British Airways USA phone number from the UK??

[danjappleby]

Hi All,

first post here so please be gentle!

We are in the middle of booking return flights using a BA Amex companion voucher with rewards flights and avios

We’ve booked our outbound flight from the UK online – all nice and easy. Now we need to add on the return flight, but as it’s a not a high frequency route, we need to call at midnight / 1am UK time to an overseas call centre that is open to stand the best chance of getting the seats and dates we want.

I’ve run into an obstacle as the BA USA numbers don’t seem to work from my UK mobile…?? I have tried the following numbers already:
+1 800 452 1201 (USA BA Customer Services number)
+1 877 455 2488 (USA BA Exec Club number)
But can never seem to get through using my mobile or Skype. I’ve called o2 who say those numbers may not be provisioned to accept calls from overseas numbers.

Can anyone help with an overseas BA office telephone number who will be open at midnight for us to book return flights?

Any help hugely appreciated.

Thanks in advance!
Dan

[stevenhp1987]

I’ve always just used Skype for toll-free US numbers.

What happens if you call the number via Skype? I believe you must choose US from the list of countries (at the top of the call screen in the app) and start with 800 rather than enter +1800…

I just tested the number on Skype. Connected just fine.

[danjappleby]

Aah, tried with Skype and managed to get it to work! Thanks for your help 🙂 All booked!

[SteveJ]

@Sassa, the phone agent can hold the seats before anyone can nab them. Online the seat in only yours once you make payment, so you lose valuable time.

Ideally you want to be on the phone, through the queue, past security checks all just before 1am, then as soon as it ticks over 1am the agent can hold the seat. If you ring too early they won’t be able to stay on the line indefinitely. It can be a nailbiting game!

[FatherOfFour]

@SteveJ, wow thanks for the valuable info! Super sleuth! What time would you recommend I call? Is there generally a queue?

Thank you!

That’s the problem; it’s so variable. I’ve called 00:20 and not answered till after 1 but also at 00:40 and answered within 5 mins.

[rashomon]

@Sassa – my experience of first time booking using my 241 turned out to be a success. I managed to nab 4 CW tickets outbound to Singapore for my family for next Aug during school hols. still pinching myself on this as there are so few flights out East on the BA schedules currently.

I made sure I was set up with Skype and for a dummy run I dialled the number at 01:00 BST to go through the process a night before. Spoke to an agent that was based in the US and they confirmed I needed to ring the next eve for the dates I wanted (ie. 355 days in advance).

On the actual day itself, I called the BA number at 00:45 and I had all the necessary details in front of me for my party – passport numbers, DOB, BAEC numbers etc and of course my 2 companion vouchers.

I got through to an agent based in the UK with about 10 mins before the seats were released and I explained exactly what I wanted, He was really switched on and took down all the details he needed in advance and then a minute before 01:00 he told me he was going to go ‘very quiet’ for a while. Palms sweating I waited and then he came back on 3 mins later with confirmation he had my seats bagged! … 10 mins later and a quick exchange of more details and it was all booked up. Even the agent was pleased with himself as he had failed earlier in the week to nab even 2 CW tickets for others let alone 4. Ended the call super happy and I gave myself a quick high-five (everyone else asleep!).

Hopefully you have success also!

ps. for some reason I could only dial the BA Skype number using the app on my Mac … when I tried via my iPhone I got a permanently engaged dial tone.

[FlounderV]

Can anyone give me the right contact number for booking BA reward flights, either US or Japan, via Skype or otherwise?
It doesn’t seem to be easy to find online….

[Greygoose]

@FlounderV – once logged in,if you click on Help and contacts at bottom of BA homepage and then page down to Contact information and Executive Club enquiries, you should be able to see link for phone numbers. Select the relevant country and number info. should appear

[iaink]

Hi @rashomon, @danjappleby

Which of those two numbers (Customer Service or Exec Club) did you use? Any difference in queue length between them?

Thanks

[s2bgrant]

Sorry if this is a dense question.. why does it have to be 1am and not midnight?? Thank you!

[Rob]

Fares load at midnight GMT, so during British Summer Time it is 1am.

