This is really an in-process story, but I thought I'd share it because I'm so excited!

I posted recently about getting reservations for next July going NYC to Amsterdam with Iberian Airlines, but in economy. I was inspired by Patrick to see about Business class, but I'm 10,000 miles under the needed 180,000 miles.

But wait! My August credit card has yet to be posted and, with that, I can actually buy additional miles and not break the bank-- and it's worth it to fly more comfortably.

The reservations agent couldn't have been nicer, and found reservations for me on the original itinerary I wanted to take (NY-London, London-Amsterdam).

We will be flying back from Paris, so I will make my return reservation this weekend. My flight reservations will be held till September 14, by which time my miles will have been posted AND I will then have enough time to make sure to buy the additional miles needed.

I thought you might like to see the work in process. It's not as impressive as Patrick's wonderful routings, but DH and I don't have the miles. Still, it's fun to fly a little better than we usually do!
Paule

I'm glad I was able to inspire you, but sorry it cost you a bit.

Now, if I can just inspire you to start saving miles every which way so next time. . .

And are you going anywhere else in Europe? Is there a possibility of adding another destination for free? For example flying from somewhere to Paris before your stay there? Or after spending time in Madrid fly on to somewhere else? Or even just adding in Madrid to Paris? You should still be allowed one stopover each way with that ticket you're getting.

Meanwhile, do you need to make any large purchases? A new refrigerator, a car?

Sorry, must have been thinking of me with the Madrid thing. I can't quite figure out your full itinerary, but is there somewhere more you can add in? Or are you still getting a London stopover on the way to Amsterdam?

Sorry, just me being my usual "get the most for your miles or money" guy.

Congratulations on your upgraded flights! We just flew this same itinerary, and business class did make all the difference. However, I just wanted to warn you that there seems to be significantly less space in the first row of seats in business class. In particular, the seats don't seem to recline as far back as seats in the other rows. You might want to check this out further with seatguru.com before booking yours.

Good luck, and have a great trip!

Whoa...I thought a free business-class ticket was just 80,000 miles. Has something changed?

Underhill, I've been giving them 90,000 miles per business class seat to Europe for several years now. They used to have a deal with two seats for 160,000 miles, but that's been a number of years since they've offered that, I believe.

Ouch! time to re-read the AA regulations, I think. Is an upgrade to business class still 50,000 miles, she asked lazily?

Yes, still 50,000 but now PLUS $500 CASH!!!

Hard decision: spend all those 90,000 miles and have nothing left or pop for the 50,000 plus $500.

Just to make sure we're all on the same page:

You must buy a coach ticket, then pay an additional $500, then add 50,000 points for an upgrade.

Underhill, I know what you mean. I have been considering flying business with my AA miles, but I don't earn the miles as fast as some (despite using my AA card, buying flowers, etc) so its a hard decision deciding between using them for one round trip business class or two round trip coach tickets instead. I happen to be very protective of my miles!

progol, congrats on your upcoming trip!

Tracy

tcreath, that's exactly how I feel about it. As much as I love upgrades, I keep thinking of the fact that I would be giving up another freebie to get it. But when AA added that upgrade surcharge of $500 earlier this year, that tipped the scales for me. I will remain scrunched up in coach. Sitting in coach is the only thing that makes me appreciate being short.

Weadles--thanks so much for the tip about seatguru.com!! Very good to know about.

I can stand coach on the way home but going I prefer business...AA will let you upgrade one way for 25,000 plus $250.00..and you can do it with their least expensive fare.

jody, I think that's a great idea. Like you I can "endure" coach for flying home in the middle of the day. It's that overnight getting there in coach that's the killer. Your solution doesn't cost a lot of dollars or miles and you still get the credit for all the miles since you're buying a coach ticket.

Now if those coach tickets would just allow a couple of stopovers like the freebie business ones do. . .

We have to fly business class--both my husband and I have back problems, and I now have the won't-be-entirely-healed-for-a-while broken shoulder. Then there's the bad knee...I just can't sit in coach for more than a few hours.

So, I think we'll go for coach plus 2 upgrades and just bite the bullet for the $500 bribes.

From our own experiences, it seems that the upgraded business class tickets are only good for the transatlantic portion of the flight, not for ongoing flights to other cities.

It may not matter that much anyway, since "business" class on most European flights is not radically different from coach.

To clarify my last post, I should have written "ongoing CONNECTING flights to other cities."

Weadles, you are right. And most of the ongoing inter-European flights we've done in "business" including the upcoming Iberia Business Class Madrid to Rome leg, is 3 and 3 seating just like in coach, but they don't sell the center seat, so you only have the advantage of an empty seat between the two of you, not worth "upgrading" for in my opinion.
What I was mainly dreaming about with that "if only" line above, was if they allowed stopovers on coach tickets, but to my knowledge, most don't.

I never thought about upgrading for one way only. Now that's a great idea! I can definitely handle the ride home in coach, but it would be great to have the extra room in Business Class. Of course I pop an Ambien as soon as I get on the plane so I don't know if I would notice the difference anyways, but its something to consider.

Tracy