Avios Taxes?
Jan 19, 2018, 4:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: AerClub - Concierge, Hotels.com - Gold
Posts: 927
Avios Taxes?
Looking at a reward flight to Rome. Avios want €77 in taxes. If booking a full fare flight with EI the taxes come in at €49 and the full fare at €97 which makes my 8,500 avios worth exactly €20. Is there a way of avoiding this? Did I read somewhere that there is? Sorry if I'm posting a question already answered but I can't find the answer anywhere. TIA.
EDIT: It's actually worse. Looked at a one way flight to Milan. Avios want 6,500 avios and €59. The full fare booking through EI is €45
What is going on here!
EDIT: It's actually worse. Looked at a one way flight to Milan. Avios want 6,500 avios and €59. The full fare booking through EI is €45
What is going on here!
Jan 20, 2018, 2:37 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Naas at the weekend and FRA during the working week
Programs: EI Aer Club Concierge , BAEC Silver, Tesco clubcard
Posts: 408
You can’t avoid it. EI is screwing its Aer Club members. As a Concierge member, I paid €520 for a flight to the States of which €100 was for taxes and charges. I then used the companion ticket for my wife where you just have to pay taxes and charges. Guess what, these came to €327. Absolute joke, buy hey, my wife and I get to travel on a four star airline🤪
Jan 20, 2018, 6:08 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: AerClub - Concierge, Hotels.com - Gold
Posts: 927
You can’t avoid it. EI is screwing its Aer Club members. As a Concierge member, I paid €520 for a flight to the States of which €100 was for taxes and charges. I then used the companion ticket for my wife where you just have to pay taxes and charges. Guess what, these came to €327. Absolute joke, buy hey, my wife and I get to travel on a four star airline��
I just thought I rememberd seeing this discussed here before and that there is a way around it but I cannot find the thread. Maybe I'm imagining it.
Jan 20, 2018, 9:06 am
#4
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: DUB/ORD/SIN/PVG
Programs: EI AerClub Concierge, EK Gold, BA Gold, BD Gold (Retired), HHonors Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,923
No way around the inflated award taxes that I am aware of. Eg taxes on a return flight to MUC came in at approx €130 for me recently (vs €300 for an equivalent paid ticket).
The one exception is LHR where round trip taxes are approx €50 - dunno why.
The one exception is LHR where round trip taxes are approx €50 - dunno why.
Jan 20, 2018, 10:17 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: AerClub - Concierge, Hotels.com - Gold
Posts: 927
Thanks. Will have to go for an expensive fare somewhere a little further away to get value!
Jan 20, 2018, 12:05 pm
#6
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,885
You can’t avoid it. EI is screwing its Aer Club members. As a Concierge member, I paid €520 for a flight to the States of which €100 was for taxes and charges. I then used the companion ticket for my wife where you just have to pay taxes and charges. Guess what, these came to €327. Absolute joke, buy hey, my wife and I get to travel on a four star airline🤪
4* Rip - off
.
Jan 20, 2018, 1:30 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Naas at the weekend and FRA during the working week
Programs: EI Aer Club Concierge , BAEC Silver, Tesco clubcard
Posts: 408
But that's not an issue with Avios, is it? It sounds like you were dealing exclusively with EI. Are EI charging Avios more in taxes and fees for reward flights? Is that the issue?
I just thought I rememberd seeing this discussed here before and that there is a way around it but I cannot find the thread. Maybe I'm imagining it.
I just thought I rememberd seeing this discussed here before and that there is a way around it but I cannot find the thread. Maybe I'm imagining it.
Jan 20, 2018, 2:19 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Blue, EI Silver, Honours Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,207
There are two reasons for the apparent rip-off;
1) "Taxes and Charges" include airport usage fees, APD, Fuel Surcharges and all the rest. Avios takes these fees (more or less) from the GDS, but for sale or promotional fares the airlines discount the "taxes". APD ex UK is £13, but Ryanair often offer £9.99 fares for example. Meanwhile, for rewards, the "taxes" for a Y/J fare would pay is what you pay in cash. This can lead to some bargains, for example US and Australia Domestic flights, where AA and QF don't have "YQ" and APD which can run into hundreds of €/£/$.
2) EI has chosen not to have "Reward Saver" on short-haul flights. BA has a fixed £35/55 cash payment, plus the applicable Avios, so you know what you are going to pay.
There is a good article on reward saver here:
https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/0...-flight-saver/
In my experience Ireland-UK routes, booked at short notice, if checked-in luggage is required can represent good value. But if booking in advance, cash fares are usually better value.