[NorthernLass]

Yes, it’ll be back to midnight in 4 weeks when the clocks change!

[masplin]

Does anyone know the current number to call in the US to book an avios redemption? Only number listed on BA is 1-800-247-9297 but assume that isn’t Executive club number? Thanks

[SusieQueue]

1-800-452-1201 is the exec club number but be warned, agents are being briefed to not accept bookings from UK clients. I had two different agents refuse to make or change a booking when I was on the phone between 12.30 and 1am a couple of nights ago, apparently they have been told they must keep the line free for US and Canadian customers. Husband was connected to a different call centre at the same time and the agent there (possibly India) could not help him.

[SteveJ]

I’m not sure why everyone calls the US at the end of their working days. I always call somewhere in Asia where it is the beginning of their day.

[ed_fly]

SteveJ wrote:

I’m not sure why everyone calls the US at the end of their working days. I always call somewhere in Asia where it is the beginning of their day.

I think the issue is japan only opens at 1am, so too late vs online. Australia is only open Monday – Friday, and on Skype seems to be potentially quite expensive – 24.4p per minute???

[SteveJ]

ed_fly wrote:

I think the issue is japan only opens at 1am, so too late vs online. Australia is only open Monday – Friday, and on Skype seems to be potentially quite expensive – 24.4p per minute???

Concede on the Mon-Fri Aus issue. There are other VoIP providers cheaper than Skype, e.g. Sipgate is one I’ve used, though if the route is really that popular to warrant the 1am dance I’d say sucking up 24ppm seems acceptable to me.

[goldenface]

To avoid a new thread, is the info here still up to date?

I.e. call at 1am, use 1800-247-9297 or attempt to call the other locations

Thanks

[David43]

Something seems to have changed.
I cannot get through to a US call centre to add a return flight to my booking using number that worked previously.

Seems to be linked to change to UK Summer Time?

I’ve tried
18004521201. USA but Closed at 01:00 UK time
18002479297. Could not amend my booking
18774552488. UK based and closed outside UK office hours

Someone somewhere is managing to get through, because the flights are gone by 0105!

HELP please.

[AFKAE]

goldenface wrote:

To avoid a new thread, is the info here still up to date?

I.e. call at 1am, use 1800-247-9297 or attempt to call the other locations

Thanks

I used +1 800 452 1201 a few weeks ago, because I’m now a lowly Blue member.

[desh36000]

Hi all, just FYI on my experience. I called the BA GOLD line in the USA to hook on a return from SYD-LHR to my 241 business booking on Tuesday 1am.

Thing to note aside from the clocks change timing (1am is the new midnight / UTC0000) – i kept getting told the line was closed when trying to call in – this is because I was going thru to the avios bookings part of the menu. Best option for being quick through is to select the normal sales option – not sure if everyone knows this already but it caught me out.

Agent I had this time was actually very good. In other times, not a lot of help and lost a few opportunities. I think its really a case of YMMV – the key thing is to have an agent who is onto it. They all know why you are calling at 1255am/1155 so are ready to go – just have a booking ref and BAC number ready and let them do their thing. A fellow flyer suggested it may be the difference between Silver and Gold lines. I am not sure on that, but do know i like to have options up the sleeve if attempt1 day1 or attempt2 day2 or attempt3 day3 dont work (which is kinda how you need to play it on popular routes) – its not easy so persistence seems to be the key.

I would note that the hardest and longest part of the call was just trying to pay – their system is a little flakey and took many attempts.

I was lucky I think, as those seats disappeared online before 1am even….. so am happy it worked out. Hope this helps anyone seeking a feel for the UX or hasnt yet phoned up to try T-355

[drnaomipotter@googlemail.com]

Does anyone have the BA gold number for the USA? Finding the one from the UK was hard enough and I can’t find the USA one anywhere! Many thanks

[Tghips]

drnaomipotter@googlemail.com wrote:

Does anyone have the BA gold number for the USA? Finding the one from the UK was hard enough and I can’t find the USA one anywhere! Many thanks

It’s the same number. The UK Gold Card number is 24/7. Just choose to say new booking, avios booking and it should direct you to an open call centre. This just worker for me