Long Haul Business Class for under $2K
Let me preface this with a partial disclaimer. This is a report on how to get frequent flyer miles for the approximate value of a round trip business class ticket from a distance of NYC to BKK. That is not a guarantee you will find the itinerary that you want or need, so keep that in mind if you end up trying these techniques. This is for someone who is very flexible with their travel arrangements, not for someone who needs specific flying dates. For those who just want the mileage detail, skip to the bottom. With that being said….
Once you experience flying business class or better, the thought of not having expedited security/customs and a fully flat bed is unfathomable. Having to go back to fighting over armrests, knees dug into the seat in front of you, and a few inches of recline for a 10-14 hour long haul leg is no longer an option. That might sound somewhat elitist, but trust me when I say that I'm not some upper crust snob. If I had to classify myself, I'm middle class on an income bar. That means that while my preference is business class, my wallet is more economy. So, what to do now that I got the taste of higher end airline travel?
As many of you already know, airlines offer miles/point frequent flyer programs. They were initially for those who, well, frequently flew. It was their loyalty reward program. In the recent decade, these FF programs have expanded out of the airlines industry and now include shopping, rentals, services, research, and dining. That means, one can earn miles for things outside of buying an airline ticket. Now that they programs are so robust in terms of earning potential, entrepreneurial people like myself have turned mile earning into a hobby and have figured out methods and hacks to get the most out of their programs. What I'm about to list is just the basic mile collecting that just about anyone can do without having to get into the more detailed hacks.
__________________________________________
In the attached chart, the actual mileage purchase was $1,881.25. That was to buy 50,000 miles at regular fare ($.035 cents a mile, plus taxes/fees) and I got a 100% mileage bonus during specific and often targeted bonus periods. I won't get into the nitty gritty about per mile value in this piece, but most people agree that this is a good deal. If you figure that an economy ticket from NYC to BKK would run anywhere from $1,500 - 1,700 currently, then spending $1,881.25 on miles to translate to a business class ticket is a steal. Particularly when considering the dollar value of that type of ticket is anywhere between $3,500. - $6,000. I'm amazed that some people actually buy tickets at those fairs, but I guess it is relative to your income. Here's how the simple points game is done:
Buying Miles: Pretty much all airlines offer miles to purchase. This is handy if you need to top off your account to get an award ticket, but otherwise a bad idea because the per mile expense exceeds that of outright buying an economy ticket. Things get more favorable during bonus periods where you can get anywhere from 10-100% bonus on miles. If your target is business class or higher, then buying miles during these bonus periods is a great way to get a solid base going or to put a significant amount of miles in your pool that would normally take several months to earn through the below means. My personal take is that I will already be spending at least $1,500-1,700. on travel per trip to LOS, so why not spend a couple hundred dollar more to travel in lay-down comfort? I usually max out purchases during 100% bonuses, but that's just me. This is not ideal if your target is economy, but then again, this post isn't about getting a coach seat.
Storefront: You earn miles for every $ spent through their shopping portal. The shopping portal is just a series of links to regular online stores. Your frequent flyer program gets credit for sending shoppers to these links, and the airline and store spread the wealth by giving you mileage credit for your purchase. Typical range is 1-18 miles per dollar, but it fluctuate often with higher values during holidays. I tend to do all my Xmas shopping through this portal, and even do some work purchases through this portal. I have a business credit card, so I can get miles for purchases that don't touch my personal bank account. I figure that I'd make most of these purchases anyway, so why not capitalize on them by getting miles? They also do sign up bonuses from time to time and give out realistic holiday spend bonuses.
Dining: US Airways and United (maybe others) have dining programs where you sign up, register your credit cards (any under your name) and every time you dine at their listed restaurants, you get miles for every dollar. 3 miles per dollar for the first 12 dines, and 5 per dollar thereafter. They also do signup promotions from time to time. Quite a few of the restaurants I frequent are on the list, so again, why not get the miles if I'm already eating at these places? The service is unobtrusive, as you only need to enter the card number, not the expiration date or CSV code.
Surveys: There are a few research companies that conduct online consumer surveys. These research companies are partners with the top tier airlines, so you can set up an account and earn miles for taking 5-20 minute surveys. You actually earn virtual $ or points, and when you hit specific tiers, you trade them in for miles. These programs also offer sign up bonuses from time to time. The biggest names are E-Rewards and E-Miles. There are a few others that have varying degrees of results. No money spent--just a time commitment.
Services: There are a few services that give miles for signup and service use. The one I used was Energy Plus. That is an electricity provider, so anyone with deregulated utilities and set up this service. At the time, they were giving a 5,000 sign up bonus. that occasionally goes up to 10,000 (I'm kicking myself for not waiting). No commitment, so when I get the miles, I'm out. Theoretically, they could actually save me a bit on utilities, but judging by their track record, I doubt it. Again, this is something I'd be spending money on anyway. Capitalize! Other services are investing, Lasik, insurance, dental plans, cell phone sign up bonus (if you plan to switch), Satellite TV, etc.
Wine Clubs: This is more of a Storefront item, but it is so lucrative, that it deserves its own section. The particular one I signed up for had a 5,000 sign up bonus. Your commitment is for 3 months min to get the miles, but that gives you 18 bottles of wine, and two bottle carry tote, and 5,450 miles. All said and done, this one is a little pricey at about $15. a bottle of wine, but I drink a lot of wine anyway, and would most likely spend this much money anyway with or without the program. I'm still quitting after this third shipment.
So, with just a little effort and virtually no money spent that I wouldn't already be spending, I earned and purchased over 120,000 miles in less than a year and for less than $2,000. When it comes time to book, they'll whack me for a few more fees, but I'm still killing it in terms of savings for business class. The next step, award booking, isn't a cakewalk though, so re-read my disclaimer above.
