Ending British Airways Avios Offers.

is the ba transfer ending tonight or tom night?

@anon:
Tomorrow night.

does transfecting amex mr points to avios extend the 3 year no activity meaning if I haven’t had activity on my ba account would dumping in 1000 amex points give me a 3 year extension? thanks

whats the sign up bonus gona be from now on?

100,000 BA Avios Chase Card, $150 fee as seen on flyer talk
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milesbuzz/1335226-100-000-ba-avios-chase-card-150-fee.html

is it possible to get a points advance on starwood points?

@david g:
Yes it would!

@sam:
Yes, just call to request it.

thanks dan I will add 1500 avios and extend the life of my points!

I have had no luck finding flight availability on AA via BA, even calling in. Is this typical of trying to book with Avios? Agreed the redemptions are cheap, but if you can’t get on board, it’s not much use.

@montey:
If AA.com has a sAAver level award showing for travel on AA then you can book it on BA.com.
Period, end of story.

I have not had any luck with FL or LA this summer or in general. Anyone have same issues?

And can you transfer star wood to BA also??

@anon:
I’ll repeat, if AA.com has a sAAver level award showing for travel on AA then you can book it on BA.com.

This has nothing to do with BA.

I would suggest looking into alternate airports (PHL, HPN, etc) and connecting flights (searching for each connecting leg separately) though if need be.

Dan

Do you think the transfer from starwood to BA is worth it?

Starwood is worth more even with the bonus, NO?

@mb:
I generally wouldn’t recommend transferring Starpoints to BA.

Is “Economy Saver” different than “SAAver”?

Also, are there direct flights from NYC to hawaii- I only see AA flights with stopovers

@Miles:
You need to click the box to redeem miles to see sAAver awards.

AA does not have direct flights from NYC to Hawaii. They do from DFW, LAX, and ORD.

Dan/Anyone – Is “a sAAver level award” the same as one, none, or either of the following: Economy Super Saver,Economy Saver, Economy Flexible

@Will:
None.
Again, you need to click the box to redeem miles to see sAAver awards.

So “Economy MileSAAver” and “Business/First MileSAAver”only?

@Avi:
Correct.

@Dan: Sorry for being dense, but I’ve never navigated the AA site. I selected departure and return flights, typed in all my info, and got to step 5 out of 6 “Review and Pay” and I do not see where there is a box anywhere showing “Redeem Miles”. All I see as payment options are: Choose An Option Below
Credit / Debit Card

6 Month Financing

PayPal

Gift Card / eVoucher

Cash

FREE 24 Hour Hold

–Please Help– THANKS

@Will:
http://www.dansdeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/aa6.png

Awesome, Thanks Dan.
Final Question though – this site, https://www.britishairways.com/travel/avios-calculator/execclub/_gf/en_us#CalculatePod, claims that a flight from MIA to JFK would be 7,500 one way, and I assume 15k avios round trip. Now – I’ve gone to the AA Site and see that the Min sAAver is 12.5k each leg, or 25k round trip. Unless Avios:AA are >1:1, how can the BA calc say 7,500 and I cant find a flight for that price anywhere for any time..?

@Will:
If AA has a LGA-MIA flight available for 12.5K then BA can book that same flight for 7.5K.

If AA has a LGA-YUL flight available for 12.5K then BA can book that same flight for 4.5K.

If AA has a LAX-HNL flight available for 22.5K then BA can book that same flight for 12.5K.

I.E. The price on AA.com has nothing to do with the price on BA.com for the same AA flight.

What’s the best way to look up flights for Avios use? The BA website is really cumbersome to use.

@jay:
Search on AA.com for sAAver level award tickets and then you can book it on BA.com.

Are there any routes on AA, bookable on BA.com, where it is a good value to book in business class or first?

I.e. On which routes does AA use airplanes with worthwhile business or first class?

@Kenny:
These flights have good business/first class and no fuel surcharges or infant surcharges when booked with BA:
JFK to LAX or SFO
DFW to HNL or OGG
Flights to South America.

