New routes, new seats, and aircraft changes can mean good to wide-open availability for a short time. Take advantage of the opportunities while they last
This Month: Time to Burn Amex, Chase, Diners Club and Starwood Points and Japan Airlines and Virgin Atlantic Miles Between the U.S., Asia, and Europe
Japan Airlines
New Seat Opportunity: San Francisco-Tokyo on a B777-300 with upgraded Business and First Class seats starts Dec. 1.
Easy Connections To/From: All over the U.S.
Fly To/From Beyond Tokyo: Beijing, Hong Kong, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei cost only 10,000 more miles in Business Class and 20,000 more in First Class. Bangkok, Delhi, Singapore, and Sydney are 30,000 more in Business Class, and only 20,000 miles more in First Class. Explore destinations.
How to Nail It (Round-Trip):
Survey of Award Availability: Japan Airlines San Francisco-Tokyo
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JAL Miles: 80,000 for Business Class and 110,000 for First Class. Explore award space.
No JAL Miles? Transfer Starwood Points to JAL: 65,000 for Business Class and 90,000 for First Class.
With British Airways Miles: 100,000 in Business Class, 150,000 in First Class.
Amex, Chase, and Diners Club Points to British Airways: 100,000 for Business Class and 150,000 for First Class.
Amex Points Purchase: 2.5¢ each. Get First Class for $3,750 through the Buy Miles to Fly in Style strategy, a ticket that can cost as much as $18,899 with no advance-purchase or minimum-stay requirements (a savings of $15,149 / 80%).
Virgin Atlantic
New Aircraft and Flight Opportunity: Boston-London B787-900 starting Dec. 6 (training schedule for the B787-900 started Oct. 28); Los Angeles-London gets a second daily flight March 29, 2015.
Easy Connections To/From: Numerous airports in the South, Northeast, and Midwest.
Flying From or Beyond London in Business Class: Edinburgh and Manchester for no extra cost. Explore destinations.
How to Nail It (Round-Trip):
Virgin Miles: 80,000 miles London to/from Boston and 100,000 to/from Los Angeles; find specific award space.
Amex Points Transfer: 80,000 (Boston) or 100,000 (LAX).
Amex Points Purchase: 2.5¢ each. Get the Business Class ticket for $2,000 from Boston (otherwise $4,500 to $15,000).
Starwood Points Transfer to Virgin: 65,000 to/from Boston and 80,000 to/from Los Angeles.
With All Nippon Miles—Better: 63,000 miles round-trip in Business Class to/from Boston and 85,000 to/from LAX.
Starwood Points-to-All Nippon Miles—Best: 53,000 to 70,000.
Survey of Award Availability on Virgin Atlantic in Business Class to/from London
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