Your guide to spending Avios | 2018 edition
Nov 26, 2018, 4:57 am
#586
Join Date: Aug 2018
Location: CCR
Programs: BAEC, IHG, Nandos
Posts: 51
Hello all,
I was looking through this thread to try and find out if BAEC status relating to baggage allowance works when booking an avios ticket.
I will be Silver when fly, and wanted to know if can take the two 32kg bags (lots of ski gear) on a redemption booking, as I thought the baggage allowance of Silver does not apply when booking HBO cheapest fares, so wanted to check whether it did for avios tickets too?
Thanks!
I was looking through this thread to try and find out if BAEC status relating to baggage allowance works when booking an avios ticket.
I will be Silver when fly, and wanted to know if can take the two 32kg bags (lots of ski gear) on a redemption booking, as I thought the baggage allowance of Silver does not apply when booking HBO cheapest fares, so wanted to check whether it did for avios tickets too?
Thanks!
Nov 26, 2018, 5:12 am
#587
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
Hello all,
I was looking through this thread to try and find out if BAEC status relating to baggage allowance works when booking an avios ticket.
I will be Silver when fly, and wanted to know if can take the two 32kg bags (lots of ski gear) on a redemption booking, as I thought the baggage allowance of Silver does not apply when booking HBO cheapest fares, so wanted to check whether it did for avios tickets too?
Thanks!
I was looking through this thread to try and find out if BAEC status relating to baggage allowance works when booking an avios ticket.
I will be Silver when fly, and wanted to know if can take the two 32kg bags (lots of ski gear) on a redemption booking, as I thought the baggage allowance of Silver does not apply when booking HBO cheapest fares, so wanted to check whether it did for avios tickets too?
Thanks!
Nov 28, 2018, 6:07 am
#588
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 1
I've tried searching the thread so apologies if this is already covered. Under the old Avios scheme you could browse what activities and experiences were available by Avios cost, they were all set out in categories etc so you could see what you could afford and what was out of your price range.
After much faffing about, all I can seem to do is to pick a random date and location and hope that something comes up, it doesn't seem very user friendly. I spoke to BA and they just said "Here's a guide to how to spend your points" which still didn't let me browse what experiences I could do... there used to be stuff on there like driving days that were down as "Multiple locations" so you could choose what you wanted to do and see which one was nearest to you. At the moment it's just guesswork as you don't know what days they run on when you input your date range and where they are geographically when you enter your airport.
After much faffing about, all I can seem to do is to pick a random date and location and hope that something comes up, it doesn't seem very user friendly. I spoke to BA and they just said "Here's a guide to how to spend your points" which still didn't let me browse what experiences I could do... there used to be stuff on there like driving days that were down as "Multiple locations" so you could choose what you wanted to do and see which one was nearest to you. At the moment it's just guesswork as you don't know what days they run on when you input your date range and where they are geographically when you enter your airport.
Nov 28, 2018, 6:48 am
#589
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,709
I've tried searching the thread so apologies if this is already covered. Under the old Avios scheme you could browse what activities and experiences were available by Avios cost, they were all set out in categories etc so you could see what you could afford and what was out of your price range.
After much faffing about, all I can seem to do is to pick a random date and location and hope that something comes up, it doesn't seem very user friendly. I spoke to BA and they just said "Here's a guide to how to spend your points" which still didn't let me browse what experiences I could do... there used to be stuff on there like driving days that were down as "Multiple locations" so you could choose what you wanted to do and see which one was nearest to you. At the moment it's just guesswork as you don't know what days they run on when you input your date range and where they are geographically when you enter your airport.
After much faffing about, all I can seem to do is to pick a random date and location and hope that something comes up, it doesn't seem very user friendly. I spoke to BA and they just said "Here's a guide to how to spend your points" which still didn't let me browse what experiences I could do... there used to be stuff on there like driving days that were down as "Multiple locations" so you could choose what you wanted to do and see which one was nearest to you. At the moment it's just guesswork as you don't know what days they run on when you input your date range and where they are geographically when you enter your airport.
Nov 30, 2018, 5:09 pm
#590
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 49
In the case of Economy redemptions excluding special destinations like Brazil, Nigeria does this mean Silver and Gold have the same allowance of 2x 32kg?
Nov 30, 2018, 6:20 pm
#591
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: UK
Programs: Mucci, BA, AF
Posts: 10,128
Correct and correct.
Dec 1, 2018, 2:48 am
#592
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: BAEC Silver
Posts: 211
I currently have a LHR-DFW return booked in F using Avios. I need to change the outbound to YYZ but as it's in a different zone the agent said I would need to make a new booking. LHR-YYZ is available but DFW isn't. I can keep the booking and fly to, say, AUS but it would mean an extra connecting flight to YYZ which is a pain.
Are there any tricks I'm missing? Thanks.
Are there any tricks I'm missing? Thanks.
Dec 1, 2018, 4:44 am
#593
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
I currently have a LHR-DFW return booked in F using Avios. I need to change the outbound to YYZ but as it's in a different zone the agent said I would need to make a new booking. LHR-YYZ is available but DFW isn't. I can keep the booking and fly to, say, AUS but it would mean an extra connecting flight to YYZ which is a pain.
Are there any tricks I'm missing? Thanks.
Are there any tricks I'm missing? Thanks.
It might perhaps be an option to ask if you could change if you were willing to forfeit the avios difference. I vaguely recall a discussion that one could make such a change to the inbound, after the outbound had been commenced, but there would be no refund.
Dec 7, 2018, 10:29 am
#595
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: AS Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Starriott LTPP
Posts: 341
Upgrade with Avios
Hi everyone! Could use help on a last minute revenue booking I'm about to make. I did a search and didn't find this in the guide or comments.
