Can I use miles to get an around-the-world ticket on BA using miles?
Jul 11, 2009, 10:29 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 100
Can I use miles to get an around-the-world ticket on BA using miles?
Hello all:
I am flying LAX > Copenhagen and then from Copenhagen > Bangalore and then Chennai > LAX and am wondering if I can get a Business Class BA Around the World ticket using miles. Is that possible and if so, how do I do it? Thanks!
I am flying LAX > Copenhagen and then from Copenhagen > Bangalore and then Chennai > LAX and am wondering if I can get a Business Class BA Around the World ticket using miles. Is that possible and if so, how do I do it? Thanks!
Jul 11, 2009, 11:39 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,595
Do you literally want to circumnavigate the world or are you okay with coming back through London?
If you really want to go east and keep going east until you're back where you started, you'll need to use a BA partner from MAA to LAX (e.g. CX through HKG). If you book LAX-LHR-CPH-LHR-BLR/-MAA-HKG-LAX all on one ticket, it'll take a lot of miles: see http://www.britishairways.com/travel...o/public/en_gb for the miles required - you'd need to book that through your local service centre.
To save miles, you may probably want to break it up into parts, such as:
LAX-LHR-CPH
CPH-LHR-BLR
MAA-HKG-LAX
You'd also be able to book those parts online after logging into your Executive Club account.
If a true round the world isn't necessary, you may want to come back through LON, again, breaking it up into parts:
LAX-LHR-CPH
CPH-LHR-BLR
MAA-LHR-LAX
or
LAX-LHR-BLR
LHR-CPH-LHR
MAA-LHR-LAX
Again, you can book these online at ba.com
The Ultimate BA Guide sticky has some more information in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/8172633-post14.html
If you really want to go east and keep going east until you're back where you started, you'll need to use a BA partner from MAA to LAX (e.g. CX through HKG). If you book LAX-LHR-CPH-LHR-BLR/-MAA-HKG-LAX all on one ticket, it'll take a lot of miles: see http://www.britishairways.com/travel...o/public/en_gb for the miles required - you'd need to book that through your local service centre.
To save miles, you may probably want to break it up into parts, such as:
LAX-LHR-CPH
CPH-LHR-BLR
MAA-HKG-LAX
You'd also be able to book those parts online after logging into your Executive Club account.
If a true round the world isn't necessary, you may want to come back through LON, again, breaking it up into parts:
LAX-LHR-CPH
CPH-LHR-BLR
MAA-LHR-LAX
or
LAX-LHR-BLR
LHR-CPH-LHR
MAA-LHR-LAX
Again, you can book these online at ba.com
The Ultimate BA Guide sticky has some more information in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/8172633-post14.html
Last edited by JAXBA; Jul 11, 2009 at 11:42 pm Reason: Typo
Jul 11, 2009, 11:49 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 100
I don't care about the Around the World part, just wondered if it would be easier to get a Business Class ticket using it.
Forgive me for being such a newbie, but how does breaking the trip up into parts save miles? Oh, but, if the answer to that question is in the Sticky Guide, never mind! I'll head on over there right now.
Thank you!
Forgive me for being such a newbie, but how does breaking the trip up into parts save miles? Oh, but, if the answer to that question is in the Sticky Guide, never mind! I'll head on over there right now.
Thank you!
Jul 12, 2009, 10:17 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: JAX
Programs: Ex-BA/AA/CP/LY staff, BA Executive Club Blue, IHG Diamond, Marriott Silver, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 3,595
Breaking it up turns it into separate awards based on the zone you start and finish in, which'll use fewer miles than an award based on the total flown mileage for your desired itinerary
Nope. You can't buy published fares with miles, only awards that have their own rules and conditions.
You can still arrange a RTW itinerary on a single booking, but it'll take more miles - internally it's called a multilateral or non-standard. It takes more miles because there aren't as many rules on routing and can include sidetrips etc. But, since changing an award after departure is restricted, it isn't necessarily the best value - breaking it up saves miles and allows you to change the awards that you haven't started travel on yet.
You can still arrange a RTW itinerary on a single booking, but it'll take more miles - internally it's called a multilateral or non-standard. It takes more miles because there aren't as many rules on routing and can include sidetrips etc. But, since changing an award after departure is restricted, it isn't necessarily the best value - breaking it up saves miles and allows you to change the awards that you haven't started travel on yet.
Jul 13, 2009, 8:57 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: FL350, seat 0k
Programs: SK*G, BA Silver, Flying Blue, VLM, VT Traveller, PC Platinum, BW Diamond
Posts: 3,545
I don't care about the Around the World part, just wondered if it would be easier to get a Business Class ticket using it.
Forgive me for being such a newbie, but how does breaking the trip up into parts save miles? Oh, but, if the answer to that question is in the Sticky Guide, never mind! I'll head on over there right now.
Thank you!
Forgive me for being such a newbie, but how does breaking the trip up into parts save miles? Oh, but, if the answer to that question is in the Sticky Guide, never mind! I'll head on over there right now.
Thank you!
Jul 13, 2009, 9:58 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,836
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/onewo...cket-faqs.html
Jul 13, 2009, 11:23 am
#10
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: BOS/UTH
Programs: AA LT PLT; QR GLD; Bonvoy LT TIT
Posts: 12,789
Sorry, but I don't see where it says that you are a BAEC person. Are your miles in BAEC? The answers may be very different otherwise.
Jul 13, 2009, 12:11 pm
#11
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: FL350, seat 0k
Programs: SK*G, BA Silver, Flying Blue, VLM, VT Traveller, PC Platinum, BW Diamond
Posts: 3,545
Jul 13, 2009, 12:18 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 100
I have Starwood miles and would transfer them in if a good itinerary could be found! I know that at least ONE of the alliances sells RTW tix via miles but I cannot remember which one. I am trying to get up to speed on all of this very quickly and will be eternally grateful for all the help I have received on FlyerTalk.