Quickest way to earn 1 Avios
Mar 24, 2013, 5:24 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: A few, without status
Posts: 76
Quickest way to earn 1 Avios
Was wondering if I can get some views on how to credit at least 1 BA Avios ASAP without having to buy them.
So we tried using the Mrs' Amex 241 voucher for 2 RFS flights and realised we can't book RFS as she did not earn any Avios in the last 12 months. Quite simply, dropped the ball on this one.
So trying to salvage the holiday now and we have 2 obvious choices
to earn Avios - A) Buy 1000 Avios at £31 or B) buy something futon the BA estore.
Want to avoid option A in U can due to the cost. So will almost certainly buy something from the BA estore. I was wondering if members here have an idea of how many days it takes in practice for the Avios to e credited to the BAEC account. It says 40 days on the website but wanted to know actual experiences- is buying from a retailer quicker from another? I am worried that the reward flights may not be available by the time the Avios shows up on the BAEC.
The option which I have considered but won't work in our case is Amex points to BA. Due to various reasons the Mrs has a negative balance on there and in any case the next round of points transfer isnt due until 35 days.
Any help/guidance to crack this deadlock would be highly appreciated.
PS: The Avios.com balance is NIL.
So we tried using the Mrs' Amex 241 voucher for 2 RFS flights and realised we can't book RFS as she did not earn any Avios in the last 12 months. Quite simply, dropped the ball on this one.
So trying to salvage the holiday now and we have 2 obvious choices
to earn Avios - A) Buy 1000 Avios at £31 or B) buy something futon the BA estore.
Want to avoid option A in U can due to the cost. So will almost certainly buy something from the BA estore. I was wondering if members here have an idea of how many days it takes in practice for the Avios to e credited to the BAEC account. It says 40 days on the website but wanted to know actual experiences- is buying from a retailer quicker from another? I am worried that the reward flights may not be available by the time the Avios shows up on the BAEC.
The option which I have considered but won't work in our case is Amex points to BA. Due to various reasons the Mrs has a negative balance on there and in any case the next round of points transfer isnt due until 35 days.
Any help/guidance to crack this deadlock would be highly appreciated.
PS: The Avios.com balance is NIL.
Mar 24, 2013, 5:32 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,866
Buying is probably the quickest.
Estore may take 30 days or more:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19825443-post1029.html
See the following:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...light=expiring
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ting-list.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...avios+how+long
Estore may take 30 days or more:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/19825443-post1029.html
See the following:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...light=expiring
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ting-list.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...avios+how+long
Mar 24, 2013, 5:33 pm
#3
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 5,706
eStore it varies by the Merchant.
Irrelevant - as Combine My Avios transfers do NOT count as activity.
What about a Tesco Clubcard transfer directly into her BAEC?
Or some BAA WorldPoints directly into her BAEC?
Or a hotel scheme transfer directly into her BAEC?
Any of thouse?
----
I'm not a 241 person, so this is a question not a suggestion. When one member of a HHA has a 241, they obvioulsy need to fly as part of the party under 241 rules, but do they need to be the person booking it?
Could you form a HHA, if not in one already, and you (assuming you have earnt) make the booking? Does it pop up for everyone? (Obvioulsy the person making the booking needs to be qualified to book RFS in their account, but can the access the voucher? - bringing the other person)
By phone?
EDIT: In fact, what about that without a HHA too. Can you both be on the line, one person booking using theiir RFS entitlement, the other supplying the voucher.
I expect the answer to this will be no, as I could believe the rules might say so, but I've never had a 241 in my own account, only 'digitally hands on' looked at them in the accounts of other people I look after occasionally.
EDIT 2: Where do her Avios form her credit card go then if she hasn't got any activity in last 12 months?
Irrelevant - as Combine My Avios transfers do NOT count as activity.
What about a Tesco Clubcard transfer directly into her BAEC?
Or some BAA WorldPoints directly into her BAEC?
Or a hotel scheme transfer directly into her BAEC?
Any of thouse?
----
I'm not a 241 person, so this is a question not a suggestion. When one member of a HHA has a 241, they obvioulsy need to fly as part of the party under 241 rules, but do they need to be the person booking it?
Could you form a HHA, if not in one already, and you (assuming you have earnt) make the booking? Does it pop up for everyone? (Obvioulsy the person making the booking needs to be qualified to book RFS in their account, but can the access the voucher? - bringing the other person)
By phone?
EDIT: In fact, what about that without a HHA too. Can you both be on the line, one person booking using theiir RFS entitlement, the other supplying the voucher.
I expect the answer to this will be no, as I could believe the rules might say so, but I've never had a 241 in my own account, only 'digitally hands on' looked at them in the accounts of other people I look after occasionally.
EDIT 2: Where do her Avios form her credit card go then if she hasn't got any activity in last 12 months?
Mar 24, 2013, 5:58 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: A few, without status
Posts: 76
Thanks Jerry, i will give buying a thought. I had gone through the links you suggested.
David - I din't think combine my Avios would count, but the agent on the phone was positive it would count. I wasnt sure of the Avios balance while on the call, so checked soon after the call.
The problem is that we have a HHA, and I have all the earning partners points i.e. Hotel, Tesco, BAA etc.
Your first edit does seem interesting i.e. one providing the RFS eligibility and the other providing the voucher. Will test that tomorrow.
