avios a bit poo?
Discussion
swerni said:
NickXX said:
They make the most sense if you go long haul. I recently booked 2 return First seats (A380 both ways) to Hong Kong for next year. Cost 180,000 avios and a Companion Voucher (courtesy of Amex BA card) and £550 taxes each.
I'd disagree, the amount of tax you pay on long haul makes it expensive.The tax in Europe is limited.
For me the best use of Avios and what I get the most monetary value from is to use the miles to upgrade from premium economy to club world on long haul flights. Many times I have found premium economy flights only a few hundred pounds more than an economy flight and then used miles to go up a class- last flight I did was Shanghai to Heathrow and it cost 15,000miles and £42 to upgrade - Being an 11 hour flight it was perfect for me.
Bear in mind it does depend on availability and you can only use the miles to upgrade one class of flight - it also cant be used on cheapo discount tickets.
swerni said:
Fair shout.
I was looking at US flights and they seemed very high
I use mine for European flights or upgrades
I should clarify - it's poor value using Avios for economy long haul. Business and First flights make so much more sense. I paid £550 cash for an Avios first ticket which would normally cost over 10x that price in cash.I was looking at US flights and they seemed very high
I use mine for European flights or upgrades
Got to say I love 'em but you do have to plan around them. Took OH and two kids to Gibraltar this year for 60000 miles plus £140. Flew BA so able to take prams/car seats and 20 odd kg of luggage each whereas sleazy et al charge. Will be doing something similar next year & will plan around flight availability. Would say though I get most of my points via Tesco and don't get the avios until I'm sure it's the best deat.
Racked up around 1,000,000 miles since '04 and have previously used for First class flights to Barbados, Antugua and Cape Town (last of these has to be one of the best routes to experience First - decent length flight for the points, enough time to enjoy food, get a proper sleep, minimal jet lag). Avios was amazing in the days when the add-on costs even for First were only about £120. Not as good now (with surcharge and departure taxes that are class-specific) but still good nonetheless.
If you value avios simply by looking at how much it would otherwise cost to pay for the products your redeeming the points against then, best use of them is:
Air tickets (the higher the class the better the value)
Then hotel
Then car hire (or sometimes car hire works out better than hotel)
Where air tickets are concerned valuing, say, First over Economy does assume that you think a first class seat really is worth the £5-10k they're priced at. For us, in years where minimising cash outlay on our preferred holiday is of greater interest we've elected to go with Economy and use the points to avoid paying anything on accomodation. Hence our two weeks in Orlando this month were with Economy flights, hotel and car for about £400 between the two of us ie just the tax/surcharge on the flights (using about 250k avios and Amex companion voucher).
I also feel European flights are actually not bad value since they moved to the fixed admin cost of £35 quid or therabouts.
If you value avios simply by looking at how much it would otherwise cost to pay for the products your redeeming the points against then, best use of them is:
Air tickets (the higher the class the better the value)
Then hotel
Then car hire (or sometimes car hire works out better than hotel)
Where air tickets are concerned valuing, say, First over Economy does assume that you think a first class seat really is worth the £5-10k they're priced at. For us, in years where minimising cash outlay on our preferred holiday is of greater interest we've elected to go with Economy and use the points to avoid paying anything on accomodation. Hence our two weeks in Orlando this month were with Economy flights, hotel and car for about £400 between the two of us ie just the tax/surcharge on the flights (using about 250k avios and Amex companion voucher).
I also feel European flights are actually not bad value since they moved to the fixed admin cost of £35 quid or therabouts.
tuffer said:
I have never used mine for Hotels as it has never seemed to that good value, interesting to hear that others think they are. Did you book through BA or through Avios?
I've done both. I think the pricing is identical? We'd always booked flights through BA but used avios this year for hotel and car hire. Re. what represents good value. This year was the first time we used for car and hotel (in addition to flights) and, as above, we did this to minimise cash outlay and we've been racking up avios much quicker than we were spending so, for us, it made sense to use a bundle of them. We could have spent yet more to buy the tickets to Disney etc. but the redemption value for these was so poor we preferred to hang onto the remaining avios for future flights..I used 200,000 Avios to book the following...
