On the Uselessness of Avios
Dec 26, 2011, 6:28 pm
#1
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On the Uselessness of Avios
On November 15, just before the change, I called BA to book 7 business class or first class seats from Florida to Manila or Seoul. I got 7 seats from Atlanta to Beijing. Using three (!) companion vouchers, I got them for a total of 1.23 million Avios, plus over $9000 in "fuel surcharges," plus maybe another $10,000 for connecting flights at both ends.
Just got off the phone with US Airways. I got 7 UA first class and business class seats from Florida to Seoul, returning from Manila (just what we wanted). I got them for a total of 780,000 miles, plus $700 for ticketing, connecting flights included.
1,230,000 miles versus 780,000 miles, and $19,000 versus $700, even though I used three companion BA vouchers. And the UA flight time is around eight hours less in each direction.
BA, I'm very disappointed.
Just got off the phone with US Airways. I got 7 UA first class and business class seats from Florida to Seoul, returning from Manila (just what we wanted). I got them for a total of 780,000 miles, plus $700 for ticketing, connecting flights included.
1,230,000 miles versus 780,000 miles, and $19,000 versus $700, even though I used three companion BA vouchers. And the UA flight time is around eight hours less in each direction.
BA, I'm very disappointed.
Dec 26, 2011, 6:35 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2007
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On the other hand, I recently booked four flights - two in Club Europe and two domestic UK - for a total of 4500+7500 Avios and 535+715 NOK (1250 NOK/EUR 160/GBP 134/USD 209), and felt it was quite a good value.
Each to their own, I suppose...
Each to their own, I suppose...
Dec 26, 2011, 6:38 pm
#4
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Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)
Was there no availability on AA? Prior to the changeover, it would have cost you fewer miles (even without using the companion certificates) and lower fuel surcharges.
Originally Posted by Ferdinand Magellan
On November 15, just before the change, I called BA to book 7 business class or first class seats from Florida to Manila or Seoul. I got 7 seats from Atlanta to Beijing. Using three (!) companion vouchers, I got them for a total of 1.23 million Avios, plus over $9000 in "fuel surcharges," plus maybe another $10,000 for connecting flights at both ends.
Just got off the phone with US Airways. I got 7 UA first class and business class seats from Florida to Seoul, returning from Manila (just what we wanted). I got them for a total of 780,000 miles, plus $700 for ticketing, connecting flights included.
1,230,000 miles versus 780,000 miles, and $19,000 versus $700, even though I used three companion BA vouchers. And the UA flight time is around eight hours less in each direction.
BA, I'm very disappointed.
Just got off the phone with US Airways. I got 7 UA first class and business class seats from Florida to Seoul, returning from Manila (just what we wanted). I got them for a total of 780,000 miles, plus $700 for ticketing, connecting flights included.
1,230,000 miles versus 780,000 miles, and $19,000 versus $700, even though I used three companion BA vouchers. And the UA flight time is around eight hours less in each direction.
BA, I'm very disappointed.
Last edited by guv1976; Dec 26, 2011 at 6:41 pm
Dec 26, 2011, 6:40 pm
#5
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Sorry, But it's British Airways..... why would they be competitive on this routing?? Where do you get / earn your 1,230,000 Avios miles ?
Or is this just a hypothetical redemption?
I have an ABZ-LHR-MXP booked in CE for 9,000 Avios plus £17.00 .....bargain.
Or is this just a hypothetical redemption?
I have an ABZ-LHR-MXP booked in CE for 9,000 Avios plus £17.00 .....bargain.
Dec 26, 2011, 6:50 pm
#6
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Dec 26, 2011, 7:13 pm
#7
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Where did I get the miles? Mostly from BA Visa usage, some from Amex transfers and bonuses.
Dec 26, 2011, 7:15 pm
#8
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Part of the reason for the booking is that one of my wife's two companion vouchers will expire in a few months, so yes, I wanted to do a six-for-three. But you can see how that turned out.
Dec 26, 2011, 7:19 pm
#9
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Good point, but I didn't check AA availability because I didn't realize that it might have cost fewer miles, even without using the companion certificates. My mindset was that using the companion certificates would just naturally be the best deal. Also, the fact that BA was going to change things, without telling us what, made me think that I would be better off using those companion certificates, because I had no idea whether they would be worth much if anything after Nov. 15.
Dec 26, 2011, 8:29 pm
#10
Join Date: Nov 2009
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Whatever, Magellan, you're not going to make it back from the Philippines anyway. Leave your miles to Elcano. 
Seriously, Avios on BA longhaul makes no financial sense, to me at least. I've found great uses for them for short range AA flights here in the states, and still not awful using them for CX. I guess the 2-4-1s change things a bit, but the cash outlay just gets ridiculous for F.
Seriously, Avios on BA longhaul makes no financial sense, to me at least. I've found great uses for them for short range AA flights here in the states, and still not awful using them for CX. I guess the 2-4-1s change things a bit, but the cash outlay just gets ridiculous for F.
Anyways, enjoy not flying BA!
Dec 26, 2011, 10:23 pm
#12
Join Date: Jul 2010
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BA miles used to be really good for longhaul routings as they allowed plenty of stopovers and clever routing rules. What other program gives you IPC-SCL-EZE/AEP-GRU-LIM-GYE-JFK in business class with a stop in each place for 40K points?
None, of course.
Avios, now, are good for something completely different. They are now really bad for longhaul awards (i.e. NYC-HKG via Europe in F, 300K adios + $1350 vs ~140K points + $150 on most North American programs). However, that $700 one way Y flight to Toronto I need to book for tomorrow? 4500 avios + $50 instead of 25000 points + $50.
As others have said, Avios are not a "primary" mileage currency anymore, unless all you do is MFU on BA or really love redeeming in Club Europe (
). They're just a new, unique tool in the FF arsenal.
Dec 26, 2011, 11:08 pm
#13
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
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You need to make an earn/burn comparison to make an appropriate value judgement on "miles spent" comparison.
Then you need to look at whether all the flights were available within the alliance, etc.
A direct comparison between the numbers doesn't really mean much.
Then you need to look at whether all the flights were available within the alliance, etc.
A direct comparison between the numbers doesn't really mean much.
Dec 26, 2011, 11:29 pm
#15
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
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I don't look at what cash I had to spend to book it, but what I didn't have to pay. Maybe I am an optimist after all