00:00:00:01 - 00:00:08:05 chris One of the questions we get most is how do you actually book an international award flight? Not the theory, the actual step by step process. 00:00:08:06 - 00:00:17:18 katie So today we're walking through exactly how we do it. Every single time. There are four steps in the same order, whether you're booking economy or business class. 00:00:17:19 - 00:00:24:05 chris And before that, I'm sharing how moving to Brazil 16 years ago is what actually got me into points and miles in the first place. 00:00:24:05 - 00:00:41:03 katie And I'll tell you about one of my first big international business class redemptions a round trip to Tanzania and Kenya for 176,000 miles and just $78 out of pocket. 00:00:41:05 - 00:00:44:03 chris Hey, I'm Chris, welcome to the upgraded points. 00:00:44:05 - 00:01:05:00 katie And I'm Katie. And today we are showing you a step by step process to book your first big international award flight. And before we get into that, don't forget a free way to support the show is by leaving a five star rating and review on Apple Podcast and Spotify. It's a chance for you to tell us what you love about the show, and it helps others to discover it, too. 00:01:05:00 - 00:01:15:06 katie So let's start out, Chris, I would love to hear how you actually got into points and miles back when you were a beginner, maybe planning your first big redemption. 00:01:15:08 - 00:01:40:05 chris Yeah. So when I moved from Boston to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2010, so I was 16 years ago, we would just like we do now, we travel back and forth between the two countries to see family, and I would be always flying American Airlines. And I quickly realized that I was a good chunk of miles basically on every trip, because back then you were earning based on distance. 00:01:40:05 - 00:02:01:22 chris So flying between Boston and Rio, that's pretty far. And if you've got a cheap flight, you're earning is based on how far you flew, not how much you you spent. That was that is changed. Yeah. So it used to be, you know, every few flights it'll be almost like by two get one free or by three get one free because I'd earn ten each 10,000 miles each each trip. 00:02:01:22 - 00:02:23:22 chris And then an economy flight would cost about 20,001 way. So it was pretty good deal. Also, just noting that you can still actually find those prices nowadays on American Airlines 20,000 between the US and Brazil. So I know they fluctuate a lot with, you know, dynamic awards, but that's something you can't really say with a lot of programs 16 years ago, American still has the same prices for these flights. 00:02:23:22 - 00:02:45:13 chris So that's pretty cool. But no, once once I started focusing on the miles and I, you know, quickly grabbed, you know, that city executive card. And I never looked back, just started earning those miles. And then one thing led to another. And now flying my family to Japan in business class. But it all started just, you know, paying attention to the flights I was already taking and making, taking advantage of those miles. 00:02:45:13 - 00:02:46:07 chris What about you? 00:02:46:08 - 00:03:14:08 katie Absolutely. So yeah, I started, gosh, what, a 12 years ago or so. And I started with hotels and a lot of domestic and Caribbean economy flights because like, let's be real, those are a lot easier than doing an international business class award. And is much as I read about points and miles and understood all the concepts, it was still a little intimidating. 00:03:14:08 - 00:03:39:21 katie And I had a young daughter at that point, so we weren't traveling internationally as much as we do now. So it was I eased into it, which is, you know, totally fine. Way to go. You don't have to jump right in. So I kind of stuck with those easy redemptions for probably a few years before I really jumped into international business class, and I was trying to remember what my very first redemption was. 00:03:39:22 - 00:04:09:19 katie And I'm not 100% sure I have two, and I know that I had one to from Venice to Philadelphia, and I think this was my first or second international business class redemption. And it was just like you actually American Airlines. And it was on American Airlines, booked through American Airlines. It was so simple. I paid 57,500 miles, which is sort of there. 