Help with BA award using AA miles
Sep 1, 2014, 10:49 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,592
Help with BA award using AA miles
I need to fly from Paris to CPT (Cape Town) end of March
I found the following and put it on hold for .....3 days now
- CDG-LHR-JNB-CPT in J However the LHR connection is very bad arriving at 7 am and departing at 6 pm
- CPT-JNB-LHR in F. I found no LHR-CDG available . Is that "normal" that there is no award at all from LHR-CDG / ORY in Y or J far in advance ?
Total taxes circa USD 1200 (almost the all in price of a paid Y+ ticket ....)
Few questions :
- Does the taxes lower if I'm only transiting in LHR and not departing from LHR
- Maybe I should just buy a round trip CDG-LHR and pick up a convenient CDG-LHR flight ? OR book whatever award time flight is available now hoping that a better time will be available later ? also hoping that LHR-CPT direct flight will be available, a F instead than J is also a nice hope, maybe I'm hoping too much
- If I end my trip in LHR I can not change it to CDG without AA change fees, correct ? (not the same destination despite the same award price)
- Assume I'll have no problem at CDG / CPT to check my bags all the way with a print of both BA confirmations (if I print the AA PNR probably the BA check in agent will be confused)
I found the following and put it on hold for .....3 days now
- CDG-LHR-JNB-CPT in J However the LHR connection is very bad arriving at 7 am and departing at 6 pm
- CPT-JNB-LHR in F. I found no LHR-CDG available . Is that "normal" that there is no award at all from LHR-CDG / ORY in Y or J far in advance ?
Total taxes circa USD 1200 (almost the all in price of a paid Y+ ticket ....)
Few questions :
- Does the taxes lower if I'm only transiting in LHR and not departing from LHR
- Maybe I should just buy a round trip CDG-LHR and pick up a convenient CDG-LHR flight ? OR book whatever award time flight is available now hoping that a better time will be available later ? also hoping that LHR-CPT direct flight will be available, a F instead than J is also a nice hope, maybe I'm hoping too much
- If I end my trip in LHR I can not change it to CDG without AA change fees, correct ? (not the same destination despite the same award price)
- Assume I'll have no problem at CDG / CPT to check my bags all the way with a print of both BA confirmations (if I print the AA PNR probably the BA check in agent will be confused)
Sep 1, 2014, 11:03 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,717
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Call AA, and ask about award availability on QR for CDG-DOH-CPT, or CDG-DOH-JNB, connecting to BA (Comair) for JNB-CPT.
AA recently changed their award-routing rules to allow connections in DOH when traveling on QR for certain awards. I'm not sure if such a routing is allowed on a Europe-Africa award, but if it is and you can find QR award space, you'll save a bundle in $$$, and will probably have a better in-flight experience.
Call AA, and ask about award availability on QR for CDG-DOH-CPT, or CDG-DOH-JNB, connecting to BA (Comair) for JNB-CPT.
AA recently changed their award-routing rules to allow connections in DOH when traveling on QR for certain awards. I'm not sure if such a routing is allowed on a Europe-Africa award, but if it is and you can find QR award space, you'll save a bundle in $$$, and will probably have a better in-flight experience.
Sep 1, 2014, 11:18 am
#3
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Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,857
It is not unusual for the short haul flight to be the problem when trying to book BA with AA miles. For example, there are any number of reports of people having difficulty finding the short haul EU segment to go with a long haul to or from NA.
You can check britishairways.com for the short haul availability but oftentimes BA does not seem to open up this availability until later. If you have avios you could always book the LHR-PAR flights using avios (4500 avios) separately.
You can check britishairways.com for the short haul availability but oftentimes BA does not seem to open up this availability until later. If you have avios you could always book the LHR-PAR flights using avios (4500 avios) separately.
Sep 1, 2014, 11:34 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,717
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Unfortunately, it looks like AA still does not permit any third-zone connections on a Europe-Africa award -- not even on QR via DOH.
Originally Posted by guv1976
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Call AA, and ask about award availability on QR for CDG-DOH-CPT, or CDG-DOH-JNB, connecting to BA (Comair) for JNB-CPT.
AA recently changed their award-routing rules to allow connections in DOH when traveling on QR for certain awards. I'm not sure if such a routing is allowed on a Europe-Africa award, but if it is and you can find QR award space, you'll save a bundle in $$$, and will probably have a better in-flight experience.
Call AA, and ask about award availability on QR for CDG-DOH-CPT, or CDG-DOH-JNB, connecting to BA (Comair) for JNB-CPT.
AA recently changed their award-routing rules to allow connections in DOH when traveling on QR for certain awards. I'm not sure if such a routing is allowed on a Europe-Africa award, but if it is and you can find QR award space, you'll save a bundle in $$$, and will probably have a better in-flight experience.
Sep 1, 2014, 1:31 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,592
May be an idea to spend 2 awards if F is available on DOH-CPT
Sep 1, 2014, 1:35 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,592
It is not unusual for the short haul flight to be the problem when trying to book BA with AA miles. For example, there are any number of reports of people having difficulty finding the short haul EU segment to go with a long haul to or from NA.
You can check britishairways.com for the short haul availability but oftentimes BA does not seem to open up this availability until later. If you have avios you could always book the LHR-PAR flights using avios (4500 avios) separately.
You can check britishairways.com for the short haul availability but oftentimes BA does not seem to open up this availability until later. If you have avios you could always book the LHR-PAR flights using avios (4500 avios) separately.
Could be an option to transfer MR to BAEC.
I'm still surprised with the 1200 USD of "taxes"
Does the taxes is lower is I'm only transiting on a single ticket / award.
Sep 1, 2014, 1:50 pm
#7
Moderator: American AAdvantage, Signatures
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: London, England
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador, National Exec, AA EXP Emeritus
Posts: 9,765
The majority of that number aren't taxes, they're fuel surcharges. If you're on BA long haul, they'll be huge. Avoid BA to knock those down (even if it results in more miles, it's worth it).
Sep 1, 2014, 2:11 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,592
Fuel surcharges higher than the cost of a Y ticket.
Y ticket includes : seat + bag + food + basic fuel + fuel surcharges....
Same problem when you buy cargo by air freight, the cost of the fuel surcharges is higher than the cost of the freight.
Will try via DOH, have read here that there J lounge is better than some F lounge.