I am traveling USA-LHR-USA. For various timing and fare reasons, my outbound needs to be on AA, but I can book into BA on the return since upgrade chance could be better.
I am planning to book through a travel agent because I want to mix fares (premium economy on return, economy on outbound).
I am traveling USA-LHR-USA. For various timing and fare reasons, my outbound needs to be on AA, but I can book into BA on the return since upgrade chance could be better.
I am planning to book through a travel agent because I want to mix fares (premium economy on return, economy on outbound).
- Does the BA flight also need to be issued on BA ticket stock, in addition to being marketed and operated by BA?
- If the answer to Q1 is "yes," any advice on how I can get this round-trip fare on BA ticket (booking 2 one-ways is prohibitively expensive). Also, it might be helpful to update the guide post if the flight needs to be ticketed by BA in addition to marketing & metal.
Last edited by soartoday; Dec 7, 2018 at 10:42 am
Dec 7, 2018, 11:26 am
#596
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
I am planning to book through a travel agent because I want to mix fares (premium economy on return, economy on outbound).
- Does the BA flight also need to be issued on BA ticket stock, in addition to being marketed and operated by BA?
- If the answer to Q1 is "yes," any advice on how I can get this round-trip fare on BA ticket (booking 2 one-ways is prohibitively expensive). Also, it might be helpful to update the guide post if the flight needs to be ticketed by BA in addition to marketing & metal.
Important:
UuAs can only be applied to tickets issued on 125 stock. In other words tickets issued by BA or BA registered travel agents with ticket numbers beginning 125. Tickets sold by Iberia and American Airlines are issued on different numbered stock and cannot be upgraded using Avios.
UuAs can only be applied to tickets issued on 125 stock. In other words tickets issued by BA or BA registered travel agents with ticket numbers beginning 125. Tickets sold by Iberia and American Airlines are issued on different numbered stock and cannot be upgraded using Avios.
Assuming that your "timing" constraint means only that you need to be on AA metal for the outbound flight, I wonder whether one solution to your problem might be to book the BA code on that AA flight, and then book the BA code on the BA flight on the inbound. I think that you then have a ticket with two BA flights, which I think should then be on 125- stock whether it's booked through BA or through a TA.
In fact, if you do that, you may even be able to book it online on ba.com.
Dec 7, 2018, 11:34 am
#597
Join Date: Nov 2013
Programs: AS Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Starriott LTPP
Posts: 341
Although it's in fainter type, it is there:-There is no need to use a TA merely because you want to mix cabins. The airline can sell this too.
Assuming that your "timing" constraint means only that you need to be on AA metal for the outbound flight, I wonder whether one solution to your problem might be to book the BA code on that AA flight, and then book the BA code on the BA flight on the inbound. I think that you then have a ticket with two BA flights, which I think should then be on 125- stock whether it's booked through BA or through a TA.
In fact, if you do that, you may even be able to book it online on ba.com.
Assuming that your "timing" constraint means only that you need to be on AA metal for the outbound flight, I wonder whether one solution to your problem might be to book the BA code on that AA flight, and then book the BA code on the BA flight on the inbound. I think that you then have a ticket with two BA flights, which I think should then be on 125- stock whether it's booked through BA or through a TA.
In fact, if you do that, you may even be able to book it online on ba.com.
For my outbound, I am trying to credit the flight to AS Mileage Plan, and even though both AA and BA are partners, I don't think they like code-shares between partners. For schedule reasons, there's no BA flight on the outbound that fits my connections.
Dec 12, 2018, 6:55 am
#598
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: The North
Posts: 1,844
Upgrade reward flight CW-F
Hello everyone,
I recently booked my first redemption using the Amex Premium 2-4-1. As the flight was a 788, I booked 2 x CW seats and selected the C-W-S recommended Row 3.
Today, I received an email saying that our seats have been changed to 7A/B. “Odd”, I thought, “which Gold/GGL has bumped me from my seat?”. When I checked, it turns out that our 788 has been replaced by a 789.
This opens up the possibility of upgrading our booking to F.
Am I correct in understanding that this can be done, subject to availability (which isn’t guaranteed), for a £35 change fee per person plus the difference in Avios?
If we were to do this, we’d probably like to have more than just shy of 2 hours at LHR. Are we able to change to an earlier connection from our departure airport within the same change fee?
I recently booked my first redemption using the Amex Premium 2-4-1. As the flight was a 788, I booked 2 x CW seats and selected the C-W-S recommended Row 3.
Today, I received an email saying that our seats have been changed to 7A/B. “Odd”, I thought, “which Gold/GGL has bumped me from my seat?”. When I checked, it turns out that our 788 has been replaced by a 789.
This opens up the possibility of upgrading our booking to F.
Am I correct in understanding that this can be done, subject to availability (which isn’t guaranteed), for a £35 change fee per person plus the difference in Avios?
If we were to do this, we’d probably like to have more than just shy of 2 hours at LHR. Are we able to change to an earlier connection from our departure airport within the same change fee?
Dec 12, 2018, 7:02 am
#599
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,936
If we were to do this, we’d probably like to have more than just shy of 2 hours at LHR. Are we able to change to an earlier connection from our departure airport within the same change fee?
Presumably a domestic connection? You can change to an earlier flight down but only if there is reward availability on the earlier flight. I think it would be seen as all one change if done at the same time so part of the same fee as above.
Dec 12, 2018, 7:03 am
#600
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
If the First cabin is being used as First, and there is award availability, then it should indeed be a change fee of £35 per person plus the Avios difference to change the booking into First.