Boost Your Airmiles Discussion Area

NonGeographicalMan

gardner1 wrote: »

same here had 28000 for 4 people to orlando which we planned to use in 2013 it will now cost £300 pp taxes etc

might be a few thousand less miles but it wont justify the

Perhaps you should book now for some time in 2012 then as you already seem to have enough miles for the four tickets that you want.

Is it really £300pp in taxes etc. Surely the real cost to BA in air tax and airport fees can't be more than £130 per passenger?

gardner1

NonGeographicalMan wrote: »

Perhaps you should book now for some time in 2012 then as you already seem to have enough miles for the four tickets that you want.

Is it really £300pp in taxes etc. Surely the real cost to BA in air tax and airport fees can't be more than £130 per passenger?

possible but didnt want to go next due to changing job and wife wants new kitchen

ba miles charge about £300 pp taxes govnt surcharges etc etc

NonGeographicalMan

steve1500 wrote: »

Completely lost. Have been saving for 4 tickets to Orlando. Would have reached 25,000 miles by Jan / Feb 2012 and planning to go in 2013 Althouth live in the North have family in London. So always planned on flying from London

Is it essential to you to not pay any cash though and is Orlando the only place you ever want to fly to as a group?

You might also want to give consideration to the 2500 Air Miles + £320 option or some of the other part cash part miles options to book before November if you can manage to go some time in 2012.

There are definitely winners and losers in the change to the new scheme depending on where you wanted to fly in what class of accommodation. It unfortunately sounds like you may be one of the losers.

NonGeographicalMan

gardner1 wrote: »

possible but didnt want to go next due to changing job and wife wants new kitchen

Does the wife really need her new kitchen next year. Kitchens have a very long real working life (even though marketing men are very good at making an old one seem terrible and not as good as that of the Jones's) and the excitement of having a new one doesn't last very long.

Unfortunately BA holds the cards here and they have chosen to change the scheme on you, which their terms and conditions allow them to do. This is why I seriously always recommend people to collect cashback instead of miles on their credit cards and to use their Tesco Clubcard vouchers for food or Deals they want rather than locking themselves in to Air Miles.

Air Miles have a long history of screwing around with the terms and conditions of the scheme (as when they got rid of one way flights and stopovers and increased the miles needed for Club by 50% when World Traveller Plus was invented) so this unfortunately shouldn't come as any particular major surprise.

I suppose you also do realise that you can get a return to Sanford on Thomson for as little as £280 including luggage and taxes if you can avoid school holidays. However I expect you needed to go during those holidays?

gardner1

NonGeographicalMan wrote: »

Does the wife really need her new kitchen next year. Kitchens have a very long real working life (even though marketing men are very good at making an old one seem terrible and not as good as that of the Jones's) and the excitement of having a new one doesn't last very long.

Unfortunately BA holds the cards here and they have chosen to change the scheme on you, which their terms and conditions allow them to do. This is why I seriously always recommend people to collect cashback instead of miles on their credit cards and to use their Tesco Clubcard vouchers for food or Deals they want rather than locking themselves in to Air Miles.

Air Miles have a long history of screwing around with the terms and conditions of the scheme (as when they got rid of one way flights and stopovers and increased the miles needed for Club by 50% when World Traveller Plus was invented) so this unfortunately shouldn't come as any particular major surprise.

I suppose you also do realise that you can get a return to Sanford on Thomson for as little as £280 including luggage and taxes if you can avoid school holidays. However I expect you needed to go during those holidays?

try telling that to my wife

NonGeographicalMan

gardner1 wrote: »

try telling that to my wife

How old is the current kitchen? If its less than 20 years old then she clearly is just a fashion victim.

steve1500

We have 2013 planned because of the age of the children & all the theme parks their height restrictions etc etc Maybe trying using the airmiles to book a total package holiday maybe cheaper than the taxes?

NonGeographicalMan

steve1500 wrote: »

Maybe trying using the airmiles to book a total package holiday maybe cheaper than the taxes?

If they are still offering packages under the new Avios scheme? Which doesn't seem entirely clear but perhaps would be if you telephone them to find out.

Alternatively a Club World return ticket to Boston, New York, Philadelphia or Washington DC will now only be the Avios equivalent of 8,000 Air Miles plus about £300 taxes on each ticket.

I don't know what your finances are but how about taking the trip to Orlando the normal way using cash fares and then use the Air Miles for some kind of luxury long weekend trip to the States with your wife while the kids stay with their grandparents?

Alternatively how about a trip to Australia with the family next year as the part cash and part miles prices represent a very good reduction of what are now very expensive cash fares to fly down under. Having said that availability to Australia is lousy so you might need to look at South Africa instead.

steve1500

Thanks for the suggestion, but already done most before kids - plus a few more

Florida top of list now!!

Wife was looking at owners direct working out what property to rent!!- Thats what I call planning

ernie-money

So how do I best collect another 121 airmiles by the end of November - any suggestions?
I've just sent off 3 old phones for recycling, exchanged all my Tesco vouchers, and redeemed my e-reward points, but I need another 121 to book the ticket I want...
I can't use my Duo card, because I have an interest free balance on it, so can't use it for spending at the moment. Is the e-shop my only possibility, except for obviously buying 200 miles for £30?
Thanks for your ideas!