Your guide to spending Avios | 2021 edition
Jan 16, 2023, 1:19 am
#676
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Mucci recipient
Posts: 1,786
Just to check I'm not going mad..cash fare (return) BRU to LHR is 148 GBP in economy plus. Using Avíos can get 9500 plus 35 quid. Meaning 9500 saves 113 GBP, meaning 1.2p per avíos value? Assume that's reasonable value? Got a few hundred thousand avíos stashed and already on 1450 TPs with August end, so not in a rush for TPs. Haven't made call on going for 2500 yet as that depends on work and not got firm plans set yet
I always do the calculations valuing Avios at 1p so 9500 Avios equals £95. Add the RFS fee of £35 gives a total of £130. That is lower than the cash price of £148 so good value as it saves £18.
Jan 20, 2023, 1:11 am
#677
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
How can I calculate the correct amount of tax should be for a peak MAD-MIA / MIA-LHR redemption when paying 162,500 Avios?
Is it just the sum of the two one-ways? I’d like to make sure BA are not overcharging me.
Is it just the sum of the two one-ways? I’d like to make sure BA are not overcharging me.
Jan 20, 2023, 1:14 am
#678
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,549
Jan 20, 2023, 2:03 am
#679
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Mucci recipient
Posts: 1,786
Price up the itinerary for cash tickets via ITA Matrix. That will give you the TFCs for you to compare to those charged by BA for the redemption. Caveat, not sure how the recent RFS for long haul premium redemptions affect this. Not sure whether you are entitled to long haul RFS redemptions
Jan 20, 2023, 5:47 am
#680
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
Price up the itinerary for cash tickets via ITA Matrix. That will give you the TFCs for you to compare to those charged by BA for the redemption. Caveat, not sure how the recent RFS for long haul premium redemptions affect this. Not sure whether you are entitled to long haul RFS redemptions
Jan 20, 2023, 12:26 pm
#682
Join Date: Jul 2019
Programs: BAEC Bronze, Mucci recipient
Posts: 1,786
@ringingup I did a comparison on ITAMatrix - in business class IB MAD-MIA and Club World BA MIA-LHR in February and the TFCs on a cash fare came to £402. The cash fare itselt was stratospheric , over £9k. So the fees you show seem reasonable to me
Jan 20, 2023, 12:51 pm
#683
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC Silver, ITA Club Executive, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,599
@ringingup I did a comparison on ITAMatrix - in business class IB MAD-MIA and Club World BA MIA-LHR in February and the TFCs on a cash fare came to £402. The cash fare itselt was stratospheric , over £9k. So the fees you show seem reasonable to me
Jan 20, 2023, 6:29 pm
#687
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,606
Whether it's "reasonable" is kind of irrelevant. The question is whether it provides you good value for your Avios. By subtracting $191.85 from the cost of a cash ticket for the same flights (with the same baggage allowance), you can see how much value you are getting for your 60K Avios. (Bear in mind that you can cancel an Avios booking for a reasonable fee (SGD 69?), but an inexpensive cash ticket might be non-refundable, or have a higher cancellation fee.)
Last edited by guv1976; Jan 21, 2023 at 9:06 am
Jan 21, 2023, 7:06 am
#688
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Madrid
Programs: IB Platinum, TAP Gold, HH Diamond, Accor LL Gold
Posts: 85
How would one go about booking American Flagship Business on transcon routes for avios? When I use the BA search engine I'm only getting Flagship First availability.
Jan 21, 2023, 9:07 am
#689
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 29,606
Have you first checked aa.com to determine whether Flagship Business is even available at the MileSAAver level?
Jan 21, 2023, 10:49 am
#690
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: Madrid
Programs: IB Platinum, TAP Gold, HH Diamond, Accor LL Gold
Posts: 85
Sorry, I'm not that familiar with any US-based loyalty programs. Are MileSAAver rewards supposed to show up on BA? It just seemed odd to me how the AA website shows this route in J for 32.5000 AA miles with wide availability, while I cant seem to find this reward on J instead of F on BA's search engine.