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Best way to extend avios beyond the 36 months-period

Best way to extend avios beyond the 36 months-period

Old Oct 12, 2017, 9:57 am
  #1  
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Best way to extend avios beyond the 36 months-period

Hey,

I was checking the other forums but could not really find an answer to my particular question. I am just a few months short of the 36 months since my last transaction, so my avios are about to expire. Since I have around 150k avios, I am desperately trying to keep them for later use. Any recommendations on what is the best/cheapest way to keep them? I am based in Germany, if that matters and wont have any time to redeem for flights before the 36 months end...

Thanks in advance!
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 9:59 am
  #2  
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You just need to book, not travel, before the 36 months end. Can you not do this?

Otherwise the easiest way is to buy something over 1€ in the e-store, but it can take a while to (hopefully) post. The surefire way is to buy 1,000 Avios.
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 10:00 am
  #3  
 
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does buying something through the online shopping platform work to extend the validity?
or is this not an option in Germany?
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 10:09 am
  #4  
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A quick top-up by buying 1000 Avios was suggested, and I agree. If the OP has a future use for Avios (and a 150k balance isn't exactly huge by many standards), I woukd take that safe route.

NB: I have never used e-store.
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 10:10 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by nic14691
Hey,

I was checking the other forums but could not really find an answer to my particular question. I am just a few months short of the 36 months since my last transaction, so my avios are about to expire. Since I have around 150k avios, I am desperately trying to keep them for later use. Any recommendations on what is the best/cheapest way to keep them? I am based in Germany, if that matters and wont have any time to redeem for flights before the 36 months end...

Thanks in advance!
Any hotel stays or car rentals in your immediate future?
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 10:29 am
  #6  
 
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Would not transfering points from another program (such as Hilton Honours) count as activity?


If the Ops has some orphaned points this may be a good use of them.
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...s-expiry-rules
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 10:45 am
  #7  
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Have a look at this thread:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...os-points.html
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 11:50 am
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Originally Posted by nic14691
Hey,

I was checking the other forums but could not really find an answer to my particular question. I am just a few months short of the 36 months since my last transaction, so my avios are about to expire. Since I have around 150k avios, I am desperately trying to keep them for later use. Any recommendations on what is the best/cheapest way to keep them? I am based in Germany, if that matters and wont have any time to redeem for flights before the 36 months end...

Thanks in advance!
The info on this old offer and current partners suggests that you can collect a few Avios at the Chic Outlet Wertheim Village near Frankfurt, although the don't list BA as a partner on their own page.

If its the same process as in UK Bicester village (where the site does list BA) you have to go the customer service desk to do the credit, so you could ask if they can credit to BA before shopping.

I wasn't very interested in many of the clothing brands that Bicester has, but the Le Cruset shop had some handy pan mats for mashing spuds on for a few GBP .

Last edited by EsherFlyer; Oct 12, 2017 at 11:55 am
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 12:08 pm
  #9  
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Originally Posted by nic14691
Since I have around 150k avios, I am desperately trying to keep them for later use. Any recommendations on what is the best/cheapest way to keep them?
You could just book an off-peak short-haul award ticket on a route that has very low taxes etc: 4,000 Avios plus the cash element. Even if you don't fly it, you'll have reset the clock.
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 5:54 pm
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Originally Posted by Worcester
Would not transfering points from another program (such as Hilton Honours) count as activity?


If the Ops has some orphaned points this may be a good use of them.
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...s-expiry-rules
Anything except Combine my avios counts as activity
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 6:25 pm
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A hotel stay or car rental would do the trick.
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Old Oct 12, 2017, 7:14 pm
  #12  
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I've run into a similar problem although it's qualifying for RFS rates rather than through inactivity...although the wife would disagree with the latter.

I had transferred some Club Carlson points I had lying about to BAEC a couple of months ago but as per usual they haven't posted. If CC don't sort it out soon I'm just going to buy 1000 Avios rather than faff about using other methods. It'll save me money in the long run so I'm not really bothered having to do it.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 3:17 am
  #13  
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HIDDY has made a valid point that is not oft mentioned here on this forum, because most of you are frequent, rather than occasional, flyers. As I understand it, if you have no activity within a 12 month period then you cannot book RFS (Reward Flight Saver) awards. You have to have at least one previous activity within the last 12 months. Otherwise it's normal priced awards, not a good deal in Europe. Now, I'm not sure if it has to be a flight activity or if any activity will do.

I am in the same position as the OP, here in Germany, and I am not a great user of BA or oneworld in general. Now that AB has gone it's pretty much Star Alliance all the way for me now. But I do manage to complete a couple of activities during the year and that keeps my BAEC account ticking over. I think buying the Avios is the best way for the OP. But maybe hang on to see if a purchase bonus comes along before your expiry date. If it was me, and, say, a 30% purchase bonus turned up, I would splash and get 10,000 (+3,000) just to top up the account.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 9:32 am
  #14  
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Originally Posted by HIDDY
I've run into a similar problem although it's qualifying for RFS rates rather than through inactivity...although the wife would disagree with the latter.

I had transferred some Club Carlson points I had lying about to BAEC a couple of months ago but as per usual they haven't posted. If CC don't sort it out soon I'm just going to buy 1000 Avios rather than faff about using other methods. It'll save me money in the long run so I'm not really bothered having to do it.
Are you a resident of one of those countries where Rewards for Thoughts surveys are offered? I had a similar lack-of-recent-earnings problem last year that prevented me from booking an RFS. One Rewards for Thoughts survey fixed that -- the points posted within a week, or so.
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Old Oct 13, 2017, 9:51 am
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Originally Posted by Concerto
I am in the same position as the OP, here in Germany...
Maybe one of the other Chic Outlet's can help?
  • Wertheim Village near Frankfurt
  • Ingolstadt Village near Munich
  • Maasmechelen Village near Cologne and Brussels
  • Bicester Village near London
  • Kildare Village near Dublin
  • La Valle Village near Paris
  • Fidenza Village between Milan and Bologna
  • La Roca Village near Barcelona
  • Las Rozas Village near Madrid
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