BA American Express 2-4-1 Voucher Discussion
Apr 22, 2019, 6:03 am
#1441
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Apr 22, 2019, 11:59 pm
#1442
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Apr 23, 2019, 12:59 am
#1443
Join Date: Apr 2014
Programs: BAEC Gold
Posts: 397
I booked at 5am, woke up, decided to check the reward finder on the App, saw availability to NRT and HND, but preferred the timings of the NRT flight.
Apr 23, 2019, 2:40 am
#1444
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,917
So far I’ve managed to book two seats in J for LHR to NRT. I did this at 06.00, so I might try another booking at 01.00 to try for F. Otherwise I have to wait until T-355 for the return from Osaka. I guess if I can’t secure the return, I can either cancel the outbound or pay cash?
Apr 23, 2019, 3:13 am
#1445
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Worried about return
Having booked the outbound trip I’m now worried that we won’t be able to book a return but I suppose we can always cancel the outbound if that were the case, or pay.
Apr 23, 2019, 3:27 am
#1446
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,917
You can cancel the outbound for a cancellation fee of £35 per person. Regarding paying for the inbound see my post above.
Apr 23, 2019, 3:51 am
#1447
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
i) From HKG: there is generally decent availability and you will save £164pp in YQ if-and-only-if you can book the inbound in the "new" fashion: book it as a normal full-price (2x avios) one-way, then phone and have it vouchered. They'll return half the avios but won't join/reprice the booking so you'll benefit from zero ex-HKG YQ.
ii) From PEK: again better availability and it's in a lower avios band (potentially saving you enough avios for a Japan-PEK connection). You can transit-without-visa for a few days in PEK.
If you book HKG, it's in the same band so you could later switch it to Japan-LHR if availability appeared.
Apr 23, 2019, 8:07 am
#1448
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Two alternative alternative inbounds that might appeal if you don't find the seats you want:
i) From HKG: there is generally decent availability and you will save £164pp in YQ if-and-only-if you can book the inbound in the "new" fashion: book it as a normal full-price (2x avios) one-way, then phone and have it vouchered. They'll return half the avios but won't join/reprice the booking so you'll benefit from zero ex-HKG YQ.
ii) From PEK: again better availability and it's in a lower avios band (potentially saving you enough avios for a Japan-PEK connection). You can transit-without-visa for a few days in PEK.
If you book HKG, it's in the same band so you could later switch it to Japan-LHR if availability appeared.
i) From HKG: there is generally decent availability and you will save £164pp in YQ if-and-only-if you can book the inbound in the "new" fashion: book it as a normal full-price (2x avios) one-way, then phone and have it vouchered. They'll return half the avios but won't join/reprice the booking so you'll benefit from zero ex-HKG YQ.
ii) From PEK: again better availability and it's in a lower avios band (potentially saving you enough avios for a Japan-PEK connection). You can transit-without-visa for a few days in PEK.
If you book HKG, it's in the same band so you could later switch it to Japan-LHR if availability appeared.
I take your point about booking the returns online then telephoning to change from rewards to 2-4-1, but a further complication is that we’ll be on hols in Orlando so will have to work out time difference.
Apr 24, 2019, 1:59 am
#1449
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Two alternative alternative inbounds that might appeal if you don't find the seats you want:
i) From HKG: there is generally decent availability and you will save £164pp in YQ if-and-only-if you can book the inbound in the "new" fashion: book it as a normal full-price (2x avios) one-way, then phone and have it vouchered. They'll return half the avios but won't join/reprice the booking so you'll benefit from zero ex-HKG YQ.
ii) From PEK: again better availability and it's in a lower avios band (potentially saving you enough avios for a Japan-PEK connection). You can transit-without-visa for a few days in PEK.
