mike turnbull

My wife and I were thinking that it would make sense to use the above voucher on a return trip home to the UK from the US West Coast, Seattle, (particularly as it would be the typical 'red eye' flight).
Selecting off peak flights, (and ignoring the outbound flights,) BA Business Class is 62500 Avios. Using the voucher, we would be charged 32500 Avios as per Premium Economy,each, and would receive back the 30000 difference. However, BA charges are £118 in PE and £390 for Business. Avios tell me that we have to pay the Business rate. Whilst it could be argued that £390 is a reasonable price to get back home in Business, it's a bit galling to then find out that I may as well use my KLM miles and come back with Delta....Business Class with charges of under 20 Euros each. A significant difference.
Which gets me thinking...just what is the 'best' use of this voucher ? I guess we could go out to Hong Kong and return with this voucher and with no taxes involved.
Or have I missed a trick somewhere?
Just interested to know where you guys have used this voucher to the best effect.

nufnuf77

Hong Kong or Brazil if you are trying to avoid surcharges.

windowontheAside

Don't the vouchers have to be used in journeys starting in the country of issue?

Ldnn1

Not the Lloyds vouchers. Or at least, not in practice.

But in any case I understand OP is buying a LON-US return ticket using avios, and using the voucher to upgrade both pax on the inbound portion - so this is a UK issued ticket.

Worth noting that if OP were buying just the US-LON leg as a one-way, the TFC would be a lot higher. So in a sense, OP has a bargain here...

windowontheAside

Ahh, OK, thanks for the clarification.

I read it that OP is doing US-LON-US but I can see it how it could be read either way.

mike turnbull

Actually, I was quoting just a one way back, ( the voucher is valid starting anywhere, as long as it's BA metal)
I will now check round trip to see what difference the charges are.

CountryKerry

Apologies to hijack this but it was the most recent in the search bar

Is the Upgrade voucher per the calendar year or per the card anniversary year?

The terms and conditions say the former, but I just phoned Lloyds and they say it's a rolling 12 months since I opened the card and I can't have the voucher!

[I put through a 7k purchase when I got the card last August and used it last week for an 8k purchase. I haven't used it at all otherwise. Can they rewrite their conditions like this?]

George K

I've spoken to a supervisor about this just yesterday. In a nutshell, you've got 12 months to earn your voucher from the day your card is active. So if you earn it in 7 months, you get it in 7 months. As soon as you get it, any further spend on the card won't count towards another voucher. As soon as you hit 12 months (aka card anniversary month), the count resets and your spend starts counting for a fresh voucher again.

The manager used the words 'calendar year' as well, but when I inquired, it turns out she meant a rolling 12-month period, irrespective of the Gregorian (Jan to Dec) calendar. I'm afraid Lloyds seems to mean something different when they say calendar years... It caught me out too!

zanderblue

Apologies to OP for hyjacking his thread, I have another query on this topic.

I am due to trigger Lloyds upgrade voucher shortly, and I'm hoping someone can help with how best to use it.

I want to use it for two one way flights from EZE to ABZ. I understand that it must be booked on avios (not BA). Looking at avios.com if I include the domestic leg, the flights are a day later in becoming available, so I then risk the possibility of the EZE flights having been taken.

Does anyone know, if it is possible to book just EZE to LHR as soon as available online, I assume early hours of morning; and then call in to avios next day and add LHR to ABZ and apply voucher??

Open to any other suggestions that may work

Thanks in advance