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Hi all,
I have 2 companion vouchers and 500k avios but the high fees and taxes for long haul in J has made things more expensive than finding cheaper cash J tickets recently.
Now that the 241s have changed to depart from anywhere, not the UK, I was hoping anyone could share some tips on how to get the absolute best Long haul J value out of these?
For example, I know HKG to LHR has amazingly low taxes and fees as a one way ticket.
Is there any strategy to starting from a low tax route with the 241, followed by a nested route maybe 11 months later using the second voucher?
Hoping it wouldn’t have to be to the same destination but we are young and incredibly flexible to long haul destinations.
Also would be great to hear of any other routes with super low taxes/fees? The US is absolutely ridiculous atm both going and returning so that probably rules them out.
Thanks!
You might have seen my previous posts but I’ve been saving money by booking Y or PE on return sectors (and if Y, book the extra leg room seats), as we don’t eat and drink much on overnight flights and we find the quality of sleep not actually that different, i.e. pretty rubbish! From the US, you can now book these 2 cabins on RFS fares, so for a return in Y you’re looking at 30k avios plus £50. If you can get the early morning flight back from JFK or BOS, which are both very short, even better!
The 241 voucher policy is only changed for vouchers issued after Sep 21, so if either or both of yours were issued before that they are still limited to the usage policy at the time of issue. And if you were looking to use both in the same booking, you can only do that if they are both the same type.
Cheap taxes are HK, Japan, Brazil. I think that’s it?
Yes, but if you start in Europe and stopover is less than 24hrs in London, you avoid APD which lowers the surcharges, combined with nesting 2 x 241 vouchers you can maximize it even further. What we don’t know though is whether something like Tokyo-JFK-Tokyo with 24h stopover in London each way works as I think that requires calling.
I completely agree that the level of charges associated with long haul avios redemptions have become ludicrous but do you really want to primarily base your travels on making savings on them? I would say take the hit now, go where you really want and then reconsider whether collecting avios and amex vouchers is the best travel strategy for you.
Go somewhere you want to go! If that’s a low surcharge destination then great.
But going somwehere you don’t really want to go just because the BA surcharges are lower doth not make for a good holiday experience.
Thanks for the responses all!
Both 241’s are the new types. In terms of prioritisation, I am very new to flying as I grew up super poor, so it’s less about picking a destination for the surcharge, more figuring out which parts of the world I haven’t seen and how I can maximise the method of getting there (i.e. cash vs Virgin redemption vs Avios vs transfer to partner etc).
Regarding the red eye in WTP, I wish I could value this. Sadly my main motivator for finding HFP and starting the points game/flying in J or above is the legroom as I am on the taller side. I’d probably always fly economy if seat pitch/leg room offered me the ability to relax!!
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
Yes, but if you start in Europe and stopover is less than 24hrs in London, you avoid APD which lowers the surcharges, combined with nesting 2 x 241 vouchers you can maximize it even further. What we don’t know though is whether something like Tokyo-JFK-Tokyo with 24h stopover in London each way works as I think that requires calling.
Fascinating. Can you elaborate more on how this might work with nesting the vouchers using an example route starting from EU?
Thanks for the responses all!
Both 241’s are the new types. In terms of prioritisation, I am very new to flying as I grew up super poor, so it’s less about picking a destination for the surcharge, more figuring out which parts of the world I haven’t seen and how I can maximise the method of getting there (i.e. cash vs Virgin redemption vs Avios vs transfer to partner etc).
Regarding the red eye in WTP, I wish I could value this. Sadly my main motivator for finding HFP and starting the points game/flying in J or above is the legroom as I am on the taller side. I’d probably always fly economy if seat pitch/leg room offered me the ability to relax!!
If you book early enough to bag the exit row seats (not a cheap option but a lot cheaper in terms of cash and avios), you have pretty much unlimited leg room.
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