Originally Posted by
Mwenenzi
1 BA avios does not equal 1 AS Atmos point to earn or burn, even if credit cards transfer at the same rate.
Award cash surcharges can vary. Real taxes are the same for every ffp/airline flying the same routes/class.
For international travel to/from the U.S., that's not quite true. Award tickets with even $.01 of carrier surcharges will be subject to PFCs and U.S. international arrival/departure taxes. "Zero-fare" award tickets will not.