORK/Newark-London First Class Off-Peak Cost Right Now:

Newark-London Business Class Off-Peak Cost Right Now:

First Class vs Business Class Mileage Costs
for Off-Peak Dates Round-Trip

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Same Is True for Peak Dates

Peak First Class dates costs 80,000 miles each way (160,000 round-trip), while Business Class peak flights costs 90,000 (180,000 round-trip). In other words, First Class is 20,000 miles less round-trip.

Same Is True for Beyond London

Beyond London off-peak First Class flights costs 88,000 miles each way (176,000 round-trip), while Business Class off-peak is 100,000 (200,000 round-trip), on BA’s New York-Rome route (via London). In other words, First Class is 24,000 miles less round-trip.

Save $516 In Taxes in First Class

If you book First Class round-trip, you’ll pay about $2,060 in taxes. But if you book two one-ways, you’d only pay around $1,544 in taxes to net a savings of about $516. See screenshots below.

British Airways First Class Free Award Seat Availability Tool

This chart shows both off-peak and peak dates with free award seat availability. As you can see below, the best four seat availability currently is Atlanta, Boston, and Philadelphia, from January through March; then Washington, DC, in January and February. Consider positioning flights to these gateways.

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There’s never been a better time to use your hard-earned miles for a free upgrade to First Class on British Airways to London and beyond. So grab it now, and enjoy maximum comfort flying across the pond.

See you up front.

[["To London From:","First Class (off-peak)","Business Class (off-peak)","Benefit #1:\nSavings Difference in Miles","Benefit #2:\nClass Difference"],["Atlanta","170,000","180,000","10,000","Free Upgrade"],["Boston","136,000","160,000","24,000","Free Upgrade"],["Chicago","160,000","180,000","20,000","Free Upgrade"],["Dallas","170,000","180,000","10,000","Free Upgrade"],["Houston","170,000","180,000","10,000","Free Upgrade"],["Los Angeles","170,000","180,000","10,000","Free Upgrade"],["New York","136,000","160,000","24,000","Free Upgrade"],["Newark","136,000","160,000","24,000","Free Upgrade"],["Philadelphia","136,000","160,000","24,000","Free Upgrade"],["San Francisco","170,000","180,000","10,000","Free Upgrade"],["Seattle","170,000","180,000","10,000","Free Upgrade"],["Vancouver","170,000","180,000","10,000","Free Upgrade"],["Washington, DC","136,000","160,000","24,000","Free Upgrade"]]

*We left Miami out as it had no availability in First Class. One-way mileage is half the cost.

[["Route","Outbound","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month","4 to 8 Days Per Month","9 to 12 Days Per Month","13+ Days Per Month"],["Atlanta","March, Nov.","","Feb., March","","March","Feb., March"],["Boston","Jan.","","Feb., March","Jan., May, June, Dec.","","Feb., March"],["Chicago","Jan., March, April, July, Aug., Oct.","","March, July, Aug.","Jan., March, Aug., Oct.","March","March"],["Dallas","Feb., Nov., Dec.","","","Jan., Feb., Nov., Dec.","",""],["Houston","July","","","Jan., June","",""],["Los Angeles","Jan.","","","","",""],["New York","Jan. to March, April, July, Nov., Dec.","Feb., April","March, April, Aug.","Jan., April, June, July, Aug., Dec.","Feb., May, June","March, April"],["Newark","Jan. to March, April, July, Aug., Nov., Dec.","Feb.","March, April, Aug.","Jan., Feb., April, July, Aug., Nov.","Feb.","March, April, Aug."],["Philadelphia","Jan., July, Aug., Dec.","April, July","Feb., March, April","Jan., Aug.","Feb., April","Feb., March, April"],["San Jose*","Jan. to March","March","","Jan., March","Feb.",""],["Seattle","March","","","April, Sept.","March",""],["Washington, DC","Jan., March, Sept., Oct. to Dec.","March, April to June, July, Oct., Nov.","Feb., April to June, July, Aug.","March, April, Sept., Oct., Nov.","June, July, Aug., Dec. ","Feb., April to June, Aug., Nov., Dec."]]

*First Class service through March 18, 2023. Months in black at least one seat available; in blue at least two seats; in green at least four seats. Remember to use the data as a guide since availability can be volatile...

How to Fly First Class for Less than Business on British Airways to Europe