Nov 17, 2012, 4:33 pm
Last edit by: Prospero
i Preface
If you are new to the British Airways Executive Club (BAEC) or a long term member but have not booked a redemption flight since the programme's relaunch in 2011, you may have realised by now that planning an Avios redemption calls for a shift in mindset, especially to those more used to redeeming miles for flights with North American frequent flyer programmes.
The purpose of this thread is to introduce you to how the BAEC works in terms of spending Avios and to share some tips will will assist you during the planning and booking stages. We'll also cover the options available to you, so you can make an informed decision on how best to maximise your Avios Points.
If you are seeking guidance on the changes to the Executive Club in relation to the programme's 2011 relaunch, the Q&A discussion serves as a very useful reference point.
The purpose of this thread is to introduce you to how the BAEC works in terms of spending Avios and to share some tips will will assist you during the planning and booking stages. We'll also cover the options available to you, so you can make an informed decision on how best to maximise your Avios Points.
If you are seeking guidance on the changes to the Executive Club in relation to the programme's 2011 relaunch, the Q&A discussion serves as a very useful reference point.
ii Contents
Introduction
Standard reward flights
Multi-Partner reward flights
Reward Flight Saver
Avios & Money
Upgrading using Avios
Using your companion vouchers
Additional Gold benefits
Hotel and car rental redemptions
Avios Part Payment
Standard reward flights
Multi-Partner reward flights
Reward Flight Saver
Avios & Money
Upgrading using Avios
Using your companion vouchers
Additional Gold benefits
Hotel and car rental redemptions
Avios Part Payment
iii Acknowledgments
This guide is a collaborative effort, and could not have been produced without the kind contributions from corporate-wage-slave, DWFI, LTN Phobia, Petrus, Prospero, and Stez.
Your guide to spending Avios [Beta]
Sep 18, 2013, 12:34 pm
#766
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,205
Sep 19, 2013, 9:21 am
#767
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
Is there any sort of verification for the UK address of Avios.com? Would I need a friend's place or can I just "live" at LHR?
Sep 19, 2013, 9:47 am
#768
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: From ORK, live LCY
Programs: BA Silver, EI Silver, HH Gold, BW Gold, ABP, Seigneur des Horaires des Mucci
Posts: 14,205
I think the addresses need to match in order to transfer Avios.
Sep 19, 2013, 6:01 pm
#769
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Louisville KY
Programs: Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt Gold
Posts: 38
Sep 20, 2013, 3:22 am
#770
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...vios_and_money
Avios & Money*
1.
Avios & Money bookings can only be made online at ba.com or direct with your service centre.
2.
Available on one-way and return itineraries on British Airways and franchise operated flights, Air Berlin, Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, LAN Airlines and Royal Jordanian only. Codeshare flights are excluded.
1.
Avios & Money bookings can only be made online at ba.com or direct with your service centre.
2.
Available on one-way and return itineraries on British Airways and franchise operated flights, Air Berlin, Aer Lingus, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Finnair, Iberia, LAN Airlines and Royal Jordanian only. Codeshare flights are excluded.
Sep 20, 2013, 10:05 am
#771
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: San Diego, Ca
Programs: Hawaiian Air Fold, Delta Gold, SPG Platinum
Posts: 116
I have been totally unable to spend the 200,000 Avios I have earned on my Chase/BA card. Which of course I have now quit using.
Supposedly you can use Avios on American but it is impossible from my home airport (SAN). I have taken trips to Denver, Chicago, Dallas, and now NY without ever showing a single seat availability on American even while booking months out. The NY flight has good American nonstop routes to and from so I paid for that flight using good ole US money.
Has anyone ever had any luck getting an American flight on Avios from this airport?
Supposedly you can use Avios on American but it is impossible from my home airport (SAN). I have taken trips to Denver, Chicago, Dallas, and now NY without ever showing a single seat availability on American even while booking months out. The NY flight has good American nonstop routes to and from so I paid for that flight using good ole US money.
Has anyone ever had any luck getting an American flight on Avios from this airport?
Sep 20, 2013, 11:05 am
#772
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Berlin
Programs: BA Gold; Accor Plat; IHG Diamond-Amb; Meliá & HH & Marriott Gold
Posts: 5,447
Lots of availability to NYC, typically via LAX or ORD. Coach only on the direct SAN-JFK flights in the next couple of weeks, but several days with MileSAAver F seats next August.
I didn't bother checking other dates or DEN or DFW. Where and how have you been searching?
EDITED TO ADD: There's also fair availability on BA's SAN-LHR flight next May and June (I didn't check earlier months). That should be a route of great interest to anyone sufficiently interested in BA to apply for BA credit cards.
Last edited by IMH; Sep 20, 2013 at 11:11 am
Sep 21, 2013, 4:24 pm
#773
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Juneau, Alaska.
Programs: AS 75K;BA Silver;AA G;HH Dia;HY Glob
Posts: 15,796
I have been totally unable to spend the 200,000 Avios I have earned on my Chase/BA card. Which of course I have now quit using.
