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Three months ago I wrote that US Airways would be losing five of its Star Alliance partners over the course of 2014. The final two of those five bite the dust this Thursday!

July 31, 2014 is the last day to use US Airways miles to book Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines flights.

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Turkish has seven routes from the United States to Istanbul

Note that the flights need only be booked by July 31. You can book US Airways awards up to about 335 days in advance. That means you can fly US Airways awards containing Turkish or Singapore flights until about July 1, 2015.

Many of us are loaded up with US Airways miles because The US Airways® Premier World MasterCard® is currently offering 40,000 bonus miles after first purchase. Check out all the places you can go with just the card’s sign up bonus.

Now is a great time to use US Airways miles on Turkish’s six routes from the United States to Europe or Singapore’s flights to and within Asia.

  • What are the current restrictions on booking Turkish and Singapore flights with US Airways miles?
  • What if you want to change your US Airways award that has Turkish or Singapore flights later?
  • How is Turkish and Singapore award space?

Restrictions

There is one restriction when booking the award and another big one if you later want to change the award.

Right now, you can only book US Airways’ Star Alliance partners on awards that contain US Airways and Star Alliance flights. You cannot combine Star Alliance flights with American Airlines or other oneworld airlines’ flights. US Airways’ remaining Star Alliance partners are:

  • Aegean Airlines
  • Singapore until July 31, 2014
  • Air China
  • Shenzhen Airlines
  • South African Airways
  • TAP Portugal
  • Turkish until July 31, 2014

If you book a valid award now with a Turkish or Singapore flight and want to change the award after July 31, you cannot change to another Turkish or Singapore flight. Starting August 1, US Airways will not have access to Turkish or Singapore flights, even for changes.

How to Replace Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines for Future Awards

Even after US Airways’ partnership with Turkish Airlines ends, US Airways will still partner with eight European airlines.

To Asia, US Airways will still partner with several airlines, including Cathay Pacific.

Turkish Airlines Award Space

Turkish Airlines has great award space between the United States and Europe in economy and Business Class.

Turkish Airlines operates six (soon to be seven) flights to/from the United States:

  • Los Angeles to Istanbul
  • San Francisco to Istanbul (begins April 13, 2015)
  • Houston to Istanbul
  • Chicago to Istanbul
  • New York-JFK to Istanbul
  • Boston to Istanbul
  • Washington-Dulles to Istanbul

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All routes feature two-cabin planes with angled flat beds in business class.

The best award space on those routes is between Boston and Istanbul. I see award space in both cabins almost every day for long stretches. Award space in economy is excellent on all routes.

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US Airways charges 60,000 miles roundtrip in economy and 100,000 in business between the United States and Europe. US Airways never collects fuel surcharges but collects a $50 award processing fee on international awards.

Search for Turkish award space on united.com and book it by calling US Airways at 800-622-1015. All the Turkish space on united.com should be bookable by US Airways agents.

Singapore doesn’t release longhaul Business, First, or Suites Classes to its partners. That’s one reason Singapore Airlines miles are so great because they are the only miles to access those cabins. You can search Singapore economy award space on aeroplan.com.

Recap

Book Turkish Airlines and Singapore Airlines flights with US Airways miles by July 31, 2014 for flights until July 1, 2015.

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