inthemix

90k miles for roundtrip CMH-ORD-NRT in business.

If booking with UAL miles, it would have cost twice as many miles.

Factor in USAirways 100% purchaseable miles bonus, and it seems like a no brainer. Even with 0 miles in the bank- $1200 plus some nominal fees will get you business class to asia..seems like a no brainer.

My question is, how can USAirways get away with that- do they have to pay United for those bookings? Seems like they are undercutting big time...


As a note: While I had to learn how to use the "ANA tool" to find avilable dates- it seems that cashing in Dividend MIles for United flights isnt too bad. The main point of pain was calling up and trying to find dates with rewward flights avialble...

Dan6681

Economy should be 60k to north asia not 90k

eponymous_coward

That promotion is not available currently. I'd suggest waiting until a promotion comes online (my guess is fall or winter).

Also, I'd suggest spending 90,000 US miles on C (business) to North Asia, not Y (coach).

The trick to airline yield management says "well, we're unlikely to sell this seat anyway, so we might as well 'give' it away as a loyalty bonus". Airline seats are sort of like bananas in that respect- once the plane leaves, the revenue's gone.

UA, LH and so on figure they might as well get pennies on the dollar for the seat as a redemption than $0 (or give it to a NRSA).

inthemix

My bad, I meant C (Business), not Y

I already booked C, for 90K- thought I got a steal...

neotope

That is a great deal, you can also save 5k miles on redemption if you have a US Airways Master Card.

I booked a flight from SYD-AKL on Air NZ for 20k miles because I wanted to try out Business class on the Air NZ 767 and it was a great deal compared to buying the ticket.

Beckles

Only if it's a US flight on US metal.

neotope

I just double checked my account and they charged me 25k for a business award on Air NZ that should normally be 30k according to the award chart for South Pacific to/from South Pacific. The levels are 25 / 30 / 40.

1 AWARD ISSUED SYD-AKL xxx, xxx -25,000

fly747first

No, a steal was when I got an F award on Singapore Airlines using US DM for 125K for an itinerary that required 160K because the ticketing agent didn't know the award chart that well.

Dan6681

You only get the -5,000 on US awards on US metal. Call NZ and make sure you got ticketed in J. If so you got a lucky deal ^

neotope

Good thinking, I will call them just to double check. I can pull up the seat maps on the Air NZ website and right now I am in 2A on both legs in the business cabin so I should be good but a little proof from Air NZ officially won't help since I can't pull up the full reservation.

UA-NYC

Believe it's 125K for biz to Asia - so ~35-40% more.

That is one great thing about US - nice reward chart

inthemix

I was going to ditch my US mastercard since my balance is at zero now and get a UAL credit card to get the 30k bonus. It seems I am better staying with US if their star alliaince rewards are so much cheaper.

Let me know if my logic is flawed. It seems there is just a great amount of disparity in the 2 miles programs...

eponymous_coward

This is true for SOME award types. However:

*A F award, US-South Asia: 145K on UA, 160K on US.
*A F award, UA-Middle East: 145K on UA, 180K on US

UA blocks certain awards, though.

IMO, some of the best bargains on any of the *A award charts in the US (CO, UA or US) are the North Asia/South Asia, and intra-South Asia C/J awards (30K). Essentially, you can get flights of comparable length to US transcons in Asia that are worth thousands of dollars at a handful of miles more than a standard coach award for a US carrier (and thus very reachable with credit card/other bonuses) and often better hard/soft product than US domestic three-class (UA p.s. or AA AFS). ICN-DPS with a layover in BKK? Yes, please.

The US North Asia- North Asia award is also a steal (at 40K, and theoretically, SVO-FRA-HKG is a legal award- possibly with a stopover if you get the right agent).

blug

I would like to add Europe-North Asia. 80K in C and 100K in F. Excellent.

However, not allowing any change to an award ticket once travel starts is a big .

gkbiiii

I would like to add 40k in F for all of South America. Great deal for us in Florida, a cheap Spirit flight to Collumbia/Peru than TAM to Southern South America!! Plus, I should mention that even F award on TAM has car pickup! When you factor in their great Special Services, (on ground) an escort through customs (plus, on to the plane) and Blue Lable/Chevis 18; (in the F lounge) this is really a great expereince for the cheap!