First-class award flights from Houston (IAH) to Austin (AUS)
In the last 30 days AwardTool saw first-class award space on 3 programs for IAH→AUS. Lowest: 16,500 points + $9.40 with Virgin Australia Velocity, which showed first-class award space on 2 dates. Nonstop first-class space was seen via Virgin Australia Velocity and Air Canada Aeroplan.
Every airport: Houston to Austin (AUS) award flights.
Prices observed – ; newest observation .
Page regenerated from the Nov 12, 2026 data snapshot (normally daily). Summary last changed . Seats change quickly.
- Lowest observed
- 16,500 points + $9.40
- Virgin Australia Velocity
- Programs with space
- 3 of 3
- programs seen on this route
- Most dates seen
- 29 of 31
- dates checked · American Airlines AAdvantage
- Nonstop
- Seen
- from 16,500 points + $9.40
In first class, the lowest award seen was a nonstop on United Airlines for 16,500 points + $9.40 with Virgin Australia Velocity, against 18,500 miles + $5.60 with American Airlines AAdvantage, the next-lowest program. With Virgin Australia Velocity, first class started at 16,500 points + $9.40, about 1.9 times the points of its lowest economy award (8,500 points + $9.40).
Compare programs for first class
The lowest one-way first-class award each program showed on IAH→AUS, sorted by points.
| Program | Points + taxes | Stops | Airlines seen | Seats | Dates seen | Newest observation | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Australia VelocityLowest observed | 16,500 pts + $9.40 | Nonstop |  UA | 4 | 2 | See dates | |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 18,500 pts + $5.60 | 1 stop |  AA | — | 29 | See dates | |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 30,000 pts + $33.51 | Nonstop | UA | 4 | 1 | See dates |
Not seen means AwardTool hasn't observed this cabin on this route in the last 30 days. It doesn't mean the airline has no seats. Dates seen counts departure dates with an open award in that cabin at any price; newest observation is the latest time AwardTool saw one of them. Seats is the count the program reported when we observed it; some programs report at most 9.
Observed first-class award examples
| Departure | Program | Points + taxes | Seats | Stops | Observed (UTC) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 16,500 pts + $9.40 | 4 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 16,500 pts + $9.66 | 4 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 18,500 pts + $5.60 | — | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 18,500 pts + $5.60 | — | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 30,000 pts + $33.51 | 4 | Nonstop | Check this date |
Prices are one-way per traveler: the program's points or miles plus taxes and carrier fees in USD, as AwardTool observed them in the observation window. Award space changes constantly. A seat we saw may be gone, and space we haven't seen may exist. Always confirm with a live search before transferring points; most transfers can't be reversed.
How often first-class award space showed up
Departure dates in the next 365 days that AwardTool checked for each program in the last 30 days, how many had first-class award space at any price, and the latest departure with space.
| Program | Dates with space | Share of dates checked | Latest departure with space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 2 of 321 | under 1% | |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 29 of 31 | 93% | |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1 of 20 | 5% |
Nonstop and connecting first-class awards
Each program's lowest first-class award with its stops, its lowest nonstop award, and on how many of its departure dates with first-class space a nonstop award was open.
| Program | Lowest award | Lowest nonstop award | Dates with nonstop space |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 16,500 points + $9.40Nonstop | 16,500 points + $9.40 | 2 of 2 |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 18,500 miles + $5.601 stop | Not seen | 0 of 29 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 30,000 points + $33.51Nonstop | 30,000 points + $33.51 | 1 of 1 |
First class compared with economy, by program
Each program's lowest one-way first-class and economy awards on IAH→AUS, in its own points or miles, and how many times the economy points the first-class award needed. — in the last column means one of the two is a mixed-cabin award or was not seen on 2 or more dates.
| Program | First | Economy | First ÷ economy points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Australia Velocity | 16,500 points + $9.40 | 8,500 points + $9.40 | 1.9× |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 18,500 miles + $5.60 | 8,500 miles + $5.60 | 2.2× |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 30,000 points + $33.51 | 10,000 points + $33.21 | — |
Best months for first class from Houston (IAH) to Austin (AUS)
| Month | Lowest observed | Program | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16,500 pts + $9.40 | Virgin Australia Velocity | 2 | |
| 18,500 pts + $5.60 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 5 | |
| 18,500 pts + $5.60 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 5 | |
| 19,000 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 2 | |
| 20,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 1 | |
| 20,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 2 | |
| 43,000 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 1 | |
| 25,000 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 1 | |
| 20,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 1 | |
| 41,500 pts + taxes not reported | American Airlines AAdvantage | 1 |
A month's taxes are those of an award AwardTool recorded at that month's lowest price for a departure that month. “Taxes not reported” means the data has none for that month; the award still has taxes and fees.
