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Hi,
Going to USA next year flying out to MCO and flying back from NYC. MCO flights have just opened up, before I lose them, is it best to book one way tickets to MCO using the BA 2 for 1 Amex voucher, and then when the return NYC tickets open up, add those by phoning up?I guess there are extra taxes to pay this way?
Are BA’s phone lines open to do this?
Or is there a better way?Thanks
I don’t know about “a better way” but the taxes/fees/charges if you take the two booking and Avios refund approach will be horrific. Price up a cash fare before you book to ensure you are getting something resembling good value (0.8p each or more) for your Avios. Remember, the cash fares will generate Avios, and you probably ought to ascribe a small value to the companion voucher itself if you think you should be able to use it later in the year, perhaps short haul in club. Unless you need the Avios bookings for flexibility then favour cash if it’s close.
Can you change the ordering of your trip? LON – NYC; MCO – LON? You’ve got a better chance of that working as a simple booking on the phone in one hit at midnight when then MCO leg opens for booking. New York doesn’t sell out so fast.
Maybe consider flying one-way to MCO with BA and one-way back with an airline that doesn’t penalise one-way cash bookings (eg JetBlue?) or redemptions (eg United – if you have Amex points you can transfer to a partner airline).
Trouble is cheapest cash fares aren’t available 355 days out usually. Which makes the maths on this hard.
The OP didn’t actually mention the “two booking and Avios refund approach”.
What they described is what many, me included, have done in the past. BA happy were happy to add the return leg over the phone and they adjusted the cash surcharges to reflect as if it had been booked as a return initially.
Whether they are still happy to do this, and how easy it will be to get through on the phone, I cannot say. These may be factors in why people are choosing to make two separate bookings, then later request a refund of the additional Avios?
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
The OP didn’t actually mention the “two booking and Avios refund approach”.
What they described is what many, me included, have done in the past. BA happy were happy to add the return leg over the phone and they adjusted the cash surcharges to reflect as if it had been booked as a return initially.
If this is still available, go for it. My understanding is that it is no longer offered.
The phone up and add the return is absolutely still possible. Booking the return separately and then expecting half the Avios to be refunded is seemingly what is being cracked down on.
OP, book your outbound now, call up when the return opens up at 1am BST (call an exec club line in Asia that will be opening up at that time). They’ll reprice and you won’t be any worse off on taxes/surcharges.
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