Originally Posted by
pauldb
And the OP is asking for a personal answer.
but they are the only person who can give a personal answer
My post was AFTER others had pointed out the issues with the fit of Avios to the ONE thing they had pointed out.
And I took that mention of one specific thing to be just one option - not the only thing they were necessarily interested in. I though they were contemplating a strategic conversion well in advance of any redemption. (Hence the caveats for that applied to my post).
They've given most of the specifics you say you need, and demonstrated that they probably understand the subtleties you raise: the downsides of losing flexibility, the need (and implied request) to know more about BAEC.
They have given us ONE their like, but we don't know (nobody would) the wider aspects of their travel - the very point I'm making.
My point: In the absence of a specific redemption (and given people had already addressed the one specific thing they had mentioned in previous replied - AND that I took it to be only one thing they mentioned in passing) THEN - working on the assumption the person was interested in a 'strategic conversion' - the question of whether it makes sense must be a personal one.
E.g. we don't know if using Avios for some shorthaul trips someone might regularly have to make last mintue at their own expense might save more than enough cash to be able to fly F/J long haul on their own terms, etc. Or just to be a very good saving of cash.
While miles can get you leverage on redemption (e.g. fly J/F for cost of Y, etc), the best uses of miles can sometimes be in saving (LOTS) of cash on spend you would otherwise make. Giving you the cash to spend with utter flexibility on the things you want.
I agree I could have been clearer, but what I was saying was that:
If a specific option doesn't fit (as others have addressed) after that it doesn't necessarily make it a bad deal - as, if you know the full picture (which is a personal thing) there could still be great opportunities. But only you can know that.