2
Feb
In March I will be attending the world’s largest travel trade show at ITB Berlin. An estimated 17,000 attendees. Huge.
The past several days I have been studying options for flying to Berlin and back in March 2013 using American Airlines AAdvantage miles. It would be to my advantage if I had 30,000 United miles for the outbound trip since the schedules to Berlin with Lufthansa work out so much better from Monterey. But alas, my account balance is only sufficient for flying to Europe in economy at 20,000 AAdvantage miles each way.
The published airfares are $1,000 for the dates I need to be in Berlin. Over the past couple of months I have not seen the rates drop under $750.
One of the facets I enjoy about hotel awards and airline awards is the choice of where I travel is shaped by the options given to me through the loyalty program. This is exemplified by the AAdvantage award flights I have found to get me to Berlin and back again, many itineraries with overnight layovers and extended daytime layovers for the option to visit another European city or two or three taking the long way home.
- 9 hours during the day in Oslo or 23 hours with an overnight in Stockholm?
- 21 hours and an overnight in London?
- 21 hours and an overnight in Dusseldorf?
- 8 daylight hours in Miami or San Diego?
- Zurich, Vienna, Dublin, Milan, Lisbon or Madrid are possibilities for an intra-Europe ticket at 10,000 additional miles. Read More…
