A great mileage redemption
 

this PM I went on UA web site looking for a first class award from JFK to HND. What came up was a total surprise. A first class award from JFK to FRA to HND all in Lufthansa first class on the day I wanted. Here was the special part. The total saver award mileage was 110,00 miles plus a slight amount of tax... Has anyone seen this before? I grabbed the award ticket and grabbed two window seats on the LH web site. All that first class travel for the same mileage requirement as a JFK-FRA one way award....

Nice score. Yes, UA will allow the Europe routing to Asia on an award. You used to be able to stopover in Europe on a round-trip award. That was the Holy Grail of UA redemptions - LH/TG/NH F to Asia, with a stop in Europe.

Nice! I'm actually seeing alot of availability for this... Glad you posted as I've been looking for the best/longest LH first flights which allow a stopover in FRA. I'm seeing SFO-FRA-HND which gives you two pretty lengthy flights plus a 7 hour layover in FRA.

Do you do just a straight search or multi city? Love to take the long way with a meaningful layover in FRA.

Indeed. I've never been able to figure out when or why -- and sometimes I see these "specials" show up one day, not the next, and then back the day after. And as you say, trying to force it doesn't work. Fairly common when I'm looking at business class flights these days. I pulled off a few great trips in F back in the day, when it was I think 70 or 80K miles in first class - One of them even got a trip report

When searching SFO-FRA-HND I was only able to find a 7 hour layover on the outbound, but did find a 15 hour layover on the return.

Thanks for linking to your old trip report. The UA domestic F meal looks positively delightful now. The service sounds excellent as well.

This has always been available from the US East Coast, however as far as I've been able to find it doesn't apply to any of LH's gateways east of IAD if I recall correctly. It's a fabulous deal and I used it last year myself. LH's seat is disappointing compared to other more modern F seats, but the service, food, and FCL in FRA are all great. If you are using Business class, the same deal is available on LH, LX, and OS as well (for biz class rates).

(Maybe I stand corrected, seems someone above found SFO-FRA-HND. I've tried several times to get ORD or DTW but it's refused to give me the routing.)

These are offered from SFO and LAX sometimes, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to it. I've never tried picking FRA or MUC as a preferred connection point . . . that might increase the chances.

what are the dates OP if you done mind (I thought LH First only open within 14 days or something like that)

No worries. Date is January 11 2019.. And appreciate all the responses...

I don't suppose it would work the other way, e.g. FRA-SFO-TYO?

The catch seems to be that the farther west you go in the US, the harder you have to look and the less in advance you can book. I've only ever found those flights when searching same-day or next-day availability. Last night I was searching flights for the 7th (today) when I found the SFO route. Now looking this morning, it appears that the ex-SFO availability is gone, but now there are a couple in the next few days out of LAX via MUC. No layover to speak of, though. Moral of the story is that F award space on these flights definitely changes every day and you've got to be willing to book very short notice if you want one of these really long routings.

ORD is the farthest west I've found that's available with some consistency outside of about T-2 days.

Weird thing is that I had to search from SFO directly to get it. Wasn't able to do it from MCI, although it sometimes has on other days. Seems weirdly hit or miss whether it will allow that connection. Makes me wonder what other possible connections I'm only seeing part of the time as I've been looking for this award space.

EDIT: Just as I was saying I couldn't find squat for this out of MCI, I found a ton that just opened up for tomorrow, albeit not with the west coast connection. MCI-ORD-FRA-HND with 8 hours in ORD and 11 hours in FRA. ORD-FRA is "only" 8 hours but considering you've got 11 hours to enjoy the FCT and another 11 hours to enjoy the F product after that, I think it's still a pretty good deal.

Reminds me of the 70K FC award DEN-FRA-PEK that I scored in 2013. Those individual beds upstairs on the LH 744 were amazing, and I was alone in FC on the A380 FRA-PEK. <sigh>