Avios booking (with and without companion voucher)

[Oz_Traveller]

Hi all

Hoping for some help on the above topic. My dilemma…

Travelling with 6 and we would like to book our flights for next summer using the companion voucher. The outbound flights are available, however the inbound flights are not yet available. So questions…

1) shall I book the actual outbound and a ‘dummy’ inbound flight, and when the actual dates become available I can change the dates. I intend to use the companion voucher. What’s the cost/impact of this?

2) act as per above without the companion voucher use, and then rebook the inbound flight with the companion voucher. Is this possible? Again, cost/impact of this.

3) do not book any flights and hope the outbound flights are still available… wishful thinking I think 🤔

Your help and guidance is greatly appreciate. I expect a well known strategy is available.

Thanks

[Rhys]

Just book the outbound flights.

Then, when the inbound flights become available, call the BA phone lines in the USA or Japan at midnight GMT (1am BST) to secure the return.

[marshy11]

As above. Book the outward flights now and apply the voucher. Don’t book without the voucher being applied.

When the inbound are available call up and add them to the booking.

[NorthernLass]

Where are you going? Depending on the route it might be easier to book your inbound online then request the 50% avios back at your leisure. On many routes the financial difference is negligible (not US though).
Also, are you planning to have all 6 of you on the same booking? You can definitely add children to a 241, someone also said on here once that you can add other adults as well but I’ve never tried it.

*Curiosity just compelled me to do a dummy booking and it looks like you can have any combination of pax up to 9 people. I know the CSA was surprised one year when I called to reclaim the 50% avios and there were 3 of us on the booking.