Airline Reward Schemes

[Teledude]

Just curious as to weather other OcUK'ers are as points mad as me

Currently BAEC Silver and collect Avios by...

BAPP Amex - For day to day spending and the annual 2-4-1.
Eon for Gas and electric - convert to Tesco CCP's and then over to avios.
Recycle phones etc into points and not pounds.
E-rewards
Other Credit card sign up incentive schemes.
BA Estore - now gate365
Other random schemes as and when they come up

www.headforpoints.com is a great resource

I also buy points from brokers when needed to complete a redemption booking

TL;DR - Collect airmiles, fly first class, win.

 

[jhmaeng]

OcUK is not really the best place - www.flyertalk.com is where it's all at. I think most people here would look at us very strangely if we said too much.

FWIW I'm also BA Silver along with ST E+ and *G. Just about to embark on a CX J flight to HKG and PEK this coming Saturday.

 

[Teledude]

OcUK is not really the best place - www.flyertalk.com is where it's all at. I think most people here would look at us very strangely if we said too much.

FWIW I'm also BA Silver along with ST E+ and *G. Just about to embark on a CX J flight to HKG and PEK this coming Saturday.

LOL I know was just curious - glad to see I'm not alone though

Im on CX F+J LHR-MEL next week - first time with them....

 

[jhmaeng]

LOL I know was just curious - glad to see I'm not alone though

Im on CX F+J LHR-MEL next week - first time with them....

At the risk of turning it into an FT outpost...

Done CX F a couple of times, once on a 16-hour JFK-HKG which went by in a blink, and another on FRA-HKG which was also excellent. You'll have a great time.

Although, how come you didn't start ex-Europe with an Avios positioning flight to save on the APD?

 

[Adam]

I have nearly 150k avios points and have absolutely no idea what to do with them.

 

[randomshenans]

I'm bloody BRONZE!! Mine reset just before clicking over this year, but I've just booked BSL>LHR>NYC>LAS>LA>LHR>BSL for March in prem econ as it was a bargain (full trip just over 1k GBP or 1600CHF) of which all major legs are upgradable with avios, so I'll keep trying that to business before then too.
Bonus is that mine resets in April and this will see me firmly in to Silver for the year and should maintain that too, with any luck.

I use mainly AMEX to convert, but being non UK based I can't do the other things there.

 

[Hamish]

got a BA Amex credit card which gets me 1.5 avios per £1 spent. got lots of miles now and a companion ticket which gets you BOGOF on miles flights. Hoping to take the missus away to New York or something next year.

 

[randomshenans]

I have nearly 150k avios points and have absolutely no idea what to do with them.

They'll often do deals on at different times of the year on what you can do with them. Trips and such.

I find them most useful for upgrades though, as in the UK you have higher airport taxes, so booking fully with Avios you still get a nice sting from the charges, whereas you don't when you upgrade them.

 

[Teledude]

At the risk of turning it into an FT outpost...

Done CX F a couple of times, once on a 16-hour JFK-HKG which went by in a blink, and another on FRA-HKG which was also excellent. You'll have a great time.

Although, how come you didn't start ex-Europe with an Avios positioning flight to save on the APD?

Was a last minute booking (few days ago) and was too good to pass up for 140k - MEL is a nightmare to get award seats

 

[Russinating]

I collect Avios and have 67,000 points but haven't spend any as I don't find them that useful.

I also collect Amex Membership Rewards and Nectar points though and they're very useful.

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

BA Silver, 90,000 points in the account and I think the Mrs has another 150,000 Amex points banked.

It's all about my Mrs Amex points as all her expenditure goes through it.

Mate of mine used to be head of EMEA procurement for a multinational and he used to put as much though on his Amex card as he could. I think he's nearly got enough points for a Virgin Galactic ticket.

 

[randomshenans]

I collect Avios and have 67,000 points but haven't spend any as I don't find them that useful.

I also collect Amex Membership Rewards and Nectar points though and they're very useful.

What do you do with your Amex points? I just convert mine in to avios really.

I find the stuff you can get from the rewards store either a bit meh or 120k points for something worth like 4p odd.

 

[cottoneye]

http://thepointsguy.com/ I've just come across The Points Guy seems like a good place to start getting the most out of your miles, programs inc offers etc, I mostly travel with EK for work and pleasure so there aren't many avenues for collecting points. AMEX have just introduced a new transfer bonus but not sure if its for US account holders only.

 

[Russinating]

What do you do with your Amex points? I just convert mine in to avios really.

I find the stuff you can get from the rewards store either a bit meh or 120k points for something worth like 4p odd.

Spend them, worth far more than Avios. I don't convert them into physical rewards but gift vouchers (Amazon, House of Fraser etc) make them worth £0.01 each and I've redeemed about £400 worth so far.

 

[jhmaeng]

What? People don't use Avios to get First and Business class flights for ridiculously cheap?

By far the highest value of Avios is when you use them on upgrades from World Traveller Plus to Club World, or very high value tickets with an amazing experience like First Class on Cathay or JAL.

If I didn't have enough of my own miles already, I would frankly be willing to offer good money to use others' Avios just to save them from being redeemed for vouchers and wine!

Example: 90k avios for a one-way Hong Kong-London on Cathay First Class. The ticket would cost well over £3-4k if you were to buy it cash.

 

[Teledude]

What? People don't use Avios to get First and Business class flights for ridiculously cheap?

By far the highest value of Avios is when you use them on upgrades from World Traveller Plus to Club World, or very high value tickets with an amazing experience like First Class on Cathay or JAL.

If I didn't have enough of my own miles already, I would frankly be willing to offer good money to use others' Avios just to save them from being redeemed for vouchers and wine!

Hence why I sometimes buy from brokers

100k avios for £1050....

 

[randomshenans]

Any good avios brokers? Didn't even know you could, but hell I'll get some to try upgrade all I can on that leg. Mrs has never been business, or outside Europe. I'm opening her eyes, which will no doubt backfire when she only wants to travel business and first

 

[jhmaeng]

Any good avios brokers? Didn't even know you could, but hell I'll get some to try upgrade all I can on that leg. Mrs has never been business, or outside Europe. I'm opening her eyes, which will no doubt backfire when she only wants to travel business and first

Once you turn left, there's really no going back...

 

[Deleted member 651465]

You get there before the rest of the passengers, then?

£4k for a ticket? No chance!

 

[Russinating]

I'd be willing to sell mine tbh. I do travel a fair bit for a non-business traveller (went to Singapore and Abu Dhabi last year and going to Dubai next year) but it never seems worth it.

I'm flying to Dubai for £330 return in March and that would have cost me 40,000 Avios + £333.85. Crazy! So would have paid more anyway AND lost 40,000 Avios.