00:04:09:20 - 00:04:29:03 katie You know, if you can get that price, that's a great price on American Airlines for three seats. It was my daughter's first time flying business class. It was so cute. She was, I don't know, five years old maybe. And she watched My Little Pony the entire way. She I'm sure she would be mortified if she knew I just said that. 00:04:29:05 - 00:04:59:23 katie But I have a really cute picture of her sitting there, like with her hands back, just like just living it up. So I think that was my first international, but my first like big, interesting, somewhat complicated redemption was to get to my African safari. And that was on Ethiopian Airlines booked through United. And this was back in the day when I, like none of the award search tools were around. 00:05:00:00 - 00:05:01:04 chris Yeah. So you just. 00:05:01:04 - 00:05:25:02 katie Searched and searched and searched. And so I was there searching on United Airlines just looking for this. And it came up and I was kind of like, I had never heard of Ethiopian Airlines at that point, but that's that's what it was to get there. So I was like, okay, we'll try it. I believe I transferred, I'm assuming I transferred Chase points to United because I'm sure I didn't have enough United miles to do that. 00:05:25:02 - 00:05:52:07 katie And that route was from, I think, Washington to Tanzania. And then we did a safari in Tanzania and in Kenya, and then we flew home from Nairobi. So then Nairobi, back to, I think, New York, maybe. And I paid 176,000 miles plus $78 for each of us. And that's round trip all in white. Yeah, that was the round trip price. 00:05:52:09 - 00:06:15:00 katie All in live flat is miss class. And it was the old style business class. That's like the seat is, like, straight on and there's no privacy. But honestly, like, I don't mind that too much. My husband actually likes it better because he's really tall. So on the angled business class, like with the little foot, well, he doesn't fit, so it's not comfortable actually for him. 00:06:15:05 - 00:06:44:12 katie And those ones where it's just that straight on seat, he actually has a lot more room. So as much as that wasn't a private business class experience, it was still so comfortable. It was one of the first times I was lying down on an airplane and like, that's an amazing feeling regardless of the seat. But that was it was it was a little nerve wracking to do that first, like transfer and then book and you're like, wait a minute, I'm booking an airline on a different airlines website. 00:06:44:12 - 00:06:58:10 katie And like, I understand the concept, but it's there's still some like, oh, is this actually going to work? Yeah. But yeah. Then I you know, I was hooked after that. Now it's it's still nerve wracking to transfer those points. 00:06:58:10 - 00:06:59:07 chris But it. 00:06:59:07 - 00:07:02:01 katie Is I'm a lot more confident these days. 00:07:02:03 - 00:07:26:01 chris Yeah. You've had some some experience. But there are a lot of beginners listening to the podcast. And let's take a break because when we get back, we are going to dive in and break it down into four simple steps. How you can book your first international award flight. 00:07:26:03 - 00:07:32:18 chris Hey, real quick, before we jump back in, if you're listening to this podcast, you're exactly the kind of person we built our free newsletter for. 00:07:32:19 - 00:07:42:22 katie We break down the best credit card offers, transfer bonuses, award alerts, and travel news that actually matters. No fluff, no spam, just the stuff we text a friend if something big dropped. 00:07:42:23 - 00:07:47:20 chris A lot of the deals we talk about on the show don't last long. The newsletter is where we flag those fast. 00:07:47:21 - 00:08:00:04 katie It's totally free, and you can sign up at upgraded points letter. 00:08:00:06 - 00:08:22:19 katie Okay. Welcome back. Let's dive into the steps that you need to take to book your very first International Business Class award. And while the example we're going to be talking about in these four steps is a business class flight, this four step process that we're going to talk about works for anything. So if you want to book economy this still is going to work. 00:08:22:19 - 00:08:44:06 katie It's going to give you that framework that you can take to book any award ticket that you want. So let's break it down into four steps that well the points may change, the airlines may change, the program may change. This basic order of operations is what we use for every award flight. So Chris, let's start it off with step number one. 00:08:44:07 - 00:09:09:00 chris All right. So step number one is earn points. And that seems pretty easy enough. You're going to choose a transferable currency to start with. Most people like to start with American Express or Chase. But City and Capital One are also great places to start as well. If you have a specific destination in mind, you can do some research about which airlines fly there to help you decide what kind of point to start with, but if you don't know, don't worry. 