Globaliser

For pure redemptions only.

anniegray

Globaliser

If you've got enough Avios! Two pure redemptions in First at twice the normal price does require quite a stash.

anniegray

Globaliser

In that case, if there is a J cash fare that you would have been happy to pay, then you might want to think about whether you might be better to pay the cash fare and earn the Avios (and TPs) from that, and use Avios for another trip when you can find award availability and you don't have to use the double Avios benefit. I doubt that there is a single answer that fits all, in these circumstances, but it is worth thinking through the alternative options before making a decision.

anniegray

Yes a cash fare is the best option I think.
I really wanted to go F but heyho we can't have everything

memesweeper

strickers

Quick question please, I have a spreadsheet and have a formula for DATE-355 which shows the 11 Feb as being available. However, on the BA website bookings are only allowed up to the 10 Feb? Should I be thinking of this as released at midnight on the 10 Feb, i.e. 0001 on the 11th or have I missed something?

Globaliser

I think BA sells 355 days at once, including today.

Today being 21 February, there are 8 days of this month.

8+31+30+31+30+31+31+30+31+30+31+31=345 days, so BA will today be selling the first 10 days of February 2020 - as you have found.

strickers

Thanks, just checking I haven't missed something for which night I need to stay awake!

Steven Trembacki

I've read through this thread over and over and followed many of the links to different guides, but I haven't found anywhere with tips/tricks on how to get around BA fees/taxes on redemptions from LHR. Is there a thread for this? The only reference I see is from the sticky below:


I am US based in UK, and the the majority of the reason i joined BAEC was to help with leisure travel for me and family back to the US. Seems I may have made a mistake if it's going to cost me over £1000 PLUS tons of avios to do this...I'm better off getting a cheap fare from United or somewhere.

Do the BA carrier fees apply if you book through other Oneworld alliances? How does one do this with Avios? Also, is there a way to fly from another airport (i.e. BHX) to bypass the LHR taxes? I've seen Aer Lingus takes Avios, and they do BHX-DUB-(US places), but not sure how to look into availability as those flights don't come up on BA's website.

Globaliser

Like any frequent flyer scheme, the question of whether it will work well for you depends on how you intend to use it. If your preferred redemption type is long-haul economy, then BAEC is not for you. I think that it can now sometimes work out that you would pay more in taxes, fees and charges on a long-haul economy redemption than you would pay in total for a cheapie cash ticket on the same flights.There's also a common misconception that the high level of TFC is because they're "LHR taxes". If you look at a breakdown, you'll see that a lot of it is BA's YQ surcharge. This is nothing to do with LHR other than that BA flies there from time to time. The question is whether you're happy to pay the YQ surcharge (together with the other TFC payable) for your award flight. The airline doesn't promise that the award flights are free in a cash sense, and they're not.

You can reduce the amount of TFC payable by some methods. For example, starting your trip at INV can exempt you from paying the UK APD (which is a true tax). But if you're based in London, you may find that the extra costs of going to INV and back outweigh the saving.

Or you may find that redeeming for awards on other BAEC partners result in you paying less TFC: flying Aer Lingus from DUB, for example, is often given as an example. But then you give up the convenience of a non-stop trip from London. Others will have to advise on how to get EI trips to price on the BA website - you may have to do this sector by sector rather than asking the website for a through trip.

flashware

JER and INV are your best alternatives as they don't charge APD. Of course you need to factor in positioning flights using £££ or Avios.

Unfortunately yes that's the way it goes and other oneworld partners will cost just as much. EI is an option (ex-Ireland) for lower surcharges/taxes but best to call BA to book them.

Steven Trembacki

Since I'm relatively new to BAEC, what is the best use of BAEC avios ? Short haul to Europe? I am OK with that, but just means I'll have to adjust my expectations.

I have no issue paying SOME fees and taxes, when I use to use AA it was always a few hundred dollars, but with BA oput of LHR, the taxes and fees are higher than an entire ticket on some competitors, AND using AVIOS.

This is one path I'm hoping someone can shed light on...that short hop to Dublin isn't a bad option at all, it makes the DUB-ORD route shorter, and can do customs/immigration in Dublin so in ORD you just get off the plane almost like a domestic flight. Just need to figure out how I can look at booking it.

Thanks for the response!

Globaliser

Short-haul certainly can be very good value: 4,000 Avios + £17.50 in economy to AMS, for example. Or perhaps even better, 4,000 Avios + £3.30 LUX-LHR. There are also some good value short-haul redemptions on other airlines, such as SYD-MEL in business class for 9,000 Avios + £10.10.

Upgrading using Avios (eg buy a World Traveller Plus ticket, perhaps during a sale, and upgrade to Club World) is still pretty good because you earn Avios and TPs for the underlying WT+ cash fare while still benefiting from the use of the Avios to secure perhaps the biggest step-up in comfort; starting from the UK, the additional TFC to pay on such an upgrade is still relatively modest.

Alternatively, making use of Amex companion (2-4-1) vouchers for pure redemptions in premium cabins: you still have to pay the TFC for both people, but it can make your Avios stretch significantly further. Or you could use them for a treat that would be beyond normal reach, such as flying in First.