Using Amex Companion + 2x Barclaycard Upgrade vouchers on same booking to Tokyo

[AeFondKiss]

Hi all – first time posting! I’m looking for some advice please.
I am travelling to Tokyo for a cruise in October 2024. Family of 4 (adult children). Ideally from Glasgow.
My husband has an Amex companion voucher in his account, and we both have a Barclaycard upgrade voucher. We are hoping to utilise all 3 vouchers for this trip if possible.
We have enough avios to book 2 business class seats using the Amex voucher. I am planning to call at T-355 to book.
My questions are:
1. Can we use the barclaycard vouchers for each of our sons (even though the vouchers aren’t in their names?) Do I have to do anything in advance of the call to book eg set up avios accounts for my sons and add to our household account?

2. We don’t have enough avios at present (and unlikely to get enough before October) to book seats for our sons, so I am considering buying some. Here are my calculations(based on Sep 24 dates):
-Cash price for 2 x premium economy seats £4187.
– 2 x economy seats upgraded to premium economy using Barclaycard vouchers 140,000 avios & £760
To buy 140,000 avios = £2498
Total cost = £3258.
In this case it does seem cheaper to buy avios rather than a cash ticket? Is this correct??
I’ve checked and I could get cheaper seats for my sons on another airline, but to travel together this seems the cheapest option. We of course need to fly on BA metal with our Amex voucher.

Many thanks in advance for any advice on booking/best use of the vouchers.

[NorthernLass]

Your Amex 241 voucher will open up extra availability (especially from GLA), but the upgrade vouchers won’t, so you need to bear that in mind. Tokyo doesn’t seem quite so in demand as it has been for the past year or so, so if you book at T-355 you should be ok. Maybe have one person on the phone booking with the upgrade vouchers (you’ll have to call to book from GLA anyway), and one booking with the 241 (online) at the same time.

Have a look at the various threads for the best ways to guarantee success of booking at T-355 and adding the return with the vouchers.

I can’t really comment on the issue of buying avios as it’s very subjective and you need to decide if it’s worth it for you. At the very least, try and make sure there’s an offer on when you buy. I think there might be a 40% bonus just now.

[meta]

What are you talking about? Tokyo is now the new Singapore/Sydney. The only time it won’t be in demand is in August and September as nobody in their right might would go to do touristy stuff in the midst of the typhoon season and high humidity.

The number of tourists at peak times has way surpassed pre-pandemic levels.

Even from the regions you will have difficulty finding seats so you will definitely need to stay up at T-355. Economy seats can be easier to score though at any point.

[Reney]

1. fine to use your barclays vouchers on your sons

When I previously did that I couldn’t do it online, I had to call. So if I were you I would try a dummy booking on anything available from GLA to see if you can do it online. I assume not, then you need to think about your calling strategy.

Previously when I did the call the bus tickets go before PE. Based on Northern Lass’s comment, you should be able to book with 241 online BUT if you hang out on the booking at midnight thread they will tell you often the tickets will go to the person on the phone. When I did this, I monitored it for three nights in a row and I never managed to get it online. So whilst the best idea is for your husband to book you and his tickets online Whilst both of you call and book one son each. In practice, your husband might be better calling to book the business tickets first. At the same time you should call to book for son1, and as soon as he is done booking his ticket, he asks to book for the other son at which point the ticket as likely run out.

You should set up a credit card payment on both you and husbands BA account and have the card with you so you can get to payment quickly esp husband as need to do 2 transactions.

If you and your husband are in a household you need to at least add your sons as friends and family. I don’t know if they need their own accounts to do that.

I worry the PE seats might go before your husband finish the transaction. You might want to think about whether you are okay with your sons, either both travelling on the following day or only one of them. In which case you can play the midnight phone call again the next night for the premium economy seats.

[NorthernLass]

@meta – you said yourself the other day that demand for Tokyo has eased of late! However, I have emphasized in my response that booking at T-355 is essential to avoid disappointment. SeatSpy is showing CW availability from September 9th to 13th, and the 241 may well unlock more. Numerous days with 2 x PE available as well which might be ok for the adult children.

*Outside the undesirable summer period, doing a search for the random dates of Feb 29th to March 15th shows 3 x CW each way from GLA-HND with a 241.

[meta]

I didn’t say that. See the thread here https://www.headforpoints.com/forums/topic/tokyo-wtih-avios-help/

I agree booking at T-355 is essential and from the regions you might get some extra availability, but I’d be really preparing a plan B.

[AeFondKiss]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I’m relieved that I can potentially use all 3 vouchers for the 1 flight.
We’re planning on calling at midnight GMT as I know for sure that I can’t book ex GLA online for the Barclaycard vouchers.
Planning to do a dummy run call in a few days to check I have everything set up correctly.
God this is nail biting!
I’ll update once all booked.

[NorthernLass]

If for any reason you can’t call (at midnight if after the clocks change next month, otherwise 1 am), you can book LHR-TYO online with the Barclays vouchers and ask for the GLA leg to be added afterwards. You’d need to make 2 separate bookings to do this. Obviously better if BA can do the whole thing on the phone, but it’s a back up plan which would at least secure you the seats!

Also remember that on the inbound leg, the GLA leg may not be released until the day after the long haul, depending on what time the long haul departs/arrives.