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Hi everyone,
we would like to use my Amex BA 241 voucher for next year going to Japan. MAN -> LHR – HND and back same way is fairly straight forward. I would just contact the call centre to have the two bookings linked and a recalculation done. Done this a few times.
Now we are thinking whether we could mix it up a bit. The Mrs hasnt been to Madrid, and we thought that be a cool stop over. I have not seen a decent option for stop overs on BA.com which could be 2 days for example. So I am wondering whether the following could work.
Option 1.
Booking A: BA: MAN – LHR – HND Going using 241
Booking B: Iberia: HND – MAD (stop over) – Manchester
-> Call Contact Centre and link booking and get points/taxes recalculatedOption 2:
Booking A: BA: MAN – LHR – HND Going using 241
Booking B: Iberia: HND – MAD using Avios on BA.com
Booking C: Iberia: MAD – MAN using Avios on BA.com
-> -> Call Contact Centre and link booking and get points/taxes recalculatedOptions C:
Booking A: BA: MAN – LHR – HND Going using 241
Booking B: Iberia: HND – MAD using Avios on BA.com
Booking C: EasyJet/Ryanair: MAD – MAN/LIV using Cash
-> Call Contact Centre and link bookings and get points/taxes recalculated. Obviously using cash tickets those cant be included in the linking of bookings.We are also open to flip the travel on its head. Flying first to Madrid and then out with Iberia. On return fly with BA all the way to Manchester.
Any experiences or opinions on these options?
thanks
I think all of these look feasible. You should save on surcharges if you start in Madrid with a separate positioning flight (so maybe best for your outbound stopover).
BA might be able to add MAD-MAN on IB to your return booking if you did it that way, but IB avios pricing is quite high given how low their cash prices can be. They are also very prone to changes and cancellations so you might want to factor that in. I’ve been messed around so much recently I’m seriously thinking of using Ryanair between MAN and MAD instead!
If you’re fairly flexible, though, IB cash fares are around £40 each way and you get your BA/OW status benefits if applicable.
*Book IB cash flights via their website as BA doesn’t sell Iberia Express tickets, and also charges more on the IB routes it does sell!
Yes, these options (ex the non BA/IB flights) are doable using your 241. Bear in mind that IB releases award seats earlier than BA, but in order to access these you need to call BA so you will have one booking rather than two, so no linking. The full trip will be recalculated so you may potentially lose some of the advantages of lower taxes ex Japan but that’s less of an issue with Iberia anyway.
It should be a lot cheaper to start the trip to Tokyo from madrid, rather than from the UK. I would book a seperate flight to Madrid and then have a few days there, and then use your 2-4-1 to fly to and from Tokyo.
You should be able to include the return leg from MAD to MAN on that booking too if you want, unless you want a few days in Madrid on the way back too and then it might make sense to have one booking MAN-MAD and another (using the 2-4-1) for MAD to TYO.
Concur, your idea OP but the other way round.
Thanks for all the tips. I know it can work out cheaper starting and finishing the journey in Madrid and then just booking the separate leg with a budget airline back from/to Manchester.
We were looking at some convenience as well. Hence the option HND – LHR – MAN or MAN – LHR – HNDIll have a further play around with the websites. Thanks
Can BA contact centre book Iberia Express over the phone and link the booking with the 241 voucher?
Def possible is on BA.com using the voucher MAD-TOKYO – MAD
Then on Iberia using Avios to fly Iberia Express. I dont think though that both bookings can be linked though, that be cool if it could 😉
It may be possible, although they would be adding the short-haul leg to the TYO-MAD flight, not booking then linking. If you ask the wrong question it can confuse agents or elicit an outright refusal!
You don’t want the outbound MAN-MAD on the same booking as that would mean paying UK long-haul APD, which is what you’re trying to avoid!
Bear in mind that mixing IB and BA sectors on the same booking is likely to make the BA sectors ineligible for RFS and hence add several hundred pounds each to the cash element (especially if flying outbound with BA) when the inbound is added on, unless that has recently changed.
If you are booking the outbound prior to the release of seats on the inbound it would be better to book the inbound as a separate booking on BA.com and then call BA afterwards for the 50% Avios rebate, assuming you have enough Avios up-front to do that.
Bear in mind that mixing IB and BA sectors on the same booking is likely to make the BA sectors ineligible for RFS and hence add several hundred pounds each to the cash element (especially if flying outbound with BA) when the inbound is added on, unless that has recently changed.
If you are booking the outbound prior to the release of seats on the inbound it would be better to book the inbound as a separate booking on BA.com and then call BA afterwards for the 50% Avios rebate, assuming you have enough Avios up-front to do that.
