Historically, British Airways has offered the same award availability regardless of whether you redeem through the Executive Club program, or through a partner program. That’s no longer the case, but it’s not necessarily quite as bad as it sounds. I also can’t blame British Airways for this change.
Continue reading: British Airways Restricts Award Space To Partners
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
You’re totally right Ben; it’s their prerogative.
With so many airlines using Avios now (with many opportunities to funnel transferable currencies in to your preferred Avios programme), it shouldn’t really be that hard to use it to one’s advantage one way or another.
Could it also be retaliatory from BA because AA does not release any 57.5k awards for its own metal?
Other airlines are doing the same thing. United, Singapore, etc. With BA, it's more like AA rarely releasing transcon Flagship award inventory to partners. Sure, if one is willing to fly at oh-dark-thirty, one will occasionally see award inventory. During reasonable hours, nope.
Feel like AA violated that when they switched to dynamic-only pricing. I find it suspicious how lots of redemptions are priced at justtt 500-1000 miles above the old sAAver level, aka just above the threshold to show as available though partners.
Certainly, Gary has a copy of their entire contract between AA and BA and has determined that absolutely no provision allows for award inventory restrictions.
Oh no! So which program are we supposed to use now to pay the $800 in surcharges for their 8 across business class seats?
This must be the new trend within the Avios carriers. Nearly impossible to find QR saver inventory, IB is now more difficult, and AY is going with Avios in 2024.
SQ has always been finicky about releasing saver seats to partners.
It’s just time to pivot and reassess.
Not unreasonable that BA would do this. To be honest, it makes the Chase BA card quite a bit more valuable with the up to $600 rebate on taxes and fees and companion cert. Not easy to find TATL J space for a family of 4 on the same flight that far ahead of time so for people who value consistency or predictability over paying the absolute lowest rock bottom award price, BA is a pretty solid option.
Another blow for AA miles. BA space cut in half, CX nonexistent, JL and QR unicorns from/to the US
I don't really see this as affecting the value of AA miles, since BA awards have always been worthless due to the taxes/fees.
Continental Europe to USA in business has reasonable-ish taxes/fees imo ($~394 one way, comparable to AF/KLM)
Yep. As Alan says, The sweet spot is to book from non-Spain Europe to the US. 57.5k miles and $350 is a fine deal for two flights in J
Booked British Airways BC from SJC to London in July using AA miles, but they subsequently canceled the flight. BA moved the seats to SFO - London BC, even though they didn't have to. BA treated us well on award seats that were none-existent for award travel.
All their 777s, 350s, 789s, and 781s have club suites installed - wonderful hard product, no more 8 across.
Fly from continental Europe (exception: Spain) to the US via London and you'll only pay $350ish in surcharges.
Gary's report was that AA execs were taken by surprise and, per his sources, appear to believe that their contract with Executive Club prohibits this.
Good to know for future references (I was thinking of using BA for a backup on a future trip). Yes, BA has the high fees and taxes but there is something to be said about award availability being plentiful.
But I will say that looking at award availability on BA's website, not sure what is up with their award pricing since on the flight I was looking at, the price for the segment in J was more than the price for the same segment in F. I also think there have been some changes to the award chart pricing since earlier this year...
So when they adjusted their avios prices to be more miles but less cash (it used to be roughly 50,000 + $650 and now it's 80,000 + $350) they didn't adjust the F price. So now the F price is often lower on miles, but higher on cash
Isn't it partially their own fault for adopting a "common" currency that now turns out to be not quite so common?
Given the transfer possibilities its not clear their own fliers will benefit against the mileage runners.
They didn't adjust them per se, they just rolled out Reward Flight Saver, which effectively added 5 extra price points in terms points/cash. Yes, the default now involves more points and less cash, but you can pay pretty much the same points/cash as before if you go for the middle option.
RFS hasn't been rolled out to F so there is still only one price point, which requires less points (but much more cash) than the default J price point.
They actually did have to rebook you for free under UK261, regardless of the availability of award seats. They weren't doing you a favour, they were just complying with the law!
Worthless? Hardly so, cash J prices (especially for bookings originating in the US) are astronomical and availability is much better.
Ben - booked an AA ticket with a return from LIS-LHR-PHL on BA metal (AA flight numbers), in PE. Return shows J=9 in all buckets, U class shows available on both BA Avios search (off peak), and on AA award search (at saver, 57.5), but AA is telling me the upgrade isnt available.