Long Haul Business Class for under $2K (Long Post)

[Luv2Phuket]

On 03/11/2022 at 08:03, Luv2Phuket said:

Scheduled to fly out Sunday, Nov. 13. but it is all subject to getting "clearance" from my primary client - if they say it would be a problem for me to go, I will cancel the trip....hmmm....it appears that I have FINALLY found something more important to me than Thai pussy: making a nice chunk of money every month! 555
 

After all of that back and forth with flights and hotels, my trip is on life support, and I am about to pull the plug.

I am working on a 3-month project that ends this month, but hoping to get it extended for at least another 3 months, if not indefinitely. With that backdrop, I talked to a couple of guys whose business sense I respect, and they both said "cancel the trip - don't even ask. It's not worth the risk."

GUTTED me, but I know they're right. There's a 95% chance the trip would go off without a hitch since I work remotely, but that 5% casts a large, ominous shadow.

The realization that I am not going in just over a week was like being a 13 year old and being kicked in the balls by a mule and then, while writhing on the ground in pain, being told that there is no Christmas this year.

On the plus side, once this project DOES end, I am planning a long Thai getaway.

Looks like I'm gonna have to burn 4 free hotel night certificates on the Strip between now and the end of the year (overpriced incall Asian hooker, perhaps?), and I am REALLY regretting that EVA points transfer now! 555

EDIT:

My November trip....

Time of death: about an hour ago

Pulled the plug, as I am in the process of making other plans and want/need to use the expiring hotel room certificates.

I'm hoping that my February trip will come off, but that will depend on how busy I am then (looks like my contract may get extended through May).

If not, I hope to be back for my birthday next June.

 

 

[Luv2Phuket]

Damn! I thought I was a points-hoarding SOB, but I ain't got SHIT on Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports - he posted a video to Twitter the other day showing that he had over 44 million AMEX MRs!

https://twitter.com/barstoolsports/status/1592595743516553216?s=20&t=yYjgECRH8GUIdV_ObQtG0g

[Luv2Phuket]

As mentioned a few times, I have mild OCD, and I absolutely HATE to waste anything.

I have 439 Cap One points on my Venture card, which I intend to drop when I comes up for renewal in April.

Since I get 2 points per dollar spent, it looks like I am going to go load an Amazon gift card with $281! 555

Anybody else that particular about clearing out points before closing an account?

[bgtp]

I’ve been burning thru my IHG points this trip and as I was looking at Bangkok for early December, I noticed that there’s an InterContinental Bangkok Sukhumvit opening in April near the Thonglor BTS station. No use to me now, but perhaps a possibility for my May/June trip.

I’m in Pattaya now, got in a couple of days earlier than originally planned, and will be here til the end of the month or so before heading to Bangkok in early December if anyone’s around and wants to meet up. Sorry you couldn’t make it @Luv2Phuket

[madmike]

I'm thinking based on yesterdays search that this thread should be renamed under $6k.  I am so glad I bought back in June.  Air Canada non-stop PHX-BKK in BIZ for $5600.  At the time I was wondering if I should wait and see but glad I jumped.  It is much higher now.  In fact the ONLY cheaper fares I can find are like Saudia Air or Philippines air.  Both longer trips and layovers and shittier service class.

 

 

 

[Luv2Phuket]

12 hours ago, bgtp said:

I’ve been burning thru my IHG points this trip and as I was looking at Bangkok for early December, I noticed that there’s an InterContinental Bangkok Sukhumvit opening in April near the Thonglor BTS station. No use to me now, but perhaps a possibility for my May/June trip.

I’m in Pattaya now, got in a couple of days earlier than originally planned, and will be here til the end of the month or so before heading to Bangkok in early December if anyone’s around and wants to meet up. Sorry you couldn’t make it @Luv2Phuket

InterContinental in Pattaya is a bit isolated, but a great deal on points, IMHO. It used to be 35,000, but I have been gettinging 15,000/nt for most of this year. With Bolt, the isolated location isn't that big of a deal.

Their standard "garden room" may not be that great, but they have worked with me in the past on upgrading points stays to a better room for some additional $$$ each night.

