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]
Oct 9, 2013, 7:34 pm
#811
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Singapore
Programs: BAEC Gold, Le Club Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold, M&C Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 561
Oct 10, 2013, 12:21 am
#812
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
Oct 10, 2013, 12:34 am
#813
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Singapore
Programs: BAEC Gold, Le Club Platinum, Hilton HHonors Gold, M&C Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 561
Kinda negates the value then unless I splurge the points on a full CW award.... thanks for the info.
Oct 10, 2013, 7:29 am
#814
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BAEC Silver, L'Accor Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 328
Reposting in the hope of an answer.
Cheers
1F
Looking for some advice on availability for a cash and Avios upgrade booking. I want 2 WT+ into CW seats LHR to Tokyo for next September. Current availability is almost zilch (couple of mid-week days but my travelling companion is restricted to weekend departure).
Looking back on the calendar I see that there's a lot of availability back in June and May, including on weekends. Is it normal for availability to improve a couple of months after booking opens (i.e. if I keep checking over the next 2 months or so will I be more likely to find weekend seats) or is September a peak time for redemption bookings? (I'd assumed it wouldn't be because it's after the schools start again but maybe I'm wrong)?
Thanks for any help - this is kind of a special trip for me so I'm looking to maximise (and unfortunately don't have the cash or Avios to CW into F).
1F
Looking back on the calendar I see that there's a lot of availability back in June and May, including on weekends. Is it normal for availability to improve a couple of months after booking opens (i.e. if I keep checking over the next 2 months or so will I be more likely to find weekend seats) or is September a peak time for redemption bookings? (I'd assumed it wouldn't be because it's after the schools start again but maybe I'm wrong)?
Thanks for any help - this is kind of a special trip for me so I'm looking to maximise (and unfortunately don't have the cash or Avios to CW into F).
1F
1F
Oct 10, 2013, 8:23 am
#815
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
Looking back on the calendar I see that there's a lot of availability back in June and May, including on weekends. Is it normal for availability to improve a couple of months after booking opens (i.e. if I keep checking over the next 2 months or so will I be more likely to find weekend seats) or is September a peak time for redemption bookings?
If there are currently no weekend seats, then it is 100% likely that this will either stay the same or get better, it can't get any worse.
Oct 11, 2013, 1:47 pm
#816
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BAEC Silver, L'Accor Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 328
Dang. I was afraid that might be the case. Ah well. I'll keep checking and see what happens. Thanks, nux. Appreciate it.
1F
1F
Oct 12, 2013, 8:08 am
#817
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: AA LT PLT 3.2MM, Hilton Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 117
ba.com
Thanks to those who mentioned avios.com - I had not thought of that. I have made many visits to ba.com and a number of bookings with avios in the past few months. I do see that the software and capabilities of ba.com are rapidly changing, that is, there appears to be a degree of instability due to ongoing efforts to improve the website.
Most recently, they seem to have added a capability to select American Airlines and insert a frequent flyer number for a companion passenger whose frequent flyer number is blank, but then your input never shows up. It would be very helpful for that to work properly.
Most recently, they seem to have added a capability to select American Airlines and insert a frequent flyer number for a companion passenger whose frequent flyer number is blank, but then your input never shows up. It would be very helpful for that to work properly.
Oct 17, 2013, 4:24 am
#818
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: In the air
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hilton Gold, GHA Tit, BA Gold, Turkish Elite
Posts: 8,720
I'm noticing a new trend on shorthaul.
I often take Friday afternoon/ evening to Sunday afternoon mini city breaks, ideally on RFS to burn off a few miles and save £200 or so.
I tend to book 1-2 weeks out based on whoever I know is around in a given city. Until relatively recently this has usually been fine so long as it's not a very high season or special event (e.g. F1, other national celebrations). I'm a Gold member for a bit longer and I know the old interface often mentioned freeing up seats for me - I haven't noticed it since the interface changed, not sure if that means anything.
Over the last couple of months I've not once found availability 2 weeks out. I've looked on what I think were relatively standard weekends for Berlin (incl. Air Berlin), Milan, Copenhagen, Oslo, Nice.
What's really interesting though is that with the possible exception of Nice there were relatively plentiful flights open up at something like T-32. I'm off to Berlin tomorrow and was looking at £350 return in ET - there's now all of a sudden plenty of availability in both classes on mutiple flights each way with Avios.
If this continues I might start buying fully flex Y tickets (£500ish?) on the assumption that 80% or so of them I can swap for Avios. That works out at a £100 or so surcharge per flight, but I think I'm going to struggle to use Avios on RFS for weekend breaks otherwise.
Anyone else noticed something similar?
I often take Friday afternoon/ evening to Sunday afternoon mini city breaks, ideally on RFS to burn off a few miles and save £200 or so.
