Ahhh...so it's not really about the 2-for-1 in particular but simply that you're better aligned with Star Alliance in general since FRA is your real desired stopover, not LHR. That makes sense...

Does anyone know if do an open jaw 2-4-1 and you fly to Zone 2 and fly home from Zone 1, do they charge the full amount of miles for Zone 2? Or is it half Zone 2, half Zone 1?

IE Business Class award USA-PRG, FRA-USA

Instead of the full 120k Zone 2 cost, would this trip only cost 110k miles?

This routing is not allowed on a 2-4-1 ticket, at least as I was told. You have to fly to and from the same zone, and you can't just pay the higher miles for the further zone, much less a split.

While I accept rules as they're written, this one seems to get BA nothing.

Thanks for the info. Nothing surprises me with BA anymore, but this one is a true head scratcher. I'll let you know if I find out differently.

I have been trying to figure out the "value" to me of the BA 241 and here's where I come down.

I am currently looking at traveling biz from LAX-ATH round trip. If I use my 241, it will cost me 130,000 miles plus about $1300. Since most of my miles are with AA, I use that to compare. If I used AA miles for the same itinerary, it would cost me 200,000 miles and negligible cash. To me, the additional 70,000 miles on American has roughly the same value as the $1300 fees I would pay on BA. Putting aside all other factors (e.g. BA's superior product), I conclude that the two options are about equal and thus the 241 voucher does not have a lot of value in this case.

My reasoning leads me to conclude that the real value of the 241 will be in instances where there is a large difference between the BA miles and 2 x the AA miles, so that I am getting more miles for the cash I have to pay on BA, if I use the 241. For example, if I am flying from LAX to Zone 1, AA would be 200,000 miles while BA would cost only 100,000 plus $1200, in which case I would prefer to spend $1200 than an extra 100,000 AA miles.

I'd love to hear your take on this. Am I missing something? Is the logic flawed? If this makes sense, then I think US-Zone 1 is the best value for me for my 241. Is there any other routing where I can approach/exceed that value?

Thanks for your comments.

xlax

I think some of the real value of the 2 for 1 is really when you are traveling with 3 people. Since I now have a 3 year old who likes to fly in the big seats. I look at it more like a 3 for 2. I live near LAX so if I am going to LHR i can get 3 tickets RT in C for 200k BA plus about $2800. these tickets are somewhat east to find on one flight. If I book on AA I will most likely be able to find 2 RT tickets for 100k and 1 RT ticket for 200k. So i will spend 400k AA miles and little cash. so for 2800 I compare to 200k AA miles.

Others with plentiful *A miles have stated the same. However, if perhaps you don't travel for business nor have large mileage balances in other programs, the value of the BA 2-4-1 increases.

You also have to factor in the $30K spent on BA card to earn your 241 - it should have a minimum cost of $600 if it is put on a 2% cash rebate card.

30K AA miles worth more than 30K BA miles in my book, even the same amount is put on an AA miles earning card, or if it is on a SPG card you would earn 37.5K AA miles when transfer to AA at 20K block, plus earn you SPG GLD.

The 241 in my own analysis is only good in the cases for West Coast folk to travel to Europe in Biz - BA has far more gateways to use and the product is superior than AA's.

Or if you need to go to Middle East then you have to pay very high price even in coach ticket - so the 241 is worth it - like paying a coach ticket to sit in Biz because the cash outlay on each ticket would be about the same price for a coach ticket.

Happy, how would you analyze this when there is a current promotion like the US Airways bonus miles on purchase? I know you have researched this and would like to get your thoughts. Say west coast to india in business on BA using the 2 for 1. 160K miles plus around $2K in taxes (I guess). Compare this to being able to purchase around 250K star alliance miles for $3500 (approx). I pay around $1500 more than what I would pay to use BA miles, 2 people still travel in J but I still have the BA 160K miles left to use on AA, CX J whatever. Is the real question whether $1500 is worth 160K BA miles?

Thoughts? If my numbers are way off, let me know.

Of course 160K BA miles worth more than $1500 when you can redeem in one-way tickets - meaning you can go on one-way on BA then return on one-way on AA, or UA/CO... all in J or even F. 75K on CX F to Asia from NA using BA miles for example.

If I am in need of miles I definitely would look at US Airways' various promotional offers first. Its program has the better mileage cost and routing allowance than the UA/CO for the Star A redemption. The major draw back is the $250 change fee while UA/CO is mostly free. Otherwise you get more bang for your mileage bucks when redeeming US Airways miles, not to mention that you often can obtain US miles at a cheaper cash cost than other programs. The 100% bonus offer, the holiday promo, etc all let you obtain miles with a reasonable cash outlay when you redeem it in J or F to Asia and Africa.

Thanks. So what would you do? Use BA miles, 160K with the 2 for 1 to india and pay 2K in taxes/fees? Or purchase 250K US Airways miles for use from West Coast to India at the cost of $3500 (J travel).

Assuming we can put saved miles to good use and use BA miles for something else, what would be the more optimal use? Or does it vary person to person? Just pondering over this pending decision for us. Looks like the answer would be to buy US miles for West Coast to India (via NRT, FRA, or MUC) and save BA miles for something else.

Which translates into to this - the 2 for 1 is not necessarily a good deal even for West Coast to India.

I believe the maximum purchase allowed via US's promo is 50k (plus 50k bonus to get 100k total).

Yeah, I know. Over two accounts of course. Besides, we have some US miles anyway so would need to only buy 100K each but that example was to show total costs.

In all honesty, unless I am missing something, the 2 for 1 does not make sense even for West Coast to India. I can pay $2K, use up 160K BA miles and go. Or I can pay $3500, buy US airways miles and go West Coast to India on star alliance carriers while I save 160K BA miles for two round trip J tickets to South America, for example, on LAN with minimal taxes. I think I am going to let the 2 for 1 expire.

Not to India.

However it may make sense to Europe or Middle East, or even Africa though the last 2 would cost astonishingly high fees - but then even coach tickets would cost a bundle so essentially you are paying coach ticket prices to travel in J - that is the only justification the way I see it.

What are the BA fees/taxes for West Coast to Europe, J of course? BA wants my life history completed on profile before they will even let me estimate.

You would need 200K Star Alliance miles to go West Coast to Europe in J for 2 people, correct? Cost of $2800. So that's that.
So BA, 100K miles, with a cost of what in J? Total taxes/fees for 2? $1500 a good estimate? If so, then you pay $1300 more for the star alliance deal but you save 100K BA miles. True, Better than the India deal. But not sure my numbers on BA taxes/fees are accurate.