KARFA

reward flight saver Dec 2022 Changes to British Airways taxes and fees on redemptions

vji

How accurate is "A booking that has already been part flown will not be upgradeable."? Does that mean if _any_ sectors are flown, it is ineligible (for example, the outbound of BUD-LAX return)? Or is it only the sectors on the current journey? (For example, BUD-LHR-LAX is flown, LAX-LHR-BUD upcoming, can I upgrade LAX-LHR from J to F using UUA? Would it be 22500 miles offpeak?)

Prospero

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Prospero
Moderator: BA forum

alex67500

Is that because it's being updated with a new one? It's still referenced in the dashboard.

Prospero

As much of the front end content is now obsolete, its no longer suitable for a prominent position on the forum.

I regret to say, many of the recent changes introduced by the Executive Club in recent years are beyond my simple comprehension. I know they were supposedly introduced to simplify the programme following requests from members but I guess my mind is wired differently. So I am unable to update either guides at this time.

TravelinSperry

How do we know what fare class we are booking when reserving an award on a partner airline (aer lingus)? Is it always saver level (or never)?

salut0

Can’t figure out from this FAQ how to upgrade using Avios.

I bought two tickets LHR-TLV r/t — one was a WT+ both ways because there was the discount bucket available on both legs.

The other is a separate PNR where the return leg (TLV-LHR) is WT HBO because buying WT+ for both legs in one PNR somehow pushed both tickets into the W bucket which was massively more expensive and even the one ticket coming back in WT+ was much higher.

Now I’d like to try to upgrade the WT leg TLV-LHR so the two travelers can sit together but if only full fare paid WT+ buckets are available I assume that means they won’t have upgrade availability.

POUG on the app shows the full fare difference between WT and full fare WT+ on that sector so clearly that’s useless.

Could hold out for an AUP at the airport but since these are elderly passengers they won’t want to pay for it themselves and I won’t be there to help them.

Also, if I do UuA I’d like to use my own Avios not the passenger. Can I just transfer them to the passengers BA account? Or do Gold members (me not the passengers) get more upgrade availability or better prices?

Finally, if I want to use expertFlyer to watch the segment and alert me if an upgrade space pops up, can I do that? Wasn’t sure which bucket to search for or if it’s even possible.

Any workarounds?

PS to make this even more fun — since it’s TLV the flights may get canned. If so, do I get back the miles and the money and everything I lay out?

Cw novice

Does anyone have any experience of what you get for an Avios Redemption with AY as OWE going HEL-BGO in Y

I know that I will get lounge access but will I also get free seat selection, luggage and priority boarding.

It's 9,000 and £28 at its cheapest for the redemption.

bart simpson

Is BA zone 1 econ off-peak price 4000 avios or 4750 avois?

I have always thought that it costs only 4000 avios to redeem one-way Toulouse to London flight. However, recently I see that they are charging 4750 avios instead. Am I the wrong that remember it incorrectly?

(Even on some sites it shows that only 4000 avios is needed.. https://onemileatatime.com/guides/re...airways-avios/ )

flarmip

4750 is the standard amount and has been for some years now. You can use fewer Avios but then it becomes slighlty worse value (if you value an Avios at 1p).

IMH

I'm running up against the recurring "stopover" page problem when I try to search for redemptions not involving LHR and wonder if anyone has up to date advice on avoiding it. It's not something I recall being a major issue here since AA reassigned booking codes a few years ago, but it continues to frustrate me every now and again.

An example: searching for Avios flights BER-TYO I can' t get beyond being repeatedly asked if I want a stopover in London. Choosing "no stopover" just brings the question up again, choosing a stopover but continuing on the same day doesn't work either.

Curiously, I'm able to search FRA-TYO and see routings via HEL or DOH. I'd like to be offered the BER-xxx-TYO options that I know exist. Anyone?

joorinainen

Looked some awards from PVG to BKK with CX. two 2,5hour flights with a connection in HKG. BAEC quoted 60k avios + 80€ in J. Not exactly great value since non-stop flight from PVG-BKK can be bought for 500€ in J with TG and other chinese carriers. Did they devalue CX awards a while ago?

