As a factors and miles fanatic, I’m at all times in search of methods to earn helpful rewards. I’ve signed up for brand new bank cards, booked mattress runs and even booked flights with the only real function of incomes extra factors and miles. However my subsequent quest to earn loyalty program rewards is a balancing act of my sanity, my love for flying and the prospect to earn a ton of bonus miles.
After transitioning from Star Alliance to SkyTeam within the fall, Scandinavian Airways launched a frequent flyer promotion: In the event you journey with at the least 15 totally different SkyTeam airways via Dec. 31, you’ll be able to earn 1 million EuroBonus factors. Properly, problem accepted.
I will probably be flying all over the world in 25 days, boarding 19 flights and visiting 15 nations to earn 1 million factors. And to make this much more daunting, I will probably be flying in economic system class and praying the center seat is evident, barring any unbeatable improve gives.
Let’s dive into this excessive points-earning journey I’m endeavor.
What’s the SAS EuroBonus 1 Million Problem?
SAS is the flag provider of the Scandinavian nations and just lately joined the SkyTeam alliance. Nonetheless, its factors are notoriously onerous to earn except you reside within the Scandinavian area or choose to earn them by flying different SkyTeam airways. The provider’s loyalty program, SAS EuroBonus, is at the moment providing a three-tiered promotion via its cell app that was introduced in October and ends Dec. 31.
In the event you full this promotion, you will earn:
- 10,000 factors for flying with 5 SkyTeam airways
- 100,000 factors for flying with 10 SkyTeam airways
- 1,000,000 factors for flying with 15 SkyTeam airways
Per the principles of this promotion, you could have your SAS EuroBonus quantity famous because the frequent flyer quantity for all of your flight reservations. EuroBonus factors have to be earned or used to pay for every flight for it to depend. You’ll need to e-book an eligible fare that earns factors, so primarily no fundamental economic system fares.
Moreover, what makes this supply even higher is that vacationers will earn extra EuroBonus factors for each flight taken on high of the as much as 1 million factors.
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After I first discovered about this promotion, I instantly dismissed it due to how tough it might be to finish. Nonetheless, after weighing the professionals and cons, I noticed it was not too difficult and would simply require a little bit of planning (and a stash of American Categorical Membership Rewards factors). Whereas SAS is rewarding bonus factors for vacationers flying on 5 or 10 totally different SkyTeam airways, to me, the problem is simply value finishing if I’m able to snag 1 million bonus factors.
Initially, flying on 15 totally different airways did not appear too daunting of a process, however once I took a better look, I noticed many of the SkyTeam airways are positioned in Europe and Asia, which means I’ve to fly throughout the globe to fly on many of the eligible airways.
The eligible airways are Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airways, China Japanese Airways, Delta Air Strains, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, SAS, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Xiamen Air.
Needing to fly on 15 totally different airways in a short while body, I obtained to crafting an itinerary that, to some, would have them questioning whether or not I had misplaced it and to others asking, “How can I be a part of you?”
How I am tackling the SAS EuroBonus 1 Million Problem
With the assistance of TPG senior editorial director Nick Ewen, director of journey content material Eric Rosen and a handful of different staffers, we crafted and booked an action-packed itinerary transversing the globe that might permit me to go to some superb websites, discover new nations and fly on some distinctive airways. When planning the itinerary, I made positive that I didn’t repeat any airways and that I might not must take any repositioning flights so I might be on as few flights as doable.