I paid for IHG Ambassador status, so I get an automatic upgrade on paid nights. Pre-COVID, that always worked out well for me, but since COVID and having to cancel my trip this month, it really hasn't.

 

[bgtp]

11 hours ago, Luv2Phuket said:

InterContinental in Pattaya is a bit isolated, but a great deal on points, IMHO. It used to be 35,000, but I have been gettinging 15,000/nt for most of this year. With Bolt, the isolated location isn't that big of a deal.

Their standard "garden room" may not be that great, but they have worked with me in the past on upgrading points stays to a better room for some additional $$$ each night.

I paid for IHG Ambassador status, so I get an automatic upgrade on paid nights. Pre-COVID, that always worked out well for me, but since COVID and having to cancel my trip this month, it really hasn't.

Yeah, had I known how well Bolt works, I might have booked some nights at the IC. As it is, I’m splitting my time between the HI, which I like, and the HIX, just to check it out. I don’t mind staying outside the main areas as long as getting around is easy. I spent half my time in Bangkok earlier staying in Ratchada right next to the Huay Khwang subway station and liked it a lot.

I kind of screwed myself a little wrt to IHG. I still have the Select card. I did have the Premier card earlier, but canceled with the intent to churn. Just before I was eligible to churn, they added a policy that it wasn’t available if you held any other personal IHG card. So I’m SOL. I’m definitely missing some free fourth nights on this trip, but on the other hand churning is the only way I can get a fair amount of points in any program, so I had to try. Win some, lose some.

My prior go to hotel in Bangkok which I thought didn’t survive covid actually reopened at the beginning of this month. I’ll try it out again for a few days when I return to Bangkok to see what it’s like now. They have a simple rewards program, every sixth night is free. I like the location (quiet alley near Sukhumvit Soi 20) and room, but after three years, I don’t want to commit to too many days until I see it first. hotels can age quickly here.

[Luv2Phuket]

I have always liked Holiday Inn, and with Terminal 21 opening, it is no longer "isolated."

My issue is I that get upgrades at InterContinental hotels, but not Holiday Inn or other IHG properties. Their "Ambassador program" is very odd in that regard. I am Platinum with IHG (from my cards), but that rarely has gotten me an upgrade at HI in the past.

Never stayed at HIX, but curious to try it. I was going to stay there for a single night in August, but that trip got scrapped, too. The small room size and shower issues sound like things that would bug the crap out of me if I stayed for more than 1 or 2 nights. That said, the rates (both cash and points) are just absurdly low!

FWIW, Chase can have my IHG Select card when they pry it from my cold dead fingers! 555

 

[bgtp]

5 minutes ago, Luv2Phuket said:

I have always liked Holiday Inn, and with Terminal 21 opening, it is no longer "isolated."

My issue is I that get upgrades at InterContinental hotels, but not Holiday Inn or other IHG properties. Their "Ambassador program" is very odd in that regard. I am Platinum with IHG (from my cards), but that rarely has gotten me an upgrade at HI in the past.

Never stayed at HIX, but curious to try it. I was going to stay there for a single night in August, but that trip got scrapped, too. The small room size and shower issues sound like things that would bug the crap out of me if I stayed for more than 1 or 2 nights. That said, the rates (both cash and points) are just absurdly low!

FWIW, Chase can have my IHG Select card when they pry it from my cold dead fingers! 555

I’ve gotten upgrades in ‘view’ as Platinum from my cards even on free nights. This current stay in Pattaya, HI ‘upgraded’ me to a high floor view which was no big deal really. On the other hand, being upgraded to a harbor view room at the IC Hong Kong was something I really enjoyed,  best hotel room view I’ve ever had. I do tend to get upgrades at home in the US, especially at some of the more long term stay chains like Candlewood Suites where I’d get a one-bedroom suite instead of a studio.

[Geordie59]

15 hours ago, madmike said:

I'm thinking based on yesterdays search that this thread should be renamed under $6k.  I am so glad I bought back in June.

 

 

 

Or bring reward cards into it. Seems far more about them on here than actual flights. 

