How to save 43% with American and up to 78% with British Airways. Why pay $18,000+?
There are dozens upon dozens of ways to fly non-stop to/from London from the Northeast—yet several things are far more important to know:
- When and where is the “availability,” the specific months of the year and with what airlines?
- What “partnership opportunities” exist to get the ticket for far less than retail?
- How do you “buy miles or points” if you don’t have any, or enough, to save a small fortune?
What follows are the airlines and partners with the best deals, and the months to find them now.
Deal #1: American First Class
Published Fares: To London from New York round-trip starts at $4,433, and can easily climb to $7,500.
Mileage Cost: 170,000. For the same number of miles you can fly free to anywhere else in Europe, including the Canary Islands and Greece. See mileage award availability in chart below.
No American Miles? No Problem: Transfer 140,000 Starwood points.
Or, Best Mileage Partner Deal: Transfer miles to Japan Airlines from Starwood, then redeem them for travel on American (100,000 miles round-trip). But with the Starwood transfer bonus, it takes only 80,000 Starpoints, a savings of 43%.
Best “Buy Miles to Fly in Style” Deal: Purchase Mileage Plan miles from Alaska, an American partner. Based on a recent Mileage Plan deal (ended July 1, but will be back before long, so stay tuned), which offered a bonus of up to 50%, you could have gotten New York-London for $2,844 round-trip or up to $1,589 (36%).
Or, Purchase Amex Rewards Points, transfer them to Cathay Pacific, and redeem them on American flights. This strategy can net you $1,167 off, bringing New York-London First Class down to $3,266 round-trip (120,000 miles, including award taxes at around $266).
Deal #2: British Airways First Class
Published Fares: To London from Boston round-trip start at $4,111 (150-day advance purchase) and ends at $9,807 (no advance). From New York the range is at $4,433 to $16,475; and from Washington, DC $4,617 to $18,718.
Mileage Cost: 136,000 miles off-peak (160,000 peak-season) to London. See mileage award availability in chart below.
No British Airways Miles? No Problem: Transfer 111,000 to 130,000 Starwood points, or 136,000 to 160,000 Amex Rewards or Chase points.
Or, best Mileage Partner Deal: Transfer miles to Japan Airlines from Starwood, and then redeem them for travel on British Airways (100,000 miles round-trip from Boston, New York, and Washington, DC) But with the Starwood transfer bonus, it takes only 80,000 Starpoints, a savings of up to 39%.
Best “Buy Miles to Fly in Style” Deal: Purchase Mileage Plan miles from Alaska, a British Airways partner. Based on a recent Mileage Plan deal (ended July 1), which offered a bonus of up to 50%, you could have had Boston, New York or Washington, DC-London for $4,183 round-trip on a walk-up fare (140,000 miles including award taxes of $1,287), up to 78% off on fares that can be as high as $18,718.
Buying miles usually makes sense for Business and short-notice travelers when fares are high.
Or, Purchase Amex Rewards points, transfer them to Cathay Pacific, and redeem them on British Airways flights. This strategy can net up to 77% off, bringing New York-London First Class down to $3,783 round-trip.
Sweet Redeem Survey: First Class to London
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For more on saving up to 90% on Cathay Pacific’s stratospheric First Class fares to Asia from Boston and New York non-stop, go here; and on the top two best ways to nail New York – Asia First Class and non-stop on Star Alliance Airlines, go here.