Use this list of anomaly airfares, free and upgrade award strategies (whether or not you have any miles now), and good availability while it lasts.
In this special report, the hottest tickets have been searched and sifted and sorted so you can have them at your fingertips. For a variety of different travel scenarios, this list is a great place to start: It begins with mileage strategies (that do not require any miles on hand) and then some of the most amazing published airfares now available for domestic routes and travel to Asia, Europe, and the South Pacific.
14 Airlines Up to 75% Off First & Business Class Worldwide Via Alaska Airlines
Current Deal: Alaska is offering a bonus of up to 35% on miles purchased and gifted. The sale ends Dec. 20, and to take advantage of it, you must be a member of Alaska’s Mileage Plan for at least ten days. Use the waiting period to investigate availability for your potential itinerary.
Sample Savings: New York to/from London: Save up to 75% on a First Class flight on British Airways (normally $12,669). For more information on how best to use the Alaska Buy Miles strategy see FCF’s Sept. 2014 issue.
29 Airlines Up to 67% Off First & Business Class Via LifeMiles
Current Deal: LifeMiles, the loyalty program of Avianca, a Star Alliance member, is offering a 100% bonus on miles purchased through Dec. 19. The cost amounts to 1.65¢ per mile (maximum purchase:150,000 miles). Consider stocking up now if your travel plans and flexibility can jive with actual award space availability.
Sample Savings: North America to/from Europe in Business Class: Save up to 67% with United, for example, on San Francisco-Frankfurt, which otherwise goes for $6,292; with this method you’re looking at just $2,079 round-trip. International Residents: Fly Frankfurt-Johannesburg for just $1,815 in Business (normally $2,782). This strategy is largely origin airport and destination airport agnostic.
A Good Deal Gets Better: LifeMiles’ “Miles + Money” option brings down the miles required for an award ticket by paying more in cash. But you need to have 40% of the miles required for the award ticket to use this option. Get detailed analysis on how best to use the LifeMiles opportunity in FCF’s December 2013 issue.
Three Deals that Net Business Class for Little More than the Price of Coach to/from Europe and to/from Asia Via Amex Rewards, Citi ThankYou, or Starwood and Air France, Japan Airlines, KLM, or Lufthansa
Miles & More: Lufthansa, a member of the Miles & More mileage program, is offering Business Class up to 50% off on selected routes. U.S. to Europe is 55,000 miles roundtrip—5,000 miles fewer than other airlines charge for economy.
Flying Blue: Air Europa, Air France, and KLM, all members of the Flying Blue mileage program, are offering Business Class and Premium Economy at up to 50% off on selected routes. U.S./Canada to Europe is 50,000 miles round-trip in Premium Economy—less than the cost of economy on many airlines. Europe to/from Asia is 100,000 miles round-trip in Business Class; Europe to Central America is 87,500 in Business Class.
ANA Mileage Club: All Nippon Mileage Club is offering Business Class starting at 70,000 miles to/from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Vancouver and 75,000 miles from Chicago, New York, and Washington, DC to/from Tokyo. The deal is only about 10,000 miles more than many carriers charge for economy. Valid Jan. 5 to Feb. 28 and April 1 to April 23, 2015. Remember: If you don’t live in any of the mentioned gateways, or aren’t thinking about Tokyo right now, you can still use these long-haul flights to make a connection to or from many U.S. and Canadian cities to many different cities beyond Tokyo.
Prepare for $1,245 Business Class to/from Europe in 2015
Last month, Iberia, a oneworld carrier and an Amex points transfer partner, offered Business Class for only 40,000 miles round-trip (plus $245 in award taxes) for Chicago-Madrid— or 20,000 miles round-trip plus $765. The deal ended Nov 15 (see Nov. 12 alert), but it’s likely to come around again. Take three minutes now to create an Iberia account (required in advance) so you’ll be ready to pounce next time.
Published First Class Fare Anomaly to Asia: 72%+ Off
Fares to Asia often start between $11,000 and $16,000, but American is offering some that are 72%+ lower to Seoul from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and other cities—starting at $3,733 (from New York); Business Class on the same route goes for $4,033—yes, $300 more than First Class. 90-day advance purchase required; departure / return travel days: Monday through Thursday. Availability Bucket: P; Fare Basis Code: P1X9Q4D1; no date/season restrictions.
Very Low Holiday First Class Fares to Europe Still Available at 45%+ Off
I haven’t booked my New Year’s trip yet; if you haven’t either, consider these First Class fares, as they otherwise often start between $5,000 and $6,000, even during the holiday season, but here are some routes to Europe starting at $3,287. Fine Print: 14-day advance-purchase; travel: Dec. 15 through Jan. 3, 2015 outbound, Dec. 22 through Jan. 7, 2015 return; minimum stay: 3 days, maximum stay: 10 days. Availability Bucket: A for both British Airways (BA) and United (UA); ticketing deadline, Dec. 8. (Other airlines also still have holiday fares, but at higher prices.)
Sample of Holiday Business Class Fares to Europe
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Low Holiday Business Class Fares to Europe Still Available at 64%+ Off
Fares often start between $4,000 and $5,000, even during the holiday season, but here are some little-known routes starting at less than $2,000. Availability Bucket: P for Air Canada, Austrian, Brussels, Lufthansa, SWISS, and United; Z for Air France, Delta, KLM, US Airways, Virgin Atlantic; I for Alitalia, American, British Airways, Finnair, and Iberia.
Sample of Low-Cost Domestic First Class Fare Upgrades
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Published First Class Fare Anomaly to South America: 50%+ Off
Fares to South America usually start at $9,000, but American has some starting at $4,054 to Buenos Aires from Miami, a savings of 50%+. Fine Print: advance purchase: none; departure: Tuesday through Saturday; return: Saturday through Wednesday; minimum stay: 7 days, maximum stay: none. Availability Bucket: P. Fare Basis Code: INX93DQ1/ LAUP. No date/season restrictions. Lowest fares are from Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami, and New York.
South Pacific: Lesser-Known Airline’s Business Class Fares Starting at $2,250 Round-trip
Fares usually start at $6,000+, but Fiji Airways prices Los Angeles-Sydney and Auckland starting at $3,410 round-trip. Fine Print: Valid every day; no advance purchase required. Availability Bucket: Z.
Incredible Domestic First Class Fares Available through Feb. 17: Transcon Upgrades as Low as $148 Each Way
Delta’s amazingly low winter First Class domestic fares, first announced in an alert on Nov. 14, merit mention again here; they’re often 40% less than Delta’s usual fares and those from competitor airlines.
A sample route for perspective: Take Boston-Los Angeles, which has a travel time of almost twelve hours (non-stop, round-trip) and a First Class fare of just $652. (Availability Bucket: G; Fare Basis Code: XA14A0NP/WNUPH). The lowest economy fare (V basis) on that same route is $356.
That’s only $296 more round-trip to fly First Class—just $148 to upgrade each way—or only about $25 per-flight-hour to upgrade.
After you figure in all the fees economy class travel can involve—checked bags, preferred seating, priority boarding, meals, etc.—the cost to upgrade can often come to only $3 more per flight hour.
Also, weigh in the value of miles earned, especially if you’re getting elite bonuses, as that can knock another $100 or more off the price—which, in the end, can net a near-zero cost to upgrade.
Sample of Low-Cost Domestic First Class Fare Upgrades
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Survey of Award Availability for One Traveler Using Alaska Miles on Partner Airlines
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