You do NOT need to be a member of any mileage program right now to reap most of these opportunities.
In July, FCF launched a series focused on the First Class cabin which was designed to help you overcome the two obstacles to getting into the front cabin on a three-cabin (or, at times, four-cabin) aircraft: Price (easily $10,000 or more on international routes) and award seat inventory (not as scarce as most people think).
The July issue looked at routes to Europe. In this installment, FCF trains the binoculars on eight airlines flying between the U.S. and Asia that offer a bona fide First Class cabin—increasingly rare, even to Asia—and have award space.
The information in this article is not just for FCF member who have miles. You’ll discover where to get the necessary miles even if you have none right now. Anyone can take advantage of this report.
Upgrade Route-Opportunity Mindset
As you read through the comprehensive chart below, don’t be concerned if your departure city isn’t mentioned. Remember the word “connection,” whether on the continent from which you set out, or the one you travel to. Often, you can tack on the flight to an international gateway for free; worst case, you have to buy a separate ticket.
The Major Point
Focus on the long-haul segment first, and then the connecting flights. Think of these routes as “Continent Bridges”—to leverage in order to Build your Itinerary Around the Seat Availability (BIASA).
Attention Asia Residents
Keep in mind that opportunities on a U.S.-Asia route also exist on the Asia-U.S. route. Asian residents should find this upgrade intelligence as valuable as North American residents.
Survey of Award Availability for One Traveler in First Class to Asia
[table_opt id="2250" style="double-blue-header" width="wide" alignment="center" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="all"]
[["Airline","Route (to\/from)","Departure Availability<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u00b9<\/span>","#colspan#","#colspan#","Return Availability<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u00b9<\/span>","#colspan#","#colspan#","Miles Needed on Operating Airline","How to Get Miles","#colspan#","#colspan#","#colspan#","Lowest Published First Class Fare","Award Purchase Strategy Savings"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","Handful","Hopeful","Hooray","Handful","Hopeful","Hooray","#rowspan#","Credit Card Transfer Partner","Transfer Points Needed","Where to Buy the Miles","Cost to Buy the Miles","#rowspan#","#rowspan#"],["All Nippon Airlines","Chicago - Tokyo","Sept., Oct., Dec.","Nov.","Aug., Jan. to June","Jan.","Feb. to June","","120,000","Amex Rewards, Starwood","100,000<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u00b2<\/span>","LifeMiles<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u00b3<\/span>","$2,250 ","$17,421 ","$15,171 \/ 87%"],["#rowspan#","Washington, DC - Tokyo","Aug., Dec.","","Jan. to June","Aug.","","Jan. to June","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$17,446 ","$15,196 \/ 87%"],["American Airlines","Chicago - Beijing","Dec., March, April","Jan., Feb., May","","Sept., Oct.","Nov.","Dec. to May","180,000","Starwood","145,000","US Airways<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u00b3<\/span>","$2,280 ","$6,156 ","$3,876 \/ 63%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - Shanghai","Sept., Nov., Dec.","Jan., Feb., May","March, April","Sept., Oct.","Nov.","Dec. to May","180,000","#rowspan#","145,000","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$6,439 ","$4,159 \/ 65%"],["#rowspan#","Dallas - Tokyo","Aug., Jan., April","Feb., May","","Aug., Dec.","Jan., April","Feb., March, May","170,000","#rowspan#","140,000","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$6,713 ","$4,433 \/ 66%"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles - Tokyo","Aug., Feb., March, May","","","Dec, Jan.","","Feb., March, May","170,000","#rowspan#","140,000","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$6,041 ","$3,761 \/ 62%"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles - Shanghai","April","Jan. to March, May","","Sept., Oct.","Nov.","Dec. to May","180,000","#rowspan#","145,000","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$5,922 ","$3,642 \/ 61%"],["Asiana Airlines","Los Angeles - Seoul","Aug.","Feb., May","Jan., March, April","Aug.","Feb., June","Jan., March to May","160,000","Starwood","130,000","LifeMiles<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u00b3<\/span>","$2,250 ","$13,963 ","$11,713 \/ 84%"],["#rowspan#","New York - Seoul","","May","Jan. to April","Jan.","Feb.","March to June","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$11,065 ","$8,815 \/ 80%"],["Cathay Pacific Airways","Chicago - Hong Kong","April","May","June","","May","June","220,000","Amex Rewards, Starwood","180,000<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2074<\/span>","Amex Rewards","$5,500 ","$10,820 ","$5,320 \/ 49%"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles - Hong Kong","March, May","June","","March, April","May","June","180,000","#rowspan#","145,000<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2074<\/span>","#rowspan#","$4,500 ","$15,680 ","$11,180 \/ 71%"],["#rowspan#","New York - Hong Kong","Jan. to March, May","June","","Feb. to April","May","June","220,000","#rowspan#","180,000<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2074<\/span>","#rowspan#","$5,500 ","$18,854 ","$13,354 \/ 71%"],["Japan Airlines","Chicago - Tokyo","Dec.","Oct.","Nov., Jan. to May","Oct.","","Nov. to May","110,000","Starwood","90,000","US Airways<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u00b3<\/span>","$2,280 ","$20,521 ","$18,241 \/ 89%"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles - Tokyo","Aug., Dec. to