My strategy for booking upper-class seats with points and miles - The Points Guy

THE POINTS GUY

January 18, 2025

Bringing first-class seats within reach

by Brian Kelly

Hi everyone,

I have some exciting news to share — many of you know I’ve written a new book called “How to Win at Travel” — and I’m pleased to now share the details of my upcoming book tour! We have a few cities confirmed, with more to come. Each event will include a Q&A with me as well as a book signing. You can RSVP online. If you’re not able to attend an upcoming event, book preorders are also available.

While I’m preparing for my book tour, I’ve asked Eric Rosen, TPG’s director of travel content, to share his plans for booking luxury seats in the sky for 2025.

I can’t wait to see you all out on the road.

BK

✈️ ✈️ ✈️

I took over 80 flights and flew around 120,000 miles in 2024, experiencing some of the world’s best first- and business-class seats along the way.

I got to enjoy 13 hours of luxury in Etihad Airways’ first-class Apartment from New York to Abu Dhabi and was among the first passengers in Japan Airlines’ new A350-1000 business class aboard the inaugural flight from New York to Tokyo.

Over the summer, I flew Emirates first class on a fun fifth-freedom flight from Miami to Bogota, Colombia, and I scored one of the extra-roomy bulkhead seats in Air France’s new business class from Bangkok to Paris.

Thanks to points and miles, these flights are more possible — and they can be for you, too. When it comes to aspirational awards like these, credit card sign-up bonuses are a crucial part of any successful strategy.

For instance, you can transfer American Express Membership Rewards points, Capital One miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards points to Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Etihad Guest and Emirates Skywards. That means welcome offers — like earning 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $8,000 on purchases within the first six months of card membership with The Platinum Card® from American Express, or 75,000 bonus Citi ThankYou points after you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening with the Citi Strata Premier℠ Card — can go a long way toward an award ticket in the Apartment or Emirates first class as well as Air France business class.

There’s a slew of thrilling new premium seats you might want to check out, too. If you’ve been accruing rewards with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which is currently offering 75,000 bonus miles after you make $4,000 in purchases in the first three months, you can transfer them to Air Canada Aeroplan and redeem them for a flight in Lufthansa’s new Allegris business class from either San Francisco or Chicago to Munich.

Likewise, Ultimate Rewards points that you earn with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which is currently offering 60,000 bonus points after you make $4,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening, transfer to British Airways Executive Club for possible redemptions such as Cathay Pacific’s new Aria Suites business class, which should start appearing on long-haul routes soon.

I’m excited to try these seats and more, so you can bet I’ll be applying for some new rewards credit cards over the coming months. In the meantime, I hope to see you somewhere in the skies soon!

For more on luxury seats in the sky, check out these TPG stories:

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Photo Credit: ERIC ROSEN/THE POINTS GUY.

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