We continue the series on how to get you to burn some miles to fly on Business Class to Europe Awards. Next up are these foreign airlines: Avianca, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, and ANA. We also mention Iberia Plus as well. We hope these are helpful. Many bloggers sell credit cards trying to impress you how they fly for “free” and how you can do it too only if you get 36 credit cards on their site! It is not so easy, actually using the miles can be maddening hard!

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By Andy Shuman

Europe on Foreign Airlines: Avianca, Virgin Atlantic, Cathay Pacific, and ANA

Last time, we discussed how to get to Europe in Business Class on North American FFP miles: American, United, Delta, and Air Canada. Since we’re all free agents (and if someone’s still not, you SHOULD be), I’ve presumed and keep presuming for the purpose of this post that all of us have access to miles or points from all kinds of FFPs.

So, let’s talk about what really makes us tick. Getting to Europe in a lie-flat bed for the prices of times long-gone.

Avianca LifeMiles

• FFP Type: Region-Based
• One way redemptions at 50% RT: Yes
• Miles for Business Class Redemption to Europe
  • Own metal: N/A
  • Partners: 60,000-63,000
• Stopover(s) allowed: No
• Credit Cards:
  • Amex Membership Rewards cards: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Citi ThankYou: Prestige and Premier – Transfer
  • Capital One: Venture and Spark Miles – Transfer
  • AAmex Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Banco Popular Avianca Vuelo
• Alliance: Star

Overview

Let’s put it this way: when you hear Avianca LifeMiles, think poor man’s United. On average LifeMiles charges about the same as United for Business Class to Europe (60-64K on all airlines including partners), but it doesn’t nearly have the functionality of the United website. If that’s not enough, Avianca seems to have removed its award chart after revamping its website in February.

On the other hand, it doesn’t add fuel surcharges to any partners and being a Star Alliance member, you can use United and all United partners to go wherever you want.

The Verdict

Why use Avianca LifeMiles and not United MileagePlus? There are 5 main reasons:

• United miles are hard to get (5/24 and all that jazz)
• In the meantime, Avianca miles are easy to get, and there have been 2 transfer bonuses so far from Citi and Amex programs
• And Avianca doesn’t upcharge for using partner airlines
• And Avianca sells miles very cheaply
• But the Avianca online booking engine has very limited capabilities. It might not see the connections that can be more beneficial to you, in which case you’ll have to call or send them an email
• If you call, do keep in mind that Avianca call center agents can be difficult to deal with. Some of them are very competent, but many – not so much. Be patient and if you feel you’re not getting anywhere, do the HUCA (hang up and call again). The same is true about dealing with Avianca in case of IROPs (Irregular Operations, as in cancellations/disruptions/etc.)
• However, if you don’t mind some extra hoops to jump through, Avianca is still gameable, although not to the extent it used to be a couple years ago

If you took advantage of the Citi 25% transfer bonus, you can fly to Europe on a Star Alliance carrier for as little as 48,000 Citi points one way and zero fuel surcharges.

Virgin Atlantic Flying Club

• FFP Type: Mixed
• One way redemptions at 50% RT: Yes
• Miles for Business Class Redemption to Europe
  • Own metal: Huge fuel surcharges – not recommended
  • Delta: 50,000 miles

Note, you can theoretically use fifth freedom flights on Singapore and Air New Zealand, but good luck finding the space. 🙁

• Stopover(s) allowed: No
• Credit Cards:
  • Amex Membership Rewards cards: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Citi ThankYou: Prestige and Premier – Transfer
  • Chase Ultimate Rewards Premium cards – Transfer
  • Amex Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Bank of America Virgin Atlantic

Overview

Using Virgin miles on Delta flights opens up enormous opportunities because:

• It’s very easy to get Virgin Atlantic miles with transfers from 3 major credit card programs
• Virgin might have availability for Delta even when Delta doesn’t have the “saver” availability
• A Business Class award seat to/from Europe costs 50,000 miles
• There are no fuel surprises except for flights to the UK and flights originated in Europe
• There are frequent Amex transfer bonuses – the last one was 30%
• Yes, you can find a Delta One Suite on a Virgin Atlantic award!

However, there are negatives, too. The best way to use Virgin Atlantic miles is to fly nonstop. Every segment will add to the cost. Another weird issue: it doesn’t list all airports you can fly to. When you can’t find your destination on their website, you have to call.

The Verdict

If you live in one of the “Delta cities,” always check Virgin miles for Business Class flights to Europe. Even if you don’t, consider buying a positioning flight separately, especially if you’ve gotten one of those frequent Amex transfer bonuses. If you took advantage of the last 30% transfer bonus you can book a Delta One (Business Class) seat for 78,000 Amex points per round trip – an incredible value in this day and age.

