BA Avios subscriptions

[kpc]

Apart from buying Avios and flying BA / OW flights, any easy way of earning Avios for Aussies? The only Aussie credit card way I know is Amex-->Marriott Bonvoy--> Avios with terrible exchange rates. Currently 90K Amex---> 60K Marriott--> 25K Avios!

 

[SYD]

Apart from buying Avios and flying BA / OW flights, any easy way of earning Avios for Aussies? The only Aussie credit card way I know is Amex-->Marriott Bonvoy--> Avios with terrible exchange rates. Currently 90K Amex---> 60K Marriott--> 25K Avios!

Watch this space….?

Qatar credit cards could unlock direct Avios earning in Australia

The partnership will add more muscle to this powerhouse points currency.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[kamchatsky]

Apart from buying Avios and flying BA / OW flights, any easy way of earning Avios for Aussies? The only Aussie credit card way I know is Amex-->Marriott Bonvoy--> Avios with terrible exchange rates. Currently 90K Amex---> 60K Marriott--> 25K Avios!

Citi Prestige Credit Card allows you to transfer points to QR Privilege Club already.

 

[levelnine]

Citi Prestige Credit Card allows you to transfer points to QR Privilege Club already.

A good option for the first year — 100K Avios for $350 — but pretty bad as an ongoing option. Could be usefully combined with an Avios subscription though — 300K Avios after 12 months for $3500.

 

[Mr H]

A good option for the first year — 100K Avios for $350 — but pretty bad as an ongoing option. Could be usefully combined with an Avios subscription though — 300K Avios after 12 months for $3500.

The Citi Prestige could also yield 120k KrisFlyer points. That looks way better value to me.

 

[levelnine]

The Citi Prestige could also yield 120k KrisFlyer points. That looks way better value to me.

It depends. 90K Avios gets you QSuites SYD-LHR while it takes 130K KrisFlyer for the same route. More in taxes for Qatar, but that's a fairly sizeable discount compared to SQ.

 

[kamchatsky]

It depends. 90K Avios gets you QSuites SYD-LHR while it takes 130K KrisFlyer for the same route. More in taxes for Qatar, but that's a fairly sizeable discount compared to SQ.

But if you book early enough, I can book 4 J tickets on SQ on the same flight, compare to 2 only on QR, unless QR themselves has more availability for their Privilege Club members?

 

[Mr H]

It depends. 90K Avios gets you QSuites SYD-LHR while it takes 130K KrisFlyer for the same route. More in taxes for Qatar, but that's a fairly sizeable discount compared to SQ.

That's true, if that's the specific route you are looking for. I would value the opportunity to staple together connecting flights on Star Alliance to get me to more obscure destinations. Plus I don't particularly like QR or Q Suites - DOH is a terrible airport, the QR lounges are awful, the Q Suite seats are uncomfortable and the catering lacks any discernible flavour.

 

[kamchatsky]

The Citi Prestige could also yield 120k KrisFlyer points. That looks way better value to me.

Or 150K VA points, which can redeem on SQ and QR and EY awards.

 

[Mr H]

Or 150K VA points, which can redeem on SQ and QR and EY awards.

Last time I checked the redemption rates using Velocity on partner airlines looked unattractive - but happy if someone can be bothered to look up the details and post a comparison here. This is actually useful for me right now as I am waiting to get my Citi Prestige bonus points.

 

[levelnine]

But if you book early enough, I can book 4 J tickets on SQ on the same flight, compare to 2 only on QR, unless QR themselves has more availability for their Privilege Club members?

And if you don't need 4 J tickets????

I'm not denying the value of SQ (indeed, I was recently singing its praises in another thread due to its great availability). All I'm saying is QR is actually considerably better value than SQ on some of the most popular award redemption routes (eg Australia - Europe).

Plus I don't particularly like QR or Q Suites - DOH is a terrible airport, the QR lounges are awful, the Q Suite seats are uncomfortable and the catering lacks any discernible flavour.

Each to their own, but you're in a distinct minority here, so not really relevant when we're talking about program values in the aggregate.

 

[Mr H]

Each to their own, but you're in a distinct minority here, so not really relevant when we're talking about program values in the aggregate.

I wish someone could show me what I am missing with QR and Q Suites.

It reminds me of when I was young and first class rail seats had white antimacassars. When a group of friends were interacting in Sweden, we got a train where seats had antimacassars. My friend Sam said he thought the train was very impressive and as good as first class back home. He was seduced by the antimacassars and the train was actually extremely uncomfortable.

I kinda wonder whether QR has seduced people with the doors on the seats that have previously been associated with first class. Even though this feature is about as useful as an antimacassar.

 

[kamchatsky]

And if you don't need 4 J tickets????

I'm not denying the value of SQ (indeed, I was recently singing its praises in another thread due to its great availability). All I'm saying is QR is actually considerably better value than SQ on some of the most popular award redemption routes (eg Australia - Europe).


Each to their own, but you're in a distinct minority here, so not really relevant when we're talking about program values in the aggregate.

Everyone's case is different. If I only need 2 award seats I would most likely move my points to QR/BA Avios, rather than SQ, specially they don't have the 3 year point expiry date. I actually prefer to use BA Avios on short Intra Asia flights such as HKG-HND/NRT where J is only 22K Avios each way. JL/CX had 4 J available if you book early enough. Not so sure about now.