[bgtp]

9 minutes ago, Geordie59 said:

Or bring reward cards into it. Seems far more about them on here than actual flights. 

Getting flights via rewards is the original point of this thread if you go back to the first post from nine years ago. That’s why you see a lot about rewards cards here. It’s kind of evolved into a more general travel hacking thread since.

[Geordie59]

5 minutes ago, bgtp said:

Getting flights via rewards is the original point of this thread if you go back to the first post from nine years ago. That’s why you see a lot about rewards cards here. It’s kind of evolved into a more general travel hacking thread since.

It’s been so long since I read the first post that I had long forgotten. Poor choice of title at the beginning I guess as it is a bit misleading. That said it must be one of the longest running on the board so something is working. 

[bgtp]

43 minutes ago, Geordie59 said:

It’s been so long since I read the first post that I had long forgotten. Poor choice of title at the beginning I guess as it is a bit misleading. That said it must be one of the longest running on the board so something is working. 

Yep, it’s a solid thread with a lot of helpful info.

39 minutes ago, OKAY said:

Time to close this thread and start another. TOO much has changed since the 'Chinese Pandemic' began.

It’s the default travel hacking thread on the forum and very useful for those of us into this sort of thing. So, it certainly shouldn’t be closed. 

[jmukh]

Possibly of note for the Marriott fans (well, I should say Marriott users, I doubt anyone's a fan): there's a Four Points by Sheraton under construction literally opposite the massage alley on Soi 22 (Bangkok), kind of diagonally opposite the Marriott. Sheratons usually hit the right balance between "nice" and a good value in cash or points for me, and I'd suspect that there's a decent likelihood of being upgraded if you have status. Also, being able to stroll across the street to massage alley whenever I'm bored would be an elite benefit (I assume the girls will respect my fifth night free privileges). I'd also expect the price to be significantly lower than the Marriott, and *much* lower than the JW Marriott at Nana that used to be my favorite, but seems to have jacked up their prices to a more JW Marriott-ish level as part of their pandemic recovery model.

I'm currently at the Doubletree one soi over from Nana, since I need to finish earning a signup bonus on a new Hilton card (and no one takes Amex in Malaysia or Thailand, so I'm trying to get in as many Hilton nights as possible). The Doubletree's cheap in cash, but I got a surprising "We don't give suite upgrades for Diamond status, the King room you booked it already the nicest one" and a room that wasn't ready / cleaned even after I'd been waiting an hour at 5pm. After the incredibly nice suite the Hilton upgraded me to in Kuala Lumpur, this was disappointing.

I'm contemplating trying the Conrad next (I've been meaning to try the Dim Sum lunch at Liu as well), though I might also lose patience with Bangkok and just head to Pattaya (my first trip) a little early instead.

[wdogg]

How are you guys redeeming Amex MR points?  It looks like realistically you can redeem on Singapore Airlines from LAX for around 210k-250k which seems like the regular going rate.  ANA has 100k redemptions but after poking around it looks like you'll never move off the waitlist and every single flight is waitlisted.  I wasn't sure if there was another way to redeem based on transferring points to a program and then calling to redeem on one of their partners. 

[jmukh]

On 27/11/2022 at 11:55, wdogg said:

How are you guys redeeming Amex MR points?  It looks like realistically you can redeem on Singapore Airlines from LAX for around 210k-250k which seems like the regular going rate.  ANA has 100k redemptions but after poking around it looks like you'll never move off the waitlist and every single flight is waitlisted.  I wasn't sure if there was another way to redeem based on transferring points to a program and then calling to redeem on one of their partners. 

I haven't had much luck with them; I believe the thing with ANA redemptions is that you need to book a year out, and I can never get work to approve a longer trip that far in advance so I haven't tried it yet.

I can very easily redeem JetBlue at ~1.5c value for Colombia, so if all else fails I'll have a few years of Medellin trips in econ covered. But I'm holding on to my Amex stash in the hopes of an ANA redemption next year. (I also have an Alaska stash I'm hanging on to with the same hope.)

