BA Air miles
Feb 24th 2005, 3:46 pm
#16
BE Site Lead
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: MA, USA
Posts: 92,170
Re: BA Air miles
Originally Posted by ladylisa
I'm flying American Airlines for the first time to London on Saturday....did I hear correctly that I will have to buy alcohol!!!!!!!!!! poo!!!!!!!!! I always make it my policy to try and drink the same value in alcohol as my ticket cost. 
Feb 24th 2005, 4:59 pm
#17
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: BA Air miles
Actually right now there is a fantastic BA 'Winter Offers' promotion to get enough air miles for a return trip to London if you fly Club or First from now until 30 April....40,250 miles in addition to the usual airmiles for your journey:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...s?prim=specoff
Also if you fly Club you can take a companion for free (see link above). The trouble is, my bloody husband only seems to travel during term time and I can't leave my son home alone in the US...
For travellers in economy class there is also a really good package to fly to London and get 3 nights in a 4* hotel and West End theatre ticket (probably works out to be little more than paying just for the air fare alone. Again - same link as above.
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...s?prim=specoff
Also if you fly Club you can take a companion for free (see link above). The trouble is, my bloody husband only seems to travel during term time and I can't leave my son home alone in the US...
For travellers in economy class there is also a really good package to fly to London and get 3 nights in a 4* hotel and West End theatre ticket (probably works out to be little more than paying just for the air fare alone. Again - same link as above.
Feb 24th 2005, 8:38 pm
#18
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 3,338
Re: BA Air miles
I'd recommend racking up the miles, as someone else has said, worked out great for me when I finally emigrated here - a one way flight was more expensive than a return, but using miles sneakily avoided that (I had enough for a one way).
It does depend on how frequently you travel with BA, of course as to whether its worth it or not.
It does depend on how frequently you travel with BA, of course as to whether its worth it or not.
Feb 24th 2005, 9:19 pm
#19
I love Marmite, she don't
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 454
Round the world
I had been with BA for years and clocked up nealrly 900,000 air miles. Flying and my BA Credit card.
A couple years ago. I took a month out and went around the world business class for myself, wife and 2 older kids. LONDON-TOKYO-AUSTRLIA-HAWAII-ATLANTA. Total was 600,000 miles (back then). It was awesome.
I use my BA credit cards for EVERYTHING, as many bills as possible, everything on-line and even including a cup of coffee. It adds up. I wish I could pay my Mortgage with it
Now, you can pay about $1000 for a Premium Economy seat plus 25,000 to upgrade to CLUB. I'm doing that in the summer for the 4 of us. Economy prices creep up soon so it was a good deal. I think CLUB (flat beds) is the only way to fly and I'll move heaven and earth to fly that way. I used to be SIlver and got upgraded a lot for free when flights were full. I'm 6'2" so it means a lot to me
I also have Delta miles and they are a real pain. thankfully, it's so cheap again to fly in the USA (mostly), it doesn't matter.
A couple years ago. I took a month out and went around the world business class for myself, wife and 2 older kids. LONDON-TOKYO-AUSTRLIA-HAWAII-ATLANTA. Total was 600,000 miles (back then). It was awesome.
I use my BA credit cards for EVERYTHING, as many bills as possible, everything on-line and even including a cup of coffee. It adds up. I wish I could pay my Mortgage with it
Now, you can pay about $1000 for a Premium Economy seat plus 25,000 to upgrade to CLUB. I'm doing that in the summer for the 4 of us. Economy prices creep up soon so it was a good deal. I think CLUB (flat beds) is the only way to fly and I'll move heaven and earth to fly that way. I used to be SIlver and got upgraded a lot for free when flights were full. I'm 6'2" so it means a lot to me
I also have Delta miles and they are a real pain. thankfully, it's so cheap again to fly in the USA (mostly), it doesn't matter.
Feb 24th 2005, 9:34 pm
#20
No, it's toe-mart-o!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Manhattan
Posts: 264
Re: Round the world
I've applied for my BA Credit card but given that I'm new over here I'm expecting a refusal this time around. Once I get it however I'm going to do likewise and put every possible $ on it.
It's true about the flat beds. Once you've tried it, you simply can't go back.
It's true about the flat beds. Once you've tried it, you simply can't go back.
Feb 25th 2005, 7:03 pm
#21
Just Joined
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Edinburgh
Posts: 16
Re: BA Air miles
Originally Posted by Englishmum
I guess it depends on how frequently you are likely to travel with BA or one of their One World partners eg. American Airlines....if for example you travel on a trip with AA you can add the miles to your BA executive card.
Feb 25th 2005, 9:45 pm
#22
No, it's toe-mart-o!
Thread Starter
Joined: Jul 2004
Location: Manhattan
Posts: 264
Re: BA Air miles
Originally Posted by licon
That's not necessarily true. On competing routes, mainly the transatlantic ones, you can't earn BA miles by flying on American and vice versa.
Regardless of miles, AA transatlantic would have to be a lot cheaper than BA before I considered them.
Feb 27th 2005, 7:11 am
#23
Arrogant ****
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Plano, TX
Posts: 4,323
Re: BA Air miles
I thought I'd add this to the BA Miles discussion, since I just discovered it:
My wife and I each have separate Executive Club accounts. Last time I looked at a "household" account to merge the two, BA were charging a significant amount of money to do so (this was a couple of years ago, i guess).
Looking at the site today, it's now free. They allow you to combine the accounts of up to six people and (oddly) only require that those six people reside at the same address (they don't seem to need to be related).
Anyway, it's great news for us, since our combined balances are much more useful than when they're separate.
My wife and I each have separate Executive Club accounts. Last time I looked at a "household" account to merge the two, BA were charging a significant amount of money to do so (this was a couple of years ago, i guess).
Looking at the site today, it's now free. They allow you to combine the accounts of up to six people and (oddly) only require that those six people reside at the same address (they don't seem to need to be related).
Anyway, it's great news for us, since our combined balances are much more useful than when they're separate.
Feb 27th 2005, 12:17 pm
#24
Sursum corda
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Richmond Hill, GA USA
Posts: 38,860
Re: BA Air miles
Originally Posted by Big D
Be very wary of BA Exec club - you have to jump through hoops to get points as not all flights qualify, only those that you pay full price for! And it will take a long time to get silver. I have same dilema at the moment - BA is best route for me to get home, and well priced but I think the Exec club is a dsgrace when compared with say BMI Diamond Club.
Had the opportunity of flying Virgin Upper Class and wow!!! Flew Air France Biz class transatlantic, not impressed at all-a middle seat is a middle seat no matter how big it is,
.My corporate clients (I'm a travel agent) are SERIOUS about getting their miles and benefiting from them-registering with hotel and rental car loyalty programs in addition to the airline's programs.
I prefer using my miles for a free transatlantic ticket rather than upgrade-you have to spend a fair amount for an upgradeable fare.
