The King of Cards, Starwood, Just Got Better

September 2015
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Two new benefits make the best better.

First: On Aug. 11, the Starwood Preferred Guest Amex Credit Card eliminated foreign transaction fees.

Second: On Aug. 18, Starwood added Korean Airlines as a new transfer partner. Many of you shrug, and I would agree, if it weren’t for the fact that Korean (SkyTeam) has very good free award availability in First Class on most routes year-round. (See chart below for First and Business Class award availability.)

Korean also has new First Class Kosmos Suites on its A380 routes: Los Angeles, New York, and (almost always) Atlanta to Seoul.

The King of Cards, Starwood, Just Got Better

The points required for First Class are 130,000 off-peak to 195,000 peaks with a Starwood transfer, versus Chase transfer rates of 160,000 and 240,000, respectively.

Business Class is 100,000 (off peak) to 150,000 (peak) with Starpoints; Chase charges 125,000 to 185,000 points.

In Business Class to Asia, Korean has flat-beds, with the newest flat-bed version on its A380 Prestige Suites.

Sweet Redeems Survey: Korean Air to/from Seoul

[table_opt style="double-blue-header" id="2389 " width="" alignment="center" responsive="all" heading="thcenter" rows="tdcenter"]

[["<strong>U.S. Departure City<\/strong>","<strong>Class of Service<\/strong>","<strong>U.S. <span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>to<\/strong><\/span> Seoul<\/strong>","#colspan#","#colspan#","<strong>U.S. <span style=\"color: #800000;\"><strong>to<\/strong><\/span> Seoul<\/strong>","#colspan#","#colspan#"],["#rowspan#","#rowspan#","<strong>Handful<\/strong>","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>","<strong>Handful<\/strong>","<strong>Hopeful<\/strong>","<strong>Hooray<\/strong>"],["**Atlanta","Business","<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Sept.<\/strong><\/span>","","","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>",""],["#rowspan#","First","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>","Sept.","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Oct.",""],["Chicago","Business","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept., Oct., Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept., Oct, Dec.,\nMay<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">April<\/span><\/strong>,\nJuly","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #008000;\">Oct.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #008000;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Dec.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">June<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>"],["#rowspan#","First","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept., Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>,\nDec., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span><\/strong>,\nJuly","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct. to July<\/span><\/strong>"],["Dallas","Business","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan., Feb., May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">March<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #008000;\">April<\/span>,\n<span style=\"color: #008000;\">June<\/span><\/strong>, July","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">April<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">March<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">May<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">June<\/span><\/strong>"],["#rowspan#","First","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept., Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct., Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span>,\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>"],["Honolulu","Business","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept, Nov.<\/span><\/strong> to <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Jan.<\/strong><\/span>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Feb., May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept., Nov., Jan.,\nMay<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>,<strong> <span style=\"color: #008000;\">March<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #008000;\">April<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, Oct., Nov.,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">March<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">June<\/span><\/strong>"],["#rowspan#","First","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>\nto <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">April<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #008000;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Dec., July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>\nto <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">June<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>"],["Houston","Business","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept., Oct.,\nDec.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sep., Nov., May<\/span><\/strong>","Nov., Jan., Feb.,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>","Dec., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","Nov., Jan. to March,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">April <\/span><\/strong>to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>, July"],["#rowspan#","First","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept., Oct.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span>,\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>"],["Las Vegas","Business","Sept., Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>,\nDec., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan., May,\nJuly<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan., March, April<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>, March, July","Sept., Oct., Dec.,\nJan., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>","Feb., April, July","March, May, June"],["#rowspan#","First","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept., Dec.,\nMay<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan. to June<\/span><\/strong>"],["***Los Angeles","Business","Nov., Jan. to\nMarch, May, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">April<\/span><\/strong>","July","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">May<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","March, April","July"],["#rowspan#","First","Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, Dec.,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan., Feb.<\/span><\/strong>, May","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov., Jan., Feb.,\nMarch, April, July<\/span><\/strong>","March, April, July","Nov. to Jan., April,\nMay, July","Nov., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span><\/strong>","March, April, July"],["**Los Angeles","Business","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept., Oct.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Oct., Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov.<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">April<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>\nto <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">July<\/span><\/strong>"],["#rowspan#","First","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong> to <span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>Nov.<\/strong>,<\/span> <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\"><strong>Dec.<\/strong><\/span>,\n<span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>Jan.<\/strong><\/span> to <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\"><strong>April<\/strong><\/span>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov., Jan.<\/span><\/strong>\nto <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April, July<\/span><\/strong>","","","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">June<\/span><\/strong>"],["**New York","Business","Nov., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","Dec., <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">March<\/span><\/strong>","Nov., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>","Dec., Jan.","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">March<\/span><\/strong>"],["#rowspan#","First","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","Nov., Jan. to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span><\/strong>","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>, Dec., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span><\/strong>"],["San Francisco","Business","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>, Nov., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.,<\/span><\/strong> Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.,\nMay<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Jan., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong> to\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span>, <span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","Oct.","Sept., Nov., Dec.,\nJan., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb. <\/span><\/strong>to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>,\nJuly"],["#rowspan#","First","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>,\nDec., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span>,\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>"],["Seattle","Business","Sept., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan., Feb.,\nMay<\/span><\/strong>","Nov., Dec., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span><\/strong>","Jan. to March, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span>,\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>, Nov.,\nDec., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","Jan., Feb., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">May<\/span><\/strong>","March to June"],["#rowspan#","First","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct., May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong> to\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">March<\/span><\/strong>, April, July","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>\nto <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>"],["Washington,\nDC","Business","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov., Dec., May<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Oct, Jan. to\nApril, June","","Nov., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Dec.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","<strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #008000;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Jan.<\/span><\/strong>,\n<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Feb.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">June<\/span><\/strong>"],["#rowspan#","First","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept., May<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong> to <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">April<\/span>,\n<span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/span><\/strong>","","<strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Sept.<\/span><\/strong>, <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Oct.<\/span><\/strong>","Sept., Oct., <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">Nov.<\/span><\/strong>\nto <strong><span style=\"color: #6699cc;\">July<\/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. **Airbus 380 service. ***Los Angeles - São Paulo service. Months in black at least one seat available; <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>