@Dan:

Thanks Dan.

Sorry, should have mentioned this before.

Interested specifically in flights originating from SoCal area…

@Kenny:
The answer is still the same.

Now if you want to include other airlines from LAX, there’s Qantas, Cathay Pacific, etc. that have less fuel surcharges than BA does for their own flights.

@Dan:

Do you mean that flights from LAX to JFK are worthwhile? i.e. good both directions?

Is there a specific airplane AA uses which has a good Business/first or does it depend more on the route rather than the plane itself?

What do you mean by the other airlines comment? Is there some way to use BA points for those airlines?

Thanks so much!

Hey Dan
I have like 200 miles I got only from my BA credit card.
I found the BA Avios flights award to be very expensive to others. Indeed, you did not a lot of them but it you have to pay 400-500 per ticket for international flights plus 50/75K miles. What’s the point?
I stopped my BA credit card for this particular. I still have two companion tickets to be used….a bit useless.
BA website is horrible and user friendly.
I found Skymiles more flexible even if you need more miles. You pay max 85 bucks (often less than that).

@Kenny:
Both directions, what goes up must come down 🙂
Generally it’s route-specific, like the ones I posted.

You can use BAmiles on tons of partner airlines:
https://www.britishairways.com/travel/collect-avios-oneworld/execclub/_gf/en_us

https://www.britishairways.com/travel/collect-avios-other-airlines/execclub/_gf/en_us

@David:
As I said in the preamble of this post, they are not good for crossing the ocean but that does mean they’re not good!

However there are no fuel surcharges for flights within the western hemisphere, and are therefore excellent for that last minute $1,500 ticket for a round-trip flight like NYC to Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Montreal, Toronto, etc, etc. for just 9,000 miles (6,000 AMEX points) plus $5 tax with no expedite fees. That’s a value of 16.7 cents per mile and 25 cents per AMEX point, which is better than you’ll do on almost any award in the world!

They are also great in first class to south america with an infant as they don’t slam you with a 10% ($1,000+) infant fee like all of the US carriers do and there are no fuel surcharges within the western hemisphere.
If you blog about the experience in a foolish attempt to try to be helpful to others though be prepared for the backlash 😛

Dan, when you told Kenny in #29 infants are free, that has to be done in airport correct? because they’ll charge 10% on phone…

@Avi:
Infants are generally free within North America and that must be done at the airport.

For South America if you book the infant online at the same time as the adult you pay just 10% of the miles instead of 10% of the full fare which can be astronomical.

If kids are over 2 (not infant anymore) and i get them a seat, are their tix any cheaper?

@Avi:
Nope, once you turn 2 you pay full price.

So is it a chilul Hashem to fly 1st class w a 2 yr old? 😉 😉 ….

Checked aa.com found a Economy milesaaver ticket then went back to ba.com and got this “There is no availability on Monday 4 June 2012. Your options are to:”

@shmu:
You need to include partners in the search.
Post an example with the flight you saw on AA.com

How long are ba miles good for before expiring?

@Deal Guy:
3 years, and earning or redeeming any points extend them for another 3 years.

monday june 4th jfk to sxm one way on aa.com there is 17.5K
Economy MileSAAver on ba.com flight can not be found.

@shmu:
BA charges a separate award fee for each leg.
To book that ticket (which has an 8 hour layover in MIA) just book JFK-MIA and MIA-SXM on separate tickets.
AA will check your baggage straight to SXM and you will only pay for bags once (or not at all if you have an AA card)

wow thanks!
Dan Says@Dan:
(or not at all if you have an AA card) does that include aa citi select card? even if flight booked through ba.com
(also can you refer me to a forum which discusses when the first year free is up, if its better to cancel or to downgrade my citi card?).

Hi Dan –

I am having the same issue people above are having. I would like to JFK/LAX on 8/7 and return on 8/14. I found on AA a ticket NYC/JFK on 8/8 for 12.5 and a return on 8/14 also for 12.5 but on AA, even after including partner airlines I am getting for both days:

There is no availability on Tuesday 7 August 2012. Your options are to:
Use the links below to search earlier or later
Purchase a ticket for money

Any thoughts?

