Toggle navigation

Flight Intel


To ensure that Milez.biz users are always well-informed with the latest industry intelligence and our site boasts the most up-to-date data possible, we collect anecdotal material about award flights, organized by destination pairings and frequent flyer program. We’re always looking for the following type of information:
  • What are the fees and surcharges that travelers needed to pay in order to book their award flight?
  • How was the availability of a given route(s) when it came to booking the award flight?
  • Are there tricks that program members used in order to optimize their redemption?
  • Which specific flights were used for the award ticket? Are some flights better than others?
  • How does this award ticket compare to other programs and how does it compare to a ticket bought with cash?
  • Are there specific sweet spots in the award tables that one should try to take advantage of?
  • Are there exceptions to the award tables where our calculations are not accurate?
  • What was your overall experience with a particular award ticket?
  • Was it worth cashing your miles in for a given flight?
Let us know if you have intel you would like to share. We’d also be more than happy to link to your trip reports and sources, too! Click on the "comment" button for any of the miles calculations or email us through the contact page.

Denver (DEN) to Kahului (OGG) with Miles from Korean Air Skypass / SkyTeam

Korean Air's  SkyTeam award charts have some nice sweet spots. One of these is the ability to fly to Hawaii (part of the program's LARGE North America zone) for only 45,000 miles in first and business class (round-trip). The itinerary from Denver to Maui would be on Delta flights.

Source: http://thepointsguy.com/2016/06/how-to-book-award-flights-with-korean-air-skypass/

18 May, 2016

Duesseldorf (DUS) to Hong Kong (HKG) with Avios from [OLD v2] British Airways Executive Club / oneworld

BA members can use avios on Cathay Pacific flights. According the Head for Points, there seems to be great business class availability specifically out of Duesseldorf. It is important to remember that there are no fuel surcharges when departing Hong Kong, so even if you are flying a round-trip, it's critical to book two one-ways to avoid the fees! The fees for the DUS-HKG leg are GBP 61, and for the HKG-DUS leg GBP 10.

Source: http://www.headforpoints.com/2016/04/29/cathay-pacific-avios-redemptions-to-asia/

29 April, 2016

Amsterdam (AMS) to Hong Kong (HKG) with Avios from [OLD v2] British Airways Executive Club / oneworld

Amsterdam (AMS) has the lowest fees for the Cathay Pacific flight from Europe to Hong Kong: GBP 29. The fees for the Europe-bound leg are only GBP 10 due to the law in Hong Kong prohibiting fuel surcharges.

Source: http://www.headforpoints.com/2016/04/29/cathay-pacific-avios-redemptions-to-asia/

29 April, 2016

New York (JFK) to Paris (CDG) with Miles from Flying Blue (Air France, KLM) / SkyTeam

The direct flight between Paris and New York will incur about USD 575 in surcharges for a business class flight. However, if you redeem on Delta (also direct), the fees drop to about USD 165! The difference in economy class is not as big, but still significant (USD 228 vs USD 119).

Guide to Flying Blue Award Flights (uponarriving.com)

14 April, 2016

Tel Aviv (TLV) to Houston (HOU) with Miles from Flying Blue (Air France, KLM) / SkyTeam

According to UponArriving.com flying to Israel is one of the most attractive redemptions on Flying Blue. Israel is zoned in Europe 3 and can therefore be reached with 50,000 miles (round trip) from North America. The fees for the round trip are USD 240 with Air France and KLM; flying with Delta and Aeroflot the fees drop to about USD 170.

Guide to Flying Blue Award Flights (uponarriving.com)

14 April, 2016

Tel Aviv (TLV) to New York (JFK) with Miles from Flying Blue (Air France, KLM) / SkyTeam

According to UponArriving.com flying to Israel is one of the most attractive redemptions on Flying Blue. Israel is zoned in Europe 3 and can therefore be reached with 50,000 miles (round trip) from North America (125,000 miles in business class). The fees for the round trip in business class from New York are USD 135 (routed with Alitalia and Delta).

Guide to Flying Blue Award Flights (uponarriving.com)

14 April, 2016

Casablanca (CMN) to New York (JFK) with Miles from Flying Blue (Air France, KLM) / SkyTeam

According to UponArriving.com flying to Casablanca is a very attractive redemptions on Flying Blue. Morocco is zoned in Europe 3 and can therefore be reached with 50,000 miles (round trip) from North America (125,000 miles in business class). The fees for the round trip in business class from New York are just over USD 200 (routed with Alitalia and Delta).

Guide to Flying Blue Award Flights (uponarriving.com)

14 April, 2016

Houston (HOU) to Cancun (CUN) with Miles from Flying Blue (Air France, KLM) / SkyTeam

Flying Blue puts North America, Mexico and the Dutch Antilles in the same zone! The round-trip redemption to Cancun (with Delta and Aeromexico) has fees of about USD 110, but the miles needed are very low.

Guide to Flying Blue Award Flights (uponarriving.com)

14 April, 2016

Oranjestad (AUA) to Miami (MIA) with Miles from Flying Blue (Air France, KLM) / SkyTeam

Flying Blue puts North America, Mexico and the Dutch Antilles in the same zone! The round-trip redemption between Miami and Aruba (with Delta) has fees of about USD 110, but the miles needed are very low.

Guide to Flying Blue Award Flights (uponarriving.com)

14 April, 2016

Kralendijk (BON) to Houston (HOU) with Miles from Flying Blue (Air France, KLM) / SkyTeam

Flying Blue puts North America, Mexico and the Dutch Antilles in the same zone! The round-trip redemption between Houston and Bonaire (with Delta) has fees of less than USD 100, but the miles needed are very low.

Guide to Flying Blue Award Flights (uponarriving.com)

14 April, 2016