BA 241 Amex redemption London to Japan
May 1, 2019, 3:26 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 8
BA 241 Amex redemption London to Japan
Hello, I’m still a bit of an Avios novice and would like some advice about trying to redeem an BA Amex 241 voucher. I have managed to secure a 241 booking from London to Tokyo on April 1st, 2020 for my partner and myself. We hope to change our booking from a one way to a return on April 21st preferably from Tokyo. But as I have read that these tickets are so hard to come by I am trying to consider a back up plan. Given that there seems to be no seats left up to April 20th 2020 for the return leg for Avios redemption, I’m guessing I need to try to call a BA office at 01:00GMT. If all fails, what are my options? I will try to get a return flight from either Osaka or Tokyo, but if this fails is it worth considering returning from another nearby country? If so which would be most convenient and easiest to get to from Japan? Thanks in advance
May 1, 2019, 3:28 am
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 12,258
Hi steviewander and welcome to Flytertalk! In the first instance you should have a read of the 241 main thread, the FAQs are excellent and you will learn more than you need to know !
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May 1, 2019, 3:46 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 276
If all fails, what are my options? I will try to get a return flight from either Osaka or Tokyo, but if this fails is it worth considering returning from another nearby country? If so which would be most convenient and easiest to get to from Japan? Thanks in advance
Best of luck ...
May 1, 2019, 3:50 am
#5
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: MAN
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 351
Hello, I’m still a bit of an Avios novice and would like some advice about trying to redeem an BA Amex 241 voucher. I have managed to secure a 241 booking from London to Tokyo on April 1st, 2020 for my partner and myself. We hope to change our booking from a one way to a return on April 21st preferably from Tokyo. But as I have read that these tickets are so hard to come by I am trying to consider a back up plan. Given that there seems to be no seats left up to April 20th 2020 for the return leg for Avios redemption, I’m guessing I need to try to call a BA office at 01:00GMT. If all fails, what are my options? I will try to get a return flight from either Osaka or Tokyo, but if this fails is it worth considering returning from another nearby country? If so which would be most convenient and easiest to get to from Japan? Thanks in advance
If there's no availability from Tokyo, back-up options to check would be Osaka, Seoul, Shanghai, Beijing and Hong Kong.
May 1, 2019, 4:41 am
#6
Join Date: Oct 2017
Posts: 159
If you call at the right time (currently 1am at T-355) you will in all likelihood secure 2x CW seats from either HND or NRT as you prefer. It’s possible but I guess relatively unlikely that both will sell at the same moment to someone doing the same as you. One of the flights may even have F availability, so I would go with that if you can, assuming both airports are relatively accessible for you to get to. F may well also open up later on if you can only secure CW now (it did for me last year).
If you unluckily miss the CW seats from both HND and NRT then obviously Osaka is the nearest alternative.
In summary, call the Japan office at the right time with a list of preferences and work through them until you get what you want. I expect and hope you get one that you’re happy with! Please report back.
If you unluckily miss the CW seats from both HND and NRT then obviously Osaka is the nearest alternative.
In summary, call the Japan office at the right time with a list of preferences and work through them until you get what you want. I expect and hope you get one that you’re happy with! Please report back.
May 1, 2019, 6:54 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 8
Thanks so much for your useful replies.
I will of course report back on my result!
i do have one question however - what do the letters me as in “F” availability? I think I’ve also seen “J” availability or have I just made that up?!!
I will of course report back on my result!
i do have one question however - what do the letters me as in “F” availability? I think I’ve also seen “J” availability or have I just made that up?!!
May 1, 2019, 7:01 am
#8
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Sunshine Coast, Queensland
Programs: BA Gold (Emerald); Hilton Gold; IHG Platinum; Marriott Gold; Radisson Gold
Posts: 388
J = Business Class
W = Premium Economy
Y = Economy
These are the codes used in the general reservations systems, also displayed in ExpertFlyer, to denote the full-fare refundable booking classes corresponding to each cabin class. The other booking classes are discounted and restricted to varying degrees (for example, after J the business class codes for BA are - in descending order of price and flexibility - C, D, R and I).
Last edited by paulieuk; May 1, 2019 at 7:16 am
May 1, 2019, 8:34 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2018
Location: Sussex, UK
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 489
Did this route last year in May. Secured the J seats for the outbound, called up at 1am to secure the return a few weeks later and F had become available for the outbound. Managed to secure the return in J and upgrade the F for the outbound without too much difficulty. As said above, if you call at 1am you will more than likely get what you want - i called yesterday to add a return to a LAS booking at the agent knew exactly what i wanted to do and the 'time-pressures' and actually secured the flights to my PNR before even passing security.
May 1, 2019, 11:25 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 1,848
You didn't mention in your post whether you wanted to travel economy, business or first.
Many of the regulars here have been giving you advice assuming you wanted to secure availability for the highest class of travel you could.
That's because that's what they (and I) usually want to do.
Given the quote above, it's not clear to me that we have properly understood what you want.
If you clarify, I'm sure we can help better.
May 1, 2019, 12:31 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 8
Thank you very much for your reply.
Yes I should make it clear that I am using my BA 241 Companion voucher specifically in order to fly a higher class. I have secured an outgoing flight in business class for both of us and waiting to call to convert it into a return business class flight.
I am short of 900 Avios points to get first class in the return leg so will have to settle for business.
Yes I should make it clear that I am using my BA 241 Companion voucher specifically in order to fly a higher class. I have secured an outgoing flight in business class for both of us and waiting to call to convert it into a return business class flight.
I am short of 900 Avios points to get first class in the return leg so will have to settle for business.
May 1, 2019, 2:05 pm
#13
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: MAN
Programs: IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 351
There are many ways to earn Avios without flying but appreciate you need them pretty quickly.