Read our editorial standards. There are few things that can be more frustrating than trying to redeem your airline miles for an award flight but not finding any workable options. Sure, most airlines claim that you can now use your miles for any flight, but they leave out the fact that you might have to pay at least twice as much as the "saver" rates for the vast majority of them. But I've stumbled across a strategy anyone with a United card issued by Chase can use to open up a substantial number of low-priced awards.
We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay. And in my experience, you won't have just a little bit better of a chance of finding an award at the lowest mileage level — it will pretty much be your only chance. And better yet, it's not uncommon to find up to nine available awards on a single flight, so long as you're a Chase cardholder.
In contrast, it's normally extremely difficult to find just one or two available saver-level award seats. But once you have the card, and you start looking to use your miles, you'll often see a little note next to the best priced flights saying that it's "Exclusively available to you as a MileagePlus Chase Cardmember. Chase offers several versions of its United MileagePlus card to new applicants. However, what's even less well-known is that United offers the expanded economy-class saver-award availability benefit to all Chase United credit card holders, not just to those who hold one of the cards offered to new applicants.
The basic MileagePlus card has very few features compared with the Explorer card, but it still retains the critical access to expanded saver award availability in economy class. With no annual fee, I will continue to hold this card indefinitely, while rarely using it for purchases. I'm not aware of any other credit card that offers customers expanded access to award seats at the lowest mileage levels.
Chase and United have done a brilliant thing by making United miles far more valuable to those who also have a United credit card, but it's baffling that these companies barely lift a finger to let anyone know about it.
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They cost a bit more for saver 70K each way, I believe , but are sometimes more available. Don't know where in Europe you've been checking--maybe everywhere--but some destinations can be better than others, you just have to play around with it. But, the reality is none of the airlines really want you to redeem your miles at the best rate, and it seems to get worse every year. Yes, the trick is to be a high level frequent flyer in their frequent flyer program.
Simply accruing miles means nothing if you don't actually fly enough with them to at least reach their Platinum level 75, miles a year. At that level a whole slew of additional reward seats opens up. Sad but true. You can still get lucky. The availability of saver awards on various destinations can vary daily. You also need to be flexible on your dates you want to travel. Also, sometimes it is easier to get a flight close to where you want go in Europe and then take the train to your actual destination after you land.
Example: I needed to get Rome a couple years ago but no affordable reward tickets anywhere near the dateI needed. But Milan had many. I flew to Milan and then had an enjoyable train ride to Rome. For example, on an upcoming trip to Europe some days I can get there for 25, points per person and on other days that same flight takes , points.
My husband is Delta platinum would be diamond but avoids that so he can carry over his extra miles to get platinum the next year and we have much better luck getting business class tickets out of NY than out of Atlanta. There's a lot more competition in NY.
Yes, fredandkell, you can get United to show you a calendar with various award-travel color-coded in each date box. It's not a majority of the routings that would be displayed for a cash fare on the same day. When you find saver economy fares, call and say you want to pay for saver business fare but with a confirmed seat in economy, and ask to be waitlisted if and when business saver fares become available.
You are not asking to be put on an upgrade list.
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