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-   -   Your guide to spending Avios [Beta] (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1379276-your-guide-spending-avios-beta.html)

Globaliser Nov 1, 2012 12:44 pm


Originally Posted by Taggsflyer (Post 19605692)
I want to book a World Traveller fare then UuA, but all I'm offered online is Q class, or other classes at exhorbitant flexible fares. How do I book a Y B or H fare so I can upgrade?

Log in to your BAEC account. When you search for economy fares using the pod on the left hand side of the BAEC welcome page, select the radio button for "Lowest price (earning full Tier Points)". You should find that the quote will be for the H class fare, if there is availability; or else the B fare or the Y fare.

You may also find that the price of the H fare falls well within your description of "exorbitant flexible fares" in any event.

stifle Nov 1, 2012 3:08 pm


Originally Posted by Taggsflyer (Post 19605692)
Fascinating stuff... I want to book a World Traveller fare then UuA, but all I'm offered online is Q class, or other classes at exhorbitant flexible fares. How do I book a Y B or H fare so I can upgrade?

Thanks

Ian

You don't. A T fare (cheapest WTP) will normally come in cheaper than a H fare.

Taggsflyer Nov 1, 2012 3:39 pm

But I need an open-jaw (E/W coast USA) and that option is not available on the "multi-city" booking page. And if I try to book 2 one-ways the price sky-rockets.

Globaliser Nov 1, 2012 4:49 pm


Originally Posted by Taggsflyer (Post 19607086)
But I need an open-jaw (E/W coast USA) and that option is not available on the "multi-city" booking page.

Then you will have to phone to do this. You can do the upgrading at the same time, if there is availability.

You can get the price of the underlying WT ticket in advance by using a free tool like matrix.itasoftware.com; the routing code you need for both directions is "ba /f bc=h|bc=b|bc=y" (without the quotation marks, obviously).

Don't forget that when you upgrade to WT+, there will be more taxes and more fuel surcharge to pay, so there is an additional cash element as well as the miles/Avios to pay.

stifle Nov 2, 2012 12:03 pm


Originally Posted by Taggsflyer (Post 19607086)
But I need an open-jaw (E/W coast USA) and that option is not available on the "multi-city" booking page. And if I try to book 2 one-ways the price sky-rockets.

Have you checked whether booking a WT+ cash fare is cheaper than this upgrade method?

chicago_guy Nov 2, 2012 10:21 pm


Originally Posted by Raffles (Post 19554931)
It is allowed with the UK Amex, so presumably also allowed with the Chase voucher.

The two cities need to be in the same Avios zone, but that is the only restriction. You cannot, for eg, do London-New York and return SFO-London because those are different zones. You can do LON-NYC and BOS-LON.

Needs to be booked on the phone, though.

Thanks for the response :)

penzance30 Nov 4, 2012 8:09 am

Spending 89,000 BA avios points
 
I now reside in Spain so can no longer collect Avios via AmEx BA card and it seems my Avios will run out within 36 mths. Should I open an Avios account with a bogus uk address and transfer my BA Avios to it. Seems they have more non travel offers, wine, hotels etc. Any advice would be appreciated thanks.

Globaliser Nov 4, 2012 9:18 am

Welcome to FT, penzance30!

Originally Posted by penzance30 (Post 19621433)
I now reside in Spain so can no longer collect Avios via AmEx BA card and it seems my Avios will run out within 36 mths.

If you're intending to redeem your Avios for flights, you need only to work into your travel plans one paid (and earning) short-haul flight every three years to keep all of your miles/Avios alive indefinitely.

avios.com also has a 3-year expiry. And ISTR that transferring Avios from BAEC to avios.com or vice versa does not reset any current expiry dates.

penzance30 Nov 4, 2012 9:34 am

Spending 89,000 BA avios points
 
Thanks Globaliser for your reply. I am retired and dont fly very much now, BA and Iberia only have a couple of flights from Alicante and the taxes, charges on long haul seem expensive. Was thinking just to cash in and spend a few nights in a really posh hotel. What do you think? :confused:

stifle Nov 4, 2012 1:57 pm

Using Avios for hotels is generally considered a poor choice, but on the other hand, if you've genuinely got nothing else you can spend them on, might as well I suppose.

penzance30 Nov 4, 2012 2:18 pm

Spending 89,000 BA avios points
 
I can no longer earn Avios with my Am Ex BA Card as I live in Spain, I need to earn at least 1 avios in a year to redeem a reward flight to europe, so it seems I have not choice :td:

Globaliser Nov 5, 2012 2:50 am


Originally Posted by penzance30 (Post 19623280)
I need to earn at least 1 avios in a year to redeem a reward flight to europe ...

This isn't the case. As long as you have miles/Avios in your account, you can redeem them for flights to Europe and elsewhere (providing you've got enough miles/Avios, of course).

If you haven't recently earned any miles/Avios, what you miss out on is Reward Flight Saver, which cuts down the cash component of the award ticket on shorthaul flights.

If you're not going to be doing much travelling, you may still be able to earn small amounts of Avios to keep your account alive and/or to qualify you for Reward Flight Saver. Try these threads, for example:-
  • [*]
  • [*]

flibbly Nov 5, 2012 4:52 am

If you are now living in Spain, is there not a similar Avios earning credit card available with Iberia? You can freely move Avios between your BA and Iberia accounts (once your Iberia account has been open for three months I believe)

PETERPNYC Nov 5, 2012 5:27 am


Originally Posted by Globaliser (Post 19625922)
This isn't the case. As long as you have miles/Avios in your account, you can redeem them for flights to Europe and elsewhere (providing you've got enough miles/Avios, of course).

If you haven't recently earned any miles/Avios, what you miss out on is Reward Flight Saver, which cuts down the cash component of the award ticket on shorthaul flights.

If you're not going to be doing much travelling, you may still be able to earn small amounts of Avios to keep your account alive and/or to qualify you for Reward Flight Saver. Try these threads, for example:-
  • [*]
  • [*]


I transfered 70 K AMEX MR for 50% bonus into existing Avios account and now have a total of 161K

Original thought was I was goong to use for NYC ATH BA F but have reconsidered that .

Any smart way to use the Avios EXE ATH except for London which I am in no
Rush to run back to.

If not i will someday bite the bullet and follow thru with my original F BA NYC LHR ATH and get killed with surcharges.

Mennix Nov 12, 2012 2:05 pm

Have a paid booking DUS-LHR-LAX on BA CW. On the outbond long haul there are still 7 seats in F available, on the way back still 6 seats. Any of you guys know, if, and if yes, when BA will open this space for Avios upgrades?


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