Is Zero to Silver from LON to NYC possible?
Feb 20, 2020, 6:36 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Centurion, Virgin Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 100
Is Zero to Silver from LON to NYC possible?
I have a CW reward flight booked from LHR to NYC the weekend 14-15th March. I am currently Bronze as I use Avios for 90% of my flying but it infuriates me that I cannot preselect a seat without a horrendous charge - even when travelling Club.
For this reason I would be happy to consider paying a cash flight to try and get silver which will last me another 20 months. Tax was £682 alone.
Issue is my TP balance is currently zero. Are there any reasonably priced options to get me to NYC from 12 or 13th March to 15th where I could either hit or almost hit silver? I can always do a quick European hop a few weeks after for some remaining TPs.
Many thanks!
For this reason I would be happy to consider paying a cash flight to try and get silver which will last me another 20 months. Tax was £682 alone.
Issue is my TP balance is currently zero. Are there any reasonably priced options to get me to NYC from 12 or 13th March to 15th where I could either hit or almost hit silver? I can always do a quick European hop a few weeks after for some remaining TPs.
Many thanks!
Feb 20, 2020, 6:45 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Yorkshire
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 355
I got 280 tier points for a MAN>LHR>JFK (WT+) & JFK>LHR>MAN (Club world) so I would imagine you'd need a couple of J round trips to get it with a straight forward routing such as this. Not sure what an F return would get, I'm by no means a tier point aficionado but I'm sure someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.
Last edited by LBA_flyer; Feb 20, 2020 at 6:46 am Reason: Typo
Feb 20, 2020, 6:50 am
#3
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Join Date: Nov 2011
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If you are Bronze remembers you get free seat selection from 7 day same prior to departure.
An LHR --NYC return in club would net you 2x140 TPS, most European routes are 2x40 though some like LHR to HEL are 2x80
A HEL-LHR-JFK in club return would get you 440. Positioning flights another 160 so there is your 600.
no idea how expensive that would be.though.
An LHR --NYC return in club would net you 2x140 TPS, most European routes are 2x40 though some like LHR to HEL are 2x80
A HEL-LHR-JFK in club return would get you 440. Positioning flights another 160 so there is your 600.
no idea how expensive that would be.though.
Feb 20, 2020, 6:50 am
#4
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Munich, Algarve, Sussex or S.F Bay Area
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Posts: 4,163
I have a CW reward flight booked from LHR to NYC the weekend 14-15th March. I am currently Bronze as I use Avios for 90% of my flying but it infuriates me that I cannot preselect a seat without a horrendous charge - even when travelling Club.
For this reason I would be happy to consider paying a cash flight to try and get silver which will last me another 20 months. Tax was £682 alone.
Issue is my TP balance is currently zero. Are there any reasonably priced options to get me to NYC from 12 or 13th March to 15th where I could either hit or almost hit silver? I can always do a quick European hop a few weeks after for some remaining TPs.
Many thanks!
For this reason I would be happy to consider paying a cash flight to try and get silver which will last me another 20 months. Tax was £682 alone.
Issue is my TP balance is currently zero. Are there any reasonably priced options to get me to NYC from 12 or 13th March to 15th where I could either hit or almost hit silver? I can always do a quick European hop a few weeks after for some remaining TPs.
Many thanks!
But how about going to Portland (PDX) instead? There is a good fare for that and you could start ex-EU and route via JFK for 640TP return for around GBP 1,200.
Feb 20, 2020, 6:50 am
#5
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 3,595
In addition to the 600 tier points you also need to have 4 BA/IB metal flights (cash tickets, not redemptions) under your belt.
If you're already Bronze then you'd be able to pre-assign your seats in CW 7 days prior to flight departure.
For the cash outlay needed in order to obtain Silver status, it's probably a good idea to weigh up whether the additional cash outlay for paid tickets to hit status stacks against the paid seat allocation price. Also worth looking at First redemptions as no charge for reserving seats in F.
If you're already Bronze then you'd be able to pre-assign your seats in CW 7 days prior to flight departure.
For the cash outlay needed in order to obtain Silver status, it's probably a good idea to weigh up whether the additional cash outlay for paid tickets to hit status stacks against the paid seat allocation price. Also worth looking at First redemptions as no charge for reserving seats in F.
Last edited by 1Aturnleft; Feb 20, 2020 at 7:00 am
Feb 20, 2020, 6:54 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: United Kingdom
Programs: Centurion, Virgin Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 100
Feb 20, 2020, 6:55 am
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: United Kingdom
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Posts: 100
Feb 20, 2020, 6:57 am
#8
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Surrey, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 484
@UKtravelbear beat me to it.
Start NYC trip from Helsinki making sure you travel both ways via London and position to HEL in CE. It isn't necessarily a cheap option but if you are making the trip anyway you can do some creative accounting in your head to make it seem better. It was the trip I did to get Silver several years ago.
Start NYC trip from Helsinki making sure you travel both ways via London and position to HEL in CE. It isn't necessarily a cheap option but if you are making the trip anyway you can do some creative accounting in your head to make it seem better. It was the trip I did to get Silver several years ago.
Feb 20, 2020, 7:01 am
#10
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- BA code, operated by anyone.
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Feb 20, 2020, 7:04 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Mucci recipient
Posts: 1,785
If you are Bronze remembers you get free seat selection from 7 day same prior to departure.
An LHR --NYC return in club would net you 2x140 TPS, most European routes are 2x40 though some like LHR to HEL are 2x80
A HEL-LHR-JFK in club return would get you 440. Positioning flights another 160 so there is your 600.
no idea how expensive that would be.though.
An LHR --NYC return in club would net you 2x140 TPS, most European routes are 2x40 though some like LHR to HEL are 2x80
A HEL-LHR-JFK in club return would get you 440. Positioning flights another 160 so there is your 600.
no idea how expensive that would be.though.
Feb 20, 2020, 7:13 am
#12
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: UK. West Sussex
Programs: BAEC. Gold
Posts: 786
Just starting to play with ITA Matrix using the excellent advice on FT
Do you mind if I ask, where Ex EU would you be starting from to get the fare to Portland?
Then I presume its LHR, JFK, XXX, XXX, Portland(PDX)
Which airports would you suggest as the XXX's
to get the 640 tp's or there abouts?
Cheers
Feb 20, 2020, 7:28 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 1,578
What about (EU/UK)-LON-US-US-US-NYC-US-US-US-LON-(EU/UK). You'd have to find a very versatile fare to support so much travel on the east coast, but it would land you at 600 TPs. e.g. AMS-LHR-MIA-CLT-PHL-JFK-PHL-CLT-MIA-LHR-AMS.
Feb 20, 2020, 7:36 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
for example, a blue travelling LHR to JFK earns 4315 avios on AA in J or either 5187 or 8645 on BA. Once you get to gold this is 7767 vs 8645/12103 on AA and BA respectively.