BEN HUGHES

@RUBIETY

HTTP://FLIGHTLEVERAGE.COM

T R AV E L H A C K I N G :

AIRLINES

1 . A I R FA R E P E R U N I T
D I S TA N C E V A R I E S W I D E LY
!

2. MILES EARNED
( M O S T LY ) = M I L E S F L O W N

3 . A I R L I N E R U L E S H AV E
LOOPHOLES

FINDING CHEAP
A I R FA R E

PHL TO PEK: $448 (2.5 CPM)

LA TO TOKYO: $445 (2.7 CPM)

HIDDEN CITY TICKETING

HIDDEN CITY TICKETING

V O L U N TA R Y
DENIED
BOARDING
(VDB)

F R E Q U E N T F LY E R M I L E S

MILES CAN BE
ACCRUED TO AND
REDEEMED ON
ANY OTHER AIRLINE IN
THE ALLIANCE!

A D V A N TA G E S O F U S I N G M I L E S
Last-Minute Travel (Funerals, Random Trips, Binds)
Lower Cancelation Fees, Free for Top Elites
Flexible Routing Rules
Stopovers & Open Jaws
Premium Cabins

I N T E R N AT I O N A L
L I E - F L AT
BUSINESS CLASS

I N T E R N AT I O N A L
FIRST CLASS

D I S A D V A N TA G E S O F U S I N G M I L E S

Limited Award Availability - Need to be flexible!

Mile currencies inflate faster than the US dollar
Airlines can change the rules at any time

AWARD CHART HACKS

&
C O M PA R AT I V E A D V A N TA G E

B R I T I S H A I R W AY S < 6 5 0 M I : 4 , 5 0 0 A V I O S
SAN-LAX: $$$

Avios: 4,500 (~$65)

JFK-YYZ: $$$

Avios: 4,500 (~$65)

LHR-CDG: $$$

Avios: 4,500 (~$65) + ~$20 Taxes

Lots of places < 650 mi from AA hubs ORD, DFW, MIA

US Airways now in OneWorld! Add PHL, PHX, CLT

AA OFF-PEAK TO EUROPE: 20K

PHL-DUB-PHL:
1 0 0 K U S A I R W AY S M I L E S I N B U S I N E S S

MEX-FRA-ZRH,
ZRH-BKK-CGK,
CGK-TPE-LAX
LAX-PHX-MEX

LUFTHANSA 747-8 UPPER DECK

SWISS A340 BUSINESS
THAI 777 BUSINESS
E VA 7 7 7 B U S I N E S S

S F O - N R T- S F O :
220K UNITED MILES IN ANA FIRST

YVR-MUC-FRA,
FRA-BKK-HKG,
BKK-HND,
N R T- I C N - J F K

LUFTHANSA A330 FIRST

THAI A380 FIRST
THAI 747 FIRST (TWICE)
ASIANA 747 FIRST
A S I A N A 7 7 7 P R I V AT E S U I T E

MILEAGE RUNNING

I T S A B O U T T H E J O U R N E Y,
N O T T H E D E S T I N AT I O N
Flights for sole purpose of earning miles & elite status
Destination & dates irrelevant
Hoping around airports, going nowhere

BENEFITS GIVEN ON
MILES FLOWN, NOT
P R I C E PA I D

E L I T E S TAT U S

AA
EXECUTIVE
P L AT I N U M
100% Bonus on

Redeemable Miles
Priority Everything
International First Class

Lounges
8 Systemwide Business

Class Upgrade
Certificates

MIN(CPM)

I TA M AT R I X

SHANGHAI FOR DINNER:

LAX-BNA-ORD-PVG-ORD-MIA-LAX (19,859 MI)
FOR $741.10 (3.73 CPM)

PHILADELPHIA FOR LUNCH (CHEESESTEAK):

S A N - E W R - Z F V- E W R - S A N ( 5 , 3 5 0 M I )
FOR $140.70 (2.63 CPM)

 N E T C O S T A P P R O A C H T O A I R FA R E

$160 Transcontinental (~7,000 mi with indirect routing)

100% Mile Bonus with United 1K: 14,000 mi earned
14,000mi X ($0.017 / mi) = $238 in Mile Value
Net Cost = Paid ($160) - Mile Value ($238)
Net Cost = Negative $78

S A M E - D AY C H A N G E S

Route further out of the way for more miles

Monitor F cabin loads for upgrade optimization
Increase voluntary denied boarding changes
Deliberate book days off with cheaper fares, intend to

change to day before/after

F L AT- O U T B U Y I N G M I L E S
US Airways Buy Miles Promo (1.9 cents)
US Airways Share Miles Promo (1.1 cents)
American Buy Miles Promos
Buy Transferrable Currencies & Transfer

(Starwood Buy Miles Promos)

United Mileage Multiplier when Flying

ROUND-THE-WORLD
$ 9 9 0 I N L I E - F L AT B U S I N E S S C L A S S !

LOUNGE ACCESS HACKS

ACCESS
HOW?
Membership ($$$)
International flights in

premium cabins
International flights with

elite status
Club or Executive CCs

(high annual fee)

Amex Platinum (American,

Delta, US Airways)

A M E X P L AT
REFUNDABLE TICKETS

B U T T H E T I M E S A R E C H A N G I N G

Award Chart Devaluations

Minimum Spend Requirements for Elite Status
Move to Fully Revenue-Based Mile Earning (Delta)
American Airlines / US Airways Merger Uncertainty

THANKS!
BEN HUGHES

@RUBIETY

HTTP://TRAVEL.BENHUGHES.NAME

HTTP://FLIGHTLEVERAGE.COM

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