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Advice: Best use of Amex companion ticket and 100k Avios?

Advice: Best use of Amex companion ticket and 100k Avios?

Old Aug 5, 2013, 5:18 am
  #1  
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Advice: Best use of Amex companion ticket and 100k Avios?

Hello all,

This is my first post, forgive me if it is the wrong forum but this seemed the best fit!

I have been using the BA Amex card and hit the £10k spend to get the complimentary ticket. I also have 100,000 avios on my account and would like to go away with my wife. We are thinking about heading over to the far-east, maybe Beijing in business class for two weeks.

Do you think this is a good use of 100k points and the comp ticket?

I am based in London and would depart from here, but happy to do something else if its better for me - Ive heard stories about getting more bang for your buck if you depart elsewhere?

Are then any tips or any thing I need to be aware of before booking this? I want to get the most out of this booking and trip, so any little tricks that people know would be great. If not, I guess its straight forward, I book the business class fights for me and my wife and enjoy the trip?

Many thanks,

Zurich Flyer
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 7:21 am
  #2  
nux
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If it is a UK issued Amex, then to use the 241 you must depart from the UK.

Departing from mainland Europe can often be cheaper for revenue tickets on BA, but in this case you must depart from the UK.

100k avios will get you to Beijing return in business. Another option would be HKG (which will be A380 operated later this year).
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 7:23 am
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The best use of your points is to go where you want to go. Plan where you want to go, check availability (and eligibility for the companion ticket) then see what you can do to accrue the Avios needed to get there.

The only thing I'd suggest is that if you're going far, do it in a premium cabin. It really does make the flight an actual part of the vacation if you're in business or first.

Last edited by PWMTrav; Aug 5, 2013 at 7:35 am
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 7:29 am
  #4  
nux
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Originally Posted by PWMTrav
Also, keep in mind that BA has very generous stopover rules on their own metal. You will have to call in, but you could go to more than one place en route to your final destination. See here:
That link is completely out of date. BA charges per flight segment now. The only free connections are BA domestic flights to/from an international award.

The OP must start their journey in the UK and book a trip only on BA metal to use a 241.

Last edited by mia; Aug 5, 2013 at 8:20 am Reason: Remove obsolete link from quotation
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 7:35 am
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Originally Posted by nux
That link is completely out of date. BA charges per flight segment now. The only free connections are BA domestic flights to/from an international award.

The OP must start their journey in the UK and book a trip only on BA metal to use a 241.
DOH. Edited it out. Thought it was still good.
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 8:22 am
  #6  
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Moderator action

Thread transferred to BAEC forum because it pertains to use of Avois points and BAEC benefit.
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 9:08 am
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Originally Posted by nux
100k avios will get you to Beijing return in business. Another option would be HKG (which will be A380 operated later this year).
HKG only works if you have 120k Avios. Most of the Far East and South-east Asia is more than 100k return in business.

For 100k, you have most of the US, Canada and Mexico covered and you may be able to get availability here if you're flexible.

Whatever you choose, for a two-week trip you may want to consider an open-jaw booking, flying into one airport and coming home from another. Most of my Amex 2 for 1 vouchers have been used up this way.

Last edited by where2travel; Aug 5, 2013 at 9:29 am
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 9:22 am
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Thanks all for the replies - a great help.

Ok so looks like I will leave from London, I thought there was some perks to leaving from Europe but I guess that is out.

Thanks for the ip on the open-jaw, is that easy to do online or should I phone up to do that?

120k is possible so I will look at HKG or Japan also.

Yes - will be flying business to make the most of the points and the 241
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 9:26 am
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Or get a few more miles and go 1st? do you have miles in other programs such as Starwood?
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 9:28 am
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I just got back from Shanghai - a beautiful city and certainly on my list of places to go back and do 'properly' with Mr W. People were lovely too - often when I stopped someone would ask me if I needed any help with directions or anything.

There's good redemption availability on this route too. Could be worth considering - just not at this time of year when it's ridiculously hot!
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 9:28 am
  #11  
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Originally Posted by zurichflyer2014
Ok so looks like I will leave from London, I thought there was some perks to leaving from Europe but I guess that is out.

Thanks for the ip on the open-jaw, is that easy to do online or should I phone up to do that?
Yes there are pros (and cons) departing from mainland Europe but this cannot be done with a 241.

Open jaw cannot be booked online, so you need to call to book (and expect to pay a phone service fee).
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 9:47 am
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No other points programs, though I probably should get invovled with them.

At the moment points have come from 2 trips to america a year and 2/3 Europe flights with work, the AMEX sign up bonus, a few months spending and a refer the friend. I think getting more points for a first is a little far reach, that said the trip im planning is not until next summer as I already have other plans so it may be an option.

thanks again!
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 11:27 am
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You may wish to start checking availability for next summer now. For popular destinations it may already be too late. PVG, TOK and PEK usually have good availability. HKG less so, although that might change with the capacity of the A380.
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Old Aug 5, 2013, 11:38 am
  #14  
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Originally Posted by zurichflyer2014
I have been using the BA Amex card and hit the £10k spend to get the complimentary ticket. I also have 100,000 avios on my account and would like to go away with my wife. We are thinking about heading over to the far-east, maybe Beijing in business class for two weeks.

Do you think this is a good use of 100k points and the comp ticket?
If you can get seats, South Africa (either CPT or JNB) is also 100,000 round-trip in Club World.
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Old Oct 31, 2015, 1:51 pm
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Ideas on BA Amex 2 for 1 voucher

Hello all,
This is my first post - so please excuse me if similar queries have been asked elsewhere.

I have BA Amex Platinum Plus credit card and have received the companion voucher. I understand I can use the voucher on flights originating in UK. I am thinking of using the voucher for a longish trip to East Asia covering Japan, China (HK, Beijing) and maybe one of Singapore / Malaysia.

My queries are:
1. Is it possible to club all these places into a single itinerary using Open-Jaw rules? If I am splitting the trip - say for e.g. London to Tokyo into London to Singapore and Singapore to Tokyo, is there any restrictions on time limit between the 2 flights? Can I spend say a week in Singapore and then continue to Tokyo?
2. Same with the return - if I plan for a flight departing from a different location than my onward destination with a stop-over, can it be done?
3. If this is not possible, how would you plan such a journey in order to get maximum benefit from the companion voucher and also cover most of the places mentioned?

Thanks,
Praveen
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