Changing return leg on a 2-4-1 booking, is it possible?

[Nigel Jones]

We are looking to book return long-haul flights in the next few weeks, we have enough Avios to splash out of first outbound (there seems to be a few seats starting to show now to JNB) and CW on the return. To grab any available seats is it possible to book the return journey with the return leg on a date earlier than we want, then change just the return once the flights open up, without affecting the outbound leg? Or do we just wait until both dates are available and hope (and maybe pray) the first seats are still there?

[NorthernLass]

Book it asap; (obviously) subject to availability you can call BA and make the change later for £35pp.

Also – If you’re not using a 241, you could just book each leg separately.

[Nigel Jones]

Thank you for the quick response. It will be a 2-4-1 booking. So fingers crossed we get availability for the outbound first seats.

[AJA]

If the return flights aren’t yet on sale just buy the outbound now (potentially using a 2-4-1) and then when the return flights buy online when they are released.

If using a 2-4-1 you can then phone up and link the return to the outbound and get 50% of the Avios returned.

[Nigel Jones]

Not enough avios to split the booking I’m afraid. But thanks for the suggestion.

[AJA]

You can still book outbound online using 2-4-1 then when the return flights are available you can phone to book them and apply them to the 2-4-1. But you will have to be on the phone just before 1am

[Nigel Jones]

OK, will give it some thought.

[NorthernLass]

Also, have you done a dummy booking to check whether mixing cabins messes up the taxes/surcharges? I think this might be less of an issue recently but when RFS came in for CW, mixing that and F sent the cash element into the stratosphere!

[Nigel Jones]

Thanks, I have gone part way through a booking, and the fees and taxes between first out CW back and CW return seem to go from £1695 for the former and £900 for the latter. A bit of a hike but £1695 for two return isn’t too bad I think. Better than the full cash price!!!

Thanks again.

[NorthernLass]

That sounds about right, tbh. The cash element on F rewards is disproportionately higher as there’s no RFS pricing (as yet), although this is balanced out by needing fewer avios. When RFS was first introduced, the combination of cabins was making the cash element come out at around £3k in some cases!

[Nigel Jones]

🤞 it comes together.