Here’s how to turn lemons into a bit of United lemonade…
I think you should value your miles and points at a minimum of two cents each. Although I value mine at much more. At this rate, and if long-haul Business Class fares to Europe are generally around $2,500 to $4,500, the most you’d really want to spend on a round-trip ticket with miles is around 200,000 max (and I’d not even pay that). In other words, consider paying cash for anything more than 200,000 miles for a Business Class ticket to Europe, generally speaking. I might use more miles for First Class, but not for Business Class.
So that means United miles are absolutely worthless to places like Europe now because United devalued its miles again. If you’re extremely lucky or flexible, you can find some dates for 160,000 miles round-trip to Europe, since the airline increased its lowest dynamic Business Class award costs from 60,000 to 80,000 each way — though most days are in the 155,000 range each way. If you’re unlucky, you may find awards as high as 297,000 each way. United also increased its lowest partner awards in Business Class by 12%, from 77,000 to 88,000 each way.
So, if you’re a Business Class traveler to Europe and a United mileage collector, you are out of luck.
Why do you even have United miles?
You should only be collecting United miles if you’re a MileagePlus Elite status freak. In other words, there’s no reason to have a United credit card unless you’re trying to earn elite credit.
And if you’re a United elite status traveler who has a United credit card to scrounge for every last elite point you can get, the last thing you want to do is fly on a free award ticket – especially at 300,000 miles (which is the going rate nowadays) because you’ll earn no elite credit for flying on an award ticket.
So What Are You Going to Do?
We are fans of using miles to upgrade from coach to Business on United, RATHER THAN using miles to get free award seats.
Why do we like using miles to upgrade?
Most folks don’t even consider it. They build up their treasure chest of miles and blow it on free flights in economy or non-discounted premium seats. I say “blow it” because that’s generally not where the best value is in air travel. In fact, far from it.
Here’s how to get true value, especially for the elite status-focused traveler: Buy the coach ticket that is upgradable to Business Class with your miles at the time of ticketing. That’s when you start winning the game, especially when you can’t find any low-cost free award seat availability and fares are high.
Example: Let’s say you’re traveling from Newark to London. The lowest United upgradable economy fare is currently $973 inclusive for travel in February, while the average lowest Business Class fare is $3,576. So even with a $1,100 co-pay, you can save $1,503 (42%) off the published fare by using just 40,000 miles. Summer travel saves a bit less as economy fares are higher.
That’s not a bad value at 3.75 cents per mile. As you often hear me say, flying in a premium class cabin means that a good travel experience (maybe it’s your vacation) starts when you get on the plane, not when you get off it. See below for more sample savings.
United Airlines Upgrade to Business Class Example
What to Do When an Upgrade Is Only Available One Way?
Upgrade space isn’t always available in both directions. United lets you combine economy and Business Class fares. That means you can upgrade the flight segment with upgrade space available and book the other leg in Business Class. On the Newark-London route, the combined coach-Business Class fare is $2,273, while a round-trip ticket in Business Class is often $3,576. So, even with the $550 one-way co-pay to upgrade from coach to Business Class, you can still save $753 (21%) using the mixed cabin strategy.
Add Connecting Flights to the Long-Haul International Flight
Upgrading can often be better for connecting flights. With free mileage award tickets, when you can find the long-haul flight segment available in a premium class (perhaps via FCF’s multitude of Sweet Redeems alerts), you often can’t get free connecting flights to the long-haul flight segment’s departure city – or beyond its destination city.
However, when you buy an economy class ticket with mileage upgrade awards from your departure city to your final destination, it’s easier to get all the segments on one ticket, even if the short ones are not upgradeable.
Last-Minute Opportunities
Last-minute Business Class fares can be high, so an upgrade can offer great savings.
Example: Let’s say you’re traveling from Chicago to London. The 14-day advance purchase upgradeable economy fare is currently $2,389 for travel in July, while the average Business Class fare is $9,034. So, even with the co-pay, you can save $6,645 (74%) off the published fare by using just 40,000 miles. That’s not a bad value!
Mile Misers Rise Up
If you don’t have many miles on hand, upgrades are the way to go because they require fewer miles than an award ticket, and United typically offers a bit more upgrade space than free award space. In other words, the upgrade doesn’t drain your mileage account so drastically. That leaves more miles in your knapsack for your next trip. There’s an easy fix if you don’t have enough (or any) United miles. Just buy ‘em.
When NOT to Use Miles for an Upgrade on United
Don’t use your miles when published Business Class fares are low. For example, say you’re traveling from Newark to Brussels to visit your old work partner and racquetball adversary, João. Business Class fares have been somewhat low — $2,528. The lowest United upgradeable economy fare is currently $1,159. Add the $1,100 co-pay (plus 40,000 miles), and you end up with $2,259. That’s only a savings of $269, and you would have to use 40,000 of your hard-earned miles. That’s not a great value. João would be disappointed; he knows you’re more competitive than that.
Top 15 Hidden Routes with Recent Mileage Upgrade Space
Upgrade space can often be found:
- To/from London and: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington, DC
- To/from Frankfurt and: Chicago, Newark, San Francisco, and Washington, DC
- To/from Munich and: Chicago, and Denver
- To/from Geneva and: Newark
- To/from Milan and: Newark