Flying to McGhee Tyson Airport from London using Avios ideally or Amex points

[TobyP]

Hi, Long time reader but first time poster and I am looking for some help.

I have built up a decent amount of Avios points (over 200k) and some companion vouchers and currently have 100k of Amex points too. I had planned to use these for holiday flights etc, but my daughter has an opportunity to go to university in America on a scholarship.

I am hoping she can put some of my avios to good use and save me some money on flights, but for her university she ideally needs to get to McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville (TYS).

I can find flights on the BA website, but the reward flight checker doesnt give you an option for this airport. I can do singular flights to major USA airports and then a seperate american airlines flight but that would presumably mean she would have to collect her luggage and then check in again in America which isnt ideal.

On skyskanner, Aer lingus are showing some fairly cheap flights (3 stops) uk – Dub – Chicago – TYS, so that may be an option, but I am not really sure how that works.

Any advice is appreciated.

[BA Flyer IHG Stayer]

Arriving from the UK she will always have to collect and recheck her luggage (usually via a baggage belt just past customs) on arrival into the US with the exception of flights departing from a pre clearance airport like DUB.

Unless you at going to travel with her the 2-4-1 won’t help.

I’ve just done a dummy booking and TYS does appear in the avios search. And LHR-TYS via CLT or ORD on AA came up but only in economy so it’s possible! Business on the TATL could be available but that would require a phone call to BA to book.

Not sure which reward flight checker you are using but some may require you to enter it as ‘Knoxville’ rather then the airport code.

[ZoeB]

Hi, my daughter had a year in South Carolina. She travelled out with a friend from her UK university. I think they went to Atlanta, then stayed overnight at an airport hotel. In the morning they were able to fly onwards to the local airport where the University had volunteers who picked up foreign students and delivered them to their accommodation. Their volunteers were a lovely couple in their early 70’s who continued to support them both including lunch out from time to time.
A few years later the girls returned to stay with them.

If your university offer this service try to take it up. Sorry I can’t help with your actual question!

[RK228]

BA Flyer IHG Stayer wrote:

Unless you at going to travel with her the 2-4-1 won’t help.

I’m confused why the companion voucher won’t help? It may not be the greatest use of a 2-4-1, but one person can use a voucher to get a 50% discount on the required Avios, can’t they?

[The real Swiss Tony]

I’m confused why the companion voucher won’t help? It may not be the greatest use of a 2-4-1, but one person can use a voucher to get a 50% discount on the required Avios, can’t they?

Because the person named on to 2-4-1 has to travel, either to receive the 50% off for one passenger, or be one of the two to avail of the 2-4-1. It’s not transferrable.

My reading is that TobyP has the voucher, but his daughter wants to travel.

[TobyP]

Yes the 2-4-1 is in my name, and it will depend whether she wants me to go with her or not.

I have found BA fly direct to Cincinnati, which means economy flights of £50 and 30k avios which is the sort of price I was hoping for. It’s not much further away than TYS but she would have to arrange her own transport to the uni rather than there pick up service.

As soon as it’s two flights the price increases a lot.

[The real Swiss Tony]

And the 2-4-1 won’t be any use if there’s an AA flight in the booking, either.

Isn’t Nashville the closest BA gateway?

[AJA]

I used to fly regularly to TYS and I found that the quickest route was LHR-IAD-TYS even tbough it’s not the best immigratione and transfer experience. I tried all Eastern seaboard connections, ATL ORD PHL CLT are OK but the connections from there to TYS aren’t great so you end up spending a ling time waiting to connect to the US internal flight. JFK and EWR do not work at all.

The trouble with using the 2-4-1 is that you can only do the TATL flight on BA metal – the US internal flight is on AA operated by American Eagle or United metal so you cannot use the 2-4-1 all the way to TYS but you can book one ticket all the way to TYS if paying cash. That still doesn’t help luggage as you have collect and recheck after clearing immigration at your US TATL gateway regardless of which US gateway airport you fly into from the UK.

[TobyP]

Nashville is about 30 minutes further away from the uni than Cincinnati. So it’s a useful back up to know about, thanks.

Thanks AJA for your insight. It probably confirms my suspicions. It feels like the i am better off trying to get her one flight and then a transfer from either Cincinnati or nashville airport to the uni. I assume she will need a load of stuff first time she goes aswell.