50% Off British Airways Award Flights

Posted By Stephen Hoechst on Nov 9, 2019 | 1 comment

No one ever wants to pay more points to fly from Point A to Point B. Unfortunately, when it comes to airline miles, the airlines seem to raise award prices like they’re going out of style. However, British Airways is hoping to give you a little relief when it comes to award bookings. From now until November 21st, you can book British Airways award tickets for up to 50% off.

The Details

The best deals will be found in economy and premium economy, where award tickets are half off. If you’re looking for something a bit more premium, you’ll still get 10% off bookings in business and first class.

The discount is valid on award bookings made between now and November 21st. However, travel can take place any day from now until April 30th, 2020 and is valid on both one-way and return flights. The discount is also only valid on British Airways operated flights.

Unfortunately, British Airways high fuel surcharges and UK departure taxes are still in place. This sale won’t do anything about those. Still, considering the low mileage cost, these can represent a great value.

A few examples

Without a doubt, one of the best ways to take advantage of this promotion is on last-minute intra-Europe flights. Let’s say you needed to fly to Frankfurt tomorrow. If you were buying a last minute one-way cash ticket, it would run you $188 (£147). If you wanted to fly British Airways, you’re looking at over $270 (£212)!

Alternatively, you could just use 4,000 Avios and $27.50 and accomplish the same thing. While I always consider the value of points to be subjective, that’s still getting nearly 4 cents per point, which is fantastic.

New York to London

Ok but maybe you’re not in Europe. Are you out of luck? Absolutely not! New York to London is a real sweet spot in the current promotion.

Economy rate one-way from New York to London

6,500 miles and $94 bucks from New York to London is a steal. Even if it’s only in economy 😉

Premium Economy rates one-way from New York to London

If you’re looking for a bit of an upgrade over economy, premium economy on the same route will only cost 13,000 miles one-way. However, British Airways passes along passes along $250 of fees and taxes. If you think of it as paying for an economy ticket and using 13,000 miles to upgrade to premium, it sounds a bit better.

Premium economy still not good enough for you? You can pay 45,000 or 61,000 for one-way business and first class, respectively. If you’ already planned on booking into one of those cabins, it’s great to save a few thousand miles. Just be warned that those are going to come with some steep surcharges.

West Coast to London

Don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about the west coast! How does Seattle or Los Angeles to London starting at 8,125 points sound? If 9 hours in economy for that rate doesn’t appeal, premium is available for 16,500.

Seattle to London in Premium Economy for just 16,500 Avios

How to book

British Airways Premium Economy (courtesy of BA.com)

By far, the best way to search British Airways award availability is using Reward Flight Finder. Just enter the city pair and cabin you want to fly in and Reward Flight Finder will show you availability through the end of the schedule. You can ignore the current point costs on that site, as the real cost will be reflected on British Airways’ website.

To get this deal, simply login to your British Airways Executive Club account and search your flights. As long as the flights occur prior to April 30th, you’ll see the discount reflected automatically. Go ahead and book it just like you would any other award ticket. It’s that simple.

How to get British Airways Avios

British Airways Avios can be created instantly using Amex Membership Rewards or Chase Ultimate Rewards. The current welcome bonuses from the American Express Gold Card and Chase Sapphire Preferred is enough for two round trip flights between New York and London in premium economy.

This is why we always preach flexible points currencies. You never know when the next great points sale is going to come along, so it’s important to leave yourself open to as many possibilities as possible.

Alternatively, if you’re running a little short and need to top up your account, British Airways is currently running a sale on purchased Avios. Purchased miles will come with a 50% bonus regardless of the amount of points you buy. To get the best value, you’ll need to buy a boatload of miles. That said, if you just need a few thousand Avios and don’t have any Amex or Chase points, buying Avios could make sense.

Final Thoughts

British Airways Avios often get overlooked due to the program’s steep surcharges. However, this sale really helps soften the blow. If you were already planning on booking a British Airways award flight, then this is just icing on the cake. If you weren’t this sale should make you think twice. Even with the surcharges, there are still some fantastic deals to be had.

Do you plan on taking advantage of British Airways award sale?