Sometimes the best use of your miles is not for a luxurious longhaul first class flight but simply getting to your destination far more cheaply than paying cash. Boring? Yes. But smart? Yes, indeed. An Award Expert client in...
Virgin Atlantic Massively Devalues Transatlantic Premium Cabin Awards On Delta Air Lines
Without notice, Virgin Atlantic spiked pricing and added exorbitant surcharges to transatlantic redemption awards on Delta Air Lines in business class. This move has Delta’s fingerprints all over it. Delta Air Lines Transatlantic Business Class Awards Now Priced Much...
United MileagePlus Devalues Business Class Awards Outside USA
Bad news for United MileagePlus members, with last week’s devaluation of premium cabin awards now spreading to regions wholly outside the USA. Business class awards are now absurdly more expensive and some economy class awards are more expensive too....
The Best Award Redemptions Are Often The Most Boring
The best award redemptions are often the most boring. I truly do make every effort to use my miles for aspirational business and first class redemptions that I would never otherwise be willing to pay for out-of-pocket. But lately,...
Travel From USA To London For 6,000 Chase Points Each Way
While not for everyone, the current Virgin Atlantic redemption sale stacked with the Flying Club transfer bonus from Chase means that economy class tickets are little as 6,000 Ultimate Rewards points each way or 27,500 points for business class....
United Airlines MileagePlus Devaluation Spreads Worldwide
After raising award redemption rates to Europe using MileagePlus miles, United Airlines has now raised prices for redemptions to all regions around the world, in some cases raising prices without notice by over 57%. It’s the latest sunset on...
American Airlines Restricts Changes On Partner Award Tickets
Multiple reports have surfaced that American Airlines no longer lets you add or modify AA segments on an itinerary with a partner award, which represents a silent but substantial devaluation of the AAdvantage program. Bad News: American Airlines Restricts...
Cool: Free Point.Me Award Searches Via Bilt Rewards
I’m a big fan of the point.me search engine for maximizing your points and miles and I am a big fan of Bilt, a loyalty currency that I find extremely valuable for its unique cadre of transfer partners. Not...
SWISS First Class Awards Bookable With United Airlines MileagePlus
UPDATE: Since late December 2022, SWISS first class awards have been bookable once again, though only as married segments and only with United MileagePlus or Lufthansa Miles & More, not any other Star Alliance currencies. For example, I have not...
A Tale Of Two 1K Agents At United Airlines
Who you deal with on the phone when you call an airline matters greatly, even when you have elite status. A recent pair of interactions with United Airlines demonstrates this vividly. Two United Airlines 1K Phone Agents: Two Very...
Massive Emirates “Fuel” Surcharges Shows There Is Never A Better Time Than Now To Redeem Miles
I always used to say that miles are like are a depreciating asset like used cars. With the price of used cars still surging, that’s not the case any longer. But points are still a depreciating asset and a...
My Singapore Airlines Suites Dilemma
I am facing a Singapore Airlines Suites class redemption dilemma that pits time and money against fairness, real or perceived. Singapore Airlines Suites Dilemma – To Push, Or Not To Push Before the pandemic in February 2020 I gleefully...
Saver Award Space Via Married Segment Availability
Saver award space has all but dried up lately, with even last-minute seats no longer available. Even so, you may still be able to use married segment fare logic to find saver award space that would not be available...
Oneworld Award Space Bonanza – Four Business Class Seats Per Flight
Two of my favorite oneworld carriers have released a glut of award space for travel in early 2022 – many flights have four award seats. If you have the points, now is a great time to book travel for...
Masterpiece: My Final Aeroplan Redemption
With a new Aeroplan program coming that explicitly prohibits backtracking, I made one final odd but strategic redemption. This redemption demonstrates why I love Aeroplan (despite our troubles) and why I am officially crazy. My Beautifully Convoluted Final Aeroplan...
United Airlines Increases Cost Of Nonstop Partner Award Flights
United Airlines no longer publishes award charts so technically there is no longer such thing as a devaluation. Nevertheless, partner award space tends to follow a uniform price and I’ve noticed a disturbing new trend concerning nonstop flights on...
No Voluntary Downgrades On Emirates Award Tickets
Mixed cabin awards are a tricky proposition when it comes to Emirates Skywards bookings. As counterintuitive as it sounds, you may end up paying more for business class than first class. Mixed Cabin Emirates Skywards Bookings Can Be Pricey...
Japan Air Lines Appears To Be Limiting First Class Awards Via Partners
Japan Air Lines is one of my favorite first class products in the world. The service and food are over the top. Thus, it is with sadness that I share that JAL now seems to be restricting first class...
United No Longer Publishes Star Alliance Award Chart
United Airlines has removed its Star Alliance award chart from its website. Are prices on partner awards about to go up further? While chatting with a United spokesperson about the changes to earning on partner flights, she volunteered that...
American AAdvantage Bolsters European Award Travel
American Airlines AAdvantage has re-designated Morocco from Africa to Europe, a move that will be an objective net positive for most AAdvantage members. You’ll now have more options for using your miles to travel between North America and Europe...
