If you're trying and struggling to find even halfway decent mileage redemptions on American, Delta, or United, we've got good news, great news, … and even better news:
- You can book top-rated foreign airlines using miles that put U.S. carriers to shame…
- … often for even fewer miles than what those (often subpar) carriers charge…
- … by transferring credit cards points you already have from the major banks like Chase, American Express, Capital One, and more.
This is what we do at Thrifty Traveler, especially for our Thrifty Traveler Premium members: Find the best deals at the lowest rates to have an amazing experience … that you can actually book with your points and miles. Here's a look at some standout options.
Qatar Qsuites from 70K Points
We saved the best for first.
Qatar Airways' Qsuites are widely considered the best business class in the world, and we heartily agree. These suites are both incredibly spacious and laughably private. On a good day, the food and service is second to none … and even on a bad day, it still puts U.S. airlines to shame.
In business class, this is about as good as it gets.
Read our full review of flying Qsuites from Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) to Doha (DOH)!
Forget forking over hundreds of thousands of miles. If you time it right, you can book Qsuites for as low as just 70,000 points each way (and sometimes even less!), plus $200 or so in taxes and fees.
How to Book It
These days, timing is everything when it comes to scoring a ride in Qatar Qsuites. You have to plan far, far ahead.
To fly Qatar Qsuites from 70,000 miles using Qatar Avios (or Avios from British Airways), you have to be on the ball as soon as availability opens up … nearly a full year in advance. It never lasts more than a few days. And once that award space gets gobbled up, it's typically gone for good.
Every month or two, we send our Thrifty Traveler Premium members an alert when we see wide-open award space for two passengers (or more) to hitch a ride in Qsuites – each with a route-by-route breakdown of dates available and everything you need to book.
Read more: The #1 Rule If You Want to Fly Qatar Qsuites
Exactly how many points you'll need depends on where you're going:
- A nonstop between the U.S. and Doha will set you back 70,000 miles each way.
- Connecting onward to Middle Eastern cities like Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH) or Muscat (MCT) ticks up to 75,000 miles.
- Other destinations like Amman (AMM) and Cairo (CAI), as well as major Indian cities, go up to 80,000 miles each way.
- Getting to the Seychelles (SEZ) or Maldives (MLE) will run you 85,000 miles each way.
- Both Southeast Asia and South Africa typically cost 95,000 miles each way.
In each and every instance, you're redeeming Avios – either from Qatar Airways itself or British Airways. The beauty of using Avios is how easy those miles are to earn: You can transfer them from all the major (and even some smaller) banks like Capital One, Citi, Bilt Rewards, Chase, and more!
Better yet, frequent transfer bonuses of 20%, 30%, and even 40% can bring your points tally even lower. With a 30% transfer bonus to British Airways, for instance, you'd only need to send 54,000 points from American Express or Chase to book a one-way to Doha in Qsuites!
Just don't count on redeeming American AAdvantage miles for these seats whatsoever. You'll rarely (if ever) see those flights bookable these days.
Japan Airlines Biz Class from 55K Miles Each Way
If flying Japan Airlines business class isn't already on your list, it should be.
It's one of the best ways to get to Tokyo – especially if you can make your way on one of the airline's newest Airbus A350-1000s, decked out with some of the fanciest business class suites flying today. As of publication, you'll only find that bird flying to and from New York City (JFK), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), and Los Angeles (LAX).
Check out the full review from our JAL business class flight to see what we mean.
No matter which route you take, you can book a one-way between the U.S. and Tokyo-Haneda (HND) or Tokyo-Narita (NRT) for just 60,000 miles each way and as low as $5.60 and taxes and fees!
Better yet, there's a different way to book these seats for a few thousand miles yes.
How to Book It
As with any business or first class redemption, the trick is finding award availability – seats that the airline will actually allow you to book with your miles. While it's not always a sure thing, Japan Airlines (JAL) makes that easier than many other airlines on this list.
We hunt down that availability for our Thrifty Traveler Premium members all the time. Case in point: We've found and sent nine alerts for widespread JAL business class availability in the last six months alone, just like this one.
Once you find it, you've got two solid options to book:
- Turn to that stash of American AAdvantage miles – or transfer some Citi ThankYou points if you need some more – as the carrier charges just 60,000 miles each way
- Japan Airlines Mileage Bank charges as low as just 55,000 miles each way, plus under $200 in taxes and fees for a one-way from the U.S. to Tokyo. You can transfer both Bilt Rewards and Capital One miles to JAL.
