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Hi Reney,
I have booked a one way outbound (355 days in advance), I need to book the inbound this week. Was hoping to use the upgrade voucher for hubby and I on our return journey (one way, two people).
We go outbound to Orlando, inbound from Cancun.
Can this be done?
Thanks,EmmaTo use the voucher your trip must originate in the UK.
Cancun isn’t in the UK so you cannot use it in this instance (unless you booked the outbound with as many vouchers as passengers, then you should be able to call to add the return leg).
You can use a voucher for either:
– a return booking originating in the UK for 1 person
– a one way booking originating in the UK for 2 personsYou cannot use the voucher for things like:
– upgrading one leg of a return booking for 2 persons
– upgrading any booking originating outside of the UK@emmaw5782 – it is possible to do what you want, ie open jaw and apply the voucher to the inbound only, (it’s the origin of the itinerary, not the flight that matters) but not in the way you have started the process unless you fall on a very benevolent BA agent. You can’t now apply the voucher retrospectively which is what you are effectively asking for, so the agent would need to cancel the outbound, hope the seats come back into inventory and then rebook using the voucher.
Hi Reney,
I have booked a one way outbound (355 days in advance), I need to book the inbound this week. Was hoping to use the upgrade voucher for hubby and I on our return journey (one way, two people).
We go outbound to Orlando, inbound from Cancun.
Can this be done?
Thanks,EmmaIn line with what Steve said.
If you had 2 vouchers, and you used one each to book the outbound you can call and add the inbound. It sounds like you used no vouchers to book the outbound so you cannot just use the voucher to book the inbound. If there are redemption seat left on the outbound you can cancel and rebook using your voucher. But that’s just one way ( sounds like you only have one voucher) But if there isn’t don’t necessary assume the seat you cancel will come back.
Thanks all.
So it sounds like I might miss out this time. If I do this again, how exactly do I use my voucher for the return flight (knowing that I have to book an outbound first in order to get the seats).
I used Avios for the whole outbound flight, have enough for the return but had hoped to apply the voucher to the return in order to upgrade at the end of the holiday. I am so confused how to actually use it if I don’t book the return flight in one go!Thanks all.
So it sounds like I might miss out this time. If I do this again, how exactly do I use my voucher for the return flight (knowing that I have to book an outbound first in order to get the seats).
I used Avios for the whole outbound flight, have enough for the return but had hoped to apply the voucher to the return in order to upgrade at the end of the holiday. I am so confused how to actually use it if I don’t book the return flight in one go!The key is that you can’t add a voucher to an existing booking, so if you want to upgrade the return only for two people and you only have one voucher, you need to book the outbound and return together – hence the suggestion above to cancel your existing booking and hope those seats come back into reward inventory so the agent can book both legs at once. The other way is to book the outbound only with two vouchers and you can then book a return when it becomes available.
Thanks all.
So it sounds like I might miss out this time. If I do this again, how exactly do I use my voucher for the return flight (knowing that I have to book an outbound first in order to get the seats).
I used Avios for the whole outbound flight, have enough for the return but had hoped to apply the voucher to the return in order to upgrade at the end of the holiday. I am so confused how to actually use it if I don’t book the return flight in one go!basically if you only ever have one voucher you will never be able to upgrade the return flight for 2. Live with upgrading at the start of your holiday and not the end I am afraid. If you have two vouchers, use one each to book the upgrade out and then call BA to add the return.
Thanks all
Has anyone actually tried calling and doing this? I booked a slightly complicated Barclays booking (2 adults 1 infant 2 vouchers) by phone and she manually double checked the Avios the system was calculating, suggesting that she could do the deductions manually if needed (to her surprise it was correct ! Not sure they have any more faith in the systems than us….)
Another way of doing it is if you do book one of the guaranteed seats at T-355 , if you cancel then almost certainly it’ll drop back into inventory. So you could get BA on the phone, go in and cancel and then have them rebook you as an open jaw. But you’d a) have to pay £35pp and b) small risk they don’t appear, someone grabs them. the return leg gets snatched by someone else in those few seconds etc
I’d also say on a long haul as you’re forced to do the highest Avios / £ when using a voucher, if you’ve got another £35pp down the drain it’s getting close to being a bad use of a voucher!
Having read much of this thread, I am struggling to see the value given they force you to do maximum Avios and I’m not an Avios millionaire. Can anyone share their best deals / strongest routes?
I did CW for LHR to CPT return, voucher reduced Avios by 85,000
Can I ask can I booked a return say LGW-MCO on the upgrade voucher and then call up to change the outbound (within 24 hours) to LHR-IAD or would this all require a call at 0100 to book it all. Quite happy there will be seats left on the outbound but issue is getting the return flights!
So called avios helpline and asked if I could change one leg of the flight after being booked on an upgrade voucher, she said no problem would be a £35 charge, so may be easier to grab the Orlando return for any date and then change later on.
