TomK81

Morning all!

After a fair few years of not doing much in the way of airline programmes I have recently started [along with the better half] to try and get some rewards with BA.

So now got 3 main avenues with with BA Amex Premium Plus, BA Exec Club and Avios.

Hoping to hit the magic �10k spend soon on the Amex for the companion voucher but trying to boost the Avios too!

Hope to find some tips and tricks here!

Currently also using Shell and Teco Clubcard to boost up Avios but any other tips would be useful!

Thanks.
Tom.

T8191

A warm welcome to FT, Sir.

You sound as though you've already identified the "route to the loot". I guess you've possibly also found the massive database of tips and tricks at http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ad-sticky.html

BingBongBoy

Hello...

johnaalex

Welcome Tom.

As you mention "the better half", have you considered a Household Account (HHA)? Also be warned that earning Avios can be easier than spending them, do not get to disillusioned by other messgaes complaing about lack of seats when trying to use Avios, but be prepared to be flexible and book as early as possible.

sigma421

Welcome along! I'm sure you'll have a great time . Do you know about upgrading using Avios? This allows you to upgrade from World Traveller Plus to Club World for only 12,500 Avios a sector which is a great value way to redeem

pauldb

Hi Tom,

2 tips that come to mind: other Amex cards and more Tesco.

Amex: if you can put more than �10k per year on Amex, rather than carry on spending on the BA card you can take out others, with generous welcome bonuses. Normally there are several to choose from but there's now a lull with only one worthwhile: the Gold Rewards card is free (for the first yr) and gets you 20k points = 20k Avios for spending �2000 in 3 months. Just ensure this fits with your BA �10k target.

Might I suggest you apply for the Gold card in your other-half's name. In future you can double-dip by referring each other for cards (for your own Gold or Platinum if/when there's a worthwhile bonus offered: one of you gets a bonus for referring, the other a bonus for signing-up, but one of you need a Membership Rewards cards first). If you get a Plat, it may be more useful in your name than hers, hence why you may commence with a Gold in her name (all miles ending up in one pot thanks to HHAs).

[If you wish, you can get referred by me or someone else for the Gold card for a slightly better bonus.]

Tesco: as well as the simple earning premiss, do familiarise yourself with linked-in opportunities. For example, have you spotted the Topcashback link-up that will earn you about 10k Avios for just a little effort.

TomK81

Thanks everyone!
Yes we have got the BA exec household account setup.
Also just regiestered for top cash back and got my 30 day trial at love film. Will put some more effort into that over the next week, just referred the wife too!

Hoping to try and get the companion voucher for a trip to Dallas in October for a friends wedding, is there a way to check reward flights before I get the voucher?
Would I be able to upgrade from WT+ with the 12.5k avios per sector if using the companion voucher first? Or would it have to be full revenue tickets?

Also what about linking Amex to an paypal account for using when merchants don't take Amex? How is this charged as don't want to get cash advance charges?

pauldb

Yes you can search before you have the miles, just search for two seats in Club or First as you require. Fortunately for you availability to Dallas (or Houston) is quite good as far as I know.

If you book WT+ with cash you can upgrade for 12.5k per person per sector. This has nothing to do with the voucher- upgrade is per person.

If you only have 75k you can book WT+ for two with the voucher, then upgrade to Club when you have the miles, if there is availability. Then it's 12.5k per sector for the pair of you. You have to pay offline change fees to do this. If it doesn't work out and you travel in WT+ it's not great use of your miles+voucher, better to go straight for Club if you can. If 100k is out of reach this time, consider doing the cash WT+, upgrade with miles (50k) this time and use your voucher later (more miles required of course!)

Yes, use paypal with merchants who don't take Amex - it will hit your cardas a purchase if it's a normal purchase (just be wary of gambling/forex/such-like).

dunk

Welcome TomK81

All redemption, upgrade (UUA) and 241 bookings come from the same reward inventory, so you can try a standard Avios booking on ba.com at any time. If seats are available you can book them using either method.

You certainly can use the 241 for UUA but you'll still have to stump up for additional taxes, fees and fuel surcharges. Look at the difference between the 'extras' components for cash WT+ and CW bookings for an idea of how much this might be.

Another source of earning info is Raffles' excellent blog http://www.headforpoints.com/.

hth

pauldb

In what way?

Yahillwe

Welcome to the forum, can only welcome you but offer no wise advice. Others have already done so.

TomK81

Well it certainly looks like I got a lot of reading/research to do!

Now time to sign up for some life assurance with Tesco! ;-)

TomK81

If I book onto a AA flight to Dallas in Economy given that there is no premium economy how does that bode for upgrading to business using avios?

pauldb

You can only upgrade flexible economy fares (in the case of AA that's Y and B classes). If don't need the flexibility, you'll probably find AA's Y/B fares are higher than BA's non-flex WT+ fares.

So the AA option costs more cash and twice the Avios of the BA option. Nice try though!

TomK81

So probably the most effective way for a LHR-DAL is using 2-4-1 on WT+ and then upgrading using avios?