Hey {{first name | reader}},

Happy Wednesday!

Today's post is a mix of three very practical things: one status match, one award search improvement, and one cash fare that caught my eye.

Here's what's inside today's post:

Vietnam Airlines is currently offering a paid status match through its Lotusmiles program, and the reason this is interesting has very little to do with flying Vietnam Airlines specifically.

Vietnam Airlines is part of SkyTeam. That means matching to Lotusmiles Platinum unlocks SkyTeam Elite Plus benefits, which can apply when flying Air France, KLM, Delta, Korean Air, China Airlines, and other SkyTeam carriers.

We are talking priority check-in, priority boarding, extra baggage allowance, and lounge access on eligible SkyTeam itineraries.

If you have upcoming SkyTeam flights where lounge access, extra baggage, and priority services would make a real difference, doing the math is worthwhile. Status gives you a lot of benefits on airlines in the alliance, so it is always interesting when these opportunities appear.

Small update, but I like it.

Avios has added a new award calendar feature that makes it easier to see award space across a wider date range. Instead of searching one date at a time, you can now scan availability across a full month much more quickly.

A few things to know before getting too excited.

The calendar works for British Airways, Iberia, and Aer Lingus awards. It does not work for every Avios partner. Qatar Airways, for example, has its own search tool, so this does not replace that.

The other limitation is that the calendar shows nonstop award availability only. If you are looking for a connecting itinerary, this will not give you the full picture.

Still, it saves time. This should be especially useful for routes like Madrid to Tokyo on Iberia, Aer Lingus transatlantic flights, or British Airways nonstops where you want to quickly scan which dates have open seats.

I used to use the American Airlines award calendar to do these searches, but it has now become easier!

Now for the cash fare, and this one is worth knowing about.

I am seeing Etihad business class fares from Mumbai to Barcelona from around $1,570 - $1610 round-trip, routing via Abu Dhabi.

The tradeoff on the cheapest dates is a longer Abu Dhabi layover of around seven hours. Some dates with shorter connections price closer to $2,000.

Personally, I would seriously consider the longer layover.

Etihad's business class lounge in Abu Dhabi is a very good place to spend time: dining options, showers, relaxation areas, and plenty of space to work or rest. If I can save around $400 by spending a few extra hours in a comfortable lounge, that is a trade I would often take.

Of course, if long connections bother you, the extra money for a shorter layover is probably worth it. But if you are flexible and want a comfortable business class trip between India and Europe at a very reasonable price, this fare is worth a serious look.

Today's theme is flexibility. A paid status match can be worth it if you have the right flights coming up. A better award calendar is useful if your dates are flexible. And a cheap business class fare can be a great deal if you are comfortable with a longer connection.

More deals, news, and trip ideas coming your way on Friday.

Catch you in the clouds, 

Tomi from Points Master

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