There are discounted United partner business class awards to Europe and Maldives / Central Asia through March 2015, per Dan. This is likely a glitch and won't last long, so if you're planning award travel to Europe through March 2015 using United miles, I'd jump on this right now.
After the United Award Chart Devaluation, Star Alliance partner business class awards increased 40%, from 100,000 miles roundtrip to 140,000 miles roundtrip, while flights on United metal increased 15%, to 115,000 miles roundtrip.
That makes a one way trip in Air Canada Business Class from Montreal to Paris normally 70,000 United miles.
But if you look at the same flight in March, February or January, it prices at 57,500 miles, the same as United operated flights to Europe. For a better view of the images below, just click on them.
While you could use other miles, such as Aeroplan miles or Singapore KrisFlyer miles for the same award, they'd be more expensive in miles or money: Aeroplan charges just 45,000 miles, but taxes and fuel surcharges add on $434.30. And KrisFlyer charges 65,000 miles.
Another great product to use this on is SWISS Business Class. Availability between Montreal and Zurich and SWISS's other routes is scarce, but there's a fair amount of availability between Boston and Zurich:
It's even possible to get to the Maldives, although unfortunately I could only find mixed awards with SWISS Business Class or Turkish Business Class to Europe, then Austrian Economy from Vienna to Male. Personally, I would rather fly Etihad First Class via Abu Dhabi for 90,000 AAdvantage miles (note that Abu Dhabi to Male is in business class, but at least that's just over a 4 hour flight, vs. almost 9 hours in Economy from Vienna to Male) but I do realize that some clients and readers won't fly the Gulf carriers.
Do you plan to take advantage of discounted United partner business class award pricing for travel to or from Europe or the Maldives in Winter 2015?
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