How to use Upgrade voucher in CW to popular destinations like Barbados

[ianjif]

Can anybody advise how to use the Upgrade voucher on flights to the Caribbean?

Avios CW flights need to be booked as soon as they become available otherwise they are taken. I had two vouchers and booked the outbound leg 355 days ahead using one voucher for two people upgrading. Obviously I couldn’t book the return at this time as more than 355 days. I tried to book the return a couple of weeks later, but the system rejected it as not starting in UK, so I booked using Avios for two people. BA contact centre said it is not possible to book a separate return flight starting from outside UK even though it is a return. A further issue is that they cannot combine flights to use vouchers – which is the opposite of the AMEX 241.

Have other readers had the same problem in Barclays Upgrade? Is there a way round this? Otherwise makes the upgrade voucher worth a lot less than the AMEX 241

[NorthernLass]

This is already widely known and discussed here! (But not all CW flights need booking at T-355, it depends how popular the destination is).

The BC upgrade voucher can only be used on flights departing from the UK – this has been publicised from the get-go in articles and thread on this and other sites, and is made clear in the voucher Ts and Cs.

You need to make 2 separate bookings with your 2 vouchers on the outbound leg (or call BA to put them on a single booking), then call again for BA to add the inbound legs with the other halves of the vouchers.

You could cancel all your bookings for £35pp and start again using both vouchers if you’re willing to take the (very small) risk that the seats don’t reappear in the inventory.

[HH10]

Trouble is, the phone lines don’t open until 1000, by which time the return CW seats may have been taken…….