DEVALUED: Avios flights on American Airlines, Alaska and LATAM get pricier

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• Paul says:

  15 Jul15 July 09:28

  This is scandalous and there is a need for really greater consumer protection here. I don’t mean that airlines cannot raise prices but doing so without notice is outrageous. The consumer does not have the opportunity to spend what they have or choose alternatives programmes. So last week BA offers double Avios and people book perhaps believing they can be redeemed, only this week to find that they have halved in value. This game is rigged. I cannot think of another form of payment that is uncontrolled in this way

  • JDB says:

    15 Jul15 July 09:47

    Have you written to Tesco to complain about without notice price rises?

    Have you noticed that your pension or cash savings have been devalued/eroded by inflation higher than any interest you might have earned?

    • Paul says:

      16 Jul16 July 08:17

      Any consumer protection should cover all forms of reward currencies. While we may be well versed in the risks of Avios the man on the omnibus probably does not.

  • LittleNick says:

    15 Jul15 July 09:47

    This is the risk you take with using ‘reward’ currencies. It’s at your own risk, if you don’t like it then don’t partake, this is not a massive issue here as now you can move avios between different airlines to get the best deal, personally would prefer regulators to keep out, anytime they get involved any of the good sweet spots will be removed

    • Paul says:

      16 Jul16 July 08:19

      But it’s not clear, users of forums such as these may be aware of the risks but the ordinary consumer is not. Where does it say the value of you Avios can be devalued at any time at the sole discretion of the airline.

  • Mikeact says:

    15 Jul15 July 11:53

    And of course, the Avios are not actually yours anyway.

    • Paul says:

      16 Jul16 July 08:20

      Another scandal.

• HampshireHog says:

  15 Jul15 July 09:55

  The headline points cost is not the only factor to take into account. Japan airlines domestic flights are for example fee free when booked with BA Avios unlike the cheaper points option using Qatar

  • marcolau says:

    15 Jul15 July 10:36

    QR is notorius in charing exorbitant fees on redemption, especially those that cannot be found on online portal. JAL for one…
    Speaking of JAL, just noticed Finnair is charging 8500 Avios for Japan domestic flights, not the cheapest but I’m sure the fees (if any) would be much more sensible

  • Gavin says:

    15 Jul15 July 10:41

    Yes very true, I wanted to book Haneda – Sapporo on JAL which was 6000 Avios via QR but 10,500 via BA. However, QR charges around £40 in fees whereas BA charge £0 in fees or taxes for that route. I ended up booking the flight with cash instead.

    • David says:

      15 Jul15 July 16:57

      But in your example you’d save £5 with QR if you see 1p an Avios.

• Nico says:

  15 Jul15 July 11:00

  Is iberia chart for latam redemption the same as BA? Short haul flights in south america used to be less than 5000 avios and no cash pretty much.

• Lady London says:

  15 Jul15 July 11:25

  They can’t even say this is due to inflation can they. There’s not even been enough inflation for that.

  The removal of published awards charts, by Delta first ISTR, was a signal the whole industry was going to remove chunks of value from loyalty program savers who assumed, as decent people would, that loyalty would work both ways.

  Don’t know if Avios is a fief currency but as my toothless infant nephew would say BA are fieves. 12,000 for one short little domestic flight? And that’s just the starting price.

  Also wonder how long the gaps that are opening across the relevant airlines will be allowed to stay so open.I give it 2 years before we see movement on that.

• David S says:

  15 Jul15 July 11:34

  A little off topic but relevant, does anyone know what fees Finnair Plus charge on AA/Alaska flights? I booked a flight on Alaska with Qatar last month and was a little surprised by the slightly higher fee (although it was worth it for the fewer Avios spent, and the difference would be even more beneficial with the charts now)

  • marcolau says:

    15 Jul15 July 11:48

    Most likely to be US$4.5 more than BA if it’s US domestic flights ($10.1 total). For some reason QR added Passenger Facility Charge when all others don’t.

    • LittleNick says:

      15 Jul15 July 12:19

      It seems QR are subject to this charge by the authorities and BA/AA are not. Fortunately only $6 so not going to break the bank but can save thousands of avios

• ayearinmx says:

  15 Jul15 July 11:50

  I thought if you booked AA redemption you don’t get any baggage, even with Oneworld status?

  • LittleNick says:

    15 Jul15 July 12:20

    No as long as you have the right oneworld status and have the correct frequent flyer number on the booking

    • Tariq says:

      15 Jul15 July 15:19

      Plus, believe it’s the status at the time of ticketing rather than travel – unless that’s changed. I had to pay on an AA internal booked with Avios but was promptly refunded when I claimed online. Ticketed 3 days before my Bronze (OW Ruby) expired. 🙂

  • NorthernLass says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:22

    The check in system knows your status and doesn’t apply the baggage charge if you put your FF number on the booking. If you’re booking AA flights via your BAEC account, this is automatic.

  • FatherOfFour says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:30

    Does this apply to booking Bus/Dom First flights with AA too? (Speaking as a “to be” BA Blue)

• andiron says:

  15 Jul15 July 12:00

  Really interesting to see where this goes.. every year the opportunity to earn points is being cut and at the same time the redemtpion value goes up.

  • John says:

    15 Jul15 July 13:53

    I’m actually earning/obtaining a lot more Avios points in recent years (and at cheaper costs) due to the regular Amex Platinum retention bonuses, Avios subscription, and BA’s new “boost” scheme, along with various other opportunities to purchase cheap points such as the Finnair bonus last year before they changed to Avios.

    When I first got into the game around 8-9 years ago, I was happy to buy a bunch of Avios for 1.1p each to make good value redemptions (inflation adjusted, that would be like paying nearly 1.5p now). However, these days I’m getting points for more like 0.8p-1.0p each so I’m not at all surprised that redemptions are costing more.

• Super Secret Stuff says:

  15 Jul15 July 13:31

  Had a feeling this would happen soon for short haul US receptions, I’m taking it as a win that I did the only short haul reception I’ve wanted to do in December last year. Already got my Latam flights booked for later in the year so we’re good

  • Mikeact says:

    15 Jul15 July 18:47

    Blame the US Banks etc., handing out massive sign ups….too many residents criss crossing the country on next to nothing Avios redemptions….just a shame we all get caught.

    • Mikeact says:

      15 Jul15 July 19:28

      And the demographics of those travelling across the pond..both ways ? My guess…US residents 75%….and then the rest of us. Probably why it can be difficult to get West Coast redemptions

    • Rizz says:

      16 Jul16 July 01:37

      What about the UK? “Highest sign-up bonus ever” almost every other day on this blog. It’s bound to end up like this. I wouldn’t overestimate the impact of the US bonuses or earning rates here. It’s BA, after all, not some third-party bank, that decided what sign-up bonuses are on it’s US-issued CCs.

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