No matter how good the award chart, you still pay government taxes and - sometimes - surcharges:

Domestic U.S. award: $5.60 each way.

Typical transatlantic via Aeroplan or United: $50–$150.

Same flight booked via Lufthansa’s own program: $600+ in YQ (hard pass).

Always compare the total cash outlay at checkout; a “free” ticket with $500 in extras is rarely a deal.

The taxes & fees reality check

ExpertFlyer – Sets alerts the second saver space appears.

Thrifty Traveler Premium – Human-curated email/text blasts for rare deals; code HollyandLuke saves $10. 

Daily Drop Pro - Pushes instant notifications when award space or massive fare sales drop

Key terms you’ll see on award charts

Saver space – The lowest mileage price an airline publishes. Inventories are limited; once saver seats are gone you’ll see “standard” prices that can be double or triple.

Fuel surcharge (YQ) – A cash fee some programs tack on to awards. British Airways and Lufthansa are notorious; Air Canada Aeroplan or United MileagePlus often waive those fees when you book the same flight through them.

Mixed cabin – Part of the trip in business, another leg in economy. Always inspect each segment before clicking Book so you don’t end up upright on the eight-hour hop.

Tools that keep you first in line

Quick walkthrough: search ➜ transfer ➜ ticket in five minutes

1. Fire up Seats.aero, filter “Any Business Class,” and plug in your origin and month.

2. Spot an ANA NYC → Tokyo seat at 60 K Virgin Atlantic miles. Write down the flight number.

3. Log into your Chase account, hit Transfer Points ➜ Virgin Atlantic Flying Club, move exactly 60 000. Transfers are instant.

4. Jump to Virgin’s site, search the flight, confirm the same seat shows 60 K + $52 taxes.

5. Book. E-ticket in your inbox, lie-flat reality setting in.

Final pep-talk: spend boldly, earn again

The empty seat in row 2A is already paid for—the airline just hasn’t matched it to a passenger yet. Your pile of points is the matching tool. Use it. Then start the cycle over: a strategic new card here, a shopping-portal stack there, and by this time next year you’ll have another set of tickets in hand.

Bookmark this series, share it with the friend who still thinks business class is for lottery winners, and keep your autopay locked on Pay in Full. The sky isn’t the limit; it’s the cabin. Safe travels and see you in the lounge.

Anatomy of a real-world redemption

Last spring we flew from Los Angeles to Auckland in Fiji Airways business class - a cash fare that regularly hovers around $2,500 per person - but instead of shelling out dollars we redeemed 75 000 Alaska Airlines miles plus just $62 in taxes each, turning what would have been a few grand on our credit cards into lie-flat beds, island-style service, and a glass of champagne before takeoff for little more than the cost of dinner back home.

Hoarding for years. Points lose value over time; airlines devalue charts without warning. A healthy buffer is fine—dragon-sized hoards invite disappointment.

Booking through your bank portal. Those prices are tied to the cash fare; an off-peak saver you could have booked for 60 K miles might cost 220 K in the portal. Transfer instead.

Ignoring partner programs. Flying Delta? Sometimes it’s cheaper to book Delta seats with Virgin Atlantic miles than with Delta’s own SkyMiles. Points don’t care whose logo is on the tail.

Rookie mistakes to avoid