Your guide to spending Avios | 2019 edition
Apr 13, 2019, 11:18 pm
#136
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
I booked an AA flight using avios. Upon check-in, I was charged $60 for two checked bags. My mistake for not knowing that BA does not have my AAdvantage information stored. The ticket agent was less than helpful. Before my return, I did some research and found out I could add my AA frequent flyer number which also includes my accompanying credit card information on other OW alliance sites. This should have given me checked bags for free. It did not. Luckily I had a much more knowledgeable counter agent on my return trip and she was willing to add the pertinent information and get my bags checked for free.
I will probably book more AA flights using avios and wish to avoid this same situation. Any advise as to how to do this? I followed the instructions on a couple of travel blogs - started with the BA record locator and then added my AA information. It didn't work.
I will probably book more AA flights using avios and wish to avoid this same situation. Any advise as to how to do this? I followed the instructions on a couple of travel blogs - started with the BA record locator and then added my AA information. It didn't work.
Apr 14, 2019, 11:00 am
#137
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 58
I used that method on a couple of OW alliance airlines, including Finnair, but it didn't work. Maybe because I put in my AA number for the return flight only. I had already taken the outbound flight when I discovered the problem.
Apr 15, 2019, 11:19 am
#138
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
will they waive the change fee if you are simply paying more avios to move to a higher class? assuming the tax doesn't change (or if the tax actually goes down due to conversion rates), maybe it would fall in line with their cancellation policy of not taking payment if there is otherwise no payment to be made?
Apr 15, 2019, 12:14 pm
#139
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,881
will they waive the change fee if you are simply paying more avios to move to a higher class? assuming the tax doesn't change (or if the tax actually goes down due to conversion rates), maybe it would fall in line with their cancellation policy of not taking payment if there is otherwise no payment to be made?
Apr 15, 2019, 12:44 pm
#140
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
i guess i figured that they may not charge the cancellation/change fee if there is otherwise no payment to be made. like how they'll give you your avios back if you just forfeit the taxes - they won't take your card just to charge the change/cancel fee. similarly i thought they may allow you to change the class if they just deduct more avios and there is no other payment to be made. e.g., if Y is available now but not J, it'd be cool if i could change the ticket to J if J opens up in the future, just by paying the avios difference.
Apr 15, 2019, 12:58 pm
#141
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,881
i guess i figured that they may not charge the cancellation/change fee if there is otherwise no payment to be made. like how they'll give you your avios back if you just forfeit the taxes - they won't take your card just to charge the change/cancel fee. similarly i thought they may allow you to change the class if they just deduct more avios and there is no other payment to be made. e.g., if Y is available now but not J, it'd be cool if i could change the ticket to J if J opens up in the future, just by paying the avios difference.
Apr 17, 2019, 4:56 pm
#142
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
if i fly gru-lhr can i fly back west lhr-jfk (or lhr-anywhere) on the same itinerary without any carrier-imposed surcharges apart from mandatory taxes? i can't find a way to test this. i heard that brazil bans surcharges but i don't know if it's just on the gru-lhr flight or the WHOLE itinerary.
Apr 18, 2019, 4:48 am
#143
Join Date: Mar 2017
Location: AMS
Programs: BAEC Silver, Flying Blue Gold, TK M&S Nobody
Posts: 2,456
Should flights booked with Avios appear in my account? It's a multi-partner reward, which is now entirely non-BA metal [IB/JL/CX] - but until I got the ticket email through the flights were visible in my account [could have been because it was a change from an itinerary that did have BA metal in, mind].
Got the "can't add if there's no BA metal" error now on the website, app is still showing the flights - but doesn't want to update to show the ticket numbers so that could be cached.
OT, but the IB website is a hot mess!
Got the "can't add if there's no BA metal" error now on the website, app is still showing the flights - but doesn't want to update to show the ticket numbers so that could be cached.
OT, but the IB website is a hot mess!
Apr 22, 2019, 3:28 pm
#144
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
I thought I was supposed to get a free (no Avios) domestic connection on longhaul flights to/from UK? I can't figure out how to do it properly. It was supposed to be 13,000 Avios, but it's charging me 4,000 Avios for the LHR-MAN connection on JFK-LHR-MAN:
https://i.ibb.co/9NfSrhn/image.png
https://i.ibb.co/9NfSrhn/image.png
Apr 22, 2019, 3:41 pm
#145
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,881
I thought I was supposed to get a free (no Avios) domestic connection on longhaul flights to/from UK? I can't figure out how to do it properly. It was supposed to be 13,000 Avios, but it's charging me 4,000 Avios for the LHR-MAN connection on JFK-LHR-MAN:
https://i.ibb.co/9NfSrhn/image.png
https://i.ibb.co/9NfSrhn/image.png
BA American Express 2-4-1 Voucher Discussion
Apr 22, 2019, 3:51 pm
#146
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: BA
Posts: 954
there has been no announcement of domestic connections to long haul rewards now incurring avios. there does appear to be a glitch when ba.com is now incorrectly charging the extra avios but it seems if you call it will be priced correctly. See this thread from post 1414 onwards
BA American Express 2-4-1 Voucher Discussion
BA American Express 2-4-1 Voucher Discussion
Apr 22, 2019, 11:03 pm
#147
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 189
Standard redemption flights are the most popular option and are good for itineraries involving BA plus one partner carrier or a single partner carrier. The tables below sets out the number of Avios Points needed for a single flight. If your itinerary involves multiple flights, you will need to add together the individual flights to reach the total price.
