fluffymitten

My partner and I, like most couples/travel buddies I suspect, have different TP year ends. Mine is 8 Jan and his is 8 April.

This year he achieved Gold for the first time by squeezing in TP runs and a lucky chance of well timed work in Europe. I am on track to get my first Gold this year too once I have worked out the best travel strategy that maximises options for both of us.

This is where my question lies - do you have strategies for managing different year end dates to ensure one party doesn't miss out or gain more points than needed?

We don't need to worry about hitting the 4 BA flights requirement as we travel between GLA and LON regularly enough. This is really useful as it opens up options for carriers, destinations etc. but also means I almost have too much choice!

Spanner in the works this year was picking up the Swiss two-for-one first class offer that was running last year. Bargain to get to HKG for Ł2k each and a chance to have a shifty at their first lounge in ZRH but does nothing for our TP balance!

UKtravelbear

I really wound't sweat this.

Not long ago someone asked on Head for Points about the best way to synchronise TP year end dates and was even prepared to lose a 2-4-1 voucher to achieve it!

windowontheAside

Contrary to most people's views, I think the best synchronisation of TP year ends is to have them six months apart. Assuming you travel together, that maximises the chances of at least one of you having top status while the other is earning it so you never lose out on benefits. Then, if the odd travel plan has to change, the effect is not as catastrophic since only one is likely to be affected.

I don't understand why so many people want their renewal date to be the same as their companion. It seems the most wrong answer to me.

fluffymitten

That's a good point. Thanks for the reality check! Whoever has the best status at the time can do the booking. I hadn't thought of it like that.

Thanks!

T8191

Sadly, we are synchronous.

At least all our travels are together, so we both stumble to Gold renewal synchronously by 9 May

orbitmic

My partner and I have years ending 5 months apart. This is not by design and we don't adapt travel patterns in any particular way. If this ever mattered and it would be best for her that we take a given flight on the 8th of her final month or on the contrary on the 10th, I'd be more than happy to do it and I'm sure she'd be happy for me to adapt our travel dates similarly if that became meaningful to my own accrual, but to be honest, to date, I don't think we ever "strategized" about this.

windowontheAside

I don't think it matters who actually makes the booking. As long as the status holder is on the booking, all benefits apply.

T8191

Indeed. You fly the booking, you get the TP/Avios credits. Who pay is irrelevant, whether it’s Dearly Beloved or Don’t Give A Damn. Inc.

The only nuance might be booking with the BA Amex card, where the purchaser of the tickets gets the Avios. I must get iWife to pay for our next one, to get the HHA Avios in balance!

Globaliser

It does make a difference if you need V class award availability. The Gold member needs to book that.

vintagepilot

And whoever has the 241 voucher has to make the booking if that is to be used.

There must be pros and cons to being in or out of sync. We are 6 months out and it was a bit annoying that despite making 1500+ TPs within a 12-month period, she didn't make gold as they fell over 2 TP years.