Does BA operate any 5th freedom routes?
Jan 18, 2018, 5:52 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AC MM E50 , Former SPG, now Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 6,251
Does BA operate any 5th freedom routes?
I have many tier points from flying OW airlines, but no BA flights.
Does BA operate any 5th freedom flights in Asia or North America that may be useful for me to actually fly, and
at the same time gain status?
Does BA operate any 5th freedom flights in Asia or North America that may be useful for me to actually fly, and
at the same time gain status?
Jan 18, 2018, 6:09 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: HKG
Programs: BAEC Gold, CX MPC Gold, Avis preferred plus, MyWaitrose card
Posts: 286
Simplest way to get 4 BA flights from Asia is to book SIN - SYD - Other AUS/NZ city, on BA15/16 with BA codeshares for the QF domestic flights.
we did just that for our Christmas holiday in Perth (which netted each of us 560tps and our 4 BA segments!)!
we did just that for our Christmas holiday in Perth (which netted each of us 560tps and our 4 BA segments!)!
Jan 18, 2018, 6:37 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2015
Programs: LH SEN; BA Gold
Posts: 8,402
I may be wrong on this but IIRC a fifth freedom flight is suboptimal in terms of TP as the system considers it as one flight rather than two separate flights. E.g. Rather than getting 300 TP for LHR-SIN and SIN-SYD you get 240 TP for LHR-SYD.
Jan 18, 2018, 6:40 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: London
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So if you fly LHR-SIN on BA11, SIN-SYD on BA15, SYD-SIN on BA16 and SIN-LHR on BA12, you are (a) making the most of the fifth freedom elements of the operation; (b) getting all four eligible flights in one trip; and (c) improving your total TP earning on the trip. Although I suspect only the geekiest of us would regard that as a triple, rather than double, win.
Jan 18, 2018, 7:18 am
#8
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5,596
You can also fly IB or BA codeshares for the same result of you just need 4 qualifying flights.
Jan 18, 2018, 7:21 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: YTZ/LHR
Programs: VIPorter First, BA GGL, DL Plat, Golden Circle Elite
Posts: 830
I looked into the Caribbean flights in the past to do this, and the timings made it complex. It's almost easier to do a run to the UK + a domestic/euro to get your four.
Jan 18, 2018, 8:38 am
#10
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 1,076
and these also tend to be expensive bought with cash, but usually very good deals when booked with Avios
Last edited by mec72; Jan 18, 2018 at 8:50 am Reason: fixed typo
Jan 18, 2018, 8:47 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: London
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Just so that there's no ambiguity about this: You can also fly IB in the sense of flights that are both marketed and operated by IB; and you can also fly any BA-coded flight operated by someone else. However, an IB code on a flight operated by someone other than BA or IB will not count.
Jan 18, 2018, 9:30 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: AC MM E50 , Former SPG, now Marriott LT Plat
Posts: 6,251
Just so that there's no ambiguity about this: You can also fly IB in the sense of flights that are both marketed and operated by IB; and you can also fly any BA-coded flight operated by someone else. However, an IB code on a flight operated by someone other than BA or IB will not count.
Jan 18, 2018, 9:50 am
#13
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Nov 1, 2019, 6:31 pm
#14
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: BAEC Bronze
Posts: 467
If, for arguments sake, I booked to LGW-UVF on reward availability, then UVF-GND as a Reward Flight Saver, would it be possible to check baggage through to GND from LGW?
(Looking at this as a potential plan B if F/J availability exists to/from UVF, but not to GND - it seems that there is often plenty of WTP availability as RFS between UVF and GND)
(Looking at this as a potential plan B if F/J availability exists to/from UVF, but not to GND - it seems that there is often plenty of WTP availability as RFS between UVF and GND)
Nov 1, 2019, 6:41 pm
#15
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,579
If, for arguments sake, I booked to LGW-UVF on reward availability, then UVF-GND as a Reward Flight Saver, would it be possible to check baggage through to GND from LGW?
(Looking at this as a potential plan B if F/J availability exists to/from UVF, but not to GND - it seems that there is often plenty of WTP availability as RFS between UVF and GND)
(Looking at this as a potential plan B if F/J availability exists to/from UVF, but not to GND - it seems that there is often plenty of WTP availability as RFS between UVF and GND)
You'll get more information on the matter by looking at the dedicated thread
BA no longer through checking baggage on separate tickets