wiivile

I tried to make a ba.com Avios booking on TAM from MIA-CNF today (multiple times). I enter my credit card details and then I get an error message "Sorry, we have been unable to complete your transaction at this time."

Does anyone know if you have to call in to book TAM flights? I tried calling in, they said they would waive the service fee, but that cancellations or changes would cost $55 + $25 service fee. Are you unable to change or cancel bookings made over the phone on ba.com? I would rather have that option available since I would only be forfeiting $5.60 in taxes instead of an $80 change/cancel fee.

f00kie

Could someone please help a noob out in spending Avios points? My situation is:
- 200K+ Avios points
- 200K+ Aeroplan points
- 50K+ Amex points that I can convert 1-to-1 to either Avios or Aeroplan
- Currently living in Toronto, Canada; moving to London, UK for 2 years in a month
- Personal flying will be within Europe (say 6 times a month), between London and Toronto (once a quarter), and maybe a longer-haul trip to Australia/Asia once or twice

I've never used Avios before; I have used Aeroplan. I thought Aeroplan was a ripoff, but I am not able to get any decent return on my Avios at all when I look up flights online.

What are the tricks? Is it only good for certain types of flights (i.e. short haul, or long haul, or in between)? Certain times of the year? Booking in advance or last minute? Everytime I search, the taxes/fees are so high that it just makes it not worth it.

Thanks.

nux

Some of the better uses for avios are:

• RFS flights within Europe - from 9,000 avios and Ł35 for a return flight
• Shorthaul direct flights on partners - AA LAX-SFO for 4,500 avios and $3
• Upgrading WTP (premium economy) to business class - for example 10,000 avios plus a cash component to upgrade a LHR-JFK flight
• Longhaul CW/F redemption with a 241 voucher - 120,000 avios plus ~Ł800 for two LHR-HKG return in CW
• Certain partners have very low cash components also

Generally poor uses for avios:

• Economy longhaul redemptions
• Routes requiring connections, as BA charges per segment rather than zonal

I would suggest you read through the following threads, as well as the guide on the first page.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...tart-here.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...urcharges.html

wiivile

edit: deleted

Calchas

Hello, not sure about the service fee but when cancelling an award whose cash component is less than the cancellation fee, you only lose the fee.

So, unless I am wrong, you'd just be forfeiting $5.60.

I cannot find evidence of this in the Ts&Cs but this is my experience in cancelling AA flights recently.

The IT link between TAM and BA is a bit rubbish. I'd book by phone if I were you.

robbierob03

Hello all, new to Avios but ready to book my first award flight on USAir metal through AA. I have everything planned, checked award space on AA.com, and ready to transfer some MR to Avios. Only question is if there is a way to put my AA or USAir frequent flyer number on the BA itinerary? I tried searching a few different ways but I couldn't find anything.

robbierob03

Nevermind - found the answer in the AA forums.

nux

Yes, once booked either call BA, via Finnair/QF/QR website, or at the airport.

ExpatSomchai

Well pulled the trigger today for 4 tickets to PHX. Outbound in J but have snagged Old F seats. Nothing apart from Y on the return was available to will have to watch if it opens.

wjh5879

Hi All,

I've accumulated nearly 100,000 avios and would like to use a tranche of them to UUA the LHR-SIN-SYD-SIN-LHR sectors of the below itinerary.

Am I right in thinking that I would have to UUA in pairs SIN-SYD-SIN and LHR-SIN-LHR, and would there be any difficulty with the two different P/E booking classes?

Apologies if this is in the wrong place and thanks in advance for any help. ^

nux

No, you can upgrade each segment if/when there is award availability in CW.

So if you find CW availability on BA15 SIN-SYD for your date of travel you can upgrade that, then if later you find CW availability on BA12 SIN-LHR for your date of travel you can upgrade that.

wjh5879

Great, thanks.

Stgermainparis

I'm looking at DFW-CZM, which should be a total RT of 2062 miles. Availability for both economy and business. When I price it out, the total comes to 15,000 points. Shouldn't it be 12,500? The only thing I can think of is that it's putting me in Premium Economy instead of Economy. Any way to force to Economy? In menu search, I selected Economy (though there was a choice for Premium).

jerry a. laska

DFW-CZM is ~1055 miles and so a redemption in economy DFW-CZM nonstop should be 7500 avios and CZM-DFW should be 7500 avios for a total of 15000 avios for a round trip. You do not look at round trip mileage but at the mileage for each segment.

Stgermainparis

AH! Thank you. I could not figure it out. So they do it per segment not per total. Bummer. I could save quite a bit x5 for family if it were total. Thanks.