Aug 13, 2014, 4:37 pm
Last edit by: beltway
With US joining OneWorld in early 2014, British Airways' mileage currency (Avios) offer a potentially advantageous option for redeeming for award tickets, especially on shorter flights.
What are the relevant characteristics/rules for redeeming Avios?
What are the mileage bands in the Avios award chart?
The full chart for redemptions until April 28, 2015 can be found here. Starting April 28, 2015, a new chart will apply.
One enterprising blogger has created interactive maps showing potential destinations reachable on US in each of the mileage bands from DCA, PHL, CLT, and PHX.
What's an example of Avios being better than booking an award on US using Dividend Miles?
Credit: Much of this wiki is based on post #1 by SanDiego1K.
What are the relevant characteristics/rules for redeeming Avios?
- Avios is charged per individual flight segment. The cost for a single connecting itinerary AAA-BBB-CCC is the same as the cost of two separate tickets for travel AAA-BBB & BBB-CCC.
- Avios uses a distance-based chart. (See below.)
- First-class travel costs 3x as many Avios as coach. Unfortunately, this generally makes domestic F redemption unattractive with Avios. In general, US front-cabin seats are treated as first-class for purposes of Avios redemption.
- Effective April 28, 2015, first-class awards will cost 4x the coach award price.
- Business class travel costs 2x Avios. Some North American airlines consider the front cabin to be business for Mexico and Central America routes.
- Effective April 28, 2015, business-class awards for segments >2000 miles long will cost 3x the coach award price.
- You can redeem one-way awards with Avios.
- Avios is region-agnostic. (That is, a given distance costs the same regardless of whether it traverses one or more world regions.) Thus, Avios can provide great value when flying to Hawaii for those who fly coach and can do so in one segment.
- There is no ticketing fee for online booking. If you call instead of booking online, there is a $25 ticketing fee. (Some people have success in getting this fee waived when an itinerary cannot be booked online, making a phone call unavoidable.)
- There is no close-in ticketing fee.
- BA charges $55 to cancel or change a ticket. However, if you cancel online, your cost is capped at the amount of taxes/TSA fees paid; for domestic itineraries on US, this will normally be much less than $55. (This workaround does not apply to changing a ticket online, which will incur the full $55 fee.) You must cancel one day in advance to get the Avios redeposited.
- 1-650 mile flight: 4,500 Avios
- 651-1151 mile flight: 7,500 Avios
- 1152-2000 mile flight: 10,000 Avios
- 2001-3000 mile flight: 12,500 Avios
The full chart for redemptions until April 28, 2015 can be found here. Starting April 28, 2015, a new chart will apply.
One enterprising blogger has created interactive maps showing potential destinations reachable on US in each of the mileage bands from DCA, PHL, CLT, and PHX.
Consider the cost to fly from San Diego to Phoenix, a route under 400 miles. US charges 25K miles R/T, plus $38 (includes $25 ticketing fee), plus a $75 close-in fee for any booking within 14 days of departure. BA will charge 9,000 Avios R/T plus the TSA security fee.
If you live in a gateway city and can fly to Hawaii nonstop, investigate whether booking with Avios is more attractive. Example:
PHX-HNL is 2917 miles. A R/T with Avios is 25K miles (12,500 each way). A R/T with US is 40K miles.
What's the process for redeeming Avios?If you live in a gateway city and can fly to Hawaii nonstop, investigate whether booking with Avios is more attractive. Example:
PHX-HNL is 2917 miles. A R/T with Avios is 25K miles (12,500 each way). A R/T with US is 40K miles.
Go to the Avios award search page; log in; and enter your desired itinerary.
Great! That sounds easy! What's the catch?Unfortunately, there are several practical restrictions on redeeming Avios for domestic travel on US, especially when attempting to book online.
OK, I managed to make an award booking despite all these pitfalls. How do I get my US FF# into the reservation in order to enjoy my US elite benefits?- Most importantly, US "low/saver" awards must be available. (You can confirm award availability at the lowest level by searching on the US site directly or by using a third-party service such as Expert Flyer.)
- The BA search tool cannot generate partner itineraries that include more than one connection. (You can still book each segment as an individual ticket, although doing so will create problems if you wish to check luggage all the way through and/or if you miss a connection owing to flight delays.)