I burned all my KF Miles to book 4 * J awards to Europe next summer as I have a family of 4. That is the cost of having a family. But their award availability for 4 people is definitely better than most other major carriers.

 

[levelnine]

I burned all my KF Miles to book 4 * J awards to Europe next summer as I have a family of 4. That is the cost of having a family. But their award availability for 4 people is definitely better than most other major carriers.

If you have a family of 4, then you pretty much have no choice but to direct every single mile you can get into SQ because they are the only carrier at the moment that reliably has 4 J seats into/out of Australia. And at a cost of over 1 million miles for 4 people Australia-Europe return, you're going to need every mile you can get put into SQ unless you put large business spend through your cards or you only take a family holiday every 2+ years.

For me, I'm taking multiple long haul business class trips per year, so the difference between QR & SQ really adds up. Plus I get to use my Qantas Platinum privileges on Qatar.

For most people, the Citi Prestige + Avios subscription is an excellent way to get access to QSuites for 1-2 people. Indeed, probably the very best way for people in Australia (except for advanced techniques such as US credit card churning).

 

[goldenhorn]

Not too shabby.

But I still prefer my annual “The Economist” subscription for 15/18K Avios paid in CAD for ~1.3 cpp AUD. Just need to make sure you play with BA account location settings and find the CAD currency payment option because the Economist has enforced geotracking for payment which automatically prices in USD for Aussies. I also claim back the marginal tax rate for “investment related purposes” to bring it down even further.

Do you subscribe to the digital version? I tried to do the post/digital but it won’t let you put in an AU address without changing your country for payment (and USD instead of CAD)

 

[JayTee]

I'd be confident it will, subject to inflation of course. BA seems to sell points at different rates for different situations. They have a co-payment option for flights booked with Avios that represent good value - but where the co-payment is a substitute for relatively small amounts of points. They sell points - presumably to people who want to make a specific booking but have nowhere near enough points - for large amounts. And this looks like selling large amounts of points that people never even knew they needed - at a discount to get people to spend. There are a few situations where this offers excellent value, but mostly that is for grossly overpriced Australian domestic direct flights (does anyone actually pay for these out of their own pockets?). If you look at domestic J in Britain or Europe, or look at long haul routes that could be paid for using QF FF points from credit card churning, you may see much less value.

The real selling point right now looks to be having access to QR flights when seats might still be available when QF now only gets access about three months before the flight.

Can you clarify the first paragraph of your post?

 

[Mr H]

Can you clarify the first paragraph of your post?

What I mean is, BA presumably knows what a point costs them when it is redeemed. It is profitable for BA to sell points at anything above that level.

BA wants to sell for as much as people are prepared to pay, so they have tried to differentiate their offerings according to what people are willing to pay. BA charges higher prices to people who want to buy points to use right now (these customers clearly have an immediate use for them and will pay higher prices). Then BA offers points for a lower price through occasional sales or through subscriptions to tempt people who do not have an immediate use for them, basically trying to get people to make impulse purchases they would not have otherwise made.

There is no reason for BA to put the price of subscriptions up in the second year because it would probably choke off demand.

 

[JayTee]

The Citi Prestige could also yield 120k KrisFlyer points. That looks way better value to me.

90k avios will get you a one way business class redemption on Qatar to Europe. How far does 120k KrisFlyer points take you ( by comparison )?

 

[Mr H]

90k avios will get you a one way business class redemption on Qatar to Europe. How far does 120k KrisFlyer points take you ( by comparison )?

I guess it depends what you want to do. 120 KF will get you almost half a Star Alliance RTW in J; it will almost get you one way to Central Asia in F (when I did this, I went MEL-SIN-DEL in F and DEL-IST-ASB in J).

The advantage with KF is you can use them to combine flights whereas if I understand Avios correctly, they charge each flight separately unless a route is marketed as direct. Plus, Star Alliance seems to have better availability, more carriers and more destinations.

I am using up my ancient stash of Avios next year to go from Bucharest to Tehran and Tehran to Amritsar. They are useful for getting access to the QR network and although I do not like the airline, they do fly to interesting places.

I am genuinely torn right now between sending my Citi Prestige points to Avios or KrisFlyer, especially with the option to add more Avios through the BA subscription.

 

[JayTee]

I guess it depends what you want to do. 120 KF will get you almost half a Star Alliance RTW in J; it will almost get you one way to Central Asia in F (when I did this, I went MEL-SIN-DEL in F and DEL-IST-ASB in J).

The advantage with KF is you can use them to combine flights whereas if I understand Avios correctly, they charge each flight separately unless a route is marketed as direct. Plus, Star Alliance seems to have better availability, more carriers and more destinations.

I am using up my ancient stash of Avios next year to go from Bucharest to Tehran and Tehran to Amritsar. They are useful for getting access to the QR network and although I do not like the airline, they do fly to interesting places.

I am genuinely torn right now between sending my Citi Prestige points to Avios or KrisFlyer, especially with the option to add more Avios through the BA subscription.

Fair enough.

Would you recommend the Citi P card for the purposes of acquiring the points ?..

The reason why I ask is that they charge you $350 per year for the card and require you to spend $7500 in sixty days. I don't think I can spend that much.

In short, too much effort for 90k Avios points....