New Upgrade Opportunities—For Up to Four Passengers

March 2015
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New routes, additional flights, new seats, and aircraft changes spell opportunity, at times. We’ve cherry-picked the best— and have discovered at least four seats available between the U.S. and Europe and between South America and the U.S.

Time to Burn: Amex, Chase, & Star wood Points & Delta or United Miles: Between the U.S. and Asia or Between South America and the U.S.

Asiana First Class Suite and Business Class

New Aircraft Opportunity: New York-Seoul gets an A380 three times a week (Tues., Thurs., and Sat.) on June 13, with daily service starting July 14.

Easy Connections To/From New York: Easily from all over the Midwest, South, and East.

Fly To/From Beyond Seoul: Use this opportunity on the long-haul flight to get all over Asia, perhaps for more miles depending on destination. Explore destinations.

Asiana Club Miles: 125,000 for Business; 160,000 for First Class (plus $365 in taxes). Request award space online.

Starwood Points Transfer to Asiana Miles: 100,000 for Business, 130,000 for First Class.

Survey of Award Availability: Asiana New York - Seoul

[table_opt id="1653" style="gray-header" header_rows="1" width="narrow" alignment="thcenter" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="no" /]

Handful: 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.Hopeful: Our most recent research shows that award space is available for at least one person about 9 to 12 days during the months indicated.Hooray: Our most recent research shows that award space is available for at least one person about 13 days or more during the months indicated.Months in black at least one seat available.

Booking the Suite through Asiana’s Star Alliance Airline Partners

All Nippon Mileage Club Miles: Brings the First Class suite award down to 140,000 miles and Business Class to 90,000. Transfer 75,000 to 115,000 Star points, or 90,000 to 140,000 Amex Reward points to ANA. Or, buy up to 500,000 of the latter for 2.5¢ per point or $3,500 for the First Class suite (plus award taxes at about $365)—a savings of up to $5,205 (57%), compared to the published fare of $9,070.

LifeMiles: Your best bet if you don’t have access to Amex Rewards or Star wood points. Life Miles is a big miles seller; it charges 180,000 miles for an Asiana First Class Suite and 150,000 miles for Business Class. Through this program, you can book New York-Seoul for $2,853, a savings of $6,217 (68%).

United—Business Class

New Route Opportunity: Houston-Santiago started December 2014 with a B767.

Easy Connections To/From: All over the U.S.

Fly To/From Beyond Santiago: Use this opportunity on the long-haul flight to get to South America. For onward travel, acquire a separate ticket with miles or cash.

United’s Mileage Plus Miles: 110,000 for Business. Search award space online.

Transfer Chase Points to Mileage Plus Miles: 110,000 for Business Class.

Survey of Award Availability: United Houston - Santiago

[table_opt id="1654" style="gray-header" header_rows="1" width="narrow" alignment="thcenter" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter" responsive="no" /]

Handful: 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.Hopeful: Our most recent research shows that award space is available for at least one person about 9 to 12 days during the months indicated.Hooray: Our most recent research shows that award space is available for at least one person about 13 days or more during the months indicated.Months in black at least one seat available; in blue at least two seats; in green at least four seats.

Booking through United’s Star Alliance Airline Partners

All Nippon Mileage Club Miles: Brings Business Class to 85,000. Transfer 70,000 Star points or 85,000 Amex Reward points to ANA.

Or, buy up to 500,000 of the latter for 2.5¢ per point or $2,178 for Business Class—a savings of up to $2,332 (51%), compared to the published fare of $4,538.

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<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. <em>Months in <u>black</u> at least one seat available.</em></small>
[["Class","Availability <strong>To <\/strong>Seoul","#colspan#","#colspan#","Availability <strong>From <\/strong>Santiago","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","<strong>Handful<\/strong>","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>","<strong>Handful<\/strong>","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>"],["Business","March,\nOct., Nov.,\nJan.","May,\nJune,\n<span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>Aug.<\/strong><\/span>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">April,\nJuly,<\/span>\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Aug.,<\/span>\n<span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>","Oct. to\nJan.","March,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">April,\nSept.<\/span><\/strong>","May, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">July, Aug.,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>"]]
<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. <em>Months in <u>black</u> at least one seat available;</em> <strong><span style="color: #6699cc;">in <u>blue</u> at least two seats;</span> <span style="color: #008000;">in <u>green</u> at least four seats.</span></strong></small>
[["Departure\nCity","Class","Availability <strong>To <\/strong>Dubai","#colspan#","Availability <strong>From <\/strong>Dubai","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>"],["Seattle","Business","Aug.,\nDec.","July, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Sept.\nto Nov.,\nJan., Feb.<\/strong><\/span>","","<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Oct., Nov.,<\/strong><\/span>\nDec., <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Jan.,\nFeb.<\/strong><\/span>"],["#rowspan#","First","Feb.","Sept. to\nNov., Jan. to\nFeb.","Sept.","Oct. to Feb."]]
<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. <em>Months in <u>black</u> at least one seat available;</em> <span style="color: #6699cc;"><strong>in <u>blue</u> at least two seats.</strong></span></small>
[["Availability <strong>To <\/strong>Paris","#colspan#","#colspan#","Availability <strong>From <\/strong>Paris","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["<strong>Handful<\/strong>","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>","<strong>Handful<\/strong>","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>"],["Nov.,\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Dec.<\/strong><\/span>,\nJan","Oct.","<span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>June to Sept.,<\/strong><\/span>\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>June to Oct.<\/strong><\/span>,\nDec.","<span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>July,<\/strong><\/span>\nNov.","July,\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Dec.<\/strong><\/span>","<span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>June, Aug.\nto Oct.<\/strong><\/span>"]]
<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. <em>Months in <u>black</u> at least one seat available;</em> <span style="color: #6699cc;"><strong>in <u>blue</u> at least two seats;</span> <span style="color: #008000;">in <u>green</u> at least four seats.</span></strong></small>
[["Availability <strong>To<\/strong> Manchester","#colspan#","#colspan#","Availability <strong>From <\/strong>Manchester","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["<strong>Handful<\/strong>","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>","<strong>Handful<\/strong>","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>"],["<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Aug., July,\nOct.<\/strong><\/span>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>,\nOct., Nov.","July, Sept.","June, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>,\nDec.","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Aug.<\/span><\/strong>,\nNov.","Aug.,\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Sept.<\/strong><\/span>"]]
<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. <em>Months in <u><strong>black</strong></u> at least one seat available;</em> <span style="color: #6699cc;"><strong>in <u>blue</u> at least two seats.</strong></span></small>