Even if you’re not flying the routes covered below and on pages 6, 7, and 8, you can still use the information for itinerary planning, specifically to find connecting flights most likely to have upgrades available, flights with newer (and, therefore, better) seats, a free award seat—or perhaps all three.
Good First and Business Class Award Availability to Asia on Cathay Pacific (oneworld)
Increase in Service: In June 2014, Cathay Pacific adds a fourth daily flight from Los Angeles to Hong Kong using a B777-300ER with six First Class Suites, 53 Business Class seats, and 34 Premium Economy seats. Each First Class Suite has an 81-inch-long/36-inch-wide flat-bed, and a 17-inch monitor. The cabin is configured in a 1-1-1 layout.
Business Class seats, arranged 1-2-1, convert to an 82-inch-long flat-bed and have a bed extension that increases the width by 6.5 inches. Seats are equipped with a 15.4-inch touch-screen monitor and in-seat power supply for laptops, iPod/iPhone, and USB power connections. Premium Economy seats (see the March 2013 issue for more on how FCF defines Premium Economy) are 19.3-inches wide, have 38 inches of pitch, recline 125 degrees, and are equipped with a 10.6-inch monitor.
In August 2014, Cathay is also increasing service from Chicago to Hong Kong by adding a second flight (three days a week) using a B777-300ER with 40 Business Class seats and 32 Premium Economy seats.
A round-trip award ticket to Hong Kong through AsiaMiles, Cathay’s loyalty program, is 180,000 miles in First Class, 120,000 in Business Class, and 72,000 miles in Premium Economy from Los Angeles; and 145,000 in Business Class and 108,000 miles in Premium Economy from Chicago. Request award space online here for First and Business Class; for Premium Economy call (800) 892-2598.
One way to economize on miles is to upgrade from Premium Economy to Business Class. Cathay’s upgrade and free award inventory are the same for mileage upgrades and free tickets.
Sample Upgrade Cost from Los Angeles: Cathay allows upgrades to Business Class using R and W Premium Economy fares for 30,000 miles round-trip (no co-pay). On LAX-Hong Kong, a Premium Economy R fare costs $2,318 mid-week in June (plus miles) compared to Cathay’s lowest Business Class fare of $6,311, a savings of $3,993 (63%).
See chart below for First and Business Class mileage award inventory availability. (Chicago-Hong Kong in Premium Economy had hardly any space.)
Survey of Award Availability on Cathay Pacific for Two Travelers
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Getting Cathay Pacific Miles: Transfer 145,000 Starpoints for First Class—with the 25% bonus, you have the 180,000 miles—100,000 to 120,000 miles for Business Class, and 60,000 to 88,000 miles for Premium Economy. Or transfer from Amex Rewards. You can also buy the points (180,000 for First Class from LAX) from Amex Rewards for $6,630 (plus $330 in award taxes) compared to $15,678 for the published First Class fare, a difference of $9,048 (58%).
Using American Miles to Get the Award for Less: Booking Los Angeles-Hong Kong on Cathay through American brings the mileage cost down to 135,000 in First Class, a savings of 45,000 (25%) miles. Or book Chicago-Hong Kong in Business Class through AA to reduce the mileage cost to 110,000. When award availability on Cathay is high, as is the case with First Class on the LAX-Hong Kong route for June through August, you may be able to book the flight through AA using AAdvantage miles.
Getting American Miles: Transfer 110,000 Starpoints for First Class—with the 25% bonus, you have 135,000 miles—and 90,000 Starpoints for Business Class.
Using Alaska Miles to Get the Award for Less: Booking LAX- or Chicago-Hong Kong on Cathay through Alaska’s loyalty program brings the mileage cost down to 100,000 in Business Class, a savings of up to 45,000 (25%) miles.
Book LAX-Hong Kong in First Class through Alaska and it brings the mileage cost down to 140,000. Right now availability looks good (at times even better than Cathay’s one world partner American). PS: For those of you that followed my suggestion in the September issue and stocked up on Alaska miles through its bonus offer, LAX-Hong Kong in First Class will only cost you $3,040—normally $25,932, a savings of $22,892 (88%).
Getting Alaska Miles: Transfer 120,000 Starpoints for First Class—with the 25% bonus, you have 140,000 miles and 80,000 Starpoints for Business Class, or transfer from Amex Rewards.
Using Cathay Pacific’s Route System: Hong Kong is Cathay’s hub and a good jumping-off point to Johannesburg, Melbourne, Seoul, Singapore, and dozens of other cities. Click here for Cathay’s route map.
Cathay Pacific’s domestic airline partner for connecting flights to its U.S. gateways are Alaska and American. The extra cost in miles varies because Cathay’s partner awards are based on flight distance. Alaska and American can cost less because they use a zone chart, meaning the cost is the same if you fly from LAX or New York, as the Continental U.S. is considered one zone by both airlines.
