Roundtrip to South America, Two Free One Ways to Hawaii for 50,000 Miles

Recently, I posted about how we can get amazing value from the fact that the Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer program considers Hawaii to be part of the same region as Central America. We can also use this sweet spot for great value on travel to South America too!

On the Singapore Airline's award chart, it costs fewer miles to fly between Hawaii and South America, routing through the continental United States, than it does to fly directly between the continental United States and South America.

Adding Honolulu to Houston lowers the price of Houston to Buenos Aires

Four Ways People Make the Biggest Mistake in the Miles Game

The biggest mistake in the miles game is collecting the wrong miles for the job.

That's why I always advocate that people start at their end goal and work backwards. Figure out your dream trip and then figure out the best miles and points to collect for that trip.

Air India Joins Star Alliance

Air India has joined the Star Alliance.

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.

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.

Amazing Summer 2014 Award Space to Hawaii

American Airlines releases a ton of award space on its routes to Hawaii at the last minute.

On almost all of American Airlines' routes from Los Angeles to the four major Hawaiian islands and Dallas/Fort Worth to Oahu and Maui, there is award space for 4+ people in the next few weeks.

If you live in Southern California or North Texas, this is a great chance to use as few as 12,500 Avios per person per direction to get to Hawaii during high season when the weather is a perfect 85 degrees and sunny.

If you live somewhere else

Lufthansa Partner Routes and Airlines with No Fuel Surcharges

Update July 1, 2014:

The current offer on the Premier Miles & More® World MasterCard® is 20,000 miles after first purchase and payment of $79 annual fee.

Earn 20,000 award miles after your first purchase or balance transfer
Earn up to 15,000 award miles with balance transfers (1 mile per $1 transferred) within 30 days of account opening
Earn 2 award miles per $1 on ticket purchases directly from Miles &

Award Flights to Europe Next Week and All Summer

Award space is still available on several Star Alliance flights to Europe this summer!

Tons of space is bookable with United miles, Lufthansa miles, or miles from any other Star Alliance carrier.

A lot of people are contacting the MileValue Award Booking Service saying they'd love to head to Europe this summer but are resigned to waiting until next summer if there's no space.

Singapore KrisFlyer Sweet Spot

Singapore Airlines' award chart has an amazing sweet spot: Hawaii and Central America are in the same region!

Flights "within" the Hawaii/Central America region are only 35,000 Singapore miles roundtrip in economy and 60,000 miles roundtrip in business class.

That 35,000-Singapore-miles award would cost 80,000 United miles.

To See a Third City on a United Award, Use Avios

You can see three "destination" cities on one United award, but you need to book a separate ticket with Avios or cash to tie the trip together.

Why is three the limit?
Why does seeing even three cities require a second award?
How can you see four or more cities with United miles?

You get one stopover and two open jaws on a roundtrip United award in addition to your destination and origin cities.

When you look at what possibilities that opens, you see that you can have three "destinations" on your award, kind of.

For instance, you can fly