GibFlyer

Hi all. I’m new to Avios so please bear with me.

I’m looking at a flight to Orlando from London next year. The flights I am using for price comparison are:

LGW-MCO 14:30 on 7/5/24. (BA2039)
MCO-LGW 20:50 on 13/5/24. (BA2038)

I am being quoted 540,000 avois plus £2456. However the cash price for the same flight is £6832.

This is valuing the 540k Avios at £4376 or £0.008 per point.

I was (perhaps wrongly) under the impression I should be getting much more value per point if redeeming for business travel. Am I wrong?

Perhaps I’m not redeeming as a reward flight and instead using Avois as cash? I can’t see how to use as a reward flight.

Any help appreciated.


edited to add: this is 2 adults and a 10 year old. Forgot to state.

KARFA

That looks completely wrong if it’s for one person. Are you signing in on ba.com and then following the link “book with avios”? You should get around 6 price points for a return. Not sure what cabin you are looking at, but for J the mid price point should be around 120k avios and £850.

corporate-wage-slave

I was going to say, I can't add that up. For 2 people + child it starts to make sense!

It looks like you are simply using Avios as a part pay rather than using a redemption or using UuA. One the perils I have when trying to give advice in this area is that some passengers don't see the difference between the 3 channels involved there.

If you use Part Pay then 0.8 pence is not great value for money, unless you have no other way to offload Avios. I usually advise against Part Pay since unless there is either deal on or at the lowest Avios point the value is poor and if you end up in a cancel/refund scenario you will be selling off your Avios for a crummy amount.

For redemptions you need to go on to the redemption screen quite specifically (under Book), find a service that works for you then play around with the Avios versus cash amount to see which is the best value point. So I tend to input 1 penny an Avios on the various options, add in the cash and plump for the lowest overall cash amount. Alternatively translate the cash into Avios, same thing.

Upgrade using Avios is a different mechanism, you find a lower cost WTP option then use the Upgrade screen to go to CW and see what the cost differential is. Sometimes that is a good option when the WTP fare isn't too bad and CW is sky high, but to USA it isn't always the bargain it was. You can still get 2+ pence per Avios value for this if you look hard enough.

AJA_

Hi. I suspect that you are being quoted the maximum Avios lowest cash option. There should be an option to select more options which will reduce the number of Avios but increase the cash element.

The return fare in Club World should be 250k plus
£1680 in tfcs for 2 adults

You really would benefit from having a BA Amex companion voucher

I certainly wouldn't be using Avios if that is all you are being quoted .

GibFlyer

Thanks for the reply, I do also have a companion voucher I’m just trying to figure out the best options and the price quotes seemed a lot higher than expected.

GibFlyer

Thanks CWS you confirmed my thinking that it didn’t seem right. I’ll have to have a play around to see what I can do.

In reality I wouldn’t be booking this flight alone as in Gibraltar based and would need the connecting leg too. It’s my understanding that I’ll save on taxes if starting the journey from here too but I think I will need to call up to book as it doesn’t appear to an option to book the connecting flight online!

Deckter

This is the price for one person that you should be seeing.

GibFlyer

This is what I’m seeing.

kingcole974

Try 360,000 and £900. I think your figures are out of date and prior to the roll out of RFS on all long haul routes.

Deckter

I guess that taxes differ based on where your account is registered. Anyway, hard to defend these prices when cash fares in that period are 1.6K EUR from Malaga or Sevilla.

AJA_

I agree with the default figures you're seeing but the figures I quoted are what is available if you click on more pricing options.

The point is that you do not have to accept the default prices you are quoted.

GibFlyer

That certainly may be the reason, I’m based in Gibraltar though and thought the tax would be less. It certainly is if I start the journey here (but can’t seem to use points when I have a change in London).

I’m interested in the Seville or Malaga options though, which airline please?

zarp

Are you booking a normal flight and using Avios to reduce the price or are you wanting a reward booking: https://www.britishairways.com/travel/redeem/execclub

Oxon Flyer

Be careful with currencies, everyone.

GibFlyer

Yep. Thats the URL I’m using.