I was already ticketed for November to fly JFK-WAW-DUS (New York – Warsaw – Dusseldorf) and then return DUS-LHR-JFK (Dusseldorf – London – New York. I booked the tickets using two programs. Outbound was on United flying LOT for 70,000 miles in Business class. I took advantage of the fact that you can get up to 23 hours and 59 minutes on an award ticket to get a full day in Warsaw since I’ve never been to Poland.
On the way back I was flying through London (again for a full day – almost 24 hours) on an American Airlines AAdvantage award for 50,000 miles in Business.
A bit sad to cancel these. For one, I’ve never been to Poland and would like to. Secondly, the flight from London to New York was on one of American’s new WiFi equipped planes AND I booked at the old miles rate (50,000 one way). Lastly, I’ll wind up paying at least $200 to redeposit my miles. ($200 for the United ticket on LOT and another $150 IF I decide to cancel the London leg). The IF is because unlike United, American will let me change dates for free. I can even lop the DUS-LHR leg off and then change dates. So what I have there is a London to New York flight in Business class that I can use any time up until a year from the date of ticketing. Additionally, I’m not cancelling ANYTHING just yet because a schedule change of over an hour should let me cancel any of these without paying the redeposit fee.
So why did I cancel? Because of these INSANE business class fares on sale right now.
Instead, I just booked Business class on Air France, with a 23 hour and 45 minute stop in Paris on the way, on Air France’s brand new 777-300 Business class product. For this insane price:
Price excluding tax :
- $563.00
- Taxes and surcharges:
- $1,041.65
- Total remaining to be paid :
- $1,604.65
That’s only maybe $400 more than what has been the average cost of a ticket in coach to Europe lately.
And because these flights are all marketed by Air France, I’ll earn Delta MQMs and Skymiles under their partner scheme. With booking codes Z and J on my flights, I’ll earn over 13,000 MQMs (that’s half of Silver status in one flight) and over 15,000 Skymiles. Unlike Delta marketed flights that earn based on fare, partner flights still earn based on distance plus class of service bonuses (Air France is 150% MQM bonus for a Z fare and 200% on a J fare) PLUS my Medallion bonus (Silver = 40%).
And now this will leave me with 70,000 United miles and 50,000 American miles to spend another day when the cash price isn’t so outrageously cheap.
How about you? Did you book any flights with this massive US-Europe fare sale in business class?