Ok, slightly confirmed about whether what I want to do is possible, having read the above.
I’d like to book 4 return tickets, LHR to BOS. I’d like economy outbound, premium inbound. If I just book this normally it’s 360k Avios and £760.
I’d like to use an upgrade voucher for two of the premium inbound flights.
So the two sticking points are, can I upgrade two inbound legs using one voucher, and if so, can I do this on a booking that also has two non upgrade voucher flights as well?
Ok, slightly confirmed about whether what I want to do is possible, having read the above.
I’d like to book 4 return tickets, LHR to BOS. I’d like economy outbound, premium inbound. If I just book this normally it’s 360k Avios and £760.
I’d like to use an upgrade voucher for two of the premium inbound flights.
So the two sticking points are, can I upgrade two inbound legs using one voucher, and if so, can I do this on a booking that also has two non upgrade voucher flights as well?
If you have one voucher your only option is two people OUTBOUND ONLY premium eco on eco points
OR
one person premium eco using eco points INBOUND AND OUTBOUND. Simple as that.
If you have two vouchers follow the same as above but for two people.
There are two posts above from @JDB saying it’s possible to upgrade the inbound only as long as it’s all booked at once. You’re saying he’s wrong?
Ok, I just called BAEC. The first person I spoke to said this wasn’t possible, you can’t upgrade the inbound leg. I then HUACA, and the second person said this is in fact possible. However, their system is down, and they cannot make any booking at present. I’ll give an update later when I speak to them again and everything is working.
Called back just now, system was working again. The lady said what I wanted to do was possible, but then she couldn’t get it to work. She put me on hold for 15 minutes, and came back saying that her manager told her it wouldn’t work. So I’ve had to book the flights without using my voucher. Shame.
Similar question.
I want to book a return flight for 2 adults and 2 kids (over 2) next October. I have 2 upgrade vouchers on my account and 2 on my wife’s account.
They said my wife and I need to do 2 bookings as the vouchers are on separate accounts which is fine. So me plus one kid and her plus one kid. I have just booked the outbound for myself pus one kid and they said they will apply one of the vouchers now and when I call up to book the return they will apply the other voucher – I am not sure if this will work or not – but she did check with her manager. I asked them to apply 2 vouchers for my booking from the start but they said this wasn’t possible. Any experience with this?
It’s not clear what you’re asking here – how would they apply vouchers to sectors you haven’t booked yet?
It’s not clear what you’re asking here – how would they apply vouchers to sectors you haven’t booked yet?
I would have assumed that they just put 2 vouchers on the booking at the time we book the outbound (for 2 people) and then when I book/add the return on the same boking reference I just pay the avios for premium econ (rather than club world). What BA did was to just use one voucher for the outbound and they said when I call to book the return they will add the second voucher – is it ok to do it this way?
Yes, this can be done as long as it’s all on the same booking. However, not all BA CS agents know how to do this so you may have to be persuasive or even HUACA. Hopefully not though!
Yes, this can be done as long as it’s all on the same booking. However, not all BA CS agents know how to do this so you may have to be persuasive or even HUACA. Hopefully not though!
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Thanks – So I booked all 4 passengers onto two booking references:
Booking one – me and my daughter (+1 barclays voucher for now) with the aim to add the return leg later and add another barclays upgrade voucher
Booking two – my wife and son (same as above)A couple of hours later I got an email from someone at avios.com and the email said that the CS agent was new and did it wrong and if I was to call back and add the return leg and another voucher their system wouldn’t allow it. So they split all 4 passengers onto 4 separate booking references for me with one barclays voucher each – so when I call back it’ll be easier. Does this sound normal?
I have emailed them back as one issue I will have is that we might not be seated together as the kids are 5 an 3 and we are all on difference booking refs?
That is really odd as normally it’s not possible to book individual tickets for children under 14. I would have thought it would throw up all sorts of issues as the system will see them as unaccompanied minors, which BA doesn’t even permit any more!
When you do come to book the returns, just check that these bookings are somehow linked together – though you’re not 100% guaranteed to be seated together even if you’re a family travelling together (unless you pay), the chances are that you will be if known to be travelling together.
Incidentally, do you know if your flight has old or new CW seating as this can cause issues when travelling with young children?
That is really odd as normally it’s not possible to book individual tickets for children under 14. I would have thought it would throw up all sorts of issues as the system will see them as unaccompanied minors, which BA doesn’t even permit any more!
When you do come to book the returns, just check that these bookings are somehow linked together – though you’re not 100% guaranteed to be seated together even if you’re a family travelling together (unless you pay), the chances are that you will be if known to be travelling together.
Incidentally, do you know if your flight has old or new CW seating as this can cause issues when travelling with young children?
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Hi thanks for the reply – it is club suite
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