On November 16th BA Miles will be converted into “Avios.” I’m sure they paid some creative firm massive sums of money to come up with that ridiculous name for their miles.
British Airways is refusing to release any information about upcoming changes to their one partner award chart, which is the best chart for US based collectors of BA miles today. This has fueled rumors that they may be eliminating the chart entirely. You can book travel now at the current rates for anytime in the next year.
In the one partner award chart is a handful of bargains. You can travel between the US and Argentina, Brazil, or Peru for just 40,000 miles in coach or 80,000 in business on AA or LAN with no fuel surcharges. You can travel within the US48 for 25,000 miles or to Hawaii for just 35,000 miles with no fuel surcharges. You can fly to Asia on Cathay Pacific for just 50,000 miles in coach or 100,000 miles in business with relatively small fuel surcharges. One-way travel is allowed at half of those rates and stopovers are free as well.
It’s generally not worthwhile to use BA miles to travel to Europe or Israel due to the massive fuel surcharges they tack onto transatlantic travel, especially when flying on AA or BA across the pond.
BA miles can be pooled together. Tickets can be booked online (you must first search and then click the box to include partners to search for partner flights on BA.com) or over the phone at 800-452-1201
What will happen on November 16th? If you’re sitting on a stash of BA miles you may not want to wait around to find out…
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33 Comments On "Will British Airways Gut their Award Chart Next Week?"
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A British Airways Customer Service Representative told me that you effective November 16, you will be able to use your Avios to book hotel rooms and car rentals.
Any new info regarding fees & charges?
Will it be going up, down, or stay same for mileage tickets from US to Europe?
Will availability be reduced after the 16th or should it remain the same?
Am I correct in understanding that the awards will cost less miles after the 16th to fly from US to Europe?
Wt do u suggest we do? I have 200,000
@steve:
Fees will not go down. Whether it goes up for AA flights is anyone’s guess.
Availability shouldn’t change.
It will cost less miles to fly from the US to Europe, but to go to Israel will not cost less miles and will in fact cost more miles from Europe to Israel.
@Help!!!:
Fly somewhere?
Hope they don’t change for the worse?
Find someone else that needs to fly somewhere?
Agreed! Waiting around is pointless. Unless you plan on using miles (Avios) for travel between the US east coast and London – assuming you don’t mind the surcharge. Other than that route – and maybe some Europe to Asia routes – I fear that rates may go up as much as 50%!!!! That’s why I snagged my wife and I two F seats next year!!! YVR-HKG-NRT//KIX-TPE-HKG-YVR. And yes, we’ll stop for at least 2-3 days in each city! Can’t wait. Thanks BA for giving my lazy butt an excuse to finally burn the miles!
@Ari:
Congrats, enjoy Cathay First!
Trying to figure out what to do with my 200,000+…No travel plans yet for the future so nothing to do with them….Any suggestions?
i have someone that pays 1.5 for ba please email me at sb5917@gmail.com ill give you the info
Trying to check availability on ba.com…not getting the partners box after I click search.
@sbr:
is your guy interested in large amounts only?
@sbr: Any minimum?
Does BA charge a change fee for date changes on an AA redemption?
If I book an itinerary now before Massacre Day for travel around Pesach time, will I be able to change the dates and/or routing once they switch to Avios?
@Shimmy
The BA website, especially for searching partner airlines, is absolutely terrible, just call a rep they are very nice and it’s a million times easier!!!
@Devorah:
If you make the date change online there is no fee: http://www.britishairways.com/travel/ecservicefeestbl/public/en_us
@Sam: minimum 150k
sbr, Sam, I contacted your guy, he said no household accounts
So if I have 100,000 miles, what’s the best way to use them? I don’t want to pay hundreds in fuel charges but I would like to visit my family in the UK. Any suggestions?
@sbr: I emailed the guy he said they are not buying BA right now
I need to get tickets to pittsburgh but BA’s website says they don’t have rights to fly there. How do I find out if I can use my BA miles for an award flight to that city if it is on their list?
@Help:
You can. If AA has the award flight available at the saver rates then BA can book it as well.
Just pick up the phone and call BA!
@Dan: The easier way is to click on include partners. Thats what I did when i used them on ba miles.
eeeeeek – we have over 700K ! I transferred lots of AMEX MR points when they had a 50% BA bonus. I’m waiting for my 2011 Chase 2 for 1 any day now. Also was hoping for LAN Easter Island biz at 80K.
@Clevelander:
Yup, but it won’t show that box if your search yielded BA flights, but you can always still call to book.
Make sure to say you tried booking online to avoid the phone booking fee.
@PatMike:
If you want Easter Island for 80K you better book before the 16th!
try airmiles.co.uk for more information on avios
I just burned 200,000 BA miles on domestic travel.
Avios means Adios, for me at least.
where can i sell 300,000 BA miles?
Can I use BA miles for a US domestic flight only if AA has sAAver flights available? I see AA has flights available for my dates at 25k each way, not the usual 12.5 and it says that BA does not have these dates available. What can I do? Will BA make these flights available for more miles?
@Dan: It seems that under Avios there will be a date/time change fee of 25 pounds. See http://www.abtn.co.uk/news/0116266-ba-announces-new-loyalty-scheme
Can i transfer BA miles to Continental one pass?
Any ideas how to use my BA points to fly to London? I wasnt paying attention back then when the points system was changed over. We have around 120k points and they only accept points for the actual flight. we would have to pay over $600 for taxes and all the other charges. what a waste. If anybody has any ideas pease advise. Thanks.
@Yitzy:
BA miles are pretty much only good for domestic nonstop flights now.
For international flights you should use a domestic mileage program with fuel surcharges.
Dan, is there any way to fight this? i mean the only reason i signed up for this credit card was because of the miles and the ability to use them for International flights…
when you say to use a domestic mileage program with fuel charges- you mean a different credit card that has different rewards for the points correct?