@marks7389 – as Iberia releases the seats earlier than you can book them online at BA.com, the OP really needs to call and add the Tokyo to Madrid sector to the same booking even though that means recalculating taxes, otherwise he will be five days behind. The RFS vs IB non RFS clash sometimes has an impact but it’s the Iberia element that is affected, not the BA sectors.Depends on degree of flexibility and how quickly the reward seats are going of course. However looking back at analysis I did just under 2 years ago for LHR-MEX return, a single booking going out with BA and returning with IB using a 2for1 in J was around £400 more expensive per person than booking two singles and claiming the 50% rebate afterwards.
With the passage of time and a comparatively longer route I’d expect the difference to be more in this case (without taking into consideration any reduced fees ex-Japan).
I get the point – it’s a risk waiting until T-355 for availability on BA.com, which is something the OP has to weigh up but it is worth being aware of this if only to avoid a surprise when the fees are calculated.
If you are searching for availability on IB, note that they don’t fly to HND. They fly to NRT.
Bear in mind that mixing IB and BA sectors on the same booking is likely to make the BA sectors ineligible for RFS and hence add several hundred pounds each to the cash element (especially if flying outbound with BA) when the inbound is added on, unless that has recently changed.
If you are booking the outbound prior to the release of seats on the inbound it would be better to book the inbound as a separate booking on BA.com and then call BA afterwards for the 50% Avios rebate, assuming you have enough Avios up-front to do that.
@marks7389 – as Iberia releases the seats earlier than you can book them online at BA.com, the OP really needs to call and add the Tokyo to Madrid sector to the same booking even though that means recalculating taxes, otherwise he will be five days behind. The RFS vs IB non RFS clash sometimes has an impact but it’s the Iberia element that is affected, not the BA sectors.Just coming back at what JDB said.
We are now considering to go and come from Madrid to Tokyo (NRT, thanks for the correction) with Iberia. I checked and indeed Iberia releases seats 360 days in advance vs BA at 355 days in advance. Since the Iberia flight wont be visible yet on BA.com (in order to use the 241 voucher), I would have to call the contact centre. Are we sure, that IAG Loyalty staff can see the Iberia flights/seats that are not visible yet on their own website?
ThanksJust coming back at what JDB said.
We are now considering to go and come from Madrid to Tokyo (NRT, thanks for the correction) with Iberia. I checked and indeed Iberia releases seats 360 days in advance vs BA at 355 days in advance. Since the Iberia flight wont be visible yet on BA.com (in order to use the 241 voucher), I would have to call the contact centre. Are we sure, that IAG Loyalty staff can see the Iberia flights/seats that are not visible yet on their own website?
ThanksAre we sure, that IAG Loyalty staff can see the Iberia flights/seats that are not visible yet on their own website?
ThanksYes, BAEC staff can access such flights. Note that while Iberia itself can access connecting flights at +361, BAEC does not seem able to, requiring an additional call the next day.
At least that is my experience.
Just to add to this, can the 241 be used at 360 days with a call to BAEC. I am guessing yes? But not sure.
Just to add to this, can the 241 be used at 360 days with a call to BAEC. I am guessing yes? But not sure.
For Iberia flights, yes the voucher can be used at T-360.
I note the comment that mixing IB and BA may make RFS ineligible. I dont know if that is true but if it is consider Qatar for the return as the miles required is generally less than BA. I am today using a 241 to get to DOH on BA but coming back on QR and paying exactly the same in Avios as I am on BA to get there with a 241.
In the final prepping phase now to book the flights from MAD to NRT using Iberia. Called BA Exec Club and indeed they can see the flights already.
My thinking is though, that the phone lines open at 8:00 AM, and the business class seats go quite quickly.
Does someone know what time Iberia releases the seats? Is it like BA at midnight (but Madrid time)? And any suggestions on how to book them using the 241 voucher at the time of release?
Thanks
@krautboy, if you’re doing all this planning, surely you’ve been staying up till midnight to check this?!
I think it has been discussed on her somewhere, possibly in one of the Iberia/241 threads.
I did check this 2 days on the bounce, they seemed to have been released at midnight GMT or 1:00 AM CET.
But some other forums I read that the release time can vary, hence why I asked the question if someone knew for definite.
I did check this 2 days on the bounce, they seemed to have been released at midnight GMT or 1:00 AM CET.
But some other forums I read that the release time can vary, hence why I asked the question if someone knew for definite.
Did you notice the PE seats: are only 2 released for each flight, or more? (or any?!)
It seems that 2 Premium Economy Seats were released, same as business.
It seems that 2 Premium Economy Seats were released, same as business.
Cheers!
Short update. Flights released at midnight for Iberia.. tried calling BAEC Desk (Us Number) but automated msg service said office was closed.. that was already from 11:45 PM.
Anyway, luck has it that the seats from Madrid to Japan were still available this morning, so called again at 08:00 and managed to get the seats booked.
Now will have to hunt for the return flights.
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