First class seats between the US and Europe are limited.

• Lufthansa usually doesn’t open first class award space to anyone but Miles & More members until within 14 days of travel, though they’ve been looser lately.
  
• Air France only lets Flying Blue elite members redeem for first class
  
• SWISS usually only lets Miles & More elites redeem for first.

That just about leaves only British Airways and American Airlines. British Airways award space is easier to come by, but means paying fuel surcharges.

Premium cabin award space between the West Coast of the US and Europe is much tougher than non-stop space to the East Coast. Folks in the West generally need a domestic connection, then, to reach their international gateway city.

So I thought it was notable enough to pass on that British Airways first class award space out West is showing up at the end of the year.

Here’s two passengers at the end of the year in first class from Seattle to London.

Here’s two passengers in first class from Phoenix to London.

Here’s the same for Las Vegas to London.

To be sure this isn’t peak time for London tourism, though many do wish to travel at the end of the year and of course you can connect beyond London as well. In fact if your return starts outside of the UK you’ll save paying that country’s premium cabin departure tax.

And remember to book two one ways instead of a roundtrip to save on fuel surcharges.

Use American AAdvantage miles, British Airways Avios (Chase and Amex transfer partner), Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan miles, or Cathay Pacific Asia Miles (American Express and Citi transfer partner) to book this space.

(HT: First Class Flyer)