How to Save Up to 79% on First Class Flights to Europe on 37 Routes and Six Airlines

July 2014
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You do NOT need to be a member of any mileage program right now to reap these opportunities.

Real First Class, meaning a three (or four) cabin aircraft on long-haul international routes, is the increasingly rare bird in the sky.

Some airlines (Alitalia, Delta, and KLM, among them) don’t offer it at all; others (American, British Airways, Lufthansa, and United) offer it only on some routes.

Singapore's First Class Suite on the A380

One thing is certain though, First Class is expensive. It can easily cost $10K+— out of reach for most buyers (non-FCF readers, anyway).

Making it the ultimate luxury item in today’s world of hype luxe: First Class is scarce, expensive, and usually pretty darn good, just like luxury used to be.

Okay, but the major complaint among many loyalty program members is the lack of mileage award seats, especially in First Class. They’re not reading FCF.

The fact is that there are still a lot of First Class upgrade opportunities out there, which is why FCF frequently reports on the routes where First Class seats are most available.

This month’s Hot Ticket trains the binoculars on six airlines flying between the U.S. and Europe that have award space in First. In upcoming months we will also check for First Class upgrade opportunities to Asia, Africa, India, the Middle East, South America, and the South Pacific.

[aside headline="Reaping Top First Class Upgrade Opportunities Around the World: For FCF Subscribers Who Live Abroad (or in U.S. Cities Not in Examples)" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]

And the information is not just for members that have miles. We will tell you where to get the necessary miles, painlessly, even if you have zero miles right now. Anyone can take advantage of this report.

As previously mentioned, and now underscored, these booking strategies have global relevance because wherever you live, you might want to know the 37 routes where you can save up to $8,940 for First Class travel between the U.S and Europe.

Remember: Newark-London award deals are also valid London-Newark. Or, start in Indianapolis and connect in Newark for the same mileage price on United. Or, connect in London to Frankfurt or Zurich for the same price. Or, start from Rome. Your choice.[/aside]

Upgrade Route-Opportunity Mindset

Don’t be concerned if your departure city isn’t mentioned.

Remember the word “connection,” whether here or in Europe. In other words, you can often, for free, tack on a flight to the gateway and, worst case, buy a separate ticket from your departure city to catch a flight with great availability in First Class.

Attention: European Residents

Also, keep in mind that opportunities on a U.S.-Europe route exist on a Europe-U.S. route. It’s really the same thing. That means European residents should find this upgrade intelligence of equal value.

The Major Point:

Focus on the long-haul segment first, then figure out how to get there. Think of these routes as starters to itinerary planning in First Class. IOW: Build your Itinerary Around the Seat (BIAS) availability.

Paying More to Book in Advance is OK

Since First Class mileage awards are a loyalty program’s first prize, airlines often don’t release as many seats to their partners as they actually have available. That’s why your odds are often much better at getting a First Class award through the carrier operating the route. Unless, that is, the carrier is European because they usually impose high taxes and fees. It’s a trade-off. See FCF’s Two-Step Strategy (Feb. 2013 issue) for advice on netting a last-minute First Class award cheaply.

Survey of Award Availability for One Traveler in First Class to Europe

[table_opt id="2247" style="double-blue-header" width="wide" alignment="center" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="all"]

