avios.com or ba.com
Jan 10, 2018, 5:42 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
avios.com or ba.com
Hello,
I was wandering what the differences of booking redemptions on avios.com are compared to ba.com. The avios.com site is really annoying to use compared to ba.com and i notice i can just transfer avios unlimited between the sites so is it better to just always transfer avios to ba.com and use it there?
I was wandering what the differences of booking redemptions on avios.com are compared to ba.com. The avios.com site is really annoying to use compared to ba.com and i notice i can just transfer avios unlimited between the sites so is it better to just always transfer avios to ba.com and use it there?
Jan 10, 2018, 5:54 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
If you prefer ba.com, the only reasons to use avios.com that I can think of would be:
- To use a Lloyds vouchers
- If only your avios.com account qualified for RFS
- To book for someone outside your HHA / F&F list
- To book Vueling (I think) or to book EI online (possibly at higher cost)
An avios.com HH account would stop you transferring to BAEC, but it does offer a round-about way to move avios between members.
- To use a Lloyds vouchers
- If only your avios.com account qualified for RFS
- To book for someone outside your HHA / F&F list
- To book Vueling (I think) or to book EI online (possibly at higher cost)
An avios.com HH account would stop you transferring to BAEC, but it does offer a round-about way to move avios between members.
Jan 10, 2018, 5:56 am
#4
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,787
I think if you are very used to BAEC Avios.com's approach may look odd, but for I suspect most travellers the Avios.com layout is simpler and much, much faster. It also has a handy late availability screen with ideas. Bear in mind that approximately two thirds of the UK only makes zero to two flights a year, if they want to earn airmiles, perhaps for a big future event, then BAEC may not be right for them.
If you have membership of BAEC then you would need a good reason to go to Avios.com for redemptions - this could be online Aer Lingus redemptions (at a higher cost) for example. In the past Avios.com had some airlines in it not on BAEC, Air Malta, for example, though the circumstances behind that were rather odd. Otherwise for BAEC members Avios.com is useful for accruing Avios in areas that BAEC does not offer, such as Caffè Nero and Tesco. It's also the entry point for Aer Lingus and Vueling's schemes too. Anyone UK based who is serious about Avios should have an Avios account as well as Iberia Plus and BAEC, but BAEC and IB Plus is probably where the reservations would be made.
If you have membership of BAEC then you would need a good reason to go to Avios.com for redemptions - this could be online Aer Lingus redemptions (at a higher cost) for example. In the past Avios.com had some airlines in it not on BAEC, Air Malta, for example, though the circumstances behind that were rather odd. Otherwise for BAEC members Avios.com is useful for accruing Avios in areas that BAEC does not offer, such as Caffè Nero and Tesco. It's also the entry point for Aer Lingus and Vueling's schemes too. Anyone UK based who is serious about Avios should have an Avios account as well as Iberia Plus and BAEC, but BAEC and IB Plus is probably where the reservations would be made.
Jan 10, 2018, 6:00 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: LHR/ATH
Programs: Amex Platinum, LH SEN (Gold), BA Bronze
Posts: 4,489
If you prefer ba.com, the only reasons to use avios.com that I can think of would be:
- To use a Lloyds vouchers
- If only your avios.com account qualified for RFS
- To book for someone outside your HHA / F&F list
- To book Vueling (I think) or to book EI online (possibly at higher cost)
An avios.com HH account would stop you transferring to BAEC, but it does offer a round-about way to move avios between members.
- To use a Lloyds vouchers
- If only your avios.com account qualified for RFS
- To book for someone outside your HHA / F&F list
- To book Vueling (I think) or to book EI online (possibly at higher cost)
An avios.com HH account would stop you transferring to BAEC, but it does offer a round-about way to move avios between members.
There again, i can just transfer to/from avios.com at will unlimited so I think its best to just book on ba.com as I can transfer my Amex points there while the Lloyds points on avios.com can be transfered to ba.com to book tickets, unless I am using the Lloyds Voucher of course.
Jan 10, 2018, 6:10 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 8,768
But see my post here re shorthaul... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1887227-ei-shorthaul-avios-via-baec-phone-rather-than-avios-com.html
Jan 10, 2018, 7:05 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Brisbane
Programs: BAEC Blue/Bronze, Krisflyer, Qantas
Posts: 419
I tend to just use Avios.com for a final check of availability as it does appear to occasionally differ to BA. If i recall correctly flybe seemed to come up with more seats on Avios.com. I really like the BA calendar of availability for searching popular routes, I wish this was available for partner redemptions too.
The most frustrating thing I find is actually with Ibera and not Avios/BA. Iberia seems to have a lot more availability than BA for flights to/from South America BUT none of it shows if you search for a one way flight, whereas on BA one-way flights are fine. Examples like Santiago to Puntas Arenas, or Rio Gallegos to Buenos Aires.
The most frustrating thing I find is actually with Ibera and not Avios/BA. Iberia seems to have a lot more availability than BA for flights to/from South America BUT none of it shows if you search for a one way flight, whereas on BA one-way flights are fine. Examples like Santiago to Puntas Arenas, or Rio Gallegos to Buenos Aires.