Lowest first class award by month and program
Each program's lowest one-way first-class award by departure month, in its own points or miles, with the taxes of that month's lowest award and the program's open dates that month under it. A price without taxes had none reported for that month. — means the program showed no first-class space that month.
| Program | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virgin Australia Velocitypoints | 16,500+ $9.40 · 2 dates | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| American Airlines AAdvantagemiles | 21,50010 dates | 18,500+ $5.60 · 5 dates | 18,500+ $5.60 · 5 dates | 19,0002 dates | 20,5001 date | 20,5002 dates | 43,0001 date | 25,0001 date | 20,5001 date | 41,5001 date |
| Air Canada Aeroplanpoints | 30,000+ $33.51 · 1 date | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Airlines seen in first class
Airlines that appeared on the award itineraries AwardTool observed, and the programs that showed them.
- American Airlines (AA): American Airlines AAdvantage
- United Airlines (UA): Virgin Australia Velocity and Air Canada Aeroplan
First class on nearby routes
The lowest first-class award AwardTool observed on related routes, as each route's page shows it: the return direction, other airports in the same cities, and more routes from Houston (IAH) and to Austin (AUS). One way, in the program's points or miles, with that award's taxes when the data has them.
| Route | Lowest observed | Program | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin (AUS) to Houston (IAH)Return direction | 16,500 points + $9.40Nonstop | Virgin Australia Velocity | 2 |
| Houston (HOU) to Austin (AUS)Another Houston airport | 18,500 miles + $5.60 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 6 |
| Houston (IAH) to Atlanta (ATL)Also from IAH | 15,000 miles + $5.60 | American Airlines AAdvantage | 322 |
| Houston (IAH) to Los Angeles (LAX)Also from IAH | 15,000 points + $25.60Nonstop | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 324 |
| Houston (IAH) to Seattle (SEA)Also from IAH | 25,000 miles + $5.60Nonstop | American Airlines AAdvantage | 322 |
| Los Angeles (LAX) to Austin (AUS)Also to AUS | 15,000 miles + $5.60Nonstop | American Airlines AAdvantage | 325 |
| Seattle (SEA) to Austin (AUS)Also to AUS | 25,000 points + $5.60Nonstop | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 326 |
| New York JFK to Austin (AUS)Also to AUS | 25,000 points + $25.60Nonstop | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 328 |
Points that transfer to these programs
| Program | Amex | Bilt | Capital One | Chase | Citi | Wells Fargo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | — | — |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | — | — | — | — | 1:1 · Instant | — |
Check current transfer bonuses. Most transfers can't be reversed. AwardTool's list has no transfers from these US card programs to Virgin Australia Velocity.
Questions about first-class award flights from Houston (IAH) to Austin (AUS)
How many points for first class from Houston (IAH) to Austin (AUS)?
The lowest first-class award AwardTool has seen was 16,500 points + $9.40 with Virgin Australia Velocity. Seen Nov 9, 2026, 21:56 UTC for a Nov 28, 2026 departure. Virgin Australia Velocity showed first-class award space on 2 departure dates at any price (newest observation Nov 9, 2026, 21:56 UTC). Search live before transferring points.
Which programs had first-class award space from Houston (IAH) to Austin (AUS)?
Virgin Australia Velocity (2 dates), American Airlines AAdvantage (29 dates) and Air Canada Aeroplan (1 date), in the last 30 days.
Can you fly first class nonstop from Houston (IAH) to Austin (AUS) on points?
Yes. AwardTool observed nonstop first-class award space via Virgin Australia Velocity and Air Canada Aeroplan. The lowest nonstop award was 16,500 points + $9.40 with Virgin Australia Velocity, which showed nonstop first-class space on 2 dates.
How much are taxes and fees on first-class award flights from Houston (IAH) to Austin (AUS)?
Taxes and fees on each program's lowest award ranged from $5.60 with AAdvantage (18,500 miles + $5.60) to $9.40 with Velocity (16,500 points + $9.40). Amounts are one way per traveler in USD and can differ on other dates and routings.
What's the best month to fly first class from Houston (IAH) to Austin (AUS) on points?
Counting only month prices from programs with award space on 2 or more dates that month, and leaving out unusually low outliers, the lowest first-class award AwardTool observed was for Nov 2026 departures: 16,500 points + $9.40 with Velocity (2 dates). The month table shows every lowest price, including those. Based on dates we observed, not a forecast.