Originally Posted by
arjun312
Also, I was under the impression that short haul flights were where BA Avios shined.
Depends on the individual case. Let's compare the two AA options:
1.
Using 65k UR points: Value = 1.25 cents per point so tickets must cost around $812 total.
2.
Using 40k BA & $300: Cost = 40k BA + 3.6k AA (mileage earning foregone) + $300. Value of points = ($812 - $300)/(43.6k miles) = 1.17 cents per mile/point
Looks like you're not going to do better than the 1.25 cents per point unless you place significant value on either the convenience of the preferred airports or on first class.
Originally Posted by
arjun312
I've concluded that my best option is #4 but there seems to be no availability for the dates I'm planning on going.
As shown above, this is actually not the case even if there were availability.