Around the World in Cathay, Singapore, and Lufthansa First: Cathay Pacific First Class from New York to Hong Kong

After a few days in New York last month, I took a 16 hour flight in Cathay Pacific First Class from New York-JFK to Hong Kong. It was the second best flight of my life (behind only Emirate First Class); I can't recommend Cathay Pacific First Class highly enough.

That said, the ground services in New York were abysmal.

One Minor Change to US Airways Award Chart Today, One Big Change to US Airways Awards on Monday

On the US Airways award chart today, I noticed a minor change as part of the US Airways / American Airlines integration.

Did you catch it?

On the US Airways chart, the word "Envoy" has been replaced with "Business Class."

US Airways had previously referred to its International Business Class as "Envoy" (and it still does on other pages), but it looks like that name will disappear during the integration.

This is semantics, since the Envoy / Business Class will still be a great product--at least on the A330s where it is completely flat--but a far bigger change is coming

20k Miles to Europe All Summer Long with A Free Oneway in 10 Clicks

Here's the goal:

The goal is for a New Yorker to get a one way award to Europe in the height of summer for only 20k miles, which is a 10k mile discount plus a free oneway from Los Angeles to New York, a 12,500 mile value.

We want to pay 20,000 American Airlines miles for two flights that "should" cost 42,500 miles.

(This trick doesn't just work for New Yorkers. It works for people who live in every city that has an American Airlines flight to London.

American Airlines is Slowly Solving One of Its Biggest Weaknesses by Putting in Fully Flat Beds in Business

American Airlines has a far better award chart than rivals United and Delta, especially in premium cabins.

Unfortunately on many of its own internationally configured planes, American Airlines has angled lie flat seats in business class instead of fully flat beds.

Three Reasons Los Angeles to London is the Best Value Transatlantic Flight

Yesterday I wrote that The Best Value Flight Across the Atlantic Has Almost No Premium Award Space.

The Best Value Flight Across the Atlantic Has Almost No Premium Award Space

The best value flight between the United States and Europe is American Airlines' daily 777-300ER flight from Los Angeles to London.

The 10hr40min flight east features fully flat beds in Business Class for 50k American Airlines miles each way, and American's newest First Class product for 62,500 miles each way.

Considering that Delta now charges 125k miles for roundtrip business class awards to Europe and United charges 115-140k for a roundtrip business class award and 160k-220k for a roundtrip first class award to Europe, American's prices are a steal!

For a great hard product, and west-coast-to-Europe flights, you can't

Why Is My American Airlines Award Pricing 25k Miles Higher Than It Should?

We just got an interesting comment on Bill's great recent post about Booking Etihad Business Class Using American Miles.

MojoMama is trying to go from Los Angeles (LAX) to the Maldives (MLE) in First Class.

The United States to the Maldives should be 90k miles each way in First Class according to American Airlines' chart. But she's getting charged 115k miles:

Trying to book LAX-JFK(stopover)-AUH-MLE in first for August, but it’s pricing at 115,000 miles. Being told AUH-MLE is separate award because it’s not in the same region, which I know is false.

Combining Alaska and Hawaii onto One Trip This Summer for Only 40k Points

Alaska Airlines flies a direct flight between Anchorage and Honolulu.

I love interesting routes from Hawaii--like the Island Hopper across the Pacific--since moving to Oahu, but I think this route has some cool possibilities for everyone, like one vacation that combines Alaska and Hawaii this summer.

Anchorage and Honolulu are 2,777 miles apart. This is a sweet spot on British Airways' distance-based award chart.

Comparison of United, Delta, US Airways, and American Airlines Latest Award Charts

Update 4/14/14: US Airways has increased the price of its awards to North Asia in business class to 110k miles roundtrip.

In December, I compiled Comparison Tables of United, Delta, US Airways, and American Airlines Award Charts to show which program had the cheapest awards in each cabin to every country you want to visit.

With Delta announcing a new award chart that takes effect for awards booked January 1, 2015, I have updated the tables for economy and business class.

There are a few ways to use these charts.

Figure out which miles to earn for your next big