I tend to book 1-2 weeks out based on whoever I know is around in a given city. Until relatively recently this has usually been fine so long as it's not a very high season or special event (e.g. F1, other national celebrations). I'm a Gold member for a bit longer and I know the old interface often mentioned freeing up seats for me - I haven't noticed it since the interface changed, not sure if that means anything.
Over the last couple of months I've not once found availability 2 weeks out. I've looked on what I think were relatively standard weekends for Berlin (incl. Air Berlin), Milan, Copenhagen, Oslo, Nice.
What's really interesting though is that with the possible exception of Nice there were relatively plentiful flights open up at something like T-32. I'm off to Berlin tomorrow and was looking at £350 return in ET - there's now all of a sudden plenty of availability in both classes on mutiple flights each way with Avios.
If this continues I might start buying fully flex Y tickets (£500ish?) on the assumption that 80% or so of them I can swap for Avios. That works out at a £100 or so surcharge per flight, but I think I'm going to struggle to use Avios on RFS for weekend breaks otherwise.
Anyone else noticed something similar?
Oct 18, 2013, 10:57 am
#819
Used to be ' simz '
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Kolkata, India
Programs: Does it matter..??? It doesn't matter to them
Posts: 1,129
I have been reading about using Avios, but never had the chance.. I finally got one last week when I helped a friend out.. see if you guys like it/ think I did the right thing..
http://flyfromscratch.blogspot.com/2...advantage.html
http://flyfromscratch.blogspot.com/2...advantage.html
Oct 20, 2013, 7:42 am
#820
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 103
Getting back from the States - WTP to CW
Hi - sorry if this is elsewhere. Please direct me if so.
I've booked GLA to IAD, WTP, and managed to upgrade to CW for the outbound leg - looking forward to it.
There was no availability on the return IAD - LHR leg when I booked, so it remains as WTP. I do have the 10,000 avios burning a hole in my account.
CW availability seems to appear on the website close to departure, and I'm hopeful that it will become available before I return.
I'm not sure I'll be able to MMB and upgrade for the return leg. Would I have to do this over the phone from the USA? Which Executive Club (US or UK) would I need to contact?
Thanks for any help - Bill
I've booked GLA to IAD, WTP, and managed to upgrade to CW for the outbound leg - looking forward to it.
There was no availability on the return IAD - LHR leg when I booked, so it remains as WTP. I do have the 10,000 avios burning a hole in my account.
CW availability seems to appear on the website close to departure, and I'm hopeful that it will become available before I return.
I'm not sure I'll be able to MMB and upgrade for the return leg. Would I have to do this over the phone from the USA? Which Executive Club (US or UK) would I need to contact?
Thanks for any help - Bill
Oct 20, 2013, 8:09 am
#821
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
Unlikely MMB will allow you to do this, you would need to call the office where your account is registered.
Oct 21, 2013, 3:52 am
#822
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG (previously SOU and PLH)
Programs: NZ Elite, QFWP, IHG Plat, *wood Gold
Posts: 532
to clarify
I presume that I can book, LHR-PVG//SIN-SYD? making our own way with a connecting flight PVG-SIN booked separately?
I also presume that this would be the same Avios as LHR-SYD, or with a break in the journey do they add the segments together these days?
Also have assumed this is a telephone booking due to the complexity!
Anyone clarify the above?
thanks
dj
Oct 21, 2013, 4:08 am
#823
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2012
Programs: BA Gold, QF WP
Posts: 12,551
I was considering a one way redemption to SYD next year (availability permitting of course!) using 2x 241 vouchers for 4 J seats.
I presume that I can book, LHR-PVG//SIN-SYD? making our own way with a connecting flight PVG-SIN booked separately?
I also presume that this would be the same Avios as LHR-SYD, or with a break in the journey do they add the segments together these days?
I presume that I can book, LHR-PVG//SIN-SYD? making our own way with a connecting flight PVG-SIN booked separately?
I also presume that this would be the same Avios as LHR-SYD, or with a break in the journey do they add the segments together these days?
You can book LHR-PVG with a 241, or LHR-SIN, or LHR-SIN-SYD.
LHR-SYD is 100,000 avios.
LHR-PVG is 60,000 avios.
SIN-SYD is 40,000 avios.
BA charges per segment whether you have a stopover or not.
Oct 21, 2013, 4:17 am
#824
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: WLG (previously SOU and PLH)
Programs: NZ Elite, QFWP, IHG Plat, *wood Gold
Posts: 532
Looks like we will do 241 on LHR-PVG and be free to choose ow carrier for PVG-SYD and beyond on the remaining avios.
Oct 21, 2013, 5:45 am
#825
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 42,057
But, the new system is kind of cool because it doesn't force us even bother with such elaborate routings. One segment at a time is very convenient for last minute trips. In fact, I often book tickets with Avios on the way to the airport now.
For more exotic stuff, US and AA are still useful, and the former gives out miles like candy.