00:09:09:00 - 00:09:33:07 chris It's okay to just pick a transferable currency and start without having exact planes in mind. You can earn points the most points through credit card welcome offers and spending on just your everyday spend. And we have a list of our top cards for the month with the best welcome offers, so we'll drop that in the show notes. But one thing to do is to go ahead and just start creating accounts loyalty accounts with all the major airline programs right now. 00:09:33:08 - 00:09:48:12 chris You don't don't wait to book because there are some restrictions about how long you need to have an account open before you transfer points, or do some other use some other features in the program. So just rule of thumb, it's generally a good idea to go and open some accounts and they're all free, so it doesn't cost you anything. 00:09:48:18 - 00:10:06:10 chris If you need to know how many points you're going to need, a good idea for an international business class flight is going to be somewhere around 55 to 80,000 points. That's one way per person that can go up, that can go down, but that just kind of get you in the ballpark of what you should be looking to, to earn. 00:10:06:11 - 00:10:29:07 katie Yeah, and earning points is the easiest and probably the most fun step of this whole process. And step two, I would say is is the hardest step of this whole process, but it's probably the most important one and that is finding your flight. So we like to use search tools like Roam Point Me points. There are so many now. 00:10:29:09 - 00:10:49:09 katie It actually can be kind of overwhelming. And the one thing I will say about these points tools is they all do things slightly differently, but they're all kind of the same. So find one that you particularly like to work with you don't have to use. There's not one that is the best. We have a guide that we wrote. 00:10:49:09 - 00:11:08:13 katie We actually talked to a lot of our writers, and I asked them what their favorite tools were. So we kind of did a compilation of why we like certain tools. So take a look at that. But if you have one you like, go with that. There are free versions of a lot of these. And when you're starting out, a lot of times the free version is enough. 00:11:08:13 - 00:11:30:05 katie So you don't think that you have to jump right in and get a subscription to one of these tools, but they are very helpful. So I used roam to find flights for an example for this episode, and that's what we're going to be referencing over the next couple steps. And I just searched for a flight from the US to Europe next spring, so March or April, which would cover like a spring break trip. 00:11:30:06 - 00:11:56:03 katie And I found lots of options using Air Canada Aeroplan points for 60,000 points one way, and that is in business class. And those flights were on either Lufthansa or Swiss. And I liked this example because it's one that I think you'll see a lot of. I actually booked both of these examples for my Christmas markets trip, which I talked about in episode 37. 00:11:56:03 - 00:12:17:19 katie I booked one way on Lufthansa, one way on Swiss. Both were Air Canada using Air Canada Aeroplan points, and I think they were each 60,000 points each way. So that's an example you're going to see quite often. So I picked for this particular episode of a flight from Newark to Frankfurt and that is booked through Air Canada Aeroplan. 00:12:17:19 - 00:12:41:14 katie So before you do anything else, you found this flight on Rome. In this example, go to the booking website to double check that that flight actually exists on these award search tools. A lot of times the the flights are going to be cashed. So you'll have these cashed results that maybe the flight was available three hours ago, 12 hours ago, three days ago. 00:12:41:18 - 00:13:01:07 katie You want to double check on the booking website that that flight is actually available to book. Sometimes you will run into instances where it's showing up on one of these award tools, Award search tools, but it's it's not available anymore. So you always, always, always double check. 00:13:01:09 - 00:13:23:18 chris Good. Good call out there. Yeah. Because you don't want to. What's your point to transferred. You cannot get them back. All right. So that brings us to step number three transferring your points. So once you've confirmed that the flight is available so on Air Canada in this example an Aeroplan that is when you will transfer your points. So in the example we need to get our points over to Air Canada Aeroplan. 