Update on upgrading travel agent tickets with Avios
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Here is a quick update on my post from two weeks ago explaining how BA will now allow you to upgrade travel agent fares using Avios.
An interesting tweak has emerged since the soft launch. This is the relevant rule:
Upgrading using Avios Points for Upgrade can only be applied to bookings which are made in the member’s Executive Club membership country.
What this means, for a lot of corporate travellers, is a problem. It is very possible that your company travel agent is not based in the UK, or that you may be working abroad for a company which does ticket its travel here.
In either case, you will not be able to upgrade your tickets even if you meet all of the other qualifying criteria.
Some people will find this easier to get around than others. If you are working abroad for a UK company on assignment, simply change your British Airways Executive Club account back to a UK address and all will be well.
What happens, though, when your employer has outsourced your travel booking to a group which uses a booking centre based in India? You could change your BAEC account to a made-up address in India, but that is hardly practical!
There will be more to come on this, I’m sure. In general, though, the new system seems to work OK. My wife has a trip next week and instead of getting the message ‘You cannot upgrade this ticket’, she now sees ‘You cannot upgrade this ticket because it is in the wrong ticket category’ (which it is).
I suppose that is progress of sorts.
How to earn Avios from UK credit cards (April 2024)
As a reminder, there are various ways of earning Avios points from UK credit cards. Many cards also have generous sign-up bonuses!
In February 2022, Barclaycard launched two exciting new Barclaycard Avios Mastercard cards with a bonus of up to 25,000 Avios. You can apply here.
You qualify for the bonus on these cards even if you have a British Airways American Express card:
Barclaycard Avios Plus Mastercard
Get 25,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £10,000 Read our full review
Barclaycard Avios Mastercard
5,000 Avios for signing up and an upgrade voucher at £20,000 Read our full review
There are two official British Airways American Express cards with attractive sign-up bonuses:
British Airways American Express Premium Plus
25,000 Avios and the famous annual 2-4-1 voucher Read our full review
British Airways American Express
5,000 Avios for signing up and an Economy 2-4-1 voucher for spending £15,000 Read our full review
You can also get generous sign-up bonuses by applying for American Express cards which earn Membership Rewards points. These points convert at 1:1 into Avios.
American Express Preferred Rewards Gold
Your best beginner’s card – 20,000 points, FREE for a year & four airport lounge passes Read our full review
The Platinum Card from American Express
40,000 bonus points and a huge range of valuable benefits – for a fee Read our full review
Run your own business?
We recommend Capital on Tap for limited companies. You earn 1 Avios per £1 which is impressive for a Visa card, along with a sign-up bonus worth 10,500 Avios.
SPECIAL OFFER: Until 12th May 2024, the Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa card is offering a bonus of 30,000 points, convertible into 30,000 Avios. You must have a Limited Company to apply. Click here to learn more and click here to apply.
Capital on Tap Business Rewards Visa
Huge 30,000 points bonus until 12th May 2024 Read our full review
You should also consider the British Airways Accelerating Business credit card. This is open to sole traders as well as limited companies and has a 30,000 Avios sign-up bonus.
British Airways Accelerating Business American Express
30,000 Avios sign-up bonus – plus annual bonuses of up to 30,000 Avios Read our full review
There are also generous bonuses on the two American Express Business cards, with the points converting at 1:1 into Avios. These cards are open to sole traders as well as limited companies.
American Express Business Platinum
40,000 points sign-up bonus and an annual £200 Amex Travel credit Read our full review
American Express Business Gold
20,000 points sign-up bonus and FREE for a year Read our full review
Click here to read our detailed summary of all UK credit cards which earn Avios. This includes both personal and small business cards.
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