miles_navigator

I went to book BER to LON 1 way using Avios.

My BAEC account shows tax for $1 per person.
mrs BAEC account shows tax of $33.10 per person.

Both accounts are USA based, no BA status. Was hoping to use mrs account to use up her Avios but ended up booking on mine since didn't want to call in and ask questions.

Is this yet another BA IT glitch or did I just get lucky with the $1 per person.

The ticket receipt I got does indicate $33 in taxes broken down but says my payment was $1 per person.

guv1976

Has the Mrs. earned any BAEC Avios in the past 12 months? If not, she does not qualify for Reward Flight Saver redemptions, which feature reduced fees.

guv1976

And how many Avios are you paying along with that $1?

miles_navigator

No she hasn't and I haven't transferred any points from Chase Ultimate Rewards yet. I didn't know about this policy; is it only for intra-European flights?

Interesting that transatlantic flights on BA metal using BA Avios are pricing out at the same across both accounts so I assume it doesn't apply across the poind.

miles_navigator

It was the same 9,750 per person shown across both accounts and ended up ticketing at that Avios price.

miles_navigator

Now that I think about it why did it charge me the business class Avios points for an economy ticket? The 9,750/ $1 was the default and I'd rather burn Avios than cash so that is what I opted for.

KARFA

If you earned avios in the last year you qualify for RFS pricing. There are now a number of price points you can choose from rather than just the old standard band price. For BER-LHR you should have seen the following pricing points on the "Your price quote" page:

Economy (peak date)
Business (peak date)
I have pout in bold what would be the standard band rate for that flight.

miles_navigator

Thank you, I did see a similar breakdown in US$ and as I think through it 4,500 avios is not worth $30/$31 difference between the bold economy price and what I paid but I have had such a hard time justifying using Avios being based in the USA that I guess I opted for the cheapest cash outlay.

I used to use Avios a lot on AA metal for domestic flights till they increased the number of Avios needed and AA started offering web-specials. Now the math hardly makes sense to redeem on BAEC to fly AA metal domestic.

BAEC will gouge me back in cash for YQ when I book the LON to NYC 1 way back home. I don't feel like doing the DUB connection thing on EI since I can get that for the BA metal flight on the off-peak avios amount.

Schultzois

Is this just earning, or ay BAEC activity in 12 months? I ask as my parents have not travelled much following a medical incident a few years ago, and I took an inexpensive redemption in order not to have their points expire after 36 months. I noticed that for BA intra-Europe flights I considered, the fees were so much higher that it was better I just book using my own. For the IB intra-Europe flight I booked from their accounts, the pricing was the same for me as for them, so I used theirs for that.

It does add some to the confusion, this different pricing depending on what activity you have or haven’t had. The $1 fee also looks attractive (and I bit for a flight I wanted to book just in case I cancelled - since the redeposit only costs what you’ve already paid, so in the end I cancelled for $1 instead of $37.50 or whatever it was) but the value per mile used usually peaks for the normal reward level (not the higher Avios level). This all changes as Avios get less valuable, though… but that’s another matter altogether.

jerry a. laska

To qualify for RFS redemptions you must earn at least one avios in the 12 months prior to booking; mere activity is insufficient. From the Guide:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/32909574-post5.html

From ba.com:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...reward-flights

miles_navigator

Seems like it is any BAEC activity. I have not credited to BAEC in years and nor have we had the credit card in a few years. I transferred 1K points to keep Avios from expiring it looks like that is what counted. Checked mom's account and same thing as well for her, she sees the $1 avios awards as well.

Schultzois

Many thanks for the clarification. I will have to see if there’s a way for them to earn something then… in order to subsequently use their Avios under more favourable conditions. Perhaps I’ll talk them into a credit card or something, which is what we did when their AAdvantage miles were not simply suboptimal (as is the case here) but actually going to expire.

The RFS scheme seems only to apply to BA-operated flights, so a limited scope as it is for they who are based in PHL and myself based almost anywhere. Thanks again for the clarification.

Schultzois

Receiving points would, I guess, be “earning.”
I kept my parents accounts active by redeeming, which is not earning…
Subtle difference, which is why I asked in the first place! Thanks for your experience. I guess I could gift them the minimum amount of miles if I don’t find another way for them to earn.

guv1976

Earning Avios by taking a survey also counts as "earning" for RFS qualification:

https://www.rewardsforthoughts.com/rewards

miles_navigator

No sure if BA has a shopping portal for US customers that works for your parents. I once did like home depot light bulbs to keep AS miles from expiring.