13 Ways United MileagePlus Loyalists Can Upgrade to Europe for Free, Less than Free, or Very Little

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Just use Elastic Plastic points. Read on for savings on flights with Air Canada, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, and United—for Business and First Class deals.

I know what you’re thinking: What does “less than free?” mean.

Free is an absolute, the ground level (yet, better than bargain basement), the rainbow pot of gold, and typically the end of the road for the savvy premium flyer.

After all, what’s better than free?

Well, one thing we do here at FCF is propound a mindset, a way of thinking, that doesn’t turn off into the usual rest-stops offered by publications covering premium travel.

Just think about a similar concept: zero. It, too, seems to be the bottom. But the temperature can drop to minus zero and “absolute zero” equals -459.67 degrees Fahrenheit (-273.15 Celsius).

So, there’s a lot of space below zero just as there is a big bargain basement beneath free, which amounts to less than free, if you know how to get to it.

In terms of premium air travel, a “less than free upgrade” means booking Business Class tickets for less than what others pay for economy, and First Class less than what others pay for Business.

This report focuses on cheap, free, and less than free upgrade opportunities with Star Alliance airlines using what FCF calls “elastic points.” That just means using credit card points that give you access to numerous loyalty programs. The ultra-elastic card (46 partners) is the Starwood Preferred Guest Card (see here for more).

Just look at the chart below, which details the baseline cost for the lowest mileage-saver cost on United: 60,000 miles in coach and 115,000 miles in Business Class round-trip to Europe, or 60,000 to 115,000 miles earned on your United co-branded credit card. In most cases, you can upgrade for free, little more than free, and occasionally less than free—for travel to Europe with Air Canada, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, and United.

Six Ways to Upgrade Your Europe Experience for Little More than Coach on Star Alliance Airlines

To / FromLoyalty ProgramBusiness Class Mileage Award CostGet Miles Via Partner
"Elastic Plastic" Credit Cards
Net Cost After "Elastic Plastic" Points Transfer SO HERE'S
THE DEAL:
U.S. / EuropeAsiana80,000SPG65,000Almost free upgrade:
just 5,000 miles more than coach
All Nippon88,00073,000Cheap upgrade:
13,000 miles more than coach
AMEX88,000Cheap upgrade:
28,000 miles more than coach
Miles & More (Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, SWISS)105,000SPG85,000Cheap upgrade:
25,000 miles more than coach
Air Canada110,000 to 115,00090,000 to 95,000Cheap upgrade:
30,000 to 35,000 miles more than coach
New York, Washington, DC - BrusselEtihad Airways (flying Brussels Airlines)88,00073,000Cheap upgrade:
13,000 miles more than coach
AMEX = American Express Rewards, SPG = Starwood.

Seven Ways to Upgrade Your Europe Flight Experience to First Class on Star Alliance Airlines for Less-than-Free or Little More than Business

To / FromLoyalty ProgramFirst Class Mileage Award CostGet Miles Via Partner "Elastic Plastic" Credit CardsNet Cost After "Elastic Plastic" Points TransferSO HERE'S
THE DEAL:
U.S. / EuropeAsiana100,000SPG80,000Less than free upgrade:
35,000 miles less than Business Class
All Nippon165,000135,000Cheap upgrade:
20,000 miles more than Business Class
Miles & More (flying Lufthansa)170,000140,000Cheap upgrade:
25,000 miles more than Business Class
Air Canada140,000 to 160,000115,000 to 130,000Free upgrade:
First Class for the price of Business Class on some routes, and 15,000 miles more than Business Class on others
LifeMiles174,000140,000Cheap upgrade:
25,000 miles more than Business Class
Singapore160,000130,000Cheap upgrade:
15,000 miles more than Business Class
New York - Frankfurt152,000122,000Almost free upgrade:
just 7,000 miles more than Business Class
SPG = Starwood.

Go here for Nine Ways Delta SkyMiles Travelers Can Upgrade to Europe for Free, or Little More Than Coach, using Elastic Plastic Credit Card points. 

 

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