Revisiting benefits of BA companion pass hypothesis as a 75K
Jul 23, 2017, 9:22 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: LAX
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Revisiting benefits of BA companion pass hypothesis as a 75K
I am revisiting the benefits of BA companion pass as a 75K. Does the pass (spending 30K on Chase card) make sense or is it better to buy Premium Economy on BA, credit the miles to AS and then get an upgrade using Avios.
A PE seat from LAX-LHR RT usually costs around $1,300, or just around $2.5K for two tickets -- not counting one off sale and benefits of Chase card and AARP credit. An upgrade on RT for two would be around 80,000 Avios. But I also get more than 50,000 Alaska miles on the two tickets -- so that's equal to about $1,000 in benefits plus me and my wife get around 15,000 Alaska EQM each.
So, for around $2.5K and 120K Avios, I get a total of at least 50K Alaska miles, 30K in total EQMs...counting these benefits, net cost would be under $1.5K.
Compare this to around $2.5K in taxes for two business class tickets and 125K Avios. Where the companion pass most of the time makes sense is getting first class tickets.
Is my understanding correct or am I missing something?
A PE seat from LAX-LHR RT usually costs around $1,300, or just around $2.5K for two tickets -- not counting one off sale and benefits of Chase card and AARP credit. An upgrade on RT for two would be around 80,000 Avios. But I also get more than 50,000 Alaska miles on the two tickets -- so that's equal to about $1,000 in benefits plus me and my wife get around 15,000 Alaska EQM each.
So, for around $2.5K and 120K Avios, I get a total of at least 50K Alaska miles, 30K in total EQMs...counting these benefits, net cost would be under $1.5K.
Compare this to around $2.5K in taxes for two business class tickets and 125K Avios. Where the companion pass most of the time makes sense is getting first class tickets.
Is my understanding correct or am I missing something?
Jul 23, 2017, 9:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2000
Posts: 6,545
BA Avios upgrade from Y+ to J is 25K one-way per-person in high season, 30K in low season. So, 100K to 120K roundtrip upgrades for 2 LAX-LHR. The comparison is most favorable in high season at 100K Avios for the 2 roundtrip upgrades.
Compare to BA J award ticket in high season at 150K Avios + $1250 each taxes.
With companion pass, would be 150K Avios + $2500.
So, yeah BA Y+ at $1300 roundtrip is a no-brainer.
Companion pass makes sense only in first or longer-trip in J like LAX-LHR-CPT.
Award inventory is the same in either scenario.
The problem I have is that $1300 Y+ fares tend to be loaded only ~10 months out while award J inventory is gone at ~11.5 months out.
Compare to BA J award ticket in high season at 150K Avios + $1250 each taxes.
With companion pass, would be 150K Avios + $2500.
So, yeah BA Y+ at $1300 roundtrip is a no-brainer.
Companion pass makes sense only in first or longer-trip in J like LAX-LHR-CPT.
Award inventory is the same in either scenario.
The problem I have is that $1300 Y+ fares tend to be loaded only ~10 months out while award J inventory is gone at ~11.5 months out.
Last edited by Colin; Jul 23, 2017 at 10:06 pm
Jul 23, 2017, 10:07 pm
#3
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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Posts: 100,399
BA Avios upgrade from Y+ to J is 25K one-way per-person in high season, 30K in low season. So, 100K to 120K roundtrip upgrades for 2 LAX-LHR. The comparison is most favorable in high season at 100K Avios for the 2 roundtrip upgrades.
Compare to BA J award ticket in high season at 150K Avios + $1250 each taxes.
With companion pass, would be 150K Avios + $2500.
So, yeah BA Y+ at $1300 roundtrip is a no-brainer.
Companion pass makes sense only in first or longer-trip in J like LAX-LHR-CPT.
Award inventory is the same in either scenario.
The problem I have is that $1300 Y+ fares tend to be loaded only ~10 months out while award J inventory is gone at ~11.5 months out.
Compare to BA J award ticket in high season at 150K Avios + $1250 each taxes.
With companion pass, would be 150K Avios + $2500.
So, yeah BA Y+ at $1300 roundtrip is a no-brainer.
Companion pass makes sense only in first or longer-trip in J like LAX-LHR-CPT.
Award inventory is the same in either scenario.
The problem I have is that $1300 Y+ fares tend to be loaded only ~10 months out while award J inventory is gone at ~11.5 months out.