@shmu:
Yes, the select card should have free baggage, but call Citi to confirm. It doesn’t matter where you book the ticket as long as you insert your AA mileage number into the ticket that is attached to the credit card.
Try to get a retention bonus: http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=1572

@Saul:
Same story. Those dates are connecting flights, 8/8 via DFW, 8/14 via BNA.
Search on BA.com and book each leg separately (JFK-DFW, DFW-LAX, LAX-BNA, BNA-JFK) as BA charges miles for each leg separately and be sure to have all of your reservations printed to show the agent so they check your luggage all the way through.
Alternatively search on AA for business or first sAAver on nonstop flights, which will include kosher meals, better than typical domestic seats, and may not cost that much more than connecting coach flights on BA.

considering applying for the british card for 50,000 points. Is it worth the $95 fee? I don’t fly domestically so it would only be worth if I can sell those points. Can 50,000 points be sold for $500?

@Sara:
Yes, they can be sold for that.
Also if you cancel within 30 or 60 days (or apply for another card and use the BA card as leverage to get approved) you will get a refund of the $95.

I was declined for the ba card because if too many requests on my credit lately, is there anything to do, anyone to call by chase, can I request that they take some of my $10,500 credit I have on a freedom card…?

@was declined:
Of course!
http://www.dansdeals.com/archives/16036
http://www.dansdeals.com/forums/index.php?topic=8028
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=8398

Any cheap tickets from ny to fl

thank you dan, i just called Chase Credit Analyst reconsideration (from the first link) and they moved $5,500 out of the $10,500 i had on my freedom card and approved me.
thanks again.

@was declined:
Congrats!

@Dan: Thanks Dan. Was not aware about the Western Hemisphere with Avios. Will get to use my 200K miles now. Shabbat Shalom

I’m also looking to go from nyc area to Orlando Florida at the end of June or beginning of July. If anyone knows of cheap tickets….

I am trying to book 7 tix from ORD to MIA or FLL for thanksgiving and having a hard time finding anything less than anytime awards on AA or United for direct flights any ideas?

Dan – I am finding a flight on AA.com for 12.5 miles from LAX to JFK but nothing is showing up on BA? the flight from LAX to JFK is direct.

The same thing is happening for a flight from EWR to LAX.

if i just did 3bm from chase and got all approved..but now wanna avoid the annual fee and try to transfer the credit line from BA…do i try for a new chase card (even though still within original 30 days) or do i move the credit to an exisiting chase card? TIA

i just transfered starwood to ba….how long will it before i see it in my ba account

@Saul:
http://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=14911

@ruch:
Either works.

@shmuel:
Give it a week.

I just purchased a short haul flight on BA for 9000 miles return + $56for taxes. How do you do this for $2.50 each way?

@Frayda: when you fly to Canada so that’s what you’re paying! No way to avoid it!

@Dan , If I got the 100,000 BA miles 2 years back & cancelled the card over a year ago , is it possible to get the 100,000 for a new account ?

Dan, I signed up for the British Airlines promotion and spend $20,000 in 2 months. If I cancel my cc to avoid the $95 charge, will I still get my 100,000 promotional points? Or will they take it away? Thanks

@Yossi:
I have read that some people have had success this year, YMMV as always.

@Zvi:
Once they post to your BA account they are yours to keep.

Only 65000 posted. Do I need to wait until everything posts? Or once I spend the money am I guaranteed it’ll post?

Does the British Airways card have the promotion for 50% bonus for transferring American Express miles every year, and do you think they will have it again next year?

Dan, I am interested in getting the 50,000 Avios for domestic travel here in the states. Good idea ? I plan on using them on AA

Dan,

Am I correct that the $95 annual fee is not waived for the first year? I read the fine print, and that’s what it seems like, but you are the authority on all things plastic, so figured I would check…….