Using United Miles to Increase my Relatives’ Chances of Getting Hungarian Visas

When it comes to accumulating miles and points, much of my energy used to go towards planning trips to Europe or bringing my parents here to the United States. That was complicated enough, but we managed. Unfortunately, now there is an extra layer of complexity, namely figuring out the visa situation for my relatives.

Due to war in Ukraine,  US embassy in Belarus closed its doors, so bringing my parents here is next to impossible. In the past Belarus citizens didn’t have any issues getting a Schengen visa, but that has changed as well. That’s part of the reason why I paid for my parents, sister and nephews to meet my family in Montenegro in 2022. 

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p style=”text-align: center;”>My wonderful nephews

It was an amazing trip, and we still talk about it. Unfortunately, it would cost me double to replicate it now and would require a separate ticket to Turkey. Speaking of Turkey, I was looking at meeting my relatives in Antalya in the summer of next year. However, due to demand, it’s gotten quite a bit more expensive.

We are looking at around $800 per person for a flight from Belarus to Antalya, plus modest hotel room for 6 nights. So that’s  $4k right there for five people. We may end up going that route, but I want to try other alternatives. Since Belarus airline Belavia is under all kinds of sanctions at the moment, they are starting to cannibalize planes for spare parts, like they do in Iran. Obviously, that’s a safety concern.

Applying for visa to Hungary

Since my family lives near the border with Poland, it appears as the most logical choice for a visa. Of course, that’s what everyone else is doing, and as a result getting a visa to Poland is extremely  difficult. Apparently, there are companies that can assist you, but they charge  $450 per person for their services. No thanks. We might as well invest in a Turkey tour (visa-free).

But there are other roundabout options of getting into EU, and according to my research Hungary appears to be our best route literally and figuratively. The cost is a reasonable $80 per person, including local agency’s fees. When my mom called the office, they said that Hungary has the highest approval rate for visas to Belarusians. Also, Hungarian Embassy in Belarus issues  Schengen visas, so that would allow my relatives to enter Poland as well. From there they could catch a short flight to Budapest, a city known for its amazing spas.

There are a couple of requirements, like having your flights and lodging booked in order to even apply for Hungarian visa. This roadblock is what likely stops a lot of people from pursuing this option. After all, even if you book everything, there is no guarantee of getting approved for a visa. So, you could potentially lose a lot of of money.

But this is where my frequent flyer miles come in. In the past I’ve booked several revenue tickets on Lufthansa  for my parents and credited the flights to United. So, they each have a small stash, which is enough for five one-way tickets from Warsaw to Budapest. The mileage rate is extremely reasonable at 6k United miles per person:

And of course, the best part is that it’s totally refundable. I have 12k orphaned United miles in my account, so would need to get an additional 18k miles in order to have enough for 5 one-way return tickets. The easiest way to accomplish that would be to temporarily convert my Chase Freedom Flex to Chase Sapphire Preferred.

I have 35k points at the moment, which is more than enough. Yes, I would have to pay $95 annual fee, but it’s still cheaper than buying United miles. Plus, the $50 hotel credit would offset it substantially. I do have Lifemiles that I could use for the same purpose, but cancellations are not free, so I would rather stick with United program.

Lodging is a piece of cake, as I can simply reserve an apartment in Budapest that offers a fully refundable rate. Either way, this plan will cost a whole lot less than buying a tour to Turkey for five people. My relatives also won’t have to fly on the planes that are falling apart, a nice bonus.

And don’t forget the biggest perk of all: Free Priority Pass access for the whole gang in Warsaw and Budapest airport lounges courtesy of my Capital One Venture Rewards card!

Another  reason to pursue visas to EU

While I really hope to meet my family in Budapest next year, that’s not the only reason for this rigamarole. My oldest nephew will be turning 18 next February, which will make him a potential target for a forcible conscription into the army. I will do everything in my power to prevent that, including helping him with expenses if he chooses to seek asylum in Poland where we have some relatives and friends. But in order to do that, he first has to have a visa to enter EU. Unfortunately, I’m not able to sponsor him to legally immigrate to the United States, since the process would first have to start with my sister.

As you can imagine, this is a heavy subject for our family to ponder, but it has to be done. I have no illusions about the future prospects of Belarusian males, and keep urging my relatives to be realistic as well. The war in Ukraine keeps chugging along, and my country is fully committed to helping Russia. Any day now Belarus troops could be thrown into the meat grinder, and I will do whatever it takes to make sure my nephew isn’t one of them.

To be clear, the main reason for pursuing visas to Hungary is so we can have a family reunion in Europe. This is more of an afterthought on my part. We don’t know what the future holds, but it’s always good to be prepared.