Best way to use 30,000 Avios?

novelty-socks

I have just over 30,000 Avios accumulated from a couple of long-haul BA flights over the last couple of years. I'm not really a frequent flyer (generally one long-haul return flight a year, and maybe a couple of short-haul trips), and only generally fly economy.

I'm looking at flying to Denver to see friends later this year and the BA site is offering a decent price on their direct flights from London (in economy) - plus the option of £200 off for 30,000 Avios.

Is this a good deal? Is there any other way I could put these points to better use, particularly with these flights? Given that I'm unlikely to accumulate significant extra points in the short term, I'm inclined to just go for it.

Any advice appreciate…

guesswho2000

It's not a terrible use of points, 0.667p per point, and on option I've used before. However, 30k points could get (for example), 3x return flights to Amsterdam/Paris (9k plus £35 each), or two returns further afield like Rome (15k plus £35).

Www.headforpoints.com is a good starting point, Raffles runs a series 'Avios redemption university' which will give you some times on the best use of points.

novelty-socks

Thanks, really appreciate the fast reply. I'll check out the link and see what I can learn!

blindman

novelty-socks wrote: »

I have just over 30,000 Avios accumulated from a couple of long-haul BA flights over the last couple of years. I'm not really a frequent flyer (generally one long-haul return flight a year, and maybe a couple of short-haul trips), and only generally fly economy.

I'm looking at flying to Denver to see friends later this year and the BA site is offering a decent price on their direct flights from London (in economy) - plus the option of £200 off for 30,000 Avios.

Is this a good deal? Is there any other way I could put these points to better use, particularly with these flights? Given that I'm unlikely to accumulate significant extra points in the short term, I'm inclined to just go for it.

Any advice appreciate…

guesswho2000 wrote: »

It's not a terrible use of points, 0.667p per point, and on option I've used before. However, 30k points could get (for example), 3x return flights to Amsterdam/Paris (9k plus £35 each), or two returns further afield like Rome (15k plus £35).

Www.headforpoints.com is a good starting point, Raffles runs a series 'Avios redemption university' which will give you some times on the best use of points.

guesswho2000
Is refering to Reward Flight Savers which are a very good way to use Avios
TIP
With RFS boook the outbound and inbound as separate flights-it can work out even cheaper.

Moscow is a good trip as it uses long haul aircraft and can be had for 17000 + £26 if you book the outbound and inbound separately. (Booked as one return the cost is £35).
Iceland is 17000 + £28 if you book the outbound and inbound separately-Only operates Oct-March though.

Internal flights in the USA can be as little as 7500 Avios + £5 fee + flights to and in Alaska can be cheap.

IMHO I'd kepp the Avios for these internal flights or RFS and pay for TATL flights in Economy.

SW17

Value, as ever, is in the eye of the beholder. In theory there are a few ways in which you could extract a higher "cash value" from those Avios, but they may not fit your budget or travel pattern. For example, you can upgrade from Business Class to First on BA for 20K Avios (one way, and subject to availability), which many people would value well above £133 (the value you'd get for 20K Avios on your discount), but you'd have to buy a business class ticket first.

As mentioned above, using the Avios for short haul flights is likely to give more effective cash value, but that only works if you plan to take a few such flights on BA in the foreseeable future. If you don't, and/or you don't want to sit on those Avios for too long, then redeeming them for a discount on your Denver flight isn't the worst thing you could do.

You can also redeem Avios on car rental, hotel stays and other things, it's worth considering whether those would be appropriate for you before deciding.

blindman

SW17 wrote: »

You can also redeem Avios on car rental, hotel stays and other things, it's worth considering whether those would be appropriate for you before deciding.

Please do not do this!:eek:

Terrible waste of Avios.

You can keep them "alive" for years and when the opportunity presents itself use them to good value.

Headfor points will show you how.

TIP
You do not need to fly to get AVIOS-AMEX Charge cards can give you HUGE amounts will little effort.

novelty-socks

Thanks folks, this is all really helpful. I have been meaning to look into the possibility of building up Avios via an Amex card, so perhaps now's the time to do so.

Must admit, I wouldn't mind another trip to Moscow, either…

SW17

blindman wrote: »

Please do not do this!:eek:

Terrible waste of Avios.

You can keep them "alive" for years and when the opportunity presents itself use them to good value.

Headfor points will show you how.

TIP
You do not need to fly to get AVIOS-AMEX Charge cards can give you HUGE amounts will little effort.

It's not necessarily that simple. Hotel redemptions are not generally the best use of Avios, but in many cases they are not much worse than using them to redeem for a discount on flights, and often better than redeeming for (for example) against long haul economy flights.

As I already mentioned, value comes down to the needs of the individual, and sometimes how they earned the Avios, as HfP acknowledges.

PeacefulWaters

It's average value at best, but better than not using them at all.

Id be trying to use them for a business class leg somewhere.

Transferring points to Iberia and starting your journey in Madrid can open up numerous cheaper options for both Avios and "taxes".

budgetflyer

The Avios Hotels isnt a bad shout unless you live near London where RFS still offer value
But when you can get sub £1000 long haul Business Class flights ex EU with Qatar and Etihad etc and with the recent Avios long haul redemption increases and the scrapping of free regional connections for RFS, for me personally, I can see very little value left in Avios collecting.
Last year I spent over 350K Avios on various flights and got superb value.
Im sitting on 160K and a Amex 2 4 1 but I just dont see the same value achievable now.
My earning ratio is 20% Amex and 80% Tesco. I reckon my future tesco redemptions will be on Hotels and Eating out through CC Boost

wideboygeorge

I'm in a similar boat. I've got 64k avios and a letter saying that they expire in 3 months but I can't see any way of getting a decent return on them. Living in the north there aren't any shorthaul flights from manchester (except to Heathrow) I've tried twice to use them on long haul BA and both times the cost of taxes and charges have been ever so slightly cheaper than similar flights with KLM. So the benefit of using 64k avios was less than £100. Not sure that's such a good deal. I like going to the football competitions but the next one is in France and the points run out before Moscow. Any tips?