Cathay Pacific Asia Miles

• FFP Type: Distance-based
• One way redemptions at 50% RT: Yes
• Miles for Business Class Redemptions to Europe
  • Own metal: N/A
  • Partners: 50,000-75,000 miles
• Stopover(s) allowed: Yes
  • One partner award – up to 3 stopovers (including the destination) for a round trip flight
  • Oneworld award – up to 5 stopovers (including the destination)
• Credit Cards:
  • Amex Membership Rewards cards: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Citi ThankYou: Prestige and Premier – Transfer
  • Capital One: Venture and Spark Miles – Transfer
  • Amex Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Synchrony Cathay Pacific
• Alliance: oneworld

Overview

Asia Miles used to be one of the most terrific programs in the world until Cathay Pacific drastically devalued it and removed the Mixed-Carrier Award in the summer of 2018. It still offers selective good values to Europe depending where you fly from.

Cathay Pacific is a member of oneworld alliance, and it’s also a partner with Aer Lingus, so you basically have a choice of 6 airlines:

• Aer Lingus (small YQ)
• American (moderate YQ)
• British Airways (huge YQ)
• Finnair (small YQ)
• Iberia (small YQ, no stopover)

Interestingly, Cathay Pacific charges half as much for some flights on British than British and other airlines, but it’s still a lot, so expect to pay over $250 for a one-way flight from New York to London. It adds surcharges to most airlines, but at least they’re bearable.

There are 2 Asia Miles award charts you can use to fly to Europe: the Single Partner and oneworld. Using the oneworld chart requires you to fly on at least 2 oneworld airlines, which can be a terrific value if you want to visit up to 5 different cities. But a lot of stars would have to line up your way in order to make it happen, considering:

• Huge surcharges on British Airways TATL
• Iberia is only bookable on round trip travel
• Finnair Business Class awards are notoriously hard to get
• Aer Lingus is not a oneworld member

You will have a better luck using One Partner chart (which, well, funny thing, doesn’t officially exist). Instead, just add 5,000 miles to the Asia Miles Mixed-Carrier Award to get your price.

The magic number you’re looking for is 5,000 miles. If your one-way flight distance doesn’t exceed 5,000 miles, then you pay 50,000 miles (45,000 + 5,000). If it does, then it’s 75,000 miles (not worth it, IMHO). Use GCMAP to calculate your distance.

Here are some suggestions:

• Frankfurt (FRA) and Rome (FCO) from Charlotte (CLT) is fine; from Dallas (DFW) – no!
• London (LHR) from Dallas is fine; from Los Angeles (LAX) – no!
• Madrid (MAD) from Chicago (ORD) is fine; from Los Angeles or San Francisco (SFO) – no!

In fact, the whole West Coast is out. Any Business Class flight to Europe from the West Coast would cost you 75,000 miles one way. That’s hardly competitive, unless you’re comparing it to the latest Delta shtick.

The Verdict

Devaluations don’t make FFPs better, and Cathay Pacific is no exception. However, if you don’t live on the West Coast and are willing to put in some work, you can end up with a Business Class seat to Europe for 100,000 miles that includes up to 2 actual stopovers. That’s the best value we’ve seen so far. That, and Asia Miles is insanely gameable – read this thread and get ready to be blown away.  🙂

ANA Mileage Club  

• FFP Type: Region-based
• One way redemptions at 50% RT: No, only round trip is allowed!
• Miles for Business Class Redemptions to Europe
  • Own metal: N/A
  • Partners: 88,000 miles (round trip!)
• Stopover allowed: Yes, one
• Credit Cards:
  • Amex Membership Rewards cards: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Amex Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
• Alliance: Star

ANA does have a U.S.-based credit card, but the sign up bonus is laughable.

Overview

If you know anything about me, you know I love ANA. I’ve never flown on ANA metal, but their customer service is top notch (they once saved my sorry ass when I missed my flight in São Paulo). That doesn’t mean I love everything about it – for one thing, the round-trip clause is a huge restraint, but when you do need a round-trip ticket, this is one of the best deals you can find. 88,000 miles for a round-trip flight in Business to Europe is the kind of value you don’t see every day.

ANA does add fuel surcharges, but only to some of the partners. You certainly stand a better chance of avoiding fuel surcharges with an ANA award ticket vs. Cathay Pacific.

Here are ANA partners you can fly to Europe:

• Air Canada
• TAP Portugal
• Scandinavian
• United
• LOT (Small YQ)
• Turkish (Moderate YQ)
• Austrian (Huge YQ)
• Brussels (Huge YQ)
• Lufthansa (Huge YQ)
• Swiss (Huge YQ)

The Verdict

With an exception of the last 4 partner airlines, ANA partner airlines give you a fair chance to build your itinerary at a bargain mile price and avoid huge fuel surcharges. Availability for some of these airlines is better than others (SAS award flights in Business Class are notoriously hard to find, but others are not that bad, like TAP, LOT, Turkish, Air Canada, and even United to some destinations from EWR). And you can have a free stopover almost anywhere along the way.

