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United recently announced a new partner: Azul Brazilian Airlines. Azul is a low-cost carrier with flights throughout Brazil.
United only flies to Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil, so being able to continue from there to anywhere else in the country on one award for no extra miles is a big benefit.
Or if you’re in Brazil this summer during the World Cup like I will be, being able to jet around the country for 12,500 United miles + $9 each way is a great deal when intra-Brazil prices are through the roof.
Where does Azul fly? How is award space? What miles can book Azul space?
Azul flies to all these destinations in Brazil. Its hubs and focus cities include:
- Campinas
- Belo Horizonte
- Cuiaba
- Curitaba
- Porto Alegre
- Recife
- Rio de Janeiro
- Salvador da Bahia
- Sao Paulo
Note that Azul only flies to four cities from the Rio airport served by United (GIG). It serves over a dozen from Rio’s other big airport (SDU.)
Azul is not a member of any worldwide alliance. It is a one-off partner of United. That means United miles can book Azul’s flights, but no other airline miles that I know of can book Azul flights.
Of course you can book any flight on any airline with Arrival miles. The Barclaycard Arrival Plus™ World Elite MasterCard® offers 40,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first three months. Meeting the minimum spending requirement gets you $500 in free flights.
Award Space
Award space is excellent on Azul flights even this summer during the World Cup.
Between Sao Paulo and Rio, there is award space ever day this summer.
Many days have several flights with award space that use all four of the two cities’ airports.
Belo Horizonte to Brasilia shows a similar pattern this summer with award space almost every day this summer.
I won’t bore you with an endless parade of yellow-tinged calendars. Other routes show similar award space. Check out all of Azul’s destinations here.
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Delta also one-off partners with Gol, also a high value award. Esp now that one-ways are permitted.
Great tip