[["Airline","Route (to\/from)","Departure Availability","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return Availability","#colspan#","#colspan#","Miles Needed on Operating Airline","How to Get Miles","#colspan#","#colspan#","#colspan#","Lowest Published First Class Fare","Strategy Savings"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","Handful","Hopeful","Hooray","Handful","Hopeful","Hooray","#rowspan#","Credit Card Transfer Partner","Transfer Points Needed","Where to Buy the Miles: Credit Card or Airline Partner","Cost to Buy the Miles","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["American","Chicago - London","Nov.","","Dec.","Nov.","","Dec.","125,000","Starwood","100,000","US Airways**","$2,375 ","$7,190 ","$4,815 \/ 67%"],["#rowspan#","Dallas - London","","","Dec.","Nov.","","Dec.","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$7,141 ","$4,766 \/ 67%"],["British Airways","Atlanta - London","Oct., Nov.","April, May","Dec. to March","Oct.","","Nov. to May","150,000","Amex Rewards, Chase, Starwood","150,000","Amex Rewards","$3,750 ","$8,372 ","$4,622 \/ 55%"],["#rowspan#","Boston - London","Oct.","Aug.","July, Nov. to May","","Aug., Oct.","Nov. to May","120,000","#rowspan#","120,000","#rowspan#","$3,000 ","$8,036 ","$5,036 \/ 63%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - London","April","","Jan.","Feb., May","","Jan., March, April","120,000","#rowspan#","120,000","#rowspan#","$3,000 ","$7,597 ","$4,597 \/ 61%"],["#rowspan#","Houston - London","Aug., May","April","Nov. to March","Aug., Nov.","","Dec. to May","150,000","#rowspan#","150,000","#rowspan#","$3,750 ","$7,700 ","$3,950 \/ 51%"],["#rowspan#","New York - London","Oct.","July, Aug.","Nov. to May","July, Oct. ","Aug.","Nov. to May","120,000","#rowspan#","120,000","#rowspan#","$3,000 ","$11,940 ","$8,940 \/ 75%"],["#rowspan#","Philadelphia - London","April, May","","Nov. to March","","Nov.","Dec. to May","120,000","#rowspan#","120,000","#rowspan#","$3,000 ","$7,248 ","$4,248 \/ 59%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - London","Dec.","","Jan.","Feb., March","Jan.","","150,000","#rowspan#","150,000","#rowspan#","$3,750 ","$9,162 ","$5,412 \/ 59%"],["#rowspan#","Washington, DC - London","July, Aug.","","Nov. to May","Aug. to Oct.","","Nov. to May","120,000","#rowspan#","120,000","#rowspan#","$3,000 ","$7,645 ","$4,645 \/ 61%"],["Lufthansa","Boston - Frankfurt","","","July to May","","","July to May","170,000","Starwood","140,000","LifeMiles**","$2,175 ","$10,133 ","$7,958 \/ 79%"],["#rowspan#","Boston - Munich","","","July to May","","","July to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,115 ","$7,940 \/ 78%"],["#rowspan#","Charlotte - Munich","","","July to May","","","July to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$9,563 ","$7,388 \/ 77%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - Frankfurt","","","July to May","","","July to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$5,632 ","$3,457 \/ 61%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - Munich","","","July to May","","","July to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$5,614 ","$3,439 \/ 61%"],["#rowspan#","Dallas - Frankfurt","","","July","","","July","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$8,580 ","$6,405 \/ 75%"],["#rowspan#","Detroit - Frankfurt","","","July","","","July","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,083 ","$7,908 \/ 78%"],["#rowspan#","Houston - Frankfurt","July, Aug.","Sept. to Nov.","Dec. to May","July, Aug., Oct.","Sept.","Nov. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,178 ","$8,003 \/ 79%"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles - Frankfurt","Oct. to Dec., May","Jan., Feb.","March","Oct., Nov., Jan., Feb., May","Dec., March and April","","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,456 ","$8,281 \/ 79%"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles - Munich","Nov.","Oct., Dec.","Jan. to May","Oct., Nov. ","Dec., Feb.","Jan., March to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$7,840 ","$5,665 \/ 72%"],["#rowspan#","Miami - Frankfurt","","Sept., Dec., Jan., April","Feb., March, May","Sept.","Dec.","Jan. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,095 ","$7,920 \/ 78%"],["#rowspan#","Newark - Frankfurt","Oct.","","July, Nov. to April","Oct.","","July, Nov. to April","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$8,811 ","$6,636 \/ 75%"],["#rowspan#","Newark - Munich","","","July to May","","","July to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$8,792 ","$6,617 \/ 75%"],["#rowspan#","New York - Frankfurt","","","July to April","","","July to April","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$8,811 ","$6,636 \/ 75%"],["#rowspan#","New York - Munich","","","July to May","","","July to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$8,792 ","$6,617 \/ 75%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Frankfurt","April, May","Nov. to Feb.","March","Nov., Jan., Feb.","Dec., March, April","","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,310 ","$8,135 \/ 79%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Munich","Sept.","","Oct. to May","Sept.","","Oct. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,291 ","$8,116 \/ 79%"],["#rowspan#","Seattle - Frankfurt","Oct.","","July, Aug., Nov., Dec","Oct.","","July, Aug., Nov., Dec.","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,458 ","$8,283 \/ 79%"],["#rowspan#","Washington, DC - Frankfurt","Sept., Oct.","","July, Aug., Nov. to May","","","July to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$6,932 ","$4,757 \/ 69%"],["Emirates","New York - Milan","Aug., Sept., Nov., Dec.","Jan., Feb.","July, Oct.","","July, Sept., Oct., Dec., Jan.","Aug., Nov., Feb., March","135,000","Amex Rewards, Starwood","135,000","Amex Rewards","$3,375 ","$6,873 ","$3,498 \/ 51%"],["Singapore","New York - Frankfurt","Sept., May","","Oct. to April","Aug., Sept., May","","Nov. to April","135,000","Amex Rewards, Starwood","135,000","Amex Rewards","$3,375 ","$8,102 ","$4,727 \/ 58%"],["United","Chicago - Brussels","Aug., Dec., April","July, Nov., Jan. to March","","Jan.","Nov., Dec., April","Feb., March","160,000","Chase","160,000","LifeMiles**","$2,175 ","$8,324 ","$6,149 \/ 74%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - Frankfurt","Nov., Dec.","Aug.","July, Jan. to April","Oct.","July","Nov. to April","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$10,262 ","$8,087 \/ 79%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - London","July, Aug., Jan., March, April","","Feb.","July to Sept.","April","Jan. to March","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$7,597 ","$5,422 \/ 71%"],["#rowspan#","Newark - London","July, Aug., Oct., April","","Nov. to March","","April","Nov. to March","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$7,125 ","$4,950 \/ 69%"],["#rowspan#","Newark - Frankfurt","July, Nov","Dec.","Feb.","March","Nov., Feb.","Dec.","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$8,810 ","$6,635 \/ 75%"]]
<small><span style="color: #6699cc;"><strong><em>Handful:</em></strong></span> Our most recent research shows that award space is available for at least one person about 4 to 8 days during the months indicated in the chart. Worth pursuing if you’re flexible. <span style="color: #6699cc;"><strong><em>Hopeful:</em></strong></span> Our most recent research shows that award space is available for at least one person about 9 to 12 days during the months indicated. <span style="color: #6699cc;"><strong><em>Hooray:</em></strong></span> Our most recent research shows that award space is available for at least one person about 13 days or more during the months indicated. **Cost based on a recent ‘Buying Promotion’ in FCF’s daily alerts, May 6 and May 9.</em></small>