- Even where US has low-level award availability, the Avios search tool will often fail to display it. This is especially true on routes with numerous flights in a single day (such as the DCA-LGA, LGA-BOS & DCA-BOS shuttles), but occurs regularly on numerous routes. There is no workaround except calling BA reservations.
- Recommendation: Always search for one-way awards. The BA search tool is known to display no availability in either direction on round-trip searches when awards are in fact available in one direction but not the other.
- The BA search engine will accept metropolitan area pseudo-codes (WAS, LON, PAR, NYC, etc.) as well as individual airport codes. For better results, try both (e.g., DCA, BWI & IAD as well as WAS).
The American Airlines Twitter team (@AmericanAir) can modify a reservation to enter your US or AA FF#.
Several FTers also report success using the Finnair website ("Choose manage booking and put in your BA confirmation code"). However, this method allows the FF# on a given itinerary to be changed only once; it will not allow subsequent changes.
I want to change my seat but the BA site never gave me a US record locator. What's the solution?Several FTers also report success using the Finnair website ("Choose manage booking and put in your BA confirmation code"). However, this method allows the FF# on a given itinerary to be changed only once; it will not allow subsequent changes.
Look up your reservation on the US site using the BA record locator.
How can I accumulate Avios?- Fly British Airways.
- Credit OneWorld flights to British Airways.
- Open a Chase British Airways credit card, ideally with a generous sign up bonus.
- Move Chase Ultimate Reward points (CSP, Ink Plus, Ink Bold) to your BA account.
- Move AMEX Membership Rewards points to your BA account, preferably during the 2-3 times a year when a bonus is offered.
- Move SPG points to your BA account. 20K SPG points yields 25K BA Avios, and bonuses have been offered once a year.
- Form a household account (see BA forum for discussion) so that miles can be pooled.
US Airways Award Bookings Using BA Avios, as low as 4,500 Avios one way
Aug 22, 2014, 11:13 pm
#181
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
Anyone have a feel for last minute short haul availability?
I've become a "regular" on these US short haul flights ever since the Avios redemptions have become available. I've been trying to figure out a pattern to how US makes additional award seats available, but it's still pretty mysterious to me. US definitely does add seats when the flight isn't full, but I can't detect a pattern.
So far, my biggest "troubles" are getting seats on the short haul RJs -- particularly the ones with only 50 seats. Does anyone know whether US tries to fill these with award seats at the end, or are they happy to have them go out with some empty seats? Like I'm looking at a flight a week away that's showing 10 seat assignments available out of 50. Is there any hope of last minute award seats, or is it essentially hopeless?
So far, my biggest "troubles" are getting seats on the short haul RJs -- particularly the ones with only 50 seats. Does anyone know whether US tries to fill these with award seats at the end, or are they happy to have them go out with some empty seats? Like I'm looking at a flight a week away that's showing 10 seat assignments available out of 50. Is there any hope of last minute award seats, or is it essentially hopeless?
Aug 23, 2014, 1:18 pm
#182
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: FL
Programs: AA PLAT, HILTON DIAMOND, MARRIOTT LIFETIME TITANIUM
Posts: 616
How do I get US Airways to recognize my AA Platinum status???
I used BA Avios miles to book US Air award flights within the US.
I want US Air to recognize my AA Platinum status.
When I call US Air and request my AA Platinum # be placed in my US Air reservation, I am told that US Air cannot do it because the reservation was made using BA Avios miles. Since AA has nothing to do with the reservation, US Air will not recognize my AA Platinum status.
I have called US Air 4 different times asking that my US Air award reservation using my BA Avios miles be tied to my AA Platinum #, but each of the 4 times US Air tells me it cannot be done.
I thought we were all one big happy OneWorld family, am I doing anything wrong? Can this not be done? Am I missing something?
I would like my AA Platinum # tied to the US Air reservations so I can make my seat assignments, free checked bags, take earlier flights if I need to, etc...
I even called the AA Platinum desk, and they could not help me.
Any suggestions?
I want US Air to recognize my AA Platinum status.