00:13:23:19 - 00:13:47:14 chris Fortunately this example it's one of the easiest to get. You can transfer your points directly from Chase American Express, Capital One or Built. You just log into your account and then you go to the Redeem Points section of each website, connect your account, and then this going to be the most intimidating part. You're going to transfer your points from your bank to the next program, in this case Aeroplan. 00:13:47:16 - 00:13:54:19 katie Yes. And even though I've been doing this for so long, hitting that transfer button, there's still always just a little. 00:13:54:20 - 00:13:56:00 Speaker 3 Bit of butterflies. 00:13:56:01 - 00:14:15:05 katie Did I check everything? So if you're booking your first flight, your first big award flight? Being nervous is totally, totally normal. It's okay, just go with it. Make sure you double check that that flight was there, but just go with it. We all get nervous at that at that point. Or at least I do. I don't know, maybe I'm the only one. 00:14:15:08 - 00:14:17:05 chris No, no, it's it's real. 00:14:17:10 - 00:14:40:15 katie It's real. Okay. Finally, step four is booking your flight. So once you've transferred your points and I would say most of the time those transfers are pretty instant one one time they will not be is if you just create your account right before you transfer your points. So then there might be a lag. So that's why we talked about doing that. 00:14:40:21 - 00:14:57:19 katie As soon as you're as soon as you're earning your points, go ahead and start all of those accounts so you don't have to worry about that. But really, once you have the points in that account in Air Canada, in this example, it's really just like booking cash. You go through, you pick your flight, you, you know, get everything just how you want it. 00:14:57:19 - 00:15:20:04 katie And then the cost will show in points plus your taxes and fees. I will say I try to move swiftly at this point, just because I'm always nervous that the flight is going to somehow disappear. That's never happened. So like, it's fine. Just, you know, be cognizant of that, don't start booking and then go and do something and, you know, get distracted and come back four days later. 00:15:20:06 - 00:15:37:12 katie I'm still nervous during this point. I'm always just like, just make sure everything works out okay. And then when I hit that booking button, it's a good feeling. You also want to make sure you have a credit card ready to go for your taxes and fees. No matter what you're booking, you're going to have to pay some amount of taxes and fees. 00:15:37:12 - 00:16:05:19 katie It's going to be as low as $5.60. Sometimes for these big international awards, it can be two, three, four, or $500, depending on who you're booking with, where you're booking, all of that. So it can vary. I personally, most probably 90% of the time use my Chase Sapphire Reserve because I earn four points per dollar on flights booked directly, and it has excellent travel protections which I have taken advantage of. 00:16:05:19 - 00:16:28:05 katie And they do trigger when you just pay for your taxes and fees on an award flight, and they do trigger on a one way award, some credit cards do not. So I still like using my Chase Sapphire Reserve for my taxes and fees. Chris, what what credit card do you do? You have one that you always use or does it depend on what you're looking? 00:16:28:07 - 00:16:47:13 chris It's not one that I always use, but lately I've been using my City Started Premier because I think last year they actually changed their travel insurance and so it actually got much better. So that's earning whatever I think it's three points three x per dollar on travel anyway. So I may be using that card depending on what I'm what my goals are. 00:16:47:14 - 00:16:59:00 chris Lately it's been building American airline miles. So city transfers to American Airlines. So lately I've been doing a lot of booking there. But yeah, I'll pick that card up pretty much for the travel protections as well. 00:16:59:00 - 00:17:17:18 katie Yeah, that's a good option. And really travel protections on these international flights. It's something I don't necessarily think about for domestic, but I do for international. And they've come in handy and they do they do work. And so once you hit that booking button you are done. Hopefully you get an email right away that says your booking is confirmed. 00:17:17:18 - 00:17:38:13 katie And then you can start celebrating that you just book your first international award. It is a great feeling and it's a great feeling. If it's the first time or the hundredth time, it is just it's awesome that when it all comes together and you know that you've got a great flight in your future. So this four step process that we discussed is hopefully easily repeatable. 