Any way to convert TG flight miles to Avios? I have AY, QR and BA accounts.

KARFA

Yes. I can’t find the posts atm, but CX rates have gone up several times just within the last year I am afraid.

KDUK

Good morning all,

I have poured through this forum, and other Google efforts, but not sure there's any better advice than good luck. However I thought I'd try!

I have a 2-4-1 Premium Plus voucher (expires June 25) and a GUF2 (expires June 24) and I'm trying the impossible - LHR/MLE route.

I have actually seen a couple of November options open up recently, but ummed and ahhed and by the time I went back they were gone.

So my tactic over the last couple of days has been to try the +355 day approach.

I've been online immediately prior to midnight, 2 days ago I went in and at 00:00:01 UK time and the 20th March opened up so I clicked through - it said 2 Business Class seats were available (not 4???) and I went through, saved card, entered the CCV and it came back and said could not be booked. I assumed someone beat me to the punch, but unsure why it said 2 not 4.

Yesterday after the clocks changed it was 01:00:01, the 21st March was coming up as an option from 00:00 but it errored with you can't book more than 355 days in advance before 01:00:01. Again at this time 2 Business Class seats opened up and I raced through remembering exactly what clicks and entries were required, I was done pretty much as quickly as I think it is possible to be done. However, same outcome, it went through the booking process only to fail before confirming, seats not available.

My plan is to try and snag the 2 business seats and GUF2 them for first, I've been checking and A class F fares are available so assume if I can get the J reward seats I can phone the UK next morning and apply the GUF2.

Any suggestions on how to get the 22nd March outbound this evening? Am I better trying the phone, the US call centre is closed so assume it would be the Japan option, only issue is getting through at the right time. I actually have some other reward flights booked that I'd like to change the seats for, perhaps if I got through 'too early' I could look at that to kill time and then ask to flip to booking the LHR-MLE at bang on 01:00?

Do the call centre folks get in, get the seats held so I can definitely complete the booking?

Once the first leg is booked, I'll need to wait 6 days and try the same for the return leg (which is when ideally I'd like to come back)?

Thanks in advance for any comments.

flarmip

With the GUF2 there is no need to play "midnight bingo". You don't need any redemption availability at all - you just need seats on sale in I class for cash if you want to travel in Business, or in A class if you want to travel in First. With those classes available you can just call BA and book directly using the GUF2 + 241.

Word of warning though, you get a sort-of rubbish deal if you use a GUF2 to book a redemption in First. This is because you pay the Avios for the class below, but Reward Flight Saver hasn't been rolled out to First. The end result is that you actually pay more Avios to make a First redemption using a GUF2, than you do without the GUF2! This was discussed on HfP when the changes were rolled out.

GGL members get a "reprieve" in that there's a special policy allowing them to book using a GUF2 at the "actual" first class rate. But in that case the GUF2 is effectively just functioning as a Joker. 2.5k+ TP Goldies are screwed as they can't take advantage of this policy.

Accordingly there's a substantial difference in the amount of Avios (let alone cash) you have to pay for a GUF2 First redemption (where you pay RFS Business class Avios + Fjrst class cash taxes & fees if Gold, or First class Avios + cash taxes & fees if GGL) and a GUF2 Business redemption (where you pay RFS Premium Econ Avios + the standard Business Class RFS fee).

The "best" use of a GUF2 to travel in First is thus arguably to upgrade a cash Business ticket as there is usually nothing at all to pay on top. Of course, cash Business fares to MLE are bonkers expensive so appreciate that's not a hugely attractive prospect (whereas on US routes it's much more so).

TL;DR: using a GUF2 for a First redemption costs you more Avios than not using it - but it has the advantage of allowing you to book straight into A class cash seats. Golds get screwed over compared to GGLs but neither get amazing value for F GUF2'd redemptions.