[HimBadMan]

On 22/11/2022 at 22:54, jmukh said:

Possibly of note for the Marriott fans (well, I should say Marriott users, I doubt anyone's a fan): there's a Four Points by Sheraton under construction literally opposite the massage alley on Soi 22 (Bangkok), kind of diagonally opposite the Marriott. Sheratons usually hit the right balance between "nice" and a good value in cash or points for me, and I'd suspect that there's a decent likelihood of being upgraded if you have status. Also, being able to stroll across the street to massage alley whenever I'm bored would be an elite benefit (I assume the girls will respect my fifth night free privileges). I'd also expect the price to be significantly lower than the Marriott, and *much* lower than the JW Marriott at Nana that used to be my favorite, but seems to have jacked up their prices to a more JW Marriott-ish level as part of their pandemic recovery model.

I'm currently at the Doubletree one soi over from Nana, since I need to finish earning a signup bonus on a new Hilton card (and no one takes Amex in Malaysia or Thailand, so I'm trying to get in as many Hilton nights as possible). The Doubletree's cheap in cash, but I got a surprising "We don't give suite upgrades for Diamond status, the King room you booked it already the nicest one" and a room that wasn't ready / cleaned even after I'd been waiting an hour at 5pm. After the incredibly nice suite the Hilton upgraded me to in Kuala Lumpur, this was disappointing.

I'm contemplating trying the Conrad next (I've been meaning to try the Dim Sum lunch at Liu as well), though I might also lose patience with Bangkok and just head to Pattaya (my first trip) a little early instead.

I just stayed there last weekend.    It's on Soi 15..  I was able to use a suite night upgrade to their "terrace suite".   The room very nice, but the terrace as basically useless.   Had zero views. Pretty much just an open area with patio furniture.

Yes I picked this hotel for location as it's right on BTS route and minutes walk to Cowboy, term 21 and nana..

Their breakfast Buffett was also very good.  

I would stay there again because it's location and price point.   It  was about $80 USD a night..    I usually stay at  marriott Queen marquis or Sukhumvit Marriott but this location for price is great.    

To add this hotel been around for many years (not under construction) unless I misread and you are saying a new one is being built right nearby ..  if so sorry and good Intel.   If so wonder what they will do with current FP.

[wdogg]

15 hours ago, jmukh said:

I haven't had much luck with them; I believe the thing with ANA redemptions is that you need to book a year out, and I can never get work to approve a longer trip that far in advance so I haven't tried it yet.

I can very easily redeem JetBlue at ~1.5c value for Colombia, so if all else fails I'll have a few years of Medellin trips in econ covered. But I'm holding on to my Amex stash in the hopes of an ANA redemption next year. (I also have an Alaska stash I'm hanging on to with the same hope.)

Yea that's the thing, I even looked a year out and everything is waitlisted.  I know they had this going on for years but there is nothing not waitlisted now.  I wonder if pre-pandemic before Japan closed you could find open slots here and there and actually book it. 

It's definitely not as easy now to redeem miles as it was 10 years ago.  That must be why lots of people on are multiple Chase cards now, it's the easiest and most flexible program to redeem on. 

[travelling_man]

On 06/01/2022 at 08:21, Luv2Phuket said:

Has anybody else tried to book a business class flight to Asia using United miles lately?

EVERY option I see is 180,000 miles ONE WAY. WTF?!?

There are occasional "mixed cabin" fares for less than 100,000 miles, but it's big "no thank you" from me to fly economy for a 6 hour leg when using that many miles. Hell, some mixed cabin tickets are showing as 180,000 miles.

This is an old post that I am quoting ... but strangely enough, things have gotten WORSE rather than better.

Unofficially I was told that part of the problem is Thai -- who isn't releasing any reward business seats out of the major hubs to BKK (NRT, and others).  

There are rewards available but they are mixed cabins -- just like the one I had to choose in a few weeks.  I am trying to find a return trip in Jan/Feb and the pickings are slim.  

There are STILL awards listed from USA to BKK for 657,000 miles each way.  Those numbers are so astronomical that I can't believe they are real.  There are also flights through Africa and London (which increases travel time immensely).  