Feb., April","May","","Jan., April","Feb., March","May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$18,402 ","$16,122 \/ 88%"],["#rowspan#","New York - Tokyo","April, May","March","Feb.","Feb. to April","May","","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$21,341 ","$19,061 \/ 89%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Tokyo","","","Dec. to June","","","Dec. to June","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$18,501 ","$16,221 \/ 88%"],["Korean Airlines","Atlanta - Seoul","","","Sept. to May","","","Sept. to May","160000<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2075<\/span>","Chase","160,000","NA<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2076<\/span>","#colspan#","$12,224 ","NA<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2076<\/span>"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - Seoul","","","Nov. to May","","","Nov. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$17,696 ","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","Dallas - Seoul","","","Aug. to May","","","Aug. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$17,655 ","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","Houston - Seoul","","","Nov. to May","","","Nov. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$12,643 ","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","Las Vegas - Seoul","","Nov., Jan., Feb., May","Dec., March, April","Dec.","Nov., Jan., Feb., May","March, April","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$18,201 ","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","Los Angeles - Seoul","","","Aug. to May","","","Aug. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$12,506 ","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Seoul","","","Nov. to May","","","Nov. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$15,595 ","#rowspan#"],["#rowspan#","Seattle - Seoul","","","Nov. to May","","","Nov. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$15,315 ","#rowspan#"],["Singapore Airlines","Los Angeles - Tokyo","Sept., Nov., Dec.","Jan.","Feb., March","Sept. to Nov., May","Dec., April","Jan. to March","148,750<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2077<\/span>","Amex Rewards, Chase, Starwood","120,000<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2077<\/span>","Amex Rewards","$3,725 ","$15,595 ","$11,870 \/ 76%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Hong Kong","May","Jan.","Sept., Nov., Feb. to April","","Aug., Oct., April","Sept., Nov. to March","140,250<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2077<\/span>","#rowspan#","116,000<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2077<\/span>","#rowspan#","$3,525 ","$10,807 ","$7,282 \/ 67%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Seoul","","","Aug. to June","","","Aug. to Feb.","148,750<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2077<\/span>","#rowspan#","120,000<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u2077<\/span>","#rowspan#","$3,725 ","$9,299 ","$5,574 \/ 60%"],["United Airlines","Chicago - Beijing","Oct.","Sept., Dec., Feb.","Nov., Jan., March, April","June","Feb.","Oct. to Dec., March to May","160,000","Chase","160,000","LifeMiles<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">\u00b3<\/span>","$2,250 ","$7,896 ","$5,646 \/ 72%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - Tokyo","Nov., May","Aug. to Oct., Dec., March","Jan., Feb., April","Sept., Oct., Jan., April","","Dec., Feb., March, May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$7,041 ","$4,791 \/ 68%"],["#rowspan#","Chicago - Shanghai","Oct.","Aug.","Sept., Nov., Jan. to April","Feb., April, May","Sept.","Oct. to Dec., March","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$7,952 ","$5,702 \/ 72%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Beijing","Oct., Dec., Feb.","Sept., March","Nov., Jan., April","Nov., Dec., Feb.","","Oct., March to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$12,995 ","$10,745 \/ 83%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Seoul","","March, April","","April","March, May","","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$11,633 ","$9,383 \/ 81%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Shanghai","Oct., Jan.","Feb., March","Sept., Nov., April","Nov., Dec.","Oct., March","","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$12,387 ","$10,137 \/ 82%"],["#rowspan#","San Francisco - Tokyo","Nov., Dec.","Jan., Feb.","Aug. to Oct., March to May","Feb.","March to May","Sept., Oct.","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$11,932 ","$9,682 \/ 81%"],["#rowspan#","Washington, DC - Beijing","Oct., Dec.","","Sept., Nov., Jan. to April","Sept.","June","Oct. to Dec., Feb. to May","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","#rowspan#","$27,826 ","$25,576 \/ 92%"]]
<small><span style="color: #6699cc;">¹<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.
<em><span style="color: #6699cc;">²</span>Best transfer rate is from Starwood; Amex Rewards would cost 120,000. <span style="color: #6699cc;">³</span>Cost based on a recent ‘Buying Promotion’ in FCF’s daily alerts, May 9 and July 17. <span style="color: #6699cc;">⁴</span>Best transfer rate is using Starwood: Amex Rewards would be 180,000 or 220,000. <span style="color: #6699cc;">⁵</span>Based on off-peak season, peak season (Dec. 10 to Dec. 25, and May 15 to June 30, 2015) mileage cost rises to 240,000 miles. <span style="color: #6699cc;">⁶</span>Impossible to buy all miles needed from the airline or credit card partner, so unable to show cash savings. <span style="color: #6699cc;">⁷</span>Rate shown reflects the 15% online discount; best transfer rate is from Starwood: Amex Rewards would cost 165,000 or 175,000 miles.</em></small>