Avios Redemption SFO-LHR very scarce Fall 2015
Oct 19, 2014, 11:19 am
#1
Original Poster
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Avios Redemption SFO-LHR very scarce Fall 2015
In the past, I've had very good luck finding J and F (especially the later) seats between SFO and LHR in the fall. I am searching in Sept/Oct of 2015, and I'm amazed at the scarcity of redemption seats, especially given that they've added the 380 to the later flight. I assumed with that there would be lots of seats released, but no. I am seeing some nice J availability on one day, I think it was Oct 5 or 6, but just that one day and almost no F.
Any thoughts on this? Is it just the demand for revenue J/F is increasing so they are holding back the redemption seats?
Thank you!
Any thoughts on this? Is it just the demand for revenue J/F is increasing so they are holding back the redemption seats?
Thank you!
Oct 19, 2014, 11:36 am
#2
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
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I monitor this route for availability from time to time. The halcyon days of good availability vanished about 3 years ago, and have only got tighter as the economies of both countries have improved. There a particular issue on that route that the business demand there is both price sensitive and books at short notice; This is the hi tech industries for you. As a consequence BA holds back a lot of redemption options until the very last moment - 3 days before departure - rather than risk denying revenue ticket holders a seat.
Therefore the best tactic is to plump for anything you can (notably PHX, LAS, LAX, SAN in roughly that order, or even via NYC) and then amend the booking as better options come up. There is an amendment fee for this if not GGL or Prem. Alternatively if BA Gold use a Gold Priority Booking with double Avios and cancel it if availability comes up, or a joker if GGL.
Just check once a day. ideally after 01:00 hrs London time, to see if there is anything new available via a dummy booking. Despite all of the above availability does come up, you just need a bit of luck and a lot of patience. Good luck.
Therefore the best tactic is to plump for anything you can (notably PHX, LAS, LAX, SAN in roughly that order, or even via NYC) and then amend the booking as better options come up. There is an amendment fee for this if not GGL or Prem. Alternatively if BA Gold use a Gold Priority Booking with double Avios and cancel it if availability comes up, or a joker if GGL.
Just check once a day. ideally after 01:00 hrs London time, to see if there is anything new available via a dummy booking. Despite all of the above availability does come up, you just need a bit of luck and a lot of patience. Good luck.
Oct 19, 2014, 1:07 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2012
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The redemption from LHR to West Coast in general let alone J or F is always tough. I would recommend what CWS and book to LAS, PHX, LAX or SAN and take an AA flight to SFO/SJC.
Oct 20, 2014, 5:57 pm
#7
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I found a flight out of SEA for next March/April.
The good old days are gone!
Oct 20, 2014, 6:12 pm
#8
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I used to have no trouble booking by 2-4-1 voucher in F out of SFO to LHR. However, I noticed that was no longer true, even booking way in advance. So, for this year's trip, we left from Boston!
I found a flight out of SEA for next March/April.
The good old days are gone!
I found a flight out of SEA for next March/April.
The good old days are gone!
Try searching for AA U/Z availability WITH connections allowed.
(and I must do that as I am not paying BA YQ.)
Oct 21, 2014, 1:45 am
#9
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Oct 21, 2014, 1:53 am
#10
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Avios Redemption SFO-LHR very scarce Fall 2015
I managed to snag a SFO-LHR redemption a couple of months back.
I recall when I was searching that availability was extremely thin, with the exception of one day which had 8 J and 1 F seat available on BOTH flights to London. I can't fathom the logic, except to wonder if its revenue management seeing how flexible people are prepared to be in order to avail of a redemption seat.
I recall when I was searching that availability was extremely thin, with the exception of one day which had 8 J and 1 F seat available on BOTH flights to London. I can't fathom the logic, except to wonder if its revenue management seeing how flexible people are prepared to be in order to avail of a redemption seat.
Oct 21, 2014, 1:58 am
#11
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Lausanne Switzerland
Programs: BA Gold; Swiss Blue
Posts: 1,244
I am hitting the same catastrophic situation trying to get 4 to SFO in September...
There is currently, or when i look earlier this morning 1 seat in J for SFO from London in the whole of June, July, August and September
I am looking at all alternatives... but it is not pretty, and by the time I add on the extra fares here and there and a couple of nights hotel, I may as well pay business there and back
Really means Avios and our fidelity to BA are valued at nothing
There is currently, or when i look earlier this morning 1 seat in J for SFO from London in the whole of June, July, August and September
I am looking at all alternatives... but it is not pretty, and by the time I add on the extra fares here and there and a couple of nights hotel, I may as well pay business there and back
Really means Avios and our fidelity to BA are valued at nothing
Oct 22, 2014, 2:46 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SW WA
Posts: 3,886
If you can go out of SEA, there's First availability right now in Sept/Oct. It's not my first choice (LAX is my home airport), but I just booked out of SEA for next Sept/Oct.
Last edited by Buster; Oct 22, 2014 at 2:47 pm Reason: typo