5 Great Uses for your 50,000 Bonus US Airways Miles

The US Airways MasterCard from Barclays is going out in style with a 50,000 mile sign-up bonus offer after your first purchase on the card. This offer and credit card itself is available for a very limited time and now more than ever, even if you have held this card in the past, it would be prudent to take advantage of this generous sign-up bonus.

>Application Link: US Airways MasterCard with 50,000 bonus miles after first purchase

US Airways still has a “Wild West” method of pricing awards and validating routings – that can be used to your advantage. Here are five great awards that you can book using your US Airways miles

1. US to North Asia via Europe for 120K miles in first class

For only 10,000 more miles than business class, you can fly first class instead of business class to Asia and even route via Europe with a stopover if you so desire. Avoid British Airways if you do not want to pay several hundred dollars in fuel surcharges out of pocket, but for what amounts to an extra 5,000 miles each way, flying business class to Europe on Air Berlin or Finnair and then continuing to Asia in JAL, Malaysia Airlines, or Cathay Pacific in first class makes for a tremendous journey and great use of 120K miles.

2. Caribbean to South Asia via Europe for 90K miles in business class

The counter-intuitive price on this routing (since it requires travel though the pricier USA and Canada zone, is a steal for budget travelers looking to get a good deal on business class. Routings through Europe are still available – just remember, getting more than 10 segments past a US Airways agent is virtually impossible and the less segments the better, no matter how crazy the routing.

3. Intra South Pacific Travel via Asia for 30K in business, 40K in first

This is a hidden gem that helps to explain why Award Expert has so many Australian clients who buy US Airways miles. Say you want to travel from Australia to Guam – both places are in the South Pacific zone, but you must go through North and/or South Asia to get there. And you can stopover there…for no extra miles….

4. US to South Pacific for 110K miles in business class

American Airlines charges for two awards to Australia unless you fly “straight” through on Air Pacific, Air Tahiti Nui, or Qantas – forget going through Japan or Malaysia or Hong Kong if you don’t want to pay for two separate awards each way. No such problem with US Airways, where routings via Asia and even the Middle East are often charged at the 110K route. Again, you are at the mercy of the phone agents you deal with and some check MPM and see that going via Asia exceeds the published mileage limit, but those agents are few and far between.

5. Europe to Africa for 75K in business class, 100K in first class

I have a huge base of German and Norwegian clients who buy US Airways points for cheap travel to Africa and also Asia (80K r/t in business class).  Star Alliance was immensely better for travel to Africa, yet British Airways still opens up space at the last minute and here US Airways’ partners play-in nicely—South African serves JNB from LHR, FRA, and MUC and TAP can get you close by flying from Lisbon to Maputo, with a short connection on South African to Johannesburg.

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Finally, remember that US Airways still has three Star Alliance partners, Air China, TAP, and South African. Awards on those carriers can be mixed with each other and with US Airways, but not with any oneworld carriers. Nevertheless, worldwide travel including routings like the New York to Perth via Johannesburg is available as another way to use your 50,000 bonus miles to secure an aspirational trip for a very modest price.

^{I receive a token compensation for card applications successfully approved and would greatly appreciate you using my links in this post to sign-up for this card. My link is the best offer currently available. Thanks!}