If you book HKG, it's in the same band so you could later switch it to Japan-LHR if availability appeared.
i) From HKG: there is generally decent availability and you will save £164pp in YQ if-and-only-if you can book the inbound in the "new" fashion: book it as a normal full-price (2x avios) one-way, then phone and have it vouchered. They'll return half the avios but won't join/reprice the booking so you'll benefit from zero ex-HKG YQ.
ii) From PEK: again better availability and it's in a lower avios band (potentially saving you enough avios for a Japan-PEK connection). You can transit-without-visa for a few days in PEK.
If you book HKG, it's in the same band so you could later switch it to Japan-LHR if availability appeared.
Another question, if booking return from Hong Kong, which FF miles can be used between Osaka and HK, or is it best to pay? Possibly VS?
Last edited by botham; Apr 24, 2019 at 2:25 am Reason: Found glossary
Apr 24, 2019, 2:45 am
#1450
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
Yes fuel surcharge: if you try a dummy booking HKG-LHR you'll see the fees are only £34.
You can use avios for KIX-HKG on Cathay, 20k+£41 in biz or 10k in economy: you'll have to weigh that against a cash fare. Cathay operate a longhaul business class on the 4hr flight i believe.
That said, unless HKG actually appeals, if you are in Orlando I'm struggling to see why you wouldn't make your first choice snagging the inbound from KIX at 1am BST = 8pm Orlando time, then calling BAEC UK the next morning (8am Orlando) to have it vouchered. (I forgot that Japan also has low YQ: from there the fees are £75pp so the HKG benefit is modest.)
You can use avios for KIX-HKG on Cathay, 20k+£41 in biz or 10k in economy: you'll have to weigh that against a cash fare. Cathay operate a longhaul business class on the 4hr flight i believe.
That said, unless HKG actually appeals, if you are in Orlando I'm struggling to see why you wouldn't make your first choice snagging the inbound from KIX at 1am BST = 8pm Orlando time, then calling BAEC UK the next morning (8am Orlando) to have it vouchered. (I forgot that Japan also has low YQ: from there the fees are £75pp so the HKG benefit is modest.)
Apr 24, 2019, 2:55 am
#1451
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver (for now)
Posts: 1,000
My AMEX account is showing that I have hit the spend and therefore qualified for the voucher.
How long will it take to show on my BA account? Can I proactively contact BA earlier to make a booking?
How long will it take to show on my BA account? Can I proactively contact BA earlier to make a booking?
Apr 24, 2019, 3:00 am
#1452
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Apr 24, 2019, 3:23 am
#1453
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Apr 24, 2019, 3:25 am
#1454
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Dorchester, Dorset UK
Programs: BA Gold, BMI, ANA, HH Blue, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,063
Yes fuel surcharge: if you try a dummy booking HKG-LHR you'll see the fees are only £34.
You can use avios for KIX-HKG on Cathay, 20k+£41 in biz or 10k in economy: you'll have to weigh that against a cash fare. Cathay operate a longhaul business class on the 4hr flight i believe.
That said, unless HKG actually appeals, if you are in Orlando I'm struggling to see why you wouldn't make your first choice snagging the inbound from KIX at 1am BST = 8pm Orlando time, then calling BAEC UK the next morning (8am Orlando) to have it vouchered. (I forgot that Japan also has low YQ: from there the fees are £75pp so the HKG benefit is modest.)
You can use avios for KIX-HKG on Cathay, 20k+£41 in biz or 10k in economy: you'll have to weigh that against a cash fare. Cathay operate a longhaul business class on the 4hr flight i believe.
That said, unless HKG actually appeals, if you are in Orlando I'm struggling to see why you wouldn't make your first choice snagging the inbound from KIX at 1am BST = 8pm Orlando time, then calling BAEC UK the next morning (8am Orlando) to have it vouchered. (I forgot that Japan also has low YQ: from there the fees are £75pp so the HKG benefit is modest.)
Apr 24, 2019, 3:29 am
#1455
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 8
Oops
Last edited by spaninan; Apr 24, 2019 at 3:43 am Reason: Posted in wrong thread