Are discount business class fares making this less fun for you?
I have been looking at ways to spend points, and I used to think that the aspirational way to redeem your points was to fly premium international cabins. But as I notice lately, price wars are breaking out on trans-atlantic routes (and other routes). And the use of my miles there seems to be in question now, if you ask me.
Example
130k Virgin Elevate Points to fly ORD-OGG in first, when first is $1380~
80k points + taxes to fly ORD-CDG, when business is $1700~
And then I started to price out discount premium international cabins - and it isn't that unreasonable all of a sudden. Especially in comparison to paying taxes + a ton of points for a weak $1700 in savings? Have premium fares always been this cheap? Are these fares keeping your point coffers full, when you might otherwise spend them?