I’ve been posting about award space to Europe for this summer because that’s what my Award Booking Service clients want.

Here's another great deal to Europe with miles: you can fly from the Eastern United States to London for 13,000 Membership Rewards, Ultimate Rewards, or ThankYou Points plus $135. From other parts of the country, you'll pay only a few more miles.

On some routes, award space is WIDE OPEN year round, including the heart of summer. Here is the award space for July 2016 from New York to London.

I use united.com for most of my award searches when redeeming Star Alliance miles because it shows most Star Alliance partners' award availability, but it does have some drawbacks. Namely, it doesn't show all partners and it sometimes displays phantom award space--award space will show as available but in reality, it doesn't exist.

Star Alliance Airlines Whose Award Space I Want to Search

The best way to confirm Star Alliance award space is using the All Nippon Airways (ANA) search tool. ANA's tool is trickier to use, but it's the most reliable.

Anatomy of an Award: India to United States in Etihad and American Airlines First Class for 90,000 AA Miles
Trip Report: Etihad Business Class from Chennai to Abu Dhabi
Trip Report: Etihad First Class Lounge, Abu Dhabi (Including Shave and Massage)
Trip Report: Etihad First Class Apartment from Abu Dhabi to New York: Seat, Suite, Vanity, Amenity Kit, Pajamas, Bed, Sleeping (this post)
Trip Report: Etihad First Class Apartment from Abu Dhabi to New York: Food, Drink, and Onboard Lounge
Trip Report: Etihad First Class Apartment from Abu Dhabi to New York: Shower and Bathroom
Trip Report: Etihad

Today is February 9, 2016. You have until March 21, 2016 to earn and burn American Airlines miles on its positively cheap award chart.

I've been in this hobby for about five years. In that time, I have never seen Air New Zealand Business Class award space from the United States mainland to New Zealand.

Some credit card offers in this post have expired, but they might come back.

I've wondered when we would get a real-time wearable translator. The makers of "ili" say that it will be this Summer. Watch their first commercial.

Note this disclaimer: "UPDATE: In light of viewer feedback, we would like to clarify that the man and women are all actors and actresses; no one was forced to act against their will in any way."

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6ngM0LHxuU

The commercial shows the actor's British English being converted to Japanese in real time, though I have no way to judge the quality of that translation.

LAN Airlines is introducing a new nonstop flight between Los Angeles and Santiago, Chile three times per week between October 16, 2016 and March 25, 2017, the South American summer.

Longtime reader Caveman is offering one lucky reader a $51 Southwest gift card.

Southwest gift cards are fully transferable and don’t expire. There are two ways to enter, and you can enter both ways.

American Airlines starts flying between Los Angeles and Auckland daily on June 23, 2016 with a Dreamliner. The American Airlines Dreamliner has no First Class, but Business Class features flat beds in a 1-2-1 configuration so every seat has aisle access.

While American Airlines has sold tickets on the route for months, it hadn't, until today, released any Saver Business Class award space.

Today it opened a ton of space, 2+ award seats in both directions for months at a time.