Wadge

Not sure if it is already a well known phenomena here or it is only happening to me but in recent years I find it hard each time to burn my AVIOS balance. Basically I dont see point of using them for purchasing tickets, only value I can see in them is an upgrade. However, as I am privileged to travel Club or First no point using them either for upgrades. It would come handy when I want to use them for private travel but basically one overseas return ticket costs the same as an AVIOS ticket. What the heck?

I have now an exact example for this rant. Booked 2 return tickets for the same time between VIE and AMM for AVIOS with Royal Jordanian, cost is 40,000 AVIOS and then EUR550. As AVIOS pays the fare part, I beleive the tax as EUR550 for 2 people, right?

Then later I realized the bloody cash ticket for 2 is only EUR574!!!! only 25 euros more and the breakdown says FARE EUR382, TAX EUR192....


1. Why should I pay EUR25 less for 40,000 AVIOS?
2. If tax is really EUR 192 for 2 people on this route, why is it EUR 550 with AVIOS payment?

Seriously, this is a rip-off... what's the point here? Is this common practice now or I ran into some fare anomaly here, or else, I can say goodbye to this frequent flyer programme?

sts603

BA charges both the tax and the carrier surcharge (previously known as fuel surcharge, also known as YQ) on revenue tickets. Not all airline do this and BA's charges are the highest in the world.

It effects the value of Avios and the logic of when to use them.

It doesn't mean Avios are worthless. It just means the calculus on their value and when to use them varies.

Every FFP has pros and cons.

And this is fully disclosed. So it doesn't really qualify as a "rip off" though I certainly understand why you are surprised.

Wadge

So what is the best strategy then to use them? When or how? I am really struggling burning my balance but at least they dont expire. However, I am awaiting the day when they change the T&C again and inflate my assets.

V10

I'm guessing that at that sort of cost, this is an economy class ticket.

It's very often not a good use of Avios to use them for economy redemptions. Save them for long haul premium travel or short haul Reward Flight Saver tickets within Europe.

DYKWIA

Use them for Club or First redemptions what travelling privately. Or buy a WT+/J ticket and upgrade to J/F.

Oh, and AVIOS do expire after 36 months with no account activity. So, be careful!!!

gcuk

Hi Wadge. As you travel Club World or First as the norm, I really wouldn't be using Avios for economy long haul. It wouldn't be a good experience. As others have mentioned, economy is appalling value using avios. I use my Avios for holiday WT+ or CW reward flights and increasingly, Reward Flight Saver bookings around Europe. My last one was something like 8000 avios+£35 return against a cash cost of over £400.

jeffers

Whilst I understand occasionally the charges look huge, I just secured 2xF seats LHR-AUS (with 2-4-1 voucher) for under 400 quid each +100k. I think thats a fantastic value for a 10h premium cabin flight.

As @sts says above, you just gotta use them wisely.

Wadge

Wow, yeah, it sounds good indeed.

Yes, it is an economy fare ticket. VIE and AMM is 3.5 hours only, I can stand on one leg for such a route so business class doesnt bring in much value here.

I had to fly once WT to the East Coast, I was worried too about the experience but survived it. However, if the tax of the Avios ticket equals to a proper but Economy ticket paid that even brings in Avios then what? Of course on a very long route like HKG or SFO I want to lay back and sleep properly, thats the real value for me in Club or First. Not the bling-bling around it.

BAAZ

Don't forget that EUR 574 is the cheapest economy class ticket and is I assume not flexible, or not as flexible as your 40,000 Avios plus EUR 550 ticket. So you should be comparing a more expensive economy class ticket (i.e. with more flexible conditions) which I'm guessing will cost more than EUR 574.

That said, as others have pointed out, using Avios for long-haul (AMM counts as long-haul) economy travel is not sensible. Use them for long-haul J or F; short-haul in any class (because then you only pay £35 in addition to your Avios); or upgrades.

Oxon Flyer

Always helps, if it's not one's FT profile, to state the starting location, otherwise it's difficult to advise when we don't know where 'overseas' is. @:-)

rossmacd

NEVER use Avios for longhaul economy. You've just found out why

Use Avios for Reward Flight Saver fares in and around Europe, or my preferred routes of CX/MH in Asia and AA in North America, where you can achieve fantastic value.

Failing that, give all you Avois to me and I'll spend them

TheJayHatch

I've recently discovered the delight of breaking open non-reward seats for low-availability reward flights. Price for family of 5 to the alps in February half term was (I think) about £2700. However for only (again, from memory) 18,000 avios (double the usual reward price) plus £35 each we are all going at convenient times on non-reward seats. If you are Avios heavy then this, in my view, is of such huge value. I even had Mrs TJH smile (despitet he fact she hates skiing...)

adrianlondon

I love my avios - I use 8000-9000 for a return flight BSL-LHR about once a month.

Compared to the cost of buying the flight, I seem to save about £150-£200 each time on average. Fees on a return come to about £35.

rossmacd

This is a very good use of Avios, and usually (as a Gold) I can book a flight in as little as an hours notice (not so much from ZRH, but almost certainly from BSL).

irishguy28

If you want to be able to cancel the tickets for a nominal fee. You won't be able to cancel your cash ticket.

There are "sweet spots" for redemption, but if a non-refundable cash ticket from VIE to AMM is what you need, then use cash rather than Avios, and use the Avios in ways that make more sense.