Business class on Star Alliance at only 120k Oz-Europe??

[kooky]

I just had a look at United's Star Alliance award chart, Australia to Europe return 100k Economy, 120k Business, 150k First!

How does that compare with Qantas miles? It seems outrageously attainable!

Business only 20% more than economy?? Really??

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,,50042,00.html

 

[QF WP]

I think *A have always been cheaper from a redemption point of view than QF.

I can advise from personal experience upgrades (U seats) on BNE/LAX/BNE are 72,000 each way. So I'm coughing up 288,000 QF points to upgrade us later this year. But I still think it's worth it for 15 hour flights (better to burn them than loose them)

 

[NM]

For starters, on QF, the business class award is double the points for the economy award. And a First class award is triple the points for an economy award. So a 20% uplift to business class, or 50% uplift to first is amazingly good value in comparison.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

I think *A have always been cheaper from a redemption point of view than QF.

I think its more of a US-based thing than OW vs *A - way less miles needed on UA Mileage Plus than LH Miles & More for example. Although after this year's changes to QFF maybe you're right as well Lindsay! (Cant think of more expensive long haul awards.)

 

[kooky]

Well I guess SIN->SYD is a nice upgrade at only 24k on QF! If you were coming home from a trip to Europe you could float all the way home from Singapore! I know it's only 7hrs but it's that second leg that's the killer when you just want to get home.

 

[kooky]

By the way which carriers would I get to choose from for 120K Oz-Eur?? I'm excited now because there I was thinking 120K buys me a Qantas ticket when I can go business from now on instead! Is it definitely via the US? I thought that seemed higher from the table.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Any *A airlines other than via North America (its 140 C and 170 F via North America).

Plenty of options. SQ via SIN, TG via BKK, OS via SIN/KUL, or mix it up - eg SQ to SIN or TG to BKK and then SK/LH/LX (when it joins next year). Note familiar enough with Mileage Plus as to whether could do more complex itins - eg SQ to NRT via SIN then NH, or NZ via AKL to SIN (on the new business class from Jan 06) then SQ or LH.

 

[kooky]

This is amazing. You're telling me I can go e.g. MEL-LHR business on Singapore Airlines for 120k points!! How much is 120k in Qantas points?

Man I may as well just chuck in the other 30k and go first class!!!

 

[rosesplus]

This is amazing. You're telling me I can go e.g. MEL-LHR business on Singapore Airlines for 120k points!! How much is 120k in Qantas points?

Man I may as well just chuck in the other 30k and go first class!!!

As a rough rule of thumb QF points are only worth a third of normal miles on international J/F.

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

This is amazing. You're telling me I can go e.g. MEL-LHR business on Singapore Airlines for 120k points!! How much is 120k in Qantas points?

Yes subject to availability. Note SQ rarely releases more than 1 award F seat per flight.

Compare that with QF's 384k points for simple SYD-LHR return in F or 120k for SYD-SIN return in J.

 

[kooky]

Is there a better deal than this anywhere??

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

Depends on your circumstances and what you want - status, awards, upgrades.

If you live & travel only within Australia then you wont be able to earn much miles on Mileage Plus (only some rental cars and accommodation) so the low redemption rates dont matter.

 

[kooky]

Usually go MEL-LHR once every 12 months? Can't apply for the UK mileage plus Visa card though, any better options to get some points on credit card towards Star Alliance?

 

[kooky]

Well I meant towards United probably, since none of the other *A airlines probably do the 120k deal I gather..

 

[BlacKnox]

Well I meant towards United probably, since none of the other *A airlines probably do the 120k deal I gather..

You'll need to check specific routes. For a comparison of * redemption rates, go here:

http://hagbard.0-24.net/starawards.html

For example, for AKL-GIG (Rio) it's 120,000 business class for LH/LO/OS (Asiana) and UA.

 

[BlacKnox]

Is there a better deal than this anywhere??

As KiwiFlyer noted, it depends on what you value. For example, the redemption rates of NH (ANA) seem high when compared to UA, AC etc. But a hidden gem of the NH award system is the 4 free stop-overs allowed (in addition to the destination).

Although I haven't checked, I believe it would be possible to fly:

CTS-KIX-MNL*-SIN*-BLR*-BKK*-KIX for 80,000 NH miles in Business, where * denotes a stopover. This to me represents better value than a SYD-LHR return for 120,000, as it suits my travel patterns more. So depends on what you need &/or value .

Which reminds me, I'd better check the above itinerary is possible over at FT. I could have it all wrong .

 

[JamesF]

Also, just to rub the salt into our QF FF wounds, you can fly from oz to europe using AA miles for 90k Y/120k J/160k F. And these will be on QF/BA flights!

Not surprising then that so many people are taking the AA plat challenges etc. If you're not interested in points upgrades etc on QF, AA is an excellent oneworld option. Only problem is some QF fares only earn 50% miles.

James

 

[Kiwi Flyer]

AFAIK there are no australian credit cards for United Mileage Plus.

 

[neil_gardner]

I'm with BMI on *A and its only 80k miles to the US, 100k for UK / Europe. But the class premiums are slightly different. 50% additional premium for Business, 100% for First.

RTW is more expensive at 200k miles, but I think the rules are relatively generous...
1 A round the world trip is defined as one Pacific and one Atlantic crossing.
2 A maximum of 10 sectors are permitted for round the world Awards.
3 A maximum of 6 stopovers are permitted for round the world Awards, which may be within the same zone.
4 Round the world Award flights must commence and be completed within a 12 month period.

The following is a generic award booking rule.....
9 No stop-overs are permitted within Europe. Outside of Europe one stop-over is permitted. A stop-over is a lapse of at least 24 hours between your arrival and departure at any transfer point, i.e. if travelling from London Heathrow to Singapore via Frankfurt, you would not be able to stay in Frankfurt for more than 24 hours

Not as good as ANA, but still valuable IMHO

 

[neil_gardner]

And flying on a *A award into the South Pacific is a bargain. With my *A points on BMI, they class Australia, NZ and South Pacific as one zone, so a MEL->SYD return is the same points value as PER to PPT! 30k, or 45k in Business. Fantastic!