One major advantage to booking with Japan Airlines' own mileage program is that you can find far more award availability than you'll see when trying to redeem American AAdvantage or other programs – just at slightly higher rates like 70,000 to 85,000 miles each way. Even at 100,000 miles or so, it's still a solid deal.
Or Splurge for JAL First from 80K Miles
Remember how I said Japan Airlines' business class was one of the best ways to get to Tokyo? Their first class seats are #1, period.
While it's difficult to score one of just six first class suites on their Airbus A350s using miles, even their older 777 first class seats are among the best in the world. It's not just the seat but the service and dining that sets it apart. Eating a seven-course Japanese meal at 35,000 feet with a glass of champagne that costs more than $1,000 a bottle (no joke) is tough to beat.
Read our full review of Japan Airlines First Class 777 from Tokyo to Chicago!
How to Book It
Finding award availability to book JAL First Class can be much harder than back in business class – and when you do, it's far pricier. Still, it can be well worth the extra effort and mileage.
That example above is using 136,500 British Airways Avios for the one-way flight from Chicago-O'Hare (ORD) to Tokyo, thanks to this alert.
That find came just a few weeks back, and was one of the few chances we've seen to score a seat up front with Japan Airlines using points in the last two-plus years. Here's hoping another one is just around the corner … especially if you can book it for just 80,000 American AAdvantage miles!
Emirates First Class (with a Wrinkle)
With bottomless caviar and Dom Perignon and a shower (!!!) onboard, Emirates First Class is practically synonymous with the words “bucket list.”
It's one of the glitziest, most extravagant, and funnest experiences in commercial aviation. Showering at 35,000 feet is a surreal experience, worth every mile you forked over.
Oh, and about those miles…
Unfortunately, it's gotten much harder to book Emirates First Class with miles as the airline has restricted those awards only to travelers with status and blocked partner carriers like Qantas from booking it, too. To make matters worse, transferring credit card points from banks like Amex and Capital One doesn't go as far as it used to – and Chase is no longer an option, period.
But if you're dead set on flying Emirates First with miles, it can still be done.
How to Book It
The first step to flying Emirates First Class is booking Emirates Business Class.
Confusing, I know. Let me explain.
Emirates has one of the best options to use miles to upgrade in the world of travel – and its excellent option to upgrade using miles the day of your flight remains unchanged. That means you could book an Emirates business class award, then fork over another 35,000, 50,000 miles or more to upgrade all the way up front. While it'll cost you more miles than booking a first class seat from the outset, at least it's possible.
You could of course look at the airline's many routes to and from its hub in Dubai (DXB) … but it pays to think outside the box. Instead, focus on the route between New York City (JFK) and Milan (MXP) because:
- You can book that flight in business class for as low as 108,000 miles and about $900 in taxes and fees, then
- Fork over another 50,700 miles at the check-in desk to upgrade to first class and get this…
Etihad Apartments from 180K Points
Any first class seat is a treat. But the Etihad Apartment is about as over-the-top as it gets. It's called an apartment for a reason: Look at this.
It's one of the most spacious first class suites in the sky. For starters, there's a plush leather recliner and a separate fold-out bed that measures 6 feet, and 10 inches long. No joke – that's how much space you have inside your own Apartment. And if you're traveling with a special someone, you can select two adjoining Apartments and lower the dividing wall to snooze sleeping next to each other.
So maybe it's not shocking, but Etihad has gotten notoriously stingy with actually letting travelers book these special seats using miles.
How to Book It
For starters, you'll only find these Apartments flying to and from one city in North America: Toronto (YYZ).
We alerted our Thrifty Traveler Premium members to this deal earlier this year, allowing them to book the Etihad Apartment on the massive, double-decker Airbus A380 from Toronto (YYZ) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) for 200,000 Etihad Guest miles each way. We occasionally see Etihad run special promos that bring that down to 180,000 miles.
While that's a good chunk of miles, you can easily transfer points from Bilt, Capital One, or Citi points to Etihad to get everything you need. That's a small price to pay for one of the best ways to fly.
Cathay Pacific First Class from 125K
Want to drink pricey champagne and then sleep like a baby as you cross the Pacific Ocean? Cathay Pacific will do the job.
