Earlier today I analyzed the upcoming United MileagePlus devaluation coming in November. I noted that awards originating outside the USA are going up in price, but did not go into detail. I’ll go into detail now on one particular award, currently so valuable that I am already searching my calendar for a date to squeeze in one more booking.
United currently charges 17.5K for one-way ticket from South Asia to Australia in economy class. Business class is 30K. First class is 40K. That’s an incredible price when you think about it for 12 hours in first class.
Fly from Hong Kong to Sydney via Bangkok and you can squeeze in two first class flights on Thai Airways and an extended layover in Bangkok. On the ground in BKK, take advantage of an amazing first class lounge and free one-hour full body massage at the Royal Orchid Spa. That’s using 40K miles wisely!
On November 01, 2017, economy class rises to 25K one-way, business to 50K, and first class to 65K. That’s a 63% increase, the most substantial devaluation on the new chart!
While I wasn’t planning a trip to Australia, I am going to try to squeeze in one more booking in Thai Airways First Class.
CONCLUSION
If you’ve never flown Thai First, this represents the cheapest way to do it! While this may not be worth a special trip to Australia or SE Asia, if you are in the region, don’t forget to take advantage of this extremely attractively priced award before the price skyrockets.
And right after I included this as one of my favorite awards in the world, too!
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea.com/2017/06/25/17-favorite-frequent-flyer-award-booking-values/
it’s a substantial devaluation in %age terms, yes, but even 65K for a 5700miles / 13+hr total flight-time in F is not a bad at all
Ha!
I’m looking for the same thing. I’ve spent nearly 6 weeks total vacationing in Australia over the last 5 years, and lots of time in Sydney, but I do LOVE Thai Airways first. I’m hoping it’ll work out.
hi
how old is the screenshot from united? i only see 747, no A380.
I just took the screenshot today.
Thai still runs 747s on these routes.
Wow!
Talk about good Karma. Just booked Thai BKK-FRA First Class using UA miles. On to LH in First. Won the lottery, didn’t buy a ticket. 🙂
Thanks for the pointer.
Thanks for the head up, Matthew. I’m “in the area” and will definitely want to do this. Know a good award booker?
I tried to book. No availability until 3/18! After I went through the paces the cost for Saver F was 35K HKG-BKK and 40K BKK-SYD, or 75K total.
I just checked HKG-BKK-SYD prices at 40K in first class. But you cannot stopover in BKK…
I would like to book BKK-MEL or something similar, but for October next year. That part of the schedule isn’t loaded yet. Would United let me change from, say, a dummy booking in September to October once the schedule loads? I understand I’d have to pay the change fees. Thanks for any insight.
Unfortunately, no. United has made clear that any changes after November 01, even if the routing remains identical, flights remain identical, and only the dates changes, will trigger a reprice.