nz6666

I have two American express/master duo credit cards that can earn Avios points when spending. I have earned more than 40k points after about one year. Ok, I went to Avios website, search London to Dubai in June, the price is 40k Avios points plus £311 cash. The cash part is explained as tax, fees etc. I can't believe it so I went to skyscanner and searched the same route and got the cheapest is 299 inc tax. So that means I have to pay more using Avios option!

I can't believe how rubbish are these Avios points. I chose these credit cards because I heard they can earn the points which can be used to buy flight tickets. Have anyone used Avios points for flights?

nux

A longhaul economy redemption on BA is one of the worst uses of avios points as you've found.

There are plenty of good redemption options including shorthaul redemptions, US domestic redemptions, longhaul business/first and certain partners that don't have high carrier surcharges (Aer Lingus, Air Berlin for example).

See also:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ad-sticky.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...os-2015-a.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...tart-here.html

nz6666

Thanks, never used the points before. Will study.

GUWonder

London to Germany on BA (with RFS at least) and then Germany to Dubai on Air Berlin -- with a stop in Germany for at least 24 hours -- will drive down the cash charge for the mileage ticket.

UAPremExecflyer

Better approach would be to study first rather than rant first ...

RTW1

You mean actually reading about the pro and cons of a specific FFP before applying for a card?

aSiAnRiCk

What a way to welcome new member

JY1024

Welcome to FlyerTalk, nz6666!

As your query is specific to Avios, we'll move your thread over to the BA forum for further discussion. Thanks. /JY1024, TravelBuzz co-moderator

TabTraveller

I would hope that most people would read the very helpful sticky before posting as a new member, let alone applying for a credit card and collecting miles.

And welcome to FT

corporate-wage-slave

Welcome to Flyertalk nz6666, welcome in particular to the BA forum. If you are travelling economy then they are best used in certain scenarios, such as single trips (certain routes), Reward Flight Saver within Europe, non stop redemptions where there are no Surcharges (e.g. with USA), and where having a flexible ticket is worth something. In that respect your DXB comparison was between a flexible redemption and presumably an inflexible cheapo ticket. But welcome on board, and I hope we will see plenty more of you.

If you want a slightly humour-led introduction to this, the first part of this thread may be helpful, even though it's not specifically targeted at you.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...tart-here.html

HIDDY

If you have the option to transfer to another rewards programme then I would suggest you do that instead. Do some research to see which one would suit your needs most.

If you're stuck to Avios then you just have to make the best of it. As you found out, long haul economy awards on BA are on the whole a waste of Avios.

rumbataz

I fly LHR-DXB for leisure at least twice a year. I've had these pains too! I've spoken of these pains to BA customer relations many times (assuming I could actually book a redemption seat). BA's attitude was quite uncaring and unsympathetic, to put it mildly.

Over the last decade I've flown Emirates on the LHR-DXB route. For about the same price as the taxes you would pay on a BA redemption flight, you can fly in a nice A380 (as of a few years ago) with lovely crew and you get treated like a king/queen. And that's in economy! Plus you get Skywards miles that give you far better availability on redemption flights.

I actually look forward to an Emirates flight in economy, which is not something I can say about travelling on BA WT.

I learned from these very forums that travelling long-haul out of a London airport using Avios is financial disaster.

Having said all that, I was delighted to be able to book a short-haul LHR-EDI flight for just 35GBP and 9,000 Avios last week. So, it's not all bad. Just mostly.

antichef

Rumbataz, you forgot to say that last week was for a return too!

ComeFlyWithMe123

Rumbataz - Have you ever thought of flying one way EDI to GLA with a stopover in London for 4500 + £17.50. Very useful if you don't mind doing the trip from glasgow airport to "home" and it will disappear come 28th April

Behindthecurtain

Please send to me. I like my WT+ to CW and no extra cost redemptions. 64k and pay for WTP... That's the kinda rubbish I like