Originally Posted by
zapple
I've read the forum and I need a little help honing my strategy for gaining first class seats on international flights. I have the United Club card and spend 100K per year on the card. I also have an AMEX for my business and spend about 100K per year on that card. I travel by myself to SE Asia or NZ/AU 2 times per year, Europe 4 times per year, and the Caribbean 2 times per year. I usually snag Silver or Gold elite status on United each year. My goal is to get upgrades or free First Class tickets for my Pacific and European trips. I don't care about the club (and I get Club entrance with the card anyhow). I don't care about early boarding or getting free upgrades on domestic flights or Caribbean flights or any other perks of elite status. All I want is first class on 6 overnight flights a year.
What would you recommend? Should I buy Economy Plus tickets and try to upgrade with miles? Or buy a few first class tickets and redeem miles for the rest? With 200k of spend a year, what would you do?
A few questions/ clarifications:
1) are you wanting first or business? To upgrade to first, you need to have purchased business.
2) Upgrades to business do not require the purchase of economy plus.
3) How many miles do you have? If you want true first, use the miles for one way first and purchase an upgradable (to business) one way for the other flight.