

British Airways Avios has revamped the best way you may redeem factors for British Airways flights. The UK-based airline has unveiled particulars in regards to the extension of “Reward Flight Saver” award bookings to incorporate long-haul British Airways flights booked with Avios.
In consequence, we’re seeing a mixture of good and unhealthy information in relation to the default approach to redeem Avios: the associated fee in Avios goes up, however the carrier-imposed surcharges are taking place.
There’s positively some worth to be discovered right here, although, and should you don’t need to redeem factors this fashion, you’ll nonetheless be capable of make redemptions beneath the earlier schema.
Decrease Gas Surcharges on British Airways Flights
As a fast refresher, British Airways has all the time charged exorbitant gas surcharges on their very own flights when redeeming any frequent flyer miles, together with Avios. It might generally be cheaper to buy a ticket with money as a substitute of redeeming Avios and paying the surcharges.
As of in the present day, British Airways is providing “Reward Flight Saver” flights as a substitute redemption choice on long-haul flights with British Airways.
The largest benefit of redeeming Avios through Reward Flight Saver is that the carrier-imposed surcharges will likely be tremendously lowered. Actually, you’ll have the choice to pay a flat payment which is able to embody all taxes, charges, and gas surcharges, together with the UK Air Passenger Obligation (APD).
To be clear, the Reward Flight Saver idea isn’t new. Reward Flight Saver redemptions have been out there for European short-haul flights for some time now, however that is the primary time Reward Flight Saver flights are being rolled out to the North American public on British Airways long-haul flights.
Canadian- and US-based Avios accounts can already see Reward Flight Saver choices throughout check-out, which exhibits up because the default selection as soon as you choose a flight.
The above instance is a non-peak date and exhibits the value for a one-way flight in British Airways enterprise class from Toronto to London. The default price is the brand new Reward Flight Saver value, which comes out to 80,000 Avios and $350 (CAD).
In the event you click on “Extra pricing choices”, you’ll see that all the beforehand out there redemption ranges are nonetheless accessible, and you may nonetheless select to pay whichever mixture of Avios and money you want.
The most suitable choice beforehand was to pay the total fare in Avios and all taxes and charges in money. On this identical route, this was the 50,000 Avios + $865 (CAD) mixture that’s nonetheless seen beneath “Extra pricing choices”.
With the brand new pricing of 80,000 Avios + $350 (CAD), we will see that the Avios price has elevated by 60%, whereas the money price has decreased by very comparable 59.5%.
Trying on the cent per level (cpp) worth, you’re primarily spending 30,000 Avios to save lots of $515 (CAD), which comes out to 1.72 cents per Avios. This comes extraordinarily near our goal redemption worth of 1.9 cents per Avios, and will even exceed it in some circumstances.
Take into account that at any time when there’s a switch bonus from American Specific Membership Rewards, HSBC Rewards, or RBC Avion to Avios, that very same distinction of 30,000 Avios reduces to only 23,100 MR or Avion factors assuming a 30% bonus.
Throughout these occasions, you’d successfully wind up with a redemption worth of 2.44 cents per MR or Avion level, far surpassing our goal valuation for every of two.2 cents per MR or 2 cents per Avion.
For travellers based mostly on the West Coast, let’s check out the brand new Reward Flight Saver choice for a flight between London and Vancouver. On an off-peak date, the Avios price for a one-way Reward Flight Saver reserving in enterprise class has elevated by 27,500 Avios to 90,000 factors (up from 62,500).
On the identical time, the money price has decreased by $400 (CAD), bringing the taxes and charges down from $850 (CAD) to $450 (CAD).
You’re primarily paying 1.63 cents per Avios, which can not appear nice at first, however should you’re in a position to leverage a switch bonus of 30%, that quantity goes as much as 2.12 cents per Avios.
British Airways has additionally offered the a chart with a pattern of Reward Flight Saver costs for varied locations. Word that the chart represents round-trip pricing, and one-way flights will price precisely half in each Avios and money required.
Is This a Good Approach to Redeem Avios?
The power to redeem Avios for Reward Flight Saver bookings is basically a constructive transfer, as a result of it places long-haul premium cabin British Airways flights inside attain for many at an inexpensive redemption worth.
Positive, it technically prices much less in factors to redeem on the outdated price. However given how straightforward it’s to earn Avios nowadays, redeeming them for slightly below our goal valuation to be able to save on in any other case exorbitant money surcharges isn’t a nasty proposition in any respect.
British Airways Avios may be earned by way of a lot of totally different applications, together with:
On the price of fifty,000 Avios + $865 (CAD) for a one-way flight in enterprise class from Toronto to London, it’s tough to argue that you simply’re getting nice worth out of your Avios. Such a proposition possible implies that most of us wouldn’t endeavour to expertise British Airways enterprise class.
Alternatively, 80,000 Avios + $350 (CAD) is rather more within the realm of chance, particularly should you worth direct flights and the prices with Aeroplan are skewed within the mistaken path of dynamic pricing.
Even when British Airways enterprise class is just not an aspirational redemption for you, remember the fact that British Airways ensures a minimum of eight economic system class seats, two premium economic system seats, and 4 enterprise class seats on each single flight for Avios redemptions.
In some circumstances, British Airways would be the solely choice out there to you at an inexpensive value, particularly for journey throughout peak intervals comparable to summer time and winter holidays.
Lastly, it’s vital to notice that whereas Reward Flight Saver pricing has been enabled for long-haul economic system class, premium economic system, and enterprise class, it sadly doesn’t apply to British Airways First Class.
Conclusion
British Airways has added the choice of Reward Flight Saver redemptions when utilizing Avios for long-haul premium cabin journey on British Airways flights. In some circumstances, it will probably signify an incredible deal, particularly should you worth direct flights to or from London.
The outlay for a one-way transatlantic flight to London will likely be $350–400 (CAD) and 80,000–90,000 Avios, relying in your origin or vacation spot.
That is a couple of 60% improve in Avios from the usual redemption price, with a commensurate lower in taxes and charges, representing respectable worth in that the out-of-pocket money price is now a extra affordable quantity.
This new pricing construction places British Airways premium cabins inside attain for many factors lovers, and generally is a downright glorious redemption should you accrue Avios primarily by way of bank card switch companions throughout switch bonus promotions.