AVIOs can be gained via a Chase BA card used to fund bank deposits so they are just not a scarce commodity. If planning to use AVIOS for residency interviews you may find the dates too restricted. Go Option 1.
Originally Posted by
jatink129
To be honest, I'm now seriously confused between the two methods.
Here are the pros and cons.
BOS-DUB-BOS
Pros.
-Fly Business class for cheap.
-Get extra baggage allowance (Important to me)
Cons.
-Have to travel from Hartford to Boston.
-Time wasted (a few hours) for flight to EMA
-Cost of travel from DUB to Leicester (on a tight budget)
-Repeat inconvenient process in reverse on the way back.
-Was planning on saving avios for short trips across USA for residency interviews.
Total travel cost: 25k or 50k + roughly £350 ($530) expenses to and from Leicester.(surchages+flight to/from East Midlands+transportation to/from Leicester) + expenditure in getting from Hartford to Logan Airport (Boston) which would be roughly another $100.
________________________________________________
BDL-EWR-LHR-EWR-BDL
Pros.
-Fly directly from BDL.
-Less time wasted.
-Convenient travelling to and from Leicester
-Saves on my Avios.
Cons.
-Will have to travel economy to save on UA miles.
-Even economy costs more than Avios Business class.
-Will have to spend 100k to travel in Business class.
-Poor Business class availability.
-If travelling in coach, will have to sacrifice luggage allowance.
Total travel cost : 60k or 100k + roughly £300 ($460) in expenses (surcharges+travel to and from Leicester.)