Among the many higher prices rolled out today on the United Airlines MileagePlus award chart comes one superb reprieve. Direct flights 800 miles or less outside North America now cost 8,000 miles in economy class. In many cases, that’s a superb value.
The rise of budget and ultra-low-cost carriers has fundamentally changed the way airlines price one-way trips. For years, one-way trips were often just as expensive or even more expensive than a round-trip ticket. Saturday-night stay and other gimmicks were added.
That was then, this is now.
Thus, this attractive one-way pricing will tend to be most valuable for last-minute purchases. But let me show you one example.
Tomorrow, say you want to go from Frankfurt to Vienna. Austrian flights start at $406 one-way and only go up from there.
But how about mileage space?
Hmm.What’s better $656 or 8K miles + $125?
Keep in mind that if you’re not a MileagePlus elite member you’re hit with a $75 close-in booking fee (reflected in the $125 above). There are government taxes as well (also reflected above). But you still come out ahead. Way ahead!
I wrote about a similar trip here.
That’s Europe. The same logic applies in Africa, Asia, and Australia.
The point is simple: if you’re booking a pricey last-minute ticket, always check award space. You may end up coming out way ahead even if it is not the most sexy use of your miles.
CONCLUSION
When I used to live in Germany, I frequently took advantage of then-Star Alliance member’s bmi to travel frequently within Western Europe for 4,500 miles one-way. I miss those days, but this sort of restores them. Oh, I’m sounding like Gary Leff now! 😉
It’s definitely nullifying one of the key uses of BA Avios, esp considering how they’ve created a huge gaping hole in core continental Europe after the implosion of Air Berlin.
using your example, right now oneworld simply can’t efficiently route any FRA-VIE passenger through any of their hubs whatsoever. At least Skyteam can send you through Prague or northern Italy (even though it’s not their core hub)
IAG can create all the Vueling bases they want but that’s still not oneworld.
You can still use 4.5k avios to fly short haul within Europe on ba, fin air, Iberia.
that’s a per segment price. using FRA-VIE as an example, that’s minimum 9k avios, plus unnecessary transit tax and backtracking time.
Matthew, I’m sorry if I am being nitpicky here, but I wanted to make sure you are using the appropriate meaning for the term “direct” flight as opposed to “nonstop” flight.
A nonstop flight is just that – a flight that goes from point A to point B, without stopping
A direct flight will bring you from point A to point B, but may have stop(s) along the way at points C (and potentially D). but is marketed with a single flight number.
I’ve seen multiple people use these phrases interchangeably, so I apologize that you are getting the lecture, but it can be hard to understand what people really mean when.
Or pay $170 with a connecting flight on LX (and a return).
There are always other options…I discussed your idea in my linked Aeroplan post.
But that is too complex for most travelers and doesn’t allow for checked baggage or even the possibility of gate checking if you board late.
OKA-TPE is 408 miles and outside North America. However United charges 15K for it.
It seems the sub 800 mile flight has to be within the same region 🙁
I accidentally/fortuitously stumbled on this today booking some intra-Asia flights. Singapore economy for 8k miles and just $8 for several flights in the SE.
Very happy with this as it provides some competition to Avios.
Thanks!