Advice: upgrading flight, NC to Vietnam
Jul 16, 2013, 9:13 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: RDU
Posts: 20
Advice: upgrading flight, NC to Vietnam
Sorry for my total ignorance here, and hoping for some help. I am absolutely new to the idea of using ff miles, but my family and I just got back from a trip from our home in North Carolina to Vietnam, and we want to go again. However, we simply can't stomach the idea of doing it again in economy class. So I am trying to learn how to use ff miles, quickly, to upgrade to business class.
Our flights were on Asiana. I opened USAirways ff accounts after returning home and arranged to have the miles put on them. Now I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but it is too late. We had all three flown on USAirways within the last six months and were able to capture some miles from recent flights.
Should I continue to try to get USAirways miles? Open a credit card account to continue to try to maximize miles? Would another strategy be more intelligent? For example, is there another Star Alliance program that is better in some way? Will I be able to combine miles with another Star Alliance program with the USAirways miles I have so far?
Thanks.
Our flights were on Asiana. I opened USAirways ff accounts after returning home and arranged to have the miles put on them. Now I don't know if that was the right thing to do, but it is too late. We had all three flown on USAirways within the last six months and were able to capture some miles from recent flights.
Should I continue to try to get USAirways miles? Open a credit card account to continue to try to maximize miles? Would another strategy be more intelligent? For example, is there another Star Alliance program that is better in some way? Will I be able to combine miles with another Star Alliance program with the USAirways miles I have so far?
Thanks.
Jul 16, 2013, 9:32 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 2,704
It's generally 120,000 miles with US Airways or United (both Star Alliance) to Vietnam
US Airways has a credit card that can get some miles - but not enough.
You can flat out buy the miles right now during US Airways' 100% bonus. It will be all-in about 2000$ to buy the 90,000 miles require to get to CHINA (and then you could take the bus from Nanning to Hanoi
)
Or you can go crazy with the many cards that get United miles.
There's the....United Personal, United Business, Chase Sapphire, Chase Ink, and so on. A husband/wife going crazy with CC applications could earn probably 3 more tickets.
How big is your family?
US Airways has a credit card that can get some miles - but not enough.
You can flat out buy the miles right now during US Airways' 100% bonus. It will be all-in about 2000$ to buy the 90,000 miles require to get to CHINA (and then you could take the bus from Nanning to Hanoi
)Or you can go crazy with the many cards that get United miles.
There's the....United Personal, United Business, Chase Sapphire, Chase Ink, and so on. A husband/wife going crazy with CC applications could earn probably 3 more tickets.
How big is your family?
Jul 16, 2013, 9:43 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: RDU
Posts: 20
Thanks for the reply.
Just to clarify, we weren't thinking of trying to buy tickets with the miles, just upgrade to business class, and really it's only for the trans-Pacific flight that we are desperate to go business class. There are only three of us (me, husband, and daughter) and we are hoping to go back to Vietnam in a year or so, which gives us some time to earn some miles.
Does one earn miles by keeping the credit cards and using them, or more by just applying to open one? And would it be easy to combine miles in the United program with USAirways miles?
Just to clarify, we weren't thinking of trying to buy tickets with the miles, just upgrade to business class, and really it's only for the trans-Pacific flight that we are desperate to go business class. There are only three of us (me, husband, and daughter) and we are hoping to go back to Vietnam in a year or so, which gives us some time to earn some miles.
Does one earn miles by keeping the credit cards and using them, or more by just applying to open one? And would it be easy to combine miles in the United program with USAirways miles?
Jul 16, 2013, 9:53 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 2,704
Using miles to upgrade has become really really difficult. Usually requiring a few things to happen.
1. You'll need to buy an expensive (economy) fare (usually not much different from the price it costs to buy the US Miles outright for business )
2. You'll need to spend a fair amount of miles - I'd say 25,000-50,000 or so
3. You'll need to make a co-pay - About $500-$1000
These are estimations and vary between airlines. No two have the same policy.
If you get the credit cards, the most miles will come in the form of sign-up bonuses. Example: Spend $3000 in 5 months, get 50,000 miles. Otherwise, you'll only (most of the time) get 1 mile for each dollar spent. If you get a lot of credit cards at once, you'll get a lot of miles at once from those sign-up bonuses. If all of these credit cards are in the same program, you can get a ticket quickly.
US Miles and United Miles can't be combined - AND US Airways is merging with American Airlines so their program will disappear sometime in the next year or so.
This all is probably extremely confusing for you. Take some time to read through the forums, and you'll learn a lot.
