sfflyer415

I’m looking for a Business Class award on a flight from LAX-LHR on 10/4. I know this is a popular route, but there’s 2 BA flights that day and I see there’s still at least 8+ Business class tickets for cash sale (probably more if you look at the seat map). Both flights are just 4 days away.

Maybe this is more of a rant, but I don’t understand why BA wouldn’t release award availability if there’s so many seats left? I noticed this trend on other USA Airlines as well, maybe they’re prioritizing Upgrades instead of Award tickets?

LondonAussie

This has often confused me as well and have noticed the flip-side (and taken advantage of this) on short-haul routes. Last-minute fights with eye-wateringly expensive cash fares (so assume very few seats left) and surprised to find wide open availability for Avios redemptions.

KARFA

It’s just not BA’s approach to always release rewards where seats are available close in. At the end of the day I think they would rather you pay cash for J outright and if that lack of rewards tempts some to do that, then it’s a win for them.

Krisz

Well just because BA wiling to sell 8+ seat doesn't mean there is 8+ empty seats on those flights. BA Avios seats are fully flex can be cancelled 24 hours before flights so BA revenue management first want to try to sell tickets which are expensive (as cash) but not fully flexible so people most likely will fly. It is possible that BA revenue management will open Avios tickets closer to departure but I wouldn't bet on it.
You mentioned upgrades, well if they sold more PE tickets than seats available then it is possible that BA wants that cash too nd upgrade people to business. Possible it's more revenue than selling some business Avios tickets.
There are many factors play here from simple maximising profits to joint venture terms and conditions and we won't know those.
I can just recommend to either check it regularly or set up an alert on one of the apps which can send you these kind of informations when seats become available.

corporate-wage-slave

And they will advertise for sale 8 seats or more, knowing they can put people into First if it's available. Then there are all the no-shows that BA has probably got a very accurate handle on, plus as you say those lucrative upgrades. LAX is a very popular route and my reading is that BA will fill both services without needing redemptions (which still make BA a decent whack of money). Over the years here the one thing that is pretty consistent is BA's revenue management's very accurate reading of the market. SJC is not so popular, SAN is worth a glance, and NYC has a lot of capacity. If your dates are that fixed, Avios isn't probably the best approach. In your shoes I'd book WTP from SAN, CW from DEN, or perhaps First from ATL, and be prepared to pay the Avios change fee if something better comes up.