Rating First Class Oneworld Award Program Pricing Between the U.S. and Europe

How the major programs compare and why having the right credit card(s) makes such a big difference.

This is part seven in FCF’s latest mileage-award comparison series, in which we grade major alliance mileage programs by how much they charge for a free award ticket in Business and First Class to/from various regions.

In this installment, we examine four oneworld loyalty programs for travel between the U.S. and Europe in First Class. (See box below for a list of past Report Cards.)

Why Starwood Is King (and Amex Rewards Is Queen

As you can see in our chart on the next page, Japan Airlines only charges 100,000 miles in First Class New York to/from London and Miami to/from Paris. This is one of the lowest First Class awards to Europe, and it costs even less if you have a Starwood account: only 80,000 Starpoints—35,000 fewer miles for First Class than United charges for Business and a 50% savings in First Class. In other words, if you have a Starwood card and book via Japan Airlines, as opposed to making a direct booking using a United credit card, you’re getting better than a free upgrade.

Mileage Cost Discrepancies

Flying to/from Europe allows you to take advantage of award chart discrepancies between airline partners. Having the right credit cards, meaning one from Amex Rewards, Chase, Citi ThankYou, or Starwood (full report in FCF’s March issue) enables savvy travelers to leverage these discrepancies.

Many Asian and some European carriers use a FlightDistance Award Chart (mileage required equals the distance between departure and destination cities), whereas most North American carriers use a Regional Chart (a flat rate from one region to another; also known as a Zone Chart).

Sometimes, you can book an Asian carrier at a much lower rate than a U.S. carrier for a flight to Europe. It costs up to 25,000 (20%) fewer miles booking through Japan Airlines (a Starwood partner) to Europe than on American, based on the current rate—for the same flight. (On March 22 the difference will get larger, as American is increasing mileage rates, up to 70,000 (41%).

A Note on the Grading System

It’s very simple: A through F, just like in grammar school. The lower the mileage requirement, the higher the grade; and for this report card, FCF rates not only each airline’s mileage requirements, but also grades partner-flight costs. The grades are based on four sample routes (see chart on next page), as it is impossible to account for every route. FCF didn’t include some airlines, such as Air Berlin, Finnair, Iberia, Malaysia, LAN, Qantas, or Qatar; the reasons vary from not offering First Class awards or offering them at a ridiculously high rate to a foreign carrier without a points transfer partner, which makes the award practically inaccessible (e.g. we’re not going to tell you about every F).

The Grades American: Currently: A, New: C / Partners Currently: B, New: C

The only North American airline in this report card that charges the same for its own and partner flights to/from Europe. Its current mileage rates receive high marks, but on March 22, when rates increase by 45,000 miles to Europe, its grade goes down to C for redeeming miles to Europe in First Class. Transfer partner: Starwood.

British Airways: C+ / C

Via London using a flight distance chart, so flying beyond London costs extra miles. Transfer partners: Amex Rewards, Chase, and Starwood.

Cathay Pacific: B-

Uses a flight distance chart between Europe and the U.S. for flights on partners American and British Airways. Transfer partner: Amex Rewards, Citi ThankYou, and Starwood.

Japan Airlines: A

Uses a flight distance chart between Europe and the U.S. for partner flights (American and British Airways). Rates start as low as 100,000 miles for a First Class ticket to Europe—25,000 fewer miles than Delta charges for Business Class and the lowest cost for any oneworld partner award on routes up to 10,000 flight miles. On other routes, Japan Airlines charges more: 115,000 for up to 12,000 flight miles and 135,000 for up to 14,000 flight miles round-trip. Miles can be transferred from Starwood.