3 days only - 50% bonus on purchased Avios
Feb 23, 2015, 5:26 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,621
3 days only - 50% bonus on purchased Avios
Here are two links referring to a new offer by BA.
Buy 2,000 - 35,000 miles in the next three days, get a 50% bonus.
http://euflyer.boardingarea.com/2015...s-3-days-only/
http://www.headforpoints.com/2015/02...ios-good-deal/
I am US based, when I plugged in 35,000 miles into the engine it priced out at $988. That's 1.88 cents per mile for the 35,000 + 17,500 = 52,500 miles.
Interestingly, the blogs linked above say that the price for 35,000 + 17,500 Avios is 575 pounds. Under current exchange rates, that's $884.83 - so it comes out to 1.68 cents per mile if you pay in pounds?
I just changed my country of residence in my Executive Club profile from USA to UK and changed my website settings from USA-English to UK-English. The site now prompts me to buy the 35,000 + 17,500 points for 575 pounds, which should come out to 1.68 cents per mile.
I don't know if the purchase goes through points.com or if it is a direct purchase from BA giving an additional miles bonus if you put the purchase on your BA visa card or Chase Sapphire card or any other card giving bonus miles for airline spend.
Obviously anyone who buys Avios now should consider the pending devaluation of Avios on April 28.
Buy 2,000 - 35,000 miles in the next three days, get a 50% bonus.
http://euflyer.boardingarea.com/2015...s-3-days-only/
http://www.headforpoints.com/2015/02...ios-good-deal/
I am US based, when I plugged in 35,000 miles into the engine it priced out at $988. That's 1.88 cents per mile for the 35,000 + 17,500 = 52,500 miles.
Interestingly, the blogs linked above say that the price for 35,000 + 17,500 Avios is 575 pounds. Under current exchange rates, that's $884.83 - so it comes out to 1.68 cents per mile if you pay in pounds?
I just changed my country of residence in my Executive Club profile from USA to UK and changed my website settings from USA-English to UK-English. The site now prompts me to buy the 35,000 + 17,500 points for 575 pounds, which should come out to 1.68 cents per mile.
I don't know if the purchase goes through points.com or if it is a direct purchase from BA giving an additional miles bonus if you put the purchase on your BA visa card or Chase Sapphire card or any other card giving bonus miles for airline spend.
Obviously anyone who buys Avios now should consider the pending devaluation of Avios on April 28.
Feb 23, 2015, 5:56 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,621
As an update, after changing my country of residence to United Kingdom, I made the purchase in pounds, the cost of the pending charge on my Chase Sapphire card is $887.54.
The charge says "Avios by points," I guess that means it's a points.com purchase. I guess I'll get 52,500 + 887 MR points which are convertible to Avios for $887.54. 1.66 cents per point/mile, and a $100 savings by changing the profile address from US to UK.
However, I then attempted to change my address back to USA and got this message:
Sorry
According to the new information you have attempted to give us, your preferred address is no longer within the country to which you are currently registered. As this requires us to transfer your membership to another region, you will need to contact your current Service Centre in order to make this change.
The charge says "Avios by points," I guess that means it's a points.com purchase. I guess I'll get 52,500 + 887 MR points which are convertible to Avios for $887.54. 1.66 cents per point/mile, and a $100 savings by changing the profile address from US to UK.
However, I then attempted to change my address back to USA and got this message:
Sorry
According to the new information you have attempted to give us, your preferred address is no longer within the country to which you are currently registered. As this requires us to transfer your membership to another region, you will need to contact your current Service Centre in order to make this change.
Feb 23, 2015, 6:36 am
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: somewhere north of London, UK
Programs: HH Gold, BA Silver, Accor Silver
Posts: 15,245
I know pretty much everyone is b1tch1ing about the devaluation, but this slug of bonus miles does create some exceptional pockets of opportunity in my book.
We're flying a mix of J and F between PEK and HKG this summer. It's 20k Avios and Ł12 in J, or Ł500 for the cash ticket. 30k in F again plus Ł12, vs Ł700 for cash. Seems difficult to get discounts on these routes especially one way. And there's award availability all over the place.
Oh, and for those with the Lloyds Avios upgrade vouchers, again a great opportunity.
Long term I'm not happy but this does create opportunities!
We're flying a mix of J and F between PEK and HKG this summer. It's 20k Avios and Ł12 in J, or Ł500 for the cash ticket. 30k in F again plus Ł12, vs Ł700 for cash. Seems difficult to get discounts on these routes especially one way. And there's award availability all over the place.
Oh, and for those with the Lloyds Avios upgrade vouchers, again a great opportunity.
Long term I'm not happy but this does create opportunities!
Feb 23, 2015, 8:07 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LHR
Programs: BA Gold, TG Gold, HHonors Diamond, SPG Plat
Posts: 8,665
However, I then attempted to change my address back to USA and got this message:
Sorry
According to the new information you have attempted to give us, your preferred address is no longer within the country to which you are currently registered. As this requires us to transfer your membership to another region, you will need to contact your current Service Centre in order to make this change.
Sorry
According to the new information you have attempted to give us, your preferred address is no longer within the country to which you are currently registered. As this requires us to transfer your membership to another region, you will need to contact your current Service Centre in order to make this change.
You are only allowed to change your residence on your BAEC account once every 6 months. It is to prevent BAEC members constantly changing residences to take advantage of different offers as you have done here.
You have to stay as a UK resident for the next six months. Not sure if there are other implication if you are collecting Avios through a US credit card like Sapphire Chase.
Always best to check on this forum first below diving straight in on something like thi.
Feb 23, 2015, 9:08 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 834
To Buy or not to Buy
Can I ask if the general consensus is that it's well worth buying Avios at this rate... we're not overly flush in avios (about 350K in the HH account) but have 3 2 for 1s to burn. is this a cost-effective way of increasing the total?
Thanks for any thoughts..
Thanks for any thoughts..
Feb 23, 2015, 9:13 am
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Radisson Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 3,621
Damn! Yes, I thought of that right after I bought. Should have changed my address to France! I guess the 35,000 + 17500 points costs $988 if you have a US address, $887 with a UK address, and $753 if you have a European address. That's 1.43 cents per mile.
Feb 23, 2015, 9:29 am
#14
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 25
This made me think--if one was to book a J ticket today and then cancel it after the April changes, do we receive only the points back that we spent on the ticket or do we get the new cost to book in J?
i.e. spend 150k RT J, cancel after the changes take place, receive 200k Avios back.
i.e. spend 150k RT J, cancel after the changes take place, receive 200k Avios back.