Th Amex transfer is an issue as she currently has a negative points balance due to a refund, so although she has been using her card (although sparingly) the points do not make it to the BAEC due to the negative balance. But that negative balance is near to 0 now and I can top up my oyster and make it positive tomorrow. Any idea if Amex consider making a one-off special transfer rather than the usual monthly transfer?
David - I din't think combine my Avios would count, but the agent on the phone was positive it would count. I wasnt sure of the Avios balance while on the call, so checked soon after the call.
The problem is that we have a HHA, and I have all the earning partners points i.e. Hotel, Tesco, BAA etc.
Your first edit does seem interesting i.e. one providing the RFS eligibility and the other providing the voucher. Will test that tomorrow.
Th Amex transfer is an issue as she currently has a negative points balance due to a refund, so although she has been using her card (although sparingly) the points do not make it to the BAEC due to the negative balance. But that negative balance is near to 0 now and I can top up my oyster and make it positive tomorrow. Any idea if Amex consider making a one-off special transfer rather than the usual monthly transfer?
Mar 25, 2013, 7:44 am
#6
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 247
Buy some Starpoints and transfer them in. 2.5k is the min if you have no status (I think?) but they are 15% off at the moment so its a bit less than £50 quid. A slightly better price. (Or, slightly OT, 25k (with the 5k bonus for a 20k transfer) for $525, about 1.4p each.)
Have you got a MR enrolled Amex? You could buy 1000 MR points for £15 and transfer them in.
Have you got a MR enrolled Amex? You could buy 1000 MR points for £15 and transfer them in.
Mar 25, 2013, 9:25 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,866
Mar 25, 2013, 2:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 247
Nah sorry Jerry, but the OP states:
"Th Amex transfer is an issue as she currently has a negative points balance due to a refund, so although she has been using her card (although sparingly) the points do not make it to the BAEC due to the negative balance. But that negative balance is near to 0 now and I can top up my oyster and make it positive tomorrow. Any idea if Amex consider making a one-off special transfer rather than the usual monthly transfer?"
He's talking about a BA card, as there is a regular monthly sweep of points. It's all in the detail!
"Th Amex transfer is an issue as she currently has a negative points balance due to a refund, so although she has been using her card (although sparingly) the points do not make it to the BAEC due to the negative balance. But that negative balance is near to 0 now and I can top up my oyster and make it positive tomorrow. Any idea if Amex consider making a one-off special transfer rather than the usual monthly transfer?"
He's talking about a BA card, as there is a regular monthly sweep of points. It's all in the detail!
Mar 25, 2013, 2:45 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,866
Nah sorry Jerry, but the OP states:
"Th Amex transfer is an issue as she currently has a negative points balance due to a refund, so although she has been using her card (although sparingly) the points do not make it to the BAEC due to the negative balance. But that negative balance is near to 0 now and I can top up my oyster and make it positive tomorrow. Any idea if Amex consider making a one-off special transfer rather than the usual monthly transfer?"
He's talking about a BA card, as there is a regular monthly sweep of points. It's all in the detail!
"Th Amex transfer is an issue as she currently has a negative points balance due to a refund, so although she has been using her card (although sparingly) the points do not make it to the BAEC due to the negative balance. But that negative balance is near to 0 now and I can top up my oyster and make it positive tomorrow. Any idea if Amex consider making a one-off special transfer rather than the usual monthly transfer?"
He's talking about a BA card, as there is a regular monthly sweep of points. It's all in the detail!
Mar 26, 2013, 8:49 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: A few, without status
Posts: 76
Quickest way to earn 1 Avios
Thank you all for your help and ideas. Highly appreciate that.
Finally I have gone with the way suggested by our fellow FTer - cornishsimon.
The way it worked was that I transferred tesco points to my wife's BAEC. something that I wasn't aware of, but you can transfer your tesco points to any BAEC provided the BAEC is registered at the same address as your tesco clubcard. Points transferred within 24 hours and now eligible to book for RFS with minimal (no)
cash outflow. Thanks cornishsimon!
Thought I will share as it might be useful to someone else on this forum.
Finally I have gone with the way suggested by our fellow FTer - cornishsimon.
The way it worked was that I transferred tesco points to my wife's BAEC. something that I wasn't aware of, but you can transfer your tesco points to any BAEC provided the BAEC is registered at the same address as your tesco clubcard. Points transferred within 24 hours and now eligible to book for RFS with minimal (no)
cash outflow. Thanks cornishsimon!
Thought I will share as it might be useful to someone else on this forum.
Mar 26, 2013, 9:03 am
#12
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 5,706
Finally I have gone with the way suggested by our fellow FTer - cornishsimon.
The way it worked was that I transferred tesco points to my wife's BAEC. something that I wasn't aware of, but you can transfer your tesco points to any BAEC provided the BAEC is registered at the same address as your tesco clubcard.
The way it worked was that I transferred tesco points to my wife's BAEC. something that I wasn't aware of, but you can transfer your tesco points to any BAEC provided the BAEC is registered at the same address as your tesco clubcard.
And when you said: " The problem is that we have a HHA, and I have all the earning partners points i.e. Hotel, Tesco, BAA etc. "
I thought you meant everything was already converted to your account, and you had no balance unconverted. Not that the accounts were just in your name.
Mar 26, 2013, 11:52 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2006
Programs: MUCCI
Posts: 5,706
But it is a good reminder that you should keep all family members accoutns active, and dividing up the conversions in from partner schemes is a good way of doing this, so a small chunk keeps them active.