Supposedly you can use Avios on American but it is impossible from my home airport (SAN). I have taken trips to Denver, Chicago, Dallas, and now NY without ever showing a single seat availability on American even while booking months out. The NY flight has good American nonstop routes to and from so I paid for that flight using good ole US money.
Has anyone ever had any luck getting an American flight on Avios from this airport?
Supposedly you can use Avios on American but it is impossible from my home airport (SAN). I have taken trips to Denver, Chicago, Dallas, and now NY without ever showing a single seat availability on American even while booking months out. The NY flight has good American nonstop routes to and from so I paid for that flight using good ole US money.
Has anyone ever had any luck getting an American flight on Avios from this airport?
As for SAN-DEN, I don't think AA currently has any direct flights on this route. As Avios charges per segment, you would need to redeem for SAN-LAX and LAX-DEN or SAN-DFW and DFW-DEN. ba.com has difficulty showing reward flights with connections so if your flight involves connections you need to search for the flights individually.
See also your similar post in June:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20910000-post493.html
and the replies at that time.
You can also redeem avios on Alaska Airlines but you have to call to book. You can search alaskaair.com for supersaver availability and, if available, call BAEC to book.
Sep 21, 2013, 5:21 pm
#774
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K/MM, AA GLD
Posts: 1,707
does BA show LAN Peru availability online?
Sep 23, 2013, 6:41 pm
#775
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,290
Subject: Using AVIOS on AA
New to BA and trying to use a bunch of Avios points. Read through the pinned FAQ above but here are a few "oddities" I discovered this evening, would really appreciate if somebody could chime in.
(1) I checked ExpertFlyer for T class on AA - there was wide availability on a test route (YYZ-ORD-SFO) in T class, but BA.com showed zero availability. Why? (there was only one option available on an alternative date YYZ-DFW-SFO, which shows me that BA.com does auto-build connections, so it's not a connection issue)
(2) YYZ-JFK-BDA is a valid AA route, available in T class using AA miles, but BA.com says that none of its partners fly YYZ-BDA. Why? (see above where YYZ-DFW-SFO was offered, so why not in this case?)
(3) ExpertFlyer showed lots of T availability on Aer Lingus for BOS-DUB on a few specific dates, but BA.com showed none available on those same dates. And on a few dates when awards are available, it forces BOS-LHR-DUB. Why?
(4) Continuing from (3) above, how can I force award searches to show partners?
Quite honestly, BA.com is rather unfriendly for newbies. I really didn't enjoy the award user interface. Thanks for taking the time to help me out. Cheers and bon voyage!
New to BA and trying to use a bunch of Avios points. Read through the pinned FAQ above but here are a few "oddities" I discovered this evening, would really appreciate if somebody could chime in.
(1) I checked ExpertFlyer for T class on AA - there was wide availability on a test route (YYZ-ORD-SFO) in T class, but BA.com showed zero availability. Why? (there was only one option available on an alternative date YYZ-DFW-SFO, which shows me that BA.com does auto-build connections, so it's not a connection issue)
(2) YYZ-JFK-BDA is a valid AA route, available in T class using AA miles, but BA.com says that none of its partners fly YYZ-BDA. Why? (see above where YYZ-DFW-SFO was offered, so why not in this case?)
(3) ExpertFlyer showed lots of T availability on Aer Lingus for BOS-DUB on a few specific dates, but BA.com showed none available on those same dates. And on a few dates when awards are available, it forces BOS-LHR-DUB. Why?
(4) Continuing from (3) above, how can I force award searches to show partners?
Quite honestly, BA.com is rather unfriendly for newbies. I really didn't enjoy the award user interface. Thanks for taking the time to help me out. Cheers and bon voyage!
Sep 24, 2013, 12:15 am
#776
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
For 1 and 2, search for the legs individually or call BA.
3. BA.com does not show Aer Lingus availability.
4. Search legs individually for partners that are available online.
3. BA.com does not show Aer Lingus availability.
4. Search legs individually for partners that are available online.
Sep 24, 2013, 5:03 am
#777
Join Date: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,290
For 1 and 2, by searching the legs individually (multi-city option I assume), if they show up, would I be spending miles for AAA-BBB and BBB-CCC as opposed to AAA-BBB-CCC?
Sep 24, 2013, 7:19 am
#778
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 41,991
It's usually the exact same price in miles to split the trip into segments, though I believe there might be some exceptions to this rule if flying on BA metal only. I'm not sure whether or not this affects taxes/YQ.
Sep 24, 2013, 7:22 am
#779
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
BA charges per segment, so mileage cost is the same (assuming same carrier). Cash component may be slightly different. If you want it on one PNR/booking you may need to call. Also note that AA have a policy to protect connections even on separate tickets.
Sep 24, 2013, 7:38 am
#780
Join Date: May 2013
Location: MAD
Programs: IB+, BAEC
Posts: 3,105
Well...yes, but BA charges by segment no matter what. So while true, it works out to the same that it would cost anyway.