At the end of April, I have to fly to Brussels for a 1day meeting and then onto Thailand for a week’s vacation and three weeks of business. Flying to Bangkok in coach isn’t the most appealing thought in the world….so I had to find a way to fly business…on a budget.
Flights to Thailand in coach were ranging from $2200 – 2800 and in business from $4800 – 6000. After hours of research and planning I couldn’t find a way to make it happen. I called the US Air Chairman’s Preferred Desk and spoke with a wonderful agent named Anna. She was extremely creative in helping me find a way to fly business.
First, we booked a round-trip ticket from Charlotte to Frankfurt on US Airways in coach for $700 and used two upgrade certificates so I could fly Envoy – each way. I will take the train from Frankfurt to Brussels and back to Frankfurt .
Since US Airways doesn’t fly to Bangkok, we looked at Star Alliance Partners. We couldn’t find a business class ticket from Frankfurt to Bangkok on Thai Air that was affordable, and we couldn’t find an upgradable fare with Star Alliance Upgrade Award availability, but what Anna did find was a round trip ticket in Business using frequent flyer miles – on the exact dates I needed – for 90,000 miles. US Airways is running a special – through today, April 15 – to buy miles and get up to 100% bonus. For $1750 I bought 45,000 miles and got 100% bonus to total 90,000 miles. To get 100% bonus, you have to sign up for a Points.com account and register your US Airways #. If you already have a Points.com account with a registered US Air account #, you are only eligible for 50% bonus miles.
The total price of the trip – Charlotte to Frankfurt, Frankfurt to Bangkok and back again – came to $2450.
The only downside to this is that I won’t earn miles on the Frankfurt to Bangkok leg – I hope that doesn’t hurt my status this year – and if it does, I can always buy up on US Air.
During my trip to Thailand, I’ll have lots of great reviews – The Westin Grande Sukhumvit, The St Regis Bangkok, The Sheraton Krabi and one other hotel in Phuket yet to be decided.