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Thread: Purchasing Avios with 30% bonus - worth it?
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Old Sep 8, 2013 | 2:24 am
  #15  
Magic01273
30 Countries Visited2M10 Years on Site
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: BAEC Gold, HHonors Gold, Marriot Bonvoy Gold, MeliaRewards Gold, Radisson Gold
Posts: 818
Originally Posted by Raffles
Even if you want them immediately, always check:

a) the Iberia Plus price in Euro (exchange rate movements may make them cheaper than £, may be an IB promo)

b) the avios.com price

c) the ba.com price

Note that you can only transfer out of Iberia if your Iberia account is 90 days old, so this is no use if you don't already have one.
A couple of times, when I've only needed 1-2000, it's also been cheaper to buy from Amex MR than from BA I think. Amex is £15 per 1000 MR pts. The BA "handling fee" makes small purchases of Avios very expensive...I think 1000 Avios is probably £30+ from BA direct.

EDIT: In fact (unless I am missing something) it actually appears that it is cheaper to buy Amex MR than from BA or Avios.com right up to the 10,000 MR points p/a maximum. 10,000 MR @ £15 per 1000 = £150. 10,000 Avios from BA/Avios direct looks like it's £175. Even with the 1000pts bonus in effect it's still cheaper to buy MR.
Last edited by Magic01273; Sep 8, 2013 at 2:36 am
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