Using BA miles for SFO -> BOM
Jul 27, 2011, 1:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 4
Using BA miles for SFO -> BOM
Hello Travel gurus
This is my first post here, hope to contribute as much as I can.
I have over 100K+ miles from British Airways (the Chase Visa BA card) and was looking for the best way to use them.
I want to eventually travel to Mumbai (BOM) this Dec, so I tried looking for reward flights on the BA website from SFO-> BOM. Problem is they don't have suitable dates and for Nov it was 90K miles + $570 per person.
I don't mind traveling via another country (e.g. France or any other Asian country) as long as it is a good use of the miles. Also, if the miles get me from SFO -> blah, then I could just buy a cheap ticket from blah -> BOM, provided it makes sense.
Sorry for the complicated question, but just wanted wanted your feedback on reward travel for this sector with British airways.
thanks in advance
-- SJ
This is my first post here, hope to contribute as much as I can.
I have over 100K+ miles from British Airways (the Chase Visa BA card) and was looking for the best way to use them.
I want to eventually travel to Mumbai (BOM) this Dec, so I tried looking for reward flights on the BA website from SFO-> BOM. Problem is they don't have suitable dates and for Nov it was 90K miles + $570 per person.
I don't mind traveling via another country (e.g. France or any other Asian country) as long as it is a good use of the miles. Also, if the miles get me from SFO -> blah, then I could just buy a cheap ticket from blah -> BOM, provided it makes sense.
Sorry for the complicated question, but just wanted wanted your feedback on reward travel for this sector with British airways.
thanks in advance
-- SJ
Jul 27, 2011, 1:48 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Tonbridge
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 2,034
Hello Travel gurus
This is my first post here, hope to contribute as much as I can.
I have over 100K+ miles from British Airways (the Chase Visa BA card) and was looking for the best way to use them.
I want to eventually travel to Mumbai (BOM) this Dec, so I tried looking for reward flights on the BA website from SFO-> BOM. Problem is they don't have suitable dates and for Nov it was 90K miles + $570 per person.
I don't mind traveling via another country (e.g. France or any other Asian country) as long as it is a good use of the miles. Also, if the miles get me from SFO -> blah, then I could just buy a cheap ticket from blah -> BOM, provided it makes sense.
Sorry for the complicated question, but just wanted wanted your feedback on reward travel for this sector with British airways.
thanks in advance
-- SJ
This is my first post here, hope to contribute as much as I can.
I have over 100K+ miles from British Airways (the Chase Visa BA card) and was looking for the best way to use them.
I want to eventually travel to Mumbai (BOM) this Dec, so I tried looking for reward flights on the BA website from SFO-> BOM. Problem is they don't have suitable dates and for Nov it was 90K miles + $570 per person.
I don't mind traveling via another country (e.g. France or any other Asian country) as long as it is a good use of the miles. Also, if the miles get me from SFO -> blah, then I could just buy a cheap ticket from blah -> BOM, provided it makes sense.
Sorry for the complicated question, but just wanted wanted your feedback on reward travel for this sector with British airways.
thanks in advance
-- SJ
The BA forum is a mind of useful information (read the sticky at the top), and helpful posters.
Just don't mention you got the miles from Chase or complain about the fees
P.S it helps if you do a bit more experimenting with dummy bookings and get to a more specific question, rather than just asking people to do all the work for you
It helps if you look at some partner airlines, which will help you avoid fees. Going via London is not a good idea in this regard.
Jul 27, 2011, 2:07 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 411
i was also looking at various options to use BA miles.They have some ridiculous rules with regards to redeeming miles.Like high fee on reward tickets,etc.
however, there are some good options for you.you can try using cathay from sfo-hkg-bom.fees would come to around $300.
the other option is to get to a domestic gateway and get hold of royal jordanian airlines.fee in that case would be around $40.
because if you use american airlines or any other combo, (avoiding BA because of high fee), to get to jordanian airlines gateway, BA doubles the miles used to redeem.(using 2 partners other than BA).
however, there are some good options for you.you can try using cathay from sfo-hkg-bom.fees would come to around $300.
the other option is to get to a domestic gateway and get hold of royal jordanian airlines.fee in that case would be around $40.
because if you use american airlines or any other combo, (avoiding BA because of high fee), to get to jordanian airlines gateway, BA doubles the miles used to redeem.(using 2 partners other than BA).
Jul 27, 2011, 3:40 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 4
Thanks for all your replies. I called BA Exec Club to look for options for SFO to BOM.
@mrahul - You are right that Cathay pacific and Royal Jordanian are two options. The cust svc rep. told me that there were no award tickets on Cathay for all of Dec. There was something available for Nov (depart from SFO) and Dec (arrive in SFO) but it requires 40K miles + $300(approx) for each way, totaling to 80K miles + $700 for the two one-way trips.
I'm not sure if this would be any different if a single round-trip ticket was booked -- what do you think ?
Also, according to him RJ did not have any seats for award travel.
American Airlines is not an option since they don't fly to India -- their last leg is operated by Jet Airways which is not part of OneWorld alliance.
