Barkinpark

I am looking up BA J class seat availability for travel from the west coast to continental EU, using AS miles. What shocked me was that the taxes/fees portion was $900+ for J and $200+ for Y and Y+. Is this normal?

olouie

Yes the UK taxes and fees are very high so hits BA.

Kacee

It's not just the UK APD (air passenger duty), it's that BA assesses fuel surcharges and AS passes those along on awards (as does AA).

BA long-haul redemptions are typically not a very good deal.

steveholt

Extortionate fuel/carrier surcharges for BA awards have been in place for many years.

UserMark

If you have CX or AA miles, try getting the BA award from there. It might be better.

Finkface

Try searching from YVR. The taxes/fees are much less from Canada than from the US.

Kacee

The US-imposed taxes and fees are minimal ($5.60 per ticket); among the lowest in the world. The problem with BA awards is (1) the totally outrageous fuel surcharges, and (2) UK APD (which you'll pay on any carrier for a UK departure).

jrl767

technicality highlighted ... if you originate from a European point outside the UK and connect thru LHR, the APD surcharges will go down by a considerable amount

guv1976

Yes: that "considerable amount" will be 100%. The UK APD does not apply at all to travelers, like the OP, flying between the U.S. and Continental Europe via the U.K. But other European countries will have their own departure taxes.

It's BA's carrier surcharges that account for the lion's share of the cash component that the OP is seeing on the award itinerary.


"How can I avoid APD?

These are some of the tax-avoiding options:

. . . .

Fly into the UK on one plane and out within 24 hours on another and have them both included in the same ticket."

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/travel...-b1946375.html

skunker

Not all airports in the UK incur APD, but there is no way around the fuel surcharges.

"Fly from the Scottish Highlands and Islands Region, which includes Orkney, Shetland, the Western Isles, Oban, Campbeltown and Inverness. Remarkably, even if you are fly from Inverness to London Heathrow and onwards to a long-haul destination, the tax saving applies. Flying from Aberdeen to New York on British Airways in late November, for example, costs £392 return – but from Inverness the fare is just £316, saving one-fifth on the trip.

Long-haul flights from Belfast are also free of tax."

billgris

BA seems to be the only option for J class to Europe for most dates. I see a few Finn Air options sprinkled in, otherwise get ready to pay $1,800 for RT award ticket.

AirborneLocksmith

Looking at roundtrip business class award trips from the US/Canada to Europe, it appears that one gets hit with the high ex-US BA surcharges twice if you book a roundtrip from the US to Europe, while if you book it as two one-ways, the surcharge from Europe is much lower.

US-Europe-US booked as a roundtrip results in US$1,600 in BA surcharges (2xUS$800) while booking two one-ways US-Europe and Europe-US results in about US$1,000 (US$800 for US-Europe, US$200 for Europe-US) in BA surcharges.

Finkface

The point I was making is that the taxes and fees on a BA award from Canada are much lower than the same award from the US so the OP should try searching from Canada instead (which was what I suggested to him/her). See example below. The carrier imposed surcharge on a J class redemption from YVR is much lower than when departing from SEA. Total charges from YVR are $514; From SEA it is $888.

From YVR: $514
​​​​​​​60,000 miles + $475.70
Carrier imposed surcharge $463.20
Partner award booking fee $12.50
Taxes and fees: $37.91
Canada Airport Improvement Fee AIF $18.20
Canada Goods And Services Tax GST On SQ Fee $0.91
Canadian Air Travelers Security Charge $18.80


From SEA: $888
60,000 miles + $862.50
Carrier imposed surcharge $850.00
Partner award booking fee $12.50
Taxes and fees $25.30
US int'l departure tax $19.70
US Sept. 11 security fee $5.60

UserMark

Consider going beyond London if that works for you. The surcharges to places beyond London can be much less than just to London (India, for example). If doing a round trip, look into booking as two one-ways. The surcharges originating in Europe can be much less.

Kacee

Basic point is a very good one, thanks. Just note that the taxes and governmental fees are actually lower for the US departure. The difference is attributable to BA imposing a much higher surcharge on the SEA departure.