Etihad Guest

• FFP Type: Varies
• One way redemptions at 50% RT: Yes
• Miles for Business Class Redemptions to Europe
  • Own metal: N/A
  • American Airlines: 50,000 (62,500 in First)
  • Brussels: 44,000 miles (only to Brussels)
• Stopover allowed: No
• Credit Cards:
  • Amex Membership Rewards cards: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Citi ThankYou: Prestige and Premier – Transfer
  • Capital One: Venture and Spark Miles – Transfer
  • Amex Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer
  • Chase Marriott Bonvoy: Personal and Business – Transfer

Overview

Aside from the redemption to Brussels (which is good but limited), the only real Etihad value in terms of Business Class awards to Europe is on American Airlines. Of course, there is Air Serbia (64,000 miles) and Alitalia (120,000 – hey, what are they smoking, I wonder!). But redeeming Etihad miles on American is like a blast from the pre-devaluation past. You’ll pay 50,000 miles in Business, and 62,500 in First, although the only first class to Europe left on American is 777-300 to London (77W). You’ll have to call Etihad to redeem.

The Verdict

People normally use the partnership between American and Etihad the other way around, by booking Etihad First Class Apartments on American miles. However, if you find an American Business Class award ticket to Europe that works for you, you can save 15,000 miles on a round-trip ticket. Note, there have been persistent rumors that Etihad is soon going to part ways with American and oneworld to join Star Alliance. So if you have a redemption in mind, move quickly.

Honorable mention: Iberia Plus

If Madrid works for your travel plans, Iberia Avios should be on your radar because they’re easy to get and there are frequent Amex transfer bonuses (up to 40-50%) and an occasional award sale. The last 25% Iberia award sale has just ended.

Iberia connects Madrid with the following U.S. cities:

• Boston
• New York
• Miami
• Chicago
• Los Angeles

Iberia Plus has Off-Peak and Peak Calendar Dates.

Iberia also adds fuel surcharges ($86-108 each way).

The cost of a Business Class award is as follows:

• Boston, New York, Chicago
  • Peak: 50,000 Avios
  • Off-Peak: 34,000 Avios
• Miami, Los Angeles
  • Peak: 62,500 Avios
  • Off-Peak: 42,500 Avios

As you can see, the Off-Peak rates are pretty good for all markets, and even the Peak rate from Chicago and the Northeast is decent.

Why no love for Flying Blue?

Because, in my opinion, Flying Blue doesn’t offer consistent values to Europe. True, there is a 25% Amex transfer bonus right now (valid until April 29), but otherwise I wouldn’t go out of my way to get Air France miles, especially that other FFPs offer better values, and Flying Blue adds fuel surcharges to their own flights and most of their partners. Now, if you’re interested in Israel or North Africa, then it’s a totally different story.

Bottom Line

I’ve been annoying people with my be a free agent mantra for quite a while, but what can I say – numbers don’t lie. I wish I could state unequivocally that one airline FFP is better, another is worse, and you should put all your earning efforts into getting that program’s miles, but that wouldn’t be honest. That would be choose an airline that works for you and stay loyal shtick, something like so many “gurus” teach unsuspecting populace. And this loyalty shtick is much worse than mine, because it’ll make you pay through the nose.

Wherever you’re based, you will not win staying loyal to one airline or even one airline alliance. That’s especially true for Business Class tickets.

Let’s update our conclusion from Part 1 (again, do remember that things often go beyond numbers, and any attempt to rate airlines is very subjective). The list doesn’t include Iberia due to multiple values and limited routing.

The Cost (miles):

• 44,000 miles
  • ANA (RT only)
  • Etihad to Brussels – on Brussels Airlines
• 50,000 miles
  • Virgin on Delta
  • Etihad on American
  • Cathay Pacific on partners (One-partner award under 5,000 miles distance)
• 55,000 miles
  • Air Canada to Europe 1
  • Alaska – Condor and Icelandair
• 57,500 miles
  • American
  • Alaska – American
  • Air Canada to Europe 2 – 57,500 miles
• 60,000 miles
  • United own metal
  • Alaska – British
  • Avianca – on partners (60,000-63,000)
• 64,000 miles
  • Delta (until Sep 4)
• 70,000 miles
  • United – Partners
  • Alaska – Finnair
• 75,000 miles
  • Cathay Pacific on partners (over 5,000 miles distance)
• 105,000 miles
  • Alaska – Emirates

The Cost (Fuel Surcharges)

• United
• Delta (U.S. originated)
• American
• Avianca
• Virgin on Delta (except UK)
• Air Canada
• Alaska
• ANA
• Cathay Pacific

Ease of use

• United
• Delta
• American
• Air Canada
• Alaska
• Virgin
• Avianca
• ANA
• Cathay Pacific

Availability (again, very subjective!)

• United
• Virgin Atlantic
• ANA
• Avianca
• Delta
• Alaska
• Air Canada

Wow, that was a long post. If you’ve made it through – congratulations! Now tell us what you think and give us some ideas what award related topics you would like to see here in the future.

 

And TBB always leaves you with a funny pic/gif…

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