MileValue is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more.
Note: Some of the offers mentioned below may have changed or are no longer be available. You can view current offers here.
Brussels Airlines award space is again searchable and bookable on united.com. Brussels Airlines flies flat bed Business Class award seats from Washington and New York to Brussels and beyond in Europe and Africa.
Even when the award space was not searchable on united.com, Brussels was bookable with United miles by searching on other Star Alliance carrier sites and calling United to book the award space. The award space being searchable on united.com, the biggest Star Alliance program’s website, may have a negative effect on Brussels award space.
- What is the Brussels Business Class product?
- How much do awards to Europe and Africa cost?
- What is the award space on Brussels’ routes?
- What connections are possible in Brussels?
- How do you book these awards?
- How do you get United miles?
Brussels Business Class
Brussels flies its A330s on its United States and African routes. The plane has economy and Business Class.
Business Class features flat beds in a staggered 1-2-1, 2-1-2 configuration, so that in the flat position your feet are under the arm rest in front of you.
I slept on a similar bed in Austrian Business Class. I found it comfortable overall though it can feel a bit claustrophobic.
Award Price
To Europe, United charges 30,000 miles each way in economy and 70,000 miles each way in partner Business Class.
To Africa, United charges 40,000 miles each way in economy and 80,000 miles each way in partner Business Class.
In addition to the miles, you’ll pay award taxes of about $55 on a roundtrip to Brussels and different prices if you connect to other cities in Europe or Africa. United awards never have fuel surcharges.
Award Space
Brussels flies two American routes: a summer route to Washington-Dulles and a year-round route to New York-JFK.
It is impossible on united.com to just search Brussels’ DC flight because United flies the same route and also comes up in search results.
I didn’t find any Business Class award space on the Washington DC flight this summer. All the Business and First Class space below is on the United flights. Here are reviews of United Business and First Classes.
The reason I found no Business Class space to/from DC became clear as I searched New York.
In both directions between New York and Brussels, I found the same pattern: sporadic economy space in 2015 and regular Business Class space in 2016.
Going east, that Business Class space is Tuesday through Thursday.
Returning from Europe has the same pattern except with less economy space in 2015 and more Business Class space in 2016.
The Business Class space on the return is Monday through Thursday.
Space for Two
All the previous searches were for one passenger. Most of the days with award space for one also have award space for two.
Africa
These are the countries in Europe and Africa served by Brussels. In Africa, we see good coverage of Francophone countries.
Award space is excellent between Brussels and Africa in 2016, so you can easily fly the whole way from the United States to Africa in Brussels Business Class. Here is award space to the capital of Rwanda, a very lovely place.
Here is award space to Sierra Leone, where I haven’t been.
Connecting in New York and DC
DC is a United hub, so you can connect there easily from anywhere.
JFK is far from a United hub. The only current flights are from Los Angeles and San Francisco. Even those flights cease on October 24 and move to Newark.
Booking These Awards
Brussels Airlines flights have fuel surcharges, so you want to book them with Star Alliance miles that do not collect fuel surcharges on any awards. Right now, that is United miles and Avianca LifeMiles. Hopefully Copa ConnectMiles will be the same next month.
Both programs let you search and book online.
Getting United Miles
Chase offers United personal and United business cards in addition to its Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card that earn Ultimate Rewards and transfer 1:1 to United.
Bottom Line
Brussels Airlines is again searchable on united.com. Right now its American routes only show economy award space in 2015, but have great Business Class award space midweek in 2016 for two passengers.
You can fly to Western Europe or Francophone Africa on Brussels Airlines if Belgium doesn’t interest you.
Brussels Business Class is a fully flat bed, and the cabin has a staggered layout.
Just getting started in the world of points and miles? The Chase Sapphire Preferred is the best card for you to start with.
With a bonus of 60,000 points after $4,000 spend in the first 3 months, 5x points on travel booked through the Chase Travel Portal and 3x points on restaurants, streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Target, Walmart, and wholesale clubs), this card truly cannot be beat for getting started!
Editorial Disclaimer: The editorial content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the credit card issuers, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuers.
The comments section below is not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all questions are answered.
Aeroplan also doesn’t levy fuel surcharges on Brussels flights.
Great tip. 45k Aeroplan miles one way in Business Class to Western Europe.