How Business and Leisure Travelers Can Sit Pretty With Very Little Effort
Business Class for almost the price of economy; Premium Economy for less than economy; a free transatlantic Business Class ticket or two free domestic upgrades to First Class: These are the spoils of the changes in British Airways’ Executive Club mileage program, effective Nov.16.
First, a Look at the Changes:
- The mileage currency name changes from BA Miles to Avios points, but rate remains the same: 1,000 BA Miles equals 1,000 Avios points.
- Certain cities will be “rezoned”, meaning lower point redemptions for First, Business, and Premium Economy Class, which opens the way for an almost free upgrade to Business Class and a free upgrade to Premium Economy.
New Launch Celebration Offers Gift: It can yield enough miles to offset the cost of a transatlantic Business Class ticket. (AA is part of the promotion.)
Opportunity #1: Almost a Free Upgrade from Economy to Business Class
BA currently charges 100,000 BA Miles for a U.S. to London Business Class redemption. The new point-redemption table lowers that to 80,000 Avios points for certain North American cities (see chart below). You can lower that to 65,000 by transferring points from Starwood because of the 25% bonus for every 20,000 transferred. (This amounts to only 5,000 points more than most U.S. airlines charge for an economy award.) If you don’t have Starwood points but Amex Membership Reward points, then it’s still a deal, offering a savings of up to 20%.
Free Award Redemption Changes Equal an “Almost Free” Upgrade to Business Class on British Airways to London
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Opportunity #2: Free Upgrade from Economy
BA currently charges 75,000 BA Miles for a U.S. to London Premium Economy redemption. The new Avios point-redemption scheme reduces that to 60,000 points for seven North American cities (Boston, Chicago, Montreal, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto, and Washington, DC). Transferring from Starwood brings the total down to 50,000 points, given the transfer bonus. That is 10,000 miles less than most other U.S. airlines charge for an economy award.
Free Award Redemption Changes Equal Free Upgrade to Premium Economy
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Opportunity #3: How to Get a Free Ticket via a Bonus Point Offset
British Airways new Multi-trip Multiplier bonus-point promotion can yield sufficient miles after one trip to offset the cost of a transatlantic Business Class ticket. Here’s how to take advantage of it.
Step one: Register for promotion.
Step two: Earn 25,000 points by booking and completing transatlantic travel by Dec. 31.
Example one: Cheapest way to earn 25,000 Avios points
Book American’s lowest transatlantic route NY-Manchester. At $1,433 round-trip—including taxes and fees—it is the carrier’s cheapest transatlantic route at Thanksgiving (Nov. 20-30). December holiday fares are higher.
Example two: The Premium Economy option
If you can’t get away during the holidays, book British Airways in Premium Economy between Oct. 20 and Dec. 16. New York-London is $1,528 round-trip including taxes.
Step three: Use the 25,000 Avios Points to upgrade your next trip to Europe.
British Airways allows round-trip upgrades from Premium Economy to Business Class for only 25,000 points. A NY-London Premium Economy ticket for travel next year during the off-season (Dec. 25 to April 1, Oct. 26 to Dec. 16) starts at about $1,500 round-trip including taxes. A Business Class ticket during the same period starts at about $3,350 including taxes, meaning you’re saving $1,850 on the upgrade. That more than covers the cost of the original ticket ($1,433) that you bought to get the 25,000 points, in effect making this year’s trip free.
Fine print: Valid from U.S. and Canada on American, British Airways, and Iberia in First, Business, and Premium Economy. Bonus posts four to six weeks after qualifying round-trip. Second transatlantic trip earns another 35,000 points, and subsequent ones 45,000 points.
Link: BA Multi-trip promotion
Opportunity #4: Earn Two Free Round-trip Upgrades to First or Business Class on Your Next Domestic Trip on American Airlines
AA is offering the same mileage-bonus promotion as BA, which can be used to upgrade two domestic flights on AA.
Steps one and two are the same as far as earning 25,000 AA miles.
Step three: Use 10,000 miles to upgrade your next transcon trip.
AA allows upgrades from full economy (Y and B fares) to First Class (no co-pay required). Staying with the New York departure city, this example will be to Los Angeles. A full NY-LA “B fare” for travel next year starts at about $1,550 round-trip including taxes and fees, while a Business Class ticket starts at about $3,200—a savings of about $1,650 on the upgrade. That’s enough to cover the cost of the original ticket ($1,433) used to get the 25,000 miles. Plus you have enough miles left for a second domestic round-trip ticket.
Fine print: Valid for U.S. residents on American, British Airways and Iberia in First, Business, and Premium Economy. Bonus miles do not count toward elite status. Second transatlantic trip earns another 35,000 points, and subsequent ones 45,000 points.
Link: AA Mileage promotion