1) "Taxes and Charges" include airport usage fees, APD, Fuel Surcharges and all the rest. Avios takes these fees (more or less) from the GDS, but for sale or promotional fares the airlines discount the "taxes". APD ex UK is £13, but Ryanair often offer £9.99 fares for example. Meanwhile, for rewards, the "taxes" for a Y/J fare would pay is what you pay in cash. This can lead to some bargains, for example US and Australia Domestic flights, where AA and QF don't have "YQ" and APD which can run into hundreds of €/£/$.
2) EI has chosen not to have "Reward Saver" on short-haul flights. BA has a fixed £35/55 cash payment, plus the applicable Avios, so you know what you are going to pay.
There is a good article on reward saver here:
https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/0...-flight-saver/
In my experience Ireland-UK routes, booked at short notice, if checked-in luggage is required can represent good value. But if booking in advance, cash fares are usually better value.
Jan 20, 2018, 3:57 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2017
Programs: AerClub - Concierge, Hotels.com - Gold
Posts: 927
There are two reasons for the apparent rip-off;
1) "Taxes and Charges" include airport usage fees, APD, Fuel Surcharges and all the rest. Avios takes these fees (more or less) from the GDS, but for sale or promotional fares the airlines discount the "taxes". APD ex UK is £13, but Ryanair often offer £9.99 fares for example. Meanwhile, for rewards, the "taxes" for a Y/J fare would pay is what you pay in cash. This can lead to some bargains, for example US and Australia Domestic flights, where AA and QF don't have "YQ" and APD which can run into hundreds of €/£/$.
2) EI has chosen not to have "Reward Saver" on short-haul flights. BA has a fixed £35/55 cash payment, plus the applicable Avios, so you know what you are going to pay.
There is a good article on reward saver here:
https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/0...-flight-saver/
In my experience Ireland-UK routes, booked at short notice, if checked-in luggage is required can represent good value. But if booking in advance, cash fares are usually better value.
1) "Taxes and Charges" include airport usage fees, APD, Fuel Surcharges and all the rest. Avios takes these fees (more or less) from the GDS, but for sale or promotional fares the airlines discount the "taxes". APD ex UK is £13, but Ryanair often offer £9.99 fares for example. Meanwhile, for rewards, the "taxes" for a Y/J fare would pay is what you pay in cash. This can lead to some bargains, for example US and Australia Domestic flights, where AA and QF don't have "YQ" and APD which can run into hundreds of €/£/$.
2) EI has chosen not to have "Reward Saver" on short-haul flights. BA has a fixed £35/55 cash payment, plus the applicable Avios, so you know what you are going to pay.
There is a good article on reward saver here:
https://www.headforpoints.com/2018/0...-flight-saver/
In my experience Ireland-UK routes, booked at short notice, if checked-in luggage is required can represent good value. But if booking in advance, cash fares are usually better value.
Thank you all for your replies.
Jan 21, 2018, 4:11 am
#10
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Dublin
Programs: EI AC Silver, BAEC Gold
Posts: 368
DUB-MAD is another exception possibly because you can transfer your avios to IB and use them on this route. One way on this route is 8500 + €17.50 which at some times of the year is a decent saving over the cash fare.
Jan 21, 2018, 5:11 am
#11
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: BA Blue, EI Silver, Honours Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,207
One thing to note is that Avios tickets are very flexible. You can entirely cancel up to 24 hours prior to departure of your OUTBOUND for a £35 fee per sector. You get all your avios back. You can also change to another flight as long as seats are available. This is one reason why conventional wisdom is to book 2x one-ways, rather than a single return.
Jan 21, 2018, 6:38 am
#12
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,885
If I was doing DUB-MAD I would transfer to IB and fly IBX . One way 5650 + EUR16.13 .
Jan 21, 2018, 7:30 am
#13
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: IRL
Programs: AerClub, BAEC.
Posts: 44
You can’t avoid it. EI is screwing its Aer Club members. As a Concierge member, I paid €520 for a flight to the States of which €100 was for taxes and charges. I then used the companion ticket for my wife where you just have to pay taxes and charges. Guess what, these came to €327. Absolute joke, buy hey, my wife and I get to travel on a four star airline🤪
It's not very clear on the Avios site what you are paying for. Would be nice if they gave a breakdown of the taxes and charges, in the interest of transparency!
That EUR100 figure you mentioned on the original booking must have been excluding the fuel surcharge, as this would be well over EUR100 on it's own for a return trip to the US.