But the mixed cabin always appears if there is a connection into BKK.  The six hours in coach won't kill me, but for the amount of miles I am paying, I would prefer a seamless trip in Business.

Have you been checking @Luv2Phuket?

[Luv2Phuket]

I have not been checking Star Alliance lately, but I did see a few of the 657,000 awards before. I assumed those were for flights that are nearly sold out, so they figure they can sell it OR charge an astronomical fee in miles.

I haven't done it (yet), but those situations are where buying with points through a portal like Chase UR or Citi TY would seem to make a ton of sense.

My most recent searches were for availability in February, and admittedly it was absolute crap.

I have a February trip booked (with 2 separate returns), but, like my November trip, it may be dependent on how my work is going at that time and whether I am confident I can handle any issues that arise while in Thailand.

My biggest issue now are all of the damn flight credits I have laying around from my cancelled November trip -- pretty sure that I have credits with AA, Delta, Alaska, AND Southwest! 5555

The Delta, Alaska and Southwest were all aborted positioning flights, but the AA credit is pretty damn substantial and was for a OW premium economy ticket. I wanted to use a portion of the AA credit to upgrade my flight to Texas in December, but I couldn't figure out how to do it online.  I may end up calling about it (or just stick with my exit row seats).

[Luv2Phuket]

A possibly unique way to earn 60,000 MR - AMEX Business checking account:

https://onemileatatime.com/news/amex-business-checking-account/

Looks like a $5,000 minimum deposit has to be made and maintained for 60 days and you have to make 10 qualified transactions (based on comments, those would include bank transfers and credit card payments) within 60 days.

Interest rate isn't great (1.3%), but it's better than nothing, especially with the bonus MRs.

I'm about to come into a chunk of money, so looking for some ways to move it and get either a cash bonus or some points/miles, so this could be a viable idea to me.

Anybody else considering something like this?

[Geordie59]

Given the ever increasing number of miles that airlines seem to be charging for free flights I wonder if their day in the sun is over. 
I used to get plenty of free flights on KLM, long haul usually 80k return in economy and 160k in business. Looking the other day flights were generally 160-340k one way in economy. Add in the reduced number of miles being awarded, based of money spent rather than length and class of flight and I’ve pretty much given up on benefiting much from them these days. 

[HimBadMan]

31 minutes ago, Geordie59 said:

Given the ever increasing number of miles that airlines seem to be charging for free flights I wonder if their day in the sun is over. 
I used to get plenty of free flights on KLM, long haul usually 80k return in economy and 160k in business. Looking the other day flights were generally 160-340k one way in economy. Add in the reduced number of miles being awarded, based of money spent rather than length and class of flight and I’ve pretty much given up on benefiting much from them these days. 

The "glory days" of redemptions/point/miles accruals are over.  But there is still tremendous value in points/redemption games.  The best bang for your buck is CC hacking and churning.  Earning massive amount of miles from simply flying these days are long gone.    I recently scored a "free" flight In Emirates 1st Class for over 20 hours.   A flight that would have cost just about $20k USD.       

It's definitely still simple, just no longer easy.

[Luv2Phuket]

FWIW, I am "contrarian" in my approach to miles & points, but mainly because I don't have much of a choice.

GIven rampant devaluations, most bloggers (and I would guess most in this thread) advocate against stockpiling, but instead say "use them all asap."

I don't really have the option of burning them all now (had to cancel my last 2 trips and February already is shakey), so I'm left with a stockpile that is dwindling in "value" by the day. That said, if American bumps the miles for OW biz class ticket from 70,000 to 100,000, I think I'll be happy that I have the 30,000 miles extra sitting there.

....but I REALLY need to start burning some damn AA miles...and that fucking $1,200 credit! 

[bgtp]

As I mentioned a few pages back, in October I was able to book a biz class flight with 99K United miles for June. It’s BKK-ARN on Thai, ARN-EWR on United (United is starting this route late May with a B757, 2-2 seating in biz). At the time I booked, this award was available for several days in May/June.

Still, if a bunch of us have a stockpile of United miles and redemption levels remain high, I think someone needs to take one for the team, try Ethiopian Airlines and report back. Any volunteers?