phiphisea

Like many, I have been diligently saving up avios for several years. Each year I earn more than I spend, so have been saving up a nice little pot. The idea being that I can have a ‘big trip’ using a 2-4-1. But with devaluations and tinkering, the goal posts get moved every further away. It has reached a point where I question whether it is worth saving more, or is it better to spend a big chunk of them on a return in Club World.

What do other people think? Is it better to save? Or better to spend and beat any future devaluations.

JD1905

Depends on what the cash price is at the moment and where you’re looking to go.

I used a big chunk of my avios recently because cash fares to SE Asia were very expensive. Using avios saved me about Ł4,000.

fruitcage

It really does depend where and when you want to travel and whether you're prepared to be flexible on dates or to book 355 days in advance for the more popular destinations. If you can use them for a Club World flight you will almost certainly get better value than spending them on anything else.

ratechaser

As a long term investment, airline miles rarely tend to appreciate in value!

firstlight

We earned a lot of avios over previous years and during covid, this year we are spending them and giving them away due to this year's high flight prices. We've got through 1.1 million avios so far...

Greenpen

I have the same dilemma as the OP. For years I accumulated Avios and spent them, getting great value from the redemptions. However, of late I find myself paying for flights more even though I have a nice balance. The redemption cost exceeds the cash price. Availability is also poorer than I previously experienced.

If you have flexibility and don’t mind travelling with positioning flights there are still good prices out there. My Easter EY J trip to BKK and onto HAN on VN was Ł2120 including the positioning flight to OSL. While much more than I paid previously it seems good value to me.

FlightDetective

I cashed out my entire balance recently (and bought some more in the 40% bonus) for DOH-SYD-DOH on the QR Airbus A380 in First Class (with separate connecting tickets in J DUB-DOH-DUB). The aircraft were not supposed to be coming back into service, have done and the CEO has stated they'll be around three more years max, so I figured I'd better do this now while I have the opportunity. That and also I was able to find seats both ways, which was great - though it is February 2024 and there are plenty that month at the moment.

It all really depends what you want to use them for. Some people rigorously save them, some earn and burn as they go. I do the latter, as there's no real point in hanging on to them. I imagine once I'm 10 years to retirement or something like that I'll go into straight up earning and saving mode so I can still travel up front when I'm on a pension

So, the short answer is, it all depends on your personal circumstances and plans.

mun

I also have over a million, they are useful for odd flight combinations. I need to fly to Dubai and home from Athens, this apparently is not allowed as a return, the two destinations are too far apart according to BA, if paying cash I would need to buy two very expensive single flights so I will get two avios tickets. I therefore don't like my Avios pot to be empty!

HIDDY

For me, their real value lies in their flexibility. Use them when it suits you best.

South London Bon Viveur

I spend them when I can, but redemption availability to SE Asia or Australia (which would be my first choice) is extremely limited, so I would typically use them for USA trips, where availability is better (though not always great either). An additional problem is the need to pay for a certain amount of flights to remain Gold.......

HIDDY

I suspect such a thing won't even enter the minds of the majority of BAEC members.

vogugua

I would spend them and then figure out a way to earn more. From what I have read, devaluations happen all the time and randomly. It would be annoying to be sitting on a pile of points one day, only for them to be worth so much less a week later

CCayley

Surely they increase in value when cash fares rise, except to the extent there is an off-setting “devaluation”, so given some of the eye watering fares seen post-pandemic, they are arguably worth more than, say, five years ago, so long as used on the most expensive routes.

T8191

We neither save nor spend these days. The OH and I use Amex for everyday spend (groceries etc.) and of course BA flight/car/hotel, so they do accumulate. HHA balance over 1m, and a 2-4-1 we can’t find a slot for! And as noted, earning TPs for Gold is a factor,

However, the introduction of using Avios with BAH to abate costs will hopefully create some spend options that match our normal activity. Time to start researching more BA Holidays!! 😎

becks1

That is good value!

I have been spending my Avois balance down as I earn them, keeping a couple hundred thousand for “just in case”. Don’t see the value in hoarding them anymore.