carlozdre

I've got the credit card two years ago and started spending massively so to get the voucher advertised. I got the voucher in the end, all good.

My math was simple: since my wife and I have paid ~1k for return flights to whatever destination several times, we will now only pay around ~£500 and use the voucher. Right?

Yet, a simple search for LA or NY from London (exact dates and flights) shows very similar results in terms of what we would pay:

London - NY

15:50 22 Mar Heathrow (London) to Newark Liberty International (NJ) (New York) - BA0189
07:55 29 Mar John F Kennedy (NY) (New York) to Heathrow (London) - BA0178

Total: 33000Avios + BA American Express Companion Voucher + £739.82
or
Total: £741.82 (no voucher, no avios, no sale - I think)

London - LA

12:30 21 Mar to 17:05 21 Mar LHR to LAX
21:35 Thu, 29 Mar 2018 Los Angeles

Total: 41250 Avios + BA American Express Companion Voucher + £792.12
or
Total: £831.82 (no voucher, no avios, no sale - I think)

Can anyone please advise of how to use this voucher more effectively? Or do I just let it expire as it seems to me it's a huge con? I won't be using this crap for a save of £40, this is preposterous. That's why I am here as I am a bit baffled and maybe there's something I miss.

Thanks!

Globaliser

The number one piece of advice: don't redeem Avios for long-haul economy. It's seldom worthwhile, particularly when (as now) there are economy sale fares. This applies whether or not you're using a companion voucher, but it is the bulk of the reason why you've seen what you've seen.

The discussion in this thread ended up along similar lines: Companion quote doubled

So far as the London - New York example is concerned, this is the extreme version of the problem. The base fare for the sale fare that you've seen is £1.00, round-trip. Everything else you pay if you buy a cash ticket is taxes, fees and charges - and you pay those if you redeem Avios. The Avios you spend simply replaces the base fare - so if you redeem for economy, you're spending those 33,000 Avios per person in order to save that £1.00 per person cash base fare. There is simply no point.

There is often much better value to be had redeeming for First or Club long-haul tickets, or for short-haul economy tickets.

corporate-wage-slave

Well the best advice I can give - after duly welcoming you to Flyertalk and the BA Forum - is to suggest you spend a little while around this forum, looking at the Stickies and Dashboard, and following some of the relevant threads. Rarely is World Traveller a good idea, but luckily there are other options open to you. Welcome on board carlozdre

Greenpen

It is even worse than your figures! If paying for the flights entirely with money then you would earn both Avios and tier points on the booking.

Collect more Avios and use the voucher in business or first class for good value. In addition to the credit card use Tesco points or other ways of gaining Avios. Over on Head for Points an updated series of articles has started to appear which will guide you through using Avios to the best advantage.

I have used Avios and the companion voucher for many years and have felt very pleased with the flight experiences and value I have got from it. Don't give up; it's not a con, but you need to learn how to use points to your best advantage.

madfish

It is worth OP remembering that a cash fare will earn avios as well. Clearly they would be better off paying cash and may get a better deal by adding car hire or a hotel as well.

Without a decent stash of avios they would be better spending in a SH RFS using their voucher for a short break in Europe as some point.

Globaliser

Although one shouldn't get carried away: on that NYC fare, I think a Blue member would earn 865 Avios plus 20 TPs each way.

carlozdre

Thanks, sorry for not introducing myself, I was in a hurry to post my findings which I found ridiculous!

I am Chris, 35yo, living in London, and even though my family and I earn decently, we travel economy as I simply don't value a few hundred quid more for 20cm more legroom or free drinks or whatever benefits, as most of the time I am sleeping like a baby during flights.

I have started reading more already, however, there is so much information it's almost impossible to grasp so much in such a short time.

carlozdre

So you're kind of saying it doesn't really worth it for Economy flights? As I've never flown Business or First class - can't afford it.

carlozdre

Thanks, will start reading more on that thread.

As far as I get it, one would use the companion voucher to eventually bring down the price to a normal sale place on a particular flight.. if that!

madfish

Globaliser

Long-haul economy, basically yes.

However, short-haul economy is different, and can be better value. If you are an active Avios earner and have earned at least one Avios during the past year, you should qualify for Reward Flight Saver pricing on these tickets. For example, on off-peak days you could fly to (say) Amsterdam and back for 8,000 Avios plus £35 per person in economy. You could even use the companion voucher so that you pay 8,000 Avios plus £70 for two of you to do that trip - although obviously that is not the best value use of the companion voucher.

madfish has also made a good point about using Avios to upgrade - especially if you can find a way to upgrade from WT+ (which can be quite affordable during sales) to Club.

Where the companion voucher comes into its own is if you have enough Avios to do (say) London to Johannesburg round-trip in First. On peak days, that would cost 200,000 Avios plus £551.41 per person. Using the companion voucher, you'd pay 200,000 Avios plus £1,102.82 for that trip - ie the companion voucher saves you 200,000 Avios compared to redeeming Avios without one.

Numb3rs

OP, how long is the voucher good for?

carlozdre

I have one year left. Until Dec 2018.

frasier

Depends on which route you want and when you’re travelling - JFK has usually pretty good availability especially if you avoid weekends so the more flexible you can be the better unless you have a Joker as GGL to open reward space?

As an example I have 2 F returns next month to CPT which cost 137500 Avios , a GUF2, and 2 for 1 voucher - did need Joker for space release but these tickets were close to £12k to buy so the above plus £1k more or less in tax is great vakue

Prior to being GGL I’ve used 2 for 1 many time to MIA, JNB, SFO ATL by planning as far ahead as ticketing allows and being flexible on flying days to get the seats.

Would never recommend that these vouchers are used for Y on long haul as you don’t maximise the value

Good luck
F

carlozdre

OK, I get that. Upgrading doesn't do anything for me. I was really hoping I can get the longest distance possibly (OK, not the US, fair enough) and then to use the voucher so instead of paying £1000, I would pay £500 and use the damn voucher.

Paying with cash wouldn't be a problem but as far as I understand, in order to use the voucher you need to pay with Avios.