- 1 night at the 5star hotel at Heathrow T5 (I forget its name) - B&B basis
- 2 x Business class flights to Berlin
- Car to pick us up from the airport and take us to the hotel
- 4 nights in a 5 star hotel on Potsdamer Platz - larger style room (bigger bed etc) - B&B basis
- Return car service.
200k Avios plus 80 quid.
The process couldnt have been easier and the documentation etc was dead clear.
Now, as it happened, we couldnt complete the trip as Mrs O fell ill on the first night at Heathrow so we had to return home. The travel insurance didnt cover the points but a 'begging letter' to Avios pointing out the circumstances of my wife's ilness got me 144,000 points back...when they were not obliged to do anything
I think Avios are superb
. It's best to ring them and ask what they can do as in the past I have booked Eurostar and they can even do motorhomes as well!
Failing that you can trade in your points and get cases of wine
- 1 night at the 5star hotel at Heathrow T5 (I forget its name) - B&B basis
- 2 x Business class flights to Berlin
- Car to pick us up from the airport and take us to the hotel
- 4 nights in a 5 star hotel on Potsdamer Platz - larger style room (bigger bed etc) - B&B basis
- Return car service.
200k Avios plus 80 quid.
The process couldnt have been easier and the documentation etc was dead clear.
Now, as it happened, we couldnt complete the trip as Mrs O fell ill on the first night at Heathrow so we had to return home. The travel insurance didnt cover the points but a 'begging letter' to Avios pointing out the circumstances of my wife's ilness got me 144,000 points back...when they were not obliged to do anything
I think Avios are superb
. It's best to ring them and ask what they can do as in the past I have booked Eurostar and they can even do motorhomes as well!Failing that you can trade in your points and get cases of wine
I love my Avios...
Been flying out to Prague a fair bit and using miles it's 9000 & £35 return, or 18000 and £45 to go Club, which I've done a bit.
If you can be flexible with dates etc. they can be great - there are NO flight to PRG on any Friday available this year for example. So go Thursday.
I looked at booking normally for my return Club flights and what cost me £45 would have been £768. Can't complain.
Plus the miles soon get topped up with a points transfer from my everyday spenidng on my Amex...
Been flying out to Prague a fair bit and using miles it's 9000 & £35 return, or 18000 and £45 to go Club, which I've done a bit.
If you can be flexible with dates etc. they can be great - there are NO flight to PRG on any Friday available this year for example. So go Thursday.
I looked at booking normally for my return Club flights and what cost me £45 would have been £768. Can't complain.
Plus the miles soon get topped up with a points transfer from my everyday spenidng on my Amex...
The Leaper said:
To get the Companion Voucher you must:
1. Have an Amex/BA credit card
2. In a period of 12 months, used your card and spent over the pre-set amount, which itself depends on the level of card you have (the higher the level the lower pre-set amount).
Once achieved you get the Voucher which is valid for a year (can be two years at the highest card level)
To use the Voucher, you must book a trip with BA during it's valid period, and the trip must include you and you must use Avios points, cash, or a combination of these. So, when getting your trip sorted you add another person using the Voucher. The second person has exactly the same ticket as you do, travel class included. Passenger tax is paid for both passengers. So, on a points basis only, the only cash spend for both passengers is the tax.
Note that if in the year you're close to the predetermined limit but haven't achieved it there is no concession, so if you fail in the year you don't get the Voucher and you start again. Also, if you get the Voucher and fail to use it in it's valid year then the Voucher is lost: there's no extension allowed.
The bottom line is how much will you spend on and Amex/BA card? If below the pre-set limit then I'd question if the card is for you in terms of Avios points, vouchers etc.
Hope this helps. Full details are on the Amex/BA website.
R.
Looks like you need to spend £20k on the normal Amex, or £10k on the "Platinum Plus" (£150 fee) to get the companion voucher. 1. Have an Amex/BA credit card
2. In a period of 12 months, used your card and spent over the pre-set amount, which itself depends on the level of card you have (the higher the level the lower pre-set amount).
