SAS EuroBonus problem: How I’m flying world wide to earn 1 million factors

As a factors and miles fanatic, I’m all the time on the lookout for methods to earn beneficial rewards. I’ve signed up for brand new bank cards, booked mattress runs and even booked flights with the only real function of incomes further 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 possibility to earn a ton of bonus miles.

After transitioning from Star Alliance to SkyTeam within the fall, Scandinavian Airways launched a frequent flyer promotion: If you happen to journey with no less than 15 completely different SkyTeam airways by means of Dec. 31, you possibly can earn 1 million EuroBonus factors. Properly, problem accepted.

I will likely be flying world wide in 25 days, boarding 19 flights and visiting 15 international locations to earn 1 million factors. And to make this much more daunting, I will likely be flying in financial system class and praying the center seat is obvious, barring any unbeatable improve affords.

Let’s dive into this excessive points-earning journey I’m enterprise.

SAS is the flag provider of the Scandinavian international locations and not too long ago joined the SkyTeam alliance. Nonetheless, its factors are notoriously exhausting to earn until you reside within the Scandinavian area or choose to earn them by flying different SkyTeam airways. The provider’s loyalty program, SAS EuroBonus, is presently providing a three-tiered promotion by means of its cell app that was introduced in October and ends Dec. 31.

If you happen to 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 foundations of this promotion, you need to have your SAS EuroBonus quantity famous because the frequent flyer quantity for all of your flight reservations. EuroBonus factors should be earned or used to pay for every flight for it to depend. You will want to e-book an eligible fare that earns factors, so basically no primary financial system fares.

Moreover, what makes this supply even higher is that vacationers will earn further EuroBonus factors for each flight taken on prime of the as much as 1 million factors.

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After I first realized about this promotion, I instantly dismissed it due to how tough it might be to finish. Nonetheless, after weighing the professionals and cons, I spotted it was not too sophisticated 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 completely different SkyTeam airways, to me, the problem is simply price finishing if I’m able to snag 1 million bonus factors.

Initially, flying on 15 completely different airways did not appear too daunting of a activity, however after I took a better look, I spotted a lot of the SkyTeam airways are situated in Europe and Asia, that means I’ve to fly throughout the globe to fly on a lot of the eligible airways.

The eligible airways are Aerolineas Argentinas, Aeromexico, Air Europa, Air France, China Airways, China Jap Airways, Delta Air Traces, Garuda Indonesia, Kenya Airways, KLM, Korean Air, SAS, Saudia, TAROM, Vietnam Airways, Virgin Atlantic and Xiamen Air.

Needing to fly on 15 completely different airways in a short while body, I received 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 part of you?”

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 wonderful websites, discover new international locations and fly on some distinctive airways. When planning the itinerary, I made certain that I didn’t repeat any airways and that I might not need to take any repositioning flights so I may very well be on as few flights as potential.

The itinerary is as follows:

How I booked my flights utilizing Amex Membership Rewards factors

I booked all my flights (besides the Xiamen Air section) by means of 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 businesses will work for this promotion so long as you set in your SAS EuroBonus quantity with every airline and e-book an eligible points-earning fare. Plus, it is stress-free if you e-book with Amex Journey, because it does not can help you e-book any primary financial system fares or fares that will not be eligible.

In complete, 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 value 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 certain to e-book a few of my flights to depart late at night time so I would not need to pay for a resort on some nights. I may also be making the most of my Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite standing, which ensures a 4 p.m. late checkout.

SAS EuroBonus factors are among the hardest airline factors to earn. In truth, not one of the main bank card issuers have SAS as a switch companion, in order that made me routinely rethink my preliminary stance on this problem. Fortunately, I used a stash of Amex factors to e-book nearly all the journey.

As soon as I full this promotion, I will likely be notified of the ends in January. The 1 million bonus factors earned from this promotion should be redeemed inside a five-year window.

On a base stage, SAS factors are price 1 cent apiece, making 1 million factors price $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 companion 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 can be upward of $10,000, that means I might be saving hundreds and would nonetheless have over 650,000 factors left to spend.

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