00:17:38:13 - 00:17:55:00 katie And the details are going to change. The prices might change, the airline is going to change the points and miles is going to change. But that same structure that we talked about, which is really as simple as four steps, will always be there and it's going to work the same for economy. It's going to work the same for business class. 00:17:55:00 - 00:18:21:13 katie So wherever you're falling on that spectrum of points and miles, however you want to travel, that step by step process should hopefully help you feel more confident booking international business class or international economy or a flight across the country. We really hope that that helps you. Let us know what you think of that four step process, and if there's anything else that you do while you are booking your flights. 00:18:21:15 - 00:18:47:15 chris That's awesome. All right, before we sign off, we do have one question that we want to read, and Katie will read this to you. This came in via email from Amy and she says, hi Katie and Chris. I have been a Hilton Honors member for a few years and I have silver status since. I have the basic Amex credit card, which I downgraded from the Serp card, I found it difficult to earn Hilton points after the initial welcome bonus offer. 00:18:47:17 - 00:19:20:14 chris I know you're both fans of Hilton hotels, and I'm trying to figure out if it's worth getting status or trying to meet the minimum spend to get the reward. I only stay at hotels maybe 2 to 3 times per year, even though there's no restriction on the hotel tier for the free night reward. It just feels like for one night and I wouldn't pay the high put and pay cash on the high end Hilton hotels for the other nights to avoid having to move hotels after one luxury stay, it's often cost 55,000 points and up for a room reward, and it just seems like it isn't worth the trouble to spend on the card. 00:19:20:20 - 00:19:39:07 chris Just wanted to check if I'm missing something about the Hilton Honors program and why points podcasters rave about it. I don't have plans to upgrade to an annual fee Hilton card at this time. I already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Capital One Venture cards. Thank you in advance. Take it away. 00:19:39:09 - 00:20:04:10 katie Good luck. Yeah. No, it's. It's actually, I was really happy when I saw this question come in. So you mean. No, you're not missing anything. So I'll start by saying yes. The Hilton free night certificate can be insanely valuable. Chris and I both love them. They are wonderful. We think that I know I've talked about for me, I am going to spend on the surpass card to earn that free night certificate, but they're not for everyone. 00:20:04:10 - 00:20:20:11 katie So if you're only traveling 2 to 3 times a year, you said, and it's not even always at a Hilton. So let's say you might be at a Hilton once or twice a year, and you wouldn't pay for those extra nights. You know, if you're booking more than a one night stay to use that, that free night certificate, then it's not worth it. 00:20:20:11 - 00:20:45:15 katie And and you're smart for evaluating all of these programs based on your personal situation. This is a subjective game, and it's okay to not place the same value on something that we do. So no, you're not missing anything. I wouldn't recommend to you to go after status or put spend on a card to get a free night certificate that you probably won't get the value out of. 00:20:45:16 - 00:21:09:03 katie That's not valuable to you, and that's okay. And I love it when people are looking at these programs and taking what we say, or other podcasters or blogs and not just taking it, you know, word for word, it's like, okay, that's the information we're trying to give you the facts, but then evaluate that in your personal situation. So, Amy, I think you're doing a great job. 00:21:09:04 - 00:21:23:00 katie Keep on doing what you're doing. Don't go after statuses and free night certificates that you will not get the value of out of. You are not missing anything. You are playing the game your way and that's the right way. So keep on keeping on. 00:21:23:02 - 00:21:25:01 chris Well said. Nothing to add to that. 00:21:25:02 - 00:21:37:06 katie Awesome, awesome. Thank you so much, Amy for the question. We really do appreciate it. If anyone has questions for us to answer on air, you can email us at podcast that upgraded points that will do it for us this week. We will see you next week.