Business Class fares to Asia are high-flyers. Unlike routes to Europe, where fare-cutting and promotions are standard fare, Business Class tickets to Asia rarely come down to earth. Thirty-five hundred dollars round-trip is usually about as low as they come.
The flip side of the coin is that this is a great place to use miles because the return is higher than the replacement cost, 2.5 to 3.5¢ (Savings ÷ Miles required = Value of a mile) depending on the airline program. The solution is to find the carrier with the best upgrade program to Asia, even if it’s not your preferred airline, and then buy the miles.
In our last survey of U.S. domestic carriers’ Business Class upgrade programs to Asia (December 2009), American received the highest grade (B+) for the following reasons:
• It offers upgrades on any published economy fare, unlike Delta which only allows upgrades on M and B fares.
• It has a lower co-pay upgrade ($700) than Continental and United ($1,000).
• It only charges 50,000 miles round-trip for an upgrade.
So we had a closer look at AA to see if someone who had no credit card transfer points or AA miles at their disposal could still take advantage of the program (Answer: yes). AA’s upgrade availability on its six gateway routes to Beijing, Shanghai, and Tokyo. Pinning down the transpacific portion is the most important step, as flights from connecting cities, such as Atlanta, Houston, and Washington, can be added for no additional mileage cost. Here’s how to go about it.
Getting the 50,000 American Miles
Step 1: If you don’t have an AAdvantage account, open one.
Step 2: If you have Starwood Starpoints or Diners Club points, transfer them to the AAdvantage account, 40,000 of the former or 50,000 of the latter. If you have no credit card points, go to steps 3 and 4.
Step 3: Buy 40,000 miles (the annual purchase limit) from American. Cost: $1,000 plus taxes and fees.
Step 4: Take advantage of Starwood’s 20% off promo (ends Dec. 31): Buy 10,000 points (limit is 20,000 annually) for $280, a $70 savings, and transfer them to your AAdvantage account.
Step 5: Use the 50,000 miles (total cost to buy $1,280) to upgrade your AA ticket.
Great Business Class Savings on American When Buying Miles
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In the chart below are American routes offering the best upgrade availability.
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