Reward Travel Availability Window for Return
Nov 8, 2018, 12:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: British Airways United
Posts: 4
Reward Travel Availability Window for Return
I am gifting a honeymoon roundtrip EWR to LHR for my cousin using Aviosnext Nov. The booking window opens 11/21 but obviously the return booking window is much later 12/5. I talked to agents on two occasions and got two different recommendations.Agent 1 said book the outgoing on 11/21 and then add a segment on 12/5.Agent 2, today, said book by phone and book on 11/22 for the outbound and an inbound on 11/23. Then call & changethe inbound when its booking window opens, they will wave the change fee 1X. She said that the fees are much higher on the add a segment scenario.It looks like there are on average only the 2 seats I need on most days in Oct on this flight so I do not want to get pinched byno availability so I want to book as soon as the window opens. Which is the best choice of methods.Thanks so much for any input or suggestions.
Nov 8, 2018, 12:04 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Brighton. UK
Programs: BA Gold / VS /IHG Diamond & Ambassador
Posts: 14,192
Book online for the outbound and by phone for the return to add it to the booking.
BA only guarantees to release 2 CW rewards on every flight (and 4 economy) but often does add more but not on fixed times/dates
BA only guarantees to release 2 CW rewards on every flight (and 4 economy) but often does add more but not on fixed times/dates
Nov 8, 2018, 12:12 pm
#3
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
Unless you think there is a danger of the honeymoon getting cancelled(!) book this as two separate journeys on the two window-opening dates.
As well as less hassle/time, the carrier charges for for an ex-UK booking are lower than for an ex-US booking, by several hundred dollars. Try this for yourself, pricing two dummy one ways versus a return.
As well as less hassle/time, the carrier charges for for an ex-UK booking are lower than for an ex-US booking, by several hundred dollars. Try this for yourself, pricing two dummy one ways versus a return.
Nov 8, 2018, 12:19 pm
#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
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Welcome to Flyertalk and welcome to the BA forum Growltigger. And it's very good of you to make a gift like this. I hope we will see more of you here.
Assuming you're not using a Chase 2-4-1 voucher, you should also consider other airlines out of or into JFK, both in terms of availability and reducing costs. Aer Lingus is the obvious one here, even though it would add a leg from DUB to LHR in the mix. But with so many flights with JFK and EWR then I don't think you'll have an issue there. Plus if for whatever reason you don't get your first choice when you want it, just book the next best, Avios can be changed for a $50 fee and on those routes it's one of the easier ones to find additional availability.
Assuming you're not using a Chase 2-4-1 voucher, you should also consider other airlines out of or into JFK, both in terms of availability and reducing costs. Aer Lingus is the obvious one here, even though it would add a leg from DUB to LHR in the mix. But with so many flights with JFK and EWR then I don't think you'll have an issue there. Plus if for whatever reason you don't get your first choice when you want it, just book the next best, Avios can be changed for a $50 fee and on those routes it's one of the easier ones to find additional availability.
Nov 8, 2018, 12:29 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: British Airways United
Posts: 4
Thanks for the suggestion.
I like this way because it's in my hands not dependent of a variable wait for an agent.
I'll try the dummy booking today so I'll be ready and if its comparable I'll go this route.
I like this way because it's in my hands not dependent of a variable wait for an agent.
I'll try the dummy booking today so I'll be ready and if its comparable I'll go this route.
Nov 8, 2018, 2:09 pm
#7
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
If you book EWR-LHR-EWR as a round-trip on one ticket, whether all at once or by adding the second sector on to the ticket at a later date, the total taxes, fees and charges (assuming you're buying business class) are USD 1,455.23 per person.
If you book EWR-LHR one-way, the TFC are USD 581.40.
If you book LHR-EWR one-way, the TFC (expressed in USD) are USD 582.33.
Therefore the total TFC if you buy two separate tickets, one in each direction (EWR-LHR + LHR-EWR) are USD 1,163.73.
This is what that agent was referring to.
Two separate tickets won't work if you are using some form of 2-4-1 voucher, but as you're giving these tickets as a gift this doesn't sound likely. The other thing about two separate tickets is that if you have to cancel, you'd need to pay a USD 55 per person per ticket cancellation fee = USD 220. If you buy round-trip tickets instead and you have to cancel, it's only USD 110.
But you can do the risk assessment yourself to see whether the risk of having to pay a higher (by USD 110) cancellation fee is worth the taxes, fees and charges you might save.
Nov 8, 2018, 2:23 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2018
Programs: British Airways United
Posts: 4
It's a complicated business. If the wedding is cancelled I won't even notice the extra cancellation fee I'll be too busy feeling badly about the waste of two UK themed quilts I'm making for them.
Thanks for the example with numbers. I am usually booking on United and the BA website is unfamiliar & cumbersome to me. Not to mention the things I select keeps making it crash.
I feel the most secure with two bookings because I can get them on the opening day of booking windows for outbound & for inbound. Knowing that it will not be more expensive that way & actually may save a few $ is a great relief.
Thanks for the example with numbers. I am usually booking on United and the BA website is unfamiliar & cumbersome to me. Not to mention the things I select keeps making it crash.
I feel the most secure with two bookings because I can get them on the opening day of booking windows for outbound & for inbound. Knowing that it will not be more expensive that way & actually may save a few $ is a great relief.