@mrahul - You are right that Cathay pacific and Royal Jordanian are two options. The cust svc rep. told me that there were no award tickets on Cathay for all of Dec. There was something available for Nov (depart from SFO) and Dec (arrive in SFO) but it requires 40K miles + $300(approx) for each way, totaling to 80K miles + $700 for the two one-way trips.
I'm not sure if this would be any different if a single round-trip ticket was booked -- what do you think ?
Also, according to him RJ did not have any seats for award travel.
American Airlines is not an option since they don't fly to India -- their last leg is operated by Jet Airways which is not part of OneWorld alliance.
Jul 27, 2011, 5:45 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 4
@ffI: Points + cash for SFO-> LHR-> BOM roundtrip are 90K miles + $570. I used to think that flying via LHR would cost more due to taxes etc, but looking at the fees for booking a Cathay reward travel flight it doesn't seem like that is true. What is your opinion ? The no of miles required for flying via LHR was an extra 10K as compared to Cathay but that is not a big deal, especially when the extra cost was actually lower !
Do you need more miles to get a WorldTraveler or WT+ ticket ? I don't see these options on the BA website -- its just economy, premium economy, business and first. What is special about WT or WT+ ?
Do you need more miles to get a WorldTraveler or WT+ ticket ? I don't see these options on the BA website -- its just economy, premium economy, business and first. What is special about WT or WT+ ?
Jul 27, 2011, 5:58 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Scenic Great Plains USA
Programs: AGR Starwood Whoever I can get points with :D
Posts: 677
There's a good beginner's tutorial at this blog:
http://thepointsguy.com/2011/04/how-...-miles-post-1/
Maybe look into a trans-pacific flight on a partner air line.
http://thepointsguy.com/2011/04/how-...-miles-post-1/
Maybe look into a trans-pacific flight on a partner air line.
Jul 27, 2011, 11:41 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,559
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
I thought that BA redemptions for TATL travel on RJ came with the same high fuel surcharges that BA assesses on other oneworld carriers. No?
Originally Posted by mrahul
you could go from sfo-ord-del in AA and then fly from del-bom by jet.that way, it would be cheaper in terms of fee.however, royal jordanian airlines seems to be the cheapest option if you are trying to avoid the fee.
Jul 27, 2011, 11:44 pm
#12
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: SFO
Programs: UA, AA, BA, Marriott
Posts: 37
@sushshants
Actually Jet Airways is an option if you have AA miles. I also recently found out that the fees are similar for flying coach from SFO-BOM regardless of where you fly BA or CX metal using BA miles.
So I decided to go with my AA miles instead. The CSR was able to get me two itineraries,
Option 1) SFO-JFK-Brussels (on AA metal) and Brussels-BOM with Jet Airways
40000 miles one way.
Fees slightly over a 100 (for the roundtrip; I did not price fees for one way)
and
Option 2) SFO-ORD-Amman (on AA metal) and Amman-BOM on Royal Jordanian.
45000 miles one way.
$85 in fees (for the roundtrip; I did not price fees for one way)
Of course, this is assuming that you have AA miles that you would want to use for this trip
Actually Jet Airways is an option if you have AA miles. I also recently found out that the fees are similar for flying coach from SFO-BOM regardless of where you fly BA or CX metal using BA miles.
So I decided to go with my AA miles instead. The CSR was able to get me two itineraries,
Option 1) SFO-JFK-Brussels (on AA metal) and Brussels-BOM with Jet Airways
40000 miles one way.
Fees slightly over a 100 (for the roundtrip; I did not price fees for one way)
and
Option 2) SFO-ORD-Amman (on AA metal) and Amman-BOM on Royal Jordanian.
45000 miles one way.
$85 in fees (for the roundtrip; I did not price fees for one way)
Of course, this is assuming that you have AA miles that you would want to use for this trip
Last edited by earthrain; Jul 28, 2011 at 8:49 am
Jul 28, 2011, 11:37 am
#15
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 4
@earthrain
Thanks for that tip -- its surprising that AA being part of OneWorld, let you book a flight on Jet Airways because AFAIK Jet Airways is set to become part of Star Alliance. Kingfisher is expected to be part of OneWorld by end of 2011.
@evacboy
Using BA miles, I too think that extra charges on Cathay are quite high -- almost similar to booking a BA flight via LHR. Please let us know if you found it otherwise esp on a recent booking.
@mrahul
I had problems for availability on RJ for award seats maybe because I was looking for December. What month did you find available seats on RJ ? Also, is calling the BA exec club the only way to try these mock bookings for award flights ?
Thanks for that tip -- its surprising that AA being part of OneWorld, let you book a flight on Jet Airways because AFAIK Jet Airways is set to become part of Star Alliance. Kingfisher is expected to be part of OneWorld by end of 2011.
@evacboy
Using BA miles, I too think that extra charges on Cathay are quite high -- almost similar to booking a BA flight via LHR. Please let us know if you found it otherwise esp on a recent booking.
@mrahul
I had problems for availability on RJ for award seats maybe because I was looking for December. What month did you find available seats on RJ ? Also, is calling the BA exec club the only way to try these mock bookings for award flights ?