Best strategy to use miles to fly J award to Europe
Dec 12, 2018, 1:09 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: AA EP, HH LT Diamond
Posts: 1,001
Best strategy to use miles to fly J award to Europe
Hello,
I'm looking to burn some miles to Europe sometime late summer. The problem I'm running into is the taxes and fees. I can get First (IAD-VCE) for 85k (each way) miles on BA but then the fees are $1,700 per person which defeats the whole purpose. I've paid $300-$400 in fees before to LHR on VS but this seems excessive. I'm fine flying AA metal but can never seem to find anything. I'm sure this has been discussed but I didn't see a sticky and a brief search wasn't helpful. I guess what I need to do is completely rule out BA and try to see if I can get reasonably priced AA flights. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!
I'm looking to burn some miles to Europe sometime late summer. The problem I'm running into is the taxes and fees. I can get First (IAD-VCE) for 85k (each way) miles on BA but then the fees are $1,700 per person which defeats the whole purpose. I've paid $300-$400 in fees before to LHR on VS but this seems excessive. I'm fine flying AA metal but can never seem to find anything. I'm sure this has been discussed but I didn't see a sticky and a brief search wasn't helpful. I guess what I need to do is completely rule out BA and try to see if I can get reasonably priced AA flights. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!
Dec 12, 2018, 1:19 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
Hello,
I'm looking to burn some miles to Europe sometime late summer. The problem I'm running into is the taxes and fees. I can get First (IAD-VCE) for 85k (each way) miles on BA but then the fees are $1,700 per person which defeats the whole purpose. I've paid $300-$400 in fees before to LHR on VS but this seems excessive. I'm fine flying AA metal but can never seem to find anything. I'm sure this has been discussed but I didn't see a sticky and a brief search wasn't helpful. I guess what I need to do is completely rule out BA and try to see if I can get reasonably priced AA flights. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!
I'm looking to burn some miles to Europe sometime late summer. The problem I'm running into is the taxes and fees. I can get First (IAD-VCE) for 85k (each way) miles on BA but then the fees are $1,700 per person which defeats the whole purpose. I've paid $300-$400 in fees before to LHR on VS but this seems excessive. I'm fine flying AA metal but can never seem to find anything. I'm sure this has been discussed but I didn't see a sticky and a brief search wasn't helpful. I guess what I need to do is completely rule out BA and try to see if I can get reasonably priced AA flights. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
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HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
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Dec 12, 2018, 1:21 pm
#3
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
Programs: AA LT Plat; HH LT Diamond, Maître-plongeur des Muccis
Posts: 62,948
Hello,
I'm looking to burn some miles to Europe sometime late summer. The problem I'm running into is the taxes and fees. I can get First (IAD-VCE) for 85k (each way) miles on BA but then the fees are $1,700 per person which defeats the whole purpose. I've paid $300-$400 in fees before to LHR on VS but this seems excessive. I'm fine flying AA metal but can never seem to find anything. I'm sure this has been discussed but I didn't see a sticky and a brief search wasn't helpful. I guess what I need to do is completely rule out BA and try to see if I can get reasonably priced AA flights. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!
I'm looking to burn some miles to Europe sometime late summer. The problem I'm running into is the taxes and fees. I can get First (IAD-VCE) for 85k (each way) miles on BA but then the fees are $1,700 per person which defeats the whole purpose. I've paid $300-$400 in fees before to LHR on VS but this seems excessive. I'm fine flying AA metal but can never seem to find anything. I'm sure this has been discussed but I didn't see a sticky and a brief search wasn't helpful. I guess what I need to do is completely rule out BA and try to see if I can get reasonably priced AA flights. Any suggestions are appreciated.
Thanks!
See
HELP DESK: MileSAAver / SAAver award questions, assistance
and
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
Dec 12, 2018, 1:26 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 30,013
Dec 12, 2018, 7:17 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: PHL / NYC / PSA-BLQ
Programs: AA PPRO, Marriott/Hilton Gold, AMX-Plat, Global Entry
Posts: 3,109
Expertflyer
To add:
You are a little far out to find Saver inventory for late summer Europe/Italy.
As point of reference, we're remodeling a house in Italy and I returned from a visit in mid-October. My wife and I figured the next visit we would need to make to review progress was late February so I searched for flights from East Coast to Italy (BLQ, PSA, MXP, MIL, VCE,FCO) in late October. I found Saver inventory PHL-JFK-MXP and used a BX6B Business Extra Award for my wife (RT), bought a discounted Y fare for me and upgraded them with miles and $'s. All this within a day of when I started to look. Expertflyer let me look at weeks and destinations quickly and identified what options were out there.
It also helps to realize that sometimes point-to-point won't have inventory (ie JFK-MXP shows U0 C0 but PHL-JFK-MXP show U4 C2). Be creative about where you start, etc.
To add:
You are a little far out to find Saver inventory for late summer Europe/Italy.
As point of reference, we're remodeling a house in Italy and I returned from a visit in mid-October. My wife and I figured the next visit we would need to make to review progress was late February so I searched for flights from East Coast to Italy (BLQ, PSA, MXP, MIL, VCE,FCO) in late October. I found Saver inventory PHL-JFK-MXP and used a BX6B Business Extra Award for my wife (RT), bought a discounted Y fare for me and upgraded them with miles and $'s. All this within a day of when I started to look. Expertflyer let me look at weeks and destinations quickly and identified what options were out there.
It also helps to realize that sometimes point-to-point won't have inventory (ie JFK-MXP shows U0 C0 but PHL-JFK-MXP show U4 C2). Be creative about where you start, etc.
Last edited by JMN57; Dec 12, 2018 at 8:44 pm Reason: Add some more info