Good Business Class Award Availability to South America on Delta (SkyTeam)
Increase in Service: In March 2014, Delta adds a second daily flight from Atlanta to Sao Paulo using a B767-300ER with about 36 Business Class seats (78 to 82-inch-long flat-bed, 10.6-inch monitor, and in-seat power supply for laptops and USB power connections).
A round-trip Business Class award to Sao Paulo is 100,000 miles, if you book before June 1, 2014, and 125,000 miles thereafter. Request award space online here. See chart below for Business Class mileage-award inventory availability.
Survey of Award Availability in Business Class on Delta for One Traveler; Atlanta-Sao Paulo
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Getting Delta SkyMiles: Transfer 80,000 Starpoints for travel before June 1—with the 25% bonus, you have 100,000 miles—and 100,000 miles as of June 1 for Business Class, or 100,000 to 125,000 points with Amex Rewards.
Even Better: Use Alaska miles, which brings Business Class awards down to 90,000 miles round-trip. Right now, availability looks OK. PS: For those of you that followed my suggestion in the September issue and stocked up on Alaska miles through its bonus offer, Atlanta-Sao Paulo in Business Class will only cost you $2,006—normally it’s $4,681—a savings of $2,675 (57%).
Using Delta’s Route System: Atlanta is Delta’s hub with connections to Boston, Houston, San Francisco, Washington DC, and countless other U.S. cities. Click here for Delta’s route map.
Good First and Business Class Award Availability to the Middle East (Africa, India, and Beyond) on Emirates
New Route: On March 10, 2014, Emirates starts service on Boston-Dubai—this will be the airline’s eighth U.S. route—using a B777-200LR, with eight First Class Suites and 42 Business Class seats. Each First Class Suite comes with sliding privacy doors, a personal mini-bar, a 78-inch-long bed (with massage settings), and 23-inch LCD monitor.
Business Class seats, arranged 2-3-2, convert to a 78-inch-long flat bed, and are equipped with a 19-inch LCD monitor and in-seat power supply for laptops and USB power connections.
A round-trip award ticket to Dubai is 217,500 miles in First and 145,000 miles in Business through Emirates loyalty program, Skywards. Request award space online here. See chart below for First and Business Class mileage-award inventory availability.
Survey of Award Availability on Emirates for One Traveler; Boston-Dubai
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Getting Emirates Skywards Miles: Transfer 180,000 Starpoints for First Class—with the 25% bonus, you’ll have 225,000 miles—transfer just 120,000 points for Business Class.
Even Better: Use Alaska Airlines miles, which brings First Class awards down to just 180,000 miles. PS: For those of you that followed my suggestion in the September issue and stocked up on Alaska miles through its bonus offer, LAX-Dubai in First Class will only cost you $3,868—otherwise this will set you back $15,872, a savings of $12,004 (76%).
FCF has often found good award availability to Africa and Asia from Dubai using Alaska miles.
Using Emirates’ Route System: Dubai is Emirates’ hub and a good jumping-off point to Amman, Cape Town, Perth, Singapore, and dozens of other cities. Click here for Emirates’ route map.
Emirates’ domestic airline partners for connecting flights to its U.S. gateways are Alaska and JetBlue. The cost in miles varies by departure city and requires a separate partner-award ticket, unless you book through Alaska’s milage program.
Good Business Class Award Availability to Europe on KLM (SkyTeam)
New Business Class Seats: KLM is rolling out a new flatbed Business Class seat on its B747s, with completion slated for April 2014 (new B747-400s equipment code will be 74E). U.S. routes are Chicago, Houston (as of February 2014), Los Angeles, and New York (KLM flights 643 and 644 as of February 2014). Each Business Class seat (35) has an 81.5-inch-long flat-bed, with a 17-inch monitor and in-seat power supply for laptops and USB power connections.
A round-trip award ticket to Europe is 125,000 miles in Business Class with KLM. Request award space online here. See chart below for Business Class mileage award availability with KLM’s new seat.
Survey of Award Availability on KLM for One Traveler in Business Class to Amsterdam
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Getting KLM FlyingBlue Miles: Transfer 100,000 Starpoints for Business Class—with the 25% bonus, you have 120,000 miles—or 125,000 points with Amex Rewards. To top-off miles, buy up to 40,000 through Dec. 31 and get up to a 40% bonus if you’re a non-elite; 50% bonus if you are elite.
Even Better: Use Delta miles, which brings Business Class awards down to 100,000 miles round-trip for travel before June 1, 2014.
Using KLM’s Route System: Amsterdam is KLM’s hub and a good jumping-off point to Abu Dhabi, Delhi, Tokyo, and dozens of other cities. Click here for KLM’s route map.
KLM’s domestic airline partner for connecting flights to its U.S. gateways is Delta, and KLM does not charge miles for connecting travel within the U.S. For example, departing Cleveland to Amsterdam via NYC is 125,000 miles round-trip including the Cleveland-NYC flight on Delta.