Free First Class Next Month 2014: The Beginners Guide to Frequent Flyer Miles and Points

This is the first post in a monthlong series. Each post will take about two minutes to read and may include an action item that takes the reader another two minutes to complete.

Book Now: Only 12,500 Miles to Europe Each Way

Flying Blue–the loyalty program of Air France/KLM, Air Europa, Kenya Airways, and TAROM Romanian–has released its newest Promo Awards that let you fly from select US cities to anywhere in Europe for as little as 12,500 miles each way with only modest fuel surcharges.

Flying Blue is a 1:1 transfer partner of Membership Rewards and Starpoints.

These Promo Awards must be booked in July 2014 for September and October 2014 travel.

You Can Still Get 110,000 American Airlines Miles from a Single Sign Up Bonus

Update 7/15/15: The best current offer is 75k miles:

For a limited time, the Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® offers 75,000 bonus American Airlines after spending $7,500 in the first three months.

American Airlines miles are the best for super-cheap economy redemptions and ultra-luxury redemptions. The Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite™ MasterCard® also offers Admirals Club lounge membership, meaning you can access over 90 American Airlines Clubsin airports around the world whenever you’re flying–even if you’re not flying on American.

Why Are Airline Miles the Key to Traveling More, Better, and Cheaper

I've collected and redeemed millions of frequent flyer miles over the last three years. By the end of 2014, I will have visited over 50 countries, often flying in First Class.

50 Free Award Wallet Upgrade Codes

Updated with all new codes at 5:28 PM ET on July 12:

Happy Aloha Friday. Enjoy one of these 50 free upgrade codes to six months of Award Wallet Plus. Award Wallet is the free way I track my 32 miles and points balances and store my login information for those programs.

Read more about Award Wallet.

Sign up for Award Wallet.

Click "Continue Reading" to see the codes.

Deals Bloggers Have Killed and Will Kill

Yesterday I wrote about the death of the Guam-in-United-States mistake on the Avianca LifeMiles award chart. Until yesterday, we could book awards to Hawaii, Japan, or Guam for 12,500 miles or less than $200 each way.

I thought that Avianca finally realized their mistake after months of it being openly discussed online, but the real cause might have been a Department of Transportation complaint filed by a miles blogger.

LifeMiles Corrects Mistake on Chart (Another Deal Bloggers Killed)

Avianca LifeMiles has re-classified Guam as part of the Philippines. This ends the ability to book an award from the continental United States to Japan, Hawaii, or Guam for 12,500 LifeMiles in economy or 25,000 miles in business class that lasted as long as Guam was mis-classified as part of the continental United States.

Now an award from the United States to Guam costs 32,500 miles each way in economy and 65,000 miles in business.

Around the World in Cathay, Singapore, and Lufthansa First: How to Do Angkor Wat

This is the eighth installment of a round-the-world trip report that started here. We pick up in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Angkor Wat is a 900 year old Hindu-turned-Buddhist temple complex just outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Amazing Flat Bed Award Space to Australia During Peak Season

Award space is wide open in Virgin Australia Business Class between the United States and Australia during February and March 2015 for 160,000 Delta miles roundtrip.

Premium cabin award space between the United States and Australia on direct flights on United and Qantas is scarce, so this Virgin Australia award space is all the more valuable.
Since 2012, Delta has not collected fuel surcharges on Virgin Australia flights. Roundtrip Delta awards between the United States and Australia cost 100,000 miles in economy and 160,000 miles in Business Class.

The US Airways Sweet Spot to North Asia in Economy

US Airways charges only 60,000 miles roundtrip in economy to North Asia.