The itinerary is as follows:
| Flights | Airline | Departure airport | Arrival airport | Price (in American Categorical Membership Rewards factors) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delta Air Strains | Portland Worldwide Airport (PDX) in Portland, Oregon | Seattle-Tacoma Worldwide Airport (SEA) | 18,501 factors |
| 2 | Korean Air | SEA | Incheon Worldwide Airport (ICN) in Seoul, South Korea | 70,720 factors |
| 3 | Garuda Indonesia | ICN | Ngurah Rai Worldwide Airport (DPS) in Bali, Indonesia | 30,190 factors |
| 4-5 | Garuda Indonesia and Vietnam Airways | DPS | Tan Son Nhat Worldwide Airport (SGN) in Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, Vietnam, through Soekarno–Hatta Worldwide Airport (CGK) close to Jakarta, Indonesia | 11,780 factors and 29,280 factors
|
| 6 | China Airways | Noi Bai Worldwide Airport (HAN) in Hanoi, Vietnam | Taiwan Taoyuan Worldwide Airport (TPE) | 17,200 factors |
| 7-8 | China Japanese Airways | TPE | Beijing Capital Worldwide Airport (PEK) through Ningbo Lishe Worldwide Airport (NGB) in China |
13,300 factors |
| 9 | Xiamen Air | Beijing Daxing Worldwide Airport (PKX) | Guangzhou Baiyun Worldwide Airport (CAN) in China | $382.70 (observe that money was used to e-book this flight) |
| 10 | Kenya Airways | CAN | Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) in Bangkok | 18,780 factors |
| 11-12 | Saudia | BKK | Dubai Worldwide Airport (DXB) through King Abdulaziz Worldwide Airport (JED) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia | 98,736 factors |
| 13 | Virgin Atlantic | DXB | Heathrow Airport (LHR) in London | 64,010 factors |
| 14-15 | Air France and TAROM | LHR | Bucharest Henri Coanda Worldwide Airport (OTP) in Romania through Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) | 69,570 factors |
| 16 | KLM | OTP | Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS) | 36,660 factors |
| 17 | Air Europa | AMS | Adolfo Suárez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD) | 23,380 factors |
| 18 | Aeromexico | MAD | Mexico Metropolis Worldwide Airport (MEX) | 86,745 factors |
How I booked my flights utilizing Amex Membership Rewards factors
I booked all my flights (besides the Xiamen Air phase) via the American Categorical Journey portal utilizing The Enterprise Platinum Card® from American Categorical, by which I redeemed factors at 1 cent apiece. On-line journey companies will work for this promotion so long as you place in your SAS EuroBonus quantity with every airline and e-book an eligible points-earning fare. Plus, it is stress-free while you e-book with Amex Journey, because it does not let you e-book any fundamental economic system fares or fares that will not be eligible.
In whole, I used 588,852 Amex Membership Rewards factors plus about $383 in money for the Xiamen Air flight. If I had paid money for all of the flights, it might have price me round $5,800. For my resort lodging, I used about 175,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors and 36,000 World of Hyatt factors.
I strategically made positive to e-book a few of my flights to depart late at evening so I would not must pay for a resort on some nights. I will even be making the most of my Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite standing, which ensures a 4 p.m. late checkout.
Why I am tackling this SAS EuroBonus problem
SAS EuroBonus factors are among the hardest airline factors to earn. In reality, not one of the main bank card issuers have SAS as a switch accomplice, in order that made me routinely rethink my preliminary stance on this problem. Fortunately, I used a stash of Amex factors to e-book virtually your entire journey.
As soon as I full this promotion, I will probably be notified of the ends in January. The 1 million bonus factors earned from this promotion have to be redeemed inside a five-year window.
On a base stage, SAS factors are value 1 cent apiece, making 1 million factors value $10,000. Since SAS nonetheless makes use of a distance-based award chart, enterprise class from Europe to North America or Asia is simply 50,000 factors. So, theoretically, with 1 million factors, I may fly between Europe and Asia or North America 20 instances in enterprise class if I can discover availability. Nonetheless, SAS is infamous for having restricted award seat availability by itself metallic.
To maximise my factors and get greater than 1 cent in worth per level, I plan on using the SAS accomplice award chart for redemptions.
That is the place the outsize worth actually kicks in. For instance, a first-class, round-trip ticket from the U.S. to the Pacific or Australia solely prices 225,000 factors. Many money fares on that very same routing could be upward of $10,000, which means I might be saving 1000’s and would nonetheless have over 650,000 factors left to spend.
Associated: Finest methods to earn airline miles
Backside line
Whereas this problem might sound absurd to some, over the previous few weeks, this has change into a no brainer for me to sort out this promotion. Not in my wildest desires at the start of the 12 months may you ask me if I believed I might be spending Christmas in Saudi Arabia and ringing within the New 12 months in Mexico Metropolis, all whereas incomes 1 million factors alongside the best way. That is definitely a frightening problem that may require persistence and the luck of the airline gods that there aren’t any main delays or cancellations — and perhaps the occasional complimentary exit row seat. I definitely could have a love-hate relationship with airports and airplanes when this problem is all stated and accomplished.
And hey, in case you have some free time and wish to earn 1 million factors your self, there are nonetheless a number of weeks left within the 12 months, which, in case you have the flexibleness, could also be greater than sufficient time so that you can tackle this problem.
Keep tuned for extra. All through the following few weeks, I’ll journal my quest (and take a look at numerous airplane meals). Hopefully, I will even run into some TPG-ers alongside the best way as I try to change into a EuroBonus millionaire.
