Cheap USair redemptions using Avios

Tangey99

Today is the first day that USair formally joined one-world, the airline alliance that includes BA and AA amongst others. USair flights are now bookable on BA.com, and they are showing up for Avios (redemption) bookings.

As is usual with BA, they won't show the direct DUB-PHI flight. However they are showing some pretty cheap options flying via LHR.

For example an economy return booking DUB-LHR-PHI is showing as 49K Avios, and £78 in taxes, when flying the international flights on USair. When flying those sectors on a BA planes, the taxes and fees are £280 !

Looking at the detail shows that BA are not charging any fuel surcharge if booking the USair flight. This could be a booking anomaly, or it could be a change of policy. Certainly if you book a DUB-USA flight via LHR flight on an AA flight, BA DOES levy a fuel surcharge.

Adrienne13

Hey there would you mind explaining how avios works exactly? I am looking for good deal on flights from Dublin to Boston in July another boards member mentioned avios to me as an option. I've looked into it but it seems a bit complicated??

Tangey99

Avios is the BA frequent flyer points programme. Ostensibly, you acquire Avios points on flights, which you can then use to redeem against future flying, paying only the taxes and fees.

However, there are other ways of gathering up Avios. To be fair, many of them are UK specific, such as converting tesco club card points, taking out american express cards for the sign-up bonuses, which can be converted to BA avios, or using topcashback, whose caseback can also be converted to tesco clubcards (and hence BA avios).

The above is an extremely short form intro. If you want to find out more, look at my signature, which has a link to my blog. If you can't see the signature, it is because you have "display signatures" set to off in your boards.ie profile.

Yamanoto

Tangey99 wrote: »

For example an economy return booking DUB-LHR-PHI is showing as 49K Avios, and £78 in taxes, when flying the international flights on USair. When flying those sectors on a BA planes, the taxes and fees are £280 !

Looking at the detail shows that BA are not charging any fuel surcharge if booking the USair flight. This could be a booking anomaly, or it could be a change of policy. Certainly if you book a DUB-USA flight via LHR flight on an AA flight, BA DOES levy a fuel surcharge.

Good that US are now in play.

It's worth noting that redeeming Avios on the Dublin - Boston route with EI (for a Business Class return) is considered one of the best mileage redemptions out there - using just 50,000 miles + €100 or so.

The same flights will use up just 25k Avios in Y.

http://boardingarea.com/onemileatatime/2012/07/27/reminder-redeem-your-british-airways-avios-for-travel-on-aer-lingus/

Tangey99

Yamanoto wrote: »

Good that US are now in play.

It's worth noting that redeeming Avios on the Dublin - Boston route with EI (for a Business Class return) is considered one of the best mileage redemptions out there - using just 50,000 miles + €100 or so.

The same flights will use up just 25k Avios in Y.

http://boardingarea.com/onemileatatime/2012/07/27/reminder-redeem-your-british-airways-avios-for-travel-on-aer-lingus/

Aer lingus is one of the best Avios redemption out of Ireland.

However, the real redemption gem out of Dublin, and one not widely known, is redeeming AA miles. For example, 40K AA miles plus £30 can get you a DUB-LAS return via JFK, as can be seen here:-

http://www.goingonrewards.com/2014/01/dublin-to-las-vegas-return-flights-for.html