i Preface If you are new to the British Airways Executive Club (BAEC) you may have realised that planning an Avios redemption calls for a shift in mindset, especially to those more used to redeeming miles for flights with North American frequent flyer programmes.
The purpose of this thread is to introduce you to how the BAEC works in terms of spending Avios and to share some tips will will assist you during the planning and booking stages. We'll also cover the options available to you, so you can make an informed decision on how best to maximise your Avios Points.
If you are seeking guidance on the changes to the Executive Club in relation to the programme's 2011 relaunch, the
Q&A discussion serves as a very useful reference point.
What has changed in the last 12 months?
While the BAEC has been relatively stable over the past 12 months, there have been a small number of changes relating to how we spend our Avios. Some of these changes are listed below:
- UK Air Passenger Duty increased. Carrier surcharges also increased on transatlantic routes which has added to the overall cost of our flight redemptions
- The cost of Comair Reward Flight Savers also went up. European RFS costs remain the same though
- We can now use our Avios to pay for advanced seat assignments
- New experiences and excursions such as tours, cruises, etc were added to the list of activities which can be booked on ba.com and paid for with Avios
- In December 2018, Fiji Airways joined as a oneworld Connect member but at the time of writing BAEC spend rates have yet to be finalised
ii Contents
iii AcknowledgmentsThis guide is a collaborative effort, and could not have been produced without the kind contributions from BA6501, corporate-wage-slave, DWFI, flashware, Globaliser, guv1976, KARFA, LTN Phobia, Nikko5, orbitmic, pauldb, PETER01, Petrus, Prospero, Skipcool3, squawk, and Stez.