Perfect for when there’s more than one traveler
Most travelers search for availability depending on the number of people flying. It sounds obvious but we don’t do that at FCF. We search for one seat, then search for a second seat. Why? Because when you search for two seats you won’t see the one-seat options available. It’s just the way airline search engines work. If you search for two seats you’ll find much less availability. Plus, the cost can be much more.
Quick example: we searched United for just one seat from Newark to London in Business Class and found one seat for 80,000 miles (lowest miles).
We then searched for two award seats and found two for 115,000 miles each. See what United did there? They didn’t add the 80,000 and 115,000 mileage award seats together for a total of 195,000 miles for both. Instead, they were charging 230,000 miles for both.
So we updated our current search to try and get at least one seat for 80,000 miles, but United offered us the same seat for 115,000 miles.
Undeterred, we tried “Advanced Search” and searched for just one seat. Again, United offered it for 80,000 miles (the lowest miles), so we bought it.
Then we purchased the second seat for 115,000 miles for a total of 195,000 miles, instead of 230,000 miles. Take that United!
Here’s how we did it
We searched for one seat, and United offered us a seat for 80,000 miles.
We then searched for two seats, on the same day, and United offered the same flight for 230,000 miles (115,000 miles each).
We did a menu update and changed it back to one traveler to try and get that same 80,000 miles seat United offered first.
It was then priced at 115,000 miles for only one seat. So, even when we updated the menu to change the number of seats back to one, United still offered the single seat for 115,000 miles.
However, when we started with a clean slate using “Advanced Search” and searched for one seat…
…United then again offered us one seat for 80,000 miles.
So we purchased that one seat for 80,000 miles and then purchased the second seat at 115,000 miles for a total of 195,000 miles instead of the 230,000 miles that was offered when we asked for two seats together.
I’d argue that’s a fairly simple workaround – only a few minutes of work – that saved 35,000 miles. You’re welcome!
Sample Savings Using Partner Miles
The round-trip cost of a Business Class ticket using United miles, a Chase transfer partner, between Washington, DC, and Geneva is 160,000 miles (80,000 each way). But Amex transfer partner Air Canada chargese cost is 120,000 miles, All Nippon charges 100,000 miles, and LifeMiles’ cost is 126,000 miles, round-trip.
No Miles? No Problem
All Nippon is a points-to-miles transfer partner of Amex. You can buy up to 500,000 annually from Amex Membership Rewards for 2.5 cents each. Check out FCF’s How to buy American Express Membership Rewards points, and Beginner’s Guide: how to play the “Buy Miles to Fly In Style.”
Given the baseline fare is $4,980, and you can save by buying 100,000 Amex Rewards Points for about $2,500. Taxes with All Nippon Airways loyalty program generally cost $306, for a total of $2,806. You can use cash to buy points if you don't have enough or any points, and save up to $2,174, or 44%.
Air Canada is currently running a deal whereby miles can be acquired for as low as 1.28¢ each (includes taxes and processing fee), through a new up to 100% bonus buy-miles promo, which runs through July 19, 2024.
You can buy 140,000 Air Canada miles for about $1,795 when on sale ($3,641 when not on sale), and include taxes with Air Canada’s loyalty program, which generally costs $80, for a total of $1,875. Use cash to buy miles if you don't have enough or any miles, and save up to $3,105, or 62%, compared to the baseline fare of $4,980.
Below are a few routes with United award availability.
Sweet Redeems Survey United Business Class Treasure Map
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