American Express Membership Rewards - SFO to Bangkok First/Business Class

Planning to get married in Phuket, Thailand. I have lots of points and figure this is worth the splurge. Any recommendations on flights or airlines that leverage my points. I have flown Thaiair direct from LAX before. It is my preferred route since a flight to LAX is painless. Thanks in advance!

Speaking as someone who has spent months crafting a perfect STAR ALLIANCE first class itinerary to Asia for next year...let me give you my thoughts.

Consider whether you want First Class on a 3-class aircraft, or you simply want "First Class" on a 2-class aircraft. Or does it matter to you? Some airlines do not offer a 3-class cabin from SFO; Asiana being one of them.

ANA and United do offer 3-class cabin. If you route through LAX, you can add Asiana to the list. Route through Vancouver for an Air Canada flight - although not sure if it's a 2 or 3 class. You can fly any of these airlines to BKK, then pick up Thai into Phuket. From BKK, you get a few extras, such as complimentary use of their spa service, which is a nice way to end a vacation.

Hope this helps.

Planning to get married in Phuket, Thailand. I have lots of points and figure this is worth the splurge. Any recommendations on flights or airlines that leverage my points. I have flown Thaiair direct from LAX before. It is my preferred route since a flight to LAX is painless. Thanks in advance!

18 hours in Thai business hardly sounds painless to me! :eek:

You don't say when you're going, and this will effect availability, but I'd consider SFO-NRT in ANA First connecting to NRT-BKK Thai First.

But if you're fine with business class, you could do a decent connection with Asiana, SFO-ICN-HKT. One-stop all the way to Phuket!

The key though is going to be identifying the flights with award availability and then transferring the points. I find Air Canada Aeroplan an especially good Amex partner, points transfer instantly and routing rules are quite liberal. 100k for business class, 120k for first, and you can search availability using the All Nippon Airways website first... call Aeroplan, get them to put together the itinerary, and once they find it you can transfer the points via the membership rewards website in real time (provided you have already signed up for an Air Canada account and linked it to your Amex Membership Rewards account).

If you're really unlimited in points, wait until BA joins and fly CX F to BKK. Best product in the sky, I think.

18 hours in Thai business hardly sounds painless to me! :eek:


Well painless is probably the wrong word. Flew premium economy on Thai Air. It wasn't bad only complaint was that the seats didn't go flat. Planning on going in early Feb 2010. I have a few million points but at some point I rather get a new suit or something.

As for the process, I just find an itinerary/flight that has rewards availability and then just transfer the points to a program like Star Alliance? Will getting a ticket for my fiancee be any problem?

Flew premium economy on Thai Air. It wasn't bad only complaint was that the seats didn't go flat.Why would you expect flat seats in premium economy?

Planning on going in early Feb 2010. I have a few million points but at some point I rather get a new suit or something. That may open up some more options. Some carriers have unrestricted awards for 2x the points, but usually only on itineraries that are wholly on their metal. You'd have to check each of the Membership Rewards partners programs to see what the options are here. This will make it much easier to get flights you want.

I think the other option is you can use your Amex MR points to "pay" for a regular ticket outright. I think the conversion is $0.01 per point, so a $6,000 r/t business class ticket will cost 600,000 points. A lot more than a regular FF award ticket, but there are few if any restrictions on airlines, and maybe you could find an even cheaper fare. First class might be out of the question, since those tickets usually start at $10k r/t and are sometimes much more.

As for the process, I just find an itinerary/flight that has rewards availability and then just transfer the points to a program like Star Alliance?Pretty much. You might want to do a little research here first in terms of how quickly the MR points transfer to the FF program and how long (if at all) the airline will allow you to hold a reservation while awaiting a point transfer.
Will getting a ticket for my fiancee be any problem?No, all FF programs allow you to redeem your points for tickets for other passengers, whether they're flying with you or not.

Why would you expect flat seats in premium economy?

I think the other option is you can use your Amex MR points to "pay" for a regular ticket outright. I think the conversion is $0.01 per point, so a $6,000 r/t business class ticket will cost 600,000 points. A lot more than a regular FF award ticket, but there are few if any restrictions on airlines, and maybe you could find an even cheaper fare. First class might be out of the question, since those tickets usually start at $10k r/t and are sometimes much more.

If I have done my research on this site correctly, isn't that the least cost effective method?

If I am reading this correctly http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/general/e/amc/reference/tokuten/muryou_int.html, wouldn't a first class ticket be about 90,000 miles one way assuming a 8,000 mi flight?

If I have done my research on this site correctly, isn't that the least cost effective method?

If I am reading this correctly http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/general/e/amc/reference/tokuten/muryou_int.html, wouldn't a first class ticket be about 90,000 miles one way assuming a 8,000 mi flight?

