North West England to New York advice
Nov 9, 2018, 8:12 am
#16
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: MAN
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 351
You could do JER-LGW-NYC in Club World for 200k Avios + £983 for two people in Oct-19. You'd need to get to JER from LPL or MAN for your outbound so that depends on you and your wife-to-be's desire for a pit-stop in JER.
The easy life is a direct economy flight from MAN-NYC for around £350 each on a cash booking and use the Avios for a nice hotel, as suggested above.
The easy life is a direct economy flight from MAN-NYC for around £350 each on a cash booking and use the Avios for a nice hotel, as suggested above.
Nov 9, 2018, 9:17 am
#17
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: uk
Programs: Accor Silver, HHonours Silver, Carlson Gold, BA Blue
Posts: 290
Hello everyone,
I'm a silver with 200k avios to use, that may sound like I'm an affluent sort who travels round the world a lot, the truth is, every single one of those points has been earned via work related travel and I never really use them for personal travel, this year I have had a baby, purchased my first home, got engaged and planned a wedding. Holidays are way down the priority list HOWEVER in October 2019 I'd like to take my wife-to-be to NYC as she's never been, despite worries about how we could afford it I've said my points can easily cover such a journey and we can book an airbnb in Brooklyn for about £120 a night.
So knowing that flights are released 355 days in advance I started the search for the first time, can anyone tell me what the point of reward flights are or less flippantly if there's a better way to do it? I knew there'd be surcharges but I was thinking they'd be about £200 per person but off-peak economy flights we're looking at about £1.1k + Avios??? Why? You can get return flights on ba.com for £300 per person, I may as well buy them and knock £90 off with avios.
Am I doing something wrong? Is there a cheaper way to do it? What about through Dublin with Aer Lingus?
I'm a silver with 200k avios to use, that may sound like I'm an affluent sort who travels round the world a lot, the truth is, every single one of those points has been earned via work related travel and I never really use them for personal travel, this year I have had a baby, purchased my first home, got engaged and planned a wedding. Holidays are way down the priority list HOWEVER in October 2019 I'd like to take my wife-to-be to NYC as she's never been, despite worries about how we could afford it I've said my points can easily cover such a journey and we can book an airbnb in Brooklyn for about £120 a night.
So knowing that flights are released 355 days in advance I started the search for the first time, can anyone tell me what the point of reward flights are or less flippantly if there's a better way to do it? I knew there'd be surcharges but I was thinking they'd be about £200 per person but off-peak economy flights we're looking at about £1.1k + Avios??? Why? You can get return flights on ba.com for £300 per person, I may as well buy them and knock £90 off with avios.
Am I doing something wrong? Is there a cheaper way to do it? What about through Dublin with Aer Lingus?
Also bear in mind any Avios flight is essentially a fully flexible ticket which can be changed/cancelled for a small fee up to 24 hours before departure. You are comparing this with a fully restrictive ticket with no changes/cancellations allowed. Economy isn't the best way to use Avios, but as others have said 200k Avios can get you a nice hotel for 4/5 nights in the heart of Manhattan.
Otherwise 172000 Avios + £ 1,530.92 for Business Class out and Premium Economy back, with Club Europe flights and lounge access at all airports might seem a good option.
Nov 9, 2018, 9:41 am
#18
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,608
First of all, CONGRATULATIONS for all of the important events you listed. Big year!
You've hit classic FT response territory, i.e in asking how to get a cheapish redemption you're being bundled off into the premium cabins, which I'm guessing are beyond the budget?
Personally in your situation I'd look at booking a cheap economy fare and maxing out the part pay with avios. It's not a very efficient way of using Avios for the purist, but if you're going to be tightening the purse strings with the baby and house for a bit, you won't be losing a lot by burning them. Also you'll get a chunk of avios back.
Also worth looking at BA holidays, helpful for cashflow because you can pay a deposit and the rest later, and they do have some good deals. I don't think you can part pay with Avios though, might be wrong about that.
I wouldn't be stretching myself to get into a premium cabin. The New York flight is fairly short, and you can do a lot more with the difference in price (even to a cheapish redemption fare in J) when you're actually in New York. You get the lounge benefits on status anyway.
You've hit classic FT response territory, i.e in asking how to get a cheapish redemption you're being bundled off into the premium cabins, which I'm guessing are beyond the budget?
Personally in your situation I'd look at booking a cheap economy fare and maxing out the part pay with avios. It's not a very efficient way of using Avios for the purist, but if you're going to be tightening the purse strings with the baby and house for a bit, you won't be losing a lot by burning them. Also you'll get a chunk of avios back.
Also worth looking at BA holidays, helpful for cashflow because you can pay a deposit and the rest later, and they do have some good deals. I don't think you can part pay with Avios though, might be wrong about that.
I wouldn't be stretching myself to get into a premium cabin. The New York flight is fairly short, and you can do a lot more with the difference in price (even to a cheapish redemption fare in J) when you're actually in New York. You get the lounge benefits on status anyway.
Nov 9, 2018, 10:33 am
#19
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,832
You might consider getting one of the credit card options that allows you to get a 2-4-1 redemption on BA. Your 200k avios should be enough to get two returns in first class then. Taxes are no more than for J.
Nov 9, 2018, 11:14 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2016
Programs: BA Bronze SPG
Posts: 273
Also wait for the BA Sale which is often in January. I got 2 business class seats for £800 pp DUB-JFK-LHR-DUB. We also stayed in an Airbnb in Queens which was around £80 per night.
Getting to DUB from EDI was another £120 pp.
Getting to DUB from EDI was another £120 pp.
Nov 9, 2018, 11:51 am
#21
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,606
But apart from that... great plan!
Nov 9, 2018, 12:04 pm
#22
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,832
No way round this unfortunately. But you end up with two F tickets for about 2x price of two cash economy ones.
If the cash element is a problem in the short term it might be better value to hoard the miles until you can take full advantage of them.
I was just putting another option out there I didn't mean to offend.
Nov 9, 2018, 12:07 pm
#23
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,606
Nov 10, 2018, 5:34 pm
#26
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 24
Genuinely delighted with the responses. Thanks a lot, I think the hotel is looking the best option. Found an absolutely terrific one in range and whisper it but I have 17k Flying Club to use which I hadn't realised I could use as part payment.
Quick Q, are you able to cancel hotels booked with Avios for full refund?
Quick Q, are you able to cancel hotels booked with Avios for full refund?
Nov 10, 2018, 11:24 pm
#27
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: MAN
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 351
Cancelling your booking
- Cancellations made outside of 72 hours to travel will be charged a cancellation fee of £35 or local equivalent, plus any applicable Supplier Fees as advised at time of booking. Cancellation/Supplier fees are payable in CASH by credit/debit card only.
- Cancellations made within 72 hours to travel will be charged 100% of the booking value and no refund will be made.
- Failure to cancel prior to scheduled check-in time will be considered a no-show and will not be eligible for refund. There will be no refund for unused services or early check-out.
- In addition to the hotel cancellation policy described above, there will be an additional fee equivalent to £15 for any cancellations made by an agent over the phone.
- Cancellations made online are only subject to applicable supplier cancellation fees.
Last edited by Crofton138; Nov 11, 2018 at 1:48 am