Reward flight with voucher cost. Any tips
 

Hi all, first post, really pleased to find this community.

We’ve saved 250,000 Avios points for return business flights to San Francisco which we are hoping to take in June next year. We have a BA 2 for 1 through Amex as well. We are travelling two adults, one child (10yo). Points saved through normal purchases, not flights.

Currently fees are around £2k for the flights. Which I knew going in, so it’s fine ultimately for what will be a one off treat as cant normally afford business flights. I just wondered if anybody had any tips for reducing the fees while still using the points and voucher?

Thank you for any help!

Welcome to the forum!

One thing you *could* do is start your trip in Jersey or Inverness. This would save around £460 or so in taxes/fees between you as they are exempt from APD. The connection from there (in business) would be included for the same amount of avios.

However you would need to make your own way to JER/INV at the start and to make it worth it would probably want to stay for a night or two there. That would wipe out much of the saving, so you could instead view it as ‘we can get a wee trip to Jersey/Inverness for free’ rather than saving much cash.

Whether that extra travelling is tempting or not with a 10yo in tow is another matter but I’ll leave that with you.

Great tip, thank you and food for thought. I’ve actually always wanted to visit Jersey as well. Probably one for the future though as want two weeks in States and we are restricted by work (leave allowances)

Thank you

Ldnn1's on the money IMO, if wife/kid are up for a bit of 'an adventure' (kid might be the concern, but wife might be the harder sell!)