ANA can also hit you with nasty fuel surcharges and it takes up to 18-24 hours to transfer, so the availability can vanish before you have the chance to book. In general- Air Canada is your best bet- even if the trip is 10,000 miles more, you can save hundreds on taxes/surcharges and you have the peace of mind knowing the itinerary is booked immediately. Also- with ANA you cannot change an itinerary, starting from 7 days prior to departure and technically you can only use your points for close relatives (though I have flouted those rules in the past). ANA definitely has its quirks.

Reading the advice to possibly use 600,000 points nearly gave me a coronary.. do NOT do that, unless you have millions of points and need to accrue EQMs on your flight, as if it was paid. If you run into a wall, post here for advice- there are so many experts that will help you if you show the effort.

Check mexicana - they have a great deal on JAL in F. On most airlines they can hold the seat while you transfer points.

Wow. I never realized I could use my points like this. I also never realized there were such discrepancies between airlines.

On the United Site, I was quoted 290,000 miles for SFO-BKK. On Aeroplan, I was quoted 120K miles for roughly the same F flights. Crazy.

I'm thinking ANA or Air Canada are my best choices.

If this works, I'll never fly economy on a long flight again.

I did BKK-NRT-SFO-NRT-BKK earlier this year in F (revenue ticket). NRT-SFO with ANA, and SFO-NRT with UA (BKK-NRT-BKK with TG). You do NOT want to fly United in F when you can fly ANA! United F is like McDonald's compared to ANA being a 5 star restaurant. ANA F on a 77W is one of my best F experiences. Wagyu (Kobe) steak, great service and food. ^

United F is like McDonald's compared to ANA being a 5 star restaurant. ^

Well put! McDonalds..LOL....except the FA's are a lot more matronly!

I did BKK-NRT-SFO-NRT-BKK earlier this year in F (revenue ticket). NRT-SFO with ANA, and SFO-NRT with UA (BKK-NRT-BKK with TG). You do NOT want to fly United in F when you can fly ANA! United F is like McDonald's compared to ANA being a 5 star restaurant. ANA F on a 77W is one of my best F experiences. Wagyu (Kobe) steak, great service and food. ^


My preference is definite ANA, Asiana, or Thai (Star Alliance / Aero Canada). Can anyone confirm the several day point transfer duration? Sounds like a PITA.

If I have done my research on this site correctly, isn't that the least cost effective method?
It's more cost effective than actually paying $6-10k or more. But yes, it's the least cost effective use of points. It's also the most flexible method. So depends what you want/need.

The OP has millions of points and is planning his wedding. This would be as good of a case as any to blow points in this manner...

Thanks for all the input. So far, I think Aeroplan (Star Alliance) looks like the most reasonable option.

It is 240,000 mi for two RT SF-LAX-BKK on Business (United and Thai Air) throughout. Not the first class I was looking for but ANA's fuel surcharge seems obnoxious.

Thanks for all the input. So far, I think Aeroplan (Star Alliance) looks like the most reasonable option.

It is 240,000 mi for two RT SF-LAX-BKK on Business (United and Thai Air) throughout. Not the first class I was looking for but ANA's fuel surcharge seems obnoxious.

For 240,000 Aeroplan miles you can fly LH F from SFO-FRA, enjoy the First Class Terminal, then fly LH or TG F to BKK. You can also stopover in europe and another destination in Asia as well.

Search in the Air Canada forum for more info.

FRA seems a bit of an overkill just for F. I ended up going with SFO-LAX-BKK. Only cost 200,000 mi and $180 in taxes for two in business class. Considering I was about to pay $2,000 each for premium economy on the same flights, I'm pretty happy.

I'll have to try for F on a trip to Barcelona in the future. Thanks for all the advice and help! I feel like I just cracked the miles system with this site.

Gleff just helped me book two F tickets DEN-FRA-BKK on LH and TG in F.
We used my Amex miles via Aeroplan. It was very easy and all the flights that were shown available on ANA were available on Aeroplan.

Points transferred instantly.

Definitely try to get one of the Asian airlines in F.

OZ leaves from LA and their F product was amazing. Only downside is that you have to go from ICN to BKK in C on Thai.

Try to depart from Thailand on TG in F, to experience a TG F departure experience!

Enjoy and good luck.

Gleff just helped me book two F tickets DEN-FRA-BKK on LH and TG in F.
We used my Amex miles via Aeroplan. It was very easy and all the flights that were shown available on ANA were available on Aeroplan.

Points transferred instantly.

Definitely try to get one of the Asian airlines in F.

OZ leaves from LA and their F product was amazing. Only downside is that you have to go from ICN to BKK in C on Thai.

Try to depart from Thailand on TG in F, to experience a TG F departure experience!

Enjoy and good luck.

Yeah TG F looks good. Unfortunately most of the F availability is out of Europe and living in SFO it I don't really want to add more time on the flight just to be on F. I'd like to book a F to CDG to watch the Tour De France in 2010. Hope I can get something good for that.