Knowing the right airline, the right route, and the right loyalty programs gets you the brass ring

There’s nothing sweeter than a First Class seat on a three-class aircraft. They usually surpass the ‘hybrid’ Business/First Class seats on two-class aircraft hands down. There aren’t many around these days, though, which is why First Class can cost a small fortune. But there are three reliable ways of winning at First Class Upgrade roulette.

[aside headline="Upgrade Anomaly of the Month" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]

American/Cathay Business to First Upgrade Yields Unbelievable Return

American/Cathay Business to First Upgrade Yields Unbelievable Return American’s lowest New York-London Business Class fare is $1,500 (fare basis code I2RT; 30-day advance purchase required, for travel through Sep. 2). But using 45,000 Cathay Pacific Asia Miles, you can upgrade this fare to First Class, which sells for $12,662! Even more astonishing is that you’d have to pay $8,314 to upgrade this fare using AAdvantage miles (American also charges 50,000 miles — 5,000 more!). Another part of the globe in which to play this game using Cathay Pacific’s Asia Miles is South America, where good First Class fares are hard to find. Using Asia Miles with one of American’s new, low fares (see page 1) you can knock down the tariff on Miami-Rio de Janeiro from $8,000 to $2,200.

How to buy Asia Miles fast and easy if you don’t already have them: www.AsiaMiles.com.

[/aside]

Strategy One: Align yourself with airlines permitting upgrades from the lowest fare categories

British Airways and Cathay Pacific are the only carriers that offer reasonably priced mileage upgrades and offer them together with heavily discounted Business Class fares. These carriers should be first on your list for First Class upgrading. To take one example, BA allows you to upgrade to First on its $2,821 New York-London Business Class fare. That may sound expensive, but consider this: On United you’d have to pay $8,314 (booked in C class); the lowest fares (booked in Z class) do not permit upgrades to have a shot at First.

Strategy Two: Know the cities that are routinely heavily discounted

Seoul and Tokyo are not far apart, but the fares to them are, with Tokyo almost never discounted and Seoul almost always discounted. United’s lowest upgradeable Business Class fare from San Francisco to Tokyo is $6,360. To Seoul it’s only $3,034. So book SF-Seoul, and Seoul-Tokyo on separate tickets. Is it worth the trouble? Well, consider this: If you went First Class on United from San Francisco to Tokyo it would cost $12,195. It’s interesting to see that SF-Seoul First Class is $6,200, half that of Tokyo, while almost the same distance. (Incidentally, United flies non-stop from San Francisco to Seoul.)

A good example to Europe is Madrid. Upgrade with 60,000 United miles New York-London, and you’ll have to pay a base fare of $8,314. Book New YorkMadrid and your fare drops $4,954, to just $3,360 (60% less!). Again, just buy a separate ticket MadridLondon.

Strategy Three: Free companion ticket programs — added to cities with lower fares

Many 2-for-1 programs don’t offer First Class companion seats. The exceptions to note: British Airways via its Signature Visa Card (BA.com), United (Amenity.com), and Asiana, China Airlines, Emirates, LAN, and Malaysia, via Amex’s Centurion/Platinum IAP program. From Canada, Air France offers free companion fares in First Class through Amex Platinum IAP Program.

To Asia: Now, let’s add our low-fare-city strategy to the free-companion-ticket strategy to see where upgrading (or paying the difference in fares) yields the greatest value.

[aside headline="Best Destinations for Low, Upgradeable Business Class Fares" alignment="alignright" width="half" headline_size="default"]

Asia

Bangkok, Manila, Seoul, and Taipei

Europe

Brussels, Dublin, Lisbon, Madrid, and Vienna

[/aside]

Through United’s Ameniti.com, two Business Class tickets from Los Angeles to Seoul cost $4,049, significantly lower than the cost of two tickets to Tokyo ($7,050).

First Class savings is even more substantial. Two tickets to Seoul are $6,200, about half the cost to Tokyo ($12,195).

To Europe: The Los Angeles-London round-trip First Class for two with United's free companion program is $15,750. If you book LA-Dublin, however, the fare drops to $8,040 for two, a savings of $7,710 (49%!).

Conclusion: If you’re booking a vacation to several European cites, begin and/or end your trip in a city that will net you enough savings to upgrade your hotel accommodations to suites all along the way!