1. You'll need to buy an expensive (economy) fare (usually not much different from the price it costs to buy the US Miles outright for business
)2. You'll need to spend a fair amount of miles - I'd say 25,000-50,000 or so
3. You'll need to make a co-pay - About $500-$1000
These are estimations and vary between airlines. No two have the same policy.
If you get the credit cards, the most miles will come in the form of sign-up bonuses. Example: Spend $3000 in 5 months, get 50,000 miles. Otherwise, you'll only (most of the time) get 1 mile for each dollar spent. If you get a lot of credit cards at once, you'll get a lot of miles at once from those sign-up bonuses. If all of these credit cards are in the same program, you can get a ticket quickly.
US Miles and United Miles can't be combined - AND US Airways is merging with American Airlines so their program will disappear sometime in the next year or so.
This all is probably extremely confusing for you. Take some time to read through the forums, and you'll learn a lot.
Jul 16, 2013, 11:44 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,388
US Airways does not fly across the Pacific, and while there is a Star Alliance upgrade program available through them that could upgrade Asiana flights, the ticket classes you would need to purchase would be almost as expensive as business class tickets themselves (sometimes more expensive- there are times of year where business class tickets purchased well in advance can be cheaper than the more expensive coach tickets purchased close to departure). You are better off saving up miles and redeeming an award in business class.
US Airways would be a fine airline program to accrue in if it makes sense for your travel, even if they become American eventually.
US Airways would be a fine airline program to accrue in if it makes sense for your travel, even if they become American eventually.
Jul 17, 2013, 7:26 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: RDU
Posts: 20
I had known about the merger with American, but it had not occurred to me that the merger would end the Star Alliance membership. Reading around here, it looks as though that is the case? Now I am really upset. It's as if I threw the miles away.
Maybe I should have opened an Asiana account and left the miles there? United wouldn't let me open an account for my daughter and husband after the flight and then put the miles into it (I apparently have a United account, although I have probably been letting it sit empty).
I keep hearing about people who manage to upgrade. You're saying it's really easier to save enough miles to use them to buy a ticket? That astonishes me.
Maybe I should have opened an Asiana account and left the miles there? United wouldn't let me open an account for my daughter and husband after the flight and then put the miles into it (I apparently have a United account, although I have probably been letting it sit empty).
I keep hearing about people who manage to upgrade. You're saying it's really easier to save enough miles to use them to buy a ticket? That astonishes me.
Jul 17, 2013, 8:25 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
I keep hearing about people who manage to upgrade. You're saying it's really easier to save enough miles to use them to buy a ticket? That astonishes me.
Using miles to pay for an upgrade is really cost ineffective. Not saying I haven't done so, but I usually do so when my company is paying for the trip and I don't want to be in the back for 8 or more hours.
Jul 17, 2013, 8:52 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA, UA, Hilton, Choice, Wyndham
Posts: 415
Your decision to put the Asiana flight's earned miles into US Airways is already made.
To decide whether to credit near-future star alliance flights to US or United, I'd recommend looking at the accural rules. Certain ticket classes earn a certain % of miles with US, and that number could be different for United.
I assume your home airport is CLT, thus you use US a lot? US flights can be credited to United (for now, before merger completes and US leaves star). US has a more favorable chart (fewer miles to go to certain destinations), but United allows for half price one-ways. To me, that is one of the biggest differences in the program when using US/UA to buy star partner flights, along with the fact that you can book online with United, while you'd have to call US to book partner flights.
Upgrading a paid economy ticket to business generally doesn't make sense, as others have said. Don't feel bad though about having miles with US. Once the miles are with AAdvantage, they would still be useful. Both Cathay Pacific and JAL fly to Hanoi too, and AAdvantage lets you buy tickets on both (must call. Can't book online). Of course, Star has more award seats than OneWorld.
Anyway, more miles is better than fewer miles. When you work towards building up AAdvantage, US Airways, United/Chase Ultimate Rewards (to convert to United), it is all good! I'm not familiar enough with Asiana's mileage program to have an opinion. I do know that if you didn't like Asiana economy, you may like other economy flights even less. Asiana has good service, and 34" seat pitch - more than the 31" to 33" pitch of other airlines.
To decide whether to credit near-future star alliance flights to US or United, I'd recommend looking at the accural rules. Certain ticket classes earn a certain % of miles with US, and that number could be different for United.
I assume your home airport is CLT, thus you use US a lot? US flights can be credited to United (for now, before merger completes and US leaves star). US has a more favorable chart (fewer miles to go to certain destinations), but United allows for half price one-ways. To me, that is one of the biggest differences in the program when using US/UA to buy star partner flights, along with the fact that you can book online with United, while you'd have to call US to book partner flights.
Upgrading a paid economy ticket to business generally doesn't make sense, as others have said. Don't feel bad though about having miles with US. Once the miles are with AAdvantage, they would still be useful. Both Cathay Pacific and JAL fly to Hanoi too, and AAdvantage lets you buy tickets on both (must call. Can't book online). Of course, Star has more award seats than OneWorld.
Anyway, more miles is better than fewer miles. When you work towards building up AAdvantage, US Airways, United/Chase Ultimate Rewards (to convert to United), it is all good! I'm not familiar enough with Asiana's mileage program to have an opinion. I do know that if you didn't like Asiana economy, you may like other economy flights even less. Asiana has good service, and 34" seat pitch - more than the 31" to 33" pitch of other airlines.
Jul 17, 2013, 9:33 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: RDU
Posts: 20
Wow. There's a lot to learn here, but you all have already been so helpful. Thank you very much. I'm delighted to learn that Cathay Pacific is an option.
We fly out of RDU, but that still means lots of USAirways flights. The reason I didn't leave the Asiana flights with Asiana is that I wanted to get miles from things like car rentals and hotel stays. We just had two nights at a Radisson (goes to USAirways) and are renting a car for ten days right now and I guessed that it would be hard to accrue miles on a Korean airline program with things like American car rentals. I don't even know enough about all of this to figure out whether we are getting many miles by doing this or not.
Given my particular goals, is there a board that I should read to get more basic information about the best strategies for accruing miles? Also, I saw something about Fidelity accounts being used to accrue miles--I have most of my retirement accounts with Fidelity and wondered if there's a way to take advantage of that fact?
We fly out of RDU, but that still means lots of USAirways flights. The reason I didn't leave the Asiana flights with Asiana is that I wanted to get miles from things like car rentals and hotel stays. We just had two nights at a Radisson (goes to USAirways) and are renting a car for ten days right now and I guessed that it would be hard to accrue miles on a Korean airline program with things like American car rentals. I don't even know enough about all of this to figure out whether we are getting many miles by doing this or not.
Given my particular goals, is there a board that I should read to get more basic information about the best strategies for accruing miles? Also, I saw something about Fidelity accounts being used to accrue miles--I have most of my retirement accounts with Fidelity and wondered if there's a way to take advantage of that fact?
Jul 17, 2013, 9:53 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2012
Programs: AA, UA, Hilton, Choice, Wyndham
Posts: 415
Yea, this is the right board for learning about miles 
That and the blogs on boardingarea, thepointsguy, millionmilesecrets, etc.
If you want to minimize programs, you can take all United/US flights and credit to US. And take all AA/DL flights and credit to Alaska. Of course, that's going to get shaken up with the US/AA merger.
The best strategies to obtain miles involve signing up for multiple cards at once (app-o-rama), subject to app-o-rama constraints, like spreading out the applications based on issuing b ank.
As for Fidelity, their 2% amex credit card used to convert to Aeroplan, but not anymore. The bonuses there are for moving assets over for 6 months (and potentially withdrawing afterwards, and repeating in the future).
That and the blogs on boardingarea, thepointsguy, millionmilesecrets, etc.If you want to minimize programs, you can take all United/US flights and credit to US. And take all AA/DL flights and credit to Alaska. Of course, that's going to get shaken up with the US/AA merger.
The best strategies to obtain miles involve signing up for multiple cards at once (app-o-rama), subject to app-o-rama constraints, like spreading out the applications based on issuing b ank.
As for Fidelity, their 2% amex credit card used to convert to Aeroplan, but not anymore. The bonuses there are for moving assets over for 6 months (and potentially withdrawing afterwards, and repeating in the future).
Jul 17, 2013, 11:02 am
#12
Join Date: May 2008
Location: BOS/SIN
Programs: SQ
Posts: 2,704
Before we start pushing external blocks that tend to publish advice that help their financial backers over their customers, let's give sound advice to the OP.
You can get the 3 tickets to VN rather easily.
First, you'll need to open United accounts for all members of the family and US Airways accounts so that you have flexibility to accrue miles with both programs. Remember that as of now they're both in Star Alliance so that you can still book the SAME tickets with Asiana, Thai, ANA, etc to Vietnam. The award seats you can see on united.com = the seats that you can call into US Airways and book!
Second, you'll need the miles. As much as I hate card pushing, there are the most Chase cards out there right now to get an award quickly with United. Getting two of the Chase cards - like the Ink Bold and the Sapphire Preferred will net you about 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points (easily transferable to your United account) after just completing the card's minimum spending requirements (insert affiliate link here). You can either choose then to add a third United card to reach the required 120,000 miles, or just accrue the remaining 20,000 through spending.
Third, you need to get the final ticket. This would obviously be easier if your daughter had access to the same credit cards - if she was old enough and had a history of good credit, etc. Otherwise, I'd make the small investment and buy the US Airways miles required for this ticket (during this month's 100% bonus promotion). Choose the account from your family with the most miles in it, and buy the required amount that will top it up to 120,000 miles.
Fourth, you need to learn how to find award seat availability. Lots of airlines fly to Vietnam, but there aren't any direct connections from the USA accessible to you with Star Alliance. This means you're looking at a lot of connection points, such as Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Taipei, etc. You've got ANA, Air China, EVA, and Asiana as four good business class options. The trick is to look at where these airlines fly from in the USA, and start from there. For example: ANA flies ORD/JFK-NRT with their new business class seats. Use united.com, award search, non-stop flights only, JFK-NRT. United has this great calendar on their search that shows you all the dates that flights are available. Putting in RDU-HAN into the United.com search will not get you the same results as searching segment by segment. Plus, ANA business class is extraordinary and would be my top choice for flying across the Pacific on Star Alliance miles (although all the others are excellent, sans United).
Fifth, keep posting in Flyertalk, and start to delve into the other forums - such as the credit card ones, and united/us airways specific forums so that you can read and learn more about previous redemptions others have made.
Good luck
You can get the 3 tickets to VN rather easily.
First, you'll need to open United accounts for all members of the family and US Airways accounts so that you have flexibility to accrue miles with both programs. Remember that as of now they're both in Star Alliance so that you can still book the SAME tickets with Asiana, Thai, ANA, etc to Vietnam. The award seats you can see on united.com = the seats that you can call into US Airways and book!
Second, you'll need the miles. As much as I hate card pushing, there are the most Chase cards out there right now to get an award quickly with United. Getting two of the Chase cards - like the Ink Bold and the Sapphire Preferred will net you about 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points (easily transferable to your United account) after just completing the card's minimum spending requirements (insert affiliate link here). You can either choose then to add a third United card to reach the required 120,000 miles, or just accrue the remaining 20,000 through spending.
Third, you need to get the final ticket. This would obviously be easier if your daughter had access to the same credit cards - if she was old enough and had a history of good credit, etc. Otherwise, I'd make the small investment and buy the US Airways miles required for this ticket (during this month's 100% bonus promotion). Choose the account from your family with the most miles in it, and buy the required amount that will top it up to 120,000 miles.
Fourth, you need to learn how to find award seat availability. Lots of airlines fly to Vietnam, but there aren't any direct connections from the USA accessible to you with Star Alliance. This means you're looking at a lot of connection points, such as Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Taipei, etc. You've got ANA, Air China, EVA, and Asiana as four good business class options. The trick is to look at where these airlines fly from in the USA, and start from there. For example: ANA flies ORD/JFK-NRT with their new business class seats. Use united.com, award search, non-stop flights only, JFK-NRT. United has this great calendar on their search that shows you all the dates that flights are available. Putting in RDU-HAN into the United.com search will not get you the same results as searching segment by segment. Plus, ANA business class is extraordinary and would be my top choice for flying across the Pacific on Star Alliance miles (although all the others are excellent, sans United).
Fifth, keep posting in Flyertalk, and start to delve into the other forums - such as the credit card ones, and united/us airways specific forums so that you can read and learn more about previous redemptions others have made.
Good luck
Jul 17, 2013, 11:42 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: RDU
Posts: 20
Before we start pushing external blocks that tend to publish advice that help their financial backers over their customers, let's give sound advice to the OP.
You can get the 3 tickets to VN rather easily.
First, you'll need to open United accounts for all members of the family and US Airways accounts so that you have flexibility to accrue miles with both programs. Remember that as of now they're both in Star Alliance so that you can still book the SAME tickets with Asiana, Thai, ANA, etc to Vietnam. The award seats you can see on united.com = the seats that you can call into US Airways and book!
Second, you'll need the miles. As much as I hate card pushing, there are the most Chase cards out there right now to get an award quickly with United. Getting two of the Chase cards - like the Ink Bold and the Sapphire Preferred will net you about 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points (easily transferable to your United account) after just completing the card's minimum spending requirements (insert affiliate link here). You can either choose then to add a third United card to reach the required 120,000 miles, or just accrue the remaining 20,000 through spending.
This is also extremely helpful information. Thanks.
Third, you need to get the final ticket. This would obviously be easier if your daughter had access to the same credit cards - if she was old enough and had a history of good credit, etc. Otherwise, I'd make the small investment and buy the US Airways miles required for this ticket (during this month's 100% bonus promotion). Choose the account from your family with the most miles in it, and buy the required amount that will top it up to 120,000 miles.
Fourth, you need to learn how to find award seat availability. Lots of airlines fly to Vietnam, but there aren't any direct connections from the USA accessible to you with Star Alliance. This means you're looking at a lot of connection points, such as Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Taipei, etc. You've got ANA, Air China, EVA, and Asiana as four good business class options. The trick is to look at where these airlines fly from in the USA, and start from there. For example: ANA flies ORD/JFK-NRT with their new business class seats. Use united.com, award search, non-stop flights only, JFK-NRT. United has this great calendar on their search that shows you all the dates that flights are available. Putting in RDU-HAN into the United.com search will not get you the same results as searching segment by segment. Plus, ANA business class is extraordinary and would be my top choice for flying across the Pacific on Star Alliance miles (although all the others are excellent, sans United).
Fifth, keep posting in Flyertalk, and start to delve into the other forums - such as the credit card ones, and united/us airways specific forums so that you can read and learn more about previous redemptions others have made.
Good luck
You can get the 3 tickets to VN rather easily.
First, you'll need to open United accounts for all members of the family and US Airways accounts so that you have flexibility to accrue miles with both programs. Remember that as of now they're both in Star Alliance so that you can still book the SAME tickets with Asiana, Thai, ANA, etc to Vietnam. The award seats you can see on united.com = the seats that you can call into US Airways and book!
Second, you'll need the miles. As much as I hate card pushing, there are the most Chase cards out there right now to get an award quickly with United. Getting two of the Chase cards - like the Ink Bold and the Sapphire Preferred will net you about 100,000 Ultimate Rewards points (easily transferable to your United account) after just completing the card's minimum spending requirements (insert affiliate link here). You can either choose then to add a third United card to reach the required 120,000 miles, or just accrue the remaining 20,000 through spending.
This is also extremely helpful information. Thanks.
Third, you need to get the final ticket. This would obviously be easier if your daughter had access to the same credit cards - if she was old enough and had a history of good credit, etc. Otherwise, I'd make the small investment and buy the US Airways miles required for this ticket (during this month's 100% bonus promotion). Choose the account from your family with the most miles in it, and buy the required amount that will top it up to 120,000 miles.
Fourth, you need to learn how to find award seat availability. Lots of airlines fly to Vietnam, but there aren't any direct connections from the USA accessible to you with Star Alliance. This means you're looking at a lot of connection points, such as Tokyo, Seoul, Beijing, Taipei, etc. You've got ANA, Air China, EVA, and Asiana as four good business class options. The trick is to look at where these airlines fly from in the USA, and start from there. For example: ANA flies ORD/JFK-NRT with their new business class seats. Use united.com, award search, non-stop flights only, JFK-NRT. United has this great calendar on their search that shows you all the dates that flights are available. Putting in RDU-HAN into the United.com search will not get you the same results as searching segment by segment. Plus, ANA business class is extraordinary and would be my top choice for flying across the Pacific on Star Alliance miles (although all the others are excellent, sans United).
Fifth, keep posting in Flyertalk, and start to delve into the other forums - such as the credit card ones, and united/us airways specific forums so that you can read and learn more about previous redemptions others have made.
Good luck
My daughter is 11. So I assume we'll be buying miles, instead of opening a card in her name
But this information is a really good starting point. I pay a lot of bills with a credit card and pay it off each month, so if I get one of the frequent flyer cards and switch to using it I assume that I can rack up points pretty fast.
Jul 17, 2013, 11:44 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: RDU
Posts: 20
I kind of understand that no one can answer this question, but it does occur to me to ask: what are the chances that I will need to build up miles on whatever program American has, rather than the Star Alliance, given the current situation. Should I open a credit card that will get me American Airlines points, rather than United/USAir?
Jul 17, 2013, 11:59 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
I kind of understand that no one can answer this question, but it does occur to me to ask: what are the chances that I will need to build up miles on whatever program American has, rather than the Star Alliance, given the current situation. Should I open a credit card that will get me American Airlines points, rather than United/USAir?
Since you have already dabbled in US miles I would focus on them AND American.
-Everyone of age should apply for US card. That is the relationship that will be going away, according to most folks. But the miles you earn will be yours.
-Keep your eyes open for a good sign up bonus on AA. Get AA business card too.
Based on the deals, you may have enough for the entire family to fly in J.