Originally Posted by
ddtripper
Mattinsf
I live in the Bay Area and SFO is my airport. I found the availability to be very very difficult using BA miles. I got the companion voucher and was able to eventually book myself and my daughter in first from SFO-LHR and back this July. I had wanted to go farther into Europe but there were no FF flights available. Granted I wanted to go at the height of summer, but I started nearly a year in advance. I had to book separately and pay for the flight from LHR to Stuttgart and then from Paris we're taking the Eurostar back to London to catch the return flight home. Also, after I booked the flights, I saw that some FF seats from LHR to Stuttgart had opened up, but you cannot change these tickets once they're booked even to extend the flight.
Having said all that, I am pretty happy that we have these tickets, cost of $700 each -- it's the first and probably last time we'll fly first. Nevertheless, we are considering not extending the card after our current trip (due to no foreign transaction fees) and going back to the UA Visa.
I have had many friends here with similar issues, some of whom are not renewing the card at the end of the year.
I think if you can fly off peak and are patient and persistent these tix will pay off.
Good luck!
ddtripper
I think the fees have gone up as we were just quoted $800+ per ticket for SFO-LHR-SFO in F. As London is the intended destination (or at least the primary one) we get hit with the LHR luxury tax.
As you have noted, inventory is particularly difficult from SFO, but strangely much better from LAX. I think there is an additional flight from LAX, but apparently the extra demand from paying VIPs in Hollywood is more than offset by the number of Brits who want to vacation in SF (strike up civic pride stanza here
)
As for the card, the 1.25miles/$ is a better ROR than most, the no forex fee is a nice perk, and I suppose I can always avoid the absurd "fuel surcharges" by simply ditching the 2-for-1 and using the miles on a OW partner like AA.