Once achieved you get the Voucher which is valid for a year (can be two years at the highest card level)
To use the Voucher, you must book a trip with BA during it's valid period, and the trip must include you and you must use Avios points, cash, or a combination of these. So, when getting your trip sorted you add another person using the Voucher. The second person has exactly the same ticket as you do, travel class included. Passenger tax is paid for both passengers. So, on a points basis only, the only cash spend for both passengers is the tax.
Note that if in the year you're close to the predetermined limit but haven't achieved it there is no concession, so if you fail in the year you don't get the Voucher and you start again. Also, if you get the Voucher and fail to use it in it's valid year then the Voucher is lost: there's no extension allowed.
The bottom line is how much will you spend on and Amex/BA card? If below the pre-set limit then I'd question if the card is for you in terms of Avios points, vouchers etc.
Hope this helps. Full details are on the Amex/BA website.
R.
NickXX said:
They make the most sense if you go long haul. I recently booked 2 return First seats (A380 both ways) to Hong Kong for next year. Cost 180,000 avios and a Companion Voucher (courtesy of Amex BA card) and £550 taxes each.
I've just got a BA Amex with the companion ticket if you spend £10,000 in a year. It seems too good to be true? is there some sort of clause? Can I book the first ticket with all my avios, and then get a companion ticket? Or do I need to buy the first ticket with my own money to qualify for the companion ticket?Also, how do you go about booking a flight with cash and then upgrading with avios? Do you do this immediately after booking, or just try and chance it at the airport on the day? Bit risky?
Edited by nick s on Wednesday 30th October 10:48
nick s said:
NickXX said:
They make the most sense if you go long haul. I recently booked 2 return First seats (A380 both ways) to Hong Kong for next year. Cost 180,000 avios and a Companion Voucher (courtesy of Amex BA card) and £550 taxes each.
I've just got a BA Amex with the companion ticket if you spend £10,000 in a year. It seems too good to be true? is there some sort of clause? Can I book the first ticket with all my avios, and then get a companion ticket? Or do I need to buy the first ticket with my own money to qualify for the companion ticket?Also, how do you go about booking a flight with cash and then upgrading with avios? Do you do this immediately after booking, or just try and chance it at the airport on the day? Bit risky?
Edited by nick s on Wednesday 30th October 10:48
ViperDave said:
Do you need two award (or same fare bucket) seats to be available or does the booked ticket free up an identical companion seat if one wasn't previously available (presuming there are actually enough seats in the cabin)?
You need two award seats........Look a LONG way ahead.tuffer said:
nick s said:
NickXX said:
They make the most sense if you go long haul. I recently booked 2 return First seats (A380 both ways) to Hong Kong for next year. Cost 180,000 avios and a Companion Voucher (courtesy of Amex BA card) and £550 taxes each.
I've just got a BA Amex with the companion ticket if you spend £10,000 in a year. It seems too good to be true? is there some sort of clause? Can I book the first ticket with all my avios, and then get a companion ticket? Or do I need to buy the first ticket with my own money to qualify for the companion ticket?Also, how do you go about booking a flight with cash and then upgrading with avios? Do you do this immediately after booking, or just try and chance it at the airport on the day? Bit risky?
Edited by nick s on Wednesday 30th October 10:48
nick s said:
tuffer said:
nick s said:
NickXX said:
They make the most sense if you go long haul. I recently booked 2 return First seats (A380 both ways) to Hong Kong for next year. Cost 180,000 avios and a Companion Voucher (courtesy of Amex BA card) and £550 taxes each.
I've just got a BA Amex with the companion ticket if you spend £10,000 in a year. It seems too good to be true? is there some sort of clause? Can I book the first ticket with all my avios, and then get a companion ticket? Or do I need to buy the first ticket with my own money to qualify for the companion ticket?Also, how do you go about booking a flight with cash and then upgrading with avios? Do you do this immediately after booking, or just try and chance it at the airport on the day? Bit risky?
Edited by nick s on Wednesday 30th October 10:48
tuffer said:
I believe the companion ticket is for the same class as you book so for Club you would need to book Club. For Vegas that would be 100,000 Avios plus a Companion voucher. Try and get 150,000 and Book First, its worth it, I usually drink my own body weight in Champagne in the T5 First Class lounge.
Out of interest? why try and get 150,000 first? Will it benefit me or something? Genuinely interested!Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff