Average cash price: $3,000
Fortunately, not all premium class tickets involve jumping through as many hoops. Virgin Atlantic Flying Club offers low points rates and decent award availability on its flights between London Heathrow and several US cities.
Like many Swifties, my best friend and I flew across the Atlantic for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour. We scored standing-room-only seats and ended up just 10 feet from the stage. To ride the high of our trip, we redeemed our points for business class tickets, which Virgin aptly calls “Upper Class,” for our flight back home. Our experience began with a private security entrance at Heathrow, which quickly led us to the Virgin Clubhouse. Though we’d be well-fed onboard, we couldn’t resist a hearty meal of fish and chips, followed by freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. We flew in back-to-back window seats on the Airbus A350, enjoyed afternoon tea in the onboard lounge, and were even gifted a set of Virgin Atlantic playing cards by the friendly flight attendants.
Searching for “Reward flights” on Virgin Atlantic’s website makes it easy to find award availability in economy (from 10,000 points), premium economy (from 17,500 points), or Upper Class (from 47,500 points) on the many flights between New York and London. We booked our tickets about three months in advance and found plenty of available seats. While the taxes and fees added an extra $850, securing business class seats during peak summer made it feel well worth the cost.
Singapore Airlines business class from New York to Sydney via Singapore
Points used: 129,000 Amex Membership Rewards (transferred to Singapore Airlines)
Average cash price: $10,000
Points and miles gave me the opportunity to experience the world’s longest flight on Singapore Airlines. Surprisingly, I didn’t want the first leg of the journey—the 19-hour flight from New York to Singapore—to end. The extended time in the air allowed me to fully indulge in the perks of business class: getting 10 hours of sleep, savoring the airline’s signature lobster thermidor, and switching between a movie and the in-flight map as we crossed the globe. Singapore Airlines offers free stopovers on award flights, allowing me enough time to explore the hawker centers and admire the Jewel at Changi Airport during a 24-hour layover.
I booked this itinerary using Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer miles, transferred from American Express. When searching on Singapore’s website, you’ll want to look for “Advantage” award pricing. In 2022, I redeemed 129,000 miles and just $45 in taxes for the entire journey in 2022, though the same ticket now costs 190,000 miles (or 143,500 miles for the first leg from New York to Singapore). For your best shot at booking flights, you’ll want to search almost a year in advance.