HarryKUK

Yep you're probably right. Currently I have:

Already booked:
LHR-SJO return via MAD in Y (60TPs)
LHR-NYC return (0TPs due to redemption)

Book throughout the year
LHR-LBA return approx ten times (100 TPs)

Planned trips to be booked after the summer:
LHR-BOM return, probably in W (180 TPs)
LHR-BKK with QR, probably in lowest Y (80TPs)

That's still only 420 TPs.

Other option is to book some flights in F on US/AS while I am in the U.S., possibly to Boston or Miami, and boost the points that way. I was really hoping to hit Gold helped by a TP run this summer but due to various reasons it hasn't worked out. Planning to do DUB-HNL at the very beginning of next years TP year (so July 2016) so I am Gold for almost two years after that.

ENTP

In that case there might not be much point renewing Silver this year if you'll hit Gold in your first couple of trips soon after you've dropped to Bronze?

HarryKUK

Yeah I guess I was thinking just for the bonus Avios, especially with such a long trip. But since the difference is only 25% I guess it would probably be cheaper just to buy the extra Avios (if I even need them) than to spend more money on getting Silver.

I won't chase Silver this year then, but if it happens it happens. Don't feel as bad about booking a redemption for NY now, I was in two minds due to the loss of TP accrual but the difference in cost to a paid ticket was over treble!

windowontheAside

Apologies if I have missed this somewhere upthread, but is there an easy way to calculate UUA costs in Avios now?

Just been docked 30,000 for UUA WT+ to CW from JNB-LHR on a peak date. Had it in mind from somewhere it would be 25k. They may well be right but I can't see how to check it.

Flythe96flag

Isn't UUA cost in Avios now the difference between the cost of redemption for the higher and lower cabin? Assuming so, you could price up the Avios cost for a pure redemption in each cabin on a peak date and then do the math, I think.

windowontheAside

Am I being stupid? Where on the award calculator do you specify if it's peak or off-peak?

corporate-wage-slave

Well there is a banner on your linked page effectively washing their hands of having to do the sums for you, which is unfortunate to say the least. However I've always followed this:

Trouble with CPT is that CW availability is somewhat thin on the ground, but luckily there are a few peak days in April which allows us to work it out:

So CW peak is 75k, WTP peak is 50k so delta is 25k (which is what you thought).

Off peak however is 30k: CW offpeak=62.5k, WTP offpeak=32.5k, delta 30k.

However there is an easier way! It's all here in FT, zone 6:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...os-2015-a.html

This assumes non stop to CPT, Comair links from JNB change the maths by not having a WTP cabin AND having different potential approaches to peak / off peak days given the overnight flight.

windowontheAside

Thanks for that c-w-s. From a quick check it seems the numbers hold for JNB-LHR too, which means I think I've been overcharged. There shouldn't be any quibble on the date, because although it's overnight it crosses two peak dates. So I make that 25k, instead of the 30k deducted from my account.

Let's see what BA says...

FlyerTalker688786

I always thought tier bonus was based on base avios you earned from flying. But I just had one flight credited. I earned 25% base avios from booking class but the tier bonus is double the base avios at 50% rate. If this is the whole change thing then it is not too bad. Can anyone confirm the tier bonus is based on flight miles rather than accurate miles? It seemed to be the former from my last flight!

headingwest

Hi chongcao. Yes, that's the case.

For example if you booked a domestic flight in 'O' class from EDI-LHR, you'd get 25% of 500 (the minimum miles that can be earnt in full Y), which is 125 Avios. Plus, as a Silver member you'd get a Tier bonus of 50% of the 500, so another 250 Avios. Total of 375 Avios.

Admittedly, for Gold members the new earnings are not much less than before the changes. Of course Tier Points are another matter!

duo

I can't see any improvement in availability. Probs worse now for business as First is now totally out of reach for most.

corporate-wage-slave

Not sure I understand "flight" versus "accurate" miles, there is a table of mileage BA uses, you can find it in High Life magazine, and it works off that. Sometimes drops 1 mile in one direction verus the other (OSL, DLM).

However there have been comments elsewhere in FT about how the Avios reduction was actually not as bad as first portrayed, particularly if Gold or above, since the Tier Bonus remains 100% of the mileage. So I and other FTers were thinking that the Euro shorthaul minima, which was 1,000 TPs, would be decimated by the change, but in reality I'm still getting 625 or 750 Avios. Furthermore, with the bonus promotional scheme, where you sign up for an extra 500 Avios or so, means I'm actually earning similar or more Avios now.

Also on LGW services the higher fare buckets are still quite cheap, so it is sometimes worth paying a few pounds more to get out of QOG.

Rather less fun if you are Silver though. They would have gone from the 1,000 minima down to 375.

headingwest

I must admit that I was one of those that thought the new earnings would be absolutely abysmal because I incorrectly assumed that the Tier Bonus would be based an the actual Avios awarded for the fare class, i.e. on a domestic flight, 125 base Avios for the class plus 50% of the 125 Avios (being 63) - to make the total only 188 Avios.

Luckily, as pointed out by others at the time, I was incorrect!

So earnings for Silvers and Golds are not quite as bad, but the problem is that you now need a massive amount of Avios for some upgrades.

What is quite good is that the new off-peak rates are quite attractive on certain flights.

FlyerTalker6245

For me the biggest loss was domestic connections on RFS, and this has absolutely decimated the value of them, and indeed avios for me.

With near impossible longhaul availability, the decent value shorthaul made me value my avios.

Whilst the earning rate has dropped, I've not burned a single avios point since the changes went live and I can't see it happening any time soon. A real shame.

headingwest

Yes andset1191, I've got to agree with you there. The removal of the free domestic sector was BA's biggest mistake, it's really unfair in my opinion. How can they expect people from the regions to even try and earn Avios when they have to use a large chunk of them just to connect onto another flight. BA should have thought that one through.