Part Pay with Avios – is it good value on expensive routes/late bookings?

[JordanB]

Hi

I’ve read the HfP article on this that concludes it’s not good vale but I think I’m misunderstanding it so would be grateful if someone could explain using an example of actual booking I’ve made.

LCY-FLR
Cash fare advertised: £448
Actually paid: £115 + 6,500 Avios

I see this as me using 6,500 to make a saving of £333, so would that not make the Avios I’ve used worth 5p per mile?

[memesweeper]

Assuming you’d have paid £ 448, then yes, it’s 5p per Avios.

Note the cash fare shown early in the booking process may increase or reduce as you go through the booking process. The £ 448 might have been replace with a somewhat lower price nearer the checkout phase. However, I’ve never seen anything drop by £333! And in fact, I don’t recall the price changing downwards on shorthaul ever in my experience, but I have seen it go up.

[Thegasman]

Looks like a redemption to me using a low Avios/higher cash pricing option rather than true part pay with Avios.

Either way that’s a good use of Avios but there are differences eg. Part pay with Avios is a cash fare so earns TP’s & Avios back but has the conditions of the underlying cash fare (potentially no changes or refunds). Redemption obviously gives better flexibility but no Avios/TP earning.

[RK228]

JordanB wrote:

Hi

I’ve read the HfP article on this that concludes it’s not good vale but I think I’m misunderstanding it so would be grateful if someone could explain using an example of actual booking I’ve made.

LCY-FLR
Cash fare advertised: £448
Actually paid: £115 + 6,500 Avios

I see this as me using 6,500 to make a saving of £333, so would that not make the Avios I’ve used worth 5p per mile?

What you’ve described looks to be an Avios reward flight rather than a Part-Pay-with-Avios fare. In evidence, below are the Avios and cash combinations for Avios redemptions between LCY-FLR at peak times:

24000 Avios + £ 9.00
18500 Avios + £ 25.00
16500 Avios + £ 35.00
10500 Avios + £ 95.00
6500 Avios + £ 115.00

[JordanB]

Thanks for the replies – I now understand how it works and can confirm the flights were Avios reward/redemption flights (had totally forgotten that part!). I’ve also booked similar flights to Ibiza and Malaga, not quite the £333 ‘saving’ I got on the Florence flights but still enough to make it a good use of Avios.

Best one I’ve ever had was when BA wanted just over £1000 for LCY-LIN – but I realised rewards seats were still available on the same flights so used 9k points and paid about £90…a saving of over £900! Sadly had to cancel due to partner catching Covid 🤦🏻‍♂️