Help using BA COMPANION VOUCHER

[djc206]

GT03ROB said:

Working in Kuwait in the previous few years I found I would use them a fair bit as there was usually availability in club & even 1st. I would book WTP then upgrade to club with them. Also used to use them to fly my wife out in club or 1st. They were a waste of time in economy as the bulk of the fare was taxes & surcharges anyhow.

True I think the “taxes” on our next trip were something stupid like £550 each, about the same as an economy fare.

[cashmax]

I finally managed to use some of vouchers and Avios for a family holiday. Return to Miami in business for 4 of us, about £1800 after taxes and stuff. I called the EC once I had some idea of availability and they were great, just told them to see what they could manage and after lots of upgrades, some avios, some cash and a companion voucher, came up with a solution.

[piers1]

cashmax said:

I finally managed to use some of vouchers and Avios for a family holiday. Return to Miami in business for 4 of us, about £1800 after taxes and stuff. I called the EC once I had some idea of availability and they were great, just told them to see what they could manage and after lots of upgrades, some avios, some cash and a companion voucher, came up with a solution.

Am I missing something? Is that from UK? I am pricing up same for 2019 and the taxes alone are more than that for 4 people, in fact they are £3,200, could you help with why your are £1800 please, cheers.

4 adults with two companion vouchers at the ready

Edited by piers1 on Monday 22 January 23:14

[djc206]

piers1 said:

Am I missing something? Is that from UK? I am pricing up same for 2019 and the taxes alone are more than that for 4 people, in fact they are £3,200, could you help with why your are £1800 please, cheers.

4 adults with two companion vouchers at the ready

Edited by piers1 on Monday 22 January 23:14

Surely you’ve misread something? There’s no way the taxes and fees are £800 each. Adult taxes and fees to Miami on a business class fare are about £500 each.

Is it because you don’t have enough avios and are having to top up?

[piers1]

Hmm let me have a look later and reconfirm. As booking is not open for summer 19 yet, having to do a bit of date chopping to get pricing...

[piers1]

Ok was looking at going into New York and out of Miami, business class for 4. Cannot replicate it totally due to lack of seats.

However NYC return, 2 with Avios, 2 companion vouchers, tax are £2200, still seems a fair bit more than £1800 above though? That is out of Gatwick if that makes a difference?

[djc206]

piers1 said:

Ok was looking at going into New York and out of Miami, business class for 4. Cannot replicate it totally due to lack of seats.

However NYC return, 2 with Avios, 2 companion vouchers, tax are £2200, still seems a fair bit more than £1800 above though? That is out of Gatwick if that makes a difference?

Is it not because two of his travellers are kids?

[cashmax]

Just to update this, I went back and looked at the tickets today after the comments and my memory was wrong. I paid £1068 per child & adult couple so the total was just over £2100.

When searching for availability, I found this site to be invaluable.

https://www.baredemptionfinder.com/

[piers1]

cashmax said:

Just to update this, I went back and looked at the tickets today after the comments and my memory was wrong. I paid £1068 per child & adult couple so the total was just over £2100.

When searching for availability, I found this site to be invaluable.

https://www.baredemptionfinder.com/

Thank you for confirming, thought I was going mad. Also thank you for the link, much appreciated, we will book ours in Aug 18 for next year, so lets see how we go

[keith333]

For those of you that collect Avios points, you can get £16 per £1 ex vat at Goldsmiths this weekend through the Avios estore. With your BA Amex card I calculate a 49.7% casback/saving on BA flights. Thread here - https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[okgo]

I had two of these vouchers and found the only real way to use them was business or firs to NY, there seemed to be loads of flights there. So I booked two business class returns for £1k. Not too bad.

Will consider some of the other locations for the other one...

[piers1]

New York is easy pretty much anytime in any class, it is Miami that my issue for one of the legs.

[djc206]

piers1 said:

New York is easy pretty much anytime in any class, it is Miami that my issue for one of the legs.

Have you tried Fort Lauderdale? BA fly there from Gatwick

[piers1]

djc206 said:

Have you tried Fort Lauderdale? BA fly there from Gatwick

Yes thank you, will keep my options open, this is for booking in Sept 18 for out summer 19 family holiday