I have a few weeks off that I must take before April and I want to go to Europe for a backpacking trip. Well not exactly backpacking as I will be cashing out some free hotel stays, and I want to get to Europe via business. I don't know where I want to go. Could be anywhere that's interesting and easy to get award tickets to. I have the following points and want the best for the buck. I'm going alone, but would like to save some points for vacay with my husband later.

I'm flying out of sfo.
175k united
150k ultimate rewards
117k amex
41000 delta

Any suggestions???

Thanks!!!

Well going business will wipe out over half of those UA miles, so no matter how you do it, you're not going to have much left.

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Starting from where? Some FFPs are zone-based; some are distance-based.

SFO

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Check united.com for Saver award Business seats. The roundtrip will cost either 100K UA miles, or 90K Amex MR points transferred to ANA. (It's been reported on FT that ANA no longer assesses fuel surcharges on UA redemptions.)

If you can find low-level Business award seats on DL or its partners, you could also convert some Amex MR points to Delta miles to bring your Sky Miles total up to the amount needed for a roundtrip redemption.

Thank you for your response!!

I redeemed numerous time from UA miles to get sq or Ana business and it wasn't that difficult to Asia, I just don't know the avail to Europe in such short notice...

I also don't know about using Ana miles to redeem star alliance if it would be difficult either...

The UA website allows you to check on its major partners for award travel. LH, LX, and OS. This is not the high season for USA-Europe flights, so I would think that you will be able to find award seats as long as your plans are somewhat flexible.

Star Alliance availability actually looks reasonably good for March and very open for April.

I threw in a random query...SFO-FRA, March 6-27. If those were my actual dates, I'd fly over in J, routing through Calgary on AC, and then fly home in LH F, through Denver. There are also some J options, but whenever I see LH F available I grab it!! I picked FRA because it's such a big *A gateway...you can certainly fly onward within Europe on the same award.

117,500 miles. A quite good two-cabin J product going over, especially for a solo traveler (the A side of the plane has a more private feel). An amazing lounge and excellent three-cabin F product coming home, upstairs on the 744.

Your UR points could replenish your United stash if that's what you'd want to later use for the 2-person vacation.

Which site did you use to search? I have to leave after 3/10.everything on UA site is green (sver economy only) :/

1. Often, in my experience, it is quite easy to get mileage flights if you book less than a week before departure. Once, we booked on short term to Lisbon (and this was in July high season), couldn't get a flight back at that time, so just waited until got to Europe and were ready to go home, booked the return from London with no problems.

Keep in mind that not everything on partners or UAL may show up on the website. Calling often works out better. And, don't forget partner flights.

I looked at United.com.

Just looked again. Fly the 11st out (via SEA) and 27th back (via FRA), LH F both directions, 135k miles. The weekend (28th-31st) is tight for whatever reason, but then the following week is again wide open.

Oops. This trip is getting more expensive. Well, there's also some J availability...but I never pass up LH F when I see it. It can be a rare animal at times.

If you want to fly beyond FRA and United.com suddenly stops showing good availability when you query that beyond city, do a separate FRA-XXX query. I've noticed that sometimes United.com doesn't show every possible routing, especially with all of the potential partner options. Also query the OS and LX routes and remember you don't *have* to fly back out of the same city or in the same cabin. Sometimes I do a bunch of searches in AwardNexus before I figure out exactly what I want.

The good news is that the big pieces (the long-hauls with some good premium cabin options) are there.

I don't mind doing first class at all
I do not see anything come up as an option on the 11th.. Did you just use the UA award website??

I'm starting a new job on 4/1, so I have to be back the week before

Any suggestions on where to look for the partners flights? Thanks!

Am I doing anything wrong? This is from UAL website.

I have a thread but now i have the exact date, wondering if more people can help?

My dates are not very flexible, i have to leave on or after 3/11, come back before 3/28 or 29 the latest.


Starting from SFO using United miles.
Anywhere in Europe. I'm hoping to visit my aunt in london, but i don't have to fly directly into london. I would like to visit Paris, Rome, or any neighboring countries in those 2 weeks. ( i will only stick to 2 cities, don't worry)

Preferably Business, but First will be okay. Mixed okay as well.

I tried and tried but cannot bring up anything other than UAL or AC from the UA website. Anyone can help me please? Here's what I come up with when I use SFO to Paris