When I call US Air and request my AA Platinum # be placed in my US Air reservation, I am told that US Air cannot do it because the reservation was made using BA Avios miles. Since AA has nothing to do with the reservation, US Air will not recognize my AA Platinum status.
I have called US Air 4 different times asking that my US Air award reservation using my BA Avios miles be tied to my AA Platinum #, but each of the 4 times US Air tells me it cannot be done.
I thought we were all one big happy OneWorld family, am I doing anything wrong? Can this not be done? Am I missing something?
I would like my AA Platinum # tied to the US Air reservations so I can make my seat assignments, free checked bags, take earlier flights if I need to, etc...
I even called the AA Platinum desk, and they could not help me.
Any suggestions?
Aug 23, 2014, 1:27 pm
#183
Join Date: Oct 2013
Programs: DL PM
Posts: 700
My understanding is that you can't put your AA FF in your reservation using your BA Avios and that you can't get the benefits of your AA status specifically if you're not using your AA FF - even if you were flying AA. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.
Aug 23, 2014, 2:19 pm
#184
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
I've done numerous of AVIOS booking myself and I'm AA EXP. I get to use my EXP status for all the perks you are requesting, I even get TSA PRE-CHECK. At the time of booking the AVIOS reservation, you had the opportunity to make changes to the passenger details, this includes the FF#. Since this is after the fact, I suggest you put the BA record locator in the RJ website to change the FF#. I've also called AA to make the changes too, but since this is a US flight, unfortunately AA can't do much to help, and from what others have commented with your similar situation, US agent are not able to change the FF# in the reservation either. Your last resort is to call BA and have them do it.
If all else fails, you might cancel the reservation and re-book it using the data you want.
If all else fails, you might cancel the reservation and re-book it using the data you want.
Last edited by arollins; Aug 23, 2014 at 2:28 pm
Aug 24, 2014, 5:32 pm
#186
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: On strike
Posts: 8,135
I don't mean to be alarmist, but Gary Leff raises a yellow flag: the redemption chart for Iberia (which is owned by the same company as BA, and whose miles are transferable to & from BA) just jacked up the cost of short-haul redemptions something fierce.
It would be very odd for BA not to follow suit, given the programs' close relationship. This doesn't mean you should burn all your Avios right this second, but if you're looking at making a booking in the near future, delay might be very costly indeed.
It would be very odd for BA not to follow suit, given the programs' close relationship. This doesn't mean you should burn all your Avios right this second, but if you're looking at making a booking in the near future, delay might be very costly indeed.
Aug 24, 2014, 9:00 pm
#187
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
I don't mean to be alarmist, but Gary Leff raises a yellow flag: the redemption chart for Iberia (which is owned by the same company as BA, and whose miles are transferable to & from BA) just jacked up the cost of short-haul redemptions something fierce.
It would be very odd for BA not to follow suit, given the programs' close relationship. This doesn't mean you should burn all your Avios right this second, but if you're looking at making a booking in the near future, delay might be very costly indeed.
It would be very odd for BA not to follow suit, given the programs' close relationship. This doesn't mean you should burn all your Avios right this second, but if you're looking at making a booking in the near future, delay might be very costly indeed.
Aug 24, 2014, 9:33 pm
#188
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DCA ZWU
Programs: AGR WOH
Posts: 1,785
Also, US's award availability is a fraction of AA's, and I'm a bit worried about how that'll work in the future.
Aug 24, 2014, 10:18 pm
#189
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,585
Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry: BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.1030 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
"It would be very odd for BA not to follow suit, given the programs' close relationship."
Maybe; maybe not.
IB Plus does not permit one-way partner awards; BAEC does.
IB eliminated Reward Flight Savers; BA did not.
IB has very modest co-pays for long-haul redemptions on IB metal; BA charges an arm and a leg for those same flights.
They are very different programs.
But, of course, the sky might be falling. Time will tell.
"It would be very odd for BA not to follow suit, given the programs' close relationship."
Maybe; maybe not.
IB Plus does not permit one-way partner awards; BAEC does.
IB eliminated Reward Flight Savers; BA did not.
IB has very modest co-pays for long-haul redemptions on IB metal; BA charges an arm and a leg for those same flights.
They are very different programs.
But, of course, the sky might be falling. Time will tell.
