Open jaw query

[Indy500]

Hi folks

Still a bit of a newbie so could do with some advice please?

We’re planning a 3 week trip [2023] to the US on BA. Myself and OH. Fly into Miami and return from New Orleans. Plan on cash WT+ and upgrade with Avios to Club. Where I’m unsure is that I can’t book the trip until the return is available 366 days out [correct?] which means I may miss upgrade availability on the outbound flight? Not sure how to best approach this. Can BA book flights over 366 days for the return in this case?

Hopefully that’s understandable!

Thanks for your time.

T

[ChrisC]

BA release tickets 355 days out.

And they can’t book anything that exceeds that.

I’m not aware of either MIA and MSY being destinations that require immediate booking as soon as flights are released.

In fact it could cost you more for for your base WT+ fare as the cheaper buckets take a couple of days to be released.

[NorthernLass]

Would the cheaper fares be eligible for upgrade?
Also – there needs to be award availability to upgrade with avios – MIA CW seats go really fast at peak periods. I lost 3 while going through the checkout process a few months ago and had to change my plans a bit as my travel date is fixed.

• This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .

[ChrisC]

With WT+ it’s only the very cheapest bucket that isn’t uphgradable

If you are booking the flight using upgrade with avios with a base WT+ then it would be in an upgradeable bucket anyway.

What I mean is on T-355 it’s likely only the W (most expensive but most flexible) bucket would be available but after a few days some of the cheaper (but less flexible) upgradable buckets get releaased.

[Indy500]

Thanks folks

[strickers]

Quick question, do BA use great circle distance when calculating whether open jaw is possible?

[Lady London]

I think IATA says this.gcmap dot com is where to find the distances.

Didn’t stop BA moving either Ireland or the Continental US 7 miles or so further apart though thus disappearing a longstanding fare advantage between Ireland and some East Coast destinations based on Zone, a few years back.

[strickers]

Thanks LL, gc=great circle. So the plan of out through Vancouver and back from Boston should work.

[strickers]

How are BA pricing up open jaw at the moment? Thinking of Vancouver next September for an Alaska cruise the heading to Toronto and finally returning to the UK from Boston? This will be a 241 with the outbound booked at T-355 and the return added at a later date.