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Per the United award chart here (https://www.united.com/web/format/pd...t-02-01-14.pdf), a one-way US-Japan economy class Saver award on United metal is 35k. So it comes down to two things: 1. Is a Saver award either to or from Tokyo available on the dates the OP has to fly? and 2. Does a one-way Economy class ticket to or from Japan cost more than $700? If the OP can find one-way Saver space either to or from Japan AND the other paid leg costs less than $700, he does better using the miles for Japan. If saver space isn't available on either of his dates or if a one-way economy class Japan ticket costs more than $700, he does better using the miles for his Mexico trip.
It's complicated, for sure. (But that's the norm when using miles!)
I don't fly Untied enough to know--do they allow O/W reward travel? Not all carriers do. Also the OW fare is probably almost the same cost as the R/T, that needs to be considered as well.
Per the United award chart here (https://www.united.com/web/format/pd...t-02-01-14.pdf), a one-way US-Japan economy class Saver award on United metal is 35k. So it comes down to two things: 1. Is a Saver award either to or from Tokyo available on the dates the OP has to fly? and 2. Does a one-way Economy class ticket to or from Japan cost more than $700? If the OP can find one-way Saver space either to or from Japan AND the other paid leg costs less than $700, he does better using the miles for Japan. If saver space isn't available on either of his dates or if a one-way economy class Japan ticket costs more than $700, he does better using the miles for his Mexico trip.
It's complicated, for sure. (But that's the norm when using miles!)
One way tix are right at almost exactly $700 right now....
I don't fly Untied enough to know--do they allow O/W reward travel? Not all carriers do. Also the OW fare is probably almost the same cost as the R/T, that needs to be considered as well.
United does allow redemption of awards for one way trips.
One ways are running right at $700 while lowest round trip tix are right under $1200....
You are only a few days away from booking a ticket for next May. 331 days in advance is what AA allows, so you could book the first week of May today. I have never had a problem booking coach that far in advance.
One way tix are right at almost exactly $700 right now....
So pricewise it's looking like a tossup. Given that, if you've already found frequent flyer tickets for your Mexico trip, I'd go ahead and book them. If you haven't, I'd search for award tickets for both trips (one way for Japan, round trip for Mexico), and book whichever one you find first. Might as well keep it easy!
EDIT: Actually, I take that back. Book Mexico with your ff miles. Using miles for Mexico and paying cash for Japan means you'll spend around $1200. Using miles for a one-way ticket to Japan, paying cash for the return trip, and paying cash for the Mexico trip will cost you around $1400. So using the miles for Mexico saves you the most money.
United only charges redemption fees if someone without status tries to redeem within something like 21 days before departure. Otherwise it's just the usual $5 security fee and assorted taxes like the London airport extortion tax.
EDIT: Actually, I take that back. Book Mexico with your ff miles. Using miles for Mexico and paying cash for Japan means you'll spend around $1200. Using miles for a one-way ticket to Japan, paying cash for the return trip, and paying cash for the Mexico trip will cost you around $1400. So using the miles for Mexico saves you the most money.
This logic makes sense...I'm leaning towards just using the miles for Mexico right now since the flights are available now and doing the two one-ways to Japan is more expensive than one roundtrip airfare ticket....
This logic makes sense...I'm leaning towards just using the miles for Mexico right now since the flights are available now...
If the flights are available now, BOOK THEM! You never know when award space is going to disappear. What most folks new to the miles and points game don't realize is that earning miles is the easy part. Finding flights to where you want to go in the cabin category you want on the days when you are able to fly is the tough part of the game.
Very much so. Granted if you're starting at ORD, it's easier to find 'cheap' seats than if your starting point is a podunk field served only by United Express barbie jets (it's actually easier for me to find Delta Sky Peso cheap award tickets from local airports than it is to find similar from United) but Saver awards can be pretty rare to popular destinations, especially if you don't have the status that gets you slightly better availability.
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