AA award booking to Berlin - trying to avoid LHR/BA.
Nov 2, 2018, 10:08 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: aa plat, marriott gold elite
Posts: 97
AA award booking to Berlin - trying to avoid LHR/BA.
Hey guys, just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this. I have some miles im trying to burn on a round trip AA biz class to Berlin. All I can find is going through LHR and $1000 in fees from BA. However, I have been able to find one to BCN that avoids LHR/BA. I would land at 715am, and then i can buy a $100 rd trip on a completely different, local European airline from BCN -> TXL at 11am, giving around a 4 hour layover.
I guess I'm worried about delays and missing my EU domestic flight. Is this a common thing for people to do to avoid BA fees? I would have two different itineraries.
I guess I'm worried about delays and missing my EU domestic flight. Is this a common thing for people to do to avoid BA fees? I would have two different itineraries.
Nov 2, 2018, 10:35 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: aa plat, marriott gold elite
Posts: 97
Ah, got it. I was able to shave $600 off by doing the long segment on the return via AA. Unfortunately it's still around $700 in fees because on the way out, I can't find any that are AA to LHR. I wonder if that's worth the convenience of only having 1 itinerary...
Nov 2, 2018, 10:41 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: RDU <|> MMX
Programs: AA EXP 2MM, SK EBS
Posts: 12,481
Hey guys, just wanted to see if anyone had any experience with this. I have some miles im trying to burn on a round trip AA biz class to Berlin. All I can find is going through LHR and $1000 in fees from BA. However, I have been able to find one to BCN that avoids LHR/BA. I would land at 715am, and then i can buy a $100 rd trip on a completely different, local European airline from BCN -> TXL at 11am, giving around a 4 hour layover.
I guess I'm worried about delays and missing my EU domestic flight. Is this a common thing for people to do to avoid BA fees? I would have two different itineraries.
I guess I'm worried about delays and missing my EU domestic flight. Is this a common thing for people to do to avoid BA fees? I would have two different itineraries.
Nov 2, 2018, 11:25 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,585
Watch out for extra charges on the low-cost carriers.
Nov 2, 2018, 12:21 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: aa plat, marriott gold elite
Posts: 97
If you can use your miles to get home from TXL at a reasonable cost, then consider using your miles to fly into BCN, and out of TXL. You could then buy a cheap one-way from BCN to TXL on Vueling, or from BCN to Berlin's other airport, SXF, which has nonstop service from BCN on both easyJet and Ryan Air.
Watch out for extra charges on the low-cost carriers.
Watch out for extra charges on the low-cost carriers.
Nov 2, 2018, 12:37 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,020
Trains and low cost airlines can get you also any where in Eu. At times the old legacy carriers can be price competitive when you consider the add-ons common with LCC's. With Eu LCC's you must read the rules and comply 100% (for example to the gram/mm).
AA thread--->https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
Nov 2, 2018, 1:33 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: aa plat, marriott gold elite
Posts: 97
Reads as if you are trying to book a return from/to the same airports. Better to book as one ways. You do not need to arrive/depart from the same USA/EU cities.
Trains and low cost airlines can get you also any where in Eu. At times the old legacy carriers can be price competitive when you consider the add-ons common with LCC's. With Eu LCC's you must read the rules and comply 100% (for example to the gram/mm).
AA thread--->https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
Trains and low cost airlines can get you also any where in Eu. At times the old legacy carriers can be price competitive when you consider the add-ons common with LCC's. With Eu LCC's you must read the rules and comply 100% (for example to the gram/mm).
AA thread--->https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...er-thread.html
Nov 2, 2018, 3:45 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: NC
Programs: AA, Marriott/SPG, AMEX
Posts: 272
I just went through this booking process. We chose to fly CLT to FRA R/T since we are going to several cities. My fees (flights on BA) went from over 1K to a bit over a $100 pp (direct on AA). I got a great fare from FRA to BER on Lufthansa, for our 1st city, with 5 hours between our flights.
Nov 2, 2018, 4:12 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
Before you go with the hassle of a separate paid ticket, particularly on a ULCC where you're going to have baggage fees (and potential change/delay issues), work the angles through Madrid and Helsinki. Hard.
Nov 2, 2018, 4:26 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,020
Nov 2, 2018, 4:57 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: NC
Programs: AA, Marriott/SPG, AMEX
Posts: 272
A train would have been a lot better. And less than waiting 5hrs for a very short flight. Link--->Great Circle Mapper
Nov 2, 2018, 6:01 pm
#14
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: MEL CHC
Posts: 21,020
off topic
You are right, I changed our flight to BUD>FRA for the return. Waiting for train schedules to come out since our trip is in March 2019.
Some very knowledgeable people on FT forum--->https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/euro...il-travel-654/
A train would have been a lot better. And less than waiting 5hrs for a very short flight. Link--->Great Circle Mapper
Nov 2, 2018, 6:50 pm
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
If travelling r/t from USA and having to travel on BA, do book it as 2 x one way fares since the carrier surcharge from Europe to USA is a lot lower than the carrier surcharge from USA
Book as a r.t from USA and will get charged USA rate x 2
Book 2 x one ways and will get charged USA rate plus EU rate
Travelling to the USA , then a r/t is definitely preferable to 2 x one ways though
Book as a r.t from USA and will get charged USA rate x 2
Book 2 x one ways and will get charged USA rate plus EU rate
Travelling to the USA , then a r/t is definitely preferable to 2 x one ways though