Aug 24, 2014, 10:41 pm
#190
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,421
IME, neither US nor AA's yield management desks habitually opens the floodgates on award availability at the last minute, unlike UA. I've now made the somewhat expensive mistake of missing out on several flights ex-DCA this year hoping otherwise, and have resolved to do otherwise -- if award inventory isn't there a week beforehand, it probably will never show. Perhaps they're wise to the way we're using Avios?
Also, US's award availability is a fraction of AA's, and I'm a bit worried about how that'll work in the future.
Also, US's award availability is a fraction of AA's, and I'm a bit worried about how that'll work in the future.
I certainly agree with you that AA's award availability has historically been much better than US's (although AA's got much worse in bankruptcy). I've long complained about US's pathetic award availability on transatlantic flights from PHL (back when they were in Star, it was usually easier to find award seats on Lufthansa's one flight to FRA than on all of US's transatlantic flights combined!). That said, US's short haul award availability isn't terrible: it's just not great. The worst thing is that US seems to never load ANY award seats on peak travel days; planning in advance will never help, whereas AA MIGHT have a few seats on those dates.
Of course, knowledge of US's short haul award availability will be largely useless if, in fact, BA eliminates the 4500 mile short haul Avios award.
Aug 25, 2014, 10:50 am
#191
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: AA 2MM LT PLT; AS MVP Gold75k; HHonors Diamond; IHG PLT
Posts: 3,502
I'm not ready to panic just yet; like AA, BA has a large number of Avios partners in the UK, offering points well beyond flights, still markets its Chase Visa card in the US. Such a wholesale change will greatly undermine this important source of revenue.
It is also important to note that the redemption of IB Avios for BA flights HAS NOT CHANGED.
It is also important to note that the redemption of IB Avios for BA flights HAS NOT CHANGED.
Aug 25, 2014, 11:10 am
#192
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
Keep in mind that Citi was marketing the hell out of their AA cards with 100k mile offers shortly before the devaluation; seems AA was nice enough to give them a headsup, but didn't stop them from going forward with it.
Aug 25, 2014, 11:32 am
#193
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: FL
Programs: AA PLAT, HILTON DIAMOND, MARRIOTT LIFETIME TITANIUM
Posts: 616
I've done numerous of AVIOS booking myself and I'm AA EXP. I get to use my EXP status for all the perks you are requesting, I even get TSA PRE-CHECK. At the time of booking the AVIOS reservation, you had the opportunity to make changes to the passenger details, this includes the FF#. Since this is after the fact, I suggest you put the BA record locator in the RJ website to change the FF#. I've also called AA to make the changes too, but since this is a US flight, unfortunately AA can't do much to help, and from what others have commented with your similar situation, US agent are not able to change the FF# in the reservation either. Your last resort is to call BA and have them do it.
If all else fails, you might cancel the reservation and re-book it using the data you want.
If all else fails, you might cancel the reservation and re-book it using the data you want.
I have called US Air 3 times to inquire about using my AA Plat benefits on my US Air flights, but US Air continue to tells me they will not recognize my AA Plat benefits (even though it clearly shows my AA Plat # on the US Air reservation when I view it online) because the reservation was made using BA miles.
My gut tells me this is going to be one of those cases in which the day I travel, when I check-in at US Air, show US Air my AA Plat card, US Air will honor the AA Plat benefits, what do you think?
I just want to use my AA Plat benefits for
1. bulk-head/exit-row aisle seating
2. free checked bag
3. possibly take an earlier flight
Do you think US Air will honor my AA Plat benefits?
Aug 25, 2014, 12:41 pm
#194
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: ORD
Programs: AA PLT
Posts: 2,781
Are you able to select premium seating on the US website at no charge? If not, have you tried the instructions listed in the wiki at the top of this page for changing FF #? (Instructions for AA and US #s are identical.)
Aug 25, 2014, 1:47 pm
#195
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: FL
Programs: AA PLAT, HILTON DIAMOND, MARRIOTT LIFETIME TITANIUM
Posts: 616
Yes, I am able to select premium seating on the US Air website with no additional fee. Again, BA put my AA Plat # in my US Air award reservation. Does that mean US Air will recognize my AA Plat status even though I made the award reservation with my BA miles?