Hong Kong (HKG)-based Cathay Pacific doesn't have the flashiest first class seats. But what it lacks in polish and glamor, it makes up for it in comfort. Once converted into a bed, you won't find a cozier or wider bed on an airplane.
Their first class seats are enormous, at a whopping 36 inches wide. Come meal time, you can even ask a flight attendant to set up one of your suites so you can dine face to face. And while these suites aren't equipped with doors, there are just six of them onboard Cathay's Boeing 777s. So yeah, privacy shouldn't be a problem. Plus, you get access to Cathay's legendary first class lounges in Hong Kong … which have a la carte dining, bath-and-shower suites, so-called “cabanas,” and even a champagne bar.
How to Book It
Cathay only flies its 777s with first class onboard to and from New York City (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX). But unlike many other first class cabins on this list, finding the award space to book with miles can be much easier, in our experience.
There's one important caveat: These days, using Cathay Pacific's own Asia Miles is practically the only way to book these first class flights. You won't find them bookable through other airline programs like American AAdvantage or Alaska Atmos much, if at all, anymore.
When you find a flight that works, it starts at 125,000 miles each way. Lucky for you, they're transferrable from Amex, Bilt, Capital One, and Citi so getting all the points you need is a cinch. Just beware that transferring from Amex to Cathay Pacific is taking a big hit in the weeks to come.
Lufthansa First Class from 90K Points
I'll never forget my first (and only) time flying Lufthansa First Class in the nose of a Boeing 747. And I bet you won't either.
To me, it's the ultimate bucket list experience. Are there fancier first class seats with more modern finishes, better amenities, and finer dining? Absolutely. And you can even find Lufthansa first class cabins on other planes like the Airbus A380s and A340s, too – plus, a brand-new seat on other jets.
But flying first class in the nose of the Queen of the Skies is like nothing else in aviation. You have to do it while you still can.
Read more: Lufthansa First Class was Spectacular … But I'll Never Fly it Again
But the true first class experience starts in the lounge, and Lufthansa does something even better at its Frankfurt hub: It's got a whole terminal just for first class passengers.
The Lufthansa First Class Terminal is one of a kind and a real highlight of any Lufthansa trip. You can skip the chaos of the rest of the airport and clear security, sit down for a tremendous a la carte meal, grab a snooze in a cozy nap room, clean up in a shower suite, and even smoke a cigar if you want.
How to Book It
One thing's for sure: Lufthansa doesn't make it easy to experience all this. Booking Lufthansa first class always comes down to the wire.
Whether you book using miles from United, Aeroplan, LifeMiles, or another carrier, Lufthansa typically doesn't release award space to partner programs until just 14 days or so in advance. Oftentimes, you can really only book a seat just three to four days in advance.
Award search tools like Seats.aero and PointsYeah can be invaluable in zeroing in on the last-minute Lufthansa first class flights you can actually book. Once you find them, there are a handful of ways to book, including:
- Air Canada Aeroplan: 90,000 miles to 120,000 miles, depending on your departure or destination city.
- Avianca LifeMiles: 120,000 miles each way (or less, if you add a connection in business class or economy!)
- United MileagePlus: 140,000 miles each way
Qantas First Class for 70K
Qantas First Class is the ultimate unicorn. It's not just the best way to fly all the way to Australia – it's also one of the coolest first class seats in the sky.
But booking even a business class seat to the Land Down Under on miles can be difficult. First Class? Borderline impossible.
Trust us: It can be done.
How to Book It
Don't expect to have your pick of the litter flying first class to Sydney (SYD). Honestly, you need to wait for an alert like this in your inbox.
We sent this alert to Thrifty Traveler Premium members last spring, so these seats are long gone. But it was outstanding: Not only was there ultra-rare availability to book Qantas first class from Los Angeles (LAX) to Sydney (SYD … you could even book it for just 70,000 Alaska Atmos Rewards points! It's been years since we'd seen that option.
We dubbed this one a “Nerd Alert” because it didn't include return availability to fly home from Australia in first class. But for a deal this good, who cares if you need to find a different way home – or just stay in Australia!
It's much easier to book these seats using Qantas' own mileage program … but you'll need far more miles. Fortunately, you can transfer from all the big banks including American Express, Capital One, and more.