Current rates for redemption flights
You will note that variable pricing applies to redemptions on British Airway and Iberia, dividing the calendar into peak and off-peak dates. There is a separate tariff and calendar of peak/off peak dates for IB flights although BA and IB flights between LHR and MAD are charged per the BA flight table and calendar (taxes/fees/charges do differ however).
Current rates for redemption flights
You will note that variable pricing applies to redemptions on British Airway and Iberia, dividing the calendar into peak and off-peak dates. There is a separate tariff and calendar of peak/off peak dates for IB flights although BA and IB flights between LHR and MAD are charged per the BA flight table and calendar (taxes/fees/charges do differ however).
1) Are off-peak rewards on IE metal booked through BA still available? (The third table above indicates they are not, but I have not read that anywhere. I thought it would've been front page blogger news had this happened.)
2) Where is the best/easiest place to find IE off-peak dates for March 2020?
3) Does IE availability enter BA's system at 355 days? If not, approximately how far in advance are IE flights available vi BA Avios?
Apr 23, 2019, 2:42 am
#148
Ambassador, British Airways; FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Leeds, UK
Programs: BA GGL/CCR, GfL, HH Diamond
Posts: 42,881
I called into BA to get a quote for a few dates flying ORD-DUB on Aer Lingus next March. For two different days (first week of March, third week of March) I was quoted peak Avios pricing, which led to my questions:
1) Are off-peak rewards on IE metal booked through BA still available? (The third table above indicates they are not, but I have not read that anywhere. I thought it would've been front page blogger news had this happened.)
2) Where is the best/easiest place to find IE off-peak dates for March 2020?
3) Does IE availability enter BA's system at 355 days? If not, approximately how far in advance are IE flights available vi BA Avios?
1) Are off-peak rewards on IE metal booked through BA still available? (The third table above indicates they are not, but I have not read that anywhere. I thought it would've been front page blogger news had this happened.)
2) Where is the best/easiest place to find IE off-peak dates for March 2020?
3) Does IE availability enter BA's system at 355 days? If not, approximately how far in advance are IE flights available vi BA Avios?
Apr 23, 2019, 6:44 am
#149
Join Date: Jun 2018
Programs: BA EC
Posts: 11
Quick check in from me making sure my logic is sound. Accumulated enough Avios to finally use them.
Going to be booking a redemption for next year on 4th June 2020 (minus 355 = 15th June 2019), returning on 13th June 2010 (minus 355 = 24th June 2019).
Is this then my plan to ensure I get the reward availability when it opens up:
- at 23:59 on 14th June, I need to call BAEC and book the outbound tickets using Avios
- at 23:59 on 23rd June, call BAEC again and book the return, but also asking them to apply my Amex 241 voucher.
Are these dates correct?
Going to be booking a redemption for next year on 4th June 2020 (minus 355 = 15th June 2019), returning on 13th June 2010 (minus 355 = 24th June 2019).
Is this then my plan to ensure I get the reward availability when it opens up:
- at 23:59 on 14th June, I need to call BAEC and book the outbound tickets using Avios
- at 23:59 on 23rd June, call BAEC again and book the return, but also asking them to apply my Amex 241 voucher.
Are these dates correct?
Apr 23, 2019, 6:56 am
#150
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Going to be booking a redemption for next year on 4th June 2020 (minus 355 = 15th June 2019), returning on 13th June 2010 (minus 355 = 24th June 2019).
Is this then my plan to ensure I get the reward availability when it opens up:
- at 23:59 on 14th June, I need to call BAEC and book the outbound tickets using Avios
- at 23:59 on 23rd June, call BAEC again and book the return, but also asking them to apply my Amex 241 voucher.
Are these dates correct?
Is this then my plan to ensure I get the reward availability when it opens up:
- at 23:59 on 14th June, I need to call BAEC and book the outbound tickets using Avios
- at 23:59 on 23rd June, call BAEC again and book the return, but also asking them to apply my Amex 241 voucher.
Are these dates correct?
As I calculate it, is works like this: on the day that BA starts selling 4 June 2020, there will be 4 days of June 2020. In addition, there will be 31+31+30+31+30+31+31+29+31+30+31 = 336 days of July 2019 to May 2020 inclusive. So on that day BA will be selling 355-(336+4) = 15 days of June 2019 on that day, namely 16-30 June inclusive. So the day on which you must book is 16 June 2019.
If you want the inventory that is promised to appear as soon as booking opens, it should appear at 0000Z on 16 June 2019 (ie the night of 15/16 June 2019). But if you are based in the UK, that will be 0100L on 16 June 2019.
You don't have to call, of course. You can do much of this online. See the Amex 2-4